<p>The main objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes, perceptions and factors affecting the implementation of the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio in the<br /> Educational Management Developmental Centres (EMDCs) of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The sub-objectives were firstly to assess the teachers' attitudes toward the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio as an assessment tool. A second aim was to describe teachers&rsquo / perceptions of assessment methods in the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio, while a third was to identify the factors that affect the development of the said portfolio.</p>

Introduction: Stroke is associated with a high prevalence of dysphagia in the elderly population. Hence, dysphagia evaluation and management are key issues in stroke rehabilitation. The McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment (MISA) is a recently developed mealtime observational tool aimed at evaluating the functional aspects of the oral phase of ingestion. Objective: To determine the discriminative validity of the MISA by assessing known/extreme groups of elderly individuals presenting with stroke, who have been admitted to an acute-care-hospital or a rehabilitation center. Participants were allocated to one of two groups: 1) individuals with stroke and no dysphagia, who are on a regular diet and 2) individuals with stroke and dysphagia, who are permitted only purees. Methods: Participants were evaluated with the MISA and a comprehensive chart review was conducted. Analysis: Groups were compared on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Univariate tests were performed to test the significance of between-group differences. Conclusion and significance: The results of the study are satisfactory, and enhance the clinical usefulness of the tool for dysphagia management. These results also support future studies addressing the responsiveness of the MISA.

The implementation of outcomes-based education (OBE) in South African schools brought radical changes to the teaching profession. The transition to an OBE curriculum exerted a great impact on teachers' assessment practices and required a major revision of teaching and learning activities. Outcomes-based assessment (OBA) does not only require of teachers to design appropriate assessment plans, assessment programmes and assessment strategies, but it also implies that learners should be provided with expanded and 89Propriate opportunities to achieve in accordance with their abilities. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that the training of teachers should not only focus on the demands that OBA make on the learner, but specifically on what OBA expects from the teacher. The main aim of assessment is to promote teaching and learning, which implies that teachers must assess in such a way that quality information about learner performance will be produced. The teacher must record and interpret this information carefully, in order to enable professional and accountable decisions about learner performance and to give constructive feedback to learners and their parents. Easier said than done! The implementation of OBE and specifically OBA elicited serious debates and fierce criticism from a variety of sources. Since the implementation of OBE, quite a number of newspaper reports reflected the negativity of teachers, educationists and other role players towards OBE and particularly OBA. OBE and OBA have become problematic and controversial issues in South Africa. In light of the above mentioned the purpose of this study was to determine the nature, scope and causes of the problems experienced with OBA in South African schools and come forward with practical, supportive recommendations that could alleviate and/or improve the situation. In order to determine the difficulties experienced with OBA empirical, quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilised. A structured questionnaire, with closed and open items, was sent to a representative sample of South African public schools. The resultant data was qualitatively and quantitatively analysed and the following main findings emerged from the research: 1. The training that teachers receive from the education department is inadequate for the successful implementation of OBA in South African schools. 2. Teachers' knowledge of OBE, and more specifically OBA, is too superficial to implement OBA successfully. 3. The assessment practices of teachers reflect that they have not yet made the transition from traditional and conventional types of assessment to authentic OBA. Assessment is primarily used for summative purposes and not for formative purposes, as is supposed to be the case. 4. The education department do not adequately support and empower teachers for the successful implementation of OBA. In light of the research findings, recommendations were made to promote the implementation of OBA in schools. / Die implementering van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys (UGO) in Suid-Afrikaanse skole het radikale veranderinge vir die onderwysprofessie teweeggebring. Die oorgang na 'n UGOkurrikulum het 'n diepgaande impak op onderwysers se assesseringspraktyke gehad en het grootskaalse wysigings van onderrig-en leeraktiwiteite ingehou. Uitkomsgebaseerde assessering (UGA) verlang nie net van onderwysers om toepaslike assesseringsplanne, assesseringsprogramme en assesseringstrategiee te ontwerp nie, maar ook om aan leerders uitgebreide en toepaslike geleenthede te bied om volgens hulle vermoe te presteer. Dit is dus uiters belangrik dat daar in die opleiding van onderwysers nie net gelet sal word op wat UGA van die leerder vereis nie, maar spesifiek op wat UGA van die onderwyser verwag. Die hoofdoel van assessering is om onderrig en leer te bevorder en onderwysers moet dus op so 'n wyse assesseer dat dit kwaliteitinligting oor leerderprestasie lewer. Die onderwyser moet hierdie inligting noukeurig rekordeer en interpreteer, sodat professionele en verantwoordbare besluite oor leerderprestasie geneem kan word en op 'n konstruktiewe wyse aan leerders en hulle ouers oorgedra kan word. Makliker gese as gedaan! Die implementering van UGO, en in besonder UGA, het 'n hewige debat en felle kritiek uit verskillende oorde ontlok. Talle koerantberigte het sedert die implementering van UGO die negatiwiteit van onderwysers, opvoedkundiges en ander rolspelers teenoor UGO en in die besonder UGA weerspieel. UGO en UGA het 'n problematiese en kontroversiele aangeleentheid in Suid-Afrika geword. Teen die agtergrond van bogenoemde, was die doel van hierdie ondersoek om die aard, omvang en oorsake van die UGO-assesseringsknelpunte in Suid-Afrikaanse skole te bepaal en om met praktykgerigte, hulpverlenende aanbevelings na vore te kom om die situasie te verlig en/of te verbeter. Ten einde die problematiek van UGA empiries te bepaal is daar van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik gemaak. 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys (met geslote en oop items) is aan 'n verteenwoordigende steekproef van Suid-Afrikaanse staatskole gestuur. Die ingesamelde data is kwalitatief en kwantitatief geanaliseer en die volgende hoofbevindinge het uit die ondersoek voortgespruit: 1. Die opleiding wat onderwysers van die onderwysdepartement ontvang, is ontoereikend vir die suksesvolle implementering van UGA in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. 2. Onderwysers se kennis van UGO, en meer spesifiek UGA, is te oppervlakkig om UGA prakties suksesvol te implementeer. 3. Die assesseringspraktyke van onderwysers weerspieel dat hulle nog nie van die tradisionele en konvensionele tipes van assessering wegbeweeg het, na outentieke UGA toe nie. Assessering word ook oorwegend vir summatiewe doeleindes aangewend en nie vir formatiewe doeleindes, so os dit veronderstel is om te gebeur nie. 4. Onderwysers word ook nie toereikend deur die onderwysdepartement ondersteun en bemagtig om UGA suksesvol te implementeer nie. Aan die hand van die bevindinge is aanbevelings, te, bevordering van UGA-implementering in skole, gemaak. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The implementation of outcomes-based education (OBE) in South African schools brought radical changes to the teaching profession. The transition to an OBE curriculum exerted a great impact on teachers' assessment practices and required a major revision of teaching and learning activities. Outcomes-based assessment (OBA) does not only require of teachers to design appropriate assessment plans, assessment programmes and assessment strategies, but it also implies that learners should be provided with expanded and 89Propriate opportunities to achieve in accordance with their abilities. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that the training of teachers should not only focus on the demands that OBA make on the learner, but specifically on what OBA expects from the teacher. The main aim of assessment is to promote teaching and learning, which implies that teachers must assess in such a way that quality information about learner performance will be produced. The teacher must record and interpret this information carefully, in order to enable professional and accountable decisions about learner performance and to give constructive feedback to learners and their parents. Easier said than done! The implementation of OBE and specifically OBA elicited serious debates and fierce criticism from a variety of sources. Since the implementation of OBE, quite a number of newspaper reports reflected the negativity of teachers, educationists and other role players towards OBE and particularly OBA. OBE and OBA have become problematic and controversial issues in South Africa. In light of the above mentioned the purpose of this study was to determine the nature, scope and causes of the problems experienced with OBA in South African schools and come forward with practical, supportive recommendations that could alleviate and/or improve the situation. In order to determine the difficulties experienced with OBA empirical, quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilised. A structured questionnaire, with closed and open items, was sent to a representative sample of South African public schools. The resultant data was qualitatively and quantitatively analysed and the following main findings emerged from the research: 1. The training that teachers receive from the education department is inadequate for the successful implementation of OBA in South African schools. 2. Teachers' knowledge of OBE, and more specifically OBA, is too superficial to implement OBA successfully. 3. The assessment practices of teachers reflect that they have not yet made the transition from traditional and conventional types of assessment to authentic OBA. Assessment is primarily used for summative purposes and not for formative purposes, as is supposed to be the case. 4. The education department do not adequately support and empower teachers for the successful implementation of OBA. In light of the research findings, recommendations were made to promote the implementation of OBA in schools. / Die implementering van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys (UGO) in Suid-Afrikaanse skole het radikale veranderinge vir die onderwysprofessie teweeggebring. Die oorgang na 'n UGOkurrikulum het 'n diepgaande impak op onderwysers se assesseringspraktyke gehad en het grootskaalse wysigings van onderrig-en leeraktiwiteite ingehou. Uitkomsgebaseerde assessering (UGA) verlang nie net van onderwysers om toepaslike assesseringsplanne, assesseringsprogramme en assesseringstrategiee te ontwerp nie, maar ook om aan leerders uitgebreide en toepaslike geleenthede te bied om volgens hulle vermoe te presteer. Dit is dus uiters belangrik dat daar in die opleiding van onderwysers nie net gelet sal word op wat UGA van die leerder vereis nie, maar spesifiek op wat UGA van die onderwyser verwag. Die hoofdoel van assessering is om onderrig en leer te bevorder en onderwysers moet dus op so 'n wyse assesseer dat dit kwaliteitinligting oor leerderprestasie lewer. Die onderwyser moet hierdie inligting noukeurig rekordeer en interpreteer, sodat professionele en verantwoordbare besluite oor leerderprestasie geneem kan word en op 'n konstruktiewe wyse aan leerders en hulle ouers oorgedra kan word. Makliker gese as gedaan! Die implementering van UGO, en in besonder UGA, het 'n hewige debat en felle kritiek uit verskillende oorde ontlok. Talle koerantberigte het sedert die implementering van UGO die negatiwiteit van onderwysers, opvoedkundiges en ander rolspelers teenoor UGO en in die besonder UGA weerspieel. UGO en UGA het 'n problematiese en kontroversiele aangeleentheid in Suid-Afrika geword. Teen die agtergrond van bogenoemde, was die doel van hierdie ondersoek om die aard, omvang en oorsake van die UGO-assesseringsknelpunte in Suid-Afrikaanse skole te bepaal en om met praktykgerigte, hulpverlenende aanbevelings na vore te kom om die situasie te verlig en/of te verbeter. Ten einde die problematiek van UGA empiries te bepaal is daar van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes gebruik gemaak. 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys (met geslote en oop items) is aan 'n verteenwoordigende steekproef van Suid-Afrikaanse staatskole gestuur. Die ingesamelde data is kwalitatief en kwantitatief geanaliseer en die volgende hoofbevindinge het uit die ondersoek voortgespruit: 1. Die opleiding wat onderwysers van die onderwysdepartement ontvang, is ontoereikend vir die suksesvolle implementering van UGA in Suid-Afrikaanse skole. 2. Onderwysers se kennis van UGO, en meer spesifiek UGA, is te oppervlakkig om UGA prakties suksesvol te implementeer. 3. Die assesseringspraktyke van onderwysers weerspieel dat hulle nog nie van die tradisionele en konvensionele tipes van assessering wegbeweeg het, na outentieke UGA toe nie. Assessering word ook oorwegend vir summatiewe doeleindes aangewend en nie vir formatiewe doeleindes, so os dit veronderstel is om te gebeur nie. 4. Onderwysers word ook nie toereikend deur die onderwysdepartement ondersteun en bemagtig om UGA suksesvol te implementeer nie. Aan die hand van die bevindinge is aanbevelings, te, bevordering van UGA-implementering in skole, gemaak. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

O presente estudo tem como objetivo verificar se há diferença significativa entre o custo do capital de terceiros (Ki) apurado com base nas Demonstrações Contábeis (DC) e, a partir das informações contidas nas Notas Explicativas (NE) das empresas do segmento Novo Mercado de Governança Corporativa (NMGC) da Bovespa, para o período de 2001 a 2005, além de identificar os fatores que as determinam. Faz-se, assim, uma comparação entre duas formas de apuração do Ki, uma que já é utilizada e outra proposta neste estudo. O segmento NMGC foi escolhido porque as empresas que o compõem comprometem-se a melhorar a qualidade das informações prestadas aos stakeholders. No Teste de Hipóteses realizado, H0 indica que não há diferenças significativas entre as duas formas de apuração; e H1, que há diferenças significativas entre elas. O Teste de Postos com Sinais de Wilcoxon indicou que há evidência insuficiente contra a hipótese nula, ou seja, não há evidência amostral para afirmar que há diferença entre as duas formas de apuração, (&#945; = 5%). Apesar disso, a análise gráfica permite levantar algumas suposições acerca das divergências visualizadas: 1 - lançamentos herméticos das receitas e despesas financeiras; 2 - valores operacionais lançados nas despesas financeiras com a permissividade da lei; e 3 - a presença de instrumentos financeiros que interferem no total das despesas financeiras. Contudo, a apuração do Ki pelas NE apresenta-se mais satisfatória que pelas DC, pois eliminam-se as deficiências levantadas, e fornecem aos usuários informações compreensíveis, relevantes, confiáveis, comparáveis e sobretudo, úteis para a tomada de decisões. / The aim of this study is to verify whether there is any significant difference between the cost of debt (Ki), which was assessed based on Accounting Statements (AS), and that from the information contained in Explanatory Notes (EN) of the companies in the segment New Market of Corporate Governance (NMGC) of Bovespa, between 2001 and 2005. In addition, it also identifies the factors that determine this difference. Therefore, we are able to compare both methods of assessing Ki, one which is already used and another which is proposed in this study. The segment NMGC was chosen because the companies that constitute it are committed to improving the quality of information given to stakeholders. In the Hypothesis Test carried out, H0 indicates that there are no significant differences between the two assessment methods; on the other hand, H1 indicates that there are significant differences between them. The Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test showed that there is not enough evidence against the null hypothesis, that is, there is no evidence in the sample in order to state that there is any difference between the two ways of assessing (&#945; = 5%). Despite that, the graphic analysis allows us to make some assumptions about the divergences that were brought up: 1 - hermetic revenue entries; 2 - operational values released on financial expenditure with permission from the law; and 3 - the presence of financial instruments which interfere in the total financial expenditures. However, assessing Ki through NE is more satisfactory than through DC, because the deficiencies raised are eliminated, and it offers the users understandable, relevant, reliable, comparable and, above all, useful information for the decision-making process.

As cidades são as grandes modificadoras da paisagem natural, uma vez que não são organismos auto-sustentáveis e sim grandes consumidores dos insumos agrícolas, industriais e dos recursos naturais, sem, no entanto, reciclá-los ou reutilizá-los. São Paulo, com quase 11 milhões de habitantes, apresenta entre outros problemas, um grande déficit habitacional, seja pela insuficiência na quantidade de habitações para atender a demanda existente, seja pela inadequação das unidades existentes. Com a finalidade de melhorar a qualidade do ambiente construído e minimizar seu impacto negativo no ambiente natural, diversas metodologias de avaliação de sustentabilidade vêm sendo desenvolvidas por diferentes países e regiões. No contexto apresentado, este artigo teve como objetivo analisar algumas destas metodologias de avaliação de sustentabilidade do ambiente construído que foram desenvolvidas internacionalmente estudando seus indicadores, estrutura e a sua aplicabilidade na avaliação de conjuntos habitacionais no contexto da realidade brasileira. A partir da revisão bibliográfica, foram selecionados alguns métodos que foram aplicados em estudos de caso formados por dois conjuntos habitacionais de interesse social produzidos pela Companhia de Desenvolvimento Habitacional e Urbano do Estado de São Paulo - CDHU. Como resultado, foi possível verificar quais requisitos de sustentabilidade são atendidos pelos conjuntos e quais métodos e indicadores são aplicáveis ou não à realidade brasileira. / Cities are the major modifier of the natural landscape, they are large consumers of agricultural inputs, industrial and natural resources, without, however, recycle it or reuse it. To improve the quality of the built environment, developed countries have designed methodologies to assess sustainability both of building constructions and urban areas. Among other problems, São Paulo, with almost 11 million inhabitants, has a significant housing deficit, both owing to the insufficiency of housing units to meet the existing demand and the low quality of existing units. In order to improve the quality of the built environment and minimize its negative impact on the natural environment, different methodologies for assessing sustainability have been developed by different countries and regions. In the presented context, the purpose of this research was to analyze some sustainable assessment methods existing internationally, reviewing their indicators, structure and its applicability in the Brazilian reality applying them to two housing schemes. With such analysis, the author has reviewed the situation of housing schemes in regard to sustainability and, at the same time, analyzed the applicability of international methods to the Brazilian reality, identifying the main difficulties of the assessments and also identifying which methods and indicators are able to be applied or not in Brazilian reality.

Magister Artium (Human Ecology) - MA(HE) / The main objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes, perceptions and factors affecting the implementation of the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio in the Educational Management Developmental Centres (EMDCs) of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The sub-objectives were firstly to assess the teachers' attitudes toward the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio as an assessment tool. A second aim was to describe teachers&rsquo; perceptions of assessment methods in the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio, while a third was to identify the factors that affect the development of the said portfolio. / South Africa

Magister Artium (Human Ecology) - MA(HE) / Assessment is a critical element for achieving the desired outcomes in out comes based education (OBE). In the subject area of Consumer Studies each teacher is required to compile a teaching portfolio about the assessment and classroom activities conducted in a given year. However, there is a paucity of research in the field of portfolio development for teaching Consumer Studies in the secondary school. The main objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes, perceptions and factors affecting the implementation of the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio in the Educational Management Developmental Centres (EMDCs) of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The sub-objectives were firstly to assess the teachers' attitudes toward the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio as an assessment tool. A second aim was to describe teachers' perceptions of assessment methods in the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio, while a third was to identify the factors that affect the development of the said portfolio. A structured questionnaire was used to determine the attitudes, perceptions and factors affecting the implementation of the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio. The questionnaire contained three sections, the first of which related to the participants' demographic information. The second section comprised three parts. The first dealt with factors that influenced the choice of the assessment method used in Consumer Studies. The second part focused on the participants' attitudes toward the assessment process, and the third on teachers' perceptions of constraints or barriers that impact on the assessment process. Section three centred around factors that relate to the process of compiling the teaching portfolio, such as. skills required for this purpose, activities that need to be reconsidered in the course of compiling the portfolio, and the benefits of the teaching portfolio as such. The SAS statistical package was used for an analysis of the data in this study. Therefore various statistical methods were applied. The independent variables were illustrated by using frequency tables. The non-parametric Friedman's test was used for analysis, because the data was not on an interval scale, and was therefore ranked. The pairwise comparison test was used to determine the association between factors for each assessment method used in the Consumer Studies teaching portfolio. Results were achieved by applying these methods of data analysis. Withregard to demographics, the mean age of the teachers in the study were female and 40, holding a Higher Diploma in the Education of Home Economics !Needlework. The results of the factors influencing the selection of an assessment method showed that no single factor could be linked to a particular assessment method. There are several factors that influence the selection of one specific assessment method. Choosing the learner portfolio as an assessment method is influenced by various factors such as planning for instruction, diagnosing student weaknesses, monitoring student progress, communicating student achievement, motivating students and assigning grades. These factors are selected among the assessment methods for observation-based, test-based and task-based assessment. The teachers displayed a positive attitude toward the assessment process, because they rated the assessment process as valuable, successful, efficient, important, good, fair, reputable, flexible and relaxed. There was a large percentage of teachers who felt that the assessment process was tense instead of relaxed. The teachers did not perceive any of the constraints or barriers as having a negative impact on the assessment process. The factors relating to the teaching portfolio included all the skills, activities and benefits required for compiling a teaching portfolio. Those demanding particular attention are self-reflection, journal writing, writing a teaching philosophy and self evaluation. Recommendations offered in this study are that training programmes be run for preservice and in-service teachers so that teachers can feel more confident when compiling a teaching portfolio. The National Department of Education should provide structure and assessment criteria to guide teachers in the development of a teaching portfolio. Published material about teaching portfolios should be made available to teachers. The teaching portfolio is a valuable assessment tool that can be used not only in the development of the teacher's teaching strategy, but also for determining a teacher's strengths and weaknesses m his or her professional career.

Mit diesem Beitrag sollen Anwendungs- und Einsatzszenarien von komplexen, kontextbezogenen Echtzeit-Assessment- bzw. Evaluierungsverfahren im Bereich des operativen Prozessmanagements bei interdisziplinären, ganzheitlichen Planungen vorgestellt und prototypisch demonstriert werden. Dazu werden kurz die jeweiligen strukturellen und prozessoralen Grundvoraussetzungen bzw. eingesetzten Methoden erläutert und deren aufeinander abgestimmtes Zusammenspiel im gesamten Handlungsablauf demonstriert.

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