Research indicates that a more hands-on education in mathematics could improve how students relate to mathematics. Laboratory mathematics is a way of making mathematics more concrete.  How is the purpose of laboratory mathematics perceived? This thesis has its focus on the pupils’ perceptions of the purpose of laboratory mathematics, but the intention of the teacher involved is also investigated. The main research questions asked were: What is the teacher's definition of laboratory mathematics? Which is the teacher's purpose in using laboratory education? How do the students perceive the purpose of the laboratory teaching of mathematics? To answer the questions, I conducted a series of qualitative interviews. Data has been collected in a 3rd grade in Stockholm.  I interviewed a teacher and 17 students.  Results show that the teacher uses laboratory materials to ease the learning of mathematics and to concretize the content of mathematics. By using the phenomenographic method, I got five different preconceptions that students have about the purpose of laboratory education: Laboratory mathematics is for students who have difficulty with mathematics, laboratory mathematics allows more concentration in the classroom, using laboratory materials makes it easier to calculate, laboratory mathematics will help me when I calculate mathematics in every day situations and, finally when I use laboratory mathematics, I work with my hands. The study reaches the conclusion that teachers need to a highlight better the pedagogic purpose for the pupils to use laboratory mathematics.  Laboratory mathematics is in need of a higher status so that more students want to work with laboratory materials.

In order to reach national aims besides other things it is necessary to have essential knowledge and acquire appropriate skills. Improvement of those other things also requires knowledge. In modern and dynamic world knowledge and abilities should be improved permanently and quickly. They are essential for creation of more perfect products and effective technologies. They are important for better understanding and orientation of the development of the society, also for fostering of human skills and creative power that are undoubtedly crucial for the security of the country, because it is impossible to reach human spiritual wellbeing without improving the competence. The aim of this final paper is to identify the knowledge of how to learn of the students of Panevezio College as a factor of continuing learning of adults’ education. The goals of the research helped to examine the methods of learning and possibilities for realization of knowledge how to learn. The methods of the research: the analysis of scientific literature, comparison, generalization, and qualitative research, which was performed on the basis of the questionnaire and data analysis. After the research these conclusions were drawn out: continuing learning is like an umbrella, which covers various kinds of learning and teaching and this is a long lasting activity in reaching to gain and improve competencies, knowledge in personal, civic and social perspective. The students are aware of the personal and public... [to full text]

Per pastaruosius metus Lietuvos švietime inicijuoti ženklūs pokyčiai„ Lietuvos pradinio ir pagrindinio ugdymo programose keliamas tikslas plėtoti dvasines, intelektines ir fizines asmens galias, ugdyti aktyvų, kūrybingą, atsakingą pilietį, įgijusį kompetencijas, būtinas sėkmingai socialinei integracijai ir mokymuisi visą gyvenimą “(Pradinio ir pagrindinio ugdymo bendrosios programos, Žin., 2008., Nr. 99-3848). Mokytojo ir mokinio vaidmuo turi keistis, norint pereiti prie gilaus į kompetencijas orientuoto mokymosi tenka keisti mokinio ir mokytojo vaidmenis bei sąveiką pamokoje. Mokiniai turi mokėti mokytis patys: kelti klausimus ir problemas, tyrinėti, ieškoti informacijos, priimti sprendimus, įtvirtinti savo žinias. Mokytojas nukreipia ir stebi mokinių mokymąsi, laiku suteikia konkretų, individualizuotą grįžtamąjį ryšį apie sėkmę ir spragas, padeda tiems, kuriems jo pagalba būtinai reikalinga, moko mokinius vertinti ir įsivertinti procesą ir jo rezultatus, kelti tolesnio mokymosi tikslus. Remdamasis turima informacija apie mokinių mokymąsi ir pasiekimus, mokytojas planuoja ir pritaiko ugdymo turinį (Gudynas ir kt., 2010). Temos aktualumas. Nuo 2008 metų Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose įgyvendinamos atnaujintos Pradinio ir pagrindinio ugdymo Bendrosios programos (patvirtintos švietimo ir mokslo ministro 2008 m. rugpjūčio 26 d. įsakymu Nr. ISAK-2433). Viena svarbiausių ugdymo turinio kaitos krypčių įgyvendinant Bendrąsias programas – dėmesys bendrųjų kompetencijų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Learning to learn competence lays the foundation of developing other competencies therefore it is very important to analyse and recognize the competence of learning to learn in the lesson of physical education. The aim of the lesson of physical education – to make sure students have proper conditions for the development of their physical, emotional and social activities, for the social integrity and strengthening physical health by increasing the choice of physical education and hence strengthening inner motivation of physical activity (General programmes of secondary education, 2011). In order to ensure the quality of general competencies and social skills, to lead meaningful personal, successful and full-fledged social and professional life in a dynamic world, a person has to be able to change, to be ready to take on new activities, to be able to work with information which is constantly increasing. The objective of the paper - the development of the competence of lifelong learning skills for 5th or 8th formers during the lesson of physical education. Aim of the paper –to disclose the competence of life-long learning skills for the students of 5th or 8th form during the lesson of physical education. Tasks of the paper: 1. To describe the development of the competence of life-long learning skills in physical education lessons. 2. To evaluate the competence of life-long learning skills of 5th or 8th form students in physical education lessons. Results: After having... [to full text]

Motivation to learn, aggressive treatment and addictions expressions’ dependence on teenagers physical activity and gender SUMMARY In this study were analysed correlation between motivation of learning, aggressive treatment, addictions and teenagers’ physical activity. Absence of definite answer, how sport activity governs students’ motivation of learning and attitude to school, initiated this study. Researches don’t answer, are the physical active pupil more susceptible to aggressive treatment and addictions. In this case as independent variable was chose pupils’ physical activity and gender, and dependent variable – attitude to school, learning and motivation of learning peculiarity, aggressive treatment and addictions expression. Our purpose – to find motivation of learning, aggressive treatment and addictions expression dependence on teenagers’ physical activity and gender. Research tasks 1. To find attitude to school and motivation of learning subject to teenagers’ physical activity and gender. 2. To evaluate aggressive treatment expression subject to teenagers’ physical activity and gender. 3. To evaluate addictions expression subject to teenagers’ physical activity and gender. To serve the purpose were investigated 230 the eighth class students of Kaunas secondary schools. Were investigated 105 boys and 125 girls. Students were picked accidentally using serial principle from ten different schools and in every one was examined by one the eighth class. We used... [to full text]

Siekdami mokyklos nelankymo reiškiniui daryti įtaką, turime išsiaiškinti aplinkybes, kurios jį sąlygoja – kodėl moksleiviai nubyra iš mokyklos, kodėl nenori jos lankyti ir mokytis. Pagrindinės mokyklos moksleivių motyvacijos silpnėjimo priežasčių tyrimas apima bent du aspektus: tai, pirma, aplinkos sąlygas, kurios formuoja vaiko nepalankumą mokyklai, nenorą ją lankyti bei silpnina norą mokytis ir, antra, paties moksleivio nuostatas, požiūrius bei vertybines orientacijas, susiformavusias tomis sąlygomis. Moksleivių mokymosi motyvacijos silpnėjimo priežastys gali būti išorinės (sąlygotos aplinkos) ir vidinės (priklausančios nuo moksleivio savybių). Kiekvieno vaiko sąmonę tiesiogiai ir netiesiogiai formuoja aplinka, kuri daro įtaką ir jo motyvacinei sferai. Tyrimo tikslas – ištirti mokinių, turinčių klausos sutrikimų, mokymosi motyvus. Teorinėje dalyje analizuojama literatūra apie mokymosi motyvus bei jų svarbą, taip pat pateikiama klausos sutrikimo charakteristika. Empirinėje dalyje analizuojami klausos sutrikimų turinčių mokinių mokymosi motyvai, gauti duomenys lyginami su įprastinės raidos mokinių tyrimo gautais duomenimis. Taip pat buvo analizuojama pedagogų nuomonė apie mokinių mokymosi motyvus. Tyrime, kuris buvo vykdomas anketine apklausa, dalyvavo 232 respondentai. Iš jų 103 klausos sutrikimų turintys, bei 103 įprastinės raidos mokinių, taip pat 26 pedagogai. Mokslinės literatūros analizė rodo, kad motyvai ir motyvacija, įvairių autorių yra pateikiama skirtingai, tačiau... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In order to affect the nonattendance the circumstances determining the students’ unwillingness to attend school have to be ascertained. The main analysis of the reasons of students’ failing motivation includes two aspects. The first aspect concentrates on the surrounding conditions framing the child’s disfavor to school, unwillingness to attend lessons and learn. The second aspect focuses on students’ attitudes, worth orientation which were formed in those circumstances. The failing motivation to learn might be external (effected by the surroundings) and internal (depending on students’ character features). Every child’s consciousness is directly or indirectly formed by the surroundings that have an influence on child’s motivation. The aim of the analysis is to investigate the learning motives of hearing-impaired students. The first part of the thesis includes the analysis of the literature on learning motives and their importance and provides the characteristic of hearing impairment. In the practical part the hearing-impaired students’ learning motives are analyzed and the received data is compared with conventional development students’ analysis results. Also the opinions of the educators on students‘ learning motives were analyzed. 232 respondents (of which 103 hearing-impaired, and 103 conventional development students) participated in the investigation which was carried out as a questionnaire. 26 educators also participated in the investigation.Scientific literature... [to full text]

Ridsport har hög skadefrekvens, men med förbättrad känsla för ridning skulle fler ryttare klara sig från att falla av hästen, som är den vanligaste skadeorsaken. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om ryttare upplever att feedback från instruktör och häst påverkar deras utveckling av ryttarkänsla/känsla för ridning samt om det finns skillnader i detta avseende mellan professionella ryttare och hobbyryttare. RytRidsport har hög skadefrekvens, men med förbättrad känsla för ridning skulle fler ryttare klara sig från att falla av hästen, som är den vanligaste skadeorsaken. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om ryttare upplever att feedback från instruktör och häst påverkar deras utveckling av ryttarkänsla/känsla för ridning samt om det finns skillnader i detta avseende mellan professionella ryttare och hobbyryttare. Ryttarkänslan har definierats som förmågan att befinna sig över hästens tyngdpunkt, i samma tempo och färdriktning samt att i förväg kunna tolka hästens och sina egna signaler (Larsson, 2011). Studien har utgått från teorier om feedback i skolundervisning (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Undersökningen har skett genom en webbenkät med 32 frågor, varav 18 formulerats utifrån teorier om feedback i undervisning, riktad till ryttare med Facebook-konto, tre hippologiska tidskrifters webbversioner samt hästföretagare i gruppmail. 587 personer svarade på enkäten, varav 114 som är eller varit professionella ryttare. Resultatet av studien visar att ryttarna anser att feedback fungerar för att utveckla känslan för ridning och även används i ridundervisningen. Samtidigt märks några avseenden där överensstämmelsen är mindre. En slutsats är att feedback från hästen är omedelbar och värdefull, men att effektiv instruktion och diskussion med instruktör/tränare är användbara för att finna lösningar. En annan slutsats är att professionella ryttare har lättare att tillägna sig känslan för ridning genom feedback. / Horseback riding counts a high injury frequency, but with an enhanced feeling for riding, more riders would sustain less falls from the horse, which is the most prevalent cause of injury. The aim of this study is to investigate if horseback riders experience feedback from an instructor and horse to affect their development of feeling for riding, and if there are differences in this aspect between professionals and leisure riders. The feeling for riding has been defined as the ability to stay over the horse's center of gravity, in the same tempo and direction and to anticipate and interpret the horse's and one's own signals (Larsson, 2011). The study has proceeded from theories of feedback in school education (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). The survey has been carried out through a web-based questionnaire covering 32 questions, of which 18 were framed from theories of feedback in education, aimed towards riders with Facebook account, visitors at three horse focussed magazine websites and email to horsebusiness related persons. The questionnaire got 587 respondents, of which 114 are or have been professional riders. The result of the study shows that the riders find feedback to be functional in developing the feeling for riding and that it is also used in riding instruction. However, there are some aspects with lesser congruency. One conclusion is that feedback from the horse is immediate and valuable, but an effective instruction and interactive discussion with the instructor/trainer are applicable to find solutions. Another conclusion is that it is easier for professional riders to apply the feeling for riding through feedback.

