This experiment demonstrated that it is possible to use classroom intervention to change the attitudes of female college students towards theoretical and applied chemistry. A pilot study was used to test the experimental design, develop measuring instruments and obtain some preliminary information on the attitudes of college science students. The experiment was of the pretest, post-test, experimental, control group design with a total sample size of 204 students. The treatment experienced by the experimental group consisted of a modified curriculum that included information about topics found by the researcher to be of interest to women, information about how chemistry benefits human health and the environment, a laboratory manual containing profiles of prominent Canadian women chemists and visits by women chemical engineers. Regression analysis of the data showed a significant positive change in the attitudes of the female students in the experimental group (p $<$.05) and there was some indication that more of them were contemplating a career in the theoretical or applied physical sciences. The experiment indicated the importance of sensitizing college instructors to the needs of female students. A series of recommendations for college instructors and the Ministry of Education resulted from this work.

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the epistemological obstacles that mathematics students at undergraduate level encounter in coming to understand the limit concept. The role played by language and symbolism in understanding the limit concept was also investigated. A group of mathematics students at undergraduate level at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) was used as the sample for the study. Empirical data were collected by using interviews and questionnaires. These data were analysed using both the APOS framework and a semiotic perspective.</p> <p><br /> Within the APOS framework, the pieces of knowledge that have to be constructed in coming to understand the limit concept are actions, processes and objects. Actions are interiorised into processes and processes are encapsulated into objects. The conceptual structure is called a schema. In investigating the idea of limit within the context of a function some main epistemological obstacles that were encountered when actions were interiorised into processes are over-generalising and taking the limit value as the function value. For example, in finding the limit value L for f(x) as x tends to 0, 46 subjects out of 251 subjects said that they would calculate f(0) as the limit value. This method is appropriate for calculating the limit values for continuous functions. However, in this case, the method is generalised to all the functions. When these subjects encounter situations in which the functional value is equal to the limit value, they take the two to be the same. However, the two are different entities conceptually.</p>

<p>Problems of understanding fundamental calculus concepts by students in tertiary education colleges and universities are evidenced by a body of research studies conducted in different parts of the world. The researchers have identified, classified and analysed these problems from historical, epistemological, and learning theory perspectives. History is important because mathematical concepts are a result of the developments of the past. The way knowledge is acquired is an epistemological issue and the major purpose of learning is to acquire knowledge. Hence, these three perspectives qualify to be used as lenses in understanding problems that students encounter in a learning situation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epistemological obstacles that mathematics students at undergraduate level encounter in coming to understand the limit concept. The role played by language and symbolism in understanding the limit concept was also investigated, because communication in the mathematics classroom takes place by using language and symbols.</p>

<p>Over the last few years it became clear that the students struggle with the basic concepts of logarithms and inequalities, let alone logarithmic inequalities due to the lack of exposure of these concepts at high school. In order to fully comprehend logarithmic inequalities, a good understanding of the logarithmic graph is important. Thus, the opportunity was seen to change the method of instruction by introducing the graphical method to solve logarithmic inequalities. It was decided to use an mathematical software program, Omnigraph, in this research.</p>

Copies of author's previously published works inserted. / Bibliography: leaves 236-268. / viii, 268, [77] p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Depts. of Education and Genetics, 1997

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Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Somatology, Durban University of Technology, 2014 / The beginning of the 20th century presented the Somatology profession with unprecedented challenges of acquiring a scientific base and achieving professionalisation. It is in this milieu that a few research studies were previously undertaken with regard to Somatology education however, none particularly focused in relation to areas that are preparing graduates for industry. The current study was a national study that explored the existing National Diploma offering through the lens of students, educators and members of the Durban University of Technology’s Advisory Board. In particular, it focused on developing broad guidelines to guide academics on what further content was required to be integrated into the current Somatology education. A triangulated approach using both quantitative and qualitative methods was used to guide the operationalisation of the research process. Five Universities of Technology participated in the study, viz. Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Central University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Tshwane University of Technology and the University of Johannesburg. Third year and B.Tech students were surveyed with regard to the current Somatology Programme and what further aspects needed to be integrated into it to better prepare graduates for industry. In addition, in-depth interviews were also held with ten academics, two from each University of Technology, to examine what they thought needed to be included in education to strengthen the current programme. The same was done through a focus group discussion with members of the Durban University of Technology Advisory Board. A programme analysis of current content being taught at the five Universities was also undertaken. The results reflected that although most of the samples were satisfied with the current educational programme, they still believed that gaps existed and that graduates were still not adequately prepared for industry. It was found that both students and educators saw the need for more therapies to be included in the training. Both educators and the Advisory Board sample also saw the need for a stronger emphasis to be placed on practical skill development. The Advisory Board sample also strongly articulated for training to occur in an industry context as opposed to the University based experiential setting. Using data from these multiple samples, a set of guidelines was developed and presented. These guidelines were based on what further therapies needed to be integrated into education. The Duke Integrative Medicines Wheel of Health was adopted as the theoretical framework of the study. It was also utilised to identify specific areas that needed to be interwoven into education to further strengthen graduates’ preparedness for industry.

This thesis reports on a multiple case study of four EFL teachers’ long-term development of autonomy in a particular Chinese mainland university. Each teacher was selected as a holistic case because of their variations in dispositions, backgrounds, experiences, and trajectories of development. It addresses three major research questions: 1) How do the teachers control over the multiple aspects of their teacher work across time and contexts? 2) What are the major individual and contextual factors that facilitate and constrain the development of teacher autonomy? 3) How do teacher identities affect the development of teacher autonomy? The study adopted many narrative forms of data collection instruments, including (auto)biographies, interviews, casual conversations, questionnaire, complemented by classroom observations, staff meeting observations, and documents, in order to understand teacher autonomy from the lived experiences of the four teacher participants throughout their careers and lives. By examining the concept of teacher autonomy through the lens of teacher identity, this study analyzed how four teacher participants exercised different degrees of autonomy at different stages of their teaching, research, and administrative roles. It provides a holistic picture of zigzagging pathways towards teacher autonomy across the whole course of their careers. It then discussed how the teachers’ autonomy was facilitated and constrained by contextual and individual factors across time. Based on the findings, this study proposes a conceptual framework to illustrate the close relationship between teacher identity and teacher autonomy, and this relationship’s dynamic and unstable nature across time and contexts. It also suggests there is an urgent need for teacher autonomy scholarship to broaden its scope by moving beyond language teaching and learning to more crucial aspects of language teachers’ daily work and to explore the development of teacher autonomy in a long-term process.