This dissertation investigates the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy outcomes at a residential environmental education (EE) program. I developed a novel methodology using observations of 81 lessons at the study site to isolate the characteristics hypothesized to influence student engagement, self-determination, and outcomes of environmental literacy. Student surveys provided self-reported data on student engagement, selfdetermination, and environmental literacy. Mixed-methods analyses allowed me to explore these links within the 81 lessons observed in this case study. The results are organized into five chapters: an introduction chapter; three manuscripts planned for stand-alone publication (Chapters 2 - 4); and a conclusion chapter. Chapter 2 reports on the links between student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. Chapter 3 provides insights on the links between the lesson characteristics (e.g., educator characteristics, teaching approaches, and schoolteacher/chaperone behaviors) and environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 4 investigates the degree to which measures of student engagement, observed or self-reported, are associated with environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from this study and presents additional analyses intended to fully synthesize the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. This study provides a novel methodology and survey items that may be of use to both practitioners and researchers. This research offers useful information about why and how EE works in this case and some of the specific characteristics and practices that engender positive environmental literacy outcomes. / Ph. D.

In this study 64 web based services (bibliographical, patron education, patron communication and patron publication services) and best practices offered by the 70 top world university libraries and 39 top Indian University libraries were studied using different data analysis techniques like cross-tabulating for average scores and Pearson correlation coefficient and tests like Chi-Square Test and T-Test were applied to the raw data collected for final results. The library rankings as per their web-based services were correlated with their university rankings as per Webometric rankings and found that library web-based services rankings are correlating with their university rankings. Therefore, developing countries like India should improve their library web-based services rankings to improve their rankings at global level. / Doctor of Philosophy

This report consists of the results from implementing the co-creation paradigm in the education. It was created from international team during the project T-CREPE - TEXTILE ENGINEERING FOR CO-CREATION PARADIGMS IN EDUCATION, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. Topics as planet platform, ChoiCo games, using simulation software, Enterpreneuship and feedback from industrial partners are presented.:1. Introduction 7 2. Design Thinking – Design-based Learning – Co-creation 9 References 16 3. Games in Education 18 References 18 4. The Co-Creation Planet: Metaphor and Theory 20 4.1 The Planet Metaphor 20 4.2 Planet Tools 21 4.2.1 Design Thinking Tools 21 4.2.2 The ChoiCo, game-based learning and co-creation 21 References 23 5. Practical Guide to the Planet Platform 25 5.1 Layers of the planet 25 5.2 How to use the Planet 28 5.2.1. For Teachers 28 5.2.2. For Students 28 How to use the Planet for you projects? 28 5.3 How to use ChoiCo 29 6. ChoiCo Game Modification Example 34 6.1. The expert games “Heating outdoor pads” 34 6.2. The textile game mod by lecturer 35 6.3. The textile games mods by students 36 6.3.1. Heating Garment 37 6.3.2. Heating Cushion for Car Seat 37 6.3.3. Heating T-Shirt and Gloves 38 6.3.5. Heating Textiles 38 6.3.6. Heating Socks 39 6.3.7. Heating Socks ThermoTrousers 3000 ™ 40 7. Stimulating Entrepreneurship 41 7.1 Co-creation scenes 41 7.2. Valorisation 43 7.3 Psychological ownership 45 8. The industry experience: Co-creating with Knitronix (Italy) 50 8.1 Collaboration with industry – Knitronix 50 8.2. Knitronix and the Co-creation course at UGent 51 9. Co-creating with industry: the richter+partner GmbH (Germany) 54 9.1 Introduction 54 9.2 Collaboration with industry – r+p 54 9.3. r+p and the Co-creation course 'Digital Nomad' at UGent and UNIWA 55 10. Co-creation process with textile CAD software 57 10.1. Introduction 57 10.2. Discovery process 57 10.3. Define 58 10.4. Develop 60 11. Co-creation in (design) education: lessons learned from T-Crepe 64 11.1 A reflection 65 11.2. Role of the students 65 11.3. Role of the instructors 66 11.4. Role of the industry partners 66 11.6. The T-CREPE heritage 67 References 67

Mergers and acquisitions have been demonstrated to create synergies, but not in all cases. Current research reveals that where synergies exist, these seem to accrue to the shareholders of the selling companies. Given the limitations of our qualitative research design, we find that it is important to quantify synergy before the acquisition, preferably by applying certain best practices. In an attempt to enhance understanding of the phenomenon, we find that several types of synergy exist and that their origins include efficiencies, such as economies of scale and economies in innovative activity. We further find that the bid price is an important indicator of success and that its maximum should not exceed the intrinsic value of the target, plus the value of synergies between the bidder and target. We further find that best practices exist in quantifying cost and revenue synergies and describe these separately per origin. / Management Accounting / M.Com. (Accounting)

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<p>Urbanisation processes in developing countries are resulting in a rapidly increasing proportion of habitants living in urban slum areas. In the international development debate the lack of tenure security for slum dwellers in developing countries is considered to be an essentially important problem. Within the framework of the UN Millennium Development Programme the necessity of efforts towards increased tenure security for marginalised urban residents was agreed upon. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where the overall progress towards improved living conditions for slum area residents is showing the least positive results. This paper investigates the occurrence of activities in the region which show an ambition of improving tenure security for people living in urban slum areas. It does so by examining cases submitted from African countries to the UN-HABITAT database of best international practices in the improvement of living conditions.</p>

Productivity and efficiency are the tools used in managing performance. This study researches and implements best practices that lead to best performance. A customer quality defined standard has to be created by benchmarking the Information Technology Service Regions which may be used to help decision-makers or management make informed decisions about (1) the effectiveness of service systems, (2) managing the performance of Information Technology Service Regions. Waiting lines or queues are an everyday occurrence and may take the form of customers waiting in a restaurant to be serviced or telephone calls waiting to be answered. The model of waiting lines is used to help managers evaluate the effectiveness of service systems. It determines precisely the optimal number of employees that must work at the centralised service desk. A Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology is used as a benchmarking tool to locate a frontier which is then used to evaluate the efficiency of each of the organizational units responsible for observed output and input quantities. The inefficient units can learn from the best practice frontier situated along the frontier line. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Urbanisation processes in developing countries are resulting in a rapidly increasing proportion of habitants living in urban slum areas. In the international development debate the lack of tenure security for slum dwellers in developing countries is considered to be an essentially important problem. Within the framework of the UN Millennium Development Programme the necessity of efforts towards increased tenure security for marginalised urban residents was agreed upon. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where the overall progress towards improved living conditions for slum area residents is showing the least positive results. This paper investigates the occurrence of activities in the region which show an ambition of improving tenure security for people living in urban slum areas. It does so by examining cases submitted from African countries to the UN-HABITAT database of best international practices in the improvement of living conditions.

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This treatise is a historical policy study, empirical in nature, evaluating how Texas community college governance boards' roles have changed over the last 4 decades. Texas was chosen because trustees are elected; as the second largest state in the nation, demographic shifts are rapidly changing and trustees represent a very different constituency from 40 years ago; and, Austin Community College District was the case study evaluated. Community college trustees are lay members of boards who oversee governance of 50 districts in Texas. The long time consensus has been that boards are "rubber stamps" of a CEO's directional design, and trustees have been historically White, wealthy, businessmen, who have little educational knowledge regarding community colleges or the students served. Success for community colleges in Texas, and funding, has always been based on enrollment, never before on student achievement or graduations. Research questions addressed how trustees roles have changed in 40 years and if student success initiatives had impacted those responsibilities. The answers are interesting. Trustees duties, as prescribed by the Texas Education Code have not changed at all, but trustees are spending more time in only a few of those duties on a regular basis. Demographic attributes have also changed very little in 40 years. Yet, trustees of the 21st century have become more attuned to the financial deficits that exist and will escalate if student success is not made a priority. Utilizing research from the Texas Education Code, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, The Texas Association of Community Colleges, the Community College Association of Texas Trustees, and researchers who have documented trustees' roles and responsibilities since the early 1970s, and including a case study that evaluated one college's minutes from board meetings over a 40 year span to determine how trustees utilize their time, this study shows that boards are evolving, but need additional and continual training. Because some trustees still micromanage, what results from this study as a benefit to society is a final guide that addresses the humanistic roles that trustees should have that intertwine with the legal duties defined by the State. / text