This mixed-methods single case study explored how outcome-based instructional design can be used to incorporate social software into an existing e-learning course. Pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher education program at a Canadian university volunteered to participate in a study where social software was incorporated into a foundations course to facilitate digital literacy development, social objects production, and reflection on how these experiences connect to future teaching practice. The instructional design process was guided by a conceptual framework and informed by W(e)Learn, a well-tested e-learning design and evaluation framework. The quantitative and qualitative data were collected from the instructional designer’s journal, participant surveys, course records and interviews. Findings provided a comprehensive view of the effectiveness of outcome-based instructional design. In general, participants achieved the expected learning outcomes for this study. There were also unexpected outcomes. For example, some learners created a virtual community of practice. Some learners had an influence on their in-service teacher’s use of social software in teaching and learning. The findings supported the literature that states an outcome-based instructional design approach can facilitate learning. The findings also revealed why participants used social software in their teaching (e.g. awareness, usefulness, and school environment). In addition, these findings can inform school board policy with regard to supporting the use of social software in teaching and learning. The integration of qualitative and quantitative findings revealed convergence and divergence between the two types of data. In addition the findings informed directions for further research, including the relationship between learners’ satisfaction and learning experiences as well as the achievement of learning outcomes. The corroboration of data also identified specific effective and iii imperfect areas of the instructional design strategies, which, in turn, informed the revision of the conceptual framework for outcome-based instructional design. This study found W(e)learn to be effective in guiding outcome-based instructional design and analyzing the achievement of expected learning outcomes. The study also contributes to theory by recommending the inclusion of two new elements into W(e)learn. Painstakingly recording the instructional design process in a journal resulted in documented practical information and lessons learned that may guide and benefit instructional designers and educators who want to incorporate software into their learning activities.

Denna uppsats, Läraren och den praktiska verkligheten, handlar om hur lärare gör för att omforma sina ämneskunskaper till ämnesdidaktiska, vilka metoder de använder i undervisningen för att medvetandegöra elevernas inlärning, samt hur lärarna gör för att utmana och inspirera elevernas lärande och kunskapsutveckling. Teorierna som använts i studien är läranderum, proximala utvecklingszonen, autonomous learning, learning to learn och pedagogical content knowledge, vilka även ligger till grund för den analyserande delen. Resultaten i studien visar att en fungerande gruppdynamik är avgörande för en god arbetsmiljö, en ständig dialog utifrån elevens perspektiv bör föras för att skapa medvetenhet hos eleven gällande lärprocessen. Utveckling av självständigt lärande sker genom tydlig kommunikation mellan lärare och elever, det vill säga att läraren är tydlig med anledningen till arbetsområdet, informationen kring anvisningarna, samt finns som en tydlig vägledare för att guida eleven genom ämnet. Vidare handlar omformning av ämneskunskaper för lärare i praktiken om att reflektera, utvärdera och utveckla planeringen och den genomförda undervisningen.

It is known that one of the downfalls of reinforcement learning is the amount of time required to learn an optimal policy. This especially holds true for environments with large state spaces or environments with multiple agents. It is also known that standard Q-Learning develops a deterministic policy, and so in games where a stochastic policy is required (such as rock, paper, scissors) a Q-Learner opponent can be defeated without too much difficulty once the learning has ceased. Initially we investigated the impact that the MAXQ hierarchical reinforcement learning algorithm had in an adversarial environment. We found that it was difficult to conduct state space abstraction, especially when an unpredictable or co-evolving opponent was involved. We noticed that to keep the domains zero-sum, discounted learning was required. We had also found that a speed increase could be obtained through the use of hierarchy in the adversarial environment. We then investigated the ability to obtain similar learning speed increases to adversarial reinforcement learning through the use of this hierarchical methodology. Applying the hierarchical decomposition to Bowling's Win or Learn Fast (WoLF) algorithm we were able to maintain the accelerated learning rate whilst simultaneously retaining the stochastic elements of the WoLF algorithm. We made an assessment on the impact of the adversarial component of the hierarchy at both the higher and lower tiers of the hierarchical tree. Finally, we introduce the idea of pivot points. A pivot point is the last possible time you can wait before having to make a decision and thus revealing your strategy to the opponent. This results in maximising confusion for the opponent. Through the use of these pivot points, which could only have been discovered through the use of hierarchy, we were able to perform improved state-space abstraction since no decision needed to be made, in regards to the opponent, until this point was reached.

Students of chemistry encounter difficulties due to its abstract nature and the need to understand and communicate its concepts on macro, submicro, and symbolic levels using a range of representations and representational modes. Research suggests that when students are required to use multiple representations they have difficulties in understanding individual representations and in negotiating meaning through their use. This study sought to address these issues through the application of digital technologies. The main areas of research that provided a theoretical framework for this study were multiple representations in chemistry education and writing-to-learn in science. Other research in these areas has suggested that a better understanding of multiple representations might enhance students’ chemical literacy; however, limited research has investigated the impact of using digital technologies to create multimodal texts on students’ learning in chemistry, particularly the development of students’ skills in generating and integrating multiple representations. Until recently, much of the writing-to-learn research has focused on written composition. The knowledge-transforming model was proposed by Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) to explain the influence of written composition on knowledge construction. However, having been developed prior to the time when students had ready access to digital technologies and a consequent capacity to create multimedia and digital texts, this model does not account for the production of such multimodal texts. This study examined the effect of learning experiences that utilised digital technologies to support students in using multiple representations and through writing-to-learn activities to create multimodal texts on learning outcomes in chemistry. The study was conducted in a metropolitan public co-educational high school in Queensland, Australia. Two Year 11 chemistry classes participated in the study, which was conducted in the first term of a 2-year course in which students learn chemistry as a separate discipline. The study consisted of a pilot study and an intervention study with two phases. The pilot study was used to trial the learning activities and data collection instruments and to gain an insight into instructional approaches that might be appropriate for the study. Phase 1 of the intervention study employed a pretest–posttest design. In this phase, students learned about chemical bonding and structure and their effects on the properties and behaviours of different materials. They also learned about the multiple representations used to understand and communicate about chemical bonding and structure. Within a modified crossover design, Phase 2 of the study employed mixed methods to compare the effects on learning outcomes when they created two different scientific texts: a digital poster and a laboratory report. Both text types required students to integrate multiple representations to report on their learning during laboratory investigations. These text types were chosen because they are commonly used by scientists to communicate their experimental findings. In Phase 1, students engaged in computer-based inquiries using both molecular modelling and simulation software to investigate phenomena such as intra- and inter-molecular bonding and their effects on properties, the differences between various types of bonds, the multiple representations used to describe and investigate bonding and structure, and to present their understanding to others. In Phase 2, students used a range of scaffolding resources to design and carry out two inquiries about the chemistry of biomaterials. In the first inquiry, students made and compared the properties of two different bioplastic films; in the second, students compared the relative fermentation rates of a range of carbohydrates. In both inquiries, students were required to report their findings and explain them on the submicro level using appropriate representations. Scaffolds included Science Writing Heuristics, which explicitly required students to consider which multiple representations would support their claims and explanations of data; digital resources for selecting, modifying, or creating representations; and genre templates. Pretest–posttest comparisons for both phases showed that the instructional approaches and resources used were effective for enhancing students’ learning outcomes. In all comparisons, the posttest performances were significantly higher. In the first phase, several of the identified alternative or missing conceptions about chemical bonding were effectively addressed, and in both phases, students’ conceptual understanding and their representational competencies were enhanced. The pretest–posttest comparisons for Phase 2 suggested that creating a diversified text – a digital poster – for explaining experimental results is at least as effective for enhancing understanding and representational competencies as creating a more traditional laboratory report. Other data were analysed to gain an insight into how or why the instructional strategies and resources used might have been effective. The student interviews revealed a number of advantages of using digital technologies, including promotion of higher order thinking, enhanced motivation and interest, the capacity of digital technologies to support and enhance visualisation, and the production of multiple representations in multiple modes. Students suggested that the digital resources allowed them to make links between macroscopic, molecular, and symbolic levels and to include a range of representations in their explanations. The evaluation questionnaire revealed similar trends. Analysis of the students’ texts suggested that the approaches used in Phase 2 were effective in supporting students’ content and rhetorical problem solving and the interactions between the two. Students utilised a range of representations, particularly structural diagrams, when making explanations of their macroscopic data on the submicro level. This study has implications for the instructional approaches used by chemistry teachers because it showed that integrating digital technologies into learning environments is effective when introducing students to the multiple representations used in chemistry and in the development of students’ chemical literacies. It also contributes to writing-to-learn research by focusing on multimodal communication and the benefits of creating multimodal texts for presenting, organising, and explaining data, and for representing knowledge. Significant findings of the study relate to the importance of digital technologies in generating multimodal texts and representations for instruction, scaffolding, and in student-centred inquiry-based learning. Further research might focus on the use of such resources for addressing other commonly identified alternative conceptions, the creation of other multimodal text types, the use of other digital technologies or authoring tools, or on the development of teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge, which is required for effective classroom implementation of these resources and strategies.