There are gaps in the literature between implementation research and organizational learning describing how local school systems successfully implement initiatives that change practices within school sites. Until recently, there has been a pattern for federal and state policies to overlook the role of the local school district in impacting school reform efforts (Honig & Copland, 2008; Knapp, 2008). With the importance of the school district gaining attention from researchers and policy makers, research on various aspects of district based reform efforts is expanding (Knapp, 2008). However, there is limited research on the influence of district reform strategies and the transfer of organizational learning through school leaders to the school site. The purpose of this study was to discover the ways in which principals and their instructional leadership teams identified as successful in implementing a district initiative have come to understand, interpret and mediate the purpose, resources, and knowledge of the MTSS initiative. This study investigated transfer of knowledge as it relates to organizational learning, sociocultural learning, and policy implementation. This inquiry researched a district’s MTSS initiative implementation process to better understand the topics of learning school leaders require as well as the types of supports that have been provided. This study was designed as a multiple case study that explores ways in which principals and their instructional leadership teams identified as successful by district leadership lead the implementation of a district-based initiative over the course of two years. The frameworks guiding this investigation were an integrated conception of organizational learning and sociocultural learning theories, a synthesis of effective district reform concepts, and implementation science competencies. Data from semi- structured interviews, document reviews, memoing journal, and researcher reflexive journal were utilized to analyze the findings within and across cases. There were several areas of commonalities across schools with some unique instances within schools that are discussed within the frame of the research questions. In addition, there were 4 major concepts that emerged which can be considered for a new heuristic model: ethic of care, attention to the nature of relationships in schools, purposeful development of joint work in a community of practice, and building and sustaining trust. Through the discoveries of this study, implications for further research may entail considerations for a new heuristic model that could encompass the complexity of policy implementation through an inclusive perspective that acknowledges the humanistic dimension to educational policy practice and research.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze and evaluate the employee training system in an auditing company operating on the Czech market. The thesis starts with a theoretical part, which provides basic definitions and description of educational strategies, the process of employee training as well as different training methods. The practical part contains the description of the company and the analysis of its education system and training methods. The main focus of this work lies on technical training, typical of this type of company, and on the area of soft skills education and revitalization of its concept. The analysis includes recommendations for adjustments and improvements of the educational process as a whole or of some of its parts.

This work describes the realization of information system of a learning center. It handles about the development and perspectives of its further development. The main part of it is dedicated to the development of system architecture, specification, creation of models and diagrams. An other part handles about the implementation, usage of programming methods and techniques. Highly stressed is the standardization of programming workflow, which enables easy understanding and future development of the system. Some parts handle about the developed framework, which provides the basic functionality, that can be used in other information systems as well. The work also describes the solution of  the cooperation with  other external systems and the used technology.

Esta tese apresenta a arquitetura de um sistema de aprendizado, com um escalonador de tarefas que possibilita a utilização de vários métodos de classificação e validação, permitindo a distribuição dessas tarefas entre os módulos do sistema. Esta arquitetura está estruturada de forma que classificações obtidas através de uma técnica sejam reutilizadas em paralelo pelo mesmo algoritmo ou por outras técnicas, produzindo novas classificações através do refinamento dos resultados alcançados e ampliando o uso em bases de dados com características diferentes. O sistema foi estruturado em quatro partes denominadas, respectivamente, Módulo de Inicialização, Módulo de Validação, Módulo de Refinamento e Módulo Especial de Escalonamento. Em cada módulo, podem ser usados vários algoritmos para atender aos seus objetivos. A estrutura deste sistema permite sua configuração, utilizando diversos métodos, inclusive com técnicas de inteligência artificial. Com isso, é possível a obtenção de resultados mais precisos por meio da escolha do