This thesis considers “Quality in Higher Education” from different points of view. The aim isto achieve continuous quality improvement in Engineering School of Boras University as acase study. In order to improve quality, the quality criteria and definitions in higher educationare discussed. Different improvement methods that have been successfully used to improvequality in Educational systems such as PDCA (Deming wheel) and EFQM (EuropeanFoundation for Quality Management) are shortly presented. These methods are applied inBoras University Engineering School to find out the roots problems and main barriers toimprove quality, and there are some different solutions suggested to implement in order toachieve continuous quality improvement in this especial department. Although this case isfocused on Boras University, the writer believes that the same methods and assessments canbe used in any kind of educational organizations.

Teacher feedback is a useful tool that can actively engage students in learning and help them improve content knowledge. However, students are generally not motivated to use the teacher feedback. The present study investigated whether self-assessment devices can promote students’ usage of teacher feedback among 5th through 8th graders. Self-assessment is a process during which students monitor and judge their learning process often with tools that provide perspective. The present study hypothesized that a self-assessment intervention utilizing rubrics and guiding questions would help students to successfully revise their work as the teacher feedback intends, accurately predict their performance, become receptive to the teacher’s criticism, and increase their content knowledge. While rubrics contain a list of criteria that the teacher expects students to achieve for each problem, guiding questions ask students to identify areas where they perform well and other areas where they need improvement. The present study took the form of an experiment, with participants divided into two Groups: Experimental (N=89) and Control (N=84). The Experimental Group students used the intervention, whereas the Control Group students did not use the intervention. Every participant worked on solving problems, revising their work, answering questions about the experience, and expressing their preference for the type of teacher feedback in mathematics. The study hypothesized that the self-assessment devices would help students to successfully revise their work as the teacher feedback intends, more accurately predict their performance, become receptive to the teacher’s criticism, and increase their content knowledge. The results showed that the self-assessment intervention helped the students successfully revise their work; furthermore, specific teacher feedback was more effective than general teacher feedback in terms of assisting them to revise. Students who used the intervention demonstrated higher levels of receptivity to negative feedback. On the other hand, the self-assessment intervention showed no significant effect on students’ ability to accurately predict their own performance and it did not produce better mathematics problem solvers. The results suggest that teachers need to provide feedback that precisely locates errors in students’ work and offer specific direction for improvement. Teachers also need to emphasize the purpose of the self-assessment and feedback usage, so that students become more aware of its importance. Furthermore, improving the student-teacher relationship and implementing other forms of self-assessment may enhance the effect of self-assessment on the successful use of feedback by students.

INTRODUÇÃO: O envelhecimento não está diretamente relacionado a doenças e incapacidades, porém, as doenças dos idosos, em geral, são crônicas e múltiplas e exigem cuidados permanentes, o que faz do domicílio um lugar em que estes podem manter a estabilidade. Esse cuidado é geralmente oferecido por um membro da família, o cuidador primário. Este apresenta um acúmulo de trabalho em casa e uma sobrecarga nos diversos domínios da vida. Tal sobrecarga interfere nos papéis ocupacionais desempenhados de forma a contribuir para um desequilíbrio na vida produtiva e independente do cuidador. Além disso, o cuidado é visto como uma tarefa geradora de estresse e o seu enfrentamento se dá de formas diferentes para cada sujeito que o experimenta. Nesse sentido, a avaliação subjetiva deve também investigar a percepção de benefícios e ônus na tarefa de cuidar. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar um grupo de cuidadores de idosos dependentes quanto a indicadores sócio-demográficos e econômicos, estratégias de enfrentamento, percepção de benefícios e ônus em relação à tarefa de cuidar e possíveis alterações nos papéis ocupacionais. MÉTODO: Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, do tipo descritivo e com delineamento transversal. Foram aplicados seis instrumentos para a coleta de dados, que foi realizada em dois hospitais de Ribeirão Preto. A amostra foi composta por 20 cuidadores. Respeitaram-se todos os critérios éticos para pesquisa envolvendo seres humanos. RESULTADOS: 80% dos idosos tinham dependência total da cuidadora para as atividades básicas de vida diária. 100% das cuidadoras eram mulheres de meia idade, na sua maioria com baixa escolaridade, baixa renda e com religião definida. 75% eram filhas do idoso. 95% moravam junto ao idoso e 80% delas estavam cuidando a mais de um ano, despendendo, em 65% dos casos, mais de doze horas diárias para essa tarefa. 70% delas recebiam algum tipo de ajuda, em geral pequena e de pessoas da própria família. Em relação às estratégias de enfrentamento, as cuidadoras adotam as focalizadas no problema (M= 4,05). Na percepção de benefícios e ônus, domínio psicológico positivo (78%) foi o mais freqüente. O domínio social negativo (59%) é o segundo mais citado, seguido do domínio físico negativo (58%). Houve perdas no desempenho de papéis ocupacionais quando comparados o passado e o presente e houve um desejo em retomar ou desempenhar um novo papel no futuro, com exceção de dois papéis vinculados ao cuidado. CONCLUSÕES: Os objetivos propostos para o estudo foram alcançados, porém há necessidade de estudos visando analisar as relações existentes entre as variáveis abordadas. / INTRODUCTION: Aging is not completely related to diseases and handicaps, however when disease happens it is a chronic condition that demands care. In this case home is where elderly can maintain health stability. Often care is given by a family member, the primary care. Much has been produced about the burden of care, because the person who cares for an aged relative besides this has other tasks to be accomplished. This burden interferes on occupational roles performed by the person who cares. Care can lead to stress and in this case coping is personal and idiosyncratic. Research has shown that it is necessary to evaluate the perception of benefits and demands of care besides considering it as burden. OBJECTIVE: To approach a sample of persons that care for dependent elderly regarding sociodemographic characteristics, coping strategies, perception of benefits and burden and occupational roles. METHOD: It is a descriptive, quantitative and transversal study. Six instruments were answered by users of two different hospitals in Ribeirão Preto with a sample of 20 subjects. All ethical requirements were achieved. RESULTS: 80% of the elderly were completely dependent on the person who cared for them. 100% of the persons who care were women, middle aged, with low level of education, low income and had a declared religion affiliation. 75% were daughters and 95% lived in the same house. 80% have been caring for more than one year and spent more than twelve hours a day on this activity. 70% have got help from other family members. Most of the women used coping strategy focused on problem solution (M= 4,05). They perceived benefits regarding care on positive psychological dominion (78%), social negative dominion (59%) and physical negative dominion (58%). Losses regarding occupational roles were identifed and the wish to recover or to perform other roles in the future, except two roles related to care. CONCLUSIONS: The aims of the study were reached, however other studies are required to reach the relations between the variables approached.

nÃo hà / Busca-se, cada vez mais, a qualidade em tudo o que se oferece à sociedade. No Ãmbito da EducaÃÃo Superior no Brasil, nÃo à diferente. Desde a publicaÃÃo da Lei no 10.861, de 14 de abril de 2004, que instituiu o Sistema Nacional de AvaliaÃÃo da EducaÃÃo Superior (SINAES), a avaliaÃÃo constitui um dos instrumentos capazes de medir em que nÃvel os cursos precisam melhorar. Tendo o SINAES duas avaliaÃÃes externas e uma interna e permanente denominada AutoavaliaÃÃo Institucional (AI), o sistema procura identificar, nas suas trÃs grandes dimensÃes, organizaÃÃo didÃtico-pedagÃgica, infraestrutura e corpo docente e tutorial, aspectos que precisam ser melhorados nos cursos e nas instituiÃÃes de Ensino Superior (IES). A AI à recorrente na academia, mas o que resta saber à se os seus resultados proporcionam as mudanÃas esperadas e em tempo real. O estudo exploratÃrio de dois casos aqui estudados analisa a AI de dois campi do IFCE, tendo como objetivo conhecer a autoavaliaÃÃo institucional de uma instituiÃÃo de Ensino Superior, o IFCE, desde perspectiva de discentes, tÃcnicos e docentes, a fim de verificar a efetividade de melhorias nos cursos e na InstituiÃÃo, nos anos de 2014 a 2016, decorrentes deste processo avaliativo. Os sujeitos pesquisados foram os gestores, estudantes, docentes e tÃcnicos em EducaÃÃo dos campi de Tauà e CrateÃs, no CearÃ. A coleta em campo foi realizada por meio de entrevista estruturada com os gestores, em seguida, um questionÃrio especÃfico para cada segmento respondente da autoavaliaÃÃo institucional, sendo, assim, caracterizada como pesquisa de campo com finalidade exploratÃria. Complementando a coleta de dados, ouviu-se a ComissÃo Central de AvaliaÃÃo e compararam-se as informaÃÃes coletadas com um estudo anterior na mesma IES com temÃtica semelhante. Notou-se que os gestores usam os dados da AI para realizar suas intervenÃÃes nos campi, mesmo sem ser de modo sistematizado com o planejamento. Acerca dos segmentos, pode-se verificar que em alguns aspectos pesquisados e considerados fragilidades na AI, os tÃcnicos, discentes e docentes respondentes deste estudo conseguiram perceber melhorias na IES, como investimentos em infraestrutura, aumento do nÃmero de servidores, programas de extensÃo. Nem sempre, contudo, as aÃÃes da gestÃo para superar as fragilidades apontadas na AI sÃo percebidas ou satisfazem os tÃcnicos administrativos, docentes e discentes, pois sÃo apontados aspectos que nÃo denotam nenhuma melhoria. Por fim, alguns resultados deste estudo devem ser relativizados por conta da rotatividade de servidores e algumas especificidades dos questionÃrios da autoavaliaÃÃo institucional. / We seek, more and more, quality in everything that is offered to society. In the field of Higher Education in Brazil, it is no different. Since the publication of Law No. 10,861 of April 14, 2004, which established the National System for the Evaluation of Higher Education (SINAES), evaluation is one of the instruments capable of measuring the level at which courses need to be improved. Since the SINAES has two external evaluations and an internal and permanent one called Institutional Self-Assessment (AI), the system seeks to identify, in its three large dimensions, didactic-pedagogical organization, infrastructure and faculty and tutorial, aspects that need to be improved in the courses and in the Higher education institutions (HEIs). AI is recurring in academia, but what remains to know is whether its results provide the expected changes in real time. The exploratory study of two cases studied here analyzes the IIA of two IFCE campuses, aiming at knowing the institutional self-assessment of a Higher Education institution, the IFCE, from the perspectives of students, technicians and teachers, in order to verify the effectiveness of Improvements in courses and in the Institution, from 2014 to 2016, resulting from this evaluation process. The subjects studied were the managers, students, teachers and technicians in Education of the campuses of Tauà and CrateÃs, in CearÃ. The field data collection was performed through a structured interview with the managers, then a specific questionnaire for each respondent segment of the institutional self-assessment, being thus characterized as an exploratory field research. Complementing the data collection, the Central Evaluation Commission was heard and the information collected was compared with an earlier study in the same HE with a similar theme. It was noted that managers use the AI ​​data to perform their interventions on the campuses, even without being systematized with planning. Regarding the segments, it is possible to verify that in some aspects researched and considered weaknesses in the AI, the technicians, students and teachers of this study were able to perceive improvements in the HEI, such as investments in infrastructure, increase in the number of servers, extension programs. Not always, however, the actions of the management to overcome the weaknesses pointed out in the AI ​​are perceived or satisfied by the administrative technicians, teachers and students, since they point out aspects that do not denote any improvement. Finally, some results of this study should be relativized due to server turnover and some specificities of the institutional self-assessment questionnaires.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a proposição e aplicação de um processo de avaliação de sistemas de gestão da qualidade segundo requisitos ISO 9001:2000. A avaliação da situação atual das práticas de gestão da qualidade de uma organização é uma condição indispensável para a certificação ISO 9001:2000. Muitas vezes, este processo implica altos custos relacionados a serviços de consultoria, que acabam sendo necessários devido à falta de conhecimento sobre os requisitos normativos por parte da organização, bem como a falta de um modelo simplificado de diagnóstico. Com base no processo proposto, infere-se que é possível realizar uma avaliação das práticas de gestão da qualidade de uma organização de modo a identificar as lacunas entre essas práticas e os requisitos ISO 9001:2000. A dissertação é constituída pelas seguintes partes: a) revisão da literatura, com o propósito de reforçar os conhecimentos concernentes à gestão da qualidade total e aos modelos de auto-avaliação; b) desenvolvimento do processo de avaliação a partir dos referenciais teóricos explorados; c) aplicação da proposta em organizações selecionadas; e d) avaliação dos resultados e conclusões sobre o trabalho. Infere-se que a aplicação da proposta será capaz de identificar as lacunas entre as práticas de gestão da qualidade e os requisitos ISO 9001:2000, além de permitir a identificação do estágio de adequação a esses requisitos. O processo de avaliação proposto também é capaz de identificar os pontos fortes e as oportunidades para melhoria, para que a organização possa se adequar aos requisitos ISO 9001:2000. / The present research aims the proposition and application of an assessment process for quality management systems according top the requirements ISO 9001:2000. The assessment of the current practices of quality management of an organization is an indispensable condition for the ISO 9001:2000 certification. Many times this application implies in elevated costs related to the consulting services, which are considered necessary due to the lack of knowledge about the requirements from the organizations as well as the absence of a simplified diagnosis model. Based on the proposed work, it is thought possible to perform an evaluation of the practices management of the quality of an organization so that it can identify the existent gaps between these practices and the ISO 9001:2000 requirements. The dissertation is constituted by two parts: a) a review of the literature with the proposal of reinforcing the knowledge related to the total quality management and to the self-assessment models; b) development of an assessment process from the explored theoretical references; c) the practical use of the proposed work in selected organizations and d) evaluation of the obtained results. It can be supposed that the application of the practical use of the work will allow the identification of the gaps between the current quality management practices and the requirements ISO 9001:2000, besides allowing the identification of the phase of adjustment to those requirements. Theproposed evaluation process is also a useful tool for the identification of the strengths of the evaluated material and what needs to be improved so that the organization is able to adequate itself to ISO 9001:2000 requirements.

This thesis investigates the need for improvement in mathematics education at the college level in the US regarding equitable practices in instruction. In particular, it focuses on understanding the role self-regulation can play in the classroom dynamics, and how self-regulation can be a way to empower students. Also included is a case study in an introductory linear algebra class at a liberal arts college and is meant to provide a investigation into a way of incorporating self-regulation by using self-paced assessments. Results of this study suggest a possible question to consider in reforming mathematics education for a more equitable environment in postsecondary mathematics classrooms.

本研究是針對內部控制自行評估（CONTROL SELF-ASSESSMENT簡稱CSA） 探討由理論到實際的實行的每一個階段的重點：為什麼需要CSA的概念？CSA的架構及方法為何？CSA實行的方法？ 以及CSA在美國實行的情形？希望藉由本項研究所得出來的概念，不但揭開CSA的面紗，更期望能幫助各公司能藉著CSA結合績效風險管理、目標管理達到其營運、財務、法令遵行的效果及效率。 本論文之研究程序為： （一） 收集國內外有關自行評估內部控制的文獻及法令，並探索自行評估內部控制的由來、實行的必要的理由，CSA的過程中內部稽核角色如何轉變及如何與內控理論的本意配合。 （二） 收集國外實行內控的最佳實例並在每種實行方法下，選出一家代表性的個案。 （三） 分析所選出的實例，並分析每個個案所實行的特色及成果。 （四） 歸納出各種實行方法的適用性及優缺點。 目 錄 圖次……………………………………………………………………2 表次……………………………………………………………………3 第一章緒論 4 第一節 研究背景及研究目的 4 第二節 研究方法 7 第三節 論文架構及大綱 11 第二章 內部控制制度概述 12 第一節 內部控制的定義及種類 12 第二節 內部控制制度的組成要素 15 第三節 企業目標與組成要素間的關係 21 第四節 與企業內部控制制度關聯之團體 23 第三章自行評估內部控制制度概念（簡稱CSA）之探討 29 第一節 CSA的定義及要素 29 第二節 CSA之必要性 31 第三節 實行CSA的三種模式 34 第四節 CSA的關鍵成功要素 38 第五節 CSA對稽核角色的影響 40 第四章 自行評估內部控制個案分析 42 第一節J C PENNY個案分析 42 第二節MAPCO公司個案分析 52 第三節CENTERIOR ENGERY個案分析 56 第四節 個案實施成果的分析 69 第五章結論與建議 76 第一節研究結論 76 第二節研究建議 79 第三節未來研究方向 79

Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to explore and describe radiographers‟ professional competence based on patients‟ and radiographers‟ experiences and to develop a context-specific instrument to assess the level and frequency of use of radiographers‟ professional competence. Methods: The design was inductive and deductive. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. The data collection methods comprised interviews (Studies I-II) and questionnaires (Studies III-IV). The subjects were patients in study I and radiographers in studies II-IV. In study I, 17 patients were interviewed about their experiences of the encounter during radiographic examinations and treatment. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. In study II, 14 radiographers were interviewed to identify radiographers‟ areas of competence. The critical incident technique was chosen to analyse the interviews. Studies III and IV were based on a national cross-sectional survey of 406 randomly selected radiographers. Study III consisted of two phases; designing the Radiographer Competence Scale (RCS) and evaluation of its psychometric properties. A 42-item questionnaire was developed and validated by a pilot test (n=16) resulting in the addition of 12 items. Thus the final RCS comprised a 54-item questionnaire, which after psychometric tests was reduced to 28 items. In study IV, the 28-item questionnaire served as data. The level of competencies was rated on a 10-point scale, while their use was rated on a six-point scale. Results: In study I, the female patients‟ comprehensive understanding was expressed as feelings of vulnerability. The encounters were described as empowering, empathetic, mechanical and neglectful, depending on the radiographers‟ skills and attitudes. Study II revealed two main areas of professional competence, direct patient-related and indirect patient-related. The first focused on competencies in the care provided in close proximity to the patient and the second on competencies used in the activities of the surrounding environment. Each of the two main areas was divided into four categories and 31 sub-categories that either facilitated or hindered good nursing care. In study III the analysis condensed the 54-item questionnaire in two steps, firstly by removing 12 items and secondly a further 14 items, resulting in the final 28-item RCS questionnaire. Several factor analyses were performed and a two factor-solution emerged, labelled; “Nurse initiated care” and “Technical and radiographic processes”. The psychometric tests had good construct validity and homogeneity. The result of study IV demonstrated that most competencies in the RCS received high ratings both in terms of level and frequency of use. Competencies e.g. „Adequately informing the patient‟, „Adapting the examination to the patient‟s prerequisites and needs‟ and „Producing accurate and correct images‟ were rated the highest while „Identifying and encountering the patient in a state of shock‟ and „Participating in quality improvement regarding patient safety and care‟ received the lowest ratings. The total score of each of the two dimensions had a low but significant correlation with age and years in present position. The competence level correlated with age and years in present position in both dimensions but not with the use of competencies in the “Nurse initiated care” dimension. Conclusion: This thesis has shown that professional competence is important in the encounter between patient and radiographer. It has also demonstrated that radiographers‟ self-rated professional competence is based on nursing, technological and radiographic knowledge. From a radiographer‟s perspective, „Nurse initiated care‟ and „Technical and Radiographic processes‟ are two core dimensions of Radiographer Competence Scale. The 28-item questionnaire regarding level and frequency of use of competence is feasible to use to measure radiographers‟ professional competence.

No description available.

Localized prostate cancer (LPC) is predominantly a tumor among older men, and few patients will get symptoms from the disease. All methods to treat LPC with a curative intent have different types and degrees of side effects. It is therefore very important to evaluate the side effects thoroughly to make sure that treatment complications will not decrease the quality of life more than the disease would have done. In search for new and better treatments, complications has to be registered and evaluated in relation to quality of life (QOL) for the patients. Few validated self-assessment questionnaires for evaluation of external radiotherapy (EBRT) induced side effects has yet been developed. The present project focus on the development of the PC-specific questionnaire, QUFW94, and evaluation of symptoms in patients treated with EBRT and un-treated (watchful waiting) patients with a LPC. In the newly developed LPC-specific questionnaire a reliability and responsiveness test was performed. Both the inter-rater test and the test-retest show high correlation coefficients (ICC), above 0.60 for all scales. The internal reliability exceeded the lower acceptable limit (Cronbach a >0.70). The questionnaire was proven to be valid for the evaluations of EBRT side effects in LPC patients. Late side effects were evaluated 4 years after treatment in 181 LPC patients, treated with conventional large field EBRT, and compared with 141 age-matched PC disease free men. The most prominent urinary side effects were urgency and leakage which were doubled in the patient group. A ten fold increase was seen in comparison to controls at the most prominent intestinal problems, blood, mucus and leakage. The results support the use 3-D conformai therapy to decrease irradiation dose to the rectum and the bladder and thereby decreased side effects. A prospective additional evaluation 8 years after EBRT did not show any changes in urinary problems between 4 and 8-yr follow-up in the patients or the controls. EBRT of LPC is also accompanied by disturbances in sexual function. These problems were therefore evaluated, 4 years after EBRT, in relation to the function in PC free men. Patients treated with EBRT indicated higher levels of sexual dysfunction than age-matched controls. No erection was reported from 12% of the control subjects, 56% of the patients who had only received radiotherapy (RT) and 87% of the RT+castration (RT+A) patients. The extended evaluation 8 years after EBRT show similar sexual function in all groups. QOL and late side effects/symptoms were evaluated in the first and only randomized trial between RT and deferred treatment (DT) and compared to age-matched controls. QOL was evaluated with the general QOL formula, EORTC's QLQ-C30 (+3), and LPC specific side effects with QUFW94 in 108 randomized patients with LPC 3 years after diagnosis. Social functioning was the only QOL scale where a significant difference was found between the two patient groups and in comparison with the control group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that hematuria, incontinence, mucus, and planning of the daily activities due to intestinal problems caused this decrease in QOL in the RT group. In conclusion, the LPC specific QUFW94 questionnaire was proven to be valid for evaluation of side effects and showed increased intestinal problems in the patients treated with conventional large field EBRT in comparison to untreated LPC patients. No difference in urinary and intestinal late side effects or sexual function was seen between a 4 year vs. 8 year follow-up. / digitalisering@umu