The purpose of this research was to examine the relation between students' personality traits and the extent of their engagement and facilitation in peer-led literature circle discussions. The research was guided by two questions. To what extent do reading ability, gender, and personality traits predict the quality of verbal engagement in literature circles? and How do highly engaged participants facilitate discussion in the circles? The researcher video-taped 17 fourth-grade students' literature circle discussions for a total of 136.7 minutes collected on two separate occasions across two weeks. To answer the first question student contributions in discussions were quantified into a measure of quality of verbal engagement score (cf. Costa & Kallick, 2000). This quality of verbal engagement score served as the dependent variable in a multiple regression. The seven independent variables were (1) extroversion, (2) agreeableness, (3) conscientiousness, (4) emotional stability, (5) openness, (6) reading ability, and (7) gender. The quantitative analysis in this study revealed that emotional stability was the only significant variable that predicted higher quality of verbal engagement. A post hoc analysis that included group size as an additional variable revealed that groups composed of three members correlated with higher overall quality of verbal engagement. The second question was answered through a qualitative analysis of the following: exploratory talk, elaborative feedback, topic management, confessionals, and accountability. Results of this analysis suggest that highly engaged students frequently enhance the group discussions through facilitation. This study extended the extant research by investigating individual factors that may influence the quality of literature circle discussions as well as suggested a framework for understanding facilitation in peer-led literature circle discussions. Further research is needed to determine the influence of group size and personality on varying grade levels.

The Issue: The integration of evidence into practice is a complex process. Facilitation is a strategy that may assist practitioners with enhancing evidence uptake in nursing practice. However, the concept is not well understood from a front-line nursing perspective. Thesis Objectives: To describe facilitation in moving evidence into nursing practice and determine the nature of the facilitator role and the process of facilitation in theory and from actual experience to develop a conceptual framework to guide practitioners. Methods: A descriptive design utilizing mixed methods was employed: 1) Focused review of the literature that synthesized the current state of knowledge on facilitation as role and process in the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing. 2) Case audit and focus group interview with facilitators of cases involved in adapting guidelines and planning for implementation. A provisional framework was developed based on the literature review which guided the case audit and focus group interview. The data from the literature was integrated with data from those actively involved in facilitation to refine the framework. Results: Focused literature review: A final set of 39 papers were identified. Facilitation is described as supporting and enabling practitioners to improve practice through evidence implementation. Certain aspects of the role and the strategies being employed to promote change are evident. Current literature reveals that facilitation is viewed as an individual role as well as a process involving individuals and groups. Case audit and focus group interview: Forty-six discrete, practical facilitation activities discovered in the literature were in large part found as occurring within the cases. An additional 5 new, distinct activities related to facilitation were found in the case documentation. Findings suggest that facilitation is a multifaceted process and a team effort. Communication and relationship-building are key elements. Conclusion: The transparency and detail displayed in the revised framework may contribute to systematically developing, implementing, and testing facilitation interventions in nursing contexts. Facilitation is clearly an important strategy to advance EBP and the improved understanding of facilitation offered in this thesis provides a guiding framework for future investigations of evidence implementation where facilitation is a key element. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2009-07-30 15:13:59.116

Although social facilitation has been extensively studied over the last 50 years in various domains, it has largely been understudied in the context of team sports. A total of 8950 National Basketball Association (NBA) games were investigated to assess how a team’s skill level and experience interact with audience size to predict performance. More specifically, audience size was measured in two ways: as the number of people in attendance at each game and whether the game was locally televised (fewer television viewers) or nationally televised (more television viewers). Contrary to expectations, underdog teams performed significantly better with larger audiences, an effect not found for their favoured counterparts. Also contrary to expectations, teams less experienced than their opponents performed significantly better in nationally televised games than in locally televised games. This effect was not found for more experienced teams. Additionally, no teams experienced a decrease in performance. These results add important findings to the information regarding sports and social facilitation and provide insight into team selection for high stakes games. They also enhance the sporting literature base which is considerably lacking in its assessment of social facilitation effects.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-61).

South Africa has the highest reported prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) worldwide. The high prevalence is aggravated by limited remedial and rehabilitative services in the rural Northern Cape. Parents requested guidance to facilitate the development of their children with FASD. Understanding their needs and strengths will inform intervention programmes to create the stable environments children with FASD require for optimal life outcomes. The aim of the study is to explore the way that mothers facilitate the occupational engagement of their children with FASD as well as the challenges they face. Using a qualitative descriptive study design, the author purposively selected mothers to reveal three turning points in the lives of their children. Semi structured- and photo-elicitation interviews highlighted mothers’ experiences. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed with content analysis. Two themes emerged, namely, “Doing together” and “Varying access to engagement”. The findings of this study highlight the important role mothers play to facilitate the occupational engagement of children with FASD. Recognising mothers as agents of change and including them in intervention will enhance occupational therapy practice in the area of FASD.

No description available.

A la faveur de la réforme portuaire intervenue au Cameroun à la fin de la décennie 1990, les pouvoirs publics espéraient que les délais idéaux de passage portuaire des marchandises à l’importation devraient être de 7 et de 2 jours ouvrés à l’exportation dans le moyen terme. Pour tenir compte des difficultés liées à la phase d’expérimentation de la réforme durant la période transitoire, les délais de franchise jugés plus ou moins atteignables durant lesquels les marchandises ne devraient pas être passibles des surestaries et/ou des frais de stationnement, ont été fixés à court terme à 11 et 7 jours, respectivement à l’importation et à l’exportation. Au troisième trimestre de l’année 2017, l’analyse des chiffres présentés par le CONAFE démontre que la moyenne de ces délais oscille respectivement entre 16 et 18 jours pour l’importation des conteneurs et entre 16 et 20 jours, pour l’importation des véhicules. Plus précisément, 63, 54 et 57% de marchandises conteneurisées à l’importation, ont payé des pénalités respectives aux trois premiers trimestres de l’année 2017. Par ailleurs, d’une part, 89, 84, et 86% et d’autre part, 54, 49 et 67% des véhicules importés, ont payé les mêmes pénalités durant les mêmes intervalles respectifs pendant leur séjour aux parcs SOCOMAR et TMFD. La situation est presque la même dans les ports des autres États de la sous-région CEMAC. Les importateurs de marchandises en transit rencontrent les mêmes difficultés. Une étude comparative présente des statistiques plus ou moins laudatrices dans d’autres sous-régions du monde, notamment européennes. Dans un tel contexte qui n’est pas propre à la CEMAC, il est nécessaire de revoir les différentes procédures et mesures prescrites pour l’acheminement des marchandises. A ce défi, logistique viennent s’ajouter les problématiques liées aux instruments juridiques inapplicables, ou qui ont montré leurs limites à cause des dissensions enregistrées lors de leur mise en œuvre. Particulièrement dans la CEMAC, la reforme sur les procédures de transport et des échanges, la législation ainsi que la coordination des divers intervenants de la chaîne des transports sont une urgence. Il est clair qu’il y a aussi un manque réel d’infrastructures et des moyens tant matériels que financiers. A cela s’ajoutent des questions de gouvernance, de prévisibilité juridique, les risques liés aux transports, ainsi que la nécessité de protéger l’environnement. Au terme de l’analyse, il est ressorti que de nombreux efforts ont été fournis. Il reste que les États de la CEMAC ne peuvent véritablement faciliter leurs échanges qu’en tirant profit des instruments internationaux. En plus des textes existants, certaines dispositions novatrices des RR et de l’AFE doivent permettre de résoudre les problématiques liées aux rapports contractuels, aux délais, aux coûts de passage et à la livraison des marchandises. Sans doute, c’est ce qui a justifié l’appropriation presque servile du premier texte par le législateur communautaire et la ratification du second par certains États. Mais pour tirer le meilleur parti de ces instruments, leur adoption et leur mise en œuvre doivent tenir compte du contexte économique de la sous-région. Si la participation effective aux échanges est un signe de puissance, leur politique d’appropriation communautaire ou d’adoption devraient tenir compte du contexte économique sous-régional. / In the wake of the port reform that took place in Cameroon at the end of the 1990s, the public authorities hoped that the ideal transit times for goods to be imported should be 7 and 2 working days for export in the medium term. In order to take into account the difficulties associated with the experimental phase of the reform during the transitional period, the duty periods considered more or less attainable during which the goods should not be liable to demurrage and / or parking fees, were fixed at short term at 11 and 7 days, respectively for import and export. In the third quarter of 2017, the analysis of the figures presented by CONAFE shows that the average of these delays varies respectively between 16 and 18 days for the importation of the containers and between 16 and 20 days, for the importation of the vehicles. Specifically, 63%, 54% and 57% of containerized import goods paid penalties in the first three quarters of 2017. On one hand, 89%, 84% and 86% and on the other hand, 54, 49 and 67% of the imported vehicles paid the same penalties during the same intervals during their stay at SOCOMAR and TMFD. The situation is almost the same in the ports of the other states of the CEMAC sub-region. Importers of goods in transit face the same difficulties. A comparative study presents more or less laudatory statistics in other sub-regions of the world, notably in Europe. In such a context that is not unique to CEMAC, it is necessary to review the different procedures and measures prescribed for the movement of goods. In addition to the logistical challenge, there are also issues related to legal instruments that are inapplicable or that have shown their limits because of the dissensions recorded during their implementation. Particularly in the CEMAC, the reform of the transport and trade procedures, the legislation as well as the coordination of the various actors of the transport chain are an emergency. It is clear that there is also a real lack of infrastructure and both material and financial means. Added to this are issues of governance, legal predictability, transportation risks, and the need to protect the environment. At the end of the analysis, it emerged that many efforts have been made. The fact remains that the CEMAC States can only genuinely facilitate their trade by taking advantage of international instruments. In addition to the existing texts, certain innovative provisions of the Rotterdam Rules and the Trade Facilitation Agreement must make it possible to solve the problems related to the contractual relations, the deadlines, the costs of passage and the delivery of the goods. No doubt that is what justified the almost servile appropriation of the first text by the Community legislator and the ratification of the second by certain States. But to make the most of these instruments, their adoption and implementation must take into account the economic context of the sub-region. If effective participation in trade is a sign of power, their policy of community ownership or adoption should take into account the sub-regional economic context.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This thesis examines how drama facilitators adapt and assess their praxis so that it can be applied effectively in different learning contexts. This research analyses the good praxis of established facilitators with comparatively little documentation to disseminate their approaches. MED Theatre, Magic Carpet, the Shakespeare Schools Festival and West Exe Technology College employ facilitators who adopt a personalised approach to their praxis, transitioning across the spectrum of formal and informal learning to engage a diverse range of learners. The concepts of formal and informal learning are defined at the outset and the particular problems they can present drama facilitators are contextualised. Finding the right tools and assessment procedures is a significant challenge in a pedagogic landscape characterised by conflicting theories, a broad range of learner needs, and multiple perceptions of what actually counts as evidence of learning to justify praxis. With an increasing number of facilitators sustaining themselves by operating within a variety of learning settings there is an emerging need to identify what skills, knowledge and considerations support the process of becoming this kind of extended professional. Initiating my investigation, I explore how the role of a drama facilitator has emerged through movements in the fields of education, Community Theatre and the arts in Chapter One. The main pedagogic theories and approaches to assessment that a drama facilitator must engage with to personalise praxis are presented in Chapter Two. Supporting the development of this expanding field of praxis, the four case studies analysed illustrate how facilitators have sustained careers as extended professionals whilst negotiating educational policy, different learners, and assessment criterion. This thesis contributes to the argument for sustaining and developing links between formalised learning and informal social learning. I challenge the competitive perception of system-centred and learner-centred approaches, re-framing them as inter-related processes in cases of good practice. Finally, I identify how facilitators are attempting to forge further community links, interrogating how this emerging field 4 may be developed by drama facilitators who share a commitment to developing the quality of learning opportunities offered in the UK.