At KTH, students who want to start their degree project must complete a paper form called “UT-EXAR: Ansökan om examensarbete/application for degree project”. The form is used to determine students’ eligibility to start a degree project, as well as potential examiners for the project. After the form is filled in and signed by multiple parties, a student can initiate his or her degree project. However, due to the excessively time-consuming process of completing the form, an alternative solution was proposed: a survey in the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) that replace s the UT-EXAR form. Although the survey reduces the time required by students to provide information and find examiners, it is by no means the most efficient solution. The survey suffers from multiple flaws, such as asking students to answer unnecessary questions, and for certain questions, presenting students with more alternatives than necessary. The survey also fails to automatically organize the data collected from the students’ answers; hence administrators must manually enter the data into a spreadsheet or other record. This thesis proposes an optimized solution to the problem by introducing a dynamic survey. Moreover, this dynamic survey uses the Canvas Representational State Transfer (REST) API to access students’ program-specific data. Additionally, this survey can use data provided by students when answering the survey questions to dynamically construct questions for each individual student as well as using information from other KTH systems to dynamically construct customized alternatives for each individual student. This solution effectively prevents the survey from presenting students with questions and choices that are irrelevant to their individual case. Furthermore, the proposed solution directly inserts the data collected from the students into a Canvas Gradebook. In order to implement and test the proposed solution, a version of the Canvas LMS was created by virtualizing each Canvas-based microservice inside of a Docker container and allowing the containers to communicate over a network. Furthermore, the survey itself used the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) standard. When testing the solution, it was seen that the survey has not only successfully managed to filter the questions and alternative answers based on the user’s data, but also showed great potential to be more efficient than a survey with statically-presented data. The survey effectively automates the insertion of the data into the gradebook. / På KTH, studenter som skall påbörja sitt examensarbete måste fylla i en blankett som kallas “UT-EXAR: Ansökan om examensarbete/application for degree project”. Blanketten används för att bestämma studenters behörighet för att göra examensarbete, samt potentiella examinator för projektet. Efter att blanketten är fylld och undertecknad av flera parter kan en student påbörja sitt examensarbete. Emellertid, på grund av den alltför tidskrävande processen med att fylla blanketten, var en alternativ lösning föreslås: en särskild undersökning i Canvas Lärplattform (eng. Learning Management System(LMS)) som fungerar som ersättare för UT-EXAR-formulär. Trots att undersökningen har lyckats minska den tid som krävs av studetenter för att ge information och hitta examinator, det är inte den mest effektiva lösningen. Undersökningen lider av flera brister, såsom att få studenterna att svara på fler frågor än vad som behövs, och för vissa frågor, presenterar studenter med fler svarsalternativ än nödvändigt. Undersökningen inte heller automatiskt med att organisera data som samlats in från studenters svar. Som ett resultat skulle en administratör behöva organisera data manuellt i ett kalkylblad. Detta examensarbete föreslår en mer optimerad lösning på problemet: omskrivning av undersökningens funktionaliteter för att använda Representational State Transfer(REST) API för att komma åt studenters programspecifika data i back-end, såväl att använda speciella haschar för att hålla referenser till uppgifter som lämnas av studenterna när de svarar på frågorna i undersökningen, så att undersökningen inte bara kan använda dessa data för att dynamiskt konstruera frågor för varje enskild student, men också dynamiskt konstruera svarsalternativ för varje enskild student. Denna lösning förhindrar effektivt undersökningen från att presentera studenter med frågor och valbara svarsalternativ som är helt irrelevanta för var och en av deras individuella fall. Med den föreslagna lösningen kommer undersökningen dessutom att kunna organisera de data som samlats in från Studenterna till ett speciellt Canvas-baserat kalkyllblad, kallas som Betygsbok. För att genomföra och testa den förslagna lösningen skapades en testbar version av Canvas LMS genom att virtualisera varje Canvas-baserad mikroservice inuti en dockercontainer och tillåter containers att kommunicera över ett nätverk. Dessutom var undersökningen själv konfigurerad för att använda Lärverktyg Interoperability (LTI) standard. Vid testning av lösningen, det visade sig att undersökningen på ett sätt effektivt har lyckats använda vissa uppgifter från en testanvändare att bara endast svara på de relevanta frågorna, men också presentera användaren med en mer kondenserad lista svarsalternativ över baserat på data.<p>

Learning Management Systems have become increasingly used in all levels of education since more people have access to computers and the internet. An important feature of the LMS is to provide students with information about their courses. This information, however, is not always easy to find. Especially when the system does not follow usability guidelines about how to provide your users with information. In this study four different course pages on the KTH LMS Canvas have been evaluated with a moderated usability test to asses how well users find information on the LMS. The results show that some improvements could be made by adhering more to usability guidelines and that the courses that did were easier for testers to navigate. Some conclusions that can be made are that users find things easier when there is a high similarity between link names and the information they are looking for and that users scan web pages rather than read them. This is in line with previous research. The conclusions lead to four recommendations to KTH that can improve the usability of all Canvas course pages. / Utbildningsplattformar används allt mer sen intågen av datorer och internet i människors hem. En viktig funktion på en utbildningsplattform är att ge studenter information om sina kurser. Dock är denna information inte alltid så lätt att hitta. Särskilt inte om plattformen inte följer de riktlinjer som finns för hur man förser användare med information på ett användarvänligt sätt. I denna studie har fyra olika KTH- Canvassidor undersökts med ett modererat användartest för att utvärdera hur lätt användare hittar information på utbildningsplattformen. Resultaten visar att vissa förbättringar kan ske genom att tydligare följa riktlinjerna för användarvänlighet och att kurserna som följde riktlinjerna bättre var lättare att navigera. Slutsater som kan dras är bland annat att det är lättare för användare att hitta information när länknamnet är likt den information som söks och att användare skumläser hemsidor istället för att läsa dem noggrant. Detta överensstämmer med resultat från tidigare studier. Från slutsatserna gjordes fyra rekommendationer till KTH som kan förbättra användarvänligheten för alla Canvassidor.

Text in Afrikaans / Die verskynsel van gedesentraliseerde onderwyshestuur, of selfbestuur van skole (SBS), 1s 'n helangrike internasionale ontwikkeling in onderwyshestuur. 'n Afwenteling van gesag vind vanaf 'n hoer onderwysheheerliggaam na die plaaslike hestuurs- of skoolvlak plaas. Die nuwe wyse van selfhestuur van skole in Engeland en Wallis word saamgevat met die term Local Management of Schools (LMS), terwyl die soortgelyke inisiatief in die VSA en Kanada School-Based Management (SBM) genoem word. Talle aspekte van SBM en LMS sluit in 'n groot mate aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse variant van SBS, die bestuur van staatsondersteunde (Model C-) skole. In aansluiting by die literatuuroorsig wat in hierdie navorsing gedoen is, is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met opvoedkundiges wat direk by die bestuur van staatsondersteunde skole betrokke is, ingesamel. Klem is deurentyd in hierdie studie gele op die skoolhoof se veranderde bestuurstaak ten opsigte van die bestuur van die personeel en die gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. bestuur van finansies, die bestuur van ouer- en Ten slotte is die volgende onder meer bevind: 'n Oorwegend deelnemende, deursigtige bestuurstyl van die skoolhoof is 'n wesenlike vereiste vir die eff ektiewe selfhestuur van skole. Die hestuur van die finansies bet die grootste enkele verandering in die rol van die skoolhoof in staatsondersteunde skole teweeggebring. Elke hoof behoort die kundigheid van 'n verskeidenheid persone te benut, en hy behoort soveel personeellede as wat prakties moontlik is, by die bestuur van die skool te betrek. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer.Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. / Decentralised educational management, or self-management of schools, is an important international development in the field of educational management In this process the decision-making authority is delegated from a central office to the local school level. In England and Wales this new approach is labelled Local Management of Schools (LMS), while School-Based Management (SBM) refers to basically the same initiative in the USA and Canada. Many aspects of the South African variation of selfmanagement of schools, namely the management of state-aided (Model C) schools, are quite similar to SBM and LMS. In addition to the literature review undertaken for this study, qualitative data have been gathered through interviews with a number of educationists who are directly involved in the management of state-aided schools. The main focus was on the changed management role of the principal with regard to financial management, staff management, and the management of parent and community involvement The research concluded with the following findings: A participatory, transparent management style is the key to effective and successful self-management of schools. Financial management has caused the biggest single change in the task of the principal of a state-aided school. Every principal ought to consult as widely as possible, and involve as many staff members as is practicable in the financial management of the school. The principal, management body and parents ought to ensure that a partnership is developed in which there is openness, mutual trust and collaboration. The principal, as managing executive, should also try to ensure that the management body functions effectively. The parents, school community and pupils should be offered the opportunity to participate in a formal, controlled way in the strategic planning and management of the state-aided school / Educational Leadership and Management / D.Ed.

The rapid pace with which internet technology has entered our daily lives provides an opportunity for English language teachers to incorporate some such platforms in their teaching. This study investigates the attitudes of Saudi Arabian learners towards online communication in EFL. It takes place in a university preparatory program at Taibah University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data pertaining to the attitudes’ of Saudi Arabian learners to online communication in EFL. In order to achieve its aims, this study uses both quantitative and qualitative data to inform EFL practitioners of learners’ attitudes towards English, online communication in general and online communication for EFL purposes. / Educational Studies / M.A. (TESOL)

Τα τελευταία χρόνια χαρακτηρίζονται από μια αλματώδη ανάπτυξη των προϊόντων και υπηρεσιών που βασίζονται στα δίκτυα ασύρματης επικοινωνίας, ενώ προκύπτουν σημαντικές ερευνητικές προκλήσεις. Τα συστήματα πολλαπλών κεραιών στον πομπό και στο δέκτη, γνωστά και ως συστήματα MIMO (multi-input multi-output), καθώς και η τεχνολογία πολλαπλής προσπέλασης με χρήση κωδικών (code division multiple access, CDMA) αποτελούν δύο από τα βασικά μέτωπα ανάπτυξης των ασύρματων τηλεπικοινωνιών. Στα πλαίσια της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής, ασχοληθήκαμε με την ανάπτυξη και μελέτη αλγορίθμων επεξεργασίας σήματος για τα δύο παραπάνω συστήματα, όπως περιγράφεται αναλυτικά παρακάτω. Σχετικά με τα συστήματα MIMO, η πρωτοποριακή έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε στα Bell Labs γύρω στα 1996, όπου αναπτύχθηκε η αρχιτεκτονική BLAST (Bell Labs Layered Space-Time), απέδειξε ότι η χρήση πολλαπλών κεραιών μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε σημαντική αύξηση της χωρητικότητας των ασύρματων συστημάτων. Προκειμένου να αξιοποιηθούν οι παραπάνω δυνατότητες, απαιτείται η σχεδίαση σύνθετων δεκτών MIMO. Προς αυτήν την κατεύθυνση, έχει προταθεί ένας μεγάλος αριθμός μεθόδων ισοστάθμισης του καναλιού. Ωστόσο, οι περισσότερες από αυτές υποθέτουν ότι το ασύρματο κανάλι είναι: 1) χρονικά σταθερό, 2) συχνοτικά επίπεδο (δεν εισάγει διασυμβολική παρεμβολή), και κυρίως 3) ότι είναι γνωστό στο δέκτη. Δεδομένου ότι σε ευρυζωνικά συστήματα μονής φέρουσας οι παραπάνω υποθέσεις είναι δύσκολο να ικανοποιηθούν, στραφήκαμε προς τις προσαρμοστικές μεθόδους ισοστάθμισης. Συγκεκριμένα, αναπτύξαμε τρεις βασικούς αλγορίθμους. Ο πρώτος αλγόριθμος αποτελεί έναν προσαρμοστικό ισοσταθμιστή ανάδρασης αποφάσεων (decision feedback equalizer, DFE) για συχνοτικά επίπεδα κανάλια ΜΙΜΟ. Ο προτεινόμενος MIMO DFE ακολουθεί την αρχιτεκτονική BLAST, και ανανεώνεται με βάση τον αλγόριθμο αναδρομικών ελαχίστων τετραγώνων (RLS) τετραγωνικής ρίζας. Ο ισοσταθμιστής μπορεί να παρακολουθήσει ένα χρονικά μεταβαλλόμενο κανάλι, και, από όσο γνωρίζουμε, έχει τη χαμηλότερη πολυπλοκότητα από όλους τους δέκτες BLAST που έχουν προταθεί έως σήμερα. Ο δεύτερος αλγόριθμος αποτελεί την επέκταση του προηγούμενου σε συχνοτικά επιλεκτικά κανάλια. Μέσω κατάλληλης μοντελοποίησης του προβλήματος ισοστάθμισης, οδηγηθήκαμε σε έναν αποδοτικό DFE για ευρυζωνικά κανάλια MIMO. Τότε, η διαδικασία της ισοστάθμισης εμφανίζει προβλήματα αριθμητικής ευστάθειας, που λόγω της υλοποίησης RLS τετραγωνικής ρίζας αντιμετωπίστηκαν επιτυχώς. Κινούμενοι προς την κατεύθυνση περαιτέρω μείωσης της πολυπλοκότητας, προτείναμε έναν προσαρμοστικό MIMO DFE που ανανεώνεται με βάση τον αλγόριθμο ελαχίστων μέσων τετραγώνων (LMS) υλοποιημένο εξ ολοκλήρου στο πεδίο της συχνότητας. Με χρήση του ταχύ μετασχηματισμού Fourier (FFT), μειώνεται η απαιτούμενη πολυπλοκότητα. Παράλληλα, η μετάβαση στο πεδίο των συχνοτήτων έχει ως αποτέλεσμα την προσεγγιστική διαγωνοποίηση του συστήματος, προσφέροντας ανεξάρτητη ανανέωση των φίλτρων ανά συχνοτική συνιστώσα και επιτάχυνση της σύγκλισης του αλγορίθμου. Ο προτεινόμενος ισοσταθμιστής πετυχαίνει μια καλή ανταλλαγή μεταξύ απόδοσης και πολυπλοκότητας. Παράλληλα με τα παραπάνω, ασχοληθήκαμε με την εκτίμηση του ασύρματου καναλιού σε ένα ασύγχρονο σύστημα CDMA. Το βασικό σενάριο είναι ότι ο σταθμός βάσης γνωρίζει ήδη τους ενεργούς χρήστες, και καλείται να εκτιμήσει τις παραμέτρους του καναλιού ανερχόμενης ζεύξης ενός νέου χρήστη που εισέρχεται στο σύστημα. Το πρόβλημα περιγράφεται από μια συνάρτηση ελαχίστων τετραγώνων, η οποία είναι γραμμική ως προς τα κέρδη του καναλιού, και μη γραμμική ως προς τις καθυστερήσεις του. Αποδείξαμε ότι το πρόβλημα έχει μια προσεγγιστικά διαχωρίσιμη μορφή, και προτείναμε μια επαναληπτική μέθοδο υπολογισμού των παραμέτρων. Ο προτεινόμενος αλγόριθμος δεν απαιτεί κάποια ειδική ακολουθία διάχυσης και λειτουργεί αποδοτικά ακόμη και για περιορισμένη ακολουθία εκπαίδευσης. Είναι εύρωστος στην παρεμβολή πολλαπλών χρηστών και περισσότερο ακριβής από μια υπάρχουσα μέθοδο εις βάρος μιας ασήμαντης αύξησης στην υπολογιστική πολυπλοκότητα. / Over the last decades, a dramatic progress in the products and services based on wireless communication networks has been observed, while, at the same time, new research challenges arise. The systems employing multiple antennas at the transmitter and the receiver, known as MIMO (multi-input multi-output) systems, as well as code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, are two of the main technologies employed for the evolution of wireless communications. During this PhD thesis, we worked on the design and analysis of signal processing algorithms for the two above systems, as it is described in detail next. Concerning the MIMO systems, the pioneering work performed at Bell Labs around 1996, where the BLAST (Bell Labs Layered Space-Time) architecture has been developed, proved that by using multiple antennas can lead to a significant increase in wireless systems capacity. To exploit this potential, sophisticated MIMO receivers should be designed. To this end, a large amount of channel equalizers has been proposed. However, most of these methods assume that the wireless channel is: 1) static, 2) frequency flat (no intersymbol interference is introduced), and mainly 3) it is perfectly known at the receiver. Provided that in high rate single carrier systems these assumptions are difficult to be met, we focused our attention on adaptive equalization methods. More specifically, three basic algorithms have been developed. The first algorithm is an adaptive decision feedback equalizer (DFE) for frequency flat MIMO channels. The proposed MIMO DFE implements the BLAST architecture, and it is updated by the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm in its square root form. The new equalizer can track time varying channels, and, to the best of our knowledge, it has the lowest computational complexity among the BLAST receivers that have been proposed up to now. The second algorithm is an extension of the previous one to the frequency selective channel case. By proper modeling of the equalization problem, we arrived at an efficient DFE for wideband MIMO channels. In this case, the equalization process encounters numerical instability problems, which were successfully treated by the square root RLS implementation employed. To further reduce complexity, we proposed an adaptive MIMO DFE that is updated by the least mean square (LMS) algorithm, fully implemented in the frequency domain. By using the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the complexity required is considerably reduced. Moreover, the frequency domain implementation leads to an approximate decoupling of the equalization problem at each frequency bin. Thus, an independent update of the filters at each frequency bin allows for a faster convergence of the algorithm. The proposed equalizer offers a good performance - complexity tradeoff. Furthermore, we worked on channel estimation for an asynchronous CDMA system. The assumed scenario is that the base station has already acquired all the active users, while the uplink channel parameters of a new user entering the system should be estimated. The problem can be described via a least squares cost function, which is linear with respect to the channel gains, and non linear to its delays. We proved that the problem is approximately decoupled, and a new iterative parameter estimation method has been proposed. The suggested method does not require any specific pilot sequence and performs well even for a short training interval. It is robust to multiple access interference and more accurate compared to an existing method, at the expense of an insignificant increase in computational complexity.

Webbasierte Lehr-Lernformen sind Gegenstand zahlreicher Forschungsprojekte, die häufig auf den technischen Hintergrund und den didaktischen Einsatz im Kontext der Ausbildung an Universitäten und Hochschulen fokussieren. In den Schulen befindet sich der Einsatz von E-Learning im Unterricht vorwiegend im Erprobungsstatus, da didaktische Szenarien, die Lehrer zu einem sinnvollen, lernzielorientierten Einsatz dieser Lehr-Lernmethode im Schulunterricht befähigen, erst noch zu entwickeln sind. Mit dem Übergang von der Schule zur Hochschule treffen die Abiturienten als Studienanfänger auf eine Hochschullandschaft, in der Lernumgebungen weitgehend etabliert sind. Selbstbestimmtes webbasiertes Lernen, das Organisieren des eigenen Studienablaufes via Webportal aber auch die im Vergleich zum Schulunterricht veränderte Methodik der Inhaltsvermittlung in den gewählten Studienfächern bedeuten für die jungen Studentinnen und Studenten neue Herausforderungen, denen sie teilweise unzureichend vorbereitet gegenüber stehen. Aus dem ESF-geförderten Projekt „Übergang Schule-Hochschule mit Unterstützung internetbasierter E-Learning-Tools (UnIbELT)“ sind Erfahrungen hervorgegangen, wie die Etablierung geeigneter, didaktisch aufbereiteter E-Learning-Szenarien in den Schulen einen Beitrag dazu leisten kann, künftige Studierende auf den Übergang zur Hochschule vorzubereiten und sie mit den Studienanforderungen vertraut zu machen. Diese Erfahrungen stützen sich auf mehr als 70 durchgeführte E-Learning-Kurse in 21 Gymnasien Sachsens, an denen seit 2009 mehr als 1100 Schüler der Sekundarstufe II teilgenommen haben.

The application of environmental performance indicators (EPIs) has received increasing attention by both governments and international organisations as a tool for assessing complex environmental scenarios in national and local decision making processes. However, at the regional scale there is a gap in the application of EPIs, as this has not been well understood and defined due to a limited theoretical foundation and often insufficient data from all participant countries. The regional scale is important because it can incorporate natural ecosystems which often transcend national boundaries. A case study is developed for the Lower Mekong Subregion (LMS), where four riparian Southeast Asian countries (Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam) share the Lower Mekong River. The research proposes a conceptual framework to identify approaches for developing criteria for acceptable and appropriate EPIs which can be used to support and implement decision making processes by relevant organisations at the regional level. This research evaluates the application of environmental performance indicators using methodologies that assess cross-national quantitative and qualitative data and existing decision support systems. In addition, global and national indicators are examined for application and relation to the regional context. The research finds that the application of EPIs varies according to spatial scale, and is diverse among the four countries. Data availability is also identified as a major problem encountered during the development and selection of EPIs. The study finds that the governance of the existing regional body is ineffective due to differing agendas pursued by each participating country. This is because the current regional body is structured only to facilitate information exchange and cooperation in a limited manner, focusing so far only on water management issues. LMS regional goals need to be set in order to guide the stakeholders in identifying an appropriate set of EPIs. Most importantly, the research is intended to be a catalyst for encouraging the participants to integrate methods and other species of EPIs proposed in this research in their environmental assessment policies.

Submitted by Jos? Henrique Henrique (jose.neves@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-01-09T12:21:59Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) andre_vinicius_gon?alves.pdf: 1266538 bytes, checksum: 42c3fe90b9d66c8cb7b901a10e548f1b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Martins Cruz (rodrigo.cruz@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-01-31T13:56:36Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) andre_vinicius_gon?alves.pdf: 1266538 bytes, checksum: 42c3fe90b9d66c8cb7b901a10e548f1b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-31T13:56:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) andre_vinicius_gon?alves.pdf: 1266538 bytes, checksum: 42c3fe90b9d66c8cb7b901a10e548f1b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06 / Nos ?ltimos dez anos muitos pesquisadores t?m realizado estudos sobre assist?ncia personalizada e inteligente em Ambientes Educacionais a Dist?ncia, baseada na identifica??o dos Estilos de Aprendizagem. Sabe-se que o aprendizado ? algo extremamente particular, pois cada estudante possui estilos pr?prios e pode sofrer mudan?as diante de situa??es diversas como, por exemplo, objetivo, motiva??o, personalidade, etc. Por isso, o conceito de adaptabilidade do conte?do did?tico tem se tornado de grande import?ncia na personaliza??o do Sistema de Gerenciamento de Aprendizagem (SGA). Diante desse fato, Dor?a (2012) prop?e uma abordagem de Sistema Adaptativo e Inteligente para Educa??o (SAIE), utilizando t?cnicas probabil?sticas e Intelig?ncia Artificial (IA), capaz de detectar e adaptar, de maneira din?mica e autom?tica, os estilos de aprendizagem do estudante, considerando o Modelo de Estilo de Aprendizagem Felder-Silverman?s. Ap?s pesquisa detalhada, foram propostas algumas adapta??es baseadas na abordagem original, alterando o funcionamento de dois componentes espec?ficos: o M?dulo Pedag?gico e o Componente de Modelagem do Estudante. Al?m disso, prop?e-se uma nova estrutura do Modelo Estudante, contemplando o hist?rico de desempenho do aluno nos processos avaliativos. Por conseguinte, realizaram-se testes para avaliar os impactos de tais mudan?as por meio uma compara??o estat?stica utilizando o m?todo T-Pareado. Pelos resultados obtidos, as ideias deste trabalho proporcionaram uma melhora m?dia de 6,07% no desempenho avaliativo do estudante e uma redu??o m?dia de 68,27% nos problemas de aprendizagem, demonstrando efici?ncia e efic?cia da proposta. / Disserta??o (Mestrado Profissional) ? Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Educa??o, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 2015. / Since last decade many researchers have been conducting studies on personalized and intelligent assistance in distance education based on identification of learning styles. It is known that learning is something very particular because each student has their own styles and are subject to change on a variety of situations such as goal, motivation, personality, etc. Therefore, this study discusses the concept of adaptability of educational content as a way to provide customization of Learning Management System (LMS). Through probabilistic techniques and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dor?a (2012) proposed a approach Adaptive and Intelligent System for Education (AIES) able to dynamically and automatically detect, select and adapt learning objects based on the student?s profile through Felder-Silverman Learning Styles Model (FSLSM). After detailed study, it has been proposed some adaptations based on this approach, thereby altering the operation of two specific components: the Pedagogical Module and the Student Modeling Component. In addition, it is proposed a new structure Model Student, considering learner performance history in the evaluation processes. Therefore, it carried out tests to assess the impacts of such changes through a statistical comparison by T-Paired method. From the results, the ideas in this work provides an average improvement of 6.07% in the performance evaluation of the student and an average reduction of 68.27% in the learning problems, demonstrating proposal of efficiency and effectiveness.

