This thesis shows how children’s learning is influenced and modified by the teaching environment. The metacognitive, self-regulatory learning behaviours of sixteen kindergarten students were examined in order to determine how students perceive learning, either by adopting deep approaches, where the focus is on understanding and meaning, or surface approaches, where the meeting of institutional demands frequently subjugate the former goals. The data have been analysed within a qualitative paradigm from a phenomenographic perspective. The study addresses three issues: the nature and frequency of the strategic learning behaviours displayed by the students; the contribution strategic behaviours make to the adoption of deep or surface learning approaches; and how metacognitive teaching environments influence higher-order thinking. Findings reveal that where teachers had metcognitive training, the frequency of strategy use increased irrespective of student performance. High achieving students used more strategic behaviours, used them with greater efficiency, and tended to display more of the characteristics of deep approach learners. This study suggests that many of the differential outcomes evident amongst students may be substantially reduced through early and consistent training within a teaching environment conductive to the development of metacognitive, self-regulatory behaviours and deep learning approaches / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This research identifies and classifies incoming learning behaviours found amongst a sample of English second language first year engineering students. During the research process, it was discovered that students entering university for an engineering/science based degree tend to struggle with the English lecture style and the pace of work at a first year level due to their having been taught in their mother tongue or through the use of code switching in their school years. It was further identified that the students who took part in the sample were highly reliant on notes and lecturers for ‘obtaining knowledge’ that could be utilized in the answering of problems. The findings indicate that English second language students who had been taught in Black schools had a limited view of knowledge that was dependant on received knowledge. It was further found that with the exception of students who had been taught in English only schools, there appeared little correlation between the matriculation aggregates of the students and their first year engineering marks. Where English second language first year engineering students exhibited some learning behaviours that suggest an aptitude for success in higher education, the findings suggest that the students who took part in the study do not feel supported at university. The findings, while complicated in nature, also suggest that university structures and procedures are not responsive to the specific needs of the sample group. It is the recommendation of this study that further research be undertaken amongst a larger sample group if curricular changes amongst first year engineering courses are to be considered.

Science centres are one of the best opportunities for informal study of natural science. There are many advantages to learn in the science centres compared with the traditional methods: it is possible to motivate and supply visitors with the social experience, to improve people’s understandings and attitudes, thereby bringing on and attaching wider interest towards natural science. In the science centres, pupils show interest, enthusiasm, motivation, self-confidence, sensitiveness and also they are more open and eager to learn. Traditional school-classes however mostly do not favour these capabilities. This research presents the qualitative study in the science centre. Data was gathered from observations and interviews at Science North science centre in Canada. Pupils’ learning behaviours were studied at different exhibits in the science centre. Learning behaviours are classified as follows: labels reading, experimenting with the exhibits, observing others or exhibit, using guide, repeating the activity, positive emotional response, acknowledged relevance, seeking and sharing information. In this research, it became clear that in general pupils do not read labels; in most cases pupils do not use the guides help; pupils prefer exhibits that enable high level of interactivity; pupils display more learning behaviours at exhibits that enable a high level of interactivity.

This study examines how conative factors contribute to effective e-learning for corporate and academic learners. Inference of what effective e-learning activities are were traced during a focus group session, a question on a discussion list, validation of information from different sources such as observers, the verifier, the de-brief session, the scribe, the video and audio recordings and correlation with current literature. Effective learning (self-direction and collaboration), techno- and information literacy and an effective learning environment are the strongest predictors of effective e-learning. The combination of intention (motivation) and action (volition) are the two descriptive factors for conation. The study highlights existing models of conative factors and learner motivation as well as the relationships between conative factors with special reference to internal (pulling) and external (pushing) driving forces. In conclusion, the role of the conative domain in e-learning is seen as being the psychological link between the physical learning environment and effective e-learning. / Dissertation (MEd (Computer-Integrated Education))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted