Adopting a Socio-Constructivist theoretical framework, this study investigated the French language discourse produced by a focal group of five intermediate learners of French while immersed in a virtual learning environment (VLE) and engaged in a problem-based activity. Adopting a mixed methods approach, this study analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data to examine the second language (L2) negotiation and co-construction of meaning process in this group's discourse; as well, it investigated these learners' emerging L2 critical thinking, problem solving, and technology literacy skills. Results indicated that the discourse produced by these students was significantly impacted by the problem-based activity itself, and characterized by a progressive trend towards higher levels of L2 critical thinking, with sustained episodes of negotiation and co-construction of meaning. Most notably, the discourse analysis indicated that it was during the consensus-building phase of the problem-based activity that most instances of higher level critical thinking occurred. Moreover, the 3-D representation of learners (as avatars) and space, as well as the immediacy of synchronous chat-based interactions in the VLE had a positive social, motivational, and linguistic impact on this process. These results lend support to the claim that VLEs, with an underlying problem-based and consensus-building component, provide optimal learning opportunities for learners to develop L2 critical thinking and problem solving abilities. Discussion is offered about the benefits of a mixed methods approach to research, as well as about the reliability and validity of Hull & Saxon's (2009) Interaction Analysis model for L2 discourse analysis. Implications for the L2 classroom as well as for future research on L2 negotiation of meaning are also provided.

Is it possible for technological �spaces� to be created that can provide a community atmosphere � one in which learners are not restrained by pre-determined syllabi and have the ability to direct their learning according to their own interests, pace and goals? If so, it would be notable to discover which kinds of interactions might be possible, or might eventuate, and how the participants in such a learning �space� would organize themselves. Also of interest would be the kinds of power structures that emerged through participant interaction, the direction/interactions undertaken by the participants and the improvements that could be made in order to respect and accommodate the differences between learners in a social online learning space. In order to further study this hypothesised need to investigate these questions, this researcher developed an online, English as a Second/Foreign Language learning environment for advanced adult learners of English. She reviewed the appropriate literature in order to theorise how to commence this research direction and investigated various learning platforms and software tools. The result was the development of a multiplatform environment which consisted of a content management system and a 3D microworld. Tools, exercises and content were developed and/or gathered as starting points for learners and the various software had to be learnt in order to orient others on their use. Finally, the environment was trialed over a four week duration with a group of advanced to native speakers of English (volunteers) and the results have been presented in this thesis for discussion. The trial, entitled the ILE Project, attempted to study the problems involved in the technical development of such spaces, to observe the interactions between the learners in a 3D microworld and uncover issues relating to its implementation. Some issues raised by the project concerned techno-literacy, personality-driven interaction differences and organizational power shifts within the 3D community. This thesis closes with an argument that redefines the notion of the learner autonomy, proposes certain modifications to both the pedagogic and technical structure of the online environment and discusses the issues raised in this research. The latter discussion would require further re-conceptualization of the spaces, stakes and support structures that educators can create/provide in an attempt to improve online language learning.

With increasing access to powerful computer processing and broadband Internet connectivity, persistent immersive worlds like Second Life are being adopted for use as virtual learning environments. The flexibility of these spaces, however, offers little innate direction for educators in terms of design and pedagogy considerations, creating a space for research, shared experience, and possibly the development of “best practices” literature. This multiple-case study explores the unique affordances of immersive environments for distance education with reference to the design, pedagogy, and student experience of two university-accredited courses taught entirely “in-world” on the Second Life platform.

With increasing access to powerful computer processing and broadband Internet connectivity, persistent immersive worlds like Second Life are being adopted for use as virtual learning environments. The flexibility of these spaces, however, offers little innate direction for educators in terms of design and pedagogy considerations, creating a space for research, shared experience, and possibly the development of “best practices” literature. This multiple-case study explores the unique affordances of immersive environments for distance education with reference to the design, pedagogy, and student experience of two university-accredited courses taught entirely “in-world” on the Second Life platform.