Text in Afrikaans / Die verskynsel van gedesentraliseerde onderwyshestuur, of selfbestuur van skole (SBS), 1s 'n helangrike internasionale ontwikkeling in onderwyshestuur. 'n Afwenteling van gesag vind vanaf 'n hoer onderwysheheerliggaam na die plaaslike hestuurs- of skoolvlak plaas. Die nuwe wyse van selfhestuur van skole in Engeland en Wallis word saamgevat met die term Local Management of Schools (LMS), terwyl die soortgelyke inisiatief in die VSA en Kanada School-Based Management (SBM) genoem word. Talle aspekte van SBM en LMS sluit in 'n groot mate aan by die Suid-Afrikaanse variant van SBS, die bestuur van staatsondersteunde (Model C-) skole. In aansluiting by die literatuuroorsig wat in hierdie navorsing gedoen is, is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met opvoedkundiges wat direk by die bestuur van staatsondersteunde skole betrokke is, ingesamel. Klem is deurentyd in hierdie studie gele op die skoolhoof se veranderde bestuurstaak ten opsigte van die bestuur van die personeel en die gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid. bestuur van finansies, die bestuur van ouer- en Ten slotte is die volgende onder meer bevind: 'n Oorwegend deelnemende, deursigtige bestuurstyl van die skoolhoof is 'n wesenlike vereiste vir die eff ektiewe selfhestuur van skole. Die hestuur van die finansies bet die grootste enkele verandering in die rol van die skoolhoof in staatsondersteunde skole teweeggebring. Elke hoof behoort die kundigheid van 'n verskeidenheid persone te benut, en hy behoort soveel personeellede as wat prakties moontlik is, by die bestuur van die skool te betrek. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer.Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. Die skoolhoof, bestuursliggaam en ouers behoort saam te werk aan 'n vennootskap waarin daar openheid, wedersydse vertroue en hartlike samewerking voorkom. Die skoolhoof behoort ook, as uitvoerende beampte, te help verseker dat die bestuursliggaam eff ektief funksioneer. / Decentralised educational management, or self-management of schools, is an important international development in the field of educational management In this process the decision-making authority is delegated from a central office to the local school level. In England and Wales this new approach is labelled Local Management of Schools (LMS), while School-Based Management (SBM) refers to basically the same initiative in the USA and Canada. Many aspects of the South African variation of selfmanagement of schools, namely the management of state-aided (Model C) schools, are quite similar to SBM and LMS. In addition to the literature review undertaken for this study, qualitative data have been gathered through interviews with a number of educationists who are directly involved in the management of state-aided schools. The main focus was on the changed management role of the principal with regard to financial management, staff management, and the management of parent and community involvement The research concluded with the following findings: A participatory, transparent management style is the key to effective and successful self-management of schools. Financial management has caused the biggest single change in the task of the principal of a state-aided school. Every principal ought to consult as widely as possible, and involve as many staff members as is practicable in the financial management of the school. The principal, management body and parents ought to ensure that a partnership is developed in which there is openness, mutual trust and collaboration. The principal, as managing executive, should also try to ensure that the management body functions effectively. The parents, school community and pupils should be offered the opportunity to participate in a formal, controlled way in the strategic planning and management of the state-aided school / Educational Leadership and Management / D.Ed.

The rapid pace with which internet technology has entered our daily lives provides an opportunity for English language teachers to incorporate some such platforms in their teaching. This study investigates the attitudes of Saudi Arabian learners towards online communication in EFL. It takes place in a university preparatory program at Taibah University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather data pertaining to the attitudes’ of Saudi Arabian learners to online communication in EFL. In order to achieve its aims, this study uses both quantitative and qualitative data to inform EFL practitioners of learners’ attitudes towards English, online communication in general and online communication for EFL purposes. / Educational Studies / M.A. (TESOL)