of the thesis:: The topic of the thesis are aids for teaching geometry at the primary school. The theoretical part presents the potential benefits of the teaching aids use in connection with the cognitive process of the pupil and the educational aims of geometry. The practical part focuses on the situation in schools, presents aids that are used, and how they are used. It is based on survey focused especially on primary school teachers. A separate chapter is devoted to aids which are used in Montessori schools. It features names of geometry aids and how they are used. In the last thesis part are formulated didactic principles for working with the teaching aids in geometry and two experiments showing possible aids usage. Aids in these experiments fulfill its purposes, which are mentioned in the theoretical part, and therefore their use has been beneficial.

This master thesis concerns progress of junior school pupils in understanding of equations. It describes benchmark problems and mathematical environments in which equations and equation systems occur. Occurrences of such exercises in text books for primary schools are also mapped here. The main part of this thesis is focused on comprehension of pupils' intellectual actions during solving the equations. Thanks to several experiments, it includes description of pupils' solutions of exercises. The result of the phenomenal analysis of pupils' solving processes is an overview of phenomena, which appeared during solving exercises.

The diploma thesis Learning about geometrical shapes is focused on the development of the spatial imagination of learners using tangram. This aid is examined by mathematics and the possibilities of the usage of the aid while teaching mathematics at primary school are presented. The aim of this paper is to describe the solving process and strategies of tangram tasks, to descibe and explain phenomena concerning pupil's learning process about geometrical shapes using qualitative analysis. To reach the goals the experiments were done, their analysis is the maim pillar of this paper. While preparing the tools of the experiments, the difficulty criteria were set so it is possible to sort out the patterns according to that. The results of this paper shows that the solving strategies of learners are often similar to the adults' one, the difference is just in the experiences which make the adults' solving process faster.

Syftet med arbetet är att följa och studera min egen läroprocess vid instrumentaltekniskt övande. Övningen skedde på en period av tolv veckor, fem gånger i veckan á minst tjugo minuter per tillfälle. För att dokumentera detta har jag videofilmat fyra av dessa övningspass. Jag har även fört loggbok för att kunna hantera mina inre reflektioner och upplevelser under övningen. För att inte störa min egen lärandeprocess har jag medvetet valt att inte följa någon särskild undervisnings- eller övningsmetod, utan låtit mig välja tillvägagångssätt helt själv. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt har jag valt designteoretiskt perspektiv. I resultatdelen beskrivs hur jag designat min egen övning, och hur detta övande påverkat mitt gitarrspel. Det har visat sig att mycket av det jag valt att fokusera på i min övning har gett positiva resultat samt att jag har använt mig av många olika typer av resurser för att ta till mig kunskap. I diskussionsdelen diskuteras dessa resurser och resultat utifrån presenterad litteratur, tidigare forskning och det designteoretiska perspektivet. / The purpose of this study is to observe and examine my own learning process when practicing guitar technique. The practicing took place in a period of twelve weeks, five times a week with at least twenty minutes per session. To document this, I have video documented four of these practice sessions. I have also written a logbook to keep track of my inner reflections and experiences during practice. In order to not disturb my own learning process, I have deliberately chosen not to follow any particular teaching or training method. As a theoretical basis, I have chosen a design theoretical perspective. In the result section, I describe how I choose to design my practice, and how it has affected my playing. It turns out that much of what I have chosen to practice has produced positive results, and that I used many different types of resources for learning. In the last section I discuss these resources and results based on previous literature and research as well as from a design theoretical perspective.

Syftet med denna självstudie är att utforska på vilka sätt mental träning kan förändra livsvärlden samt minska obehag inför scenframträdanden. Syftet bärs upp av följande forskningsfråga: På vilka sätt förändras livsvärlden genom mental träning inför ett framträdande? Studien utgår från ett livsvärldsperspektiv och metod är loggboksskrivande. Resultatet presenteras med hjälp av teman som: Att öppna medvetandet, Självbildsträning – att tycka om sig själv, Förebilder – att se sig själv, Vad jag vill odla inom mig, Att vara förberedd, Sista förberedelsen och Tiden är inne. Efter resultatet följer en diskussion om vikten av avslappning och en bra självbild samt för- och nackdelar med att använda Fagéus metod i mental träning. Arbetet avslutas med att frågan om dess betydelse vidrörs samt möjligheter till framtida forskning. / The purpose of this study is to explore the ways mental training can alter my life-world and reduce the discomfort I experience during stage performances. The study is supported by the following research question: In which ways does my life-world change through the use of mental training before a performance? The study is based on a life-world perspective and the method for the study is logbook writing. The result is presented by following themes: Opening minds, Self-image Training – enjoying myself, Role models – to see myself, What I want to grow within me, Being prepared, Final preparation and The time has come. After the result follow a discussion of the importance of relaxation and a good self-image, I also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using Fagéus method of mental training. The work concludes with the questions of the importance of this study and the opportunities for future research.

Les nouvelles technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) pourraient contribuer à la prévention de l’isolement et au développement du sentiment de bien-être des adultes âgés, ainsi qu’à l’amélioration de la qualité de vie et de prise en charge des patients souffrant de maladie de type Alzheimer. La technologie tactile possiblement plus simple d’utilisation que l’ordinateur, y compris pour des personnes présentant des troubles neurocognitifs, constituerait une solution facilitatrice d’accès aux TIC. La formation reste toutefois l’un des déterminants majeurs de l’utilisation des technologies par des adultes âgés. Un accompagnement efficace nécessite la prise en compte des besoins des aînés et donc une évaluation fine de la nature des difficultés rencontrées et des aides à fournir. En conséquence, nous avons souhaité étudier les difficultés particulières des personnes âgées à utiliser ces technologies, mais aussi les conditions de l’aide dont ils peuvent bénéficier. Notre recherche s’est en particulier intéressée au téléphone (fixe et mobile) et à la tablette tactile, qui paraissent offrir l’avantage d’une plus grande simplicité d’utilisation que les ordinateurs et ainsi présenter un intérêt particulier pour les personnes âgées, y compris pour des personnes présentant des troubles neurocognitifs. L’objectif de ce travail était de déterminer s’il était possible d’expliquer des difficultés à utiliser les nouvelles TIC, propres aux personnes âgées, dans le but de leur proposer un accompagnement adapté. Une évaluation en situation et la comparaison des capacités d’utilisation des TIC d’adultes jeunes et âgés a montré que les adultes âgés se caractérisent par un plus grand nombre d’erreurs d’exécution et un besoin en aides plus précises et explicites, notamment pour l’utilisation des technologies mobiles. L’exploration du lien entre la nature des erreurs produites lors de l’utilisation des TIC et les compétences cognitives indiquait le caractère déterminent de la préservation des capacités d’inhibition ainsi que de la mémoire épisodique, en particulier du processus de récupération spontanée. Ces capacités étaient liées aux erreurs d’exécution et non aux omissions. La recherche d’une structuration de l’environnement informatif et d’une automatisation de certaines procédures de base indispensables à l’utilisation des TIC apparait donc comme une très probable orientation permettant de pallier les difficultés des personnes âgées. Enfin, la participation à un programme d’initiation à l’utilisation des tablettes tactiles, intégrant les principes de l’apprentissage sans erreur et de la récupération espacée, permettait d’améliorer les attitudes à l’égard des technologies ainsi que les performances lors de leur utilisation. / In modern society, use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is critical in order to avoid exclusion from many common modern day activities. Furthermore, longer life expectancy presents a major challenge to support dependent seniors, or those at risk of losing their independence but wish to continue living in their own home. ICTs seem particularly relevant in this context. Indeed, they promote social engagement, facilitate access to social networks, and provide a gateway to a wide range of information. Of particular interest in the present study are landline or mobile phones, and tablet computers, which are more readily portable, offer simpler functionality than most computers, and therefore are potentially very useful for aging people, included people with neurocognitive disorders. Broadly, such ICTs help to maintain and improve autonomy. Despite these potential benefits, seniors do not commonly use ICTs. Age-related physical and cognitive decline may affect the ability of older people to use ICTs. Therefore, it is essential to promote education and learning. However, an adapted and effective support could not exist without a fine evaluation of the nature of the difficulties and of the efficient cues. Consequently, we wanted to study the particular difficulties of older people in using these technologies, but also the conditions of the assistance they can benefit from. The objectif of this thesis project was to determine whether elderly encountered specific difficulties in using new ICT, in order to offert them an adapted support. A performance-based assessment and a comparison of the capacity of ICT ise of young and old adults has shown that older adults are characterized by a greater number of commission errors and a need for more precise and explicit cues, especially for the use of mobile technologies. Exploring the link between the nature of errors produced in the use of ICTs and cognitive skills indicated the determinent factor of inhibition abilities as well as episodic memory, in particular the spontaneous recovery process. These abilities were related to commission errors and not to omissions. Structuring the informative environment and automation of some basic procedures essential to the use of ICTs therefore appear as a very probable orientation to alleviate the difficulties of the elderly. Finally, participation in a tablet computer training program using the errorless learning and spaced-retrieval techniques, allowed to improve attitudes towards technologies as well as the performance when they are used.

This thesis focus on the change in goal within the revised curriculum where digital techniques are included and the preschool teachers’ perception of pedagogical work with aesthetic learning processes. The study has a phenomenographic approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data. The analysis points out differences and similarities in the preschool teacher’s perceptions of image creation. The result of the study show that the preschool teachers’ perceptions show similarities and differences in children´s free image creation and the controlled image creation initiated by the adults. The preschool teacher’s perceptions of the controlled image creation show that it is often used as an aesthetic learning process to learn another subject or to process an experience while the perceptions of free image creation are that it happens more often spontaneously. It is used in the different theme areas of the preschool, because they perceive themselves lacking in knowledge and/-or interest. The preschool teacher’s perceptions of digital tools in relation to the preschool’s revised curriculum are that it is seen as a complement to analogue tools, but that the environment believes that the digital will replace analogue tools. The preschool teachers perceive that they lack knowledge about digital tools and that makes it difficult to implement it in teaching so that it will become a natural part of the teaching. The conclusion is that the preschool teachers are perceived to have a basic knowledge in the field of image creation and the digital tools. In order for the image creation and the preschool’s revised curriculum to be implemented, preschool teachers need more knowledge. Through knowledge is interest born and with more interest and knowledge, more aesthetic learning processes are created. / Med utgångspunkt i hur förskollärare uppfattar hur förskolans reviderade läroplan med digitala tekniker och förändrad målbeskrivning så är syftet för studien att fördjupa förståelsen kring hur förskollärare uppfattar det pedagogiska arbetet med estetiska lärprocesser med fokus på bildskapande. Undersökningen genomfördes med en fenomenografisk metodansats och halvstrukturerade intervjuer. Analysen genomfördes för att synliggöra skillnader och likheter i förskollärarnas uppfattningar om bildskapandet. Resultatet visar att förskollärarnas uppfattningar om det fria bildskapandet är barninitierat och sker spontant. Detta ses som det” riktiga” bildskapandet och barnen skapar tillsammans med kompisar. Förskollärarnas uppfattningar om det styrda bildskapandet visar att det ofta används som estetisk lärprocess till att lära ett annat ämne eller för att bearbeta en upplevelse. Det används inom förskolans olika temaområden, detta för att de uppfattar sig själva sakna kunskap och/- eller intresse. Förskollärarnas uppfattningar om digitala verktyg i relation till förskolans reviderade läroplan är att det ses som ett komplement till analoga verktyg, men att omgivningen tror att det digitala ska ersätta analoga verktyg. Förskollärarna uppfattar att de saknar kunskaper kring digitala verktyg och det gör det svårt att implementera det i undervisningen så att det ska bli en naturlig del i undervisningen. Slutsatsen är att förskollärarna uppfattas ha en grundkunskap inom bildskapandet samt de digitala verktygen. För att bildskapandet och förskolans reviderade läroplan ska kunna genomföras så behöver förskollärarna få mer kunskap. Genom kunskap föds intresse och med mer intresse och kunskap skapas fler estetiska lärprocesser.

Esta pesquisa de mestrado abordou o tema da canção no ensino-aprendizagem do francês língua estrangeira e das línguas estrangeiras em geral, e seu principal objetivo foi investigar as potencialidades da canção, material específico muito utilizado em sala de aula, mas frequentemente subaproveitado. O referencial teórico foi estabelecido nas áreas da linguística (Saussure; Bakhtin; Vigotski), da música (Wisnik; Attali), da neurociência (Patel) e da canção (Beaumont-James; Tatit) e o estudo dos autores citados reforçou a riqueza não apenas dos dois sistemas analisados a linguagem verbal e a música mas, sobretudo, da potencialização de ambos por meio da canção. Em uma pesquisa-ação, foram aplicadas as sequências didáticas desenvolvidas sobre o tema (Itinerários Musicais) junto a alunos e professores de francês língua estrangeira, trabalhando a partir dos postulados do Pós-Método (Kumaravadivelu) e da arte como experiência (Dewey) para a discussão didática. Com base nesses dois autores, novos aspectos integraram o trabalho com a canção: a aprendizagem como experiência e importância da emoção permeando o processo do começo ao fim. As potencialidades do uso da canção em sala de aula de língua estrangeira mostraram-se muito significativas, desde que se atente para cada um de seus múltiplos aspectos, cabendo aos professores e alunos explorá-los ainda mais. / This research analyzed the theme of songs in the teaching-learning process of French as a second language and foreign languages in general. Its main objective was to investigate the potentialities of songs which, despite being a specific material widely used in classrooms, is frequently underused. The theoretical framework was established based on the areas of linguistics (Saussure; Bakhtin; Vigotski), music (Wisnik; Attali), neuro-science (Patel) and song (Beaumont-James; Tatit). The study of these authors reinforced the richness not only of the two systems analyzed the verbal language and the music but also and above all, of their enhancement through the song. In an action research, teaching-learning activities regarding the theme (Musical Itineraries) were carried out with French as a second language students and teachers, using Postmethod (Kumaravadivelu) and art as experience (Dewey) postulates to the educational discussion. Based on these two authors, new aspects have been integrated to the analysis of the song: the learning as an experience and the importance of emotion permeating the process from beginning to end. The potentialities of using songs in language classrooms have proven to be considerable provided that careful attention is paid to their multiple aspects and that teachers and students can further explore them.

As rápidas mudanças causadas pelo avanço tecnológico e pelo processo de globalização reforçam a necessidade de se redefinir o perfil do engenheiro para atender as exigências tanto do mercado de trabalho como da sociedade. O surgimento de novas técnicas e ferramentas de análise é uma conseqüência natural deste avanço tecnológico e científico e deveria ser rapidamente incorporado a cursos com forte base tecnológica, como a Engenharia. O desafio para que isto efetivamente ocorra é que o tempo dedicado às disciplinas não pode mais ser ampliado para incorporar novos conteúdos. No entanto, a hipótese desta pesquisa é que, ao mesmo tempo em que fazem parte do problema, as novas tecnologias podem fornecer os recursos necessários para a sua solução. Neste contexto, um novo paradigma para o ensino-aprendizagem é necessário, sendo importante para isto, reconhecer não somente o potencial papel do computador e das ferramentas a ele associadas, como também compreender os diferentes estilos de aprendizagem. Diante disto, o objetivo deste trabalho de tese é explorar e avaliar alternativas para adequação do processo de ensino-aprendizagem ao contexto de rápidas e constantes inovações hoje observado, fazendo-se uso de recursos da hipermídia, fundamentada nos conceitos do construtivismo e testada a partir da introdução de conteúdos inovadores em uma disciplina que trata de Planejamento de Transportes. Através dessa disciplina procurou-se avaliar se os alunos seriam capazes, com a abordagem proposta, de absorver novos tópicos sem comprometer o conteúdo programático tradicional. Para tanto, complementou-se o paradigma tradicional com diversas alternativas pedagógicas (trabalhos em grupo, CD educativo, pesquisas na Internet, WebCT, etc.) em uma turma do terceiro ano do curso de Engenharia Civil. Os resultados encontrados indicam que as alternativas consideradas contribuíram de alguma forma para o aprimoramento da metodologia tradicional, apresentando resultados positivos para o aprendizado. Pode-se afirmar assim que a contribuição desse trabalho para o ensino de Engenharia de Transportes foi significativa, na medida em que demonstra que é possível aprimorar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, inclusive incorporando novos conteúdos, mesmo diante de uma grade curricular rígida. / The fast changes produced by the technological development and by the globalization process highlight the need for a new profile of an engineer that can meet the demands of the labor market and of the society. The emergence of new techniques and analyses tools is a natural consequence of that technological and scientific development and it should be immediately incorporated into courses with a strong technological basis, such as Engineering. The challenge to do so is the time constraint imposed to disciplines, which can no longer be increased to include additional topics. However, the hypothesis of this research is that although the new technologies are part of the problem, they can also provide the resources needed for its solution. In such a context, a new paradigm for the teaching learning process is required, in which not only the potential role of the computer itself and of the tools associated to are acknowledged, but also the different learning styles of the students should be taken into account. Therefore, the objective of this research work is to search and evaluation of alternatives for adapting the teaching-learning process to the context of fast and constant innovations currently observed. This is achieved by using multimedia resources for exploring concepts of constructivism, tested with the inclusion of innovative concepts in a Transportation Planning discipline. This experiment was meant to evaluate if the students would be able to grasp new topics along with the long-established contents with the proposed approach. The traditional paradigm was then combined with several pedagogical alternatives (team work, educational CD-ROM, research on Internet, WebCT, etc.) in a Civil Engineering attended by third-year students. The results found indicate that the alternatives considered have contributed to some extent, to the improvement of the traditional teaching method, bringing positive outcomes to the learning process. Therefore, one can conclude that this study brought a valuable contribution for Transportation Engineering education, given that the teaching-learning process was improved while making possible the inclusion of new topics even in a very inflexible grid course.

Este trabalho trata da abordagem dos problemas ambientais urbanos na Educação Básica, em especial, nas escolas da rede pública estadual. Procurou-se conhecer o trabalho feito, nesse sentido, por professores de Geografia de Carapicuíba, na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, e foram desenvolvidos Estudos do Meio em duas escolas do referido município. Os temas para esses estudos foram sugeridos pelos professores e tratam de aspectos ambientais do entorno das escolas: a Lagoa de Carapicuíba e algumas das nascentes do rio Carapicuíba. Com base nos resultados da pesquisa empírica, analisados à luz da bibliografia consultada, demonstrou-se as possibilidades do método do Estudo do Meio na construção, por educadores e educandos, de um conhecimento transformador sobre os problemas ambientais verificados no entorno das escolas. Do ponto de vista teórico tratase, portanto, de questões relativas à complexa relação entre a sociedade e a natureza no ambiente urbano, e do papel da Educação diante da busca por uma melhor compreensão dos problemas ambientais. Desta forma, espera-se que este trabalho contribua para a superação desses problemas, por meio da ação política de cidadãos co-participantes da construção do conhecimento sobre o ambiente em que vivem. / This paper aims at how to approach urban environmental issues in Junior High Education, especially at state-run schools. In order to reach that goal, we have observed the work of Geography teachers in Carapicuiba, a town in the outskirts of the metropolitan São Paulo. In addition, environmental studies were developed in two schools of that town. The themes for the studies were suggested by the schools teachers and refer to environmental aspects surrounding the schools areas: Lagoa de Carapicuiba and some of the nascents of Carapicuiba river. Based on an empiric research whose the results were analyzed in the light of the bibliography cited, we were able to show the possibilities of the Environment Study method in the building up of the ongoing process of teachers and students learning about environmental issues observed in their surroundings. In theoretical terms, this paper deals with issues related to the complex relationship between society and nature in urban areas, and the role of education in face of the search for a better understanding of environmental issues. We therefore expect that this paper contribute to the overcoming of such problems through the political action of sharing citizens in the building up of their knowledge of the environment they live in.