Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This study investigated the strategies employed by adjunct writing teachers in their attempts to reconcile changes in writing program policy with their existing pedagogies. The methods of investigation combined class observation with extensive interviews with three Ball State University adjunct faculty members to identify the means by which these writing instructors brought new pedagogical goals in their classrooms. It also sought to identify the mechanisms each teacher used to integrate computer-oriented teaching styles into his or her course planning. The purpose of this study was to identify means by which a writing program administration could better introduce change to its teachers of first year composition courses, who are largely adjunct staff.The results of this study showed that while each faculty member felt committed to using technology in his or her teaching, each confronted change differently. Studies in faculty vitality were examined to identify development strategies which could effectively address the differences in faculty change. This study recommends, based on the strategies of each participant, that writing programs seek more kairic models of development. These models would seek to foster continuous discussion of change in order that fitting incentives for development could arise in "the proper time," or kairically, for individual teachers. / Department of English

This aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which writing skills offered in the one-year intensive English course and in the 75 hour course of Speaking and Writing Skills, prepare students for academic writing in the subjects which are offered through the medium of English. The study focused on first year Economics and Management.

One of the standard roles of educational psychologists is to conduct assessment and communicate the outputs in a form of psychoeducational reports, to suggest a guide for appropriate prevention and intervention work with children and adolescents with a variety of special educational needs to their parents, teachers and other professionals. However, the outcome of the examination is often not presented sufficiently, on an adequate level, to become a useful source of information for further work of educators, for reasonable accommodations and support. The presented diploma thesis aims to contribute on the basis of theoretical background and a presented qualitative research to extend a general theoretical framework on real usability of psychoeducational reports, implemented by school psychologists and the possibilities of optimizing the form and content of these reports. Specifically, the point is to improve the efficacy and usefulness of the report and make it optimally usable for the teacher or educational advisor when designing and implementing an individualized training plan for the pupil with special educational needs in an inclusive school-based setting. The thesis tries to map the usefulness of different kinds of psychological reports. Data collection was conducted via interviews. The target group...

La caméra portative est de plus en plus convoitée en tant que solution pour améliorer les pratiques policières. Dans cette optique, ce projet propose de contribuer au développement des connaissances sur l’impact du visionnement de vidéos de caméras portatives sur la rédaction de rapport, puisqu’il existe actuellement peu d’études et de directives claires sur les politiques qui décrivent les meilleures pratiques de rédaction de rapport. Cette étude vise donc à étendre les résultats de recherches sur les caméras portatives sur la qualité des rapports policiers. Trois objectifs spécifiques sont visés : 1) évaluer l’impact du visionnement prérapport sur la qualité des rapports policiers, et plus particulièrement en évaluant la qualité globale, la précision et l’exhaustivité des rapports ; 2) évaluer l’impact de la rédaction de rapport en deux temps, notamment en ce qui concerne la précision et le type de modifications apportées aux rapports complémentaire ; 3) analyser l’impact que peuvent avoir le sexe, le rôle dans l’intervention et l’expérience sur la qualité des rapports policiers, indépendamment des conditions expérimentales. 361 participants ont donc participé à des simulations d’interventions policières à l’École nationale de police du Québec. Le scénario d’intervention policière impliquait des acteurs et nécessitait l’utilisation de force mortelle par arme à feu afin de conclure l’intervention. Par la suite, les rapports policiers des participants ont été évalués selon quatre conditions expérimentales liées aux caméras portatives (1 — sans caméra, 2 — caméra sans visionnement, 3 — caméra avec visionnement, 4 — rédactions en deux temps). Les résultats soutiennent que le fait de porter une caméra corporelle améliore légèrement la qualité de rapports policiers. De plus, le visionnement prérapport est le meilleur prédicteur de la précision des rapports policiers, car il diminue la présence d’erreurs factuelles, en plus d’avoir un faible impact sur l’exhaustivité des détails. La rédaction de rapport en deux étapes obtient les meilleurs résultats pour la précision des rapports en plus d’améliorer l’exhaustivité, tout en respectant le principe d’objectivité des rapports selon la perception des policiers. Finalement, l’expérience en tant que policier est un prédicteur important de la qualité d’un rapport. / Body-worn cameras are coveted as a solution to improve police practices. Thereby, this project proposes to contribute to the development of knowledge on the impact of of viewing body-worn cameras footage on police report writing, since there are currently few studies and a lack of clear guidelines on policies for best practices in report writing. This study therefore aims to extend the research results of body-worn cameras on the quality of police reports. Three specific objectives are targeted: 1) to examine the effect that viewing body-worn cameras footage has on the quality of police reports, and more specifically by evaluating the overall quality, accuracy and the number of details of reports; 2) to assess the implication of the two-step writing process, particularly in regard to the accuracy and the type of modifications revised in complementary reports; 3) to analyze the impact that gender, role in the intervention and experience can have on the quality of police reports, regardless of experimental conditions. 361 participants took part in simulations of police interventions at the École nationale de police du Québec. The police intervention scenario involved actors and required the use of lethal force by firearm in order to conclude the intervention. Afterwards, the police reports of the participants were evaluated according to four experimental conditions related to body-worn cameras (1- without camera, 2- camera without viewing, 3- camera with viewing, 4- two-step writing). The results support that wearing a body- worn camera slightly improves the quality of police reports. In addition, pre-report viewing is the best predictor of the accuracy of police reports, because it reduces the presence of factual errors, in addition to having a small impact on the number of details. The two-step report writing obtains the best results for the precision of the reports and for improving the exhaustivity, while respecting the principle of objectivity of the reports according to the perception of the police officers. Finally, experience as a police officer is an important predictor of the quality of a report.

The research aimed to assess the feasibility of using podcasts in mobile devices to teach research proposal writing for masters’ students of University of South Africa. To aid in this, a general objective was developed which was supported by specific research objectives that guided the study. The research looked at the evolution of open distance learning (ODL) including the use of M-learning. I reviewed literature on the history of podcasts as an entertainment tool being highlighted as a revolution in the academic world especially in the area of distance learning. To create a foundation to give strength to the use of podcasts, theories of education were evaluated and criticised to give reason and foundation for the use of podcasts as a technology to support teaching and learning in ODL. All major aspects of learning were traversed in the theoretical aspect. This is in a bid to assess the ability of the use of podcasts to meet the needs of the learners. A methodology for conducting the research that included the deployment of a pilot project for the research proposal writing module in year 2011-2012 class was developed and justified accordingly. The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods was necessitated by the objectives of the research. This was implemented at data collection and analysis stages of the research. The analysis was fruitful and successful for that matter, giving reasonable backing to the proposal by the researcher of adopting the use of podcasts using mobile devices. The analysis deemed the pilot project successful for the period within which it was operated. Hurdles or challenges were present and the study gives them as majorly, the lack of sufficient skills to handle the content of the website, that is, generally, the use of the technology. Also, the study pinpoints that the availability of mobile devices is also a challenge that the students will face. Recommendations were derived from the challenges and include a framework that should be used in creating a podcast support system that will be based on the findings to create a successful project. Regarding the objectives of the study, the conclusion that indeed it is feasible to use podcasts to teach research proposal writing in Unisa is valid. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

The research aimed to assess the feasibility of using podcasts in mobile devices to teach research proposal writing for masters’ students of University of South Africa. To aid in this, a general objective was developed which was supported by specific research objectives that guided the study. The research looked at the evolution of open distance learning (ODL) including the use of M-learning. I reviewed literature on the history of podcasts as an entertainment tool being highlighted as a revolution in the academic world especially in the area of distance learning. To create a foundation to give strength to the use of podcasts, theories of education were evaluated and criticised to give reason and foundation for the use of podcasts as a technology to support teaching and learning in ODL. All major aspects of learning were traversed in the theoretical aspect. This is in a bid to assess the ability of the use of podcasts to meet the needs of the learners. A methodology for conducting the research that included the deployment of a pilot project for the research proposal writing module in year 2011-2012 class was developed and justified accordingly. The use of both qualitative and quantitative methods was necessitated by the objectives of the research. This was implemented at data collection and analysis stages of the research. The analysis was fruitful and successful for that matter, giving reasonable backing to the proposal by the researcher of adopting the use of podcasts using mobile devices. The analysis deemed the pilot project successful for the period within which it was operated. Hurdles or challenges were present and the study gives them as majorly, the lack of sufficient skills to handle the content of the website, that is, generally, the use of the technology. Also, the study pinpoints that the availability of mobile devices is also a challenge that the students will face. Recommendations were derived from the challenges and include a framework that should be used in creating a podcast support system that will be based on the findings to create a successful project. Regarding the objectives of the study, the conclusion that indeed it is feasible to use podcasts to teach research proposal writing in Unisa is valid. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Traditionally, K-5 students' writing has had a primarily academic aim-to help students master concepts and express themselves. Even if students take a professional writing course later, they typically do not have the opportunity to practice-over the long period of time mastery requires-the non-academic writing skills they will be required to use as part of their jobs and in their civic life. Based on a limited K-5 study, Texas' McKinney Independent School District is doing a good job of preparing students at the elementary-school level in the areas of collaboration and presentation. A fair job of helping elementary-school students understand the communication situation, define audience, clarify purpose, gather and evaluate resources, and test usability. [And] a poor job of helping elementary-school students with analysis and organization. With their teachers' help, K-5 students eventually grasp the communication situation and can broadly identify their audience and purpose, but they do not appear to select words, format, communication style, or design based on that audience and purpose. Their writer-based focus affects their presentations as well, although they do present frequently. If teachers routinely incorporated audience and purpose considerations into every aspect of communication assignments (format, communication style, design), students would be better prepared for non-academic communication. Texas pre-service teachers practice the types of documents they will write on the job but do not receive training in design or style. Likewise, they practice researching, collaborating, and presenting but receive little training in those skills. If Texas K-5 teachers are to supplement the curriculum with professional writing principles, as trends suggest they should, education programs need to focus on these principles in their pre-service teacher curriculum. Professional writing principles need to become part of ingrained writing patterns because these are the skills that will best serve students after they graduate, both in their careers and civic lives. Understanding how to tailor communication for audience and purpose; how to effectively collaborate; how to select, evaluate, analyze, and organize information efficiently and productively; and how to format presentations effectively requires practice over a long period of time.

This study focused on creating an Integrated Expository Writing model to improve fifth and sixth grade students' abilities to write well constructed expository essays. It was developed through researching Step Up to Writing, the Six-Traits, interactive writing, play / realia, paired / shared writing, and writers' workshop.

This thesis examines writing centers and offers suggestions for tutor training that might help realize the ideal of the writing center as a Burkean parlor, a place where collaboration via continuous meetings and conversations between tutors and participants take place. Conflict can surface because of different cultural backgrounds and world views, particularly in terms of gender issues.