<p>South Africa had a change in government and in education after the 1994 elections. A new curriculum was introduced and some of the underlying critical outcomes were to develop the learners to become critical thinkers. The methodology by which to teach these outcomes was not clear. An intervention programme, Philosophy for Children (P4C) is used in some countries across the world to promote thinking. Research across the world has shown that this programme has the ability to enhance the cognitive abilities of learners exposed to it. Stories for Thinking (SFT) is an intervention programme based on the principles of Philosophy for Children and was introduced in some schools in an Education District of the Western Cape. This study investigates the perceptions of Intermediate Phase educators about the implementation of Stories for Thinking in this Education District. Educators were asked their strengths and challenges of the approach, their way of using it and the support they received. A qualitative research method was used and data were gathered to answer the research questions by means of questionnaires and interviews. Research findings indicate that educators perceived that Stories for Thinking was able to enhance the reading ability of the learners, it showed a significant improvement in their confidence levels, and a positive change in their general behaviour. Language was seen as a barrier to learning, but the evidence indicates that the community of inquiry can be used as a tool to overcome some of the barriers. It seems as if educators valued the support from the project leaders. It is concluded that this kind of intervention programme is worth introducing as long as all the role-players play their part and the setting is conducive.</p>

This design experiment research introduces a mathematical inquiry titled Pattern Math. The Pattern Math activities create an atmosphere where students can think mathematically, communicate mathematically and make connections between different mathematical concepts. Based on simple patterns with complex explanations, the Pattern Math activities provide students with the opportunity to develop their conceptual understanding of mathematics. Through reflections on the activities, students are able to reexamine their views of learning mathematics. This design experiment research has a narrative approach and incorporates the teaching and research technique of interactive writing. The research highlights the power of inquiry. By providing students with the opportunity to work within their zone of proximal development, the Pattern Math activities provide students with the opportunity to make mathematical discoveries and come to understand algebra and arithmetic with conceptual understanding.

Episodic memory is processed by the extended hippocampal system, and pathology or injury to individual components of this system can result in deficits in spatial learning and memory (Aggleton & Brown, 1999). Extensive research regarding spatial memory has been carried out on the anterior thalamic nuclei, a component of the extended hippocampal system, but the contribution of the laterodorsal thalamic nuclei, an adjacent structure with similar neural connections, is less clear. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of selective anterior thalamic nuclei lesions (AT) with selective laterodorsal thalamic nuclei lesions (LD) in a novel land-based spatial reference memory task. This assessed the use of proximal and distal visual cues on the propensity to use allocentric or egocentric navigation strategies to locate a specific place in space, as well as the temporal evolution of these navigation strategies. AT lesion impairments were observed in the acquisition trials in both proximal and distal cue conditions. LD lesion rats were unimpaired in the acquisition trials in both visual cue conditions. Across the probe trials, lesion effects were not observed when tested for general navigation, egocentric or allocentric strategies, and there was no clear improvement in performance over the four weeks of probe trials. However, performance was consistently poorer for all groups when proximal cues facilitated navigation compared to distal cues. Performance differences related to cue proximity may reflect the influence of motion parallax, the perceived displacement rate of visual cues. The absence of lesion effects across probes were thought to be due to the preferential use of cued navigation, which was reliant on a single salient beacon, and the lack of integration between cued and place navigation, which was reliant on the formation of a spatial representation.

In a series of work initiated by Nemirovsky and Yudin, and later extended by Nesterov, first-order algorithms for unconstrained minimization with optimal theoretical complexity bound have been proposed. On the other hand, conjugate gradient algorithms as one of the widely used first-order techniques suffer from the lack of a finite complexity bound. In fact their performance can possibly be quite poor. This dissertation is partially on tightening the gap between these two classes of algorithms, namely the traditional conjugate gradient methods and optimal first-order techniques. We derive conditions under which conjugate gradient methods attain the same complexity bound as in Nemirovsky-Yudin's and Nesterov's methods. Moreover, we propose a conjugate gradient-type algorithm named CGSO, for Conjugate Gradient with Subspace Optimization, achieving the optimal complexity bound with the payoff of a little extra computational cost. We extend the theory of CGSO to convex problems with linear constraints. In particular we focus on solving $l_1$-regularized least square problem, often referred to as Basis Pursuit Denoising (BPDN) problem in the optimization community. BPDN arises in many practical fields including sparse signal recovery, machine learning, and statistics. Solving BPDN is fairly challenging because the size of the involved signals can be quite large; therefore first order methods are of particular interest for these problems. We propose a quasi-Newton proximal method for solving BPDN. Our numerical results suggest that our technique is computationally effective, and can compete favourably with the other state-of-the-art solvers.

This design experiment research introduces a mathematical inquiry titled Pattern Math. The Pattern Math activities create an atmosphere where students can think mathematically, communicate mathematically and make connections between different mathematical concepts. Based on simple patterns with complex explanations, the Pattern Math activities provide students with the opportunity to develop their conceptual understanding of mathematics. Through reflections on the activities, students are able to reexamine their views of learning mathematics. This design experiment research has a narrative approach and incorporates the teaching and research technique of interactive writing. The research highlights the power of inquiry. By providing students with the opportunity to work within their zone of proximal development, the Pattern Math activities provide students with the opportunity to make mathematical discoveries and come to understand algebra and arithmetic with conceptual understanding.

In this thesis, we study the problem of buying or selling a given volume of a financial asset within a given time horizon to the best possible price, a problem formally known as optimized trade execution. Our approach is an empirical one. We use historical data to simulate the process of placing artificial orders in a market. This simulation enables us to model the problem as a Markov decision process (MDP). Given this MDP, we train and evaluate a set of reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms all with the objective to minimize the transaction cost on unseen test data. We train and evaluate these for various instruments and problem settings, such as different trading horizons. Our first model was developed with the goal to validate results achieved by Nevmyvaka, Feng and Kearns [9], and it is thus called NFK. We extended this model into what we call Dual NFK, in an attempt to regularize the model against external price movement. Furthermore, we implemented and evaluated a classical RL algorithm, namely Sarsa(λ) with a modified reward function. Lastly, we evaluated proximal policy optimization (PPO), an actor-critic RL algorithm incorporating neural networks in order to find the optimal policy. Along with these models, we implemented five simple baseline strategies with various characteristics. These baseline strategies have partly been found in the literature and partly been developed by us, and are used to the evaluate the performance of our models. We achieve results on par with those found by Nevmyvaka, Feng and Kearns [9], but only for a few cases. Furthermore, dual NFK performed very similar to NFK, indicating that one can train one model (for both the buy and sell case) instead of two for the optimized trade execution problem. We also found that Sarsa(λ) with a modified reward function performed better than both these models, but is still outperformed by baseline strategies for many problem settings. Finally, we evaluated PPO for one problem setting and found that it outperformed even the best of the baseline strategies and models, showing promise for deep reinforcement learning methods for the problem of optimized trade execution.

Este estudo configura-se como uma Investigação Qualitativa que se integra ao leque de pesquisas já desenvolvidas pelo NIEE (Núcleo de Informática na Educação Especial) da FACED (Faculdade de Educação) da UFRGS (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul). Seu referencial teórico busca concatenar informações a respeito da Deficiência Visual, Inclusão e Recursos para o acesso à informação por invisuais. Para esse último, são elencadas as principais Tecnologias Assistivas utilizadas atualmente. E, a partir da utilização das TA's para invisuais: Dosvox e Jaws, é que nos propomos a acompanhar o progresso dos sujeitos durante a apropriação das mesmas e de outros software abertos, focalizando a atuação do facilitador-professor (FP) durante as trajetórias individuais, e a responder à seguinte indagação: Quais modalidades de mediação evidenciam-se como fundamentais no processo de apropriação das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC's) por invisuais? Para dar conta disso, através de observação direta, foi feito estudo de casos acompanhando a trajetória de três deficientes visuais (dois com perda total de visão e um com visão subnormal) interagindo em ambientes digitais, com vistas à apropriação de TIC's, tendo presente o processo de desenvolvimento na ZDP. Essa dissertação, portanto, procurou considerar as singularidades de cada sujeito, respeitando seus anseios, necessidades, vontades, e sentimentos externados, no período de um ano. Para a análise dos dados coletados, elegemos como aporte pedagógico a Teoria Socio-Histórica e, principalmente, as contribuições de Gallimore, Tharp e Santarosa. Após análise, observamos que, em momentos iniciais de apropriação das ferramentas, a utilização de modalidades fundamentais recaíram na Informação, Demonstração e Feedback Intensos e, que, gradativamente essas deram espaço a modalidades de Questionamentos, Feedbacks e Estratégias Cognitivas de formas mais moderadas e suaves, denotando maior autonomia dos sujeitos.

Health differs among people and education about health is of value to maintain and develop health. In a developing country as Fiji may the definition of health be of different holistic character, compared to industrial countries. It is important to clarify that no view of health is more right or wrong, but has been adapted to the existing conditions and culture within the arena. Knowledge about how to teach about health in a developing country is needed, where health is not as prioritized as other factors, for example to have an income. The aim of this study is to identify health as a concept and identify what strategies that are being used by the teachers to implement health education in Fiji. The research questions were used as contribution to the study’s aim to help the researchers understand how the participants of the study define health as a concept and investigate how pedagogical strategies are being used and what challenges they experience with their teaching. The study has an ethnographic approach with interviews and observations, which are methods used in a qualitative research. The results show there is lots of knowledge about certain themes within health among the teachers, but limited knowledge about health from a holistic perspective. The main conclusion regarding the study’s aim is that there are limited knowledge on how to conduct health education at the two participating schools in Fiji. The definition of health among the interviewed teachers were equivalent and with limited understanding of the concept.

Este estudo configura-se como uma Investigação Qualitativa que se integra ao leque de pesquisas já desenvolvidas pelo NIEE (Núcleo de Informática na Educação Especial) da FACED (Faculdade de Educação) da UFRGS (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul). Seu referencial teórico busca concatenar informações a respeito da Deficiência Visual, Inclusão e Recursos para o acesso à informação por invisuais. Para esse último, são elencadas as principais Tecnologias Assistivas utilizadas atualmente. E, a partir da utilização das TA's para invisuais: Dosvox e Jaws, é que nos propomos a acompanhar o progresso dos sujeitos durante a apropriação das mesmas e de outros software abertos, focalizando a atuação do facilitador-professor (FP) durante as trajetórias individuais, e a responder à seguinte indagação: Quais modalidades de mediação evidenciam-se como fundamentais no processo de apropriação das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC's) por invisuais? Para dar conta disso, através de observação direta, foi feito estudo de casos acompanhando a trajetória de três deficientes visuais (dois com perda total de visão e um com visão subnormal) interagindo em ambientes digitais, com vistas à apropriação de TIC's, tendo presente o processo de desenvolvimento na ZDP. Essa dissertação, portanto, procurou considerar as singularidades de cada sujeito, respeitando seus anseios, necessidades, vontades, e sentimentos externados, no período de um ano. Para a análise dos dados coletados, elegemos como aporte pedagógico a Teoria Socio-Histórica e, principalmente, as contribuições de Gallimore, Tharp e Santarosa. Após análise, observamos que, em momentos iniciais de apropriação das ferramentas, a utilização de modalidades fundamentais recaíram na Informação, Demonstração e Feedback Intensos e, que, gradativamente essas deram espaço a modalidades de Questionamentos, Feedbacks e Estratégias Cognitivas de formas mais moderadas e suaves, denotando maior autonomia dos sujeitos.

abstract: The Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) is a summer research program for undergraduate students, largely from underrepresented minority groups. Founded in 1996, it serves as a 'life-long' mentorship program, providing continuous support for its students and alumni. This study investigates how MTBI supports student development in applied mathematical research. This includes identifying of motivational factors to pursue and develop capacity to complete higher education. The theoretical lens of developmental psychologists Lev Vygotsky (1978, 1987) and Lois Holzman (2010) that sees learning and development as a social process is used. From this view student development in MTBI is attributed to the collaborative and creative way students co-create the process of becoming scientists. This results in building a continuing network of academic and professional relationships among peers and mentors, in which around three quarters of MTBI PhD graduates come from underrepresented groups. The extent to which MTBI creates a Vygotskian learning environment is explored from the perspectives of participants who earned doctoral degrees. Previously hypothesized factors (Castillo-Garsow, Castillo-Chavez and Woodley, 2013) that affect participants’ educational and professional development are expanded on. Factors identified by participants are a passion for the mathematical sciences; desire to grow; enriching collaborative and peer-like interactions; and discovering career options. The self-recognition that they had the ability to be successful, key element of the Vygotskian-Holzman theoretical framework, was a commonly identified theme for their educational development and professional growth. Participants characterize the collaborative and creative aspects of MTBI. They reported that collaborative dynamics with peers were strengthened as they co-created a learning environment that facilitated and accelerated their understanding of the mathematics needed to address their research. The dynamics of collaboration allowed them to complete complex homework assignments, and helped them formulate and complete their projects. Participants identified the creative environments of their research projects as where creativity emerged in the dynamics of the program. These data-driven findings characterize for the first time a summer program in the mathematical sciences as a Vygotskian-Holzman environment, that is, a `place’ where participants are seen as capable applied mathematicians, where the dynamics of collaboration and creativity are fundamental components. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Applied Mathematics for the Life and Social Sciences 2015