NCube/papyrus huggingface dataset:
GeoGebraTUTOR : développement d’un système tutoriel autonome pour l’accompagnement d’élèves en situation de résolution de problèmes de démonstration en géométrie plane et genèse d’un espace de travail géométrique idoine

This thesis aims at modeling GeoGebraTUTOR, a geometrical workspace that relies on the works of a tutorial system for the definition of a milieu respectful of the student’s idiosyncratic reasoning.  Mathematical reasoning, like learning, does not evolve in a linear fashion. It relies on continuous conceptual reorganizations. Therefore, it is little wonder that a linear and inflexible approach for the exercise of geometrical proof creates difficulties. Existing tutorial systems for the solving of geometrical proof problems offer a variety of tools without relieving the student of this rigidity. GGBT’s multidisciplinary design relies on a design in use approach that articulates a series of research and development cycles. This iterative anthropocentric methodology provides GGBT with an intelligence resulting from the confrontation of successive a priori and a posteriori analyses. This thesis is rooted in GGBT’s two first development cycles. The first phase of design implies the planning of a system able to take in singular student proofs and analyze their value compared to previously implemented expert answers. This first GGBT prototype is designed according to an analysis of the didactical relationship between the teacher and the student as well as the relationship that takes place between the student and the tutor agent who evolves within the didactical milieu. This a priori analysis establishes theoretical guidelines, which will steer the design of a geometrical workspace that enables the learning geometer to accomplish his mathematical work. A first GGBT prototype is put to the test with real students assisted by their regular teacher. Their interactions are then studied in order to model and implement a first self-governing tutorial system according to the dialogues reflecting the observed didactical contract. The second design cycle begins with the modeling and programming of a tutorial structure and of a renewed interface, both of which contribute to the planning of a geometrical workspace. This second prototype is also tested in a real class environment, although this time the empirical exercise aims, on the one hand, at validating the management of the tutor’s help messages, and on the other hand at exploring the student’s instrumented reasoning to specify the mathematical activity made possible by the GGBT geometrical workspace.  This doctoral endeavor ends with the exploration of potential research avenues for the ongoing design and refining of GGBT.

Keyphrases: GeoGebraTUTOR, geometrical workspace, tutorial system, mathematics education, proof in geometry, design in use
Facteurs susceptibles d’influencer l'implantation de l'Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes et du Programme-cadre de français pour les personnes immigrantes adultes au Québec

The existence of multiple French second language services in Quebec for adult immigrants has proved to be problematic, especially when students transfer from one institution to another (Québec, MICC, 2011a). In response to this and other similar issues and in order to harmonize government French second language services, the ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC) developed, in collaboration with the ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) a pedagogical innovation composed of two tools: the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes and the Programme-cadre de français pour les personnes immigrantes adultes au Québec. This common framework of reference for language is used to describe the achievements of adult immigrant learners in Quebec. This study focuses on the implementation of a pedagogical innovation, in order to gain a greater understanding of the implementation of the Quebec framework of reference, present teacher representations regarding this pedagogical innovation, and identify the key factors that structure its implementation. This qualitative study adopted an implementation model by Vince-Whitman (2009) who identifies twelve implementation factors of a policy and its practice. Our study used as its data collection method group interviews of a total of twelve French second language teachers from the MICC and the MELS. The interviews aimed to collect the comments of these teachers regarding their pedagogical practices and their impressions of the Quebec framework of reference. The software QSF NVivo 8 was used to analyze the content of our participants’ words. Key findings of the study indicate that implementation is challenging due to a number of obstacles, such as the lack of teaching material, human and financial resources, as well as a lack of time, professional training and professional collaborations. In light of these results, we developed a model framework based on seven factors of implementation of a pedagogical innovation in order to account for a specific and contemporary phenomenon, that of the implementation of the Quebec framework of reference for French second language education of adult immigrants. Various studies coupled with our results demonstrate that different types of support, such as appropriate and sufficient pedagogical material, are key elements to consider in ensuring successful implementation of a pedagogical innovation.

Keyphrases: adult immigrants, French second language, implementation, pedagogical innovation, Quebec framework of reference
Caractérisation et délimitation des sous-espèces de Gesneria viridiflora (Gesneriaceae) dans les Antilles

An accurate taxonomy and knowledge of species limits is of great importance in endemic species-rich biodiversity hotspots like the Caribbean. Indeed, conflicting species limits can alter biodiversity estimates and influence the decisions taken on conservation issues. The genera Gesneria and Rhytidophyllum constitute the main representatives of the Caribbean Gesneriaceae and comprise a few species with unclear boundaries as well as species having several recognized subspecies. Gesneria viridiflora (Decne.) Kuntze is a good example of the latter and consists of four geographically isolated subspecies that possess similar but variable vegetative and reproductive characters. We conducted a thorough investigation of species delimitation in this species complex using an integrative taxonomic approach that includes morphology, genetics and bioclimatic data. Qualitative and quantitative morphological data obtained from herbarium specimens were used to circumscribe morphologically distinct groups using a principal coordinates analysis. These groups were then tested at the genetic level using a Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography (BPP) species delimitation approach based on four nuclear regions. Bioclimatic multivariate analyses of temperature and precipitation variables obtained from occurrence data were used to compare the groups delimited by morphological and genetic data. The results suggest the presence of five distinct species in this complex. Four of these broadly correspond to the actually defined subspecies: G. quisqueyana, G. sintenisii, G. sylvicola and G. viridiflora. An additional highly endemic species was recognized, G. acrochordonanthe, that consists of the populations found at the Massif de la Hotte in Southwestern Haiti. A distribution map, a table of the new taxonomy and an identification key to the species are provided. The new taxonomy proposed in this study shows an unsuspected species endemism in some regions of the Caribbean biodiversity hotspot and underlines the importance of investigating species boundaries in diversified groups containing taxa with poorly understood boundaries.

Keyphrases: taxonomy, species delimitation, species complex, integrative taxonomy, morphology, genetic, bioclimatic, principal components analysis, principal coordinates analysis, Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography
Les politiques de revenu minimum dans les provinces canadiennes : une étude comparée de l’aide sociale au Canada

This thesis aims at identifying the determinants of minimum income protection in Canada. Specifically, we seek to explain the variations in social assistance generosity across Canadian provinces from 1990 to 2009. Why are Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland-Labrador more generous than Alberta and New-Brunswick? We analyse 10 different provincial policies through a theoretical framework that focuses on 4 dimensions: the role of actors (political parties and unions), institutions (public expenses and redistribution), budgetary constraints (social assistance rate, debt, economy) and the role of the central government (amount and type of transfers). Results show that social assistance is a highly path dependent and incremental policy. The presence of shared-cost programs with the federal government and high union density increase social assistance generosity, while a difficult budgetary context and right wing parties have negative effects. It is noteworthy that provincial wealth is not associated with higher benefits rates. In general, welfare income decreased between 1990 and 2009 in Canada, while GDP per capita almost doubled. Furthermore, Alberta and British-Columbia, two wealthy provinces, have a below-average generosity level. Last of all, the expected relationship between the presence of left wing parties and a more generous minimum income protection hasn’t been empirically demonstrated.

Keyphrases: welfare, social policies, provincial comparison, canadian politics
Culture stratégique et libéralisation politique au Myanmar

Myanmar is going through a political liberalization process which was initiated from above. The military regime held a general election in 2010, which brought to power a new government composed of both civilians and militaries. Since then, most of the sanctions imposed to Myanmar by Western states were lifted, and we observe a diversification of the country's international relations. Nested in the Chinese sphere of influence in recent years, Myanmar restores diplomatic and economic ties with the West. Few researchers have attempted to explain the causes of this political transition, and the links between the political liberalization and the diversification of international relations has not yet been explained. This thesis proposes to do so by using a theoretical model derived from two types of literature, the one on strategic culture and the one on political transitions. It suggests that Myanmar’s political liberalization is due to power struggles within the regime between two strategic subcultures, the hardliners and softliners. The application of norms favored by hardliners having failed in achieving the strategic objectives of the regime, softliners were able to impose their own normative preferences. It also suggests that the political liberalization process was a necessary step for the Burmese government to be able to diversify its international relations.

Keyphrases: Diversification, Myanmar, Strategic culture, Political liberalization, Democratization, Transitology, International relations, Burma, Southeast Asia, Authoritarianism
Les coalitions comme stratégie de renouveau syndical : un cas aux Philippines

This research aims to survey the crisis, which affects the effectiveness and action-readiness of labor unions around the world. It portrays crisis elements happening at the economic, political and social levels, thus exposing the necessity of implementing union renewal. The research puts the focus on how coalitions might be one of the many key elements to this revitalization. It evaluates the influence of identity and organizational capacity on choosing whether to coalesce, while taking into account the specific union objectives and the national context in which it operates. The research has been conducted in a trade union organization based in the Philippines. The empirical data used in the research comes from 24 semi-structured interviews with representatives from one of the largest labor union in the country, representatives from non-union allies to this organization, and other actors not directly involved with the trade union organization under study.  First, the results show that a strong societal, collective identity influences the choice of this union organization to join coalitions. Collective identity is also a fundamental element to better understand the orientation of the collective action displayed by this organization. Second, our results also suggest that a strong and visionary organizational capacity influences positively the choice of joining a coalition, since the union is reputed by then to be better-equipped to identify opportunities to act differently, to elaborate strategies of union renewal, and to ensure that these actions are properly understood and legitimized by the rank-and-file members. Our case study also demonstrates the importance of education for increasing organizational capacity, especially when it comes to collective identity formation and empowerment. Furthermore, our findings confirm the interaction between identity and organizational capacity: specifically, we observe a positive, mutually reinforcing relationship between the two variables. Third, our results reveal the interaction between the different levels of transformations resulting from the participation in coalitions. In fact, our case study shows that intraorganizational transformation leads to extraorganizational transformation and vice-versa. Lastly, our study shows that the combined effect of the repressive context of the Philippines and the specific objectives of the interviewed labor union seem to support its decision to coalesce at different (local, regional, national and international) levels.

Keyphrases: coalition, union renewal, coalition, labor union organization, identity, organizational capacity
Le décours temporel de l'utilisation des fréquences spatiales dans les troubles du spectre autistique

Our visual system usually samples low spatial frequency (SF) information before higher SF information. The coarse information thereby extracted can activate hypotheses in regard to the object's identity and guide further extraction of specific finer information. In autism spectrum disorder (ASD) however, SF perception is atypical. Moreover, individuals with ASD seem to rely less on their prior knowledge when perceiving objects. In the present study, we aimed to verify if the prior according to which we sample visual information in a coarse-to-fine fashion is existent in ASD. We compared the time course of SF sampling in neurotypical and ASD subjects by randomly and exhaustively sampling the SF x time space. Neurotypicals were found to sample low SFs before higher ones, thereby replicating the finding from many other studies, but characterizing it with much greater precision. ASD subjects were found, for their part, to extract SFs in a more fine-to-coarse fashion, extracting all relevant SFs upon beginning. This indicated that they did not possess a coarse-to-fine prior. Thus, individuals with ASD seem to sample information in a purely bottom-up fashion, without the guidance from hypotheses activated by coarse information.

Keyphrases: Autism spectrum disorder, Spatial frequency, Object recognition, Time course, Sampling, Priors
Étude des mécanismes de localisation auditive et de leur plasticité dans le cortex auditif humain

Spatial hearing is an important but complex capacity of the auditory system. The human auditory system infers the location of a sound source from a variety of acoustic cues, known as auditory localization cues. Because these cues depend to some degree on morphological and environmental factors that cannot be predicted by the genetic makeup, their processing has to fine-tuned during development. Even in adulthood, some plasticity in the processing of localization cues remains. This plasticity has been studied behaviorally, but very little is known about its neural correlates and mechanisms. The present research aimed to investigate this plasticity, as well as the encoding mechanisms of the auditory localization cues, using both behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. In the first two studies, we shifted the perception of horizontal auditory space using digital earplugs. We showed that young adults rapidly adapt to a large perceived shift and that adaptation is accompanied by changes in hemispheric lateralization of auditory cortex activity, as observed with high-resolution functional MRI. We also confirmed the hypothesis of a hemifield code for horizontal sound source location representation in the human auditory cortex. In a third study, we modified the major cue for vertical space perception using silicone earmolds and showed that the adaptation to this modification was not followed by any aftereffect upon earmolds removal, even at the very first sound presentation. This result is consistent with the hypothesis of a “many-to-one mapping” mechanism in which several spectral profiles can become associated with a given spatial direction. In a fourth study, using functional MRI and taking advantage of the adaptation to silicone earmolds, we revealed the encoding of sound source elevation in the human auditory cortex.

Keyphrases: Auditory cortex, Spatial hearing, Plasticity, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Relations parents-enfant et fonctions exécutives des enfants à l’âge de l’entrée scolaire : l’importance des pères

There is increasing evidence that the quality of parent-child relationships is important for the development of young children’s executive functioning (EF). However, studies have focused on samples of either mother-child or father-child dyads, not both. The present master’s thesis includes an empirical article pursuing two aims. First, the article examined the unique contributions of the quality of mothers’ and fathers’ interactions with their toddlers to the prediction of children’s subsequent EF in kindergarten. Second, the article investigated the interactive effects of mother-child and father-child relationships. The sample included 46 families. The quality of mother-child and father-child interactions was assessed independently during separate interactive sequences at 18 months. In kindergarten, child EF problems were reported by their teachers with the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Results indicated that kindergarteners who had higher-quality interactions with their fathers in toddlerhood were considered by their teachers to present fewer EF problems in everyday school situations. This suggests that father-child relationships may be an important factor to consider regarding the development of EF in children. Theoretical and empirical implications as well as practical implications, particularly for teachers, are discussed at the conclusion of this master’s thesis.

Keyphrases: Mother-child relationships, Father-child relationships, Cognitive development, Executive functioning, Kindergarten, School entry
Utilisation de la tomodensitométrie à deux énergies pour le calcul de dose en curiethérapie à bas débit

In current low dose rate brachytherapy practice, dose evaluation within the prostate is govern by the protocol defined by the task group 43 (TG-43) of the American Association of Physicist in Medicine. This task group assumes a homogeneous water based patient with invariable density. They also disregard the changes in photon attenuation through neighbouring brachytherapy sources. With the introduction of these simplifications, dose calculations are easily solved using an equation proposed in this protocol. Although this task group helped create a uniform practice of brachytherapy treatments between hospitals, it does not properly described the actual dose distribution within the patient. The current publication of TG-186 gives recommendations to study these dose distribution more realistically.     The purpose of this Master's thesis is to apply these recommendations from TG-186 to obtain a more realistic description of the dose. In order to proceed, two sets of patient images are acquired with a dual energy computed tomography (DECT). These images are corrected for metallic artifacts, which are highly present in the scanned images, using DECT metallic artifact reduction algortithm, developped in this work. Afterwords, a Monte Carlo study can be performed by properly identifying the environment with human tissues. This segmentation is performed by evaluating the effective atomic number and electronic density of each voxel using a DECT stoichiometric calibration, and allocating the tissue having the closest resemblance to these physical parameters. The results show clear differences in dose distribution when comparing TG-43 protocole with TG-186 recommendations.

Keyphrases: DECT, metallic artifact, brachytherapy
Fabrication et caractérisation de cellules solaires organiques nanostructurées par la méthode de nanoimpression thermique

The morphology of active layers in organic solar cells plays an important role on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of these devices. The planar heterojunction and the bulk heterojunction are the most commonly used. However, the ideal morphology for efficiency would be halfway between the two. Indeed, the so called nanostructured heterojunction would increase the surface between active layers of solar cells while promoting the transport of charge carriers. The objective of this thesis is to study the impact of the implementation of nanostructures in organic solar cells on their performance. To this end, we used the thermal nanoimprint lithography (T-NIL) process to nanostructure a layer of P3HT, the donor material, so that it forms a nanostructured interface with PCBM, the acceptor material. To perform nanoimpressions, nanoporous anodized aluminium oxide (AAO) molds were manufactured using the two-step anodization process developed by Masuda et al. These were treated with mold-release agents to facilitate separation with P3HT. FTDS and PDMS were used for this purpose. The results have demonstrated the complexity of execution of the nanoimprinting process. It has been shown that the pressure applied during the process, the surface tension of engaging elements and the dimensions of the mold’s nanopores are critical parameters to achieve successful nanoimpressions. They therefore had to be optimized to achieve this task. Thus, cells having an interface covered with 25% of nanorods 35 nm high could be fabricated successfully. Nanostructured cells showed efficiencies 2.3 ± 0.6 times higher than cells without nanostructures, with so called planar morphology. Furthermore, a solvent has been proposed to reduce interdiffusion between P3HT and PCBM layers capable of altering the nanostructures. This well-known phenomenon occurs during the deposition of PCBM layer with dichloromethane, an orthogonal solvent with these materials. TOF-SIMS measurements showed that limonene acts also as an orthogonal solvent which reduces the interdiffusion between P3HT and PCBM layers. This makes limonene a better orthogonal solvent than dichloromethane with these materials.

Keyphrases: nanoimpression, interdiffusion, P3HT, PCBM, nanostructures, organic solar cells, orthogonal solvent, nanoporous alumina, anodization