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This thesis seeks to address emerging future questions by envisioning the future of educational architecture, considering the evolving dynamics between people, machines, and collaborative learning environments. While machines will play a significant role, human interaction, collaboration, and experimentation will remain indispensable for the exchange of ideas. As we look ahead, it is evident that students will require learning spaces that balance passive educational modes—such as lectures, seminars, research, and introspection—with hands-on exploration. These spaces will transcend traditional structures, embracing liminal zones that facilitate seamless transitions into professional or higher education spheres. In the dynamic landscape of 21st-century education, the convergence of technology, globalization, and evolving pedagogical paradigms presents both challenges and opportunities for educational institutions. This thesis endeavors to explore the transformative potential of high school architecture, centered around the concept of the liminal zone—a space that transcends conventional schooling. Our aim is to reconceptualize schools as vibrant hubs of innovation and intellectual exploration, equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and adaptability essential for success in a complex and interconnected world. At the core of our design philosophy lies a commitment to flexibility and adaptability, evident in features such as the Pod concept and informal collaboration spaces, ensuring that educational environments remain responsive to the evolving needs of learners and the demands of the future. / Master of Architecture / This research aims to shape the future of educational architecture by envisioning how learning spaces can evolve in response to changing dynamics between people, technology, and collaborative environments. While technology will play a significant role in education, human interaction, collaboration, and hands-on experimentation will remain crucial for the exchange of ideas and knowledge. As we move forward, it is clear that students will need learning environments that balance traditional educational methods—like lectures, seminars, and research—with practical, hands-on exploration. These new spaces will go beyond conventional classrooms, creating zones that seamlessly transition students into professional or higher education settings. The rapidly changing landscape of 21st-century education, influenced by technology, globalization, and new teaching methods, offers both challenges and opportunities for schools. This thesis explores how high school architecture can be transformed to meet these needs. It introduces the concept of the "liminal zone," a space that bridges traditional schooling and the future, encouraging innovation and intellectual exploration. Our goal is to redesign schools as vibrant centers of learning, where students can develop the skills and adaptability needed for success in a complex, interconnected world. Key to our design are flexible and adaptable features, such as the "Pod" concept and informal collaboration areas, ensuring that educational spaces can evolve with the changing needs of students and the demands of the future.

This study investigates the effects of the switch to online instruction in higher education in Sri Lanka after the COVID-19 outbreak. The study examines different aspects of the move to online education using a mixed-methods methodology that combines quantitative analysis of student satisfaction surveys and qualitative analysis of educator interviews. Qualitative study highlights the difficulties educators have in adjusting to digital platforms, the methods they use to improve student learning outcomes, and the advantages and disadvantages they see in online learning. A quantitative analysis looks at how satisfied students are with their online learning experiences and identifies the main variables that affect their engagement and academic success. For online education to be as effective as possible, the results highlight the necessity of continuous professional development for teachers, fair access to technology for students, and creative pedagogical strategies. In the context of post-pandemic higher education in Sri Lanka, the study adds to the body of literature by providing insights into the intricate interactions among technology, pedagogy, and social behaviors. Future study should focus on comparative evaluations of various online learning platforms, long-term studies to evaluate the effects of online learning, and examinations of challenges related to inclusion and digital equity.

The main purpose of this research is to establish whether ICT models as implemented in distance education do help to render desirable results (increment in throughput, meeting clientele expectations, and reduction in learner drop-outs). If it is not the case, what could be done to overcome the established hindrance? The researcher employed programme evaluation (PE) which integrates both the positivistic and phenomenological aspects of research. The samples were drawn from the population group through probability and non-probability techniques. Different research strategies within PE such as discovery, inspection and auditing were at first employed to gauge the physical presence of what is being achieved by Unisa through use of myUnisa & DVC; followed by the use of the surveys (personal interviews, administered questionnaires, focus group interviews). The ultimate outcomes of the said research activities are audiovisual recordings, statistically analysed transcripts and questionnaire data. The researcher employed the following key questions in grappling with issues in this area; their findings are also given: i. Does the application of ICTs facilitate and enhance flexible learning at Unisa? With reference to flexible delivery as it relates to aspect of teaching and learning in Engineering, it has been established that minimal use is made of ICTs. Are the technologies correctly applied for teaching and learning? Based on the evidence of research findings it has been established that technology application is mainly used for administrative support rather than for teaching and learning. iii. Do the instructional design and technological applications meet the needs of their users? As matters stand, the study suggests that users' expectations through rating their perceptions and attitudes (academics, tutors, instructional designers, multimedia developers and learners), are far from being met (as all the critical parts of the models are not yet in place regarding the Engineering and other departments). According to the main finding, while there is some evidence of efforts aimed at proper implementation, underutilisation of the ICTs appears to be the main problem, as established at Unisa and elsewhere. The research is concluded through a number of recommendations based on the established findings. / Educational Studies / (D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies))

Submitted by SBI Biblioteca Digital (sbi.bibliotecadigital@puc-campinas.edu.br) on 2018-02-16T17:42:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LEANDRO NASCIMENTO ORTIZ.pdf: 4107446 bytes, checksum: 47444f3c5b943769c34cbf6d2985ef88 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-16T17:42:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LEANDRO NASCIMENTO ORTIZ.pdf: 4107446 bytes, checksum: 47444f3c5b943769c34cbf6d2985ef88 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-22 / People with disabilities can benefit from personal assistive technology products or urban assistive infrastructures in everyday life. However, they could benefit even more from the integration of personal assistive products with urban assistive infrastructure. This work proposes a case of integration, applied to visual impairment, together with the development of a proof of concept for the proposal, resulting in an on-line platform (Infratech), two systems (TagMaps and CityDevices) and a smart cane. / As pessoas com defici?ncia podem usufruir de produtos pessoais de tecnologia assistivas ou de infraestruturas urbanas assistivas para aux?lio no cotidiano. Entretanto, elas poderiam usufruir ainda mais com a integra??o dos produtos assistivos pessoais com a infraestrutura assistiva urbana. Neste trabalho, prop?e-se um caso de integra??o, aplicada ? defici?ncia visual, juntamente com o desenvolvimento de uma prova de conceito da proposta, resultando em uma plataforma on-line (Infratech), dois sistemas (TagMaps e CityDevices) e uma bengala inteligente

Modern aerospace systems rely heavily on legacy platforms and their derivatives. Historical examples show that after a vehicle design is frozen and delivered to a customer, successive upgrades are often made to fulfill changing requirements. Current practices of adapting to emerging needs with derivative designs, retrofits, and upgrades are often reactive and ad-hoc, resulting in performance and cost penalties. Recent DoD acquisition policies have addressed this problem by establishing a general paradigm for design for lifelong evolution. However, there is a need for a unified, practical design approach that considers the lifetime evolution of an aircraft concept by incorporating future requirements and technologies. This research proposes a systematic approach with which the decision makers can evaluate the value and risk of a new aircraft development program, including potential derivative development opportunities. The proposed Evaluation of Lifelong Vehicle Evolution (EvoLVE) method is a two- or multi-stage representation of the aircraft design process that accommodates initial development phases as well as follow-on phases. One of the key elements of this method is the Stochastic Programming with Recourse (SPR) technique, which accounts for uncertainties associated with future requirements. The remedial approach of SPR in its two distinctive problem-solving steps is well suited to aircraft design problems where derivatives, retrofits, and upgrades have been used to fix designs that were once but no longer optimal. The solution approach of SPR is complemented by the Risk-Averse Strategy Selection (RASS) technique to gauge risk associated with vehicle evolution options. In the absence of a full description of the random space, a scenario-based approach captures the randomness with a few probable scenarios and reveals implications of different future events. Last, an interactive framework for decision-making support allows simultaneous navigation of the current and future design space with a greater degree of freedom. A cantilevered beam design problem was set up and solved using the SPR technique to showcase its application to an engineering design setting. The full EvoLVE method was conducted on a notional multi-role fighter based on the F/A-18 Hornet.

The main purpose of this research is to establish whether ICT models as implemented in distance education do help to render desirable results (increment in throughput, meeting clientele expectations, and reduction in learner drop-outs). If it is not the case, what could be done to overcome the established hindrance? The researcher employed programme evaluation (PE) which integrates both the positivistic and phenomenological aspects of research. The samples were drawn from the population group through probability and non-probability techniques. Different research strategies within PE such as discovery, inspection and auditing were at first employed to gauge the physical presence of what is being achieved by Unisa through use of myUnisa & DVC; followed by the use of the surveys (personal interviews, administered questionnaires, focus group interviews). The ultimate outcomes of the said research activities are audiovisual recordings, statistically analysed transcripts and questionnaire data. The researcher employed the following key questions in grappling with issues in this area; their findings are also given: i. Does the application of ICTs facilitate and enhance flexible learning at Unisa? With reference to flexible delivery as it relates to aspect of teaching and learning in Engineering, it has been established that minimal use is made of ICTs. Are the technologies correctly applied for teaching and learning? Based on the evidence of research findings it has been established that technology application is mainly used for administrative support rather than for teaching and learning. iii. Do the instructional design and technological applications meet the needs of their users? As matters stand, the study suggests that users' expectations through rating their perceptions and attitudes (academics, tutors, instructional designers, multimedia developers and learners), are far from being met (as all the critical parts of the models are not yet in place regarding the Engineering and other departments). According to the main finding, while there is some evidence of efforts aimed at proper implementation, underutilisation of the ICTs appears to be the main problem, as established at Unisa and elsewhere. The research is concluded through a number of recommendations based on the established findings. / Educational Studies / (D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies))

This validation study examined the Triple E Rubric for Lesson Design as a measurement tool to test the effectiveness of a lesson when using technology to support learning goals. This study also measured the content and concurrent validity as well as reliability of the Triple E Rubric developed by Liz Kolb.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of educational software contributed to increasing the academic performance of 6th-grade students in mathematics. The specific programs used were the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Explorer and Promethean ActivBoard. This summative quantitative study was guided by 3 research questions: 1. What was the effect of technology, specifically the Promethean ActivBoard and the FCAT Explorer, on the achievement in mathematics of 6th-grade students, as measured by district benchmark assessments? 2. What was the difference in mathematics achievement, if any, between male and female 6th-grade students following the use of technology, specifically the Promethean ActivBoard and the FCAT Explorer, as measured by district benchmark assessments? 3. What was the effect of technology, specifically the Promethean ActivBoard and the FCAT Explorer, on the achievement in mathematics of African American 6th-grade students, as measured by district benchmark assessments? Participants were 6th-grade teachers and students in the experimental and control groups. Participants were 59 students in the experimental group and 61 in the control group. Students who used FCAT Explorer and the Promethean ActivBoard showed better scores on a posttest and larger percentage increase in scores than the control group. Male students in the experimental group showed the greatest increase in scores. African American students who also used FCAT Explorer and the Promethean ActivBoard scored higher than those African American students who did not use any form of technology as a supplement to learning.