Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes abstract in English and Afrikaans. Incldues bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Feb. 17, 2009). PDF text: xiii, 179 p. : ill. ; 391 Kb. UMI publication number: AAT 3326860. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Orientador: Ucy Soto / Banca: Nelson Viana / Banca: Monica F. M. O'kuinghttons / Banca: Anise D'Orange Ferreira / Banca: Maria Cristina R. G. Evangelista / Resumo: Esta investigação focaliza a formação inicial de professores de língua estrangeira (alemão e inglês) e lança luzes sobre seus estágios obrigatórios do quarto ano, considerando a possibilidade que os fóruns online de um ambiente virtual oferecem para a manifestação do pensamento crítico dos futuros professores. Inicialmente, buscamos entender de que forma o uso de fóruns pode favorecer esse processo. Em seguida, focalizamos mais especificamente a manifestação do pensamento crítico no trabalho com essa ferramenta. Com esse intento, analisamos mais atentamente os temas abordados e desenvolvidos em tópicos de três fóruns com base em conceitos distintos de pensamento crítico e no modelo de investigação crítica de Garrison, Anderson e Archer (2000; 2001). Para uma melhor compreensão das fases nos tópicos do modelo, identificamos também alguns marcadores discursivos característicos de cada uma delas, com base nos pressupostos da Linguística Sistêmico Funcional, (HALLIDAY, 1994) e nos tipos de movimentos conversacionais (moves) propostos por Eggins e Slade (1997). A partir dos subsídios teóricos selecionados e de nossas análises, foi possível concluir que o fórum online pode ser considerado uma importante ferramenta para a manifestação do pensamento crítico de professores e para uma formação críticoreflexiva, em um contexto marcado por especificidades da sociedade de informação / Abstract: This research focuses on the initial training of foreign languages teachers (German and English) and it sheds light over the required internships in the fourth year, considering that online forums provide a virtual environment for developing critical thinking of future teachers. Initially, we sought to understand how using forums can support this process. Afterwards we focus more specifically on the development of critical thinking resulted from working with this tool. With this intent, we look more closely at themes treated and developed in topics of three online forums based on different concepts of critical thinking and on the practical model inquiry of Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000; 2001). For a better understanding of the phases in the topics, we have also identified some characteristic discourse elements of each of them, based on the assumptions of systemic functional linguistics (Halliday, 1994) and on the conversational moves types proposed by Eggins and Slade (1997). From the selected theoretical basis and our analysis, we concluded that the online forum can be considered an important tool for developing teachers' critical thinking and for a critical-reflexive education in a context marked by information society specificities / Doutor

A series of abstract thinking and reasoning tasks was administered to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and a sample of nondemented older adults matched on age, education, and gender variables. The performance of the AD patients was inferior to control subjects on all verbal and nonverbal reasoning tests, including a newly developed test of analogical reasoning, the Goranson Analogy Test (GAT). Preliminary psychometric analyses of the GAT revealed very high internal consistency, good convergent and divergent validity, and adequate predictive validity. Further analyses revealed that reasoning with pictures was just as easy as reasoning with words for AD patients, indicating that modality of presentation has little effect on reasoning performance. Error analyses revealed no qualitative differences in performance between AD patients and nondemented controls. Taken together, the findings suggest that abstract thinking and reasoning abilities decline with the onset of Alzheimer's dementia. A neurocognitive model of analogical reasoning is proposed to account for the study findings. / Graduate

The study reported in this dissertation investigated the relationships between thinking style, participation in classroom dialogue and learning outcomes. Classroom dialogue is a commonly used method for teaching and learning, and ways/strategies of taking advantage of classroom dialogue to optimise learning need to be specified. The study addresses this issue. Talking has traditionally been viewed as the main way of participation in classroom dialogue, and there is evidence for its learning benefit. However, silent participants have largely been overlooked and little is known about the function of listening with regard to learning. There is arguably a need to investigate the effects of both talking and listening on learning outcome. At an individual level, talking and listening do not serve all students equally well and individual characteristics should be considered when studying how students benefit from diverse participation behaviours. Thinking style, one aspect of individuality, is rarely related to participation in classroom dialogue nor has the corresponding learning outcomes been investigated previously: this will be addressed in the study. The study focuses particularly on high school students in mainland China, a group of people about whom there is relatively little material. A mixed-method research design was adopted, with the quantitative approach dominating. The Thinking Style Inventory - Revised II (Sternberg, Wagner & Zhang, 2007) was used to measure thinking styles. Talking and listening were considered as two forms of participation in classroom dialogue, with systematic observation being employed to collect data on talk and a newly designed questionnaire used to measure listening. Learning outcomes were illustrated through academic achievement and cognitive ability, with the former being measured by final-examination scores and the latter by the Sternberg Triarchic Ability Test (Sternberg, 1993). A series of statistical analyses were conducted and the results can be summarized as follows. Both talking and listening in classroom dialogue were found to be likely to facilitate academic achievement. Thinking style was significantly associated with participation in classroom dialogue. No relationship was found between thinking style and learning outcomes. Students’ thinking styles affected how they benefited from talking and listening, especially in mathematics. This study provides new perspectives on making use of classroom dialogue at both classroom and individual levels.

This thesis is aimed on the improvement of the spatial thinking with the use of a computer programme SketchUp. In the theoretical part I focus on a brief characteristic of the programme SketchUp, definitions of the spatial thinking, its development, use, appearance in RVP ZV and in the textbooks for primary school and its improvement. Main parts of the thesis are several exercises, which I created, and their purpose is to improve the spatial thinking. All of the exercises are realized in the programme SketchUp. The thesis contains methodological comments, aims and solutions of the particular exercises.

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of having students reflect upon their experiences of learning and use of critical thinking in their first year of study at University. Specifically, it responds to the debate on whether teaching a general course on critical thinking skills constitutes a 'syntax or semantic' for the students. McPeck (1990) initiated this debate, claiming that teaching general courses on critical thinking skills do not improve students' processes of reasoning. He believes that such courses are not meaningful to students and their learning, stating that the thinking skills the students require, must instead be derived directly from the subjects that they are studying. Educators such as Paul (1991; Siegel 1990) disagree with McPeck and argue that these courses improve students' reasoning processes at University level. In responding to this debate, I designed an introductory critical thinking skills course entitled the <em>Process of Learning</em>. This course was implemented with first year students enrolled on a design and media management course at a University in the United Kingdom. This case study was evaluated using an action research methodology. The findings of this research are discussed within the framework of student learning theory and the learning environment. The data includes student and staff interviews conducted over 18 months, triangulated findings from the course sessions and analysis of related assignments. This research found that students can benefit from first year introductory critical thinking courses in several ways. Students become sensitised or aware of the critical thinking skills that they use in first year. The subsequent application of these skills can lead to improvement in learning quality outcomes in subsequent studies. Students with a higher level of competency discuss these thinking skills more coherently and recognise their personal responsibility in learning. Students achieve insights into their own personal perception of learning and begin to assess objectively the implications of what they have learnt from this. Wide ranging feedback from students discussing critical thinking skills and learning activities can provide a medium for staff committed to improving both pedagogy and the curriculum. Better understanding of critical thinking skills can improve the students' confidence in learning. Further insights are presented in this research that help us to further understand the nature of `confidence' in learning. Students identified a number of difficulties with the <em>Process of Learning</em>. This would appear initially to support McPeck's belief that such courses arc not helpful to students in the first year of study. However, four key findings are presented in this thesis which explain why these difficulties arose. Consequently, this research supports educators who advocate the teaching of general critical thinking skills courses in higher education, due to the benefits for students and staff. It concludes that the 'syntax versus semantic' dichotomy is an oversimplification of the debate and explains why this is so. Finally, suggestions are made for future research directed at integrating critical thinking skills courses across the degree level at University.

Attentional bias is commonly associated with emotional disorders. However, potential transdiagnostic mediators of attentional bias, such as repetitive negative thinking (RNT) have been overlooked. The current study examined attentional biases associated with three forms of RNT and tested a proposed mediation model. Participants (N = 249) completed self-report measures, a repetitive thought induction, and an emotional face dot-probe measure of attentional bias. I hypothesized that RNT would be associated with attentional bias to angry, sad, and disgust faces, worry with angry faces, and rumination with sad faces after a negative thought induction. I also hypothesized that attentional bias scores would mediate the association between negative affect and RNT. Overall study hypotheses were not supported. Clinical worry was associated with slower reaction times to sad faces in the negative induction. RNT, worry, and rumination were not associated with attentional bias scores to emotional faces, and the mediation model was not supported.

This study weighs the importance of assessment in the K-8 classroom against the preparation of teachers to create and administer assessments that are effective and meaningful. Despite the enormous pressure teachers are put under to assess and evaluate, Teacher Education Programs (TEP) are remiss in providing students with the necessary skills for this task. Teachers feel that their training has been deficient and rely on pot-job placement Professional Development (PD) to acquire a degree of proficiency. Survey questions and assessment samples were analyzed in order to gain a frame of reference on teacher attitudes toward assessment and the quality of assessment products. Higher order thinking (HOT) was an important factor in examining the samples. Analyzation was also done by experts in the field and these supported the work of the researcher. The results of the study show that there is insufficient training in assessment during TEP. Data from assessment sample analysis prove that, to a large degree, teachers are not able to identify or construct HOT. Assessment has taken a major place in our schools. If it is to remain such an important piece in the mosaic of both effective teaching and successful learning, TEPs must adapt their curriculum to ensure assessment mastery in their students.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Technology teachers’ knowledge in promoting learners’ higher order thinking skills. This aim was addressed by conducting the relevant literature survey and an empirical investigation. Four schools were selected in the Johannesburg West District. Here, twelve Grade 7 Technology teachers, three from each school, were interviewed and observations conducted. The data was analysed and findings presented ultimately. The findings reveal that Technology teachers who possess a greater depth of technological content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and assessment knowledge are more effective in as far as promoting learners’ higher order thinking. On the other hand, Technology teachers who possess a shallow technological content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and assessment knowledge struggle to promote learners’ higher order thinking. The main conclusions drawn from this study are that Technology teachers’ knowledge can play a role in learners’ acquisition of higher order thinking skills. Therefore, Technology teachers should acquire a sound technological knowledge in order to be able to promote learners’ acquisition of higher order thinking skills. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Technology -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- Case studies / Critical thinking -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- Case studies