Nigeria is beset with many educational, economic and social challenges, including poverty, unemployment, gender inequality, lack of skills and poor access to education, especially among young people. Lifelong learning is widely recognised as a means of addressing social injustices and economic instability in the 21st century. Although there has been much public discourse on lifelong learning (LLL) in Nigeria, the subject is under-researched. This study examines LLL policies and the practices that influence young adult engagement in lifelong learning, the pedagogies that influence the development of LLL skills, as well as the impact of lifelong learning on the transformation of young adults, and their communities in Nigeria. This study adopted a quasi-longitudinal case study that involved two methods of data collection: document analysis and semi-structured interviews, underpinned by a social constructivist perspective. The study involved analysis of three national policy documents in Nigeria: The National Policy on Education (2013); Nigeria-UNESCO: Revitalizing Adult and Youth Literacy (RAYL) (2012); and the National Universities Commission (NUC) Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) (2011). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 participants: national level policymakers (n=4); students (n=16), graduates (n=12), instructors (n=5), and management level officials (n=3) drawn from one institute (YCV) in Katsina State, Nigeria. The YCV is an LLL initiative that attempts to address social injustices and develop individuals’ lifelong learning skills for personal and economic growth. The YCV is a successful adult education initiative that empowers distressed young adults in Nigeria. While in Nigeria the predominant goal of LLL are social justice and economic growth this research shows that lifelong learning is difficult to implement in Nigeria. The triggers for participation in LLL are life transitions such as divorce, examination failures and few opportunities to find employment which demoralise young adults, as well as a need to update knowledge and provide community services. The findings suggest that pedagogy of practice informed by critical pedagogy promotes lifelong learning skills, and that the principles of critical pedagogy can transform graduates into becoming economically and socially active individuals within a very challenging economic, political and social context. The study contributes to the existing literature about the potential of LLL based on critical pedagogy to offer transformational experiences to young adults/adults. These include economic and social transformation beyond self-transformation to promotion of peace building, societal cohesion, social security and community wellbeing; a transition from ‘learning to earning; and a way to rebuild lives after divorce, particularly for women. The study concluded that the challenges to implementing lifelong learning in Nigeria are not only cultural or peoples’ attitude to learning but structural and institutional. The study recommends that the implementation of LLL should take into account local knowledge and structures based on critical pedagogy to address internal challenges rather than being guided by internationally agreed development targets.

Student selection test in Turkey compose of two parts. The purpose of the first part is to assess students&rsquo / higher order thinking skills like analytical thinking, interpretation and reasoning about elementary school curriculum and 9th grade curricula objectives. On the other hand, second part of the test aims to assess students&rsquo / higher order thinking skills given in the high school curriculum. The main aim of this thesis is to analyze to what extend 2006, 2007 and 2008 student selection tests biology items assess higher order cognitive skills. In accordance with this purpose, elementary and high school curriculum and the appropriateness of the questions in the student selection test with the educational objectives of the curriculum are examined. In addition, dimensions of 2006, 2007, and 2008 SST biology items are examined by Exploratory Component Analysis and Confirmatory Component Analysis techniques. The result of those analysis revealed that SST biology items mostly focus on remembering skill and fail to assess higher order thinking skills. Additionally, there is not any consistency among 2006, 2007, and 2008 SSTs biology items in terms of dimensions which means there is not any construct in biology subtests of SSTs. The other aim of the present study is to identify how much academic and non-academic factors explain the biology achievement. While for academic factors reading comprehension, mathematics, physics, and chemistry achievements of students are used, age, gender, and school type are used for non-academic factors. Findings of the research revealed that academic factors, especially chemistry achievement, have significant affect on biology achievement. In terms of non-academic factors, graduating from selecting high school has important role for biology achievement. Additionally, older students and girls tend to have higher grades in biology.

This thesis investigates the learning experiences of students who participated in short-term study abroad trips (also known as regional academic travel) offered by New York University Abu Dhabi’s Office of Global Education, with the objective of attaining an authentic account of these experiences. This authentic account supports a better understanding of a student’s experience, and leads to a more in-depth understanding of learning, which for this research is called the learning lifeworld. Phenomenography is used to capture the qualitative variation of individual experiences leading to four categories of description placed in logical relationship to one another yielding an outcome space of four conceptions of learning experience. Phenomenography alone, while reflective in nature, has limitations on determining an authentic account of experience. Therefore, it is helpful to draw upon reflective thinking ability, which produces information on each student’s ability to reason through an ill-structured problem, and puts students in a reflective thinking development stage, which is linked to a student’s critical reflection ability. Reflective judgment stages for each student were determined using the standard reflective judgment interview (King & Kitchener, 1994), and then compared against the instances conceptions of learning experience that appeared in each student account. A relationship was identified between instances of conceptions and the level of a student’s reflective thinking ability that could lead to a deeper understanding of the learning lifeworld through the language students used in responses from the phenomenographic interview and the reflective judgment interview. The findings of this research show that there were at least four qualitatively different ways students experienced regional academic travel trips. The categories developed through an analysis of student reflective accounts are: the regional academic travel experience complements and supplements classroom learning; develops academic skills; affects students’ future academic, personal, and professional endeavours; and offers students a chance to reflect on impacts they have made and can make in a community and the world. The results of this research make an original contribution to lifeworld theory, transformative learning, and short-term study abroad research by utilizing a unique combination of research approaches (phenomenography and reflective judgment to inform lifeworld theory and transformative learning) in a novel setting (NYU Abu Dhabi regional academic travel). The design of this research could be used for future studies to examine learning in an in-depth way, whilst assuring that the accounts given could be considered authentic. Finally, the results also led to recommendations for improvement of future regional academic travel trips offered by The Office of Global Education.

This study is an investigation of how cultural traditions can militate against the education of women in Zambia with a focus on the Tumbuka tribe. Ethnographic methods were employed over a period of three months in a village in the Eastern Province of the country. Data were collected through participant observation, focus group and in-depth interviews, narratives, and documents. A total of 47 participants comprised the sample. This research cuts through multidisciplinary fields such as social sciences, education and anthropology. Through thematic analysis data were analysed. Evidence in this research demonstrates that patrilineal groupings are strongholds of the patriarchal predisposition and that patriarchal attitudes and cultural traditions do not recognize women as equal partners with men. The Tumbuka women‟s experiences and beliefs reflect socio-cultural traditional norms that tend to limit gender equality, and compel women to accept and justify male domination at the expense of their own status and to regard consequent inequalities as normal. Evidence demonstrates that the initiation rites, an active institution for girls of pubescent age, interfere more with the school-based education of girls. The women are active social agents as well as passive learners who will not allow the girls they are coaching to question the reason or purpose for some traditional practices that are oppressive and directly cause them to fail to complete their schooling successfully. The strong hold that the cultural traditions has on the locals has further resulted in conflicts with modern schooling, which is viewed as disseminating „white‟ man‟s culture and values. Established in this research is the fear and suspicion that the locals have on the outcome of their children learning these values that they see as alien to their own. The modern education provided in school is perceived as a force that undermines cultural values. It is viewed as presenting an inherent challenge to the cultural traditional control measures that are in place. Arguably, while ethnic traditions should be respected and sustained because they define one's identity, aspects of culture which are discriminatory, restrictive and tend to devalue women‟s physical, emotional and psychological development should be eliminated because they are retrogressive. Therefore the argument that deep seated socio-cultural traditions play a significant role in encumbering female education is proven.

The master’s thesis is focused on the theoretical and practical issues of optical access networks. The first chapter of the thesis deals with the concept of the access networks known as FTTx. The second and third chapters focus on the principles and standardization of the active optical network AON P2P and the passive optical network TDM PON. The fourth chapter of the thesis focuses on the network WDM PON, wavelength multiplexes, solution concept and the LG-Ericsson EA 1100 platform. The fifth chapter of the thesis deals with the infrastructure of the optical paths for optical access networks. The sixth chapter of the thesis presents custom design of the headend for reception, processing and distribution of television broadcasting. Two custom access network solutions (AON P2P and WDM PON) for the town Bystřice nad Pernštejnem are presented in the seventh chapter. Case studies include the design of the optical paths infrastructure, central office infrastructure, end-user infrastructure, CAPEX/OPEX economic analