Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / In this study a mixed methods approach was employed to investigate how exposure to a teaching strategy based on spiral revision, productive practice and a mainly direct expository instructional method would influence the mathematical competencies of procedural fluency and conceptual understanding of pre-service mathematics teachers at a South African university. A secondary concern of the study was how retention and transfer abilities of participants would be influenced if they experience mathematics through a teaching strategy underpinned by spiral revision and productive practice. A revised version of the taxonomy table of Anderson et al (2001) was utilized to classify learning and instructional activities in the study in terms of mathematical reasoning and knowledge requirements. In this revised taxonomy the cognitive processes are understood to operate on knowledge structures during the process of cognition (i.e. reasoning categories based on knowledge categories.). The categories of the revised taxonomy table were the main measuring instrument for the study. The findings of the study indicate that the competencies of procedural fluency and conceptual understanding were positively enhanced by the teaching strategy. Some categories however did not show the same level of positive enhancement. Arguments are presented as to why this might be the case and possible solutions are mooted. Findings also indicate that retention and near transfer abilities of participants were positively enhanced. Far transfer abilities were unchanged post intervention. Explanations are offered for this finding and possible resolutions are suggested.

No description available.

The popularity of rock-climbing is continuously increasing. However, little research is available on the pedagogy of rock-climbing. Student climbing self-efficacy and the learning activities and instructional strategies used were monitored throughout a five-month long high school rock-climbing program. The baseline rock-climbing experience of consenting participants (n = 26) ranged from novice to the junior competitive level. This case study of a single class of 30 students included both quantitative and qualitative data sources. Data collection methods included: (a) questionnaires, (b) observations of the learning environment, (c) individual reflection journals, (d) focus group interviews, and (e) a course outline. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant change in the self-efficacy scores of participants. Qualitative analysis provided insight into: (a) the type of learning environment conducive to improving climbing self-efficacy, (b) the influence of the sources of self-efficacy, and (c) the activities that were more efficient for developing student climbing self-efficacy. This study explored how sources of self-efficacy can be translated into learning activities and instructional strategies for rock-climbing programs. Learning activities and instructional strategies should be meaningful, diversified, individualized, progressively challenging, and take place in a safe and collaborative environment. A future study may investigate the effect of participation in climbing programs on motivations to pursue climbing independently. / Graduate / 0523 / 0575 / 0633

Pensamento Crítico (PC) compreende os processos mentais que as pessoas põem em ação para tomar decisões e resolver problemas. A importância das habilidades de PC para a prática do cuidado em enfermagem está bem documentada na literatura nacional e internacional, entretanto o entendimento de quais são essas habilidades e de das estratégias para seu desenvolvimento no ensino superior em enfermagem ainda é incipiente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e analisar as estratégias utilizadas no ensino do PC nos cursos de graduação em enfermagem de acordo com a sua presença na literatura científica, no período de 2012 a 2016. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória descritiva, baseada na Revisão Integrativa da Literatura. Realizou-se uma busca nas bases de dados CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC ProQuest. A amostra constituiu-se de 20 artigos e a análise permitiu identificar as estratégias: mapa conceitual, método ou estudo de caso, simulação, jogos, método de questionamento e respostas, redação reflexiva, composições de canções, escrita de poesias, role-play, tempestade de ideias, discussão em grupo, apresentação de plano de cuidados em enfermagem, ambiente de aprendizagem web móvel e e-learning: história em quadrinhos, utilizadas para desenvolver as habilidades de PC. Os resultados apontam que a perspectiva filosófica de PC mais ligada ao desenvolvimento do raciocínio lógico é hegemônica no ensino superior em enfermagem. Além disso, o entendimento sobre o que é PC e suas habilidades especificas para a pratica do cuidado em enfermagem ainda carece de certo consenso, pois a maioria dos estudos identificados não explicitaram quais habilidades de PC que buscavam desenvolver através das estratégias de ensino propostas, ao passo que foram utilizados instrumentos de avaliação específicos para PC, o que pode trazer implicações negativas para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem / Critical Thinking (CT) comprises the mental processes that people put into action to make decisions and solve problems. The importance of CT skills for the practice of nursing care is well documented in the national and international literature, however the understanding of what these skills and the strategies for their development in nursing higher education are still incipient. The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the strategies used in teaching the CT in undergraduate nursing courses according to their presence in the scientific literature, from 2012 to 2016. This is an exploratory descriptive research based on the Review Integrative of Literature. We searched the databases CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC ProQuest. The sample consisted of 20 articles and the analysis allowed to identify the strategies: conceptual map, method or case study, simulation, games, method of questioning and answers, reflexive writing, song compositions, poetry writing, role play, Brainstorming, group discussion, nursing care plan presentation, mobile web learning environment and e-learning: comics used to develop CT skills. The results point out that the philosophical perspective of CT more related to the development of logical reasoning is hegemonic in higher education in nursing. Furthermore, the understanding of what CT is and its specific skills for nursing practice still lacks a certain consensus, since most of the studies identified did not explain what PC skills they sought to develop through the teaching strategies proposed, and that specific assessment tools for CT were used, which may have negative implications for the teaching-learning process

Esta investigação procura compreender a função do erro no processo do ensino aprendizagem da matemática elementar. Utilizando uma abordagem qualitativa, focaliza a multidimensionalidade do erro no contexto das práticas corretivas, tomando como referência o cotidiano da sala de aula de uma 4ª série do ensino fundamental. Partindo do referencial piagetiano que mostra a importância de o erro ser um observável para o aluno, a análise dessa premissa nas situações didáticas evidenciou que o erro precisa se tomar um observável para o professor, o que implica mudanças nas concepções de ensino e de avaliação. Nesse sentido, a observabilidade do erro, por parte do professor, envolve o questionamento das formas vigentes de correção/tratamento do erro, buscando desvinculá-las da ideia fatalista de fracasso escolar. Em última instância, a pesquisa mostrou que o erro, enquanto elemento construtivo na construção do conhecimento constitui-se uma estratégia didática inovadora na busca de soluções para a melhoria da aprendizagem da matemática elementar. E que mudar o estatuto do erro exige novas competências profissionais, o que implica a redefinição do projeto político-pedagógico da escola e a melhor utilização dos espaços de formação continuada do professor. / The purpose of this investigation was the search for the understanding of error function on the elementary mathematics teaching-leaming processo By a qualitative approach, this study focus the multidimentionality of the error on the context of corrective pratices using as reference a elementary forth grade classroom quotidiano. Taking the Piagetinian as referential which shows the importance to be the error observable to the student, the analysis of this premise on didatic situations evidenced that the error must be an observable to the teacher as well, which requires changes in the teaching and evaluation conceptions. In this way, the observance of the error by the teacher, envolves a questioning of the effective ways of the correctionlhandling of the error, trying to separate them from the fatalist idea of school failure. In a final analysis, this research showed that the error, as a constructive element on the knowledge construction, constituted itself as a innovating didatic strategy on the pursuit for solutions to the improvement of the elementary mathematics leaming. And changing the statute of error demands new professionals skills which also requires a redefinition of the polítical pedagogical school project and the better utilization of the teacher\'s continous formation spaces as well.

Pensamento Crítico (PC) compreende os processos mentais que as pessoas põem em ação para tomar decisões e resolver problemas. A importância das habilidades de PC para a prática do cuidado em enfermagem está bem documentada na literatura nacional e internacional, entretanto o entendimento de quais são essas habilidades e de das estratégias para seu desenvolvimento no ensino superior em enfermagem ainda é incipiente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e analisar as estratégias utilizadas no ensino do PC nos cursos de graduação em enfermagem de acordo com a sua presença na literatura científica, no período de 2012 a 2016. Trata-se de uma pesquisa exploratória descritiva, baseada na Revisão Integrativa da Literatura. Realizou-se uma busca nas bases de dados CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC ProQuest. A amostra constituiu-se de 20 artigos e a análise permitiu identificar as estratégias: mapa conceitual, método ou estudo de caso, simulação, jogos, método de questionamento e respostas, redação reflexiva, composições de canções, escrita de poesias, role-play, tempestade de ideias, discussão em grupo, apresentação de plano de cuidados em enfermagem, ambiente de aprendizagem web móvel e e-learning: história em quadrinhos, utilizadas para desenvolver as habilidades de PC. Os resultados apontam que a perspectiva filosófica de PC mais ligada ao desenvolvimento do raciocínio lógico é hegemônica no ensino superior em enfermagem. Além disso, o entendimento sobre o que é PC e suas habilidades especificas para a pratica do cuidado em enfermagem ainda carece de certo consenso, pois a maioria dos estudos identificados não explicitaram quais habilidades de PC que buscavam desenvolver através das estratégias de ensino propostas, ao passo que foram utilizados instrumentos de avaliação específicos para PC, o que pode trazer implicações negativas para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem / Critical Thinking (CT) comprises the mental processes that people put into action to make decisions and solve problems. The importance of CT skills for the practice of nursing care is well documented in the national and international literature, however the understanding of what these skills and the strategies for their development in nursing higher education are still incipient. The objective of this study was to identify and analyze the strategies used in teaching the CT in undergraduate nursing courses according to their presence in the scientific literature, from 2012 to 2016. This is an exploratory descriptive research based on the Review Integrative of Literature. We searched the databases CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, Web of Science, ERIC ProQuest. The sample consisted of 20 articles and the analysis allowed to identify the strategies: conceptual map, method or case study, simulation, games, method of questioning and answers, reflexive writing, song compositions, poetry writing, role play, Brainstorming, group discussion, nursing care plan presentation, mobile web learning environment and e-learning: comics used to develop CT skills. The results point out that the philosophical perspective of CT more related to the development of logical reasoning is hegemonic in higher education in nursing. Furthermore, the understanding of what CT is and its specific skills for nursing practice still lacks a certain consensus, since most of the studies identified did not explain what PC skills they sought to develop through the teaching strategies proposed, and that specific assessment tools for CT were used, which may have negative implications for the teaching-learning process

In an experimental study the attempt was made to examine the effects of the Reciprocal Teaching method on measures of metacognition and try to identify the effective features of this method that are necessary for the learning gains to occur. Reciprocal Teaching, originally developed by Palincsar and Brown (1984), is a very successful training program which was designed to improve student's reading comprehension skills by teaching them reading strategies. In the present study the tasks and responsibilities assumed by 5thgrade elementary students (N = 55) participating in a 16-session reading strategy training were varied systematically. Not only the students who participated in the training program in one of the three experimental conditions were compared with respect to knowledge and performance measures, but there was also a comparison to their control classmates who did not participate in strategy training (N = 86). Detailed analyses of video-taped sessions provided additional information. <br><br> The strategy training was most beneficial for measures of knowledge and performance more closely related to the content of the training program, namely knowledge about specific reading strategies taught in training and application of those strategies. No significant effects were observed for more distal measures (general strategy knowledge, reading comprehension). As for the features of the program, it could be shown that students of the two experimental conditions where the students were responsible for giving each other feedback on performance (with respect to both content and strategy application) and guiding the correction of the answer outperformed both the experimental condition in which the trainer was responsible for those tasks and the control group. <br><br> It is concluded that it is not merely the application of strategies, but the combination of strategy application with concurrent teaching and learning of metacognitive acquisition procedures (analysis, monitoring, evaluation, and regulation) in an inter-individual way as the precedent of these processes occurring intra-individually that seems to be an efficient way of acquiring metacognitive knowledge and skills. It was also shown that strategy training does not necessarily have to include the precise kind of interaction that characterizes the Reciprocal Teaching method. Instead, the tasks of monitoring, evaluating, and regulating other children's learning processes - i.e., tasks associated with the "teacher role" - are the ones that promote the acquisition of metacognitive knowledge and skills. Generally, any strategy training program that not only provides children with plentiful opportunities for practice, but also prompts them to engage in these kinds of metacognitive processes, may help children to acquire metacognitive knowledge and skills. / In einer experimentellen Studie wurden die Effekte der Methode Reziprokes Lehren auf verschiedene Maße von Metakognition sowie die Frage, welche Merkmale dieses Trainingsprogramms für die Lernzuwächse verantwortlich sind, untersucht. Beim Reziproken Lehren, einem sehr erfolgreiches Trainingsprogramm das von Palincsar und Brown (1984) entwickelt wurde um das Leseverständnis von Schülern zu verbessern, erlernen die Schüler verschiedene Lesestrategien. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden die Aufgaben und Verantwortlichkeiten von Schülern der 5. Klassenstufe (N = 55) in einem 16-stündigen Training systematisch variiert. Es wurden nicht nur das Wissen und die Leistungen der Schüler, die in einer der drei experimentellen Bedingungen an dem Lesetraining teilgenommen hatten, miteinander verglichen, sondern auch mit denen ihrer Klassenkameraden, die nicht an dem Strategietraining teilgenommen hatten (Kontrollgruppe, N = 86). Detaillierte Analysen der auf Video aufgezeichneten Trainingssitzungen lieferten zusätzliche Informationen. Die größten Trainingseffekte zeigten sich vor allem bei Wissens- und Leistungsmaßen, die einen engeren Bezug zum Strategietraining haben (spezifisches Strategiewissen über die im Training erlernten Strategien und Anwendung der Strategien). Für trainingsfernere Maße wurden keine signifikanten Effekte gefunden (Allgemeines Strategiewissen, Leseverständnis). Die Schüler der beiden experimentellen Bedingungen, bei denen die Schüler sich gegenseitig Rückmeldungen sowohl auf den Inhalt als auch auf die Anwendung der jeweiligen Lesestrategie bezogen gaben und im Anschluß dann den anderen Schüler bei der Verbesserung der Antwort anleiteten, erbrachten bessere Leistungen und erwarben mehr metakognitives Wissen als Schüler der experimentellen Bedingung, in der der Trainer für diese Aufgaben zuständig war, und Schüler der Kontrollgruppe. Die vorliegenden Befunde sprechen dafür, daß nicht die bloße Anwendung der Lesestrategien, sondern erst die Kombination von Strategieanwendung und der gleichzeitigen Vermittlung und Übung von metakognitiven Erwerbsprozeduren (d.h. Analyse, Überwachung, Evaluation und Regulation) auf inter-individueller Basis als Voraussetzung für das Auftreten dieser Prozesse im Individuum selbst (intra-individuell) eine effektive Methode für den Erwerb metakognitiven Wissens und metakognitiver Kompetenzen darstellt. Es konnte auch gezeigt werden, daß in einem Strategietraining die Interaktion nicht notwendigerweise auf die spezielle Art und Weise, wie das beim Reziproken Lehren der Fall ist, gestaltet werden muß. Stattdessen scheinen die Aufgaben der Überwachung, Evaluation und Regulation der Lernprozesse anderer Schüler - d.h. die Aufgaben, die die Kinder in der "Lehrer"-Rolle erfüllen - diejenigen zu sein, die den Erwerb von Metakognition unterstützen. Generell kann jedes Strategietraining, bei dem die Schüler nicht nur ausreichend Übungsgelegenheiten zur Anwendung von Strategien haben, sondern auch angeleitet werden, metakognitive Aufgaben zu übernehmen, hilfreich beim Erwerb metakognitiven Wissens und metakognitiver Fähigkeiten sein.

The rise of unhealthy beverage consumption, such as soft drinks, in children and youth for the last 25 years has increased the risk of low bone mass density by replacing milk (a major source of calcium intake), compromised dental health, and possibly contributed obesity. A school-based nutrition education intervention was developed to promote a change in this behavior. This study examined the effectiveness of this nutrition education program, called FUEL (Fluids Used Effectively in Living), in promoting healthy beverage consumption among high school students. The FUEL nutrition education manual consisted of six classroom sessions; it was delivered in four classes of grade nine students using different approaches, either multiple or single strategies. The nutrition intervention used multiple teaching methods which included six lessons delivered as visual, group interaction, tactile, individual, and auditory teaching styles. The multiple strategies approach was delivered through peer educators (led by a dietitian) in one class and dietitian-only in another class. In the single strategy approach, also called self-taught, two classes received only the handouts in the FUEL manual. This latter approach was considered the control to the nutrition intervention. The two classes that received either peer education or self-taught approach were in two high schools in Saskatoon. The two classes with either dietitian-taught or self-taught approaches were in a high school in Prince Albert. The beverage intake, knowledge, and attitude of students were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire before the intervention, a week after the intervention, and three months after the intervention. In Saskatoon only, a one year follow-up beverage intake assessment was performed. None of the schools in the FUEL study provided healthy beverage choices for the students. Generally, students in our study consumed an adequate amount of milk, but they drank sugary beverages daily. There was a tendency to replace milk and 100% fruit juices with sugary drinks. After the intervention, students in multiple teaching strategies decreased their sugary beverage intake significantly. The findings indicated that a school-based nutrition education with multiple teaching strategies may lead to positive knowledge, attitude and behavioural change which will have beneficial effect on long-term health.

The rise of unhealthy beverage consumption, such as soft drinks, in children and youth for the last 25 years has increased the risk of low bone mass density by replacing milk (a major source of calcium intake), compromised dental health, and possibly contributed obesity. A school-based nutrition education intervention was developed to promote a change in this behavior. This study examined the effectiveness of this nutrition education program, called FUEL (Fluids Used Effectively in Living), in promoting healthy beverage consumption among high school students. The FUEL nutrition education manual consisted of six classroom sessions; it was delivered in four classes of grade nine students using different approaches, either multiple or single strategies. The nutrition intervention used multiple teaching methods which included six lessons delivered as visual, group interaction, tactile, individual, and auditory teaching styles. The multiple strategies approach was delivered through peer educators (led by a dietitian) in one class and dietitian-only in another class. In the single strategy approach, also called self-taught, two classes received only the handouts in the FUEL manual. This latter approach was considered the control to the nutrition intervention. The two classes that received either peer education or self-taught approach were in two high schools in Saskatoon. The two classes with either dietitian-taught or self-taught approaches were in a high school in Prince Albert. The beverage intake, knowledge, and attitude of students were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire before the intervention, a week after the intervention, and three months after the intervention. In Saskatoon only, a one year follow-up beverage intake assessment was performed. None of the schools in the FUEL study provided healthy beverage choices for the students. Generally, students in our study consumed an adequate amount of milk, but they drank sugary beverages daily. There was a tendency to replace milk and 100% fruit juices with sugary drinks. After the intervention, students in multiple teaching strategies decreased their sugary beverage intake significantly. The findings indicated that a school-based nutrition education with multiple teaching strategies may lead to positive knowledge, attitude and behavioural change which will have beneficial effect on long-term health.

Magister Educationis - MEd (Mathematics and Science Education) / The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the teaching of electric circuits in Grade 10 Physical Sciences using a conceptual change approach would enhance learners' understanding of the concept. The conceptual change approach is a process whereby concepts and relationships between concepts change over the course of an individual's lifetime. The process whereby conceptual change occurs is of central interest in helping to understand the process of learning, and is also important when considering the design of instruction. The study was conducted at a secondary school in a small town in the Karoo. Purposive sampling was used to select the sample of a Physical Science Grade 10 class. A mixed method approach was used to observe the effectiveness of the conceptual change approach - four conditions must exist before a conceptual change is likely to occur: (1) assess learners' dissatisfaction with their existing concepts; (2) the new concept must become intelligible; (3) the new concept must appear plausible; and (4) the new concept must be fruitful. All learners' total scores for the pre-test and post-test were calculated and recorded and total scores were statistically analyzed. This study could provide means to improve science teaching and learning. The learners were assisted to discover what was not clear to them, they were encouraged towards deeper understanding and to use their own knowledge to make sense of new concepts. The conceptual change approach could be used effectively by the teachers as it will assist to remove misconceptions learners have prior to the learning of new science concepts.