melhor método para cada caso. Os resultados apresentados neste trabalho foram obtidos a partir de bases conhecidas na literatura, o que possibilita comparar as implementações dos métodos tradicionais que foram adicionadas ao sistema e, principalmente, verificar a qualidade dos refinamentos produzidos pela integração de técnicas diferentes. Os resultados demonstram que através de um sistema de aprendizado, minimiza-se a complexidade na análise de grandes bases de dados, permitindo verificar bases com estruturas diferentes e aumentar os métodos aplicados na análise de cada estrutura. Isto favorece a comparação entre os métodos e proporciona resultados mais confiáveis. Para uniformizar os dados provenientes de bases distintas, foi elaborada a modelagem de dados do sistema, o que favorece a escalabilidade do sistema de maneira uniforme. / This thesis presents the architecture of a System Learning with a task scheduler, which makes possible the utilization of several classification and validation methods, allowing the distribution of tasks between the module systems. This architecture is structured of such way that the classifications obtained through a specific technique can be reutilized in parallel by the same algorithm or by other techniques, producing new classifications through the refinement of the results achieved and expanding the use in databases with different characteristics. The system was structured in four parts denominated, respectively, Initialization module; Validation module; Refinement module; and Especial scheduling module. In each module, various algorithms can be employed to reach its objectives. The structure of this system allows its configuration, utilizing various methods, including artificial intelligence techniques. Thus, it is possible to obtain more precise results through the choice of the best method to each case. The results presented in this work were obtained from basis that are known in the literature, which allows to compare the implementations of the traditional methods that were added to the system and, especially, to verify the quality of the refinements produced by the integration of different techniques. The results demonstrated that through a learning system, the complexity of the analysis of great databases is minimized, allowing to verify basis with different structures and to increase the methods applied in the analysis of each structure. It favors the comparison between the methodologies and provides more reliable results. To standardize the data originated of distinct bases, the data modelling system was elaborated, which will favor the uniform scalability of the system.

La valutazione dei docenti occupa un ruolo centrale nelle agende politiche dei governi; l’Italia ha avviato una riflessione in questa direzione ma ad oggi gli insegnanti non sono valutati. La ricerca analizza la relazione tra l’introduzione di un sistema di valutazione degli insegnanti e la promozione di comunità professionali nelle scuole; la valutazione dei docenti è considerata strumento utile allo sviluppo di una scuola come comunità professionale. Lo studio dei sistemi di valutazione degli insegnanti, pur non prescindendo da un’analisi economica, deve essere accompagnato da una visione pedagogica sulla scuola e sulla funzione docente, intendendosi sugli elementi che le fondano; la prospettiva di lavoro reputa la professionalità un prisma complesso costituito da dimensioni personali, organizzative e comunitarie. È stata indagata una realtà statunitense innovativa e sistematica per il modello impiegato per valutare gli insegnanti: Denver Professional Compensation System for Teachers, così da offrire spunti di riflessione anche per l’Italia. Dall’analisi sono emersi gli snodi e le opportunità della valutazione della professionalità docente: i vantaggi di una valutazione a servizio della pratica professionale, che prevede interventi alla carriera, alle retribuzioni, che integra forme e modalità differenti di valutare la professionalità e che è collegata al decision making. / The assessment of teachers plays a central role in the political agendas of governments; in Italy there is a discussion on this direction but at the moment teachers are not evaluated. The research examines the relationship between the introduction of a teachers’ evaluation system and the promotion of professional communities in schools; teachers’ evaluation is considered useful for the development of a school as a professional community. The study of teachers’ evaluation systems, while not disregarding economic analysis, must be associated by a pedagogical vision on the school and the teaching function, considering their founding elements; the prospect of the work accounts teaching professionalism as a complex prism of personal, organizational and community dimensions. It is investigated an innovative and systematic model used to evaluate teachers in the USA: Denver Professional Compensation System for Teachers, in order to offer food for thought even for Italy. The analysis highlighted the opportunities of the teachers’ evaluation system: the benefits of an evaluation in the service of professional practice, which provides assistance to career and to salary, which integrates different ways to assess the professionalism, and which is connected to decision making.

Esta tese apresenta a arquitetura de um sistema de aprendizado, com um escalonador de tarefas que possibilita a utilização de vários métodos de classificação e validação, permitindo a distribuição dessas tarefas entre os módulos do sistema. Esta arquitetura está estruturada de forma que classificações obtidas através de uma técnica sejam reutilizadas em paralelo pelo mesmo algoritmo ou por outras técnicas, produzindo novas classificações através do refinamento dos resultados alcançados e ampliando o uso em bases de dados com características diferentes. O sistema foi estruturado em quatro partes denominadas, respectivamente, Módulo de Inicialização, Módulo de Validação, Módulo de Refinamento e Módulo Especial de Escalonamento. Em cada módulo, podem ser usados vários algoritmos para atender aos seus objetivos. A estrutura deste sistema permite sua configuração, utilizando diversos métodos, inclusive com técnicas de inteligência artificial. Com isso, é possível a obtenção de resultados mais precisos por meio da escolha do melhor método para cada caso. Os resultados apresentados neste trabalho foram obtidos a partir de bases conhecidas na literatura, o que possibilita comparar as implementações dos métodos tradicionais que foram adicionadas ao sistema e, principalmente, verificar a qualidade dos refinamentos produzidos pela integração de técnicas diferentes. Os resultados demonstram que através de um sistema de aprendizado, minimiza-se a complexidade na análise de grandes bases de dados, permitindo verificar bases com estruturas diferentes e aumentar os métodos aplicados na análise de cada estrutura. Isto favorece a comparação entre os métodos e proporciona resultados mais confiáveis. Para uniformizar os dados provenientes de bases distintas, foi elaborada a modelagem de dados do sistema, o que favorece a escalabilidade do sistema de maneira uniforme. / This thesis presents the architecture of a System Learning with a task scheduler, which makes possible the utilization of several classification and validation methods, allowing the distribution of tasks between the module systems. This architecture is structured of such way that the classifications obtained through a specific technique can be reutilized in parallel by the same algorithm or by other techniques, producing new classifications through the refinement of the results achieved and expanding the use in databases with different characteristics. The system was structured in four parts denominated, respectively, Initialization module; Validation module; Refinement module; and Especial scheduling module. In each module, various algorithms can be employed to reach its objectives. The structure of this system allows its configuration, utilizing various methods, including artificial intelligence techniques. Thus, it is possible to obtain more precise results through the choice of the best method to each case. The results presented in this work were obtained from basis that are known in the literature, which allows to compare the implementations of the traditional methods that were added to the system and, especially, to verify the quality of the refinements produced by the integration of different techniques. The results demonstrated that through a learning system, the complexity of the analysis of great databases is minimized, allowing to verify basis with different structures and to increase the methods applied in the analysis of each structure. It favors the comparison between the methodologies and provides more reliable results. To standardize the data originated of distinct bases, the data modelling system was elaborated, which will favor the uniform scalability of the system.

Learning Content Management Systeme (LCMS) unterstützen die professionelle Erstellung, Verwaltung und Auslieferung von Lernmaterialien [BHMH02]. Die Speicherung der hierfür verarbeiteten Lerninhalte in einem zentralen Repository ermöglicht neben deren Wiederverwendung auch den Zugriff für mehrere Nutzer und somit das Zusammenführen der verschiedenen Kompetenzen, die während der Erstellung benötigt werden: Die mithilfe der Lernmaterialien zu vermittelnden Inhalte müssen nicht nur fachlich richtig, sondern auch didaktisch, gestalterisch und technisch für ein oder mehrere Zielgruppen individuell aufbereitet worden sein. Dabei reichen die Zielgruppen von verschiedenen Abteilungen bis hin zu Lernern mit verschiedenen Muttersprachen und Kulturen in international agierenden Unternehmen und Bildungseinrichtungen. Die Arbeit der Nutzer mit dem LCMS wird durch verschiedene Mechanismen und Funktionalitäten erheblich vereinfacht, ihre Zusammenarbeit untereinander blieb bisher aber weitestgehend unbeachtet. Das Promotionsvorhaben, das in Kooperation mit der chemmedia AG erfolgt, setzt an diesem Punkt an. Als Vorbild und somit zur Identifikation von Kommunikations- und Kooperationskonzepten werden Social- Software-Anwendungen herangezogen, bei denen die gemeinsame Content-Erstellung scheinbar unproblematisch stattfindet. Als methodische Klammer wird die DIN EN ISO/IEC 19796 [Deu09] herangezogen. Sie gibt einerseits die für die Analyse nötige Strukturierung der Prozesse bei der Lernangebotserstellung vor und liefert außerdem die für die Evaluation benötigten Qualitätskriterien.

The integration of technology into STEM education has been shown to increase classroom interaction and thus has the potential to improve student's learning. However, current approaches are designed to support specific scenarios and therefore have predefined functional scopes and limitations. This results in lecturers having to adjust their preferred teaching strategy to the currently used system. Hence, our goal is to allow lecturers to customize the system's functionality to their strategy in mind. As a solution, we created a prototype called stARS (scenario-tailored Audience Response System) that builds on top of a uniform metamodel and allows lecturers to create customized teaching scenarios using a graphical editor. First user studies have confirmed that users with different modeling abilities are able to understand the metamodel and use the graphical editor. In order to demonstrate the intuitive use of our prototype, this paper presents concepts to support both the starting phase and modeling of complex scenarios. However, an implementation in real-life scenarios has to be conducted to show its applicability.

Es besteht eine starke Nachfrage nach einer positiven Applikation zum Lernen, um den strategischen Plan des indonesischen Ministeriums für Bildung und Kultur zu fördern, dass die Ratio von Berufsschule höher als die allgemeinbildende Schule werden kann. Die rasante entwicklung der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie könnte es ermöglichen, den Lernenden ein computergestütztes, personalisiertes E-Learning-System zur Verfügung zu stellen, um die Tatsache zu überwinden, dass jeder Lernende seine eigene Präferenz hat. Diese Studie bietet ein adaptives E-Learning-System, bei dem zwei Quellen der Personalisierung berücksichtigt werden: der Lernstil des Schülers und das Vorwissen. Um die Wirksamkeit des vorgeschlagenen E-Learning-Programms zu untersuchen, werden die Leistungen der Schüler bezüglich der drei niedrigsten Ebenen im kognitiven Bereich (Wissen, Verständnis und Anwendung) in der E-Learning-Gruppe mit denen der traditionellen Unterrichtsgruppe verglichen. Ein weiterer interessanter Bereich ist die sogannte schülerperspektive Usability-Bewertung und die Beziehung zwischen den Usability-Fragebogen angegebenen Aspekten zu erforschen. Der Entwurfs- und Entwicklungsprozess des adaptiven E-Learning-Systems in dieser Studie berücksichtigte sowohl das Instruktionsdesign als auch das Software-Engineering. Die erste Phase begann mit der Analyse des Kandidaten der Teilnehmer, des Fachkurses und des Online-Liefermediums. Der nächste Schritt bestand darin, die Prozedur, die Regelwerk der Adaptation und die Benutzeroberfläche zu entwerfen. Dann wurde Entwicklungsprozess des Lehrsystems auf der Grundlage der aus den vorherigen Phasen gesammelten Daten durchgeführt. Die nächste Phase war die Implementierung des Unterrichtsprogramms für die Schüler in einer kleinen Gruppe. Schließlich wurde die E-Learning-Anwendung in drei verschiedenen Teststrategien bewertet: Funktionsbasiertes Testen, Expertenbasierte Bewertung und benutzerperspektivische Bewertung. Die nächste Aktion ist eine experimentelle Studie, bei der das adaptive E-Learning-System im Lernprozess angewendet wird. An diesem Experiment waren zwei Gruppen beteiligt. Die Experimentalgruppe bestand aus 21 Studenten, die den Unterrichtsfach Digital Simulation mithilfe des adaptiven E-Learning-Systems lernten. Eine andere Gruppe war die Kontrollgruppe, die 21 Schüler umfasste, die dasselbe Unterrichtsfach in der traditionellen Klasse lernten. Es wurden zwei Instrumente verwendet, um die erforderlichen Daten zu erheben. Das erste Instrument bestand aus 30 Multiple-Choice-Fragen, die die kognitiven Ebenen von Wissen, Verstehen und Anwendung enthielten. Dieses Instrument wurde verwendet, um die Schülerleistung bei dem obengeschriebenen Unterrichtsfach zu bewerten. Das zweite Instrument war der Usability-Fragebogen, der aus 30 4-Punkte-Likert Aussagen bestand. Dieser Fragebogen bestand aus vier Dimensionen nämlich Nützlichkeit, Benutzerfreundlichkeit, Lernfreundlichkeit und Zufriedenheit. Mit diesem Fragebogen wurde die Usability der adaptiven E-Learning-Applikation basierend auf die Perspektive des Schülers bewertet. Der Befund dieser Studie ergab ein ungewöhnliches Phänomen, bei dem das Ergebnis des Pre-Tests der Kontrollgruppe signifikant höher als Experimentalgruppe. Zum Post-Test Vergleich, obwohl die Leistung der E-Learning Gruppe höher als der von der regulären war, war der Unterschied zwischen den beiden statistisch nicht signifikant. Der Vergleich der Punktzahlsteigerung wurde gemacht, um zu untersuchen, welche Behandlungsgruppe effektiver war. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die gesamte Punktzahlsteigerung von der Experimentalgruppe signifikant höher als die von der Kontrollgruppe war. Diese Beweise waren auch im Hinblick auf das Wissen, das Verständnis und die Anwendungsebene des kognitiven Bereichs gültig. Diese Ergebnisse bestätigten, dass die Gruppe des adaptiven E-Learning-Systems bezüglich ihrer Leistung effektiver war als die Gruppe der Studenten, die in der traditionellen Klasse lernten. Ein weiterer wichtiger Befund betraf die Bewertung der Usability. Die Punktzahl der Messung wurde anhand verschiedener Ansätze analysiert und ergab, dass der Usability-Score in allen Aspekten (Nützlichkeit, Benutzerfreundlichkeit, Lernfreundlichkeit und Zufriedenheit) den akzeptablen Kriterien zuzuordnen ist. Darüber hinaus wurde die Regressionsanalyse durchgeführt, um die Beziehung zwischen den Variablen zu untersuchen. Der erste Befund ergab, dass die unabhängigen Variablen (Nützlichkeit, Benutzerfreundlichkeit und Lernfreundlichkeit) gleichzeitig die abhängige Variable (Zufriedenheit) beeinflussten. In der Zwischenzeit ergab der Teil t-Test unterschiedliche Ergebnisse. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die variable Benutzerfreundlichkeit die variable Zufriedenheit signifikant beeinflusste. Der variable Nützlichkeit und die Lernfreundlichkeit wirkten sich indessen nicht signifikant auf die variable Zufriedenheit aus. / There is a strong demand for a positive instructional application in order to address the strategic plan of the Ministry of Education and Culture in Indonesia to change the ratio of vocational secondary school to be higher than the general school one. The immense growth of information and communication technology may be possible to provide a computer-based personalized e-learning system to the learners in order to overcome the fact that each student has their own preferences in learning. This study offers an adaptive e-learning system by considering two sources of personalization: the student’s learning style and initial knowledge. In order to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed e-learning program, the students’ achievement in terms of three lowest levels in the cognitive domain (knowledge, comprehension, and application) in the e-learning group is compared with the traditional classroom group. Another area that is interesting to explore is the usability evaluation based on the students’ perspective and the relationship between aspects specified in the usability questionnaire. The design and development process of the adaptive e-learning system in this study was considering both the instructional system design and software engineering. The first phase was started by analyzing the participants’ candidate, the subject course, and the online delivery medium. The next step was designing the procedure, the adaptation set of rules, and the user interface. Then, the process to develop the instructional system based on the data collected from the previous phases was conducted. The next stage was implemented the instructional program to the students in a small group setting. Finally, the e-learning application was evaluated in three different settings: functional-based testing, experts-based assessment, and user-perspective evaluation. The next action is an experimental study by applying the adaptive e-learning system to the learning process. There were two groups involved in this experiment. The experimental group that consisted of 21 students who learned the Digital Simulation course by utilizing the adaptive e-learning system. Another group was the control group that included 21 students who studied the same course through the traditional classroom setting. There were two instruments used to collect the required data. The first instrument contained 30 multiple-choice questions that considered the cognitive levels of knowledge, comprehension, and application. This instrument was used to assess the student achievement of the intended course. The second instrument was the usability questionnaire that consisted of 30 4-point Likert scale statements. This questionnaire was composed of four dimensions, namely usefulness, ease of use, ease of learning, and satisfaction. This questionnaire aimed to evaluate the usability of the adaptive e-learning application based on the student’s perspective. The finding in this study revealed an unusual phenomenon which the pre-test result of the control group was significantly exceeding those of the experimental group. For the post-test score comparison, although there was a higher achievement in the e-learning group than in the regular group, the difference between both achievements was not statistically significant. The comparison in terms of the gain score was conducted in order to investigate which treatment group was more effective. The results indicated that the total gain score achieved by the experimental group was significantly higher than those recorded by the control group. This evidence was also valid with regard to the knowledge, comprehension, and application-level of the cognitive domain. These findings confirmed that the group who utilized the adaptive e-learning system was reported more effective in terms of the achievement score than the group of students who studied in the traditional setting. Another important finding was related to usability evaluation. The measurement score was analyzed through different approaches and revealed that the usability score categorized in the acceptable criteria in all aspects (usefulness, ease of use, ease of learning, and satisfaction). Furthermore, the regression analysis was conducted in order to explore the relation between the variables. The first finding reported that the independent variables (usefulness, ease of use, and ease of learning) simultaneously influenced the dependent variable (satisfaction). In the meantime, the partial t-Test found varying results. The results indicated that the variable ease of use was significantly influenced variable satisfaction. Meanwhile, variable usefulness and ease of learning were not significantly affected variable satisfaction.

The research entails the early identification of neuropsychological learning disabilities in grade 1 learners. The researcher used the definition, criteria and characteristics of the DSM-IV for the identification of neuropsychological learning disabilities. The section of Learning Disabilities or Disorders includes Reading Disorders, Mathematic Disorder, Disorder of Written Expression and Learning Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Learning Disabilities are diagnosed when the learner’s achievement on individually administrated, standardized tests in reading, mathematics or written expression is substantially below that expected for age, schooling and the level of intelligence. The learning problems, such as unsatisfied reading, mathematical or writing skills, significantly interfere with the learner’s academic achievement. Mathematic Disorder and Disorder of Written Expression most commonly occur as early as in the beginning or first grade, when formal reading instruction usually begin. Neuropsychological learning disabilities have a negative influence on the learner’s scholastic achievement, social development and emotional functioning. The research is focused on the grade 1 learners only. There is no differentiation regarding gender. In the literature study, the researcher observed five important components regarding neuropsychological learning disabilities, namely:- -- Definition, criteria and characteristics; -- Classification; -- Causes; -- The localization of the cortical areas of the brain associated with neuropsychological abilities; and -- The Neurofeedback. The Neurofeedback is based on the tenents that brain electrical activity reflects mental status and that the activity can be trained. The researcher also observed in the literature study certain risk factors regarding neuropsyhological learning disabilities, namely phonological awareness, analysis, synthesis, word recognition and syntax. The researcher considered these components in conjunction with the compilation of the neuropsychological test battery. The researcher could determine the follow findings with the assistance of the neuropsychological test battery:- -- The developmental delays which are present. -- The brain areas in which the cognitive abilities, associated with the developmental delays, are located. -- The limited functioning of brain wave activities which are associated with the cognitive abilities and developmental delays. -- The early idenitification of neuropsychological learning disabilities in grade 1 learners. The researcher found that the Neurofeedback programme is a useful contribution for the early identification of neuropsychological learning disabilities in grade 1 learners. / Thesis (PhD (Learning Support, Guidance and Counselling))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted