This is a phenomenographic study, of which the aim was to explore the variation of experiences, needs, views and understandings through a phenomenographic study of academics who were enrolled in the MEd in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) at Unisa during 2012-2015. The MEd in ODL is a dual university programme between University of South Africa (Unisa) and University of Maryland University College (UMUC). The research question was around issues which Unisa academic staff members experienced during the course of their enrolment for the MEd in ODL. Relevant scholarly literature on online learning, theories for online learning, and previous research on online learning, was surveyed in this regard. Variation theory which framed the study through a phenomenographic research lens was described. Interviews were conducted with seven participants from the students on the MEd in ODL programme. Postings on MyUnisa Discussion Forum which were treated as data were analysed in relation to the aspects raised in the interviews. The findings revealed students’ varied online experiences in the three main aspects namely, experience and understanding, understanding the object of learning and learning objects. Important recommendations made, were based on the findings. In conclusion, the findings exhibited students’ varied experiences about issues which they battle with in the MEd in ODL programme, of which Unisa should take into consideration as they further enrol students in the programme. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Open and Distance Learning)

As inovações tecnológicas mudaram o mundo, as formas de interação e o acesso à informação e ao conhecimento, reivindicando mudanças também na educação. Documentos brasileiros como os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCN), suas complementações (PCN+) e as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais passaram a propor um ensino mais contextualizado e condizente com os novos anseios da sociedade. A formação de cidadãos críticos e o “educar para a vida” tornaram-se temas recorrentes nos documentos, textos sobre educação e nas coordenações dos colégios. No entanto, o objetivo de muitos alunos do ensino médio e de seus familiares continuou sendo a aprovação no vestibular e a obtenção de um bom escore no Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio. Mediante o atual contexto escolar, com o propósito de divulgar a ciência brasileira e produzir ferramentas que facilitem o processo de ensino-aprendizagem foi proposto esse trabalho. Através da interação com o Laboratório de Biologia Básica de Células-tronco (LABCET) do Instituto Carlos Chagas/FioCruz, as células-tronco foram utilizadas como tema gerador para a produção de um objeto educacional que visa desmitificar a ideia que a biologia prioriza a descrição e a memorização, trazendo três sequências didáticas desenvolvidas acerca dos conteúdos de embriologia, biotecnologia e bioética e expressão gênica. Estruturado a partir da metodologia dos Momentos Pedagógicos estas sequências didáticas partem de problematizações, passam pela organização do conhecimento e terminam na aplicação deste. Estas atividades foram disponibilizadas num portal também desenvolvido neste trabalho, intitulado “O que a Ciência sabe”, que conta com materiais complementares destinados a alunos do Ensino Médio e professores de Biologia. / Technological innovations changed the world, ways of interaction and access to information and knowledge, requiring changes in education also. Brazilian documents such as Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCN), its complements (PCN+) and Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais have been proposing a more contextualized teaching and consistent with the new desires of society. A critic citizen formation and “teaching for life” have become recurrent themes in documents, publications about education and schools’ pedagogical staff. However, the objective of many high school students and their families continued to be college acceptance and achievement of a good Exame Nacional de Ensino Médio score. By the current educational context, this study was proposed with the purpose of divulging Brazilian science e producing tools that facilitate the teaching-learning process. Through interaction with the Laboratório de Biologia Básica de Células-tronco (LABCET) of Carlos Chagas Institute/FioCruz, stem cells were utilized as generator theme for the production of an educational object that aims for demystification of the idea that biology prioritize description and memorization, bringing three didactic sequences developed on the subjects of biotechnology and bioethics, embryology and genic expression. Structured according to Pedagogical Moments methodology, these didactic sequences initiate by problematizations, pass through knowledge organization and end at its application. These activities were made available in a portal also developed in this study, entitled “O que a Ciência sabe” (”What Science knows”), that is equipped with complementary materials destined for high school students e Biology teachers.

Acompanha produto: Física moderna... / O tema central deste trabalho é o ensino de física moderna e contemporânea (FMC) no nível médio. Discute-se a importância do assunto, tendo em vista a realidade educacional brasileira e a pertinência do uso de tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC), em especial, recursos educacionais abertos (REA). Propõe-se articular o emprego de vídeos em sala de aula, na escola, e visitas a laboratórios didático e de pesquisa, na universidade. Os vídeos, previamente desenvolvidos no âmbito do nosso grupo de pesquisa, referentes a experimentos sobre lâmpadas espectrais, experimento de Millikan e efeito fotoelétrico, serviram de base para a elaboração de sequências didáticas. As visitas foram realizadas no laboratório didático de Física Moderna e no laboratório de pesquisa Fotonanobio da UTFPR, visando à interação entre estudantes de ensino médio, graduandos e pós-graduandos, técnico de laboratório e professores-pesquisadores. Esta articulação busca propiciar aos alunos contato com ambientes e resultados experimentais relacionados à FMC, dado o contexto de que não existe, na escola, a disponibilidade de laboratório de Física nem tampouco aproximações com laboratórios de pesquisa. Pretende-se que esta abordagem sirva de base para a mobilização de organizadores prévios capazes de fundear subsunçores, no contexto da Aprendizagem Significativa, para potencializar o ensino e aprendizagem de fenômenos importantes da FMC. / This work focuses on the teaching of modern and contemporary physics (MCP) at the secondary level. Our approach considers the Brazilian educational context and the role of information and communication technologies (ICT), in particular the use of open educational resources (OER). Emphasis is given to the use of videos in the classroom. In addition, visits to didactic and research laboratories were organized. The videos, previously developed within our research group, were used as a basis for the elaboration of didactic sequences, and refer to experiments on spectral lamps, the Millikan oil drop experiment, and the photoelectric effect. The visits were held at the Modern Physics Lab and the research Lab Fotonanobio at UTFPR, and intended to bring secondary, undergraduate and graduate students together with researchers and professors. This articulation between OER and Laboratory visits aim to bring students to contact with experimental results regarding MCP, given the context in which there is no physics laboratory available at school premises. It is intended that this approach will serve as a basis for the mobilization of previous organizers, in the context of Significant Learning, to improve the teaching learning of important MCP phenomena.

Acompanha produto:"Pegada ecológica do lixo" / A Educação Ambiental de forma transversal no currículo escolar contribui para contextualização do ensino. Além da ótima receptividade, as discussões dos temas ambientais trazem para o Ensino de Ciências contribuições que permitem despertar o sentido de pertencimento e tomada de responsabilidade em relação ao meio ambiente. Nessa dissertação o objetivo foi analisar o desenvolvimento crítico, analítico e científico de estudantes do 6ºano do Ensino Fundamental do Colégio Estadual Júlia Wanderlei, de Curitiba-PR. Para isso foi desenvolvido um Recurso Educacional Aberto com o tema “Pegada Ecológica do Lixo” e aplicado numa Sequência Didática para uso nas aulas de Ciências com enfoque na Educação Ambiental. A metodologia da pesquisa foi qualitativa na modalidade pesquisa participante. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de um questionário inicial antes da aplicação da Sequência Didática e outro depois. A análise dos dados teve como método a Análise de conteúdo onde se constatou no questionário inicial pouco ou quase inexistente alfabetização científica relacionada à temática estudada, além de uma crítica moderada, carente de argumentos e pouco analítica quanto à problemática do lixo. O questionário final permitiu verificar que as discussões acerca da Educação Ambiental de forma contextualizada no Ensino de Ciências possibilitaram a sensibilização dos estudantes quanto ao Meio Ambiente evidenciando suas potencialidades, suscitando a adoção de posturas pessoais e comportamentos sociais construtivos, colaborando para a construção de um ambiente saudável. Pôde-se concluir que é preciso inserir a Educação Ambiental no currículo escolar e no Ensino de Ciências de forma contextualizada e romper com práticas isoladas e pontuais e com a Educação mecanicista e conservadora, visto que o desenvolvimento de ações integradas e participativas potencializa as discussões que emergem das relações entre os seres humanos, sociedade e natureza. Além disso, a sensibilização dos estudantes quantos aos problemas da geração e destino do lixo os tornam em cidadãos críticos, analíticos e conhecedores das ciências, sendo ativos na preservação do Meio Ambiente. / Environmental Education across the school curriculum contributes to the contextualization of education. Besides the great receptivity, the discussions of the environmental themes bring to Science Education contributions that allow awakening the sense of belonging and taking responsibility in relation to the environment. In this dissertation the objective was to analyze the critical, analytical and scientific development of students from the 6th grade of Elementary School of the Júlia Wanderlei State College, Curitiba-PR. For this, an Open Educational Resource with the theme "Garbage Ecological Footprint" was developed and applied in a Didactic Sequence for use in Science classes focusing on Environmental Education. The research methodology was qualitative in the participant research modality. The data were collected through the application of an initial questionnaire before the application of the Didactic Sequence and another one afterwards. The analysis of the data had as a method Content analysis where the initial questionnaire found little or almost no scientific literacy related to the subject studied, as well as a moderate criticism, lacking in arguments and little analytical regarding the problem of garbage. The final questionnaire allowed us to verify that the discussions about Environmental Education in a contextualized way in Science Teaching made it possible to raise students' awareness about the Environment, highlighting their potentialities, leading to the adoption of personal postures and constructive social behaviors, collaborating to construct an environment healthy. It could be concluded that it is necessary to insert Environmental Education in the school curriculum and in the teaching of science in a contextualized way and to break with isolated and punctual practices and with the mechanistic and conservative Education, since the development of integrated and participative actions potentiates the discussions that emerge from the relationships between human beings, society and nature. In addition, the students' awareness of the problems of the generation and destination of garbage make them critical, analytical and knowledgeable citizens of the sciences, being active in the preservation of the Environment.

Propõe-se na presente dissertação divulgar e apresentar à pesquisadoras e pesquisadores a organização da informação e a educação aberta, a plataforma Zotero, uma ferramenta de gestão de referências, por meio de oficinas e tutorial. Expor o contexto histórico de construção desta ferramenta, na perspectiva das humanidades digitais, mostrar sua utilização para coleta, organização, citação, formatação, compartilhamento e contextualização histórica do conhecimento.Como exemplo de organização da informação foi utilizada a coleção de documentos da Lélia Gonzalez, do Projeto Memória, assim como a disponibilização do tutorial para uso da plataforma Zotero como um Recursos Educacionais Abertos (REA). Os procedimentos metodológicos adotados, a partir da abordagem qualitativa e exploratória, do levantamento bibliográfico que compõe a fundamentação teórica, no aspecto comparativo das ferramentas de gestão de referências, Zotero e Mendeley e a escolha pela Zotero para a organização da coleção Lélia Gonzalez, refletem as perspectivas das humanidades digitais, assim como as perspectivas da educação aberta para a aplicação das oficinas à pesquisadoras e pesquisadores. / This dissertation intends to publicize and to present to researchers the organization of information and the open education, the Zotero platform, a tool for management of references, through workshops and tutorial. It also aims at exposing the historical context of the making of that tool, from the perspective of digital humanities, to show its use for collecting, organizing, citing, formatting, sharing and historical contextualization of knowledge. Lélia Gonzalez's collection of documents from “Projeto Memória” (Memory Project) was used as an example of organization of information, as well as the tutorial regarding the use of Zotero platform as an Open Educational Resource (OER). Based on the qualitative and exploratory approach of the bibliographic survey that composes the theoretical foundation, the methodological procedures adopted on the comparative aspect of the reference management tools, Zotero and Mendeley, and the choice by Zotero for the organization of Lélia Gonzalez collection reflect the perspectives of the digital humanities, as well as the perspectives of open education for the application of workshops to researchers.

Acompanha produto: Física moderna... / O tema central deste trabalho é o ensino de física moderna e contemporânea (FMC) no nível médio. Discute-se a importância do assunto, tendo em vista a realidade educacional brasileira e a pertinência do uso de tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC), em especial, recursos educacionais abertos (REA). Propõe-se articular o emprego de vídeos em sala de aula, na escola, e visitas a laboratórios didático e de pesquisa, na universidade. Os vídeos, previamente desenvolvidos no âmbito do nosso grupo de pesquisa, referentes a experimentos sobre lâmpadas espectrais, experimento de Millikan e efeito fotoelétrico, serviram de base para a elaboração de sequências didáticas. As visitas foram realizadas no laboratório didático de Física Moderna e no laboratório de pesquisa Fotonanobio da UTFPR, visando à interação entre estudantes de ensino médio, graduandos e pós-graduandos, técnico de laboratório e professores-pesquisadores. Esta articulação busca propiciar aos alunos contato com ambientes e resultados experimentais relacionados à FMC, dado o contexto de que não existe, na escola, a disponibilidade de laboratório de Física nem tampouco aproximações com laboratórios de pesquisa. Pretende-se que esta abordagem sirva de base para a mobilização de organizadores prévios capazes de fundear subsunçores, no contexto da Aprendizagem Significativa, para potencializar o ensino e aprendizagem de fenômenos importantes da FMC. / This work focuses on the teaching of modern and contemporary physics (MCP) at the secondary level. Our approach considers the Brazilian educational context and the role of information and communication technologies (ICT), in particular the use of open educational resources (OER). Emphasis is given to the use of videos in the classroom. In addition, visits to didactic and research laboratories were organized. The videos, previously developed within our research group, were used as a basis for the elaboration of didactic sequences, and refer to experiments on spectral lamps, the Millikan oil drop experiment, and the photoelectric effect. The visits were held at the Modern Physics Lab and the research Lab Fotonanobio at UTFPR, and intended to bring secondary, undergraduate and graduate students together with researchers and professors. This articulation between OER and Laboratory visits aim to bring students to contact with experimental results regarding MCP, given the context in which there is no physics laboratory available at school premises. It is intended that this approach will serve as a basis for the mobilization of previous organizers, in the context of Significant Learning, to improve the teaching learning of important MCP phenomena.

Acompanha produto:"Pegada ecológica do lixo" / A Educação Ambiental de forma transversal no currículo escolar contribui para contextualização do ensino. Além da ótima receptividade, as discussões dos temas ambientais trazem para o Ensino de Ciências contribuições que permitem despertar o sentido de pertencimento e tomada de responsabilidade em relação ao meio ambiente. Nessa dissertação o objetivo foi analisar o desenvolvimento crítico, analítico e científico de estudantes do 6ºano do Ensino Fundamental do Colégio Estadual Júlia Wanderlei, de Curitiba-PR. Para isso foi desenvolvido um Recurso Educacional Aberto com o tema “Pegada Ecológica do Lixo” e aplicado numa Sequência Didática para uso nas aulas de Ciências com enfoque na Educação Ambiental. A metodologia da pesquisa foi qualitativa na modalidade pesquisa participante. Os dados foram coletados através da aplicação de um questionário inicial antes da aplicação da Sequência Didática e outro depois. A análise dos dados teve como método a Análise de conteúdo onde se constatou no questionário inicial pouco ou quase inexistente alfabetização científica relacionada à temática estudada, além de uma crítica moderada, carente de argumentos e pouco analítica quanto à problemática do lixo. O questionário final permitiu verificar que as discussões acerca da Educação Ambiental de forma contextualizada no Ensino de Ciências possibilitaram a sensibilização dos estudantes quanto ao Meio Ambiente evidenciando suas potencialidades, suscitando a adoção de posturas pessoais e comportamentos sociais construtivos, colaborando para a construção de um ambiente saudável. Pôde-se concluir que é preciso inserir a Educação Ambiental no currículo escolar e no Ensino de Ciências de forma contextualizada e romper com práticas isoladas e pontuais e com a Educação mecanicista e conservadora, visto que o desenvolvimento de ações integradas e participativas potencializa as discussões que emergem das relações entre os seres humanos, sociedade e natureza. Além disso, a sensibilização dos estudantes quantos aos problemas da geração e destino do lixo os tornam em cidadãos críticos, analíticos e conhecedores das ciências, sendo ativos na preservação do Meio Ambiente. / Environmental Education across the school curriculum contributes to the contextualization of education. Besides the great receptivity, the discussions of the environmental themes bring to Science Education contributions that allow awakening the sense of belonging and taking responsibility in relation to the environment. In this dissertation the objective was to analyze the critical, analytical and scientific development of students from the 6th grade of Elementary School of the Júlia Wanderlei State College, Curitiba-PR. For this, an Open Educational Resource with the theme "Garbage Ecological Footprint" was developed and applied in a Didactic Sequence for use in Science classes focusing on Environmental Education. The research methodology was qualitative in the participant research modality. The data were collected through the application of an initial questionnaire before the application of the Didactic Sequence and another one afterwards. The analysis of the data had as a method Content analysis where the initial questionnaire found little or almost no scientific literacy related to the subject studied, as well as a moderate criticism, lacking in arguments and little analytical regarding the problem of garbage. The final questionnaire allowed us to verify that the discussions about Environmental Education in a contextualized way in Science Teaching made it possible to raise students' awareness about the Environment, highlighting their potentialities, leading to the adoption of personal postures and constructive social behaviors, collaborating to construct an environment healthy. It could be concluded that it is necessary to insert Environmental Education in the school curriculum and in the teaching of science in a contextualized way and to break with isolated and punctual practices and with the mechanistic and conservative Education, since the development of integrated and participative actions potentiates the discussions that emerge from the relationships between human beings, society and nature. In addition, the students' awareness of the problems of the generation and destination of garbage make them critical, analytical and knowledgeable citizens of the sciences, being active in the preservation of the Environment.

Propõe-se na presente dissertação divulgar e apresentar à pesquisadoras e pesquisadores a organização da informação e a educação aberta, a plataforma Zotero, uma ferramenta de gestão de referências, por meio de oficinas e tutorial. Expor o contexto histórico de construção desta ferramenta, na perspectiva das humanidades digitais, mostrar sua utilização para coleta, organização, citação, formatação, compartilhamento e contextualização histórica do conhecimento.Como exemplo de organização da informação foi utilizada a coleção de documentos da Lélia Gonzalez, do Projeto Memória, assim como a disponibilização do tutorial para uso da plataforma Zotero como um Recursos Educacionais Abertos (REA). Os procedimentos metodológicos adotados, a partir da abordagem qualitativa e exploratória, do levantamento bibliográfico que compõe a fundamentação teórica, no aspecto comparativo das ferramentas de gestão de referências, Zotero e Mendeley e a escolha pela Zotero para a organização da coleção Lélia Gonzalez, refletem as perspectivas das humanidades digitais, assim como as perspectivas da educação aberta para a aplicação das oficinas à pesquisadoras e pesquisadores. / This dissertation intends to publicize and to present to researchers the organization of information and the open education, the Zotero platform, a tool for management of references, through workshops and tutorial. It also aims at exposing the historical context of the making of that tool, from the perspective of digital humanities, to show its use for collecting, organizing, citing, formatting, sharing and historical contextualization of knowledge. Lélia Gonzalez's collection of documents from “Projeto Memória” (Memory Project) was used as an example of organization of information, as well as the tutorial regarding the use of Zotero platform as an Open Educational Resource (OER). Based on the qualitative and exploratory approach of the bibliographic survey that composes the theoretical foundation, the methodological procedures adopted on the comparative aspect of the reference management tools, Zotero and Mendeley, and the choice by Zotero for the organization of Lélia Gonzalez collection reflect the perspectives of the digital humanities, as well as the perspectives of open education for the application of workshops to researchers.

The general aim of this research was to investigate whether a relationship exists between the perceptions of job characteristics, job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) of e-tutors in a virtual work environment in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) university in South Africa. Considering the nature of the virtual work environment and the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), the design of e-tutors’ jobs does not encompass some of the core dimensions. This creates certain distinctive issues in terms of how e-tutors work, relate and communicate with their supervisors and co-workers. This has the potential to negatively affect their levels of JS and OC and increase their intention to leave the organisation. Accordingly, a quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of 279 (n = 279) e-tutors serving contracts at an ODL institution in South Africa. An exploratory factor analysis in the absence of good fit revealed a three-factor model for job characteristics, a two-factor model for JS, and a three-factor model for OC. Moreover, a correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between perceptions of job characteristics, JS, and OC. A bivariate-partial correlation revealed that the relationship between job characteristics and JS is stronger than the relationship between job characteristics and OC. Following these correlations, a regression analysis was done to test the influencing nature of job characteristics on JS and OC. Accordingly, the results revealed that 26% of the effect of JS on OC is mediated by job characteristics. Tests for statistically significant mean differences revealed no significant difference between male and female e-tutors, nor differences in terms of their job tenure. However, in terms of educational background, significant mean differences were found between e-tutors holding undergraduate degrees and those holding postgraduate degrees. In order to determine which colleges differ significantly, multiple comparison tests were done, but the results revealed no significant individual differences. These results are applicable to similar populations and may help to improve the work experiences of other virtual workers. In addition, it is envisioned that they may help to improve human resource management practices in virtual work environments. / Human Resource Management / M. Com. (Human Resource Management)

This research was aimed at the optimisation of the usability of content-rich computer and mobile based e-learning material. The goal was to preserve the advantages of paper based material in designing optimised modules that were mobile and computer-based, but at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of converting traditional paper based learning material for use on screen. A mobile eye tracker was used to analyse how students studied similar course content on paper, and on mobile device. Screen based eye tracking was also used to analyse how participants studied corresponding content on a desktop screen. Eye movements which were recorded by an eye tracker revealed the sequences of fixations and saccades on the text that was read by each participant. By analysing and comparing the eye gaze patterns of students reading the same content on three different delivery platforms, the differences between these platforms were identified in terms of their delivery of content rich, text based study material. The results showed that more students read online content on a computer screen than on mobile devices. The inferential analysis revealed that the differences in reading duration, comprehension, linearity and fixation count on the three platforms were insignificant. There were significant differences in saccade length. This analysis was used to identify strong aspects of the respective platforms and consequently derive guidelines for using these aspects optimally to design content rich material for delivery on computer screen and mobile device. The limitations of each platform were revealed and guidelines for avoiding these were derived / Computing / M. Sc. (Computing)