While the media frenzy focuses on the physical risks of concussion, there is also growing concern about the academic repercussions for students who sustain the injury. We do not currently have a uniform evidence-based approach for optimally returning a student back to learning activities after a concussion. We also do not understand how the diverse consequences of a concussion may affect academic self-efficacy and performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects a concussion may have on college students who are navigating the return to learn (RTL) process. This research aims to inform whether there are measureable deficits in academic self-efficacy using the previously validated and abridged survey measure, the Self-Efficacy of Learning Form (SELF-A). Time of injury during the academic semester is also considered, as we hypothesize greater healing should negate the concussion's effects on the measure of self-efficacy. In addition, the research explores students' experiences with RTL using a semi-structured interview approach. The results suggest that college students who suffer a concussion during an academic semester have lower measures of academic self-efficacy compared to a control group of their peers. In addition, results show that students are returning to learn while still suffering from the effects of their concussion. This study found no significant correlation between the healing time of a concussion and the scores on the SELF-A. The interviews served to underscore the diverse myriad physical and psychological challenges a student faces, as well as the precarious variance in RTL strategies. This study highlights the challenges that students face while they RTL following a concussion, and begs the investigation of whether better RTL practices can help mitigate the negative effects. It underscores the necessity for further research, evidence-based medical care, instructor accommodations, and institutional policies to support students' safe RTL and ability to perform at their maximal academic potential.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / Sarah J. Fishback / This study measured levels of conditions eliciting intrinsic motivation to learn and examined the correlation of those measures with learner-perceived level of learning. Acquired from adult learners participating in one Midwestern University’s cohort-based degree programs, data helped determine the extent to which learners perceived the presence of four conditions—inclusion, attitude, meaning, and competence—in both classroom and out-of-classroom learning environments. Additionally, the data helped determine which environment and specific conditions most closely correlated with learner-perceived level of current learning; and provided insight into experiences adult learners found positively or negatively impacting motivation to learn. Surveys were administered in-person to 137 of 150 students within 13 randomly selected cohorts. The survey instrument included a single overall learning attitudinal statement, two Likert scales (classroom and out-of-classroom) each comprised of subscales (inclusion, attitude, meaning, and competence) operationalizing the Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching (Framework), a brief demographic section, and a concluding open-ended question regarding experiences impacting motivation to learn. The study used non-parametric analysis to examine dependent variables, motivation conditions, with respect to independent variables; age, gender, race, and degree-level. Additionally, non-parametric analysis examined correlation between condition measures and learner-perceived overall learning. Significant differences were found in two demographic categories. Underrepresented race/ethnicity students (as a combined category) rated overall out-of-classroom conditions higher than predominant race/ethnicity students; and, associate-level students rated classroom conditions lower than bachelors and masters-level students. Significant differences also occurred in subscales. Female students rated classroom attitude conditions higher than males; underrepresented students rated classroom attitude and competence, and out-of-classroom attitude, meaning, and competence, higher than predominant students; associates-level students rated classroom inclusion lower than both bachelors and masters-level students; and both associates and masters-level students rated classroom competence lower than bachelors-level students. All conditions, in both environments (classroom and out-of-classroom), were significantly correlated with learner-perceived level of learning; and the classroom scale demonstrated considerably stronger correlation than did the out-of-classroom scale. Of all subscales, both classroom and out-of-classroom meaning demonstrated the strongest correlation with learner-perceived level of learning. Forty-eight respondents (35% of sample) offered responses to the survey’s concluding statement. Of those respondents offering comments in regard to classroom motivation, instructor characteristics were most often noted. And, of those commenting on out-of-classroom motivation, team formulation and characteristics were predominant. Through the creation of the Motivation Conditions in Learning Instrument™, this study produced benchmark measures for each Framework condition experienced in both cohort-based classrooms and out-of-classroom team learning; identified differences in measures across demographic categories; and identified correlation of measures with learner-perceived level of learning. Finally, the study provided insight into learner experiences impacting motivation to learn.

The vast majority of text freely available on the Internet is not available in a form that computers can understand. There have been numerous approaches to automatically extract information from human- readable sources. The most successful attempts rely on vast training sets of data. Others have succeeded in extracting restricted subsets of the available information. These approaches have limited use and require domain knowledge to be coded into the application. The current thesis proposes a novel framework for Information Extraction. From large sets of documents, the system develops statistical models of the data the user wishes to query which generally avoid the lim- itations and complexity of most Information Extractions systems. The framework uses a semi-supervised approach to minimize human input. It also eliminates the need for external Named Entity Recognition systems by relying on freely available databases. The final result is a query-answering system which extracts information from large corpora with a high degree of accuracy.

Detta är en kvalitativ studie som undersöker den genrebaserade metodiken Reading to Learn. I studien undersöker vi vilka av metodikens strategier lågstadielärare använder samt hur strategierna tillämpas i undervisningen. Vi har även undersökt vilka möjligheter och begränsningar det finns med metodiken. Underlaget för studiens empiriska material är lärarintervjuer och klassrumsobservationer där Reading to Learn har tillämpats i undervisningen. Intervjuerna och observationerna har bearbetats genom tematisk analys. Fortsättningsvis framgår det genom resultatet att lärarnas val av strategier beror på elevernas förutsättningar och behov. I studien framkom det även att tillämpningen av Reading to Learn sker på olika sätt i lärarnas klassrum. Enligt vår studie är möjligheterna med metodiken att alla elevgrupper kan delta i en helklassundervisning. Dessutom kan eleverna tillägna sig svårare texter eftersom Reading to Learn sker i ett socialt samspel. Andra möjligheter är att Reading to Learn är ett ämnesövergripande arbetssätt och kan kopplas samman med den svenska läroplanen, Lgr11. Begränsningarna som framkom i vår studie var att förberedelserna inför arbetet med metodiken är tidskrävande. En annan begränsning är att elevernas skrivande hämmas eftersom elevernas kreativitet inte får tillräckligt med utrymme när de utgår från strukturen i en modelltext. Utifrån studiens resultat är vår slutsats att alla elevgrupper kan vara delaktiga i undervisningen eftersom strategierna kan anpassas efter elevernas förutsättningar och behov. Sammanfattningsvis är Reading to Learn inget färdigt recept och det innebär att metodiken är ett verktyg för att vägleda läraren och eleverna i undervisningen.

Um dos problemas da educação na atualidade é a falta de interesse demonstrada pelos alunos de ensino médio em relação aos conteúdos transmitidos pela escola. Muitos desses alunos sobretudo os mais ricos parecem perceber a escola predominantemente como um meio para obter a aprovação no vestibular e, posteriormente, a inserção no mercado de trabalho. Não demonstram, porém, vontade de saber; não vêem sentido em aprender e incorporar a cultura desenvolvida pela humanidade e transmitida pela escola. Assim, a presente pesquisa tem como objetivo verificar o que leva estudantes do ensino médio de colégios particulares a se interessar pelo saber. Uma das respostas, proveniente da psicanálise, sugere que um aluno interessado pelo saber é aquele que se encontrou com o desejo de saber de um professor e constituiu, a partir dele, seu próprio desejo. Para procurar investigar esse interesse, foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com doze alunos de uma sala de aula do segundo ano do ensino médio de uma escola particular de São Paulo, que atende uma clientela de alto poder aquisitivo. Os resultados desta pesquisa indicam que os pais e as figuras de autoridade tiveram um papel preponderante na determinação e no direcionamento do interesse de saber da maioria dos adolescentes pesquisados, assim como a consistência e o domínio do saber que transmitem. Os resultados indicam também que a falta de interesse que muitos demonstraram é relacionado por eles com o que julgam ser um pequeno espaço de fala e de discussão de ideias oferecido aos alunos pela escola. Relaciona-se ainda com a não valorização, por parte dos alunos, do conhecimento acumulado pela cultura / One of the problems in Education nowadays is the lack of interest from high school students in the content given by the school. Most of these students, mainly the richest ones, seem to perceive the school as a way to obtain approval in vestibular, and further, to be inserted in the labor market. Thus, they dont demonstrate desire for knowledge; and dont seem to understand why they should learn and incorporate the culture developed by the mankind, and transmitted by the school. Therefore, this research has the purpose to understand which leads high school students in private schools to be interested in learning. One of the answers, provided by the Psychoanalysis, suggests that a student interested in learning is the one who met a teachers desire for knowledge, and constituted from it, its own desire. To investigate this issue, semi-structured interviews were executed with twelve students from a second year high school class in a private school from Sao Paulo, attending a high end clientele. The research results indicate that parents and authority figures have had a preponderant role in determining and directing the interest in knowledge of the majority of the researched teenagers, as well as the consistency and domain of knowledge they transmit. The results also shows that the lack of interest demonstrated by many students is related to the little space they believe is provided by the school to students, dedicated to ideas discussions and talking. Still, it is also related to the students diminishment of the knowledge accumulated by the culture

Thesis advisor: Diana C. Pullin / This dissertation examines how district- and school-level leaders' understanding of achievement gaps influences the work of leadership in addressing educational inequities and broadening students' opportunity to learn. While the reporting of disaggregated data by student subgroup confirms that achievement gaps exist, reports from high-stakes testing fail to provide district- and school-level leaders with the diagnostic data needed to identify key factors inhibiting student performance. Yet, identifying and understanding factors hindering student performance is critical knowledge for leaders to cultivate as they work to address elements within their school or district that may need to change if student learning is to improve. Results from this single case study in a diverse urban district illuminate how district- and school-level leaders can challenge and support their community as they work collectively to confront and address issues related to disparities in student performance. Drawing on previous research, which introduced the cognitive shift as a unit of analysis for studying the work of leadership, this study identifies shifts in thinking that district- and school-level leaders attempted to prompt in others, as well as the framing strategies district- and school-level leaders used in their attempts to prompt identified shifts in thinking. The study found that district- and school-level leaders attempted to prompt a common set of cognitive shifts using a range of framing strategies. Furthermore, the study found a correlation between leaders' use of a particular of framing strategy and their level of leadership (i.e., district or school), with common patterns of strategy use unique to each level of leadership. Additionally, distinct patterns of strategy use also emerged for the leaders of the district's top performing schools which differed from the patterns of strategy use that emerged for the leaders of the district's lower performing schools. These findings suggest that certain framing strategies may be more effective than others. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

No contexto atual, o ensino de ciências favorece a construção de conteúdo, o desenvolvimento de habilidades e competências próprias para a formação da cidadania. Nessa perspectiva, o trabalho fundamente-se na observação por uma prévia teorização em sala, possibilitando despertar no educando o senso de responsabilidade para uma futura intervenção e transformação do seu meio. A pesquisa aborda as contribuições da aula de campo parceira na construção do processo de ensino e aprendizagem dos educandos. O trabalho é resultado de questionários aplicados a 5 professores (3 do Fundamental I e 2 Fundamental II) e, 56 alunos do Fundamental I 5º ano. Os dados mostraram que os professores consideram a aula de campo uma boa estratégia metodológica no processo de ensino aprendizagem. Destarte, através dos questionários aplicados, antes da aula prática na área de Caatinga, os alunos assinalaram duas ou mais opções negativas, demonstrando senso comum e mostrando noções estereotipado da mesma a partir do conhecimento dela pelos meios de comunicação. Entretanto, após a aula de campo, as opções assinaladas diminuíram consideravelmente, alguns continuam com a ideia de que não gostariam de morar na Caatinga, demonstrando que os mesmos não se veem como parte integrante desse ambiente e, infelizmente uma aula de campo não é suficiente para desmistificar essa visão pré-concebida Assim, há a necessidade de a aula prática (de campo) sobre os ecossistemas locais deixem de ser um momento pontual, e venha a fazer parte, algum dia, regularmente do ensino nas escolas do município do Crato- Ceará, levando os educandos dessa região, desde o Ensino Fundamental a compreender a importância da Caatinga para poder viver melhor nela e com ela. Esse é um problema que só poderá ser resolvido pelo poder público. Desta forma, notou-se um ganho