Past research has shown classroom lessons incorporating physical activity (10-15 minutes in duration) to improve on-task behavior in children (Mahar, 2006; Grieco, Bartholomew & Jowers, 2009). However, no study to date has examined the levels of physical activity required to elicit this response. As such, the present study was designed to assess the effects of physically active, academic lessons of varying intensity, set in game-type format, on academic engagement of preadolescent children in the classroom setting. Time spent on-task (measured through direct observation) served as the primary outcome variable and assessed by means of a two (time: pre-, post-lesson) x four [condition: inactive lesson (physical activity control); sedentary academic game (interest control); low-to-moderate intensity physically active academic game; moderate-to-vigorous intensity physically active academic game] repeated measures design. Participants were third, fourth and fifth grade children from two elementary schools in central Texas (7 to 11 years of age). Physical activity was measured using Actigraph GT1M accelerometers (Fort Walton Beach, FL). Demographic data were collected for each participant on gender, age, ethnicity, height and weight (BMI calculated). Results indicated that the students’ TOT decreased significantly after a traditional seated control lesson. TOT did not change following the inactive control game. Thus, the competitive, seated game was sufficient to prevent the reduction in TOT that followed the traditional, seated control. In contrast, both physically active games were sufficient to increase TOT. Both had a significant increase in TOT relative to each control condition. In addition, the effect of the MVPA game was nearly three times the effect of the LMPA game. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-102).

With globally increased migration and mobility between countries, it has become critical for many people to learn to speak a second language. The focus of this study is on adult migrant language learners that are learning a second language of the host country on the side of their working life. This study aims to support learners in their second language acquisition outside classrooms settings. In particular, it explores how the use of a specially designed application aimed at helping learners to keep track on how much time they spend on studying a second language affects their engagement and motivation to continue study the target language. To support migrant learners keeping track of the time spent on language learning activities (e.g., speaking, writing, reading and listening), a web-based application, the TimeTracker App, accessible through users’ mobile device has been developed by the researcher and offered to the learners. Participants in this study used the application for around two weeks. A mixed method approach was employed: data was collected through semi-structured interviews and by extracting log data from the application’s database. Interview data was analysed by means of a conventional content analysis and log data by using descriptive statistics. Overall, the study’s results show that the use of the TimeTracker App enabled the respondents to feel more aware of how much time they spent on their studies, and inspired them to devote more time to study the target language compared to before using the application. The findings suggest that migrant learners become more motivated and engaged in their second language learning when using the application. / Globalt ökad migration och rörlighet mellan länder har gjort det kritiskt för många att lära sig att tala ett andraspråk. Denna studie fokuserar på arbetande migranter som lär sig ett andraspråk vid sidan av sitt arbetsliv. Studien syftar till att stödja de studerande i sitt lärande av ett andraspråk utanför klassrummet. I synnerhet undersöker den hur användningen av en speciellt utformad applikation som syftar till att hjälpa eleverna att hålla reda på hur mycket tid de spenderar på att studera ett andraspråk påverkar deras engagemang och motivation för att fortsätta studera målspråket. För att hjälpa studerande migranter hålla reda på den tid som spenderas på språkinlärning (t ex att tala, skriva, läsa och lyssna) har en webbaserad applikation, TimeTracker App, som är tillgänglig via användarnas mobiltelefon, utvecklats av författaren och erbjudits till eleverna. Deltagarna i denna studie använde applikationen i cirka två veckor. En blandad metod användes: data samlades in genom halvstrukturerade intervjuer och genom att extrahera loggdata från applikationsdatabasen. Intervjudata analyserades med hjälp av en konventionell innehållsanalys och loggdata med hjälp av beskrivande statistik. Sammantaget visar studiens resultat att användningen av TimeTracker App gjorde det möjligt för respondenterna att bli mer medvetna om hur mycket tid de spenderade på sina studier och det inspirerade dem att ägna mer tid att studera målspråket jämfört med innan man använde applikationen. Resultaten tyder på att arbetande migranter blir mer motiverade och engagerade i sitt studerande av ett andraspråk när de använder applikationen.

<p>Studie är baserad på Siegler & Ramani (2008) “Playing linear numerical board games promotes low-income child­ren´s numerical development”<em>. </em>Syfte är att undersöka om det med intensivträning (i form av ett linjärt tärningsspel) går att stimulera sexåriga barns talförståelse inom talområdet 1-10. Metoderna som valts är fältexperiment och observation. Fält­experimentet påvisar att intensivträning med ett tärningsspel, utfört under 4 stycken 15 minuters lektioner under en tvåveckors period, tydligt kan förbättra barns talförståelse medan observationen visar att utfallet påverkas av pedagogens olika yrkesverktyg samt undervis­ningens organisation (en-till-en undervisning)<em>. </em>Slutsatsen är att tidig pedagogisk matematik­stimulans kan förbättra elevers förutsättningar inför skolstart. <em></em></p> / <p>This study is based on Siegler & Ramani (2008) “Playing linear numerical board games promotes low-income children's numerical development.” The purpose is to examine to which extent intensive training of a linear boardgame may stimulate the number concept 1-10 among six-year-olds and the factors conducive to such results. The chosen methods are experiment and  observation. The experiment shows that intensive training with a linear boardgame, done during four 15-minute lessons over a two week period clearly can improve the childrens numerical understanding. The observation also indicate the importance for outcome of the  teacher, her professional tools and the teaching organization (one-to-one teaching). The conclusion is that early maths teaching can improve the conditions for pupils beginning school</p>

Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur elever med avkodningssvårigheter påverkades av en intervention med läslistor ställt mot tidigare interventioner och traditionell läsundervisning. Interventionen innefattade elever i avkodningssvårigheter som lästränade vid 4 tillfällen under 28 veckor á 20 minuter per gång med läslistor från BRAVKOD metoden. Studien syftade även till att undersöka hur elevernas avkodning utvecklades beroende på ålder. Därför har elever från både låg och mellanstadiet deltagit i interventionen. Studien lades upp efter klassisk experimentell design med både interventionsgrupper och jämförelsegrupper i båda stadierna. Grupperna har omfattat 30 elever från lågstadiet och 21 elever från mellanstadiet. Vidare har även elevernas motivation och föräldrarnas upplevelse varit ett syfte att undersöka närmre. Studien genomfördes som en intervention med före och eftertest, en intervju med elever i interventionsgrupperna och lärare samt enkätundersökning hos vårdnadshavare. Testresultaten behandlades kvantitativt medan intervjuer fick ge studien ett kvalitativt komplement till testresultat och enkätsvar. Interventionsgrupperna i båda stadier visar en tydlig förbättring i avkodning i alla tester jämfört med jämförelsegrupperna. Detta visar på att interventionen med läslistor har en positiv utveckling på elevernas avkodningsförmåga. I intervjuer framkom även att eleverna överlag var motiverade till att lästräna med metoden. Endast någon enstaka elev var motvillig till detta.

Studie är baserad på Siegler &amp; Ramani (2008) “Playing linear numerical board games promotes low-income child­ren´s numerical development”. Syfte är att undersöka om det med intensivträning (i form av ett linjärt tärningsspel) går att stimulera sexåriga barns talförståelse inom talområdet 1-10. Metoderna som valts är fältexperiment och observation. Fält­experimentet påvisar att intensivträning med ett tärningsspel, utfört under 4 stycken 15 minuters lektioner under en tvåveckors period, tydligt kan förbättra barns talförståelse medan observationen visar att utfallet påverkas av pedagogens olika yrkesverktyg samt undervis­ningens organisation (en-till-en undervisning). Slutsatsen är att tidig pedagogisk matematik­stimulans kan förbättra elevers förutsättningar inför skolstart. / This study is based on Siegler &amp; Ramani (2008) “Playing linear numerical board games promotes low-income children's numerical development.” The purpose is to examine to which extent intensive training of a linear boardgame may stimulate the number concept 1-10 among six-year-olds and the factors conducive to such results. The chosen methods are experiment and  observation. The experiment shows that intensive training with a linear boardgame, done during four 15-minute lessons over a two week period clearly can improve the childrens numerical understanding. The observation also indicate the importance for outcome of the  teacher, her professional tools and the teaching organization (one-to-one teaching). The conclusion is that early maths teaching can improve the conditions for pupils beginning school

Modern handheld devices such as smart phones and tablets have become popular for capturing and viewing panoramic images, but navigation in these devices is a challenging task due to small screen size. In this thesis work, investigation is done for similarities and differences between two user interaction techniques of one-dimensional cubical panorama images. This work is carried out on a fourth generation Apple iPod Touch. The first user interaction technique swipe (drag-based panning) is developed using touch-gestures, while the second technique look-around (device-orientation panning) is developed using motion-sensors such as gyroscope and accelerometer for device-orientation. Both these techniques were implemented for touch-screen devices for an angle of 360 degrees.     In the swipe technique, the navigation is done by using finger movements on the screen, while in the look-around based panning technique the navigation is done by moving the device direction physically in space through an angle of 360 degrees. The experiments were conducted on 20 participants for the two panning techniques. The results have shown that the look-around based panning technique offers a better user interaction compared to swipe based panning technique. Look-around based panning technique is natural and more free to move physically in space. Swipe based panning technique is easy to use in some situations and it does not require any physical space to move around the system.

Many undergraduate students enrolled in institutions of higher learning wish to connect their learning to real life experiences. By linking reality to academics, students see first hand the practical value in their studies. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze the practice of application projects in undergraduate mathematics courses to determine if, and if so how, students benefit from optional real world application projects. The study was limited to specific courses within a non-math major's undergraduate mathematics program of study at one large research university. Until the appearance of "The Mathematics Umbrella: Modeling and Education" (Grinshpan, 2005), no research was available dealing directly with mathematically focused application projects, so this study is purposeful. A review of related literature suggests that projects provide a desirable method of learning. This researcher adopted the educational philosophy of pragmatism established by James, Dewey, Chickering and Gamson, and others. Pragmatism--doing what works--is appropriate to undergraduate mathematics education.Quantitative and qualitative phases were performed sequentially on two distinct, but related, populations of undergraduate non-mathematics major students taking calculus courses. The first phase assessed whether completion of optional real world application projects was related to mathematics students' test grades. The second qualitative phase used individual interviews to capture students' opinions as to the value and desirability of the project process.The overall goal of the research was to gauge the beneficial aspects of application projects. One strong finding concerned the relationship that may exist between application projects and students' levels of time on task. Project students reported greater time on task than non-project students, and increasing time on task may enhance the quality of students' learning experiences.The numbers of reported incidences of feelings of course satisfaction and of increased positive perception toward mathematics were largely consistent between groups, with somewhat greater numbers within the project group. Pedagogical implications from this study point to the value of both faculty and student effort devoted to application projects in increased student understanding of, and appreciation for, mathematics.

In this observational study the researcher examined the Academic Engagement of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students in a co-enrollment setting. Academic Engagement refers to attention, class participation, and time-on-task. Co-Enrollment is a model of group inclusion that provides D/HH students with access to a D/HH peer group as well as access to the general education curriculum. D/HH students typically lag behind their hearing peers in achievement, due in part to difficulties with accessing the general education curriculum both in special schools for the Deaf or self-contained classrooms, as well as in traditional inclusive settings. One way to know if a student has actually had access to, rather than mere exposure to the curriculum is to determine if he has attended to the instruction and participated in the instructional activities. Co-enrollment programming holds promise for addressing the problems with access that D/HH students typically experience in other educational placements; therefore the researcher hypothesized that in this unique setting D/HH students would demonstrate levels of Academic Engagement equal to their hearing peers. The researcher further hypothesized that there would be a relationship between Academic Engagement and the classroom environment, and that this relationship would be similar for D/HH and hearing students. Using a correlational research design, these hypotheses were tested by conducting repeated observations with use of the Mainstream Version of the Code for Instructional Structure and Student Academic Response (MS-CISSAR) for measuring Academic Engagement. Results indicated that D/HH students in a co-enrollment setting were as Academically Engaged as their hearing peers; however they were less engaged in active forms of Academic Engagement (i.e., Academic Responding) than their hearing peers. Associations were found between aspects of Classroom Ecology, such as the size of Instructional Grouping, and the degree of Academic Engagement for both D/HH and hearing students. The associations between Academic Engagement and Classroom Ecology were similar for D/HH and hearing students; however some differences were found as well. The implications of these results are discussed and suggestions are made for future research.

På uppdrag av HOW Solutions AB har användartester utförts på deras applikation NPÖ Mobil. Applikationen bygger på det webbaserade systemet NPÖ (Nationell Patientöversikt) och ger vårdpersonal (främst distriktssköterskor) tillgång till patienters journaler i sin smartphone eller surfplatta vid hembesök. Syftet med studien är att dels se om det finns någon skillnad mellan smartphone och surfplatta med avseende på lostness och tid men också att identifiera problem i systemet som behöver designas om. För att få en bra överblick över distriktssköterskors arbetssätt intervjuades två stycken. Dessa intervjuer låg sedan till grund för användartestet som utvecklades. Användartest gjordes på 8 sjuksköterskor och distriktssköterskor i Östergötland. Ingen statistisk skillnad mellan surfplatta och smartphone med avseende på lostness eller tid kunde påvisas. Däremot påvisades lostness i ett flertal funktioner i applikationen och även en del uppgifter som försöksdeltagarna inte lyckades lösa. Med grund i de resultaten togs en del designförslag fram för att förbättra applikationen.