Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2008. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-149). Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--School of Education. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2005. / "A dissertation in curriculum and instructional leadership." Advisor: Susan Adler. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed June 23, 2006. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-125 ). Online version of the print edition.

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Communication Science University of Zululand, 2001. / In this thesis I present my recommendations regarding the role of direct small group communication and public communication in an envisaged Communication Science curriculum within the Language, literacy and Communication learning area in the Further Education and Training band. I show that the fundamental switch from the traditional educator-centred teaching to learner-centred teaching in OBE requires that both educators and learners be in command of a range of communica¬tion strategies in order to construct meaning in real-world social contexts. Intraper-sonaL, interpersonal and small group involvements are all essential for successful teaching. I also stress the need for knowledge of verbal as well as nonverbal com¬munication skills to give learners the confidence they need in the workplace. The cooperative method of teaching brings democracy into the OBE classroom with learners contributing from their daily lives as well as having their needs met. I examine an array of forms of communication that learners and educators must be in command of to succeed in OBE. I argue that since the human mind integrates knowledge, the demarcations between learning areas are mainly posited for heuristic convenience. An analysis of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (C2005) shows that most of the components required to form the basis for offering Com-munication Science as a coherent formal discipline in the Further Education and Training (FKI) band, can be found, dispersed throughout the General Education and Training (GET) band, (Grades R to 9) within the Language, literacy and Communication learning area. In the penultimate chapter I utilise the insights gained to suggest what the curriculum could include for teaching direct small group communication and public communication as part of the envisaged Communica-tion Science curriculum. Finally, I would like to point out that my thesis forms part of a number of coordi-nated studies on the feasibility of including particular aspects of human communication as part of the envisaged Communication Science curriculum.

Esta tese tem por objetivo investigar como o letramento em língua estrangeira (LE) pode ser apoiado pelo uso de um recurso digital passível de auxiliar os processos de leitura e produção textual. Assim, a presente pesquisa baseia-se nos estudos de Feldman e Sanger (2006) acerca da mineração de textos e nas pesquisas de Black (2007, 2009) sobre a incorporação de um gênero textual característico da internet (fanfiction) na aprendizagem de línguas. Através da utilização de um recurso de mineração de texto (Sobek), a partir do qual ocorre a extração dos termos mais recorrentes em um texto, os participantes deste estudo criaram narrativas, em meio digital. Os doze alunos participantes da pesquisa utilizaram a ferramenta Sobek como mediadora da produção de histórias conhecidas como fanfictions, nas quais novas tramas são criadas a partir de elementos culturais já reconhecidos na mídia. Os informantes eram seis graduandos em Letras e seis alunos de um curso de extensão, ambos os grupos na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Na tarefa proposta, cada aprendiz leu uma fanfiction de sua escolha, publicada na web, e utilizou a ferramenta de mineração para formar grafos com os termos mais recorrentes da história. Durante tal processo, o aluno tinha oportunidade de fazer associações entre as expressões do texto, de modo a formar, na ferramenta Sobek, uma imagem em rede (grafo) que representasse termos recorrentes nesse gênero textual (tais como o uso de tempos verbais no passado e adjetivos para caracterizar personagens e contexto). Posteriormente, esse grafo foi repassado a um colega, que assim iniciou seu processo de composição com base nessa imagem representativa do texto. A partir da análise dos dados, observou-se que a utilização da ferramenta digital deu suporte à produção textual em LE, e sua subsequente prática de letramento, visto que os autores se apoiaram no recurso de mineração para criar suas narrativas fanfiction. / This doctoral thesis aims at investigating how literacy in a foreign language (FL) may be supported by the use of a digital resource which can help the processes of reading and writing. Thus, the present research is based on studies by Feldman and Sanger (2006) about text mining, and on research by Black (2007, 2009) about the incorporation of a textual genre characteristic of the Internet (fanfiction) in language learning. Through the use of a text mining resource (Sobek), which promotes the extraction of frequent terms present in a text, the participants of this study created narratives, in digital media. The twelve students who participated in the research used the tool Sobek to mediate the production of stories known as fanfictions, in which new plots are created from cultural elements already recognized in the media. The participants were six undergraduate students of Languages and six students who were part of an extension course, both groups at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In the proposed task, each student read a fanfiction of his/her choice, which was published on a website, and used the mining tool to develop graphs with the recurrent terms found in the story. During this process, the student had the opportunity to make associations between expressions from the text, using the software Sobek, so as to form an image (graph) that represented terms used in this textual genre (such as the use of verbal tenses in the past and adjectives to describe characters and context). Later, this graph was forwarded to a peer, who then began his/her writing process based on this picture originated from a text. From the data analysis, it was observed that the use of a digital tool supported the text production in the FL, and its following practice of literacy, as the authors relied on the mining resource to create their fanfictions.

Peer review is a complex collaborative activity, which may engage English language learners in reading, writing, listening, and speaking and carry many potential benefits for their language learning (Hu, 2005). While many research studies focused on peer review practices of adult language learners in academic settings in the USA or abroad in language classes (Grami, 2010; Zhao, 2010), little attention was paid to adolescent L2 writers participating in peer review in face-to-face K-12 and online contexts. This multiple case study aimed at describing and explaining peer review practices of four adolescent ELLs in face-to-face and online contexts from the ecological perspective. In particular, I aimed at exploring (a) four adolescent ELLs' perceptions of peer review in face-to-face and online contexts, (b) affordances they chose to employ during peer review in face-to-face and online contexts, and (c) revisions the participants chose to make due to peer review in face-to-face and online contexts. The multiple observations, semi-structured interviews, researcher's and participants' e-journals, and written artifacts yielded data for within-case and cross-case analysis. The findings of the study afforded situating adolescent ELLs' peer review practices in the face-to-face and online contexts as a part of L2 literacy, redefining L2 literacy and peer review in L2, and discussing the important role of peer review in adolescent ELLs' literacy development. The implications of the study provided teachers with suggestions on how to enhance adolescent ELLs' peer review practices. Further, I elaborated on the lessons learned about technology use for peer review in K-12 contexts. Finally, I addressed possible future research directions based on the findings of the study.

The term heritage language (HL), which only emerged in the context of language policy during the 1990’s, refers to immigrant, refugee, and indigenous languages whose target group of learners have either previously learned the language as a first language (L1) or home language, or have some form of heritage connection to the language (Cummins, 2005). The bilingual nature of these individuals is ambiguous, as variables related to literacy and oral proficiency in the first language are significantly influenced by geographical, cultural, academic, and sociolinguistic factors prevalent to the context in which the speaker is situated. The topic of HL is the subject of a growing number of studies in second language acquisition as well as bilingual education. Given that an increasing number of immigrants from around the world continue to make the United States their place of permanent residence, the country’s educational focus needs to take into account the needs of heritage language learners (HLL), especially as that focus shifts from the exclusive teaching of foreign languages to incorporating the maintenance and linguistic competence of our multilingual inhabitants. / text

In Central Texas, one high school (hereafter referred to as Literacy High) has attempted to help bridge the literacy gap in immigrant populations so as to more easily facilitate their success in standard classroom settings. In this high school, recent immigrants can focus extensively on English language studies so that, upon completion of the program, they can return to their neighborhood high schools with the linguistic and cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1973, 1974, 1977) they need to succeed in a heterogeneous group setting. The following study focuses on second-year students from Mexico within this school. Basing itself upon Yosso's (2006a, 2006b, 2007) theory of “community cultural wealth”, this ethnographic study looks for evidence of cultural attributes held by Mexican tenth grade students that contribute positively to their English literacy development and performance in Literacy High's coursework. The study has found that, primarily, Mexican students at Literacy High are assisted in their coursework by their previously developed aspirational capital (i.e. their ability to maintain their hopes and dreams for a better future even when faced with real and perceived barriers) and navigational capital (i.e. their ability to maneuver through social institutions, in this case the educational system). These characteristics enable them to pass their classes both at Literacy High and the high schools they transfer to upon program completion. However, this high achievement in terms of grades does not necessarily translate into complete English literacy, especially oral literacy. Potential reasons for these results will be discussed, based upon observations of sampled students in Literacy High classes, interviews with these students, and interviews with all Literacy High teachers. This work will also discuss the relative merit of both formal school settings and nonprofit settings in teaching written and oral literacy. Positive exemplary case studies of nonprofit ESL programs will be compared and contrasted with the results from this case study to determine what skills are most effectively taught in either setting, and how particular practices from both nonprofit and formal school settings might be better incorporated in each to improve achievement. The work will end with recommendations for how English literacy might more effectively be taught in formal school settings like Literacy High. / text

Thesis (Ed. S.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Psychology, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-33).

Esta tese tem por objetivo investigar como o letramento em língua estrangeira (LE) pode ser apoiado pelo uso de um recurso digital passível de auxiliar os processos de leitura e produção textual. Assim, a presente pesquisa baseia-se nos estudos de Feldman e Sanger (2006) acerca da mineração de textos e nas pesquisas de Black (2007, 2009) sobre a incorporação de um gênero textual característico da internet (fanfiction) na aprendizagem de línguas. Através da utilização de um recurso de mineração de texto (Sobek), a partir do qual ocorre a extração dos termos mais recorrentes em um texto, os participantes deste estudo criaram narrativas, em meio digital. Os doze alunos participantes da pesquisa utilizaram a ferramenta Sobek como mediadora da produção de histórias conhecidas como fanfictions, nas quais novas tramas são criadas a partir de elementos culturais já reconhecidos na mídia. Os informantes eram seis graduandos em Letras e seis alunos de um curso de extensão, ambos os grupos na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Na tarefa proposta, cada aprendiz leu uma fanfiction de sua escolha, publicada na web, e utilizou a ferramenta de mineração para formar grafos com os termos mais recorrentes da história. Durante tal processo, o aluno tinha oportunidade de fazer associações entre as expressões do texto, de modo a formar, na ferramenta Sobek, uma imagem em rede (grafo) que representasse termos recorrentes nesse gênero textual (tais como o uso de tempos verbais no passado e adjetivos para caracterizar personagens e contexto). Posteriormente, esse grafo foi repassado a um colega, que assim iniciou seu processo de composição com base nessa imagem representativa do texto. A partir da análise dos dados, observou-se que a utilização da ferramenta digital deu suporte à produção textual em LE, e sua subsequente prática de letramento, visto que os autores se apoiaram no recurso de mineração para criar suas narrativas fanfiction. / This doctoral thesis aims at investigating how literacy in a foreign language (FL) may be supported by the use of a digital resource which can help the processes of reading and writing. Thus, the present research is based on studies by Feldman and Sanger (2006) about text mining, and on research by Black (2007, 2009) about the incorporation of a textual genre characteristic of the Internet (fanfiction) in language learning. Through the use of a text mining resource (Sobek), which promotes the extraction of frequent terms present in a text, the participants of this study created narratives, in digital media. The twelve students who participated in the research used the tool Sobek to mediate the production of stories known as fanfictions, in which new plots are created from cultural elements already recognized in the media. The participants were six undergraduate students of Languages and six students who were part of an extension course, both groups at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In the proposed task, each student read a fanfiction of his/her choice, which was published on a website, and used the mining tool to develop graphs with the recurrent terms found in the story. During this process, the student had the opportunity to make associations between expressions from the text, using the software Sobek, so as to form an image (graph) that represented terms used in this textual genre (such as the use of verbal tenses in the past and adjectives to describe characters and context). Later, this graph was forwarded to a peer, who then began his/her writing process based on this picture originated from a text. From the data analysis, it was observed that the use of a digital tool supported the text production in the FL, and its following practice of literacy, as the authors relied on the mining resource to create their fanfictions.

Esta tese tem por objetivo investigar como o letramento em língua estrangeira (LE) pode ser apoiado pelo uso de um recurso digital passível de auxiliar os processos de leitura e produção textual. Assim, a presente pesquisa baseia-se nos estudos de Feldman e Sanger (2006) acerca da mineração de textos e nas pesquisas de Black (2007, 2009) sobre a incorporação de um gênero textual característico da internet (fanfiction) na aprendizagem de línguas. Através da utilização de um recurso de mineração de texto (Sobek), a partir do qual ocorre a extração dos termos mais recorrentes em um texto, os participantes deste estudo criaram narrativas, em meio digital. Os doze alunos participantes da pesquisa utilizaram a ferramenta Sobek como mediadora da produção de histórias conhecidas como fanfictions, nas quais novas tramas são criadas a partir de elementos culturais já reconhecidos na mídia. Os informantes eram seis graduandos em Letras e seis alunos de um curso de extensão, ambos os grupos na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Na tarefa proposta, cada aprendiz leu uma fanfiction de sua escolha, publicada na web, e utilizou a ferramenta de mineração para formar grafos com os termos mais recorrentes da história. Durante tal processo, o aluno tinha oportunidade de fazer associações entre as expressões do texto, de modo a formar, na ferramenta Sobek, uma imagem em rede (grafo) que representasse termos recorrentes nesse gênero textual (tais como o uso de tempos verbais no passado e adjetivos para caracterizar personagens e contexto). Posteriormente, esse grafo foi repassado a um colega, que assim iniciou seu processo de composição com base nessa imagem representativa do texto. A partir da análise dos dados, observou-se que a utilização da ferramenta digital deu suporte à produção textual em LE, e sua subsequente prática de letramento, visto que os autores se apoiaram no recurso de mineração para criar suas narrativas fanfiction. / This doctoral thesis aims at investigating how literacy in a foreign language (FL) may be supported by the use of a digital resource which can help the processes of reading and writing. Thus, the present research is based on studies by Feldman and Sanger (2006) about text mining, and on research by Black (2007, 2009) about the incorporation of a textual genre characteristic of the Internet (fanfiction) in language learning. Through the use of a text mining resource (Sobek), which promotes the extraction of frequent terms present in a text, the participants of this study created narratives, in digital media. The twelve students who participated in the research used the tool Sobek to mediate the production of stories known as fanfictions, in which new plots are created from cultural elements already recognized in the media. The participants were six undergraduate students of Languages and six students who were part of an extension course, both groups at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). In the proposed task, each student read a fanfiction of his/her choice, which was published on a website, and used the mining tool to develop graphs with the recurrent terms found in the story. During this process, the student had the opportunity to make associations between expressions from the text, using the software Sobek, so as to form an image (graph) that represented terms used in this textual genre (such as the use of verbal tenses in the past and adjectives to describe characters and context). Later, this graph was forwarded to a peer, who then began his/her writing process based on this picture originated from a text. From the data analysis, it was observed that the use of a digital tool supported the text production in the FL, and its following practice of literacy, as the authors relied on the mining resource to create their fanfictions.