El coneixement professional és epistemològicament diferent a d'altres tipus de coneixement; el coneixement professionalitzador ha de permetre als estudiants gestionar situacions de la seva pràctica professional. En aquest sentit, el coneixement professionalitzador implica unes demandes superiors en comparació a d'altres tipus de coneixement. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi doctoral és analitzar la naturalesa del coneixement professionalitzador i el canvi en el discurs professionalitzador en entorns l'aprenentatge en línia. Analitzar la naturalesa del discurs professionalitzador permet conèixer quins factors estan implicats en la construcció del coneixement professional i ajustar els entorns d'aprenentatge en línia. Aquesta tesi doctoral descriu els resultats de l'anàlisi de quatre casos relatius a la construcció del coneixement professionalitzador en el camp educatiu. Els resultats obtinguts ens mostren que el discurs professionalitzador construït amb mediació de les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació (TICs) està estructurat entorn una part molt petita dels tòpics de discurs professionalitzador (menys del 5%). També hem evidenciat diferencies rellevants evidenciades en funció del tipus d'activitat d'aprenentatge, el tipus de contingut i l'escenari de la tasca (tàcit o explícit). Pel que fa al canvi del discurs professionalitzador, els estudiants expressen tensions en la seva concepció de la pràctica i interaccionen com una comunitat de pràctica professional amb diferents característiques depenent del tipus d'activitat, el tipus de contingut i l'escenari de la tasca. / Professional knowledge is epistemologically different from other kinds of knowledge. Students are considered to have built academic discourse when they are able to produce speech based on concrete academic content whereas professional knowledge should enable students to manage situations in professional practice. In this sense, professional knowledge is more demanding than other kinds of knowledge. Our objective was to analyze the nature of professional knowledge and change in professional discourse in the framework of online learning environments. Analyzing the nature of professional discourse helps us understand the characteristics that make it special and that relate to managing situations in professional practice. Analyzing change in professional discourse enables us to know which factors are involved in building professional knowledge and to adjust online learning environments accordingly. This paper describes the results of an analysis of different cases related to the construction of professional knowledge in the educational field. The results we obtained show us that professional discourse built using ICT is structured by a very small fraction of identified topics of professional discourse (less than 5%), furthermore, relevant differences are evidenced depending on the type of learning activity, kind of content and task scenarios conducted (tacit or explicit). Regarding change in professional discourse, students expressed tensions in their conception of practice and interacted as a structured professional community although different characteristics depending on the type of activity, kind of content and task scenarios were observed in all cases.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of learners in the blended course relative to the use of Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. Additionally through the motivational requirements specified by Keller&rsquo / s ARCS motivational design model, students&rsquo / motivations were analyzed. Thus the study was designed to determine student motivation in a blended environment in relation to Keller&rsquo / s ARCS motivational design model. For these research aims, a traditional course was redesigned with the support of online applications by taking Good Practice Principles as the framework. A triangulation mixed method approach was utilized as the primary design of the study by employing both qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study. The study participants included 47 preservice teachers in an undergraduate teacher education program of Computer Education and Instructional Technology Department in the Middle East Technical University who took the course (School Experience I) in blended design mode in 2005-2006 spring semester. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through three different surveys, student interviews, and forum transcripts. The data were analyzed concurrently according to both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques. The analyses of qualitative and quantitative data showed that students&rsquo / perceptions in the blended course and perceptions in relation to each good teaching principles were mostly positive. Results reveal that students perceive six of the principles including student faculty contact, cooperation, time on task, diversity and ways of learning, feedback, and active learning helpful to their learning. Additionally, the students think that the other one principle which is expectations needs to be improved. In addition, high motivation scores were gathered in the blended course. Results show that attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction subscores revealed significantly higher levels of motivation among students.

This study is aimed to explore the relationships among elementary students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs of science, perceptions of learning environments, learning approaches and science achievement. For this purpose, a model of the associations among these variables was proposed and tested by structural equation modeling. In this model, it was hypothesized that a) students&rsquo / perceptions of their learning environments would directly influence their epistemological beliefs of science and learning approaches, b) students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs of science would directly influence their learning approaches and science achievement, c) students&rsquo / learning approaches would directly influence their science achievement. A total of 2702 students from 139 public elementary schools from istanbul, Ankara, izmir, Diyarbakir, Van, Antalya, Afyon, EskiSehir, and Samsun were administered three instruments to assess their epistemological beliefs of science, perceptions of learning environments, and learning approaches. Students&rsquo / previous year final report card grades were used as the indicator of their science achievement. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the structure of students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs of science, perceptions of learning environments, and learning approaches. Although multidimensionality of epistemological beliefs of science was supported, a different factor structure was obtained for Turkish elementary school students compared to the theoretically proposed structure for the instrument. The results of the structural equation modeling generally supported the proposed hypotheses. The final model obtained in the study revealed that students&rsquo / perceptions of the classroom environments directly predicted students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs and learning approaches. Students&rsquo / epistemological beliefs predicted their learning approaches and science achievement, and students&rsquo / learning approaches influenced their science achievement.

My research centers upon designing transformative learning environments and supporting technologies. Kitchen Science Investigators (KSI) is an out-of-school transformative learning environment we designed to help young people learn science through cooking. My dissertation considers the question, 'How can we design a learning environment in which children discover the utility of science in their lives and their own scientific capabilities?' I have explored this question in the context of designing and enacting KSI. We designed the environment (i.e., activities, facilitation, and technology support) so that in the midst of cooking, participants generate personal goals that they need science to achieve. Our design integrates software to promote scientific practices in a real world context. In my thesis research I analyze how learners are developing identity as scientific reasoners in this environment. I also make recommendations about the design of learning environments and technologies to help with scientific development. My dissertation study is a longitudinal study of individuals in our most recent implementation of KSI. My current analysis of KSI shows significant development of disposition and identity development among focal learners, as well as a set of causal factors. I found that as learners connected cooking and science, and as they participated in science socially with their friends, they began to increase their scientific participation in and outside of KSI. My findings suggest guidelines for software support, facilitation, and activities for getting learners engaged in scientific inquiry in ways that promote the development of scientific identities.

This thesis investigates personal knowledge development in online learning environments and the impact that personal values have on it. Personal knowledge development was investigated from the perspective of Nonaka’s SECI model of organisational knowledge creation. This model served as the basis for an adapted model that conceptualises personal knowledge development in online learning at the individual level. The personal value types of the Schwartz Value Survey and the Portrait Values Questionnaire were adopted to measure personal values and their impact on personal knowledge development in online learning environments. Three data collection approaches were used. First, an exploratory study was conducted which elicited online learners’ experiences of their personal knowledge development in online learning; this study used online discussion forums for data collection. Second, a Delphi study was carried out. Experts were asked which of the ten individual-level value types by Schwartz are likely to be particularly relevant in the context of online learning. Third, an online survey was created. Its aim was to measure the impact that personal values and background variables, such as gender and age, have on personal knowledge development in online learning. A measurement instrument was devised that measures three of the SECI modes, namely Externalisation, Combination and Internalisation. This instrument measures the magnitude of online learners’ Externalisation and Combination activities as well as their level of Internalisation, i.e. the outcomes of personal knowledge development. Results of the exploratory study show that there are widely diverging experiences of personal knowledge development in online learning. The literature review suggests that the cultural situatedness of an online learning environment is an important influencing factor on personal knowledge development. The results of the Delphi study suggest that Self-Direction, Stimulation, and Achievement are particularly relevant value types in the context investigated here. Finally, the online survey confirms this view, as all three value types were found to be positively correlated with Externalisation, Combination, and Internalisation, with the exception of the Achievement-Combination relationship. A modified version of the SECI model is proposed, which extends the applicability of the original SECI model from the organisational to the individual level. It is argued that this model is suitable to describe personal knowledge development in the context of online learning. The study also contributes to closing the gap in research on the impact of personal values in the context investigated in this study. Moreover, a measurement instrument was created that can be used to measure Externalisation and Combination, i.e. personal knowledge development processes, and Internalisation, i.e. personal knowledge development outcomes.

The European Board in March of the year 2000 in Lisbon was a determinant moment in the politics and actions of the European Union. Its conclusions confirm that Europe entered the century of knowledge. Information and communication technologies’ integration into school is the keystone of part of the education reform of the country on which success depends on the education of a new society citizen of knowledge, as well as, the success of the whole educational reform, the social and economic progress. By educating the member of the society of knowledge, a school pays special attention to the personal characteristics which are very important in modern life- initiative, responsibility, independency, ability to communicate, work with others and solve problems. Students have to be able to use information and communication technology in collaboration, spreading information, in communication with students of the same age, with teachers and other individuals, with social and state organizations. By spreading new technologies into education, an exceptional attention should be paid to the pedagogues’ professional development and their social universality. It is important for teachers to gain some elementary knowledge and skills about the technology of information and to constantly improve their qualification and to renew their knowledge. However the teacher training system still is not in line with the changes made at schools in the latter decade. This system is not ready to... [to full text]