Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of English, 2004. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-104).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 126-130).

The state of writing abilities throughout the United States presents an urgent issue. Low student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) exams and standardized English assessments persist (National Center for Education Statistics, 2012), while businesses spend billions of dollars on remedial writing instruction (Dillon, 2008). Technology is increasingly cited as a potential solution to these issues. Evidence for this is limited, as is existing research into the basis of the issues that technology might address. On account of that context, this thesis turns to a basic distinction between digital and non-digital writing: the writing surface and implement, or pen and paper - screen and keyboard. Conceptualizing such artefacts through a view of writing as a way of thinking raises the following question, which is this study's guiding inquiry. Might we use digital implements and surfaces to support the ways of thinking involved in composing written works of semantic cohesion? Building on research into writing as thinking, the study presented in this document analyses how uses of writing surfaces and implements relate to ways of thinking while writing, and which contextual factors influence those relationships. Drawing on a neuro-anthropological approach, the study focuses on the writer's mind as the driver and source of the lived experience of writing. Expert writers, therefore, are considered to be those who exhibit the ways of thinking while writing to which other writers aspire. To examine a range of uses of writing surfaces and implements with reference to expert writers' ways of thinking, the study was conducted in two parts. Part 1involved a content analysis of published interviews with professional writers. This generated a framework through which to conduct in-depth qualitative research with college student writers - part 2. This thesis is as much about thinking while writing as it is about the different tools available for writing. As such, the study refutes the hyperbolic and deterministic claims about technology and writing, and finds that technology is not leading to new ways of thinking while writing. Instead, surfaces and implements available allow writers to change how they practise their ways of thinking while writing. By considering this distinction and developing understandings of the dynamics involved and their implications, writers may begin to realize the potential of technology for writing. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to existing theories on writing through an informed discussion of how to think about implements and surfaces in ways that support writerly thinking, and by offering fresh ways to think about the lived practice of writing.

The problem was to develop a model of thought within the basic structure provided by general or "point-set" topology. To do this, it was necessary to make four basic assumptions. It was assumed that each individual possesses more than the classical five senses and that for each of these there exists a category of sensory data. Also, it was assumed that the Cartesian product of these categories formed a set M of thought elements for each individual, and that certain subsets of M provide support for cogitation. The relation, function, continuous function, and homeomorphism, which are used to relate sets in topology, are discussed as a possible ramification of the model for communication. The global properties of the homeomorphism and continuous function present each as a viable support for strong and meaningful communication between thought spaces of individuals.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Radiography in the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, 2008 / Introduction Research to date has not been able to agree whether spatial abilities can be developed by practice. According to some researchers spatial ability is an inherited cognitive ability, compared to spatial skills that are task specific and can be acquired through formal training. It is commonly assumed that radiographers require general cognitive spatial abilities to interpret complex radiographic images. This research was conducted to investigate second year radiography students’ three-dimensional thinking skills pertaining to film-viewing assessments. Materials and methods The experimental research strategy was mainly applied together with correlation research. Two trials were run (in 2005 and 2006). The sample group consisted of fifteen second year diagnostic radiography students in 2005 and twenty-three second year diagnostic radiography students, of the same institution, in 2006. Each year group was randomly divided into a control group and an intervention group. Two instruments were used, that is a film-viewing assessment and a three-dimensional test, Academic Aptitude Test (University) (AAT) nr. nine: Spatial Perception (3-D). The whole class completed this basic spatial aptitude test, as well as a base-line film viewing assessment, which focused on the evaluation of technique/anatomy of second year specialised radiographic projections. The marks that the students achieved in the fore-mentioned tests were compared, to determine if there was any correlation between their performances in the different tests. A curricular intervention, which was intended to improve applied three-dimensional skills, was subsequently applied. The students executed certain modified radiographic projections on parts of a human skeleton. For each radiographic projection, the students had to draw the relation of the X-ray beam to the specific anatomical structures, as well as the relation of these structures to the film. The related images of these projections were also drawn. With each of the following sessions, films including images of the previous session were discussed with each student. After the intervention, the whole class wrote a second film-viewing assessment. The marks achieved in this assessment were compared to the marks of the initial film-viewing assessment to determine the influence of the intervention on the performance of the intervention group. Following this assessment, for ethical reasons, the same intervention took place with the control group. A third film-viewing assessment was then written by all the diagnostic second year students to evaluate the overall impact of the intervention on the applied three-dimensional skills of the class. The marks of both the 2005 and 2006 classes (intervention classes) were compared to the marks achieved by former classes from 2000 to 2004 (control classes), in film-viewing assessments to evaluate the role of the curricular intervention over the years. The students again completed the three-dimensional test, Spatial Perception (3-D) to evaluate the impact of the intervention on students’ general three-dimensional cognitive abilities. These marks were also compared to the marks of the third filmviewing assessment, to determine if there was any correlation between the students’ performances in the different tests. Results The intervention groups did not perform significantly better in film-viewing assessments after the intervention, compared to the control groups, but reasonable differences, favouring the intervention group, were achieved. Statistical significance was achieved in film-viewing assessments with both year groups after the whole class had the intervention. The intervention year groups also performed significantly better than the previous year groups (without the intervention) in film-viewing assessments. The performance in general three-dimensional cognitive abilities of the group of 2006 improved significantly after the intervention, but on the contrary, the performance of the group of 2005 declined. There was a small intervention effect on the performance of the group of 2006. Only a weak to moderate correlation between the marks of the students achieved in the three-dimensional tests and the marks achieved in the film-viewing assessments, was found. Conclusion The contrasting evidence between the data of the two groups (2005 and 2006) in the three-dimensional tests and the small intervention effect on the performance of the group of 2006, makes the intervention not applicable for the increase of general spatial abilities. The results of this research show that the applied three-dimensional skills of radiography students in interpreting specialised and modified projections can be improved by intensive practice, independent of their inherited spatial abilities.

Thesis (MEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Current insights into the South African education crisis suggest that emphasis needs to be placed on developing teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKfT) through ongoing professional development. Aiming to provide insight into teacher professional development, this research describes an initiative undertaken by a group of Mathematics teachers who formed a Community of Practice at their school. Through the implementation of Habits of Mind that promotes Relational Understanding, these teachers attempt to improve the teaching and learning of Mathematics at their school, and further their professional development. A qualitative phenomenological design of inquiry was conducted to describe the teachers’ experiences when implementing Habits of Mind in their teaching. Group interviews, individual interviews and documentary sources were used to gain a rich description of the lived experiences of these teachers during the research period. To analyse the data a combination of Giorgi’s phenomenological model and the interconnected model of professional growth was used. Results indicate three insights into teacher professional development: (1) Communities of Practice promote the sharing and development of MKfT though the mechanism of collaboration; (2) Teachers are challenged when implementing intervention strategies as firstly their learners are challenged in their literacy ability which limits their articulation in Mathematics lessons, and secondly they are faced with time constraints imposed by workload demands; (3) The attempt to implement intervention strategies within a Community of Practice, despite being challenging, encourages reflective practice which informs individuals’ professional practice and supports ongoing professional development.

O presente estudo tem por escopo tratar da questão do pensamento (e sua ausência) e da obediência, sob a perspectiva ética em Hannah Arendt, buscando entrelaçar tais conceitos. Assim, ao debruçar-se sob a análise feita por Arendt, especialmente após o julgamento de Eichmann em Jerusalém, destaca-se a importância do pensamento no campo da ética. Identifica-se, nesse sentido, uma responsabilidade do homem de agir e não meramente comportar-se como uma peça de engrenagem, obedecendo cegamente às regras postas, sendo apenas mais um corpo da sociedade de massa. Tais observações são extremamente relevantes no contexto atual, especificamente no que diz respeito ao serviço público no Brasil, que impõe um comportamento padronizado de seus servidores, limitando a atividade espiritual de pensar do homem. / The present study aims to address the question of think (and its absence) and obedience, from the ethical perspective of Hannah Arendt, seeking to interweave such concepts. Thus, under Arendt's analysis, especially after Eichmann's trial in Jerusalem, the importance of thinking in the field of ethics is emphasized. In this sense, man's responsibility to act is identified and not merely to behave as a piece of gear, obeying blindly to the rules, being just another body of mass society. Such observations are extremely relevant in the current context, specifically with regard to the public service in Brazil, which imposes a standardized behavior of its servants, limiting the spiritual activity of man's thinking.

Doctor Educationis / The Basic Concepts Mediated Learning Programme (BCMLP) was developed to enhance the cognitive and scholastic functioning of learners who experience barriers to learning in the early years of schooling in the South African context. The study aimed to initiate a process of evaluation of the efficacy of this metacognitive programme with Grade 2 learners from the ‘Cape Flats’, an historically disadvantaged community in Cape Town. The study was conducted simultaneously in two local education authorities by independent teams of fieldworkers in each of the education authorities. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent comparison group design study was implemented with learners who were equally assigned to an Experimental group (N=54) or Comparison group (N=55). English home-language and Bilingual (English and Afrikaans) learners made up a majority of the study sample. The study was conducted in English. Extensive pre-test and post-test batteries consisting of cognitive (information-processing), cognitive modifiability (dynamic assessment), and scholastic tests were used to collect data. A number of structured interview schedules including post-intervention teacher rating scales were also used for the purpose of data gathering. The results from the parametric and non-parametric methods of data analysis selected, revealed a pattern of significant pre- to post-study cognitive and scholastic gains in scores for learners in both the Experimental and Comparison groups (p<0.05). In addition, it was found that the study participants, irrespective of their designation to the Experimental or Comparison group became more modifiable and demonstrated enhanced information-processing abilities at the end of the study. Significantly greater gains were, however, attained by learners in the Experimental group in a majority of the areas assessed (7 out of 12) (p<0.05). Learners in the Experimental group were also found to be more responsive to instruction and modifiable than learners in the Comparison group. Learners who participated in the BCMLP were found to benefit with respect to their knowledge of basic concepts, cognitive and scholastic functioning. However, it was not possible to infer from the current study that findings were attributable to any one specific procedure (mediational teaching, concept teaching, vocabulary teaching and teaching to enhance information-processing) or process (Basic Concept Teaching Model) of this metacognitive programme. Furthermore, the study had a number of limitations and findings should be regarded with some caution until replication studies can be completed and the long-term effects of the study can be evaluated. The study provides some evidence for the efficacy of short-term, small group intervention programmes implemented by Learning Support Teachers within disadvantaged communities. The study also provides some initial evidence for the efficacy of the BCMLP (a specially designed metacognitive programme). The BCMLP was found to be both appropriate and manageable for Learning Support Teachers to implement in the South African context / South Africa

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / This study explored the effects of a teacher development programme based on Philosophy for Children. One of the challenges facing education in South Africa is that the school curriculum has to promote the development of values, such as respect for life, equality, protection of freedom and the right to an opinion, through creative and critical thinking. The theorists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky inform our understanding of cognitive development with the important notions of active involvement, mediated learning and the development of thinking skills. Many programmes have been developed to assist learners in this regard. One such programme is Philosophy for Children. This study located Philosophy for Children and the locally developed material, Stories for thinking, in Vygotskian theory and explored its application within a South African context. / South Africa

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document. / Dissertation (MA (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted