This project is part of CATEA's RERC workplace accommodations grant, and it d research, develop, test and evaluate a retail checkout workstation that maximizes independence and participation of employees and increases their employment possibilities. Preliminary research shows that current designs of retail checkout workstations do not accommodate the intended employees including the seated and standing users. According to the research, factors like task design and ease of use have contributed to job loss and reduced employment. Through participatory research techniques and ergonomic studies, this project identified accessibility and usability needs and outline design guidelines of a retail workstation that would address these needs. Based on these guidelines and examining possible future retail checkout scenarios influenced by new trends and emerging technologies, future grocery retail checkout concepts were developed. These concepts try to address the need for wider accessibility and better interactions, while adding value through design that aims to increase job opportunities for people with disabilities provide a better experience for the end users and maximize store investment efficiency of front-end equipment.

This thesis aims at developing a better understanding of the design process and the tools required to support it. Specifically it focuses on the early or conceptual stages of the industrial design process and the role of emerging technology based artifacts in supporting this activity. The starting point for this thesis is that industrial design focuses on discovery of new knowledge and that this process of discovery is reflective in nature. Further designers make use of artifacts throughout the design process to support them in this discovery and their reflection. To reveal the role of artifacts in this process, a study of the interaction between designers and their artifacts has been undertaken. To intensify these relationships this thesis has focused on design review activity undertaken in the early stages of industrial design process. Two ethnographic case studies were conducted which allowed for teams of final year industrial design students to be observed during a conceptual design review. The first case study focused on the student designers interacting with traditional artifacts such as sketches, form studies and illustrations as part of the design review session. In the second case study, the student designers made use of low fidelity digital models which were displayed in a highly immersive virtual reality environment to support the design review. Both case studies captured a time slice of a larger design project which the students were undertaking as part of their university studies. The design project focused on the redesign of a consumer product where the students were required to innovate on an existing design based on a number of technology and market constraints. The design review session which formed the basis of the case study was part of a weekly design critique which required the students to bring to the class all of their design development progress. Students were offered an additional review session which was held in a virtual reality facility to supplement their weekly design review session which formed the basis of the second case study. The objective of the review sessions were for the designers to discuss their progress, identify where they were having difficulty, be challenged on design decision and develop a shared understanding of their direction with the class. The case study approach has allowed for an authentic in situ account of how designers make use of artifacts within the early stages of an industrial design process. It has allowed for a comparison between traditional and technology based artifacts and has revealed how they impact on the nature of discovery and reflection. Through a detailed qualitative analysis of the video data which was captured from the case studies, this thesis makes a number of substantial contributions to the current knowledge gaps on the role of artifacts and to our understanding of this phase of design activity. It substantiates conceptual design activity as a reflective process allowing for new discoveries to be made by representing our existing knowledge and understandings in artifacts which can be reflected upon and extended to create new meaning and innovation. From this grounded perspective it has enabled further understandings into the role of the artifact in supporting the design activity. Artifacts are seen as critical in supporting early stage design activity. However it is the nature of the interaction between the designers and their artifacts within the different settings which have been revealed through this research which is of significance. The affordances of the different artifacts have been shown to alter how the students situate their activity and modify their actions within a design review. page 5 of 171 Further designers are required to make use of additional resources such as gestures and rich design language to supplement their design engagement; and they are required to adapt to the environment where the review is being undertaken to ensure that the objective of the design review can be achieved. This thesis makes its primary contribution in outlining the differences between the various types of artifacts and how they can be used to positively support early stage design activity. It is recommended that both traditional and virtual artifacts have a role in supporting activity, but future approaches should consider them as complimentary and consider ways in which they can be merged. The significance of the research is three fold. Firstly, from a pedagogical perspective, within an educational or practiced based setting, it provides a framework to consider the use of emerging technology based artifacts to support early stage design activity. Secondly, from a technology development perspective the grounded observation in authentic experience of design activity, it provides the foundation to inspire and develop new interfaces to support designer interactions with artifacts. Finally, it makes a substantial contribution to the growing body of design research substantiating and revealing new understanding between designers and their artifacts to support early stage design activity.

Submitted by JOSEBEL SANTOS (josebiao@gmail.com) on 2017-09-01T21:12:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÂO-JOSEBEL.pdf: 4192874 bytes, checksum: 4ecb8e39835c58d7cc32ebd16a339290 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by NUBIA OLIVEIRA (nubia.marilia@ufba.br) on 2017-12-05T13:14:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÂO-JOSEBEL.pdf: 4192874 bytes, checksum: 4ecb8e39835c58d7cc32ebd16a339290 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-05T13:14:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÂO-JOSEBEL.pdf: 4192874 bytes, checksum: 4ecb8e39835c58d7cc32ebd16a339290 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Neste trabalho apresentamos o resultado de uma pesquisa de mestrado desenvolvida no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ensino, Filosofia e História das Ciências (PPGEFHC) da Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA) e da Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS). A pesquisa consistiu em investigar quais características uma sequência didática deve possuir para promover o desenvolvimento da habilidade de argumentação e compreensão da gravitação universal de Newton pelos estudantes do curso de graduação em Física da UEFS. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa na qual foi adotada a design research como estratégia metodológica geral. Os princípios substantivos que fundamentaram a intervenção foram: (1) uso da história da ciência, através de textos sobre a controvérsia entre Newton e Descartes sobre a explicação das causas da manutenção das órbitas dos planetas, uma vez que, além do fato de a controvérsia ser potencialmente favorável às interações argumentativas, entendê-la ajuda a compreender a explicação que prevaleceu; (2) realizar o ensino explícito da argumentação adotando o layout de Toulmin como modelo de excelência para construir e avaliar um argumento, posto que, além do fato de que consideramo-lo adequado ao gênero discursivo das ciências naturais, muitas pesquisas analisam os argumentos sobre ciência dos estudantes mais não os ensinam argumentarem. A design research é um estudo sistemático que busca o refinamento de sucessivos protótipos (em nosso caso, a sequência didática) através de três etapas ou fases cíclicas: pesquisa preliminar (construção das características ou princípios de design), fase de prototipagem (teste empírico das características) e fase avaliativa. Os resultados apontaram que: (1) a sequência didática foi potencialmente favorável à ocorrência de interações argumentativas na sala de aula; (2) os estudantes, de forma majoritária, conseguiram apresentar justificativas e fundamentos que fizessem sentido para defender seus pontos de vista – o que indica que eles souberam argumentar; (3) no entanto, uma parcela considerável das justificativas e fundamentos não puderam ser considerados válidos como conhecimento da física, o que nos faz concluir que, os estudantes desenvolveram concepções alternativas, e consequentemente; (4) não foi percebido nenhuma melhora substancial na compreensão dos estudantes sobre a gravitação universal de Newton. Por fim, esses resultados serão utilizados como orientações para o aprimoramento da sequência didática em novos ciclos da pesquisa. / Abstract: In this work we present the results of a master's research developed in the Postgraduate Program in Teaching, Philosophy and History of Sciences (PPGEFHC) of the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and the State University of Feira de Santana (UEFS). The research consisted in investigating which characteristics a didactic sequence must possess to promote the development of the ability of argumentation and understanding of Newton's Universal Gravitation by the undergraduate students in Physics of UEFS. This is a qualitative research in which design research was adopted as a general methodological strategy. The substantive principles underlying the intervention were: (1) use of the history of science through texts on the controversy between Newton and Descartes on the explanation of the causes of the maintenance of the orbits of the planets, since, in addition to the fact that the controversy Being potentially favorable to argumentative interactions, understanding it helps to understand the explanation that prevailed; (2) to perform explicit teaching of argumentation by adopting Toulmin's layout as a model of excellence to construct and evaluate an argument, since, in addition to the fact that we consider it adequate to the discursive genre of the natural sciences, many studies analyze the arguments about Science does not teach them to argue. Design research is a systematic study that seeks to refine successive prototypes (in our case, the didactic sequence) through three stages or cyclical phases: preliminary research (construction of design features or principles), prototyping phase (empirical test of Characteristics) and evaluation phase. The results showed that: (1) the didactic sequence was potentially favorable to the occurrence of argumentative interactions in the classroom; (2) the majority of the students were able to present justifications and foundations that would make sense to defend their points of view - which indicates that they knew how to argue; (3) however, a considerable portion of the justifications and grounds could not be considered valid as knowledge of physics, which leads us to conclude that students have developed alternative conceptions, and consequently; (4) no substantial improvement in students' understanding of Newton's universal gravitation was perceived. Finally, these results will be used as guidelines for the improvement of the didactic sequence in new research cycles.

Submitted by Rafaela Chaves (rafaschaves@gmail.com) on 2018-02-21T18:20:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 RAFAELACHAVES_DISSERTACAO_2017_PPGEFHC.pdf: 4823814 bytes, checksum: 6f7624626e763688f1113b4429048411 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by NUBIA OLIVEIRA (nubia.marilia@ufba.br) on 2018-02-28T20:22:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 RAFAELACHAVES_DISSERTACAO_2017_PPGEFHC.pdf: 4823814 bytes, checksum: 6f7624626e763688f1113b4429048411 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-28T20:22:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RAFAELACHAVES_DISSERTACAO_2017_PPGEFHC.pdf: 4823814 bytes, checksum: 6f7624626e763688f1113b4429048411 (MD5) / CAPES / Tempo Geológico é o conceito central de Geociências, tem grande importância na evolução do pensamento científico, é parte da bagagem cultural da humanidade e uma noção importante na tomada de decisões socialmente responsáveis sobre o uso de recursos do planeta. Para o ensino de Ciências, impacta diretamente a compreensão de Evolução. A literatura tem apontado que Tempo Geológico é um conceito muito difícil de ensinar e compreender, principalmente no ensino básico, porque, além do alto grau de abstração, exige a interpretação de números grandes e de escalas e eventos distantes da experiência humana. A carência de investigações, recursos didáticos e orientações que auxiliem os professores brasileiros no ensino de Tempo Geológico na educação básica evidencia a importância do desenvolvimento de uma investigação sobre a elaboração de uma intervenção para tratar o tema em aulas de Biologia do ensino médio. Com o objetivo de investigar as características que uma sequência didática deve possuir para favorecer a abordagem de Tempo Geológico no ensino médio, adotamos o Design Research como referencial metodológico. Para tanto, elaboramos dez diretrizes (princípios de design) iniciais – baseadas na perspectiva histórico-orientada de Burchfield (1998) sobre a construção da noção de Tempo Geológico e em estudos sobre ensino de Geociências, Evolução e Tempo Geológico, especialmente as diretivas de Pedrinaci e Berjillos (1994) –, que orientaram o desenvolvimento de uma sequência didática, testada em uma turma de primeiro ano de um colégio público em Salvador-Bahia. Nossos resultados parciais indicaram a reformulação dos princípios no sentido de adotarmos as seguintes características no próximo ciclo da investigação: (1) ensino com foco na abordagem histórica da noção de Tempo Geológico; (2) visita a museu geológico/paleontológico; (3) utilização de filmes de ficção científica com abordagem de tema(s) de Geociências; (4) uso da ferramenta narrativa para abordagem da história da Terra e de eventos macroevolutivos; (5) construção coletiva de linhas do tempo da história da Terra; (6) utilização de atividades investigativas; (7) uso de textos de divulgação científica para relacionar o tema a aplicações práticas, trabalhando suas dimensões econômica, política e cultural. Além disso, evidenciaram a necessidade de realização de um trabalho efetivamente colaborativo com professores do ensino básico. Apesar da necessidade de ajustes na intervenção, mostramos ser viável e estimulante (para professores e estudantes) a abordagem de Tempo Geológico e de conteúdos de Geociências em aulas de Biologia. / Geological Time is the key concept in Geosciences, having a major importance on the evolution of scientific thinking, it being part of mankind’s cultural heritage and an important notion in the making of socially-responsible decisions on the use of the planet’s resources. On science teaching, it directly impacts comprehension on evolution. Literature has pointed that Geological Time is a very hard concept to teach and comprehend, mainly on basic education, not only due to its high degree of abstraction, but also because it demands the interpretation of big numbers and scales, and of events far from human experience. The lack of investigations, didactic resources and orientations to help Brazilian teachers teach Geological Time on basic education highlights how important it is to investigate the elaboration of an intervention on the subject in Biology classes on high school. Aiming to investigate the characteristics a didactic sequence must have in order to bolster Geological Time approach on high school, we adopted Design Research as a methodological benchmark. For this purpose, we elaborated ten initial guidelines (design principles) – based on Burchfield’s historically-oriented perspective (1998) on building a notion on Geological Time, and on studies on Geosciences, Evolution and Geological Time teaching, especially the guidelines of Pedrinaci and Berjillos (1994) -, that oriented the development of a didactic sequence, and we tested it on a first grade class of a public school in Salvador-Bahia. Our partial results on the reformulation of the principles pointed towards the adoption of the following characteristics for the next cycle of investigation: (1) teaching with focus on historical approach on Geological Time notions; (2) visiting a geological/paleontological museum; (3) utilization of scientific fiction movies dealing with Geosciences themes; (4) utilization of narrative tools to approach macroevolutive events and Earth’s history; (5) collective construction of timelines of Earth’s history; (6) utilization of investigative activities; (7) utilization of scientific dissemination texts to relate the theme to its practical applications, working on its economic, politic and cultural dimensions. Besides, the results highlight the need for an effectively collaborative work alongside basic education teachers. Despite the need for readjustments on the intervention, we showed the approach on Geological Time and Geosciences matters in Biology classes to be feasible and simulating to both teachers and students.

Submitted by Mendes Eduardo (dasilva@ufba.br) on 2013-07-18T09:49:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO Wellington.pdf: 3714522 bytes, checksum: 840c610f1ad6fef2f736981fb10b926a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vilma Conceição (vilmagc@ufba.br) on 2014-02-06T14:15:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO Wellington.pdf: 3714522 bytes, checksum: 840c610f1ad6fef2f736981fb10b926a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-06T14:15:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO Wellington.pdf: 3714522 bytes, checksum: 840c610f1ad6fef2f736981fb10b926a (MD5) / Fapesb / Este artigo relata os resultados de uma análise de conteúdo comparativa de três livros didáticos de biologia evolutiva e três livros didáticos de zoologia de vertebrados, muitos adotados em ementas de cursos de formação superior de biologia de diversas universidades de países de línguas latinas e anglo-saxônicas. Através de uma análise documental quali-quantitativa dos livros didáticos, realizada através de metodologia de análise de conteúdo, empreendemos uma investigação sobre a abordagem e recontextualização de conteúdos relativos à biologia evolutiva do desenvolvimento (evo-devo) e ao pluralismo de processos presentes nos livros selecionados. Com base nesta investigação, buscamos responder à seguinte pergunta: em que medida e de que maneira os referidos conteúdos, relacionados a avanços importantes que tiveram lugar na biologia evolutiva das últimas duas décadas, estão sendo recontextualizados em livros didáticos de evolução e nas discussões sobre evolução presentes em livros didáticos de zoologia de vertebrados? Os achados deste estudo indicam que os livros de evolução se encontram ainda em uma fase inicial de recontextualização dos conteúdos relativos ao pluralismo de processos e, assim, ao que tem sido denominada a síntese estendida no campo da biologia evolutiva. Contudo, eles se encontram em um estágio mais avançado de recontextualização que os livros de zoologia de vertebrados analisados, nos quais foi observada uma diversidade substancialmente menor de mecanismos evolutivos, com uma grande ênfase apenas sobre a seleção natural. Estes achados não são surpreendentes, uma vez que a idéia de uma síntese estendida ainda não está bem estabelecida na própria biologia evolutiva. No que diz respeito aos conteúdos relativos à evo-devo, foi constatado um nível mais significativo de recontextualização nos livros didáticos de ambos os campos de estudo, o que mostra que ao menos parte do conteúdo da chamada síntese estendida já alcançou o ensino superior de biologia. / Salvador

abstract: The humans-food relationship is a 2.5 million year old, symbiotic connection of “living together” which encouraged a “system of communication up and down the food chain” (Pollan, 2008). (Reardon, 2015). Many researchers agree that this connection is a critical foundation for a beneficial relationship with food and engaging in healthy eating behaviors (McKeown, 2010; Neumark-Stainer et al., 2007; Ristovski-Slejepcevic et al., 2008; Simontacchi, 2007). Against the backdrop of a steadily increasing obesity rate and associated spending, it is critical to approach this issue from a systematic perspective such as understanding the powers that impact the consumer-food relationship (Aronne and Havas, 2009). Experts agree that the rapid increase in convenience food environments has contributed to an obesogenic foodscape that has negatively impacted consumers’ understanding of and interactions with food, resulting in consumption of nutritionally poor food, over-nutrition and chronic illness (Brownell and Battle-Horgen, 2004; Nestle, 2002). Additionally, designers and researchers are beginning to recognize the influence the built environment can have on actions (Patel, 2012; Wansink, 2010), behaviors and attitudes (Gallagher, 1993), even hindering or encouraging one to partake in healthy behaviors (Mikkelsen, 2011; Story et al., 2008). The goal of this study is to understand modern built convenience food environment design and its potential to impact the consumer-food relationship. This study utilizes a heavily qualitative approach, structured by a grounded theory methodology due to the lack of existing research (Martin & Hanington, 2012; O’Leary, 2010) and triangulates utilizing an analysis of secondary research, environmental audit through observations and a survey. The final result will be a compilation of design suggestions, based on those findings, for designing a BCCFE that encourages a healthy relationship between the consumer and food. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Design 2015

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the way students use mobile phones and web-based learning environment, the development of professional skills during on-the-job learning, and the way the use of learning technologies and the development of professional skills change during the study. The theoretical framework of the study was built around a social cognitive theory of learning, and design research was used as a research method. The study was carried out in a vocational college of Oulu during 2005–2006. A research data consists of interviews of altogether twenty (20) students, data which originated from the use of learning technology, and notes of the researcher. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results showed that mobile phone’s call and message functions were used chiefly for maintaining interaction between the students during the periods of on-the-job learning. Mobile phone’s photograph and video functions were used for describing work, work environments and work-related events, and for describing objects and devices of the work. The students used web-based learning environment mainly for writing learning diaries. The students formed four (4) different user groups depending on how they used learning technology. The user groups formed were active users of communication functions, the active users of photograph and video functions, average users of technology, and passive users of technology. The use of mobile phones and web-based learning environment supports students’ social interaction, memory, and information processing, factors which all enhance learning. Photographs the students took during their on-the-job learning periods captured information which they could utilize later if necessary. The students reported that during their on-the-job learning period they had learned basic knowledge and skills relevant to their work, gained routines and certainty, acquired situation-specific operational skills and wider, more profound knowledge. As to the development of professional skills, the learning of wider and more profound knowledge underwent the most marked changes. Those who were the active users of message functions reported having acquired the widest and most profound knowledge. The use of teaching technology can be said to increase the sociability of on-the-job learning as well as the possibilities of tutoring. Demand for self-direction in learning, and autonomy of reflection also decline at the same time. In particular, the active and versatile use of teaching technology improves the conceptual understanding of a work, and the formation of situational-specific information. It also helps to form more comprehensive understanding of the work. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on jäsentää työssäoppimista oppimismenetelmänä ja tutkia opetusteknologian käyttöä työssäoppimisessa. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin oppilaiden matkapuhelimen ja verkko-oppimisympäristön käyttöä ja ammattitaidon kehittymistä teknologiatuetussa työssäoppimisessa sekä opetusteknologian käytön ja ammattitaidon kehittymisen muuttumista tutkimuksen aikana. Tutkimuksen oppimisteoreettisena perustana on sosiokognitiivinen oppiminen ja tutkimusmenetelmänä design-tutkimus. Tutkimus toteutettiin Oulun seudun ammattiopistossa vuosina 2005–2006. Tutkimusaineistona on kahdenkymmenen ammatillisen perustutkinto-opiskelijan haastatteluaineisto, opetusteknologian käytössä syntynyt aineisto sekä tutkijan muistiinpanot. Aineisto analysoitiin kvalitatiivisella sisällönanalyysillä. Tulosten mukaan oppilaat käyttivät matkapuhelimen puhelu- ja viestitoimintoja pääasiassa oppilaiden välisen vuorovaikutuksen ylläpitämiseen. Kuvaustoimintoja he käyttivät töiden ja tapahtumien sekä työkohteiden, -välineiden ja -ympäristön kuvaamiseen. Verkko-oppimisympäristöä oppilaat käyttivät pääasiassa päiväkirjojen kirjoittamiseen. Matkapuhelimen ja verkko-oppimisympäristön käyttö muuttui tutkimuksen aikana aktiivisemmaksi ja monipuolisemmaksi. Opetusteknologian käytön perusteella oppilaista muodostui neljä käyttäjäryhmää. Ne ovat viestitoimintojen aktiivikäyttäjät, kuvaustoimintojen aktiivikäyttäjät, teknologian keskivertokäyttäjät ja teknologian passiivikäyttäjät. Matkapuhelimen ja verkko-oppimisympäristön käyttöön sisältyviä oppimista tukevia tekijöitä olivat vuorovaikutuksen, muistitoimintojen ja tiedon prosessoinnin tukeminen. Oppilaiden työssäoppimisjaksolla ottamiin valokuviin tallentui myös tietoa, jota oppilaat pystyivät tarvittaessa myöhemmin hyödyntämään. Oppilaat kokivat oppineensa työssäoppimisjaksollaan työssä tarvittavia perustietoja ja -taitoja, rutiinia ja varmuutta, tilannekohtaisia toimintataitoja sekä aiempaa syvällisempää ja laajempaa tietoa. Ammattitaidon kehittymisessä tapahtui muutoksia tutkimuksen aikana eniten aiempaa syvällisemmän ja laajemman tiedon oppimisessa. Sen sijaan työssä tarvittavien perustietojen ja -taitojen oppimisessa ei tapahtunut muutoksia. Syvällisimmät ja laajimmat tiedot ilmaisivat oppineensa viestitoimintojen aktiivikäyttäjät. Tulosten perusteella opetusteknologian käyttö lisää työssäoppimisen sosiaalisuutta ja ohjausmahdollisuuksia erityisesti tilanteissa, joissa oppilaat tekevät työtä yksin ilman ohjaajan jatkuvaa läsnäoloa. Samalla oppimisen itseohjautuvuuden ja itsenäisen reflektion vaatimus pienenee. Opetusteknologian aktiivinen ja monipuolinen käyttö parantaa erityisesti opittavien töiden käsitteellistä ymmärtämistä, tilannesidonnaisen tiedon luomista sekä kokonaisuuksien muodostumista.

This thesis concerns the challenge of integrating dynamic software environments into the teaching of mathematics. It investigates particular aspects of the design of tasks which employ this type of computer-based system, with a focus on improvement, both of the tasks themselves and of the design process through which they are developed and refined. The thesis reports two research projects: a small initial one preceding a larger main project. The initial case study, involving two graduate students in mathematics, develops a task design model for geometrical locus problems. The main study constitutes the first iteration of a design-based study, conducted in collaboration with four upper-secondary school teachers and their classes. It seeks to identify task design characteristics that foster students’ mathematical reasoning and proficient use of software tools, and examines teachers’ organisation of ‘follow-up’ lessons. The findings concern three particular aspects: features of tasks and task environment relevant to developing a specific plan of action for a lesson; orchestration of a particular task environment to support the instrumental genesis of specific dynamic software tools; how to follow up students’ work on computer-based tasks in a whole-class discussion.

Within postgraduate studies, learning is assessed through the examination of modules making up a taught programme and the writing of a dissertation. However, research, nationally and internationally, has shown that although students are generally able to complete the modules making up a postgraduate programme successfully, often difficulty arises in the writing of the dissertation which begins with the conceptualising and writing of the research proposal. It seems that students are considered poorly equipped for postgraduate study, which puts their academic success and completion of their studies in jeopardy, particularly those for whom English is not a first language. Since 1994 with wider access to higher education, a concern has arisen about National figures for postgraduate throughput rates, which on average, are quite low. This current research originated with concern about the unpreparedness of some postgraduate students in a specific master‟s programme in a Faculty of Education at a South African university and about offering them the foundations for the development of their academic research writing, an aspect so vital to achieve success at this level. It seems that programmes which incorporate academic writing are put into place in some honours programmes (see Henning, Gravett & van Rensburg, 2005; Thomson, 2008 for South African programmes) but once the student progresses to master‟s or doctoral level, this does not seem to be the case. The main aim of this study was to obtain insight and understanding of the demands of academic writing at postgraduate level and to develop an effective intervention to assist in the development of proficient academic research writing. Thus, the development of an academic research writing intervention deemed most appropriate for postgraduates in education was designed and developed to assist students during the first stages of their research, that of conceptualising, writing and successfully defending the research proposal. The premise is that during this first year of study, acquiring and developing academic literacies, in order to become competent academic writers would provide the scaffolding1 for the move into the second phase of the research process, that of academic research writing. Design Research was considered most appropriate for this research as it is interventionist, iterative, process-focused, utility-oriented and theory-driven (Van den Akker, Gravemeijer, McKinney & Nieveen, 2006, p.5) and in addition, requires the involvement of practitioners (Plomp, 2013, p. 20). The sample for this study was drawn from a specific master‟s programme in education and consisted of students, the supervision team and the academic research writing practitioner. A mixed methods approach was used where data comprised quantitative data (questionnaire, evaluations and assessments) and qualitative data (personal writing, evaluative writing, interviews and assessments). Findings emerging from the context of this particular master‟s programme point to a set of design principles that inform the development of a model for academic research writing which appears promising for supporting the postgraduate student effectively. It is hoped that the findings emerging from the research will fill a gap in the literature and add to the body of knowledge on postgraduate academic research writing. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / PhD / Unrestricted

Dieser Beitrag skizziert eine Positionsbestimmung von Design innerhalb der Forschung an einer deutschen Volluniversität. Diese Positionsbestimmung startet aus zwei unterschiedlichen Richtungen: einerseits einer methodischen und werkzeugorientierten sowie andererseits aus einer inhaltlichen Perspektive. Die eine greift die vielfältige Diskussion zu research through design (zusammengefasst bei Jonas 2004) und design thinking (Plattner et al. 2009) auf (die jedoch bei selbstkritischer Betrachtung über das Design hinaus noch immer vergleichsweise wenig Wahrnehmung erfährt) die andere orientiert sich am Erleben (Uhlmann 1986, 2005, in diesem Band) oder Experience (Hassenzahl 2010, Schifferstein & Hekkert 2008 u. a.) als Kernbegriff. Dieser ist gleichzeitig grundlegendes Ziel und Ausgangspunkt jeden Designhandelns. Den Kontext der Betrachtung liefern aktuelle Forschungsprozesse vorrangig im akademischen Bereich, wobei diese sowohl fachspezifisch als auch interdisziplinär, grundlagenorientiert sowie angewandt sein können. Im Beitrag wird ausgehend von einer kurzen allgemeinen u. a. geschichtlichen Betrachtung anhand einiger eigener Projekte sowie Spezifika der Dresdner Forschungslandschaft ein Ansatz entwickelt um mittels Design die Erlebbarkeit von Forschungsprozessensowie die Erlebensorientierung von Forschungsinhalten zu verstärken. In der Folge wird Design so zum selbstverständlichen Forschungspartner. Einer der nächsten Schritte muss es sein diese Positionsbestimmung im Rahmen verschiedener Forschungsprojekte zu verifizieren und zu elaborieren. [... aus der Einleitung]