Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning; and, (M. Arch. in Advanced Studies)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1978. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Nicolas John Messervy. / M.C.P. / M.Arch.in Advanced Studies

Trust in elected representatives and the political institutions within which they operate is often emphasised as a prerequisite for citizens’ political participation. While research has indeed shown a positive correlation between political trust and participation, it has contrarily also been suggested that low levels of trust might function as a driving force for participation. With empirical evidence remaining equivocal, the relationship between political trust and political participation is yet to be fully comprehended. By focusing on one case, using the latest available European Social Survey data, and examining trust and participation rates over time, this study aims at yielding further insight into this matter. The results from the study show that the relationship between political trust and political participation is indeed ambiguous. As anticipated, political trust correlates positively with voting and negatively with so-called non-institutionalised political participation. However, political trust also correlates negatively with so-called institutionalised participation, contrary to expectation and perhaps quite notable. The results additionally suggest that the categorisation of different participation types might benefit from a revision. Moreover, also perchance remarkable, the results show that levels of political trust and political participation have been stable over time. No decline can be noted for either trust or participation, despitere occurring claims of such developments. Based on the results of this study, low levels of political trust have neither become more widespread nor had a negative impact on political participation.

In sizeable discussion-based college classrooms, achieving any approximation of balanced student participation is difficult. More common is a pattern that develops wherein a small percentage of the class dominates discussion and a larger percentage rarely or never participates. Thus, the purpose of this study was to find ways to balance the amount of discussion across students without diminishing the relevance of discussion. Consequently, this study evaluated the efficacy of crediting participation and requiring students to self-record their daily participation. Students (N = 160) in three sections of an undergraduate educational psychology course self-recorded their comments on specially designed record cards and received credit for participation during selected phases of the study. Additionally, an observer kept track of each class discussion by coding the quantity of each student’s daily participation. Relevance and type of student responses were assessed as ancillary dependent measures, also recorded by the observer. Credit decreased the percentage of both non-participants and dominant participants, thus balancing participation across students. Self-recording had a minimal effect on participation. Neither credit nor self-recording altered relevance or type of student comments. Few overall instances of non-relevant student commenting indicated that the construct was too narrowly defined, which provides direction for future attempts to assess quality of student participation. Because these findings resulted from comparisons within and between three sections of the course, instructor behavior was also monitored daily. A secondary observer’s records revealed that instructor behaviors (i.e., type and number of questions asked and feedback given) did not inflate or diminish the effect of treatment conditions. A 50-item survey assessed student perceptions of participation at the beginning of the course and was found to significantly predict student participation. Through a series of four principal components analyses, I extracted three specific factors. Logistic regression analyses showed that the primary factor, History and Confidence regarding Participation, differentiated high and low participants as well as the total survey and the three combined factors. This factor best predicted membership in a low participant group in the non-credit units and membership in a high participant group in the credit units.

The purpose of the study is to investigate 8th grade Turkish students&rsquo / perceptions towards civic concepts and issues like good citizenship, government responsibilities and women&rsquo / s political and social rights and to determine the factors affecting their intentions to participate in electoral, political and civic activities. In order to achieve this aim, a nation-wide survey was conducted with a sample of 2497 students from 60 schools in 21 provinces. The questionnaire developed by International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) on civic education was adapted and used as the data collection instrument. The data obtained from the sample were analyzed through both descriptive (mean, frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Hierarchical Multiple Regression). The results revealed that students value both conventional and social movement citizenship activities to be a good citizen. However, although they plan to participate in electoral and civic activities, more than half of them do not plan to participate in political activities such as joining a party, being a candidate for a local office. Moreover, it was found that the variances in students&rsquo / intentions to participate in electoral, political and civic activities were explained by students&rsquo / background characteristics, their media consumption habits, their discussion practices and discussion environment in classrooms, curricular and extracurricular experiences and finally by their perceptions of good citizenship and participation in school. Findings were discussed around relevant literature both in Turkey and abroad.

This thesis indicates that the relationship between the budgetary participation and managerial performance of Japanese companies in Taiwan is practical. If organizational performance is an intervening variable of budgetary participation and organizational commitment, it proves that the relationship budgetary participation and organizational commitment is positive and obvious. It also reveals that organizational commitment and managerial performance also have a positive relationship. In addition, budgetary participation can get an indirect influence to increase managerial performance by adding organizational commitment., The demonstrations show that the relationship between budgetary participation and managerial performance is negative, which is the same as the outcome of Sterdry (1960), Bryan & Locke (1967), Blumenfield & Leidly (1969) and Cherrington (1973). However, it is different from that of Argyris (1955), Brownell (1982), Brownell & McInnes (1986), Govindarajan (1986), Dunk (1990), Kren (1992). Therefore, the relationship between budgetary performance and managerial performance has not reached a consistent conclusion until now. In order to explain the inconsistent relationship between budgetary participation and managerial performance, the studies are based on the organizational commitment as an intervening variable. After the demonstrations, without dividing into groups, organizational commitment has an indirect influence between budgetary participation and managerial performance. However, by dividing into groups, it does not indicate the causation relationship except that of the group of Taiwanese managers to join the formal budgetary participation. According to different nations and different ways to join in a group by dividing into variable groups, with an advanced research, it reveals that the relevant coefficient of organizational commitment and managerial performance is positive for Japanese managers. Moreover, the relevant coefficient of the group of informal budgetary participation is much higher than that of the group of formal budgetary participation. Thus, it proves that Japanese managers prefer to the informal budgetary participation, which matches the assumption of studies. For Japanese companies, the pattern to make decisions depends on the agreement of each member, and the managers prefer to cooperate with them in private (NEMAWASHI). For Budgetary Participation, it is just formal. Although the relevant coefficient of budgetary participation and organizational commitment for Taiwanese managers shows the positive aspects, it is impossible to achieve the indirect affection to increase the managerial performance within the use of organizational commitment. It indicates that Taiwanese managers can¡¦t possess the power to make decisions in the Japanese companies. Though they join those formal meetings of budgetary participation, they still can¡¦t increase managerial performance without any incentives. Therefore, it is not ideal to establish the budge of each department in a company only to encourage them to join meetings. It is to reward them or to give them spiritual support that can increase the managerial performance. This research can provide Japanese companies in Taiwan with the most important references to design or implement the budgetary system in achieving the expected goal.

Abstract This research concentrates on the experiences of children and young people operating in the local participation groups in Oulu. Research focuses on the motives and procedures of joining in the groups and the essential activities and objectives of the groups. Co-operation between children, young people and adults is also discussed. The research perspective is pedagogical: what kind of a forum for democratic education do participation groups offer to children and young people? The research is a multi-method case study based on data from surveys, interviews and observation. The data is analyzed with the SPSS statistical analysis program and thematic content analysis. Childhood studies offer a theoretical starting point by recognizing children’s and young people’s agency and ability to participate. Participation is discussed in terms of central democratic theories. Participation groups as spaces for democratic education are viewed especially in terms of the didactic triangle of knowledge, values and skills introduced by Ove Korsgaard. Critical viewpoints on democratic education are discussed based on Gert Biesta’s formulations. Hannah Arendt’s insights into human interaction as a place where human subjectivity is born are also considered. Participation groups are spaces of social participation in which children, young people and adults reciprocally recognize each other as competent actors. An adult person with situational awareness and pedagogical tact is considered central to a participation group. Participation groups are understood as representative bodies whose functionality depends on the members’ ability to be active and committed participants. Age is thought to be a factor that both promotes and prevents group activities. Participation groups are also considered to be places where children and young people plan the activities based on their own interests, where they can express their own opinions and views and are also able to take part in decision-making. From the viewpoint of democratic education, participation groups are considered as pedagogical spaces that offer opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills for participatory action within their immediate surroundings and in society at large. These abilities are needed in groups’ activities on a constant basis, but children and young people also appreciate their value for their future life. At the core of participation seems to lie the idea of being able to live with others who are not exactly like me. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuskohteena ovat lasten ja nuorten kokemukset alueellisten osallisuusryhmien toiminnasta Oulussa. Tutkimuksessa selvitetään ryhmään liittymisen tapoja ja motiiveja, toimintamuotoja ja vaikuttamiskohteita sekä osallisuusryhmää lasten, nuorten ja aikuisten keskinäisen toiminnan tilana. Näkökulma on pedagoginen: minkälaisen demokratiakasvatuksen tilan osallisuusryhmä tarjoaa lapsille ja nuorille? Tutkimus on monimenetelmäinen tapaustutkimus, jonka aineisto koostuu osallisuustoiminnan havainnoinnista sekä lasten ja nuorten kyselystä ja teemahaastatteluista. Aineistoa on analysoitu SPSS-tilasto-ohjelmalla sekä temaattisella sisällönanalyysillä. Tutkimus paikantuu lapsuudentutkimuksen paradigmaan, jonka ytimessä on lasten ja nuorten osallisuus ja toimijuus. Osallisuutta taustoitetaan keskeisten demokratiateorioiden kautta ja osallisuusryhmien toimintaa erityisesti Ove Korsgaardin luoman kansalaiskasvatuksen didaktisen kolmion kautta. Lisäksi analyysissa hyödynnetään Gert Biestan esittämiä kriittisiä näkökulmia demokratiakasvatukseen sekä Hannah Arendtin näkemyksiä ihmisten välisestä vuorovaikutuksesta subjektiviteetin synnyn tilana. Osallisuusryhmä näyttäytyy sosiaalisen osallisuuden tilana, jonka keskiössä on lasten, nuorten ja aikuisten vastavuoroinen tunnustaminen kompetentteina toimijoina. Tilannetaitoinen ja pedagogisen tahdikkuuden taitava aikuinen on toiminnan keskeinen voimavara. Osallisuusryhmä ymmärretään edustukselliseksi järjestelmäksi, jonka toimintakykyisyyteen nähdään keskeisesti vaikuttavan ryhmän jäsenten aktiivisuus ja sitoutuneisuus toimintaan. Ikä nähdään sekä ryhmän toimintaa edistävänä että hidastavana tekijänä. Osallisuusryhmä on myös vaikuttavan osallisuuden tila, jossa lapset ja nuoret suunnittelevat toimintaa omien intressiensä pohjalta, tuovat esiin omia mielipiteitään ja näkemyksiään sekä tekevät päätöksiä itselleen merkityksellisissä asioissa. Demokratiakasvatuksen näkökulmasta osallisuusryhmä määritellään pedagogiseksi tilaksi, jossa on mahdollista omaksua tiedollisia ja taidollisia valmiuksia osallistuvaan ja vaikuttavaan toimintaan omassa lähiyhteisössä ja yhteiskunnassa laajemminkin. Näitä valmiuksia tarvitaan osallisuusryhmien toiminnassa jatkuvasti, mutta lapset ja nuoret kokevat niiden oppimisen hyödylliseksi myös tulevaisuutta ajatellen. Osallisuuden ytimessä on ajatus kyvystä oppia elämään toisten kanssa, jotka eivät ole aivan kuten minä.

The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes toward adult education among adult learners without a high school diploma or the General Educational Development (GED). In this study, adult learners without a high school diploma or GED completed the Attitudes Toward Adult Education Scale (AACES) and selected respondents volunteered to participate in a face-to-face interview in conjunction with the mixed methods section of the study. For this study, I used a 5-point Likert scale to measure the responses on the 22-item AACES survey. Three hundred and fifty respondents participated in the study. Descriptive statistics and a three-way ANOVA revealed attitudes toward adult education were not very favorable among adults without a high school diploma or GED. Overall, there were no significant differences among adult learners without a high school diploma or GED. However, age was statistically significant, as older adult learners had more favorable attitudes toward adult education than younger adults did. Race/ethnicity and gender showed no significant differences. The qualitative data revealed interviewees valued adult education and thought it was important for them to obtain their GED or high school diploma. Those interviewed believed they needed to obtain their GED or high school diploma in order to acquire meaningful employment. The interviewees did not express any immediate plans to participate in adult education or post-secondary/GED studies upon completion of the GED program. Based on the results, adult learners without a high school diploma or GED recognized the importance of obtaining a high school diploma or GED, but their attitudes toward the perception of participation in adult education were not favorable. The respondents believed participation in adult education is important and necessary to gain employment, but they did not show much enthusiasm for participation in adult education beyond the GED program.

Numerous studies emphasise the importance of music-making as an integral human experience, but only a handful focus on the perceived benefits of participating in a university choir as experienced by the singers themselves. An extensive literature search revealed that no research has been conducted that specifically focuses on this topic within a multicultural South African university choir. There is an increasing interest in the attributed values associated with membership in a collective music activity, especially with regard to choirs. The aim of this ethnographic case study was to explore the perceived benefits of choir participation for choristers who are members of a multicultural university choir in South Africa and to examine to what extent if at all social capital is generated as a by-product of their choir participation. A qualitative research approach was most suitable in order to gain an in-depth perspective of choristers' personal perceptions. Data collection included interviews, focus groups and observations of rehearsals and performances, involving 76 members of the University of Pretoria Camerata. The findings of this research highlight the personal, social and musical values attributed to membership within the choir as perceived by its members. The main findings revealed that the experience of singing in a choir is polygonal, and that such experiences are rewarding, plentiful, and even challenging at times. Choristers perceive their participation to be beneficial to their health and see the choir environment as safe and conducive to forming important relationships. Cultural integration takes place as an extension of being associated within a diverse group of people and a wealth of trust is generated amongst the singers, regardless of their cultural, religious or language differences. Findings indicated some negative perceptions as experienced by the singers, as cultural barriers still exist between members which were exacerbated by political tensions on campus at the time of data collection. Another stressful element of choir participation is the extensive time and commitment required due to the demanding and eventful choir calendar, as well as full academic programmes for which they are registered. The study provides empirical evidence of how two types of social capital, namely bridging- and bonding social capital, are generated within the choir. Bridging social capital exists amongst students from different ethnic backgrounds; while bonding social capital is evident between specific language-, racial- and cultural groups within the choir. As a result of choir participation, social norms and values are shared amongst the singers and networks and connections are established across all types of boundaries, creating an environment of reciprocity between singers. Results from this study highlight that the Camerata establishes a wealth of trust between its members, on a personal, professional and musical level. / Thesis (DMus)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Music / DMus / Unrestricted

This thesis has attempted to understand and deepen our knowledge of political participationamong students in upper secondary education. The thesis has explored potential motives to participate, or not to participate, what strategies they would use if they were to hypothetically participate, and furthermore how their political behavior relates to their expectations on democracy. Data were collected through semi-structured interview with 16 upper secondarystudents which was divided into three focus groups. The results imply different reasons forwhy they would, or would not participate politically. The most prominent reasons were frustration, norms, and fear. These reasons are inhibiting them from participating politically. The strategies they would utilize if they would want to change something politically concernboth collective and individual forms of participation. However, individual forms seem to be preferred, especially when it comes to social media. The simplicity and its ability to mobilizewith small resources make social media an attractive alternative among these youths. Participation in elections is important for them as citizens since the election is regarded as their opportunity to change within the scope of democracy. Likewise, participation in elections is an act they expect from other citizens. The result indicates that these students’political passivity is not explained by their lack of trust in democracy. Passivity can rather be described in more optimistic terms where a political interest exists and is nourished continuously, but they do not consider themselves to have enough reasons to act.

This study investigates how to enhance Sámi participation in EU Arctic policymaking processes by adopting and adapting participatory practices from the Arctic Council. Through a qualitative content analysis of policy documents and elite interviews, the study identifies that the EU can learn from the Arctic Council by recognizing the Sámi as internal actors, developing their collaborative platforms, and integrating Indigenous Knowledge into policymaking processes. This thesis develops a conceptual framework, integrating the concepts of procedural and intergovernmental self-determination, epistemic belonging, and organizational interdependency to define meaningful Indigenous participation and influence, which guides the analysis. Using this framework, the study contrasts the Arctic Council’s successful practices, where Indigenous Peoples Organizations are treated as equals, with the EU’s tendency to view the Sámi as an external Indigenous group outside of EU borders. The study identifies opportunities for the EU to translate participatory mechanisms that reflect the Sámi’s unique position and integrate their knowledge, as well as barriers such as treaty and resource constraints. By translating Artic Council practices into soft-law, the EU can create an inclusive atmosphere, contributing to meaningful Sámi participation.