Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / "This thesis investigates how a digital training environment might be contructed to allow humans to study the emergent tactical methods of game-playing artificial systems in an effort to gain new tactical skill. After a theroy-based examination of such typically disparate fields as artificial life, computer animation and educative theory, this thesis suggests that learners might be able to acquire new tactical skills as required by observing suitable artifical intelligences via an interactive environment constructed in accordance with the principles of the non language-based educative methodology of ’reflective learning’." --p. vi. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1278824 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Architecture, 2007

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

M.Ed. / The objective of this study was to explore the possibilities of applying and using the computer in the Mathematics classroom. The effectiveness of the various possibilities of this application was of particular importance, as the main motivation for the use of the computer as educational aid in the Mathematics classroom was to promote learning effectively and to transform learners from passive to active participators in the learning environment. A literary study was assigned to a broad discussion of three learning theorems. The behaviourist, information processing and constructivist learning theories were weighed up against one another. The distinguishing characteristics of each one, as well as implications thereof on the effective learning of Mathematics, were analysed. The nature of mathematical knowledge serves ultimately as criteria for effective learning. A list of criteria and guidelines, which the learning situation had to meet, in order to promote effective learning in Mathematics, was presented before the computer could be considered as an alternative teaching strategy. In the course of the study, there was regular reference to the computer as a tutor. Varius advantages and disadantages of computer aided instruction (CAI) in the Mathematics classroom were discussed thoroughly. Four types of CAI approaches were seen as alternatives to traditional teaching methods. Each of these approaches was weighed up against the suggested/recommended list of criteria which the learning situation should meet in order to promote effective learning. As an alternative to these approaches, the possibilities of application software were considered. This study focused particularly on the possibilities of the use of spreadsheets in the Mathematics classroom. Various advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of spreadsheets in the Mathematics classroom were discussed thoroughly. During an empirical study, a lesson unit, implementing spreadsheets as teaching aid, was put to the test and its value assessed. The success of this lesson unit was evaluated according to a West. In conclusion, it can be assumed that constructivist learning theory principles served as a foundation for this study which effectively promoted learning. The learners were constructively active, on the computer, and were guided in their construction of knowledge with the assistance of inductive questions and observation of the spreadsheet generated graphs. In a group situation, the learners supported one another and the teacher acted merely as facilitator. By using spreadsheets in the Mathematics classroom as an alternative to the traditional CAI material, learning could be effectively promoted as the progression of lesson aspects and phases depended on the foundation of constructivism.

Although the benefits of group and pair work in the second language (L2) classroom have been extensively studied, most documented research has focused on the use of oral tasks and spoken interaction between learners. Recently however, researchers have begun to investigate the advantages of collaboration on written work. More specifically, with the advancements in computer technology and web-based collaborative platforms like wikis, there has been a growing awareness of the educational possibilities of wikis to enhance L2 writing instruction. This study followed a pretest/posttest repeated measures design to investigate the impact and students' perceptions of wiki-based collaborative writing activities on individual writing performance. The study involved 12 university students in a TOEFL preparation course at a large university in Bogota, Colombia. Students were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=8) engaged in a series of wiki-based collaborative writing activities and focused practice between pre and posttests, while the control (n=4) received no treatment. Two individual writing samples (pre and posttest) composed by each participant under timed conditions were quantitatively analyzed using the three linguistic developmental measures of complexity, accuracy, and fluency. While statistically significant differences were not evident for measures of fluency or accuracy, descriptive statistics showed an overall positive impact for collaborative writing on individual learners' written fluency. Analysis of complexity measures revealed mixed results with respect to learning gains. Further analysis of perception data reported by learners in an exit survey disclosed their positive attitude towards perceived linguistic benefits with regard to the wiki-based collaborative writing activities. Both theoretical and pedagogical implications of the study, limitations, and directions for future research are presented.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

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M.Ed. / Die leerder met Wiskunde sukkel omdat hy nie 'n metode het om Wiskunde te leer nie. Groot druk word op die onderwyser geplaas, want hy moet nou vir die leerder leer hoe om Wiskunde te leer. Die vraag ontstaan of daar 'n strategie of benadering van Wiskunde-onderrig bestaan wat die onderwyser kan help om die leerders te help om die nodige konsepte vir insigleer te verkry.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / El propósito de esta investigación es conocer mejor los estudios sobre el aprendizaje de la segunda lengua que se han hecho sobre la tecnología, ver algunos ejemplos de cómo se puede utilizar las varias tecnologías tratadas para realizar actividades en la lengua meta y destacar las posibles áreas de interés que tiene el profesorado en cuanto al entrenamiento o desarrollo profesional. Se empieza con un repaso de la bibliografía relacionada con el uso de la tecnología y el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua y su uso para lograr objetivos socioculturales. El tercer capítulo señala formas específicas de tecnología y cómo se puede usarlas para enseñar una segunda lengua. El cuarto presenta los resultados de un estudio cuantitativo y cualitativo sobre la formación docente en el uso de tecnología. Trata de determinar si existe alguna correspondencia entre el uso de la tecnología y el entrenamiento de ella, y busca cómo las creencias y actitudes de los maestros hacia la tecnología influyen su uso durante la enseñanza. Finalmente, al concluir se intenta establecer una reciprocidad entre el uso incrementado de la tecnología y el logro de objetivos pedagógicos.

Learning to program is recognised nationally and internationally as a complex task that novices find challenging. There exist many endeavours to support the novice in this activity, including software tools that aim to provide a more supportive environment than that provided by standard software facilities, together with schemes that reduce the underlying complexity of programming by providing accessible micro-worlds in which students develop program code. Existing literature recognises that learning to program is difficult because of the need to learn the rules and operation of the language (program formulation), and the concurrent need to interpret problems and recognise the required components for that problem (problem formulation). This thesis describes a new form of learning support that addresses that dual task of program and problem formulation. A review of existing teaching tools that support the novice programmer leads to a set of requirements for a support tool that encompasses the processes of both program and problem formulation. This set of requirements is encapsulated in a conceptual framework for software tool development. The framework demonstrates how the requirements of a support tool can be met by performing a series of automated analyses at different stages in the student's development of a solution. An extended series of observations demonstrates the multi-faceted nature of problems that students encounter whilst they are learning to program and how these problems can be mapped onto the different levels of programs and problem formulation. These observations and the framework were used to inform the development of SNOOPIE, a sample instantiation of the framework for learning Java programming. This software tool has been fully evaluated and demonstrated to have a significant impact on the learning process for novice Java programmers. SNOOPIE is fully integrated into a current introductory programming module and a future programme of work is being established that will see SNOOPIE integrated with other established software tools.