A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo investigar a área que circunscreve os processos de significação no design, a fim de desenvolver uma proposta de intervenção pedagógica que possa ser adotada em disciplinas de Semiótica de cursos de graduação em design de instituições de ensino superior brasileiras - de modo a capacitar os discentes em suas habilidades e competências relacionadas aos processos de análise e construção de significação no design, em suas dimensões metodológicas e epistemológicas. Para tanto, realizou-se uma extensa e profunda revisão bibliográfica, que consiste em um levantamento organizado das duas principais teorias semióticas (Peirceana e Saussureana) que podem auxiliar a teoria do design, assim como um levantamento ordenado dos principais estudos já realizados na área do design em relação à dimensão semântica, em especial: três abordagens que foram desenvolvidas a partir das décadas de 1970 e 80: Offenbach - Linguagem do Produto, Semântica do Produto, e Semiótica do Design. Após o desenvolvimento da fundamentação teórica, este estudo também realizou e apresentou uma consistente pesquisa de campo (qualitativa e quantitativa). Assim como a investigação teórica, a pesquisa de campo também contribuiu como alicerce da proposta de intervenção. A integração da pesquisa qualitativa (realizada com 28 docentes que ministram disciplinas de Semiótica, Projeto ou Metodologia de Projeto de oito cursos de design de universidades brasileiras) com a pesquisa quantitativa (realizada com 90 discentes dessas oito universidades) demonstrou diferentes fenômenos e problemas que envolvem a qualificação de alunos de design quanto ao estudo dos processos de significação. Com base na fundamentação teórica e na pesquisa de campo, desenvolveu-se, a partir da metodologia ADDIE (normalmente aplicada ao design instrucional) e suas cinco fases – (1ª) análise, (2ª) design, (3ª) desenvolvimento, (4ª) implementação e (5ª) avaliação –, a proposta de intervenção para disciplinas de Semiótica de cursos de graduação em design de instituições de ensino superior brasileiras. Durante a fase analítica dos dados, buscou-se sintetizar os objetivos da intervenção em três: (1) desenvolver no aluno a habilidade de compreender os processos de significação no design, a partir do conceito de “ação de signos”; (2) desenvolver no aluno a habilidade de analisar signos; (3) desenvolver no aluno a habilidade de produzir signos. Para cada um dos três objetivos projetou-se uma atividade. Essas três atividades tiveram como principal fundamentação teórica o conceito semiótico de signo de Charles Sanders Peirce, a partir das contribuições de Charles Morris, e suas dimensões sintática, semântica e pragmática. As três atividades foram projetadas para sua realização em um semestre letivo, em disciplinas de Semiótica com aproximadamente 4 créditos semanais. Para todas elas desenvolveu-se materiais didáticos. Dentre esses materiais didáticos estão 3 apostilas, referentes a cada uma das 3 atividades, e nas quais estão apresentados de modo simples os principais fundamentos da semiótica que podem auxiliar designers no desenvolvimento de suas habilidades de analisar e produzir signos. Como a intervenção enfatiza a análise e a produção de signos, nas apostilas 2 e 3 apresenta-se também dois métodos, um de análise e outro de produção de signos integrados a diversos recursos oriundos da semiótica. O objetivo último em propor os dois métodos não foi somente metodológico, foi desenvolver no aluno, a partir da sua experiência prática metodológica, uma consciência crítica sobre o seu próprio processo de design em relação aos processos de significação, isto é, uma consciência epistemológica que amplia a sua capacidade de enxergar o projeto e de poder realimentá-lo constantemente. Depois de desenvolvida, a intervenção proposta foi implementada, durante o período de um semestre letivo, em dois cursos de graduação de design no Brasil. Por fim, após as duas implementações, avaliou-se criticamente a proposta de intervenção e realizou-se inferências acerca da pesquisa de modo integral. / The purpose of this study is to investigate the area encompassing the signification processes in design in order to propose a pedagogical intervention that can be adopted in Semiotics disciplines of undergraduate design courses in Brazilian higher education institutions so as to enable students to develop their skills and competences related to the processes of meaning analysis and building in design, in both methodological and epistemological aspects. To this end, an extensive and comprehensive literature review was carried out, consisting of an organized survey of the two main semiotic theories (Peircean and Saussurean) which can contribute to design theory, as well as an orderly survey of the main studies that have been carried out in the area of design regarding the semantic dimension, in particular: three approaches that were developed from the 1970s and 1980s: Offenbach - Product Language, Product Semantics, and Design Semiotics. Following the development of the theoretical framework, this study also performed and presented a consistent field research (qualitative and quantitative). Like the theoretical research, the field research also served as a foundation stone for the intervention proposal. Integrating qualitative research (carried out with 28 professors who teach Semiotics, Project or Project Methodology in eight design courses of Brazilian universities) and quantitative research (carried out with 90 students from these eight universities) showed different phenomena and problems involving the qualification of design students regarding the study of signification processes. Based on the theoretical framework and field research and following the ADDIE model (usually applied to instructional design) and its five phases – (1) Analysis, (2) Design, (3) Development, (4) Implementation and (5) Evaluation –, the intervention proposal was developed for Semiotics disciplines of undergraduate design courses in Brazilian higher education institutions. During the analytical phase of the data, we tried to encapsulate the objectives of the intervention in three goals: (1) have students develop the ability to understand the processes of signification in design based on the concept of "action of signs"; (2) have students develop the ability to analyze signs; (3) have students develop the ability to produce signs. A specific activity was designed for each of the three goals. These three activities were theoretically grounded on Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic concept of sign, with the contributions by Charles Morris and his syntactics, semantics and pragmatics dimensions. The three activities were designed to be carried out throughout a school semester, in semiotics disciplines of approximately 4 credits per week. Teaching material was developed for all three activities. It includes: 3 handouts, one for each activity, presenting in simple language the core fundamentals of semiotics that can help designers develop their skills to analyze and produce signs. As the intervention focuses on sign analysis and production, handouts two and three also describe two methods, one for sign analysis and another for sign production, integrated into several resources from semiotics. The ultimate goal in proposing these two methods was not only methodological, but also to have students develop, based on their practical and methodological experience, a critical awareness of their own design process in relation to the processes of signification, that is, an epistemological awareness that amplifies their ability to see the project and constantly feed it. After being developed, the proposed intervention was implemented, during the period of one school semester, in two undergraduate design courses in Brazil. Finally, after implementation, the intervention proposal was critically evaluated and inferences were made about the research as a whole.

Chemistry textbooks and teachers frequently use a variety of metaphors, analogies and models to describe atomic and molecular structures and processes. While it is widely believed that multiple analogical models encourage students to construct appropriate mental models of chemical phenomena, uncritical use of multiple analogical models may actually be responsible for a number of alternative conceptions in chemistry. Students hear and read about electron clouds and shells, atoms that are like miniature solar systems and balls, and molecules that are simultaneously represented by balls-and-sticks, joined spheres, electron-dot and structural diagrams. A strong case has been made that students try to integrate these diverse analogical models resulting in the generation of unscientific synthetic models. Conceptual change research programs also propose that carefully designed teaching and learning activities can stimulate students to exchange their intuitive and synthetic conceptions for more scientific conceptions.This thesis investigates the occurrence of students' intuitive and synthetic mental models of atoms and molecules at both a general and specific level. The investigations consisted in the first phase of semi-structured interviews with 48 Year 8-10 science students. While the data were predominantly qualitative the interviews also generated simple quantitative data. The second phase was wholly qualitative and involved the researcher as teacher' in the Year 11 class. Portfolios were compiled for each student in the class and six portfolios were interpreted to produce a set of case studies describing the students' learning about atoms, molecules and bonds. These data were derived from transcripts of class discussions and individual interviews; pre-tests, formative tests and post-tests; student essays and worksheets and analogical teaching events. The data were ++ / interpreted from a constructivist viewpoint with attention given to credibility, viability and transferability, and dependability. The desire to collect every piece of useful data was constrained by the ethical need to minimise the disruptive effect of the research on the students' normal learning.The first or general phase of this study investigated the question: With what models of atoms and molecules are lower secondary science students familiar? The interviews about atomic and molecular conceptions held by the Year 8-10 students found, for example, that some students confused atoms with cells because both have a nucleus, while others believed that electron shells enclose and protect the atom. All but two students visualised atoms with large nuclei and close static electrons. A majority of this student sample were confused by ball-and- stick molecular models and had a strong preference for space-filling molecular models because they were more 'real'.The second or specific phase of this study consisted of an in-depth study of the development of mental models of atoms, molecules and bonds by six Year 11 chemistry students over 40 weeks of instruction. This study investigated the question: Do systematically presented multiple analogical models help students change their conceptions of atoms, molecules and bonds in favour of the scientific view? The students' prior mental models of an atom were dominated by a solar system model with the electrons in simple shells. A variety of metaphors, analogical models and explanations emphasising the diffuse spaciousness of atoms helped three students restructure their conceptions in favour of the scientific concept. Students also were encouraged to identify the shared and unshared attributes of familiar molecular models and, in time, three students became competent multiple modellers. It is claimed that these three students ++ / changed their conceptions of atoms and molecules in the sense that they realised that models are thinking and communicative tools, not reality itself. The significant change in these students' thinking was their recognition that atomic and molecular analogical models are context-dependent.The phase two study's pre-occupation with conceptual change or knowledge restructuring raised an important methodological question: Is a multi-dimensional approach a better way to interpret conceptual change learning? or, are the various theoretical perspectives on conceptual change complementary? The study's theoretical framework found that conceptual change learning can be interpreted from epistemological, ontological, motivational, holistic explanatory and developmental perspectives. The collection and analysis of the data showed that student modelling ability and Perry's model of intellectual development were powerful interpretive tools when data needed to be examined from multiple perspectives. The six case studies support the assertion that multi-dimensional interpretive frameworks have superior credibility and viability compared to uni-dimensional studies.Finally, the research raised several questions requiring further investigation. No direct support was found for the claim that dissatisfaction is central to conceptual change. This issue needs much more study due to the popularity of discrepant event teaching. While a multi-dimensional conceptual change model has been synthesised, this model needs further refinement as does the issue of how to monitor the status of students' conceptions. A most promising line of pedagogical research is the value of teaching scientific modelling through the use of multiple systematic analogical models.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 120-130.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-150). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users. Address: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p3045090.

A review of literature concerning teaching-learning media and the factors that influence the choice of teaching-learning media was conducted, in order to establish which teaching-learning media teachers are using to present a lesson, especially in OBE. The classification of teaching-learning media by different media specialists was looked into, before it was applied in a Biology lesson. The plant cell and animal cell sketches were used as examples to draw up transparencies, overlay-transparencies and to build models. An empirical investigation was undertaken to investigate which teaching-learning media teachers are using and why they are using certain teaching-learning media. It also investigated the role teaching-learning media plays in presenting a lesson and what can be done to help teachers to use more effective teaching-learning media in teaching Biology as part of Natural Science in the senior phase of OBE. According to the investigation teachers seem to stay with the traditional teaching-learning media, such as the chalkboard and textbook, for they are easily available, user-friendly and cost saving. However, there is a need that more courses should be offered, where teachers can be trained how to use certain teaching-learning media and how to create their own teaching-learning media. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

A review of literature concerning teaching-learning media and the factors that influence the choice of teaching-learning media was conducted, in order to establish which teaching-learning media teachers are using to present a lesson, especially in OBE. The classification of teaching-learning media by different media specialists was looked into, before it was applied in a Biology lesson. The plant cell and animal cell sketches were used as examples to draw up transparencies, overlay-transparencies and to build models. An empirical investigation was undertaken to investigate which teaching-learning media teachers are using and why they are using certain teaching-learning media. It also investigated the role teaching-learning media plays in presenting a lesson and what can be done to help teachers to use more effective teaching-learning media in teaching Biology as part of Natural Science in the senior phase of OBE. According to the investigation teachers seem to stay with the traditional teaching-learning media, such as the chalkboard and textbook, for they are easily available, user-friendly and cost saving. However, there is a need that more courses should be offered, where teachers can be trained how to use certain teaching-learning media and how to create their own teaching-learning media. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 108-118).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-118). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 205-225).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Duquesne University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-120) and index.