The current state of technology integration in science teacher education programs is examined with a view to providing science teacher educators with practical information and diverse examples of technologies they can model in their own courses. Motivators and barriers to technology integration and use are discussed, and recommendations for choosing and evaluating science technologies made. A brief history of how computers, related communication technologies, and science teacher education reform "fit" together is provided. Multiple interpretations of what is meant by "technology" and associated terms (distance learning, online courses, Web-enhanced courses, simulations, authentic data sets etc.) are included to set the context.

Context. In the forthcoming years Healthcare Systems will become better informed, more efficient and particularly focused on the patient through the integration of Information and Communication Technologies. Medical Rehabilitation is an example of a field prone for this evolution. Here, disciplines such as Software Engineering will play a key role during the transformation. Objectives. This study pursues to understand todays rehabilitation therapies and procedures, to conceive how future computer-aided rehabilitation systems should be constructed and to provide a coherent framework that conceptualizes the relationship of their main components and interactions. Methods. The overall thesis work involves a combination of different research methodologies, which vary from literature reviews, empirical observations and semi-structured ethnographic interviews, to constructive research, through software architectural designs. Results. FIAP-RT is a framework created to support the new paradigm on how future software tools oriented to Medical Rehabilitation should be constructed with views to achieve quality attributes such as interoperability, availability, security, accessibility, usability or reliability. Conclusions. This study reveals that it is generally hard to find a real socialization and dissemination of the know-how that is being constantly produced within rehabilitation centers. In addition, it is has been shown how applied Software Engineering can help to integrate advanced solutions even though further evaluation would be needed to validate the proposed framework. / Internet: http://about.me/victor_caslab Phone: (+34) 676026094

The visually impaired community forms a small but integral part of South Africa with the potential to contribute meaningfully to its infrastructure and society, yet blind learners still seem to struggle with computer use. There are various barriers that stand between blind learners and computer access. In this study, I explore the experiences of blind high-school learners (n=4) with regards to computer use. A qualitative case study was applied as research design at a high-school for the visually impaired. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions, which were audio-recorded and transcribed. Observation-in-thecontext was documented in research diaries and field notes. Following thematic analysis, the following themes emerged: value of computer use for blind users; barriers related to blind computer use; and future solutions and possibilities of blind computer use. Insights may inform future conceptualisation and implementation of computer use amongst blind high school learners. / Mini-dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted