abstract: Introductory programming courses, also known as CS1, have a specific set of expected outcomes related to the learning of the most basic and essential computational concepts in computer science (CS). However, two of the most often heard complaints in such courses are that (1) they are divorced from the reality of application and (2) they make the learning of the basic concepts tedious. The concepts introduced in CS1 courses are highly abstract and not easily comprehensible. In general, the difficulty is intrinsic to the field of computing, often described as "too mathematical or too abstract." This dissertation presents a small-scale mixed method study conducted during the fall 2009 semester of CS1 courses at Arizona State University. This study explored and assessed students' comprehension of three core computational concepts - abstraction, arrays of objects, and inheritance - in both algorithm design and problem solving. Through this investigation students' profiles were categorized based on their scores and based on their mistakes categorized into instances of five computational thinking concepts: abstraction, algorithm, scalability, linguistics, and reasoning. It was shown that even though the notion of computational thinking is not explicit in the curriculum, participants possessed and/or developed this skill through the learning and application of the CS1 core concepts. Furthermore, problem-solving experiences had a direct impact on participants' knowledge skills, explanation skills, and confidence. Implications for teaching CS1 and for future research are also considered. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Computer Science 2011

The purpose of this research was to determine how MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can be introduced and implemented in Higher Education institutions in Mauritius. The study explored the perspectives of students, teachers and educational leaders using an exploratory case study approach, and involved the implementation of short MOOC-based courses in three areas of higher education in Mauritius. While much of the existing literature on MOOCs has used quantitative data to explore patterns of enrolment and retention, this study explicitly focused on student experience, and used Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry (COI) model to explore patterns of ‘presence’ and pedagogical preferences and needs of learners. In order to explore how these preferences, together with other contextual factors might affect the adoption of MOOCs in Mauritius, Venkatesh and Davis’s (2000) Technology Acceptance Model2 (TAM2) was used. The COI and TAM2 models were used both as analytical frameworks, but also to develop a new composite model that also can function as a boundary object (Bowker and Star, 1999; Fox, 2011) enabling different stakeholders to understand each other’s needs and expectations and communicate better with each other. For Mauritian learners, teaching presence in online environments is of critical importance: this is reflected in different scenarios of MOOC implementation identified, and in a proposed staged model for MOOC adoption across the HE sector in Mauritius. This involves further pilots and preliminary research (stage 1), integration of MOOCs into practice (stage 2), customisation and development of MOOCs (stage 3) and a MOOC for Mauritius (stage 4), with each stage informing the implementation of subsequent stages as part of a broad action research framework. The original contributions made by the research to the knowledge base of its possible audiences include: providing models of practice for teachers and educational leaders; informing the educational leaders and policy makers about how MOOCs can be successfully implemented in Mauritius; providing detailed case studies on MOOCs to the academic audience interested in MOOCs specifically; and proposing a new composite, pedagogically-informed, technology acceptance model to those academics who are interested in online pedagogy and technology acceptance. The results of this PhD research can also inform the introduction and effective implementation of MOOCs in other less-economically developed countries.

Advocates of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), a cross-cultural phenomenon that has attracted public attention throughout the world, portray them as an equalizing force in international higher education; but researchers have noted discrepancies in how learners from different countries have engaged with them. The number of MOOC learners in China is growing rapidly, and Chinese learners are enthusiastic about the unprecedented freedom they now have in selecting courses and accessing resources from the best international universities. However, they have a significantly low completion rate and may experience unique challenges about which little is known. This study took into account the diversity of MOOC learners and proposed changes to its course design to make it more inclusive for Chinese students. I used a mixed method—including document analysis, surveys, and interviews—to investigate the Chinese experience of taking Western MOOCs and also to explore the educational theories and design principles of MOOCs that have been discussed in the Western and Chinese literature. My analysis of the literature revealed issues of contextualization that may play a critical role in improving the MOOC experience for Chinese students. Drawing on theoretical educational frameworks—including motivation, community of inquiry, self-regulated learning, and social identity—my analysis of surveys and interviews identified common themes in the Chinese experience of Western MOOCs. In accordance with the results of my analysis, and also in line with interaction equivalency and situational principles, this study provided suggestions for adapting MOOCs to Chinese learners, such as enhancing content quality, improving learner–learner and learner–instructor interactions, providing social support, and collaborating with local universities and agencies in providing technical and credentialing support.

Submitted by LUCAS DIAS LEOPOLDO (diasleopoldo@gmail.com) on 2018-08-31T22:34:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 VF concluída.pdf: 2750612 bytes, checksum: c5f68e5332df04442881b7b24512cacd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Lucilene Cordeiro da Silva Messias null (lubiblio@bauru.unesp.br) on 2018-09-03T12:44:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 leopoldo_ld_me_bauru.pdf: 2248470 bytes, checksum: 78ce125a3fb6ca3ebaf1ce62cafa9836 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-03T12:44:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 leopoldo_ld_me_bauru.pdf: 2248470 bytes, checksum: 78ce125a3fb6ca3ebaf1ce62cafa9836 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-27 / Esta investigação se dirige para o campo da Formação Continuada de professores de Biologia, mais especificamente para a análise de aspectos do Ensino de Botânica. As análises tiveram como base a seguinte questão “De que maneira subsídios originários da literatura acadêmica da educação em ciências e de reflexões de professores da educação básica podem contribuir para o planejamento de processos de formação de professores voltados ao trabalho com temas de Botânica no Ensino Médio?” De acordo com a questão de pesquisa, formulou-se um estudo que resultou em apontamentos, na identificação de problemas e características relativos a atividades de Formação Continuada para o Ensino de Botânica. Esse objetivo foi alcançado pelas contribuições trazidas pela literatura e produção acadêmica da área de Ensino de Botânica num conjunto de quatro movimentos de investigação teórica: A revisão bibliográfica de pesquisas e trabalhos sobre o Ensino de Botânica, o Ensino de Ciências e a Formação de Professores; a realização de levantamentos em cinco periódicos pertencentes à Área de Ensino da CAPES; a análise dos trabalhos sobre o Ensino de Botânica apresentados em todos os eventos do Encontro Nacional de Ensino de Biologia promovidos pela Associação Brasileira de Ensino de Biologia e a análise de trabalhos referentes aos Congressos Brasileiros de Botânica. Essas fontes de dados teóricos foram escolhidas por serem consideradas pelo autor, os âmbitos de maior relevância em quantidade de trabalhos e pesquisas sobre o Ensino de Botânica no Brasil. Após essa etapa o objetivo se direcionou para a identificação em entrevistas e questionários, das contribuições trazidas por dez professores de Biologia das redes de educação básica de São Paulo que trabalharam com o Ensino de Botânica. Os percursos trilhados por dessa pesquisa, permitem constatar a inexistência de grupos organizados de pesquisa em Ensino de Botânica, um número reduzido de trabalhos sobre a área em alguns âmbitos de levantamento, e uma situação de redução mais agravada quando se buscam os estudos sobre a Formação Continuada para o Ensino de Botânica. Foi possível identificar também de maneira parcial nas entrevistas, os problemas enfrentados pelos professores que trabalham na rede pública estadual, como o currículo que contribui para o desinteresse dos estudantes em Botânica, a baixa quantidade de cursos de formação voltados para essa área, as dificuldades em trabalhar com as propostas curriculares do estado, dentre outros. / This research is aimed at the field of continuing education of biology teachers, more specifically, for the analysis of aspects of botany teaching. The analyzes aim to answer the following question: "In what way subsidies originating from the academic literature of science education and reflections of teachers of basic education can contribute to the planning of teacher training processes to work with subjects of botany in High School? " According to the research question, a study was formulated that pointed out on propositions, and the identification of problems or characteristics of activities of continuing education in botany teaching. This objective was reached by the contributions brought by the literature and academic production of botany teaching in a set of four theoretical research movements: The bibliographic review of researches and works on the teaching of botany, science education and teacher training; the conduct of surveys in five periodicals belonging to the CAPES Multidisciplinary Area; the analysis of the works on the teaching of botany presented in all the events of Encontros Nacionais de Ensino de Biologia by the Associação Brasileira de Ensino de Biologia and the analysis of works of the Congressos Brasileiros de Botânica. These data sources were chosen because they are considered by the author, the most relevant scopes of work and research on the teaching of botany in Brazil. After this stage the objective was directed to the identification in interviews and questionnaires of the contributions brought by ten biology teachers of the basic education networks of São Paulo that worked with the teaching of botany. The paths taken by this research show that there are no organized research groups in botany teaching, a small number of studies on the area in some areas of study, and a situation of reduction more aggravated when research on training for the teaching of botany. It was also possible to identify in a partial way in the interviews the problems faced by teachers working in the state public network, such as the curriculum that contributes to the students' lack of interest in botany, the low number of training courses related to this area, difficulties in work with the curricular proposals of the state, among other problems.

The purpose of this study was twofold. The first major purpose was to determine if Occupational Orientation teachers perceived the required certification courses to be useful in helping them provide the instruction necessary to prepare young people to make tentative choices about the world of work. The second major purpose of this study was to provide this information to the teacher educators and personnel at the Texas Education Agency, so that it might be used to modify the content of these certification courses so that they will be more relevant to the needs of Occupational Orientation teachers.

A dissertação parte de vivências da autora ressignificadas teoricamente, que a estão constituindo enquanto socióloga-professora–pesquisadora, para buscar analisar aspectos sobre a formação de professores de Sociologia para a Educação Básica brasileira. O estudo, com enfoque crítico-dialético e de abordagem qualitativa, tem como cerne o posicionamento de professoras recém-graduadas frente aos seus processos de graduação, às suas condições profissionais e ao contexto nacional, marcado pela reintrodução de Sociologia como componente curricular obrigatório nas escolas da nação. Para tanto, situa-se brevemente a atual discussão sobre a temática formação de professores no bojo do contexto sócionormativo nacional-internacional, apresentando um alfabeto de desafios e características que (re)configuram o trabalho e a condição docente. Paralelamente, o histórico da disciplina nos currículos brasileiros é exposto assim como o contexto normativo atual que rege o assunto, bem como algumas peculiaridades de seu ensino em escolas públicas de nível médio de Porto Alegre. A partir das narrativas das entrevistadas sobre seu curso de Ciências Sociais, apresenta-se categorias temáticas elaboradas durante o processo analítico que se referem ao currículo formativo dessas docentes e questões que extrapolam as particularidades por serem características já históricas das licenciaturas de uma forma geral e, em especial, do curso de licenciatura em Ciências Sociais no país. Por fim, trechos de documentos e resumos são registrados, bem como iniciativas que a autora julga estarem sinalizando mudanças na formação de professores em geral e especificamente de Sociologia. Acredita-se que os resultados apresentados possam contribuir às reflexões e discussões nos cursos de licenciatura, do mesmo modo que possibilitem o estímulo ao fomento de inovações universitárias. / This work has its initial point at the author’s life, theoretically re-meant, which are helping the author to build herself as sociologist-teacher-researcher, to analyze aspects about Sociologist teacher’s formation of Brazilian Basic Education. This study has critical-dialectic and qualitative view, its main focus is based on teachers new graduated about their graduation process, their professional conditions and national context, because Sociology was reintroduced as obligatory curriculum in Brazilian schools. So, it has been shown briefly the current discussion about teachers’formation in the main point of social-normative nationalinternational context, presenting a challenge alphabet and characteristics that re-configure the work and teacher’s condition. Parallel, the discipline historic in Brazilian curriculums is exposed as well as the current normative context which leads the subject, as well as some peculiarities of its teaching in public high schools in Porto Alegre. From the teachers’ interview about their Social Science Course, it has been shown theme categories made during the analytic process about curriculum formation and questions that overcome its particularities because they are historical characteristics of formation courses in a general way and, in special, of Social Science Course in the country. Finally, pieces and summaries of documents are registered, as well as initiatives which the author thinks to be signalizing changes in teachers’ formation in general and especially in Sociology. The results presented, it is believed to contribute to reflections and discussions in formation courses, at the same time that can stimulate the universities innovations.

O tema focalizado nesta tese refere-se às ações afirmativas, políticas de inclusão social especiais e temporárias. Entre estas políticas destaca-se o ProUni (Programa Universidade para Todos), criado pela lei nº 11.096, de 13 de janeiro de 2005, que tem como finalidade a concessão de bolsas de estudos integrais e parciais a estudantes de baixa renda em cursos de graduação em instituições privadas de educação superior, oferecendo, em contrapartida, a isenção de alguns impostos e contribuições no período de vigência. Foram estudados os alunos bolsistas do ProUni da Universidade de Passo Fundo que entraram no ano de 2005 pelo programa. O problema de pesquisa visa conhecer qual é esse novo perfil de aluno que habita agora os espaços acadêmicos, qual a sua trajetória até a universidade, seus sentimentos/ percepções, aproveitamento acadêmico e perspectivas futuras, que constituíram as categorias de análise da pesquisa. As hipóteses indicavam dificuldades diversas para este aluno bolsista. Este estudo foi de natureza qualitativa, utilizando a entrevista semiestruturada com 14 alunos bolsistas do programa (cursos mais procurados: Medicina e Agronomia e menos procurados: Filosofia e Geografia) e quatro não bolsistas (dois da Medicina e dois da Filosofia), que constituíram um grupo para contraponto. Os fundamentos teóricos da tese foram a teoria da igualdade de Aristóteles, a teoria do ordenamento jurídico de Norberto Bobbio, os princípios elencados na Constituição Federal de 1988 e a Declaração Universal dos Direitos do Homem. Com relação aos resultados, observaram-se nas trajetórias dos alunos grandes influências do grupo familiar para a realização de um curso superior; os aspectos motivacionais pessoais intrínsecos, contribuindo de forma significativa para esta conquista; os sentimentos de aceitação, integração e a ausência de qualquer situação de diferenciação com professores, colegas e funcionários caracterizaram a percepção de todo o grupo de bolsistas estudado; sentimentos de solidão pela mudança de cidade, estado, hábitos culturais e regionais, a vinda do meio rural para o urbano, o nível de exigência das tarefas acadêmicas e as questões financeiras foram citados como dificuldades. O aproveitamento acadêmico está ocorrendo pela maioria do grupo e o índice de desistências e reprovações em disciplinas é baixo. As perspectivas futuras de quase todos apontam para a continuidade dos estudos em áreas profissionais específicas; para outros o curso superior realizado serviu como um processo de ascensão de vida apenas pessoal. Conclui-se que o ProUni, como uma ferramenta de ação afirmativa, está atingindo seus objetivos na busca da redução de desigualdades sociais em prol de alunos universitários desfavorecidos economicamente. / The focus theme of this thesis concerns the affirmative actions and special and temporary social inclusion policies. Among these policies the ProUni (Program University for Everybody) created through the Federal Bill number 11.096. on January 13th 2005 by the Ministry of Education, which aims at the concession of full and partial grants to low-income students in graduation courses in private educational institutions, offering, as a counter part, some exempt in taxes and contributions during that length of time. This study focuses the students who received grants from the ProUni of the University of Passo Fundo (UPF) who started in 2005 through the program. The research aims at knowing the new profile of students in the academic environment, their history on their way to university, their feelings/impressions, academic outcome and future perspectives which comprehend the research’s categories of analysis. The hypotheses indicated several difficulties for the student using the grant. This study had a qualitative nature and used a semi-structured interview with 14 student’s grant users of the program and 04 students who did not use grants which were the control group. The theoretical foundations of this thesis were based on The Aristoteles Theory of Equality, the Theory of the Juridical Ordering by Norberto Bobbio, the principles stated in the Federal Constitution from 1988 and the Declaration of Human Rights. Regarding the results, it was observed that throughout the students’ background and history there was strong influence from the family for graduating at university. Also, personal intrinsic motivational aspects were significant for this achievement; feelings of acceptance, integration and the absence of any situation of prejudice from professors, classmates or employees characterized the perception of the whole group of students who were given grants; feelings of loneliness for moving to a different city or state, change of cultural and regional habits, the fact of moving to an urban area from the countryside, the level of demands in the academic tasks and the financial issues were all mentioned as difficulties by these students. The expected academic outcome has been achieved by most students in the group, and the level of ceases and failures is low. The future perspectives of almost all students show their will to continue their studies in specific professional areas, for some students the university course was seen as a process of life improvement at a personal level. It may be concluded that ProUni, as a positive action tool, has achieved its aims of fighting social unequality in favor of economically constrained university students.

The research investigated the perspectives of the management team on strategies in managing a British college with a mainly South African market, namely Blake Hall College (BHC). The study aimed to identify teaching methods used at the college to be competitive in the distance education and higher education market. The approach was qualitative. Eight participants were purposefully selected and interviewed by means of an interview schedule that focused on management and teaching methods in particular. Information was also collected on quality assurance and cooperation between BHC and other higher education institutions. The results illustrated the influences of institutional growth and progress, maintenance, management structure and leadership, quality control, collaboration and communication. Regarding teaching methods, the advantages and disadvantages of distance education and face-to-face methods were illuminated. Participants also described a number of innovative teaching methods used. From the aforementioned, recommendations were made for surviving the competitive higher education market. / Educational Studies / M.Ed (Educational Management)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:15:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcia Fernanda Antonio Fiore.pdf: 739291 bytes, checksum: 8280bc0626886ee62e9b2c6db72b51d6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-09-19 / Quando uma criança vai para a escola, não vai apenas para aprender, mas também para relacionar-se. Dentro do ambiente escolar, a relação entre professor e aluno ultrapassa o nível acadêmico e permite que ocorra uma proximidade afetiva, sendo esta o fio condutor do conhecimento. Dessa forma, este trabalho buscou verificar se é reconhecida a importância, por parte de professores e alunos de um curso de formação de professores, de se trabalhar a dimensão emocional para que se tornem mais aptos a construir vínculos com seus alunos. Buscou também investigar se existe relação entre estes vínculos afetivos e o processo de aprendizagem dos alunos. Para o alcance dos objetivos propostos no presente estudo foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo exploratória de natureza qualitativa a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com dez sujeitos, sendo cinco professores (pedagogos) e cinco alunos concluintes (6º semestre) do curso de Pedagogia de uma instituição particular localizada na zona sul da cidade de São Paulo. Para o tratamento dos dados coletados nas entrevistas foi utilizada a metodologia de análise de conteúdo proposta por Maria Laura P. B. Franco. Os referenciais teóricos foram ancorados em Maria Cândida Moraes (perspectiva histórica dos paradigmas da educação), Terezinha Azerêdo Rios (conceitos de qualidade e competência numa visão dinâmica da competência docente), Lev Vygotsky (desenvolvimento humano a partir das interações sociais), Henri Wallon (relevância da dimensão afetiva no desenvolvimento do indivíduo), Marta Kohl de Oliveira e Teresa Cristina Rego (estudo sobre teoria sociohistórica de Vygotsky), Izabel Galvão e Heloisa Dantas (estudo sobre a psicogênese da pessoa completa de Wallon), Sigmund Freud e Maria Cristina Kupfer (concepções psicanalíticas sobre a relação transferencial), Sérgio Antonio da Silva Leite e Valéria Amorim Arantes (coletânea de textos para discussão sobre a afetividade no cotidiano escolar). A conclusão da pesquisa apontou para o reconhecimento da importância da construção de vínculos entre alunos e professores e do desenvolvimento das habilidades emocionais da competência docente como decisivos para o êxito da aprendizagem. Apesar desse reconhecimento, os sujeitos pesquisados não identificaram em sua formação em Pedagogia, disciplinas que tivessem especificamente contemplado a dimensão emocional da prática docente.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:16:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sabrina Rodero.pdf: 1659827 bytes, checksum: f91db6eb0491d1b22bda735933fb9176 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-09 / In Brazil, this studies was inserted in a Professional Education teacher s context, however is so far to be discussed on the academic field nowadays. Many teachers don t discuss about technical courses because they believe that this kind of course doesn t match on the education field. They believe that it s important to prepare somebody particularly to work with. Actually the point is, if we need a professional, we need a graduation then what is the Professor importance? Could we say that the Professor is a real professional or he s just someone who knows the techniques and scientific knowledge that teaches students how to tighten a screw? Or maybe he s a really creatively person with a good background in his career but in the classroom he is not able to teach well because he doesn t have methodology on teachlearning process? To understand a little bit more about this subject, this research will be made by interviewing some engineers, technology s professionals and managers graduated and no-graduated teachers acting in these areas. We will read an analysis about graduation s courses in Brazil, called Special Graduation Programs to Pedagogic Teachers related to some professionals who contributes with their experiences day by day.(AU) / Este estudo, inserido no contexto do professor da educação profissional no Brasil, traz à tona uma realidade pouco discutida no meio acadêmico. Discussão esta que para muitos educadores não faz sentido por acreditarem que os cursos técnicos não fazem parte da educação, mas sim de uma formação do indivíduo para o trabalho. Contudo, se é formação, deve existir alguém a formar este profissional, então, quem é este professor? Será mesmo um docente ou apenas um mero reprodutor de técnicas e conhecimentos científicos capaz de levar seu aluno a aprender apertar um parafuso ? Ou será alguém de uma criatividade e conhecimentos inquestionáveis, mas cuja práxis em sala de aula deixa a desejar por lhe faltar a metodologia para o processo ensino-aprendizagem? Para tentar entender um pouco mais deste universo esta análise será feita por meio de entrevistas com professores Engenheiros, Tecnólogos e Administradores de Empresa licenciados e não licenciados atuando na formação profissional, além de uma análise sobre os cursos de licenciatura no Brasil, conhecidos por Programas Especiais de Formação Pedagógica de Docentes, voltados a estes profissionais e o que trazem da contribuição em suas práticas diárias.(AU)