Text in English / The literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-10T11:09:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-05-20Bitstream added on 2014-11-10T11:58:28Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000788897_20151212.pdf: 309911 bytes, checksum: e9c8a57e6c4ab2435265724ab16870aa (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2015-12-14T11:52:14Z: 000788897_20151212.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-12-14T11:53:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000788897.pdf: 266817 bytes, checksum: 2ff6f5c1db508d9986ec5943fd672c39 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / No mundo contemporâneo, as tecnologias da informação se apresentam como uma inovação que passa a fazer parte do cotidiano das pessoas, instigando ao convívio nas redes sociais do ambiente virtual com maior frequência. Devido a este novo modelo social de interação, pesquisar as possibilidades de uso destas ferramentas tecnológicas e sua qualidade se torna um quesito necessário para melhor aproveitamento destas possibilidades. Assim, o presente estudo, de natureza quali-quantitativa, investigou os motivos de adesão de jogadores de xadrez à prática no ambiente virtual, bem como, a usabilidade de site para jogos de xadrez online, no contexto do lazer virtual, na visão de usuários. Em consequência desta pesquisa também foi elaborado um wiki para o ensino do xadrez. O estudo constou de pesquisas bibliográfica e exploratória, utilizando-se como instrumentos para coleta de dados questionários para identificação da amostra, questionário misto para avaliação do uso do wiki e um inventário de usabilidade, elaborado para a realização deste estudo, denominado IUSE-18. Fez parte do estudo três amostras intencionais, a primeira composta por 9 professores, de três países diferentes, com prática educacional superior a 5 anos, os quais auxiliaram a elaborar o inventário de usabilidade de sites para enxadristas, a segunda composta por 130 enxadristas adultos, de ambos os sexos, os quais elucidaram quais os motivos para aderirem ao xadrez online, bem como, se prontificaram a avaliar o site IXC, por meio do IUSE-18 e, uma terceira amostra, que contava com 12 estudantes de Lisboa, Portugal, de ambos os sexos, que contribuíram com o estudos opinando sobre a utilização do wiki para ensinar xadrez como uma estratégia pedagógica. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente, por meio de Análise de Conteúdo Temático e também por estatística, foi utilizado o Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse, no intuito de verificar a... / In today’s world, the technology of the information is present as an innovation that takes part of the daily life, instigating the interaction in virtual spaces and in social networks more frequently. Due to this new social interaction, understanding the usability of these technological tools and their quality becomes a necessary question to improve the use of these possibilities. Thus, this qualitative and quantitative study investigated the reasons of adherence of chess players in virtual spaces, as well as the site usability to the online chess games, in the context of virtual leisure, under user´s perspective. As a result of this research it was also drawn up a wiki for teaching the chess game. The study consisted of a literature review and an exploratory research, using an open questionnaire for sample identification, mixed questionnaire to evaluate the use of the wiki and an inventory of usability of sites called IUSE-18, designed for this study, as instrument for data collection. Three intentional samples participated in the study, the first one composed by 9 teachers from 3 different countries with pedagogical experience over 5 years, who helped to draw up the inventory of usability of sites for chess players, the second intentional sample composed by 130 adults chess players of both genders, who elucidated their reasons to adhere to the online chess, as well as volunteered to evaluate the IXC site, through the IUSE-18 and a third sample, which had 12 students from Lisbon, Portugal, of both genders, who contributed with this research opining about the use of the wiki to teach chess as a pedagogical strategy. Data were descriptively and statistically analyzed, by using Thematic Content Analysis and also the Inter-class Correlation Coefficient, in order to check the consistency of the responses among judges-evaluators and the Kappa Index, which assesses if the responses of the judges evaluators were in accordance, used for both...

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-05-18Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:57:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 christofoletti_dfa_me_rcla.pdf: 1277836 bytes, checksum: ccb9b870e115e8e57faad8ab606064d6 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, teve seu objetivo centrado na reflexão acerca dos aspectos psicológicos e didáticos referentes à prática do jogo de xadrez nos contextos escolar, competitivo e no lazer, focalizando a atuação de profissionais envolvidos, sob a perspectiva da motricidade humana. O estudo foi realizado em duas etapas, constando de uma revisão bibliográfica acerca da temática em foco seguido pela pesquisa exploratória, desenvolvida por meio de entrevista estrutura, contendo 15 perguntas abertas. A amostra intencional foi composta por 13 sujeitos, brasileiros, professores de xadrez, de ambos os sexos, faixa etária entre 22 e 62 anos, com níveis socioeconômicos variados e escolaridade superior, com experiência no ensino do xadrez acima de 4 anos, sendo todos professores em escolas e/ou clubes e técnicos com reconhecimento nacional na modalidade, participantes dos Jogos Regionais, ocorridos no ano de 2006. Os dados, analisados descritivamente, por meio da Técnica de Análise de Conteúdo Temático, indicam que é possível notar que o jogo de xadrez constitui-se em um universo bastante amplo e, conforme o local de atuação, há variações na nomenclatura utilizada para designar este profissional como técnico ou como professor. O perfil referente à formação dos atuantes interferem sobre a forma com que lidam com xadrez tomado como jogo ou esporte, visto que, entre eles, poucos possuem em sua formação a Graduação em Educação física. Com base nos resultados da pesquisa, torna-se relevante a realização de novos estudos, capazes de aprofundar os conhecimentos acerca do ensino desta modalidade, tendo em vista vi as diferentes possibilidades de atuação profissional com o xadrez, bem como, a conscientização sobre as necessidades de adaptações para cada contexto, aprimorando a metodologia utilizada por eles na passagem do conhecimento. / This research, of qualitative nature, has as objective to determine the psychological and didactic aspects referring to the practice of chess game in school, competitive and leisure contexts, focusing the performance of the professionals involved, under the perspective of human movement area. The research was based on literature review and on explanatory research, developed through an interview with 15 open questions. This instrument was applied to a sample compound by 13 Brazilian chess teachers, of both sex, between 22 and 62 years old, from different social economical and instruction levels, with experience in chess teaching in schools, and/or clubs up to 4 years, and coaches of national recognition, who have participated in the Regional Games, which happened in 2006. Data were descriptively analyzed through Thematic Content Analysis Technique, showing that chess game consists in a very ample universe, and according to the performance place there are some variations in the used nomenclature to assign this professional as coach or as a teacher. The profile referring to participants professional formation intervenes in the way they deal with chess, as a game or sport, since among them few are Physical Education Graduated. Based on the results of this research, it is relevant the accomplishment of new studies, deepening the knowledge concerning to teaching-learning of this modality, focusing the different possibilities of professional performance with chess, as well as, the awareness on the necessities of adaptations for each context, improving the methodology used when teaching.

Orientador: Gisele Maria Schwartz / Banca: Danilo Roberto Pereira Santiago / Banca: Marcos Alencar Abaide Balbinotti / Banca: Afonso Antonio Machado / Banca: Giselle Helena Tavares / Resumo: No mundo contemporâneo, as tecnologias da informação se apresentam como uma inovação que passa a fazer parte do cotidiano das pessoas, instigando ao convívio nas redes sociais do ambiente virtual com maior frequência. Devido a este novo modelo social de interação, pesquisar as possibilidades de uso destas ferramentas tecnológicas e sua qualidade se torna um quesito necessário para melhor aproveitamento destas possibilidades. Assim, o presente estudo, de natureza quali-quantitativa, investigou os motivos de adesão de jogadores de xadrez à prática no ambiente virtual, bem como, a usabilidade de site para jogos de xadrez online, no contexto do lazer virtual, na visão de usuários. Em consequência desta pesquisa também foi elaborado um wiki para o ensino do xadrez. O estudo constou de pesquisas bibliográfica e exploratória, utilizando-se como instrumentos para coleta de dados questionários para identificação da amostra, questionário misto para avaliação do uso do wiki e um inventário de usabilidade, elaborado para a realização deste estudo, denominado IUSE-18. Fez parte do estudo três amostras intencionais, a primeira composta por 9 professores, de três países diferentes, com prática educacional superior a 5 anos, os quais auxiliaram a elaborar o inventário de usabilidade de sites para enxadristas, a segunda composta por 130 enxadristas adultos, de ambos os sexos, os quais elucidaram quais os motivos para aderirem ao xadrez online, bem como, se prontificaram a avaliar o site IXC, por meio do IUSE-18 e, uma terceira amostra, que contava com 12 estudantes de Lisboa, Portugal, de ambos os sexos, que contribuíram com o estudos opinando sobre a utilização do wiki para ensinar xadrez como uma estratégia pedagógica. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente, por meio de Análise de Conteúdo Temático e também por estatística, foi utilizado o Coeficiente de Correlação Intraclasse, no intuito de verificar a... / Abstract: In today's world, the technology of the information is present as an innovation that takes part of the daily life, instigating the interaction in virtual spaces and in social networks more frequently. Due to this new social interaction, understanding the usability of these technological tools and their quality becomes a necessary question to improve the use of these possibilities. Thus, this qualitative and quantitative study investigated the reasons of adherence of chess players in virtual spaces, as well as the site usability to the online chess games, in the context of virtual leisure, under user's perspective. As a result of this research it was also drawn up a wiki for teaching the chess game. The study consisted of a literature review and an exploratory research, using an open questionnaire for sample identification, mixed questionnaire to evaluate the use of the wiki and an inventory of usability of sites called IUSE-18, designed for this study, as instrument for data collection. Three intentional samples participated in the study, the first one composed by 9 teachers from 3 different countries with pedagogical experience over 5 years, who helped to draw up the inventory of usability of sites for chess players, the second intentional sample composed by 130 adults chess players of both genders, who elucidated their reasons to adhere to the online chess, as well as volunteered to evaluate the IXC site, through the IUSE-18 and a third sample, which had 12 students from Lisbon, Portugal, of both genders, who contributed with this research opining about the use of the wiki to teach chess as a pedagogical strategy. Data were descriptively and statistically analyzed, by using Thematic Content Analysis and also the Inter-class Correlation Coefficient, in order to check the consistency of the responses among judges-evaluators and the Kappa Index, which assesses if the responses of the judges evaluators were in accordance, used for both... / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-25T12:18:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Jose Wantuir Queiroz de Almeida.pdf: 4001663 bytes, checksum: 2cd5240abf9f597bc97139e631fb2c7d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-13 / This research work seek to analyze the use of Chess Game in the mathematical education as games are alive in the school environment for presenting relevance in the cognitive development and promoting solving problem simulations which ask for solution organization. The Chess Game, beyond its characteristics, has a large universe of different forms and aspects. Studies relate the Chess Game to the Mathematics teaching for promoting situations which ask for decisions and logic reasoning that contribute to the learning process through error analyzes situations in mathematical problems having its application in the quite large area of Mathematics and not necessarily for basic level. In this way, the research work in question, of qualitative character, was carried out as a case study by analyzing the use of the Chess Game in mathematical education through four data sources taking as analyses categories decision making, logic reasoning and error analyses. The data sources were a Text Book, Essay, Job Questions and a Chess Course. The Chess Course was done in the State School Elpídio de Almeida, located in Campina Grande city, State of Paraiba, Brazil. From our research findings, using some elements as the one seen in the ENEM question and in the activities proposed in the Text Book and in the Essay, also in the exploration of the game as a whole through its practice, we concluded that the ways of introducing the Chess Game in the school environment are related to its used end as in the Mathematics Education games assume different forms in a way of provoking the development of concepts, procedures and attitudes which help the teaching and learning Mathematics. Finally we argued that the use of Chess Game in the school environment asks for caution and considerations with respect to the aims that one wishes to achieve as well as its introduction in the classroom should attend the education aspects. / Este trabalho visou analisar a utilização do jogo de Xadrez na educação matemática visto que os jogos estão presentes no ambiente escolar por apresentarem relevância no desenvolvimento cognitivo e promover simulações de situações problemas que requerem organização de procedimento de soluções. O jogo de Xadrez, além de suas características, possui um universo amplo com diversas formas e aspectos. Estudos relacionam o jogo de Xadrez com o ensino de Matemática por proporcionar situações que requerem tomadas de decisões e raciocínio lógico que possibilitam aprendizagem através da análise de erro, situações vistas em problemas matemáticos, tendo sua aplicação na área da Matemática bastante vasta e não necessariamente de nível elementar. Com isso, a pesquisa em questão, de caráter qualitativo, se deu a partir de um estudo de caso exploratório analisando a utilização do jogo de Xadrez na educação matemática através de quatro fontes de dados tendo como categorias de análise tomada de decisões, raciocínio lógico e análise de erro. As fontes de dados foram Livro Texto, Apostila, Questões de Concursos e um Curso de Xadrez, ministrado na Escola Estadual Elpídio de Almeida, localizada na cidade de Campina Grande, Estado da Paraíba, Brasil. Segundo nossas análises, utilizando alguns elementos como visto na questão do ENEM e nas atividades proposta no Livro-Texto e na Apostilha, também na exploração do jogo como um todo através de sua prática, concluímos que as formas de introdução do jogo de Xadrez no ambiente escolar se adequam com a finalidade de seu uso, sendo que na Educação Matemática os jogos assumem diferentes formas no intuito de possibilitar o desenvolvimento de conceitos, procedimentos e atitudes que auxiliam o ensino e aprendizagem da Matemática. Por fim, argumentamos que a utilização do jogo de Xadrez no ambiente escolar requer cuidados e considerações com relação aos objetivos que se pretende alcançar, assim como sua introdução na sala de aula deve procurar atender os aspectos educacionais.

The purpose of this project was to investigate whether it was possible to develop a type of application, where users would solve chess problems. The main goal of the project was that there would exist an functional application after the study has ended with which users could solve chess problems on a computer. One subgoal of the project was to create corresponding application for mobile phones. The study was limited to require users to have at least Internet Explorer 9 +. For other browsers, there were no corresponding limitations. The study did not investigated which programming language that really would be best suited for this kind of project. The project was developed in JavaScript and HTML. After completing the study, it was found that such an application could be created. The application has been tested on standard computer with different screen resolutions, and on mobile phones which use Android. On these, it was found that there were no problems with the appearance or functionality. Keywords: JavaScript, HTML, chess, problem solving

This thesis will cover the topic of artificial intelligence algorithms in the game of chess and their implementation in computer chess program. The research contains the basics of the chess game and its history with a focus on computer chess, classical methods in chess programming and basic summary of neural networks and possibilities of their application. Selected algorithms are further implemented in chess program “Beast”.

This master thesis focuses on the theme of a rite of passage, of a pupil turning into a master. It is about the material and mental change during a performance in the space of a baroque chapel. In this way, a man´s spirit and the genius loci of a place are interconnected.

Thesis advisor: Maia McAleavey / My dissertation explores how nineteenth-century novelists imagined rational thinking as a cognitive resource distributed through physical, social, national, and even imperial channels. Scholars studying nineteenth-century discourses of mind frequently position rational thinking as the normalized given against those unconscious and irrational modes of thought most indicative of the period's scientific discoveries. My project argues, in contrast, that writers were just as invested in exploring rational thinking as multivalent procedure, a versatile category of mental activity that could be layered into novelistic representations of thinking by "thinking with games": that is, incorporating forms of thinking as discussed by popular print media. By reading novels alongside historical gaming practices and gaming literatures and incorporating the insights of twenty-first century cognitive theory, I demonstrate that novelists Maria Edgeworth, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, George Eliot, and Rudyard Kipling experimented with models of gaming to make rational thinking less abstract and reveal its action across bodies, objects, and communities. If Victorian mind-sciences uncovered "thinking fast," games prioritized "thinking slow," a distinction described by psychologist Daniel Kahneman in his recent book, Thinking, Fast and Slow (2013). Scenes of games often slow thinking down, allowing the author to expose the complex processes of rational, cognitive performance. Furthermore, such scenes register the expanded perspective of recent cognitive literary studies such as those by Alan Palmer and Lisa Zunshine, which understand thinking, at least in part, as externalized and social. In effect, by reading scenes of thinking along the lines proposed by strategic gaming, I demonstrate how novels imagined social possibilities for internal processing that extend beyond the bounds of any individual's consciousness. Of course, games easily serve as literary tropes or metaphors; but analyzing scenes of gaming alongside games literature underscores how authors incorporated frameworks of teachable, social thinking from gaming into their representations of rational consciousness. For strategy games literature, better play required learning how to read the minds of other players, how to turn their thinking inside out. The nineteenth-century novel's relationship to games is best understood, I suggest, within the landscape of popular games literature published at its side - sometimes literally. An article on "Whistology" appears just after an installment of The Woman in White in Dickens's All the Year Round; the Cornhill Magazine published a paean to "Chess" amid the serialization of George Eliot's Romola. As a genre, strategy manuals developed new techniques for exercising the cognitive abilities of their readers and, often along parallel lines, so do the novels I discuss. Prompting the reader to think like a game player often involved recreating the kinds of dynamic, active thinking taught by games literature through the novel's form. My dissertation explores how authors used such forms to train their readers in habits of memory, deduction, and foresight encouraged by strategy gaming. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: English.

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy for the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 2018. / The continuous protest from various quarters of society about the weakening education standard are a concern. Chess has been found to be a solution to remedy this problem in many countries through studies testing its effectiveness on the learners. However, very little is said about the teachers who are key in the success of this integration. This study aimed at getting the perspectives of the stakeholders regarding the incorporation of chess into the curriculum in the four subjects in the Foundation Phase, namely, isiZulu, English, Mathematics and Life skills. This qualitative design research looks at the perspectives of the stakeholders about the impact of incorporating chess into the curriculum practice through the Tsogo Sun Moves for Life programme piloted in the King Cetshwayo district. Through interviews, observations and document analysis, this study acquired the insights of 14 teachers who work as Tsogo Sun Moves for Life facilitators in schools under the programme, the district official who is tasked with ensuring that the curriculum is well delivered in schools, and the Tsogo Sun Moves for Life co-ordinator who assist the facilitators in incorporating chess into the curriculum. The study reveals that teachers find chess to be helpful as it helps the learners learn better while having fun, their attention span is increased, and they tend to concentrate better when chess is integrated. However, the teachers face many challenges as they struggle to merge chess into the curriculum, from those who view it as an add- on detached from the curriculum, and therefore see it as additional workload for them. The language used in the chess instruction appeared to be a challenge as the chess resources are not written in the learners’ home language.