no processo de ensino e aprendizagem, além de um aumento da autoestima dos educandos a partir da comparação dos desenhos por eles realizados para representar a caatinga. Portanto, o referido trabalho pretende contribuir como elemento formador dos futuros pesquisadores da área ou aqueles que pretende transformar suas aulas mais dinâmicas e produtivas. / In the current context, the teaching of Science favors the construction of the subject, the development of skills and proper competences to the formation of citizenship. In this perspective, the work has its fundament in the observation for a previous theory in class, allowing the awakening of a sense of responsibility in the learner for a future intervention and transformation of his environment. The work discusses the contributions of a practical field class, as a partner in the construction of a teaching process and student learning. The work is a result of questionnaires applied to 5 teachers (3 from Elementary School and 2 from Middle School and to 56 students from 5th grade). The data shows that teachers consider practical outdoor class a good strategy in the process of teaching and learning. Thus, by the questionnaires applied before the practical field class in the Caatinga Biome area, the students pointed out two or more negative options, demonstrating common sense and showing stereotyped notions of it based on their knowledge of the media. However, after the field lesson, the options indicated have decreased considerably, some continue with the idea that they would not like to live in the Caatinga, demonstrating that they do not see themselves as an integral part of this environment and, unfortunately, a field class is not enough to demystify this preconceived vision Thus, there is a need for a practical (field) class on local ecosystems stop being an occasional moment, and becoming a regular part of teaching in schools in Crato-Ceará, taking students from that region, since Elementary School, to understand the importance of the Caatinga in order to live better in it and with it. This is a problem that can only be solved by the governement. In this way, a gain was observed in the teaching and learning process, as well as an increase in the students' self-esteem, based on the comparison of the drawings they made to represent the Caatinga. Therefore, this work intends to contribute as a formative element of the future researchers of the area or those who intend to transform their classes in more dynamic and productive ones.

A tese analisa como a Pedagogia de Projetos interfere na aprendizagem dos alunos e da professora e nas práticas pedagógicas de Geografia. Nesse trabalho, utilizo a metáfora da organização de um projeto para construir a pesquisa. Inicio construindo a mobilização em um capítulo em que explico o sentido de escolher o portfólio como instrumento para coleta de dados e encaminho a discussão dos referenciais teóricos a partir dos quais fundamentei o estudo − as ideias de Hernandez, Levy, Maturana, Villas Boas, Callai e Cavalcanti. Em seguida, examino a prática do trabalho com Pedagogia de Projetos e as desestabilizações que esse trabalho produziu em minhas certezas, destacando a leitura e escrita como inibidores do ensinar Geografia, as fragilidades pedagógicas camufladas pela indisciplina e os questionamentos sobre ensinar ou aprender a Geografia. Ainda nesse capítulo, destaco a Pedagogia de Projetos e suas articulações com a Geografia, bem como as aprendizagens produzidas no movimento das interações com os portfólios dos alunos e os bilhetes da professora. No capítulo final, estabeleço uma conversa com os pensamentos que me produziram, para examinar os deslocamentos pedagógicos gerados pelos projetos de pesquisa, às vezes impulsionando, outras vezes inibindo as ações do professor. O caminho dessa investigação não se constituiu de forma linear. Como na lógica dos projetos de pesquisa, foram construídas redes, exibidas no emaranhado de idas e vindas que articularam os achados coletados nos diferentes instrumentos: portfólios dos alunos e da professora pesquisadora, cadernos informais de registro de conversas com colegas e outros professores, relatórios de pesquisa dos alunos e os planejamentos, tanto da proposta, quanto das aulas. A execução da Pedagogia de Projetos gerou deslocamentos em dois sentidos: aqueles que pontuaram sua validade e alcance em relação à contemporaneidade e os que criaram desestabilizações à efetivação da proposta, imobilizando algumas ações. Esses deslocamentos produziram três eixos que merecem ser destacados como aprendizagens emanadas da pesquisa: a formação, o ensinar e aprender Geografia e as práticas contemporâneas. Os escritos no portfólio produziram um processo reflexivo importante para reorganizar as ações pedagógicas, compreender as atitudes dos alunos, repensar minhas certezas em relação à Pedagogia de Projetos e estabelecer estratégias de atuação na escola, definindo avanços e recuos. / This thesis analyzes the way that Project Pedagogy interferes in both students‟ and a teacher‟s learning as well as in the pedagogical practices in Geography. In this work, I used the metaphor of the organization of a project to construct the research. I started constructing mobilization, in a chapter that explains the meaning of choosing the portfolio as an instrument for data collection, and discusses the theoretical references on which I grounded this study, i.e. ideas by Hernandez, Levy, Maturana, Villas Boas, Callai and Cavalcanti. Next, I examined the practice of working with Project Pedagogy and the destabilizations it caused in my certainties. I highlighted both reading and writing as inhibitors of Geography teaching, the pedagogical fragilities camouflaged by indiscipline, and questionings about teaching or learning Geography. Still in this chapter, I highlighted the work with projects and its articulations with Geography, as well as learning produced through the interactions with the students‟ portfolios and the teacher‟s notes. In the final chapter, I established a conversation with the thoughts that produced me, in order to examine the pedagogical displacements generated by the projects, sometimes stimulating, sometimes inhibiting the teacher‟s actions. The path of this investigation was not linearly traced. As with the project logic, networks were built, exhibited in a web of movements forward and backward that articulated the findings obtained through different instruments: students‟ and researcher-teacher‟s portfolios, informal notebooks where conversations with classmates and other teachers were recorded, students‟ research reports, and plans of both the proposal and classes. The practice of project pedagogy caused displacements in two senses: those that claimed its validity and reach in relation to contemporaneity, and those that generated destabilizations in the proposal, thus immobilizing some actions. These displacements produced three axes that are worth mentioning as learning stemming from the research: education; teaching and learning geography; and contemporary practices. The portfolio writings produced an important reflexive process to reorganize pedagogical actions, understand students‟ attitudes, rethink my certainties in relation to the project pedagogy, and establish strategies for action at school, by defining advances and drawbacks.

Based on the latest research about how children learn, this book helps elementary school teachers make their classrooms into creative spaces that facilitate teaching and learning. It also delves into specific areas of classroom design such as use of color and plants, room arrangement, learning centers, and the impact of clutter. With before and after photos of real classrooms, teachers can examine each area and determine their own classroom's need for improvement. / https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1006/thumbnail.jpg

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the difference in pro-social behavior, self-regulation, overall reading performance, Lexile levels, and teachers’ perception of classroom climate of kindergarten students who received the Ready to Learn (RTL; Brigman, Lane, & Lane, 2008) classroom guidance program (treatment group: n = 173) and kindergarten students who did not receive the intervention (comparison group: n = 124). The study followed a quasi-experimental, comparison group design in which teachers completed the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) and Teacher My Class Inventory-Short Form (TMCI-SF) measures as well as collected reading data from individual students. Descriptive statistics for each of the measures, the findings from the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) on the CBRS and TMCI-SF data, along with the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) using the i-Ready data, and partial eta squared (ηp2) effect sizes were calculated. The ANCOVA was conducted to determine if differences existed on the participants’ pro-social behavior and self-regulation by condition. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference on the pro-social skills but did not show a statistically significant difference in self-regulation. The MANCOVA revealed statistically significant differences in overall reading performance between the treatment and comparison group; however, did not reveal statistically significant differences on the Lexile levels for the students who participated in the intervention. Finally, the ANCOVA reported a statistically significant difference in the perceived impact of the school counselor by the treatment group kindergarten as compared to the teachers in the comparison group; however, no other differences were found on the TMCI-SF scales. With these results, there is a need for further empirical research to determine the impact of the RTL program on students’ academic and SEL development. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection