Master of Music / Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance / Virginia Houser / Maintaining interest to continue studying and practicing the piano during the middle school years can be very challenging. Not only are students distracted by so many activities but peer interactions and opinions are taken more seriously. One way to motivate piano students to continue study is to use some form of group instruction. This can be done in various ways, including theory and performance classes as well as chamber and duet preparations. I conducted two separate assessments: five middle-school aged boys and two sixth graders, a girl and a boy. I gave each of these participants a survey to determine the positive and negative outcomes experienced during these group experiences. The results of this study included the following conclusions: Students who take ownership of their music-making are also more motivated to practice; if they really enjoy a piece, they will learn it. This motivation also extends to playing with a friend, since the student will want to play competently in front of their friend. Extrinsic motivation (i.e. candy, prizes, etc.) is exciting at first, but does not really provide long-term motivation for the middle school student to practice more. The ensuing embarrassment of being unprepared was a stronger form of motivation. Middle school students also liked having goals such as working toward an upcoming festival or competition, since it gave them a goal toward which to work, even if they did not like the idea of being judged. Students also enjoyed playing duets with a parent, which proved to be a positive experience in this study. Occasionally, however, the teacher had to deal with factors beyond their control and the student decided to discontinue study.

abstract: Historically, institutions of higher education focused their efforts on programs and services to support traditional students' integration (i.e., the eighteen year old who enrolls in college immediately after graduating from high school) into the college environment. Integration into the university environment contributes to student retention. Underrepresented students, specifically community college transfer students, are left out of the retention planning process. With the increase of transfer students transitioning to four-year universities, this study explored transfer students' integration experience within their initial six weeks of attendance at a receiving institution. This action research study implemented an E-Mentoring Program utilizing the social media platform, Facebook. Results from the mixed-methods study provided evidence that classroom connection interwoven with social rapport with peers, cognizance of new environment, and institutional and peer resources matter for integration within the first six weeks at HUC (a pseudonym). The information gained will be used to inform higher education administrators, student affairs practitioners, faculty, and staff as they develop relevant services, programs, and practices that intentionally support transfer students' integration. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2015

Employee turnover and retention is a major concern in the IT industry. Being a growing sector, the importance of minimizing turnover and understanding employee’s motivation towards retention cannot be ignored by leadership. This study was created to investigate the effect of different leadership styles on employee motivation and retention within the IT industry. Authors tried to understand whether transactional or transformational leadership style would encourage motivation and retention.The data for this study was collected through an online survey based on 63 closed-ended questions on demographics, leadership style, motivation and retention. This survey was distributed to IT employees in different parts of Europe. A sample of 129 responses was gathered. This data was afterwards analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The results obtained in this study confirm that transformational leadership positively influences employees’ retention, not only directly but also indirectly, through employee’s intrinsic motivation, which would be in line with previous studies and literature. Such a positive influence was not found, though, for transactional leadership style, which, according to the results, does not have a major influence on employees’ motivation and not at all on retention.

Orientador: Antonio Carlos Pereira / Dissertação (mestrado profissional) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T03:33:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_JulianaGobbode_M.pdf: 947660 bytes, checksum: 6fdaad170a78d94e585a32986b75b455 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar, por meio de um modelo de análise de sobrevivência, a retenção do selante ionomérico modificado por resina (Vitremer®) aplicado sobre as superfícies oclusais dos primeiros molares permanentes de escolares de 6 a 8 anos de idade em Piracicaba, SP. Os escolares foram selecionados por meio de exame prévio e de acordo com o risco individual, por uma única examinadora, calibrada e seguindo as recomendações da OMS para a cárie dentária e adicionalmente, foi feita a inclusão de lesões iniciais ativas (LI). Foram incluídos os indivíduos que apresentaram ao menos dois primeiros molares permanentes hígidos, num total de 93 escolares provenientes de duas escolas municipais e alocados em dois grupos de acordo com o risco individual - Grupo (AS) - alto risco selante (n= 57) e aqueles com ceod e CPOD=0 pertenceram ao Grupo (BS) - baixo risco selante (n=52). A aplicação do selante ionomérico (Vitremer®) nas superfícies oclusais dos primeiros molares permanentes hígidos foi realizada em ambiente clínico e as avaliações e realizadas a cada seis meses por uma examinadora calibrada. Um modelo de análise de Sobrevivência (método de Kaplan-Meier) estimou as probabilidades de sobrevivência do selante na superfície oclusal (tempo para a perda total do selante). Aos 18 meses de acompanhamento os grupos AS e BS apresentaram 8 e 6 selantes com perda total do material, respectivamente, correspondendo a 4,1% de perda para os de alto risco e 3,1% para os de baixo risco. Em relação à perda parcial, observou-se aos 18 meses 11,7% e 9,3% para os grupos AS e BS, respectivamente. Não houve diferença entre os grupos quanto à sobrevivência do selante. Conclui-se que o selante ionomérico modificado por resina (Vitremer®) é satisfatório quanto à retenção, após 18 meses de avaliação e sugere-se estudos longitudinais mais extensos para averiguar essa retenção ao longo do tempo. / Abstract: The objective of the present study was to evaluate, by an analysis surviving model, the retencion of ionomeric sealer modified by resin (Vitremer), applied on oclusal surface of permanent molar teeth of children of age range 6-8 years on schools of Piracicaba city, SP. Children were selected by a previus exam and according to individual riscs, by only one evaluator, blinded and following the recomendations of WHO (World Health Organization) to cavities and additionally, included the initial cavities lesion. Patients who had at least two permanent molars with no cavities were included. Ninetythree students from two schools were recruted and divided according to individual riscs into the following groups: Group (HS) - high level sealer (n=57) and Group (LS) - low level sealer (n=52) whose teeth had "dmf" and DMFT = 0. The ionomeric sealer (Vitremer®) was applied in a clinical procedure on teeth with no cavities. Evaluation was done at every six months by an evaluator. An analysis surviving model (Kaplan-Meier method) evaluated the loss of the sealer from oclusal surface of the teeth. After 18 months groups HS and LS demonstrated 8 and 6 total loss of sealer, respecitvely. The percentage of lost were 4,1% to high level and 3,1% to low level. According to partial loss, after 18 months the percentage presented to HS was 11,7% and 9,3% to LS. There was no statistically significant difference between the two treatment groups from surviving sealer. The evaluation of the groups led to a conclusion that ionomeric sealer (Vitremer®) is very satisfatory on retencion after 18 months evaluation. Further research is required to determine the effectiviness and efficiency of sealer activity. / Mestrado / Odontologia em Saude Coletiva / Mestre Profissional em Odontologia em Saúde Coletiva

Organisations must have a constant influx of candidates for potential employment. New employee positions are required as market areas are expanded. Recruitment occurs even in the face of limited growth or decline in service capacity, because individuals with specialised skills or training who leave the organisation must be replaced, and because services or technologies that have been revised or modified must be staffed. The recruitment of personnel plays an important role in assisting the organisation to adapt and remain competitive. The Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEA) employs a wide variety of workers. Thus, the sources of applicants and types of methods used to expand the applicant pool vary depending on the occupational classification being considered. It, therefore, becomes self-defeating to invest significant resources in a recruitment effort if such effort is offset by high turnover rates. Retention of employees is as essential as their recruitment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the organisational factors impacting on employee retention at DEDEA. The population for the study included 781 DEDEA employees. The response rate for the emailed questionnaire was 54 percent or 425 respondents. The Likert-type scale instrument consisted of forty questions divided into two sections: Section one looked at the demographic profile of the respondents and section two focused on getting responses on the five organisational impacting on v employee retention, namely: career development; compensation; positive recognition; staff engagement and management. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the following research design was adopted: Step 1 A literature review was conducted to determine the various organizational factors impacting on employee retention. Step 2 From the literature review, a process model was adopted to assist the researcher in structuring the research questionnaire. Step 3 A questionnaire was constructed according to the principles and guidelines in steps 2 and step 3. Step 4 Empirical data was obtained by means of an email survey. Step 5 The results of the survey were analysed and interpreted. Step 6 The empirical results were integrated with Step 3. Step 7 Conclusions and recommendations were done. The main findings from the study were: - The study revealed a significant relationship between the selected organisational factors and employee retention. - The study also produced a model suitable for use by DEDEA as a guide in determining what initiatives the organisation should embark on to improve employee retention.

Background Loss to follow-up from randomised trials (RCTs) can affect the reliability of results. Objectives To quantify the effect of strategies to improve retention in RCTs, explore their use, and develop best practice guidance. Methods Systematic review: including retention RCTs nested in RCTs. Qualitative study: in-depth interviews with RCT personnel. Consensus development: workshops with RCT personnel. Results Systematic review: 38 RCTs evaluated RCT retention strategies. Most aimed to improve questionnaire response. Questionnaire response was improved by: adding monetary incentives (RR 1.18;1.09-1.28), higher value monetary incentives (RR 1.12;1.04-1.22) and offering monetary incentives (RR 1.25;1.14-1.38). There is some evidence that recorded delivery (RR 2.08;1.11-3.87), a specialised postal strategy (RR 1.43;1.22-1.67) and an open RCT design (RR 1.37;1.16-1.63) also improve questionnaire response. There is no clear evidence that, when compared to usual follow-up procedures, questionnaire response / retention is improved by: sending questionnaires early, more disease-relevant questionnaires, shorter, or long and clear questionnaires, offering charity donations, giving or offering gifts, "enhanced" letters, priority post, additional reminders, questionnaire order, reminders to sites, behavioural or case management strategies. There was no clear effect for monetary incentives when compared to offering entry into a prize draw, or telephone surveys when compared to a monetary incentive with a questionnaire. Qualitative study: Communication and incentive strategies are routinely used to improve retention / response. There was uncertainty about their effectiveness. Non-monetary incentives, although used, were not thought to be effective. Efforts are made to improve questionnaire layout. Other strategies are seldom used. Factors thought to impact upon retention were identified. Consensus development: Best practice guidance was agreed for monetary incentives and postage. Conclusion Giving and offering small monetary incentives can be used to improve questionnaire response in RCTs. Second class postage can also be used. Application of the results would depend on RCT context and follow-up procedures.

Abstract Agriculture is the main source of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which are the nutrients accelerating the eutrophication of waters in Finland. Hence, mitigation measures are needed to reduce the nutrient loading from the arable land. Since Finland's accession to the EU in 1995 and the subsequent adaptation to its agri-environmental policy, constructed wetlands (CWs) have been one of the mitigation measures for which farmers may receive agri-environmental subsidies. The aim of this study was to find out how efficiently such CWs are able to retain the loading and how they should be designed and dimensioned in order to optimize their performance. Particular attention was paid to CW hydrology and hydraulics, since the dynamics of the water flowing through a CW is the major factor governing retention. Water quality and flow measurements were made in three CWs located in agricultural watersheds in southern Finland during 1999-2002. Hydraulic properties were examined in 2 of the CWs by simulations with 2-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality models. According to the calculations of material fluxes, the maximum annual retention was 72% for solid material (TSS), 67% for total P and 40% for total N. The lowest retentions were slightly negative, because the CW with the smallest CW-to-watershed area ratio (0.5% in the Alastaro CW) sometimes acted rather as a source than a sink of nutrients. The highest percent retentions were found in the Hovi CW with the largest CW-to-watershed area ratio (5%). In terms of mass per CW area, the Hovi CW retained 25 kg of total P and 300 kg of total N per one hectare per one year. In the Hovi CW also dissolved reactive P retention was high (49% in situ and 34% in laboratory microcosm experiments), obviously due to high contents and low P saturation of Al and Fe oxides of the CW soil. The basic underlying reason behind the high retentions of both dissolved nutrients and particulate matter in the Hovi CW was the long water residence time coupled with high hydraulic efficiency. In the deep part of the Hovi CW, near-bottom increase of dissolved O2 was found in phase with diurnal temperature changes. The oxygen transport by this kind of convective circulation of CW water inhibited near-bottom anoxia and thus decreased the risk of P desorption. According to the hydrodynamic simulations coupled with simulated tracer tests made for the Hovi CW, a 40% improvement in hydraulic efficiency was achieved by baffles directing the main flow to optimally exploit the CW area. The rectangular, elongated shape of the Alastaro CW also showed fairly high hydraulic efficiency. Hydrodynamic simulations were also coupled with a sediment transport model, which proved to be a useful method in predicting the change of TSS concentrations in CWs. Hourly datasets of inflow and outflow revealed high attenuation of runoff peaks in the well-designed and -dimensioned Hovi CW. The hourly outflow modeled with the reservoir routing method corresponded to the observed with a reasonable accuracy. When carefully designed, painstakingly implemented and wisely located, CWs may – even in cold climate – efficiently contribute to agricultural water pollution control.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / Set against the tenuous relationship between government (public sector), organisations (private sector) and trade unions, employees’ commitment to the success of their respective organisations are of utmost importance. Heugens and Schenk (2004) maintains stakeholders may oppose restructuring efforts as invariably some constituencies will be likely to lose a strategic advantage as a result of drastic change such as a restructure. This reality has resulted in these stakeholders having to find a common ground to ensure economic competitiveness and longevity of South African organisations. Where this common ground has been elusive, organisations need to find the balance between profitability, environment and its people. According to the King III Report (2009, as cited in Du Plooy & Roodt, 2013) this is referred to as the triple bottom line that is profit, planet and people, which are integrally linked to employee turnover and organisational strategy. Organisational commitment is a key factor to success for organisations in order to obtain and maintain a competitive advantage. Coetzee and Botha (2012) posit that organisations in today’s competitive world require each employee to be committed to the organisation’s objectives and function as an effective team. A competitive advantage is needed to achieve high performance (Nienaber & Masibigiri, 2012). The working world has evolved from one where job security is no longer as prevalent as it used to be. Consequently and understandably, employees’ commitment to their organisations has diminished. Organisations are required to now investigate, understand and put measures in place to grow employee commitment in order have a successful business operation. This study intended to primarily establish whether a relationship exists between organisational commitment and turnover intentions amongst employees in an organisation undergoing restructuring. Additional variables namely age and tenure were used to establish if these variables have any bearing on levels of organisational commitment. The matter of organisational restructuring may act as an antecedent variable to both organisational commitment as well as turnover intentions. An organisational restructuring is likely to have a negative effect on employees’ organisational commitment. Thus, the affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment of employees were also contrasted with turnover intentions. Correspondingly, news of an impending restructure may serve to increase employees’ intentions to terminate employment with the organisation. The sample included 144 respondents (n = 144) from an organisation within the hospitality industry. A method of non-probability, convenience sampling was utilised due to the nature of the study. A Biographical Questionnaire, Organisational Commitment Questionnaire and Turnover Intention Questionnaire were utilised for data collection purposes. The biographical questionnaire aimed to elicit among others important details such as gender, race, age, marital status, qualifications, language preferences and years of service were used for statistical purposes. Once the information was collected, the Pearson data analysis technique and Analysis of Variance technique were used to establish the relationships and differences between the respective variables under investigation. The results in the study indicate that significant inverse relationships exist between organisational commitment and turnover intentions. Significant differences were found in organisational commitment based on age and tenure. Similar statistically significant differences were discovered in turnover intentions according to employees’ age and tenure. Affective, continuance and normative commitment exhibited significant relationships with turnover intentions. The study in closing makes reference to the limitations experienced in the study as well as recommendations for future research especially on organisational commitment and turnover intentions of employees within a restructured or restructuring environment.

Retaining and graduating Hispanic students are paramount to the overall success of colleges and universities. Given the excessive amounts of money spent to recruit students, and the impact on the institution when students depart prematurely, action needs to be taken by institutions to increase Hispanic student retention and counter the negative impacts on institutions including: instability of institutional enrollments, decline in institutional budgets, and public negative perceptions of institutional quality. Despite significant efforts on the part of many colleges and universities to increase Hispanic student retention and graduation rates, these rates have remained relatively low. A possible solution to disappointing Hispanic student retention and graduation rates is to explore options for Hispanic students to live on-campus. To fully understand the complexities facing Hispanic students, this study examined the linkages among high school GPA, sex, and income (Pell Grant eligibility) to living arrangements and retention, academic achievement, and graduation rates of Hispanic students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This quantitative study provided a statistical analysis comparing cohorts of full-time Hispanic students who lived on campus to cohorts of full-time Hispanic students who lived off campus to determine if differences existed with regard to the students’ living arrangements, retention, academic achievement, and graduation. This was a longitudinal study that examined six years of data (2006-2012) for over 18,500 first-time-in-college Hispanic students (N = 18,533). Data was collected electronically. For the binary outcome variables, retention and graduation, logistic regression analysis was used; with the continuous variable to assess academic achievement, grade point average, the general linear model was used. The findings were surprising, and the researcher had to reject all three hypotheses; the findings supported: Hispanic students who live off-campus during their first year of college are more likely to be retained; Hispanic students who live off-campus have higher cumulative college grade point averages; and, Hispanic students who live off-campus are more likely to graduate college.