Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-151).

The aim of this research was: • to gain a better understanding of factors that influence the performance of Information Technology (IT) students; • to gain a better understanding of how Education Technology can assist in overcoming some of the factors that negatively influence the performance of IT students; *to gain a better understanding of students’ perceptions about technology usage in classrooms; *to determine the correlation between the use of Education Technology and student performance, and *to identify whether the use of resources posted on a LMS can serve as predictors of IT students’ performance. In order to achieve these objectives, the research used, firstly, a literature review to identify factors that influence the performance of IT students and how some of these problems can be overcome with the use of Education Technology. Secondly, the empirical part of the study consisted of data derived from an online Learning Management System called eFundiTM at the North-West University Vaal Triangle campus in South Africa. A questionnaire was issued as a collateral investigation to determine students’ perceptions about technology use in classrooms. The empirical portion of the study was conducted to gain an understanding of how students feel about Education Technology, whether the students’ perceptions have changed during their first semester about technology use and whether the usage of certain resources have an influence on students’ performance. The findings from the literature revealed that mental models, learning styles, mathematical ability, prior programming experience and gender are some of the most prominent predictors of success in the performance of IT students. The empirical portion of the study revealed that the usage of certain resources influences students’ performance and that students have an overall positive perception about technology. Finally, recommendations are made for additional studies in order to extend the study of Education Technology to full-time BSc. IT students (not only BSc. IT extended students) at other universities in South Africa. / MSc (Computer Science), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Carroll E. Izard, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

The aim of this research was: • to gain a better understanding of factors that influence the performance of Information Technology (IT) students; • to gain a better understanding of how Education Technology can assist in overcoming some of the factors that negatively influence the performance of IT students; *to gain a better understanding of students’ perceptions about technology usage in classrooms; *to determine the correlation between the use of Education Technology and student performance, and *to identify whether the use of resources posted on a LMS can serve as predictors of IT students’ performance. In order to achieve these objectives, the research used, firstly, a literature review to identify factors that influence the performance of IT students and how some of these problems can be overcome with the use of Education Technology. Secondly, the empirical part of the study consisted of data derived from an online Learning Management System called eFundiTM at the North-West University Vaal Triangle campus in South Africa. A questionnaire was issued as a collateral investigation to determine students’ perceptions about technology use in classrooms. The empirical portion of the study was conducted to gain an understanding of how students feel about Education Technology, whether the students’ perceptions have changed during their first semester about technology use and whether the usage of certain resources have an influence on students’ performance. The findings from the literature revealed that mental models, learning styles, mathematical ability, prior programming experience and gender are some of the most prominent predictors of success in the performance of IT students. The empirical portion of the study revealed that the usage of certain resources influences students’ performance and that students have an overall positive perception about technology. Finally, recommendations are made for additional studies in order to extend the study of Education Technology to full-time BSc. IT students (not only BSc. IT extended students) at other universities in South Africa. / MSc (Computer Science), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed May 1, 2007). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Os esforços empreendidos nos últimos anos pelo INEP (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira) para organizar bancos de dados relativos às escolas brasileiras do ensino básico abriram importantes possibilidades de pesquisa na área. Por meio de uma perspectiva de estudo focada na gestão e nos processos administrativos, buscando complementar as propostas mais clássicas de pesquisa orientadas para os aspectos pedagógicos ou para os estudos macroeconômicos, o presente esforço de pesquisa busca identificar as características e práticas dos gestores de escolas com melhor desempenho relativo (condições socioeconômicas versus desempenho dos alunos na Prova Brasil) nas avaliações de conhecimentos dos alunos da rede pública de ensino básico, a partir de experiências identificadas no Estado de São Paulo. De caráter exploratório, ela está baseada em metodologia de estudo de casos múltiplos, mais especificamente com o uso das técnicas de entrevistas em profundidade com roteiro semiestruturado e técnica de incidentes críticos; de observação sistemática direta; e de análise documental em dois pares de escolas selecionadas, por meio do cruzamento do desempenho na segunda etapa da Prova Brasil e do indicador socioeconômico da escola (ISE), além de outros requisitos. Essa forma de determinação de casos permitiu a análise contextualizada e comparada de uma escola com desempenho acima do esperado e outra com desempenho abaixo do esperado dentro de um mesmo município. Para a análise dos dados optou-se pela técnica de análise de conteúdo com auxílio do software Atlas.ti. Os resultados e discussões da pesquisa contemplam características e práticas dos gestores (diretor, vice-diretor, coordenador pedagógico e supervisor de ensino) bem como fatores contextuais relevantes, pressões e dificuldades que acabam por delinear certos tipos de ação ou até limitar ações pretendidas. Mais especificamente, foram abordadas as questões: perfil dos gestores (naturalidade, idade, formação, interesses pessoais, forma de acesso ao cargo e motivo para assumi-lo, e experiência); o contexto interno e externo da escola (colegiados existentes e forma de funcionamento dos mesmos; favorabilidade do clima organizacional; importância dada às avaliações externas; pressões e dificuldades percebidas e demais fatores contextuais mencionados); e, por fim, forma de atuação e práticas da gestão (estilo de gestão; tarefas e papeis desempenhados pelos gestores; satisfação no cargo; e opinião quanto à educação, ao educando, à contribuição do seu cargo para o educando e diferenciais da escola onde atuam). As diversas questões foram apresentadas de maneira comparada, par a par, e, em seguida, foram realizados apontamentos com relação ao que poderiam ser diferenciais para um melhor desempenho e assim contribuir para a definição de políticas de disseminação de boas práticas de gestão, bem como para a organização de programas de capacitação de gestores escolares. Conclui-se que cada escola é um universo particularmente complexo e destaca-se que a habilidade de autotransformar-se e de transformar o meio interno e externo parece estar presente na gestão das escolas com DRE positivo. Além disso, essas parecem contar uma equipe colaborativa, bem como pais e comunidade atuantes. / The efforts made by INEP (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira) in the last few years to organize database related to Brazilian elementary schools have opened important opportunities of research in this field. By means of a perspective of study focused on management and administrative procedures, seeking to supplement the most classical proposals of research oriented either towards pedagogical aspects or to macroeconomic studies, the effort of the present research seeks to identify characteristics and practices of managers of schools with better relative performances (socio-economic conditions versus students performances in the Prova Brasil) in the assessments of the knowledge of students in elementary public schools, from experiences identified in the state of São Paulo. Being of explorative character, the research is based on multiple-cases study method, more specifically with the use of semi-structured interviewing guidelines technique and critical incident technique; technique of direct systematic observation; and of document analysis in two pairs of schools selected by means of comparison of the performance in the second phase of the Prova Brasil and the schools socio-economic index (SEI), besides other requisites. This type of cases determination enabled the contextualized and compared analysis of a school whose performance was higher than expected and of another whose performance was lower than expected, both in the same city. For data analysis, it was utilized content analysis technique with the aid of Atlas.ti software. The research results and discussion contemplate characteristics and practices of (principal, assistant principal, pedagogical coordinator and school supervisor) as well as relevant contextual factors, pressures and difficulties that end up outlining certain types of actions or even limiting intended actions. More specifically, the following points were covered: managers profiles (origin, age, education, interests, how they reached the position and the reason why they took it, and experience); schools internal and external context (existing representative groups, the way they work; favourability of the organizational environment; importance attached to external assessments; perceived pressures and difficulties and the other contextual factors mentioned); and, at last, ways of working and management practices (management styles; tasks and roles played by managers; job satisfaction; their opinion about education, learners, the contribution of their positions to learners and the differential qualities of the school where they work). These various points were presented in a compared way, pair by pair, and, afterwards records were made of what might be differential factors for a better performance and therefore to contribute to the definition of good management practices dissemination policies, as well as to the organization of school managers training programs. It can be concluded that each school is a particularly complex universe and it can be highlighted that the ability of self-changing and of changing the internal and external environment seems to be present in the management of schools with positive DRE. Additionally, these schools seem to count on a collaborative team as well as participating parents and community.

Os esforços empreendidos nos últimos anos pelo INEP (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira) para organizar bancos de dados relativos às escolas brasileiras do ensino básico abriram importantes possibilidades de pesquisa na área. Por meio de uma perspectiva de estudo focada na gestão e nos processos administrativos, buscando complementar as propostas mais clássicas de pesquisa orientadas para os aspectos pedagógicos ou para os estudos macroeconômicos, o presente esforço de pesquisa busca identificar as características e práticas dos gestores de escolas com melhor desempenho relativo (condições socioeconômicas versus desempenho dos alunos na Prova Brasil) nas avaliações de conhecimentos dos alunos da rede pública de ensino básico, a partir de experiências identificadas no Estado de São Paulo. De caráter exploratório, ela está baseada em metodologia de estudo de casos múltiplos, mais especificamente com o uso das técnicas de entrevistas em profundidade com roteiro semiestruturado e técnica de incidentes críticos; de observação sistemática direta; e de análise documental em dois pares de escolas selecionadas, por meio do cruzamento do desempenho na segunda etapa da Prova Brasil e do indicador socioeconômico da escola (ISE), além de outros requisitos. Essa forma de determinação de casos permitiu a análise contextualizada e comparada de uma escola com desempenho acima do esperado e outra com desempenho abaixo do esperado dentro de um mesmo município. Para a análise dos dados optou-se pela técnica de análise de conteúdo com auxílio do software Atlas.ti. Os resultados e discussões da pesquisa contemplam características e práticas dos gestores (diretor, vice-diretor, coordenador pedagógico e supervisor de ensino) bem como fatores contextuais relevantes, pressões e dificuldades que acabam por delinear certos tipos de ação ou até limitar ações pretendidas. Mais especificamente, foram abordadas as questões: perfil dos gestores (naturalidade, idade, formação, interesses pessoais, forma de acesso ao cargo e motivo para assumi-lo, e experiência); o contexto interno e externo da escola (colegiados existentes e forma de funcionamento dos mesmos; favorabilidade do clima organizacional; importância dada às avaliações externas; pressões e dificuldades percebidas e demais fatores contextuais mencionados); e, por fim, forma de atuação e práticas da gestão (estilo de gestão; tarefas e papeis desempenhados pelos gestores; satisfação no cargo; e opinião quanto à educação, ao educando, à contribuição do seu cargo para o educando e diferenciais da escola onde atuam). As diversas questões foram apresentadas de maneira comparada, par a par, e, em seguida, foram realizados apontamentos com relação ao que poderiam ser diferenciais para um melhor desempenho e assim contribuir para a definição de políticas de disseminação de boas práticas de gestão, bem como para a organização de programas de capacitação de gestores escolares. Conclui-se que cada escola é um universo particularmente complexo e destaca-se que a habilidade de autotransformar-se e de transformar o meio interno e externo parece estar presente na gestão das escolas com DRE positivo. Além disso, essas parecem contar uma equipe colaborativa, bem como pais e comunidade atuantes. / The efforts made by INEP (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira) in the last few years to organize database related to Brazilian elementary schools have opened important opportunities of research in this field. By means of a perspective of study focused on management and administrative procedures, seeking to supplement the most classical proposals of research oriented either towards pedagogical aspects or to macroeconomic studies, the effort of the present research seeks to identify characteristics and practices of managers of schools with better relative performances (socio-economic conditions versus students performances in the Prova Brasil) in the assessments of the knowledge of students in elementary public schools, from experiences identified in the state of São Paulo. Being of explorative character, the research is based on multiple-cases study method, more specifically with the use of semi-structured interviewing guidelines technique and critical incident technique; technique of direct systematic observation; and of document analysis in two pairs of schools selected by means of comparison of the performance in the second phase of the Prova Brasil and the schools socio-economic index (SEI), besides other requisites. This type of cases determination enabled the contextualized and compared analysis of a school whose performance was higher than expected and of another whose performance was lower than expected, both in the same city. For data analysis, it was utilized content analysis technique with the aid of Atlas.ti software. The research results and discussion contemplate characteristics and practices of (principal, assistant principal, pedagogical coordinator and school supervisor) as well as relevant contextual factors, pressures and difficulties that end up outlining certain types of actions or even limiting intended actions. More specifically, the following points were covered: managers profiles (origin, age, education, interests, how they reached the position and the reason why they took it, and experience); schools internal and external context (existing representative groups, the way they work; favourability of the organizational environment; importance attached to external assessments; perceived pressures and difficulties and the other contextual factors mentioned); and, at last, ways of working and management practices (management styles; tasks and roles played by managers; job satisfaction; their opinion about education, learners, the contribution of their positions to learners and the differential qualities of the school where they work). These various points were presented in a compared way, pair by pair, and, afterwards records were made of what might be differential factors for a better performance and therefore to contribute to the definition of good management practices dissemination policies, as well as to the organization of school managers training programs. It can be concluded that each school is a particularly complex universe and it can be highlighted that the ability of self-changing and of changing the internal and external environment seems to be present in the management of schools with positive DRE. Additionally, these schools seem to count on a collaborative team as well as participating parents and community.

Στην εργασία αυτή παρουσιάζεται η χρήση τεχνολογίας Έμπειρων Συστημάτων για την πρόβλεψη της επιτυχίας ενός μαθητή Τ.Ε.Ε. στις εισαγωγικές πανελλαδικές εξετάσεις στα Α.Τ.Ε.Ι. και η απόδοσή της συγκρίνεται με αυτή της Ανάλυσης Λογιστικής Παλλινδρόμησης και των Νευρωνικών Δικτύων. Είναι σημαντικό για τους καθηγητές, αλλά και τη διοίκηση του σχολείου, να είναι σε θέση να εντοπίζουν τους μαθητές με υψηλή πιθανότητα αποτυχίας ή χαμηλής απόδοσης ώστε να τους βοηθήσουν κατάλληλα. Για το σκοπό της παρούσας εργασίας αναπτύσσεται Έμπειρο Σύστημα βασισμένο σε κανόνες, το οποίο υλοποιείται σε δυο εκδοχές: η πρώτη χρησιμοποιεί τους συντελεστές βεβαιότητας του MYCIN και η δεύτερη μια γενικευμένη εκδοχή της σχέσης των συντελεστών αβεβαιότητας του MYCIN με τη βοήθεια αριθμητικών βαρών για κάθε συντελεστή βεβαιότητας (PASS). Ο σχεδιασμός του έμπειρου συστήματος σε κάθε περίπτωση, η ανάλυση Λογιστικής Παλινδρόμησης και η ανάπτυξη Νευρωνικού Δικτύου βασίζονται στην ανάλυση δημογραφικών και εκπαιδευτικών δεδομένων των μαθητών, κυρίως όμως στην ανάλυση δεδομένων της απόδοσής τους κατά τις σπουδές τους (Φύλο, Ηλικία, Ειδικότητα, Βαθμός Α (ο Γενικός Βαθμός της Α’ Τάξης), Βαθμός Β (Γενικός Βαθμός της Β’ τάξης) και Βαθμός ΑΓ (ο Μέσος Όρος των βαθμών στα τρία εξεταζόμενα μαθήματα κατά το Α’ τετράμηνο σπουδών). Με δεδομένο το ότι η πρόβλεψη της επιτυχίας ή μη ενός μαθητή στις εισαγωγικές εξετάσεις εμπεριέχει ένα μεγάλο βαθμό αβεβαιότητας, η αβεβαιότητα αυτή έχει καθοριστικό ρόλο στη σχεδίαση του έμπειρου συστήματος σε κάθε εκδοχή του. Το Έμπειρο Σύστημα PASS, η Ανάλυση Λογιστικής Παλινδρόμησης και τα Νευρωνικά Δίκτυα έχουν περίπου την ίδια ακρίβεια στην πρόβλεψή τους ενώ το MYCIN μικρότερη. Το MYCIN εμφανίζει την υψηλότερη ευαισθησία. Το Έμπειρο Σύστημα PASS, η Ανάλυση Λογιστικής Παλινδρόμησης και τα Νευρωνικά Δίκτυα έχουν περίπου την ίδια ειδικότητα, με το PASS να έχει ελαφρώς υψηλότερη τιμή ενώ το MYCIN έχει την χαμηλότερη τιμή. / In this paper, the use of the technology of the Expert Systems is presented in order to predict how certain is that a student of a specific type of high school in Greece will pass the national exams for entering a higher education institute, and the results are compared with that of Logistic Regression Analysis and Neural Networks. Predictions are based on various types of student’s student (sex, subject of studies, general degree of class A, general degree of class B, mean degree of the three basic lessons of class C). The aim is to use the predictions to provide suitable support to the students during their studies towards the national exams. The expert system is a rule-based system that uses a type of certainty factors and is developed based on two versions. The first one uses the MYCIN certainty factors combination to produce the final prediction based on rules with the same conclusion. The second one (PASS) introduces a parameterized linear formula for combining the certainty factors of two rules with the same conclusion. The values of the parameters (weights) are determined via training, before the system is used. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the predictions of the expert system PASS is comparable to that of Logistic Regression Analysis and Neural Networks approach. The accuracy of the predictions of the expert system MYCIN is lower than the accuracy of the other methods. The sensitivity of the MYCIN results is the highest and the specificity is the lowest. The specificity of the PASS, Logistic Regression Analysis and Neural Networks results are similar with the one of the PASS Expert System to be higher.

[pt] Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar as práticas de professoras consideradas referência no município de Duque de Caxias, RJ. Para isso, elegi quatro professoras, cada uma de um distrito do referido município, indicadas pela orientação pedagógica da escola. A metodologia utilizada teve três partes: (1) entrevista semiestruturada com as professoras; (2) conversas com quatro alunos de cada turma; e (3) observação das aulas por um período de 5 meses, totalizando oito ou nove observações em cada sala. Foi utilizado o software Atlas ti para analisar qualitativamente os dados obtidos, organizando-os em categorias e subcategorias. Com isso, foi possível perceber que duas professoras desenvolvem práticas sistemáticas de alfabetização realizando com constância atividades que levam os alunos à compreensão do sistema de escrita alfabética. Uma já tinha a maior parte dos seus alunos alfabetizados, pois havia lecionado para eles no ano interior à pesquisa e outra priorizava em suas práticas atividades de letramento, pensando que desse modo os alunos iriam alfabetizar-se. Os resultados apontaram ainda em três turmas a presença de uma prática pedagógica diversificada, planejada a partir das avaliações diárias das professoras, buscando dar conta da heterogeneidade de saberes. Com esses resultados, fica sinalizada a importância de políticas públicas de investimentos na formação docente, de modo que os professores compreendam a necessidade de levar os alunos a refletirem sobre o sistema alfabético de escrita e, ao mesmo tempo, levá-los ao letramento. É importante também que as professoras percebam que a heterogeneidade existente na sala, antes de ser um problema, pode ser considerada favorável à aprendizagem. A qualidade do ensino público que tanto almejamos carece destes investimentos. / [en] The purpose of this research is to analyze the practices of teachers considered to be reference in the city of Duque de Caxias, RJ. To that aim, I have observed and interviewed four teachers, one from each of the four districts in the city, who were pre-selected by the local coordinators. More specifically, the methodology I used was three-fold: (1) a semistructured interview with the teachers; (2) conversation sessions with 4 students from each reference teacher; and (3) 5-month long class observations, totalling 8 to 9 observations in each classroom. Data were analyzed with the computer software Atlas Ti, through which categories and subcategories were formed. Results indicate that two of the four teachers develop systematic literacy practices through frequent activities that help children understand the alphabetic system. Two teachers work with the written language in a more unsystematic way, giving priority to reading activities and text production. One of those frequently used the textbook, which did not offer subsidies for a reflection on the teaching of alphabetic writing. In three of the four groups, results showed the presence of a diverse pedagogy, planned mainly from teachers daily evaluations, in an attempt to account for the heterogeneity of knowledge. Based on those results, I conclude that public policy concerning investments on teacher s continuing education is important to ensure that teachers understand the need to make students reflect upon the alphabetic system and, at the same time, to make them more literate. In addition, they must understand the heterogeneity in the classroom not as a problem, but as favorable to learning. We conclude that the quality of public education that we expect to achieve demands such investments.

At every educational level reading is a powerful tool for academic success because it provides students with access to information. Comprehension is crucial to reading. Many students at Lobatse College of Education, Botswana, have problems comprehending L2 reading materials and thus struggle academically because English is the medium of instruction. To some extent, methods of teaching L2 reading contribute to students’ reading failure. It is said that how we teach is as important as what we teach. Thus, how L2 reading is taught is important for improving students’ understanding of texts and their L2 academic performance. This study focuses on teaching reading as a process which involves an application of reading strategies in order to facilitate comprehension of texts. The overall aim of the research is concerned with the improvement of methods of teaching L2 reading comprehension in Botswana Colleges of Education. The specific objective was to implement reading strategy instruction programme (RSI) to see what effect it would have on (i) on L2 students’ use of strategies during reading (ii) on L2 students’ reading comprehension, and (iii) on L2 students’ English academic performance. Using a quasi-experimental pre-posttest design, an explicit RSI programme was implemented over six-week period in a Botswana College of Education. Two intact cohorts of second-year teacher trainees were randomly assigned to a control and intervention groups. A reading strategy questionnaire and a reading comprehension test were used to examine the relationship between strategy use and level of comprehension. A discrepancy emerged between the self-reports responses of the participants and their actual performance in reading text. Although they claimed to be strategic readers the results suggested that they were not in fact reading strategically.The Cohen’s d analysis yielded a large effect size. This corroborates the significant differences that emerged between the two cohorts in their posttest comprehension results. The intervention group showed significant gains in strategy use and reading comprehension after the six-week intervention period. This suggests that even a short period of intervention can be beneficial to L2 students. However, these effects did not manifest themselves in the students’ English academic performance. This suggests that students need more exposure and more opportunities to practice applying strategies to texts that they read before the effect spill over into academic performance in general. The findings from this study have important implications for the teaching reading in Botswana in both L1 and L2 context. This research also point to further avenues for reading research in Botswana, and cautions against a reliance on questionnaire data alone in reading research; the triangulation of data is important to gain an accurate and deeper understanding of reading practices and reading performance. / Linguistics / M.A. (Applied Linguistics)