Collaborative partnerships aimed at strengthening institutional capacities are a long established trend in academia. Recent developments in Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) have fostered a renewed interest in collaborative initiatives in the academic sphere, however, and at the same time, have created new ways of working together. Current research models do not provide sufficient methods to guide collaborations in capacity-building processes in virtual environments, especially in contexts associated with inadequate resources. Conceptual tools are therefore needed to guide the implementation of partnerships that use technology to mediate capacity building in these contexts. This research study was aimed at understanding whether and how virtual partnerships can be used to facilitate capacity building in tertiary education institutions in the SADC region. It is based on a single case study of the SANTED Virtual Classroom Project, a partnership between the Departments of Computer Science at Rhodes University (RU) and the University of Namibia (UNAM). In the project, ICTs were used to mediate the process of building teaching and research capacity in the department at UNAM. The dynamics of the partnership are explored as the implementation process developed over a period of three years. The research adopted a sociocultural perspective in the analysis of the project‟s implementation. It uses activity theory and the notion of communities of practice as conceptual frameworks to explore how the two departments organised themselves and how they harnessed the virtual environment to enable the capacity-building partnership. Activity theory provided a lens to understand the complex relationships between the different elements of the partnership activities mediated by technological tools. The concept of communities of practice, on the other hand, enabled participants‟ progress to be analysed, as they went through the various transition stages of the capacity-building process. The thesis identifies the following four categories of challenges inherent in the implementation of virtual partnerships: infrastructural, institutional, cultural and individual expectations. It also emphasises the need for identifying the different transition stages corresponding to the levels of participation in the capacity-building process. The thesis recommends that the implementation of virtual partnerships for capacity building purposes in the SADC region must focus on: identifying the appropriate capacity building strategies at Abstract ii each transition stage; finding appropriate, light-weight virtual classroom solutions; identifying appropriate pedagogic models to suit available technology; addressing systemic tensions that can arise as a result of different institutional cultures; and developing and nurturing virtual communities of practice to ensure sustainability. The research findings contribute to the body of knowledge exploring the use of technologies to develop and strengthen human resource capacities in developing contexts in a sustainable way. More importantly, it contributes to the literature on collaborative virtual partnerships in the SADC region, and demonstrates one way in which the operations of such a partnership may be supported in similar contexts / Adobe Acrobat 9.53 Paper Capture Plug-in

Teaching in the field of public health needs to employ a global perspective to account for the fact that public health problems and solutions have global determinants and implications as well. International university partnerships can promote such a perspective through the strengthening of cooperation, exchange, and communication between academic institutions across national boundaries. As an example for such an academic network in the field of public health, we introduce the International Public Health Partnership—a collaboration between a university in Germany and universities in India, Turkey, and Nigeria. Formed in 2005, it facilitated the exchange of information, fostered discussion about the transferability of public health concepts, contributed to the structural development of the universities involved, and promoted an intercultural dialog through a combination of local and distance learning activities. Although well accepted by students and staff, different obstacles were encountered; these included limited external funding, scarce own financial, time and personnel resources, and diverging regulations and structures of degree programs at the partnership sites. In the present article, we share several lessons that we learned during our joint collaboration and provide recommendations for other universities that are involved in partnerships with institutions of higher education or are interested to initiate such collaborations.

Arbeitsbedingungen verändern sich immer deutlicher, insbesondere im Bereich der Wissensarbeit. Die moderne Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) führt zu einem Bedeutungsverlust zentraler, lokal begrenzter Arbeitsplätze. Gleichzeitig gewinnt die Fähigkeit zur Zusammenarbeit in dezentralen, interkulturellen, interdisziplinären Teams an Bedeutung (Perez-Sabater, Montero-Fleta, MacDonald, & Garcia-Carbonell, 2015). Neben inhaltsbezogenen Fachkompetenzen gewinnen dadurch Sozial-, Selbst-, Medien- und Methodenkompetenzen in Unternehmen an Relevanz (Kummer, Wolff, Lieske, & Schoop, 2012). Die Vorbereitung der Studierenden auf diese veränderten Arbeitsbedingungen ist eine entscheidende Herausforderung für die Hochschulen (Coyne, 2008). [... aus der Einleitung]

Web-based learning should move away from static transmission of instruction to dynamic pages for effective interactive learning. Furthermore, automated assessment of learning should move beyond rigid quizzes or multiple-choice questions. This study describes the design, development, implementation, testing and evaluation of two prototypes of an electronic assessment tool to enhance the effectiveness of automated assessment. The tool was developed in the context of a distance-learning organisation and was built according to a development research model entailing a cyclic design-intervention-outcomes process. The first variant, E-Grader, was developed to test an algorithm for assigning marks to open-ended textual responses. The second variant, Web-Grader, was an interactive web-based extension of E-Grader. It provided immediate interactive support to students as they responded textually to content-based questions. This multi-disciplinary study incorporates principles and techniques from software engineering, formal computer science, database development and instructional design in the quest towards electronic assessment of web-based textual inputs. / Computing / M.Sc. (Information Systems)

Web-based learning should move away from static transmission of instruction to dynamic pages for effective interactive learning. Furthermore, automated assessment of learning should move beyond rigid quizzes or multiple-choice questions. This study describes the design, development, implementation, testing and evaluation of two prototypes of an electronic assessment tool to enhance the effectiveness of automated assessment. The tool was developed in the context of a distance-learning organisation and was built according to a development research model entailing a cyclic design-intervention-outcomes process. The first variant, E-Grader, was developed to test an algorithm for assigning marks to open-ended textual responses. The second variant, Web-Grader, was an interactive web-based extension of E-Grader. It provided immediate interactive support to students as they responded textually to content-based questions. This multi-disciplinary study incorporates principles and techniques from software engineering, formal computer science, database development and instructional design in the quest towards electronic assessment of web-based textual inputs. / Computing / M.Sc. (Information Systems)

Tesis por compendio / [ES] "No debemos olvidar que la arquitectura se construye para vivir en ella y no para mirarla". Con estas palabras, el arquitecto Van Der Rohe enfatiza la importancia de que el diseño arquitectónico esté al servicio de la vida y contribuya a mejorarla. Esta visión evidencia la conexión significativa entre la psicología y la arquitectura, ya que los espacios que habitamos determinan nuestro desarrollo personal. De esta forma, cada entorno tiene una finalidad principal y debe ser funcional para ello. En particular, los entornos educativos desempeñan un papel fundamental en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Por lo tanto, es crucial diseñar estos espacios no solo para que sean agradables para sus ocupantes, sino también para potenciar los procesos cognitivos implicados en la educación, asegurando así un ambiente propicio para el aprendizaje y el crecimiento personal. De acuerdo a ello, el objetivo de la presente tesis doctoral es analizar la relación entre tres elementos de diseño del aula (luz, color y dimensión) y tres procesos cognitivos de los estudiantes (memoria, atención y la percepción de preferencia por el entorno). Para su abordaje, se llevaron a cabo tres estudios en laboratorio. Estos estudios consistieron en la evaluación cognitiva de cada participante mientras se encontraban inmersos en aulas virtuales que diferían únicamente en los tres elementos de diseño objeto de estudio, replicando así un entorno real pero con variaciones controladas. Para ello, se hizo uso de dos instrumentos concretos compatibles entre sí y de gran aporte al ámbito de la arquitectura: 1) la realidad virtual como herramienta de visualización de espacios y 2) el desempeño de tareas específicas de atención, memoria y preferencia como herramientas de medición de la cognición del sujeto. En el primer estudio se analizó el efecto de las intervenciones de diseño (en cuanto a luz, color y dimensión) en el rendimiento de atención y memoria y en la preferencia del alumnado, analizando el impacto relativo de cada una de ellas. Este enfoque comparado permite comprender a qué cambios físicos del aula son más sensibles los diferentes procesos cognitivos del alumnado. El estudio se llevó a cabo en conjunto con los dos géneros y, también, de forma separada. En el segundo estudio, se identificaron los valores concretos de cada uno de los tres elementos de diseño estudiados (luz: iluminancia y temperatura del color; color: tono y saturación; dimensión: altura y anchura) que consiguen mejorar la memoria de hombres y mujeres, minimizando las diferencias entre ambos géneros. Por su parte, el tercer estudio propone un análisis conjunto de los tres elementos de diseño mediante programación lineal multiobjetivo con el objeto de identificar las combinaciones específicas de luz, color y forma que maximizan los beneficios en términos de memoria, atención y preferencia. Del conjunto de resultados se concluye que los elementos del aula tienen interrelación entre ellos, por lo que deben ser estudiados en su conjunto. A ello se le suma la complejidad del estudiante ya que su cognición no sigue un mismo patrón. Por lo tanto, es necesario estudiar este paradigma en su conjunto. En este sentido, se explora una valiosa metodología que combina herramientas de control del espacio, como la realidad virtual, con herramientas de medición cognitiva, como tareas específicas validadas. El enfoque desarrollado en este trabajo puede ser prometedor ya que supone un comienzo de multidisciplinariedad en el que se unen las dos áreas de conocimiento: arquitectura y psicología. Por ello, es de esperar que el presente trabajo marque un nuevo paso en esa dirección. / [CA] No hem d'oblidar que l'arquitectura es construeix per a viure-hi i no per a mirar-la". Amb aquestes paraules, l'arquitecte Van Der Rohe emfatitza la importància que el disseny arquitectònic estiga al servei de la vida i contribuïsca a millorar-la. Aquesta visió evidencia la connexió significativa entre la psicologia i l'arquitectura, ja que els espais que habitem determinen el nostre desenvolupament personal. D'aquesta manera, cada entorn té una finalitat principal i ha de ser funcional per a això. En particular, els entorns educatius juguen un paper fonamental en el procés d'ensenyament-aprenentatge. Per tant, és crucial dissenyar aquests espais no només perquè siguen agradables per als seus ocupants, sinó també per a potenciar les funcions cognitives implicades en l'educació, assegurant així un ambient propici per a l'aprenentatge i el creixement personal. D'acord amb això, l'objectiu de la present tesi doctoral és analitzar la relació entre tres elements de disseny de l'aula (llum, color i dimensió) i tres funcions cognitives dels estudiants (memòria, atenció i la percepció de preferència per l'entorn). Per a abordar-ho, es van dur a terme tres estudis en laboratori. Aquests estudis van consistir en l'avaluació cognitiva de cada participant mentre es trobaven immersos en aules virtuals que diferien únicament en els tres elements de disseny objecte d'estudi, replicant així un entorn real però amb variacions controlades. Per a això, es va fer ús de dos instruments concrets compatibles entre si i de gran aportació a l'àmbit de l'arquitectura: 1) la realitat virtual com a eina de visualització d'espais i 2) el desenvolupament de tasques específiques d'atenció, memòria i preferència com a eines de mesura de la cognició del subjecte. En el primer estudi es va analitzar l'efecte de les intervencions de disseny (quant a llum, color i dimensió) en el rendiment d'atenció i memòria, i en la preferència de l'alumnat, analitzant l'impacte relatiu de cadascuna d'elles. Aquest enfocament comparat permet comprendre a quins canvis físics de l'aula són més sensibles els diferents processos cognitius de l'alumnat. L'estudi es va dur a terme en conjunt amb els dos gèneres i, també de manera separada. En el segon estudi, es van identificar els valors concrets de cadascun dels tres elements de disseny estudiats (llum: il·luminància i temperatura del color; color: to i saturació; dimensió: alçària i amplària) que aconsegueixen millorar la memòria d'homes i dones, minimitzant les diferències entre ambdós gèneres. Per la seua banda, el tercer estudi proposa una anàlisi conjunta dels tres elements de disseny mitjançant programació lineal multiobjectiu amb l'objecte d'identificar les combinacions específiques de llum, color i forma que maximitzen els beneficis en termes de memòria, atenció i preferència. Del conjunt de resultats es conclou que els elements de l'aula tenen interrelació entre ells, per la qual cosa ha de ser estudiat en el seu conjunt. A açò s'hi suma la complexitat de l'estudiant ja que la seua cognició no segueix un mateix patró. Per tant, és necessari estudiar aquest paradigma en el seu conjunt. En aquest sentit, s'explora una valuosa metodologia que combina eines de control de l'espai, com la realitat virtual, amb eines de mesurament cognitiu, com tasques específiques validades. L'enfocament desenvolupat en aquest treball pot ser prometedor ja que suposa un començament de multidisciplinarietat en el qual s'uneixen les dues àrees de coneixement: arquitectura i psicologia. Per això, és d'esperar que el present treball marque un nou pas en aquesta direcció / [EN] "We must not forget that architecture is built to live in, not just to look at". With these words, architect Van Der Rohe emphasizes the importance of architectural design serving life and contributing to its improvement. This perspective highlights the significant connection between psychology and architecture, as the spaces we inhabit shape our personal development. Thus, each environment has a primary purpose and must be functional accordingly. Particularly, educational environments play a fundamental role in the teaching-learning process. Therefore, it is crucial to design these spaces not only to be pleasant for occupants but also to enhance the cognitive processes involved in education, ensuring a conducive environment for learning and personal growth. In line with this, the objective of this doctoral thesis is to analyze the relationship between three classroom design elements (light, color, and dimension) and three cognitive processes of students (memory, attention, and preference for the environment). To address this, three laboratory studies were conducted. These studies involved the cognitive evaluation of each participant while immersed in virtual classrooms that differed only in the three design elements under study, thus replicating a real environment with controlled variations. For this purpose, two specific instruments compatible with each other and highly relevant to the field of architecture were used: 1) virtual reality as a tool for space visualization and 2) performance of specific attention, memory, and preference tasks as tools for measuring subject cognition. The first study analyzed the effect of design interventions (in terms of light, color, and dimension) on students' attention and memory performance and their preference, examining the relative impact of each. This comparative approach allows understanding which physical changes in the classroom are most sensitive to different cognitive processes of students. The study was conducted collectively with both genders and also separately. In the second study, the specific values of each of the three design elements studied (light: illuminance and color temperature; color: hue and saturation; dimension: height and width) were identified to improve the memory of men and women, minimizing differences between genders. On the other hand, the third study proposes a joint analysis of the three design elements through multi-objective linear programming to identify specific combinations of light, color, and shape that maximize benefits in terms of memory, attention, and preference.From the set of results, it is concluded that the classroom elements are interconnected, thus needing to be studied as a whole. Added to this is the complexity of the student since their cognition does not follow a single pattern. Therefore, studying this paradigm as a whole is necessary. In this sense, a valuable methodology is explored, combining space control tools like virtual reality with cognitive measurement tools like validated specific tasks. The approach developed in this work could be promising as it represents the beginning of multidisciplinarity in which the two areas of knowledge¿architecture and psychology¿are combined. Therefore, it is expected that this work will mark a new step in that direction. / Nolé Fajardo, ML. (2024). El diseño del aula como facilitador del aprendizaje: el papel de la luz, el color y la dimensión en los procesos cognitivos [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/207134 / Compendio