This thesis examines how queer identities are represented through characters in The Adventure Zone, a popular Dungeons and Dragons, fantasy comedy podcast that features unique fan contributions and deep involvement from the creators. Drawing on queer theory and theories of stereotypes and language, audience participation, and transmediation, this thesis argues that The Adventure Zone’s portrayal of queer identities both challenges dominant norms and stereotypes while also being shaped by them, and that listening to the podcast can create opportunities to discuss queer identities, LGBTQIA+ questions and the relationships between author and fans online in the Swedish EFL classroom. The findings indicate that the podcast tries to avoid but still falls into some stereotypical ideas even though it welcomes fan inclusion and representation. The character Taako is also found to be a good subject for discussions with students in terms of negotiating ideas of queerness and identity formation in accordance with the school’s democratic mission of inclusivity and sexuality, consent and relationships outlined in the new curriculum.

School librarians create an atmosphere where learners feel empowered. Moreover, school library programming should support diversity, equity, and inclusive learning opportunities to facilitate student success. Thus, school librarians are expected to model and advocate for equitable learning spaces while considering the universal design for learning approach to improving accessibility, utilization, and relevance for all library patrons. Although it has been established that school library standards support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), more is needed to know about the impact of a crisis on school library programming and services. In addition, extensive research has not been conducted to determine school librarians' responsiveness and strategies to provide services for their school communities during disruptive times. This study examines school librarians' perceptions of the opportunities and challenges encountered while endeavoring to engage in DEI practices during crises.

This dissertation examines a university faculty (n = 41) and diverse students (n = 93) including students with disability (n = 44), students without disability (n = 21), and international students (n = 28) regarding their attitudes toward and actions associated with inclusive instruction based on the universal design for learning (UDL) principles and practices. Two online surveys, the Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory (ITSI) and the Inclusive Teaching Strategies Inventory-Student (ITSI-S), were administered at a large, public Southwest university (N = 134). The ITSI and ITSI-S contain seven subscales representing the following constructs: (a) accommodations, (b) accessible course materials, (c) course modifications, (d) inclusive lecture strategies, (e) inclusive classroom, (f) inclusive assessment, and (g) disability laws and concepts. A series of multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVAs) measured the overall of attitude subscales and overall action subscales, and an independent-samples test (t-test) compared mean scores on the seven Attitude subscales and seven Action subscales to identify predictors of these attitudes and actions among faculty and students. The main findings were (a) significant differences among diverse students, where students with disability responded negatively on the Action subscales and (b) significant differences between faculty and diverse students where international students had a positive attitude on the Attitude subscales, whereas students with disability had a negative attitude on the Action subscales toward the actual practices of their faculty. Results of the current study respond to the gap in the literature by examining the inclusive instruction environment based on UDL in a university environment. The implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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Den här studien undersöker utifrån ett multimodalt, designteoretiskt perspektiv den didaktiska designen i läromedlet Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet. Syftet med studien är att visa de teckensystem som används i designen för lärande i Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet och den mening som deras semiotiska resurser erbjuder i lärandet. Dessutom tar studien upp det engagemang som eleverna visar, som ett tecken på transformation. Med transformation menas hur eleverna börjar bearbeta den erbjudna meningen och formar den till kunskap. Undersökningen är genomförd i en åk 4 på en svensk grundskola med hjälp av videoobservationer, lektionsanteckningar samt själva läromedlets utrustning. Resultatet blev att Bibeläventyret Gamlas testamentet fungerar multimodalt med många olika teckensystem och artefakter, där vissa är bärande och andra stöttande. Klassrummets spatiala möjligheter, instruktörens muntliga berättande med stöd av intonation, gester, blickar, kroppsspråk och förflyttningar, samt elevernas deltagande i meningsskapandet används om vartannat. Studien tyder på att den multimodala designen erbjuder stor mening och i det engagemang som eleverna visar finns en början till transformation och formation till ny kunskap. Tidigare forskning har kommit fram till att det finns signifikanta tecken på lärande i multimodala miljöer, ofta med inslag av digitala medier. Där bidrar studien till att visa att många fler teckensystem än vad som ofta används multimodalt kan kombineras och utöka möjligheten till lärande, särskilt i undervisningen av Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet. / This study analyses, from a multimodal, design theoretical perspective, the design for learning in the educational material Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet (The Bible Adventure – The Old Testament). The aim is to display the modes that are used in the design for learning in Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet and the meaning that is offered in learning by semiotic resources of these modes. The study also presents the involvement that the students show, as a sign of transformation. Transformation refers to how the students start to process offered meaning and form it into knowledge. The study was conducted in 4th grade classes in a Swedish compulsory school and is based on video observations of two hours of teaching, field notes and the analysis of the teaching material. The study shows that teaching Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet is multimodally conducted with many different modes and artefacts, where some bear more meaning and others are more supportive. The spatial opportunities of the classroom, the oral narrative of the instructor, including prosody in talk, body movements, gesture and gaze, as well as the students’ involvement in meaning making are used variously. The study shows that the multimodal design offers a significant meaning for learning and the involvement of the students shows how they make an initial transformation and formation of new knowledge. Previous research points to major signs of learning in multimodal environments, where digital media is often included. This study contributes to previous research in showing that many more modes can be used and combined multimodally at the same time compared to what is usually done and so extend the learning possibility particularly in teaching Bibeläventyret Gamla testamentet.

No contexto da Educação a Distância Superior no Brasil, o material didático tem figurado como um dos principais recursos, no qual, realiza-se a aplicação dos pressupostos do design universal para a aprendizagem, que se trata de um modelo de universalização que propõem o oferecimento de andaimes que visem a eliminar as barreiras desnecessárias, sem eliminar os desafios necessários para beneficiar/proporcionar a aprendizagem do maior número possível de alunos. Ressalta-se que a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem tem sido utilizadas em trabalhos brasileiros que as apresentam como importantes dimensões de aprendizagem. Contudo, há escassez de pesquisas que avaliem e mensurem os efetivos impactos destas dimensões no processo de aprendizagem permeado por implementações de propostas didáticas baseadas em princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem. O presente trabalho tem, portanto, o objetivo de avaliar o impacto dos princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem nas dimensões de motivação e autoeficácia do processo de aprendizagem em cursos superiores de Educação a Distância. Portanto, propõem a incorporação de princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem por meio da implementação de quatro propostas didáticas (leitura ou audição voz feminina ou masculina de texto; videoaula convencional ou com legenda parcialmente ambientada; controle de velocidade da expectação da videoaula; fórum com participação escrita, falada ou gravada com imagem e som) na editoração do material didático e testa sua aplicabilidade e efetividade para aumentar os índices de a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem. A pesquisa é multimodal e foi arquitetada como um experimento verdadeiro, no modelo de pré-teste/pós-teste, utilizando-se os instrumentos Escala de Motivação Acadêmica e a Escala de Autoeficácia Acadêmica Percebida para aplicação em uma amostra de 238 alunos de cursos EAD de uma IES brasileira. Os resultados qualitativos e quantitativos apresentados evidenciam o potencial do design universal para melhoria dos índices de autoeficácia para a aprendizagem e da motivação, em uma proposta que visa mais que permitir a participação, mas possibilitar o sucesso de todos! / In the context of distance higher education in Brazil, the courseware has figured as one of the main resources in which executes the application of the assumption of universal design for learning, which it is about a template of universalization that propose the offering of \"scaffoldings\" that aim to eliminate the unnecessary barriers, without eliminating the necessary challenges to benefit/provide the learning of the greatest number of students as possible. It is noteworthy that the Motivation and Self Efficacy for Learning has been used in Brazilian works that present as important dimensions of learning. However, there is a shortage of searches that evaluate and measure the actual impact of these dimensions in the learning process permeated by implementations of didactic proposals based on the principles of universal design for learning. The present project has therefore the objective to evaluate the impact of the principles of universal design for learning in the dimensions of motivation and self-efficacy of the learning process in distance higher education courses. Propose the incorporation of principles of the universal design for learning through the implementation of four didactic proposals (reading or listening - female or male voice - text; conventional video lesson or partially acclimated with subtitles; video lesson expectation speed control; board with participation written, spoken or recorded with image and sound) on courseware publication and test its applicability and effectiveness to increase the rates of motivation and self-efficacy for learning. The research is multimodal and is architected as a true experiment, in the template of pre-test/pos-test, using the instruments of Academic Motivation Scale and the Scale of Perceived Academic Self-efficacy for using in a sample of 238 students of EAD courses of a Brazilian Institute of Higher Education. The qualitative and quantitative results presented highlight the potential of universal design to improve rates of self efficacy for learning and motivation, in a proposal that aims more than to allow participation, but enable the success of all!

This study explores the relationship between an Affective Instructional Design (AID), children’s attitudes toward math, and math learning. Participants included 15 kindergarten children at a university K-12 laboratory school located in East Tennessee. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-intervention (AID)-posttest design. Data, including pretest/posttest attitude surveys, and baseline and intervention non-participant video observations of math learning and math attitudes, during 13 math lessons were coded and analyzed. As hypothesized, a significant positive correlation (r = 0.936, p = 0.000) was found between attitude and math learning. Additionally significant differences were found between the baseline (pre-intervention) mean score and the final intervention lesson for both math attitude, t(14) = -12.39, p = 0.008, and math learning, t(14) = -8.40, p = 0.002.These findings suggest AID could be one route to supporting educators in establishing quality learning environments that promote positive attitudes and meaningful learning in mathematics.

No contexto da Educação a Distância Superior no Brasil, o material didático tem figurado como um dos principais recursos, no qual, realiza-se a aplicação dos pressupostos do design universal para a aprendizagem, que se trata de um modelo de universalização que propõem o oferecimento de andaimes que visem a eliminar as barreiras desnecessárias, sem eliminar os desafios necessários para beneficiar/proporcionar a aprendizagem do maior número possível de alunos. Ressalta-se que a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem tem sido utilizadas em trabalhos brasileiros que as apresentam como importantes dimensões de aprendizagem. Contudo, há escassez de pesquisas que avaliem e mensurem os efetivos impactos destas dimensões no processo de aprendizagem permeado por implementações de propostas didáticas baseadas em princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem. O presente trabalho tem, portanto, o objetivo de avaliar o impacto dos princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem nas dimensões de motivação e autoeficácia do processo de aprendizagem em cursos superiores de Educação a Distância. Portanto, propõem a incorporação de princípios do design universal para a aprendizagem por meio da implementação de quatro propostas didáticas (leitura ou audição voz feminina ou masculina de texto; videoaula convencional ou com legenda parcialmente ambientada; controle de velocidade da expectação da videoaula; fórum com participação escrita, falada ou gravada com imagem e som) na editoração do material didático e testa sua aplicabilidade e efetividade para aumentar os índices de a motivação e a autoeficácia para a aprendizagem. A pesquisa é multimodal e foi arquitetada como um experimento verdadeiro, no modelo de pré-teste/pós-teste, utilizando-se os instrumentos Escala de Motivação Acadêmica e a Escala de Autoeficácia Acadêmica Percebida para aplicação em uma amostra de 238 alunos de cursos EAD de uma IES brasileira. Os resultados qualitativos e quantitativos apresentados evidenciam o potencial do design universal para melhoria dos índices de autoeficácia para a aprendizagem e da motivação, em uma proposta que visa mais que permitir a participação, mas possibilitar o sucesso de todos! / In the context of distance higher education in Brazil, the courseware has figured as one of the main resources in which executes the application of the assumption of universal design for learning, which it is about a template of universalization that propose the offering of \"scaffoldings\" that aim to eliminate the unnecessary barriers, without eliminating the necessary challenges to benefit/provide the learning of the greatest number of students as possible. It is noteworthy that the Motivation and Self Efficacy for Learning has been used in Brazilian works that present as important dimensions of learning. However, there is a shortage of searches that evaluate and measure the actual impact of these dimensions in the learning process permeated by implementations of didactic proposals based on the principles of universal design for learning. The present project has therefore the objective to evaluate the impact of the principles of universal design for learning in the dimensions of motivation and self-efficacy of the learning process in distance higher education courses. Propose the incorporation of principles of the universal design for learning through the implementation of four didactic proposals (reading or listening - female or male voice - text; conventional video lesson or partially acclimated with subtitles; video lesson expectation speed control; board with participation written, spoken or recorded with image and sound) on courseware publication and test its applicability and effectiveness to increase the rates of motivation and self-efficacy for learning. The research is multimodal and is architected as a true experiment, in the template of pre-test/pos-test, using the instruments of Academic Motivation Scale and the Scale of Perceived Academic Self-efficacy for using in a sample of 238 students of EAD courses of a Brazilian Institute of Higher Education. The qualitative and quantitative results presented highlight the potential of universal design to improve rates of self efficacy for learning and motivation, in a proposal that aims more than to allow participation, but enable the success of all!

I studien undersöks användningen av digital portfolio i bildämnet och hur den digitala portfolion ingår i att synliggöra lärandeprocessen, samt hur den kan skapa en pågående dialog mellan elev och lärare. Vidare undersöks den digitala portfolions roll i elevers delaktighet i bedömningsprocessen. Metoden är kvalitativ och stödjer sig på halvstrukturerade intervjuer med pedogog och elever från högstadiet som använder sig av digital portfolio i bildämnet. Resultatet visar att både pedagog och elever ser möjligheterna med den digitala portfolion vad det gäller synliggörande av elevernas lärprocess i bild. Ett multimodalt arbetssätt är en framgångsfaktor som bidrar både till synligheteten av lärprocess och bedömningsprocess, samt främjar alternativa kommunikationsformer. Hinder i att uppnå en synlighet och delaktighet i lärandeprocessen och bedömningsprocessen kan dels bero på att den digitala portfolion kan betraktas av eleverna som för abstrakt och därmed också negligeras, eller att eleverna inte ser eller har förstått värdet i att dokumentera. Ytterligare en faktor som är nödvändig för att eleverna ska känna sig delaktiga i, bland annat bedömningsprocessen, är att pedagogens feedback måste vara kontinuerlig och effektiv. Ur ett socialkulturellt perspektiv, med fokus på design för lärande, visar sig den digitala portfolion ha stor potential för synlighet och delaktighet i både lär- och bedömningsprocessen. / The study examines the usage of digital portfolio in the art subject and how the digital portfolio is a part of making the learning process visible. It also investigates how it facilitates an ongoing dialogue between student and teacher. In addition, the study aims to investigate the digital portfolio’s roll in making students involved in the assessment proceqss. The method used in the study is qualitative and relies on half structured interviews with a teacher and students from a Swedish högstadie (8th and 9th grade) who use digital portfolio in the art subject. The result indicate that both the teacher and students alike see the possibilities with the digital portfolio concerning visibility of the students’ learning process in the art subject. A factor for success is a multimodal working practice which contributes both to the visibility of the learning process and assessment process, while also encouraging alternative communication channels. Obstacles in accomplishing visibility in the learning and assessment process can be attributed to the students’ perceiving the digital portfolio as too abstract, consequently neglecting it, or that the students do not see the value in documenting. Yet another factor necessary for students to feel involved, especially in the assessment process, is that the teacher’s feedback needs to be continuous and effective. From a sociocultural perspective, with a focus on design for learning, the digital portfolio has proved to have great potential for visibility and participation in both the learning and assessment process.