Research continues to suggest that young women experience body image concerns; nevertheless, the majority of this body image research has focused on white women, and the experiences of young Aboriginal women have typically been overlooked. When research has included Aboriginal women, it has generally been quantitative in nature (e.g., Gittelsohn et al., 1996; Marchessault, 2004; Story et al., 1995) and has highlighted body dissatisfaction that is equal to and even greater than that experienced by white women. Despite the alarming statistics suggesting that body image concerns are common among Aboriginal women, few researchers have engaged young Aboriginal women in qualitative research projects that seek to highlight their unique experiences. My previous research with young Aboriginal women (i.e., Fleming et al., 2006; McHugh & Kowalski, in press) are some of the first Canadian studies to have an exclusive focus on Aboriginal womens body image experiences. This research suggested that young Aboriginal womens body image experiences may not be as negative as previous quantitative research has suggested, but highlighted the need to work with young women to develop strategies for positively managing body image experiences. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to engage in a collaborative, school-based participatory action research (PAR) project in partnership with a local high school to provide young women, primarily young Aboriginal women, with an opportunity to manage their body image experiences in an effective manner.<p> Students, teachers, and staff of Nutana Collegiate participated in this project, which took place over a 10-month period from September 2006 to June 2007. All Nutana school members were welcomed to participate and many took part in the various action initiatives that were developed. A group of seven young Aboriginal women formed a core group of participants who were primarily responsible for the development and implementation of most action initiatives. A five phase PAR model, which was based on the work of Stringer and Genat (2004), was proposed as the methodological framework for this project. However, given the emergent and dynamic nature of PAR processes, and the unique features of the school community, the manner in which the project actually unfolded was quite different from the original plan. This project ultimately had two phases, the Relationship Building Phase and the Action Phase.<p> In an effort to develop relationships with school community members, during the Relationship Building phase I engaged in the three general processes of: familiarization, making connections, and giving back to the school. My commitment to these processes supported my initial goal to develop trusting relationships with community members, which subsequently formed a strong foundation for the development of effective and successful action initiatives. Eight action initiatives, which were represented by three themes, were developed and implemented as part of the Action phase. The three themes were: (1) Promoting Positive Body Image Experiences, (2) Self-Expression, and (3) Creating Awareness.<p> The development and implementation of action at various levels (i.e., individual, school, provincial, and national) was the most significant outcome of this research. The success and relevance of the various action initiatives was demonstrated by the words of the participants, the overall support of various school members, and the commitment of the core group to the goals of this PAR project. Although there were methodological challenges and considerations that needed to be navigated throughout this PAR project, findings from this research suggest that universities and local high schools can and should work together to develop school-based body image programs for young Aboriginal women. As well, and maybe most importantly, this research highlights the strength of using PAR methodologies when engaging young Aboriginal women in body image research.

The purpose of this action research study was to examine strategies that lead to effective and efficient band rehearsals at the junior high level. Participants in the study were 28 grade 8 band students, 11 males and 17 females, as well as one music teacher researcher. Of 35 grade 8 band students, 28 or 80% chose to participate in the study. The school is located in a relatively high social-economic suburban junior high school. The research questions addressed were: 1. What proportion of instructional time do I spend on: teaching musical concepts and skills; conducting active music making; classroom management; waiting or wasting time? 2. How can I change my rehearsal practice to spend more time engaging students in active musical learning, and less time on non-musical tasks, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of my middle years band rehearsals? 3. How do students perceive and respond to their band rehearsals? During a 10-week block, from January to March, 2006, specific teaching innovations, drawn from the research and pedagogical literatures, were implemented with an aim to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the band class. Music classes were video taped and later analyzed using rehearsal frames. Students responded to the instructional innovations by completing exit slips daily and attitudinal surveys at the beginning and completion of the research project. The teacher tracked her perceptions through daily journal entries and reflecting on the classes videotaped. Qualitative data were unitized and then sorted by thematic codes while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Pre- and Post-survey mean scores were calculated and compared using T-tests. The following conclusions were drawn: 1) The majority of class time was spent in active music making followed by “waiting” and “instruction” time; 2) The innovations introduced were effective and improved the efficiency of the band classes; 3) Students strongly agreed that they were involved during band rehearsals conducted throughout the project; and 4) The overwhelming majority of students responded positively to all survey items related to band rehearsals. / October 2006

The purpose of this feminist action research project was to produce a practical support volunteer training and manual for the Georgia Reproductive Justice Access Network (GRJAN). Founded in 2011, GRJAN is a grassroots, reproductive justice abortion fund that provides abortion funding and until 2012, practical support (lodging, transportation, and childcare) to low-income individuals seeking abortion services in Atlanta, GA. The resultant thesis is a reflective essay upon the project, documenting and analyzing the successes and failures of the project as well as discussing the limitations of pursuing feminist activist work within the academy.

Research continues to suggest that young women experience body image concerns; nevertheless, the majority of this body image research has focused on white women, and the experiences of young Aboriginal women have typically been overlooked. When research has included Aboriginal women, it has generally been quantitative in nature (e.g., Gittelsohn et al., 1996; Marchessault, 2004; Story et al., 1995) and has highlighted body dissatisfaction that is equal to and even greater than that experienced by white women. Despite the alarming statistics suggesting that body image concerns are common among Aboriginal women, few researchers have engaged young Aboriginal women in qualitative research projects that seek to highlight their unique experiences. My previous research with young Aboriginal women (i.e., Fleming et al., 2006; McHugh & Kowalski, in press) are some of the first Canadian studies to have an exclusive focus on Aboriginal womens body image experiences. This research suggested that young Aboriginal womens body image experiences may not be as negative as previous quantitative research has suggested, but highlighted the need to work with young women to develop strategies for positively managing body image experiences. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to engage in a collaborative, school-based participatory action research (PAR) project in partnership with a local high school to provide young women, primarily young Aboriginal women, with an opportunity to manage their body image experiences in an effective manner.<p> Students, teachers, and staff of Nutana Collegiate participated in this project, which took place over a 10-month period from September 2006 to June 2007. All Nutana school members were welcomed to participate and many took part in the various action initiatives that were developed. A group of seven young Aboriginal women formed a core group of participants who were primarily responsible for the development and implementation of most action initiatives. A five phase PAR model, which was based on the work of Stringer and Genat (2004), was proposed as the methodological framework for this project. However, given the emergent and dynamic nature of PAR processes, and the unique features of the school community, the manner in which the project actually unfolded was quite different from the original plan. This project ultimately had two phases, the Relationship Building Phase and the Action Phase.<p> In an effort to develop relationships with school community members, during the Relationship Building phase I engaged in the three general processes of: familiarization, making connections, and giving back to the school. My commitment to these processes supported my initial goal to develop trusting relationships with community members, which subsequently formed a strong foundation for the development of effective and successful action initiatives. Eight action initiatives, which were represented by three themes, were developed and implemented as part of the Action phase. The three themes were: (1) Promoting Positive Body Image Experiences, (2) Self-Expression, and (3) Creating Awareness.<p> The development and implementation of action at various levels (i.e., individual, school, provincial, and national) was the most significant outcome of this research. The success and relevance of the various action initiatives was demonstrated by the words of the participants, the overall support of various school members, and the commitment of the core group to the goals of this PAR project. Although there were methodological challenges and considerations that needed to be navigated throughout this PAR project, findings from this research suggest that universities and local high schools can and should work together to develop school-based body image programs for young Aboriginal women. As well, and maybe most importantly, this research highlights the strength of using PAR methodologies when engaging young Aboriginal women in body image research.

This study applied the method of action research to explore the impacts of reciprocal teaching on junior elementary students¡¦ reading comprehension. The main purposes of the thesis were to understand the students¡¦ learning process of reciprocal teaching, and to discuss their performance on expository text reading comprehension after learning reciprocal teaching, as well as their performance on utilizing reciprocal teaching on reading story texts. The researcher performed reciprocal teaching activities in her class, collecting and analyzing data from ¡§Students¡¦ Learning Record¡¨, ¡§Group Discussion Record¡¨, ¡§Students¡¦ Learning Status Datasheet¡¨, and ¡§Teachers¡¦ Reflective Record¡¨, in order to understand the students¡¦ learning process and alter the teaching activities from time to time according to the students¡¦ learning conditions. At last, the researcher surveyed the reading comprehension results and reading interest development. The findings of the research were: 1The difficulties of junior elementary students¡¦ learning of reciprocal teaching: 1.1They were likely to be confused with ¡§clarifying¡¨ and ¡§questioning¡¨ strategies; 1.2They needed to use written description to help them express themselves verbally; 1.3They needed the teacher¡¦s guide for ¡§summarizing¡¨ and ¡§questioning¡¨ strategies. 2Reciprocal teaching influenced the performance of junior elementary students¡¦ reading comprehension. 3Reciprocal teaching increased junior elementary students¡¦ reading interest. 4Students were able to utilize reciprocal teaching strategies when reading story texts.

¡@¡@This action study aimed to investigate the process and impact of the use of mind mapping on Chinese language teaching and learning of sixth grade students. There were twenty-five students participated in this action research. The teacher/researcher constantly reviewed and modified teaching process to develop appropriate learning models during two cycles of action research. Data were collected from pre and post reading comprehension tests, reflection notes, video recordings, interviews, questionnaires, learning sheets and students¡¦ assignments of mind mapping. ¡@¡@The findings were as follows¡G 1. Mind mapping used in Chinese language teaching could improve reading comprehension based on the results of pre and post reading comprehension tests. 2. Based on students¡¦ prior knowledge, the teacher/researcher used fill-in content types mind mapping, structure models, reading materials and vocabularies, thus teaching has the best effect on students. 3. In the beginning stage, students just focused on the aspect of drawing skill of mind mapping. Later, they learned to focus on how to catch the main idea of the article. Most of students can emphasis on both skills in the end. In the process, most of students had positive attitudes toward mind mapping instruction, especially in the group mind mapping activity. 4. The teacher/researcher has promoted her own professional development through constant refelection and adjustment in her teaching practice. ¡@¡@Based on the findings mentioned, the researcher provdied some suggestions regarding practical teaching practice and recommendations for further research.

Due to the several facts, like the effect from global economical recession onto our domestic insurance industry, the influence from non-stop interest rate declining in cost-benefit of management, Taiwan becoming one of the WTO members, the high-rates of insurants in Taiwan, the change of consumer¡¦s demand, as well as the passing Law for mergers of Financial Insitutions and Financial Holding Company Law, some insurance companies are facing severe challenges. In order to survive and develop, these insurance companies would like to provoke their employees¡¦ conscious about this crisis and to re-assess the goal and achievement for their organizations. The project is designed for assisting H Insurance Brokerage Company to process the intervention activity about the organizational transformation. Now-a-days most of the research topics about organizational transformation and development are focused on a big scale of structural convergence like system reengineering and strategic application or the research topics stress on the discussion about the effects element instead of the working process of organizational transformation execution. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is taking H insurance Brokerage Company as an example to apply Quasi-Experimental method to do the case study on organizational transformation process and the changing situation of organizational efficiency after the intervention activity, which was based on the action research. Within one-year intervention process, this thesis is advanced with these three steps, searching for a fixed position, searching for a consensus, and developing the effective leadership. The production of these three steps is created for resolving the former problems and each of these steps includes ¡§ to diagnose, to plan, to execute, to assess¡¨. At the same time, the research methods such as observations, interviews, conference records and document files as well as Quantitative method, were applied, including twice survey collections, document assessment and analysis. Based on the result from the analysis of these required information, this thesis discovers: 1.Both participants¡¦ ability and organizational performance are elevated through the research process of participatory activity. 2.This case-studied company re-news its location, develops its new goal, and completes its management tools like flowchart, system manual and operational manual after intervenient. 3.Both administrators and participants experienced this learning process of Learning- Internalization-action- improvement during the action research sessions. 4.Action research sessions allows both organization and its members to endlessly improve and develop within endlessly creative changing process.

This study aims at integrating Big6 skill with the project-based learning in social studies. To understand how students make Big6 skill as learning Scaffolding of the project-based learning. The researcher takes thirty-two fifth graders of an elementary in kaohsiung as research object, using action research to progress the lessons with Big6 skills and Project-based Learning. Analyze the data rebased from the following: lesson plans, questionnaires, worksheets, teaching journals, learning journals, interview, assessments from teachers¡¦ and students¡¦ self-evaluation to understand the learning of the students and to be the adjusting basis of instruction. The conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) the two-staged teaching experiment which is the integration of Big6 skill and project-based learning is effective and practicable. (2) Teachers, parents and students are all approval. (3) The integration of Big6 and project-based learning in social studies is helpful in promoting the student¡¦s communication and technology abilities. (4) Team Co-learning is workable in the integration of Big6 and project-based learning in social studies. (5) Big6 is helpful in project-based learning. (6) Project-based learning is suitable for the instruction of social studies. (7) The homeroom teacher who applies project-based learning in teaching can effectively control the learning pacing of the students.(8) The critical thinking abilities of the students are not evidently promoted. (9) The teacher who practices this way of teaching may encounter some difficulties such as the students¡¦ abilities of making projects, normal course pressure, time and classroom limitation and computer disorder. (10) The students who join this way of learning may also encounter some difficulties ¡V how to successfully work together, improve the ways of the data searching capability, reading and language deficiency, computer disorder and the respect of intelligence property right.(11) Library education should be brought into the elementary curricula to reinforce the students¡¦ communication and technology abilities. According to the way of conclusion research, there proposals as follows: (1) Make an intact project-based learning plan in an overall way. (2) Students with certain communication and technology abilities will be better for practicing the project-based learning. (3) Only the most profound Big6 skill can the best result be presented. (4) Library education should be brought into the formal curricula.(5) Cultivate students¡¦ reading and language proficiency. And also some suggestion of related studies is included for the reference of the future study.

The purpose of this study is to devise a teaching program integrating Big6 skills into project-based learning of social studies. Applying Big6 skills as a learning scaffold, the teaching program helps students to enjoy project-based teaching modes, to cultivate basic information literacy and to promote abilities to learn better in social studies. The research object is 34 students from the 4th grade of elementary school, and the action research is a two-stage and two-circle one. The researcher tried to understand the students¡¦learning status and get the whole picture of the teaching activity by means of collecting and analyzing data such as information literacy questionnaire, the scale for critical thinking test made by Chiu-Ching Chen, activity learning sheets, student inter-evaluations, student self-evaluations, teacher observations, teaching diaries and interview records. The results of the study are as follows: 1. Big6 skills, integrated into the social project-based learning applying two-stage teaching, is suitable for grade four of elementary school. 2. The students who have experienced Big6 skills integrated into the social project-based learning do promote in information literacy, group learning, expression, listening and the ability of using Big6 skills. 3. Due to the shortage of the study time or the not suitable for study tools, the students¡¦critical thinking is not promoted after experiencing Big6 skills integrated into the social project-based learning. 4. The students consider the integration of information and the evaluation as the most difficult steps in the Big6 method. 5. Teachers and students both identify with Big6 skills integrated into the social project-based learning. Finally, integrating the mentioned findings, the researcher offers some suggestions on the future teaching plan as follows: 1. Supply learning scaffold to promote students¡¦learning effects. 2. Integrate information course into language course can save time for learning. 3.Cultivate students¡¦abilities of reading, summarizing and integrating reading materials. 4. Help students to collect information from varied sources. 5. Extend teaching time and carry out each teaching steps.

Strategic management is getting important for performing arts groups. Strategic planning for an organization brings steady and sustainable development for the organization. The researcher has observed Kaohsiung City Chinese Orchestra for a long time, and has found that KCCO is facing challenges in both positioning and development: namely, fund application, personnel hiring and evaluation, marketing strategy, and R&D. The aim of the study is to find an efficient management strategy for the Orchestra. This research is based on strategic management, with Hofer and Schendel strategic management level being main structure, merging Nutt and Backoff, Wright, Kroll and Parnell and Robbins and DeCenzo strategic management steps, adding Porter's Five Competitive Forces analysis in the external environment scans, and combining SiTu DaXian's analytical elements in corporate look. The researcher tries to analyze KCCO¡¦s management mode by doing action research and implementing strategic action self-criticism and assessment. The researcher hopes to develop a long-term strategy and find the most favorable operational mode for KCCO. There are three parts in this study: (1) Understanding the purpose of the establishment of KCCO (2) Conducting an internal and external environment scan to identify challenges (3) Planning strategic actions according to strategic issues, suggesting strategic directions and actions, and assessing the effects. This study uses the method of interviewing, participant observation, and analyzing KCCO¡¦s documents. This research, a case study, analyzes KCCO¡¦s operation mode and finds the problems. The researcher uses operable research strategies to do action research and designs interview materials and questionnaires, then analyzes random sampling questionnaires. Finally the conclusion is proved through triangulation. This thesis has five chapters. Chapter One is the introduction, which includes research background, research motivation, research objective, theory structure, research contribution and chapter outline. This chapter explains the backgrounds of Taiwan¡¦s professional Chinese classical orchestras so that we may better understand the orchestras¡¦ development. Chapter Two collects relevant documents and materials of strategic management and sums up research theory and structure. Chapter Three, the research model, includes research problems, research procedures, research field, research object, material collecting, material analysis, and research constraints & limitations. Chapter four elaborates on KCCO¡¦s background and analyzes KCCO¡¦s management present situation in terms of organization framework, source and allocation of funds, program contents, ways of marketing, and R&D. Chapter Five includes strategic directions, issues, execution and assessment, conclusion and suggestions. This research finds that there is room for KCCO¡¦s development in its positioning, funds, professional administration, program designing, brand building, marketing, audience development, extending education, and music reinforcement, all of which will enable KCCO to fulfill its mission: ¡§Get a foothold in Kaohsiung, extend all over Taiwan, and set the eyes on the world.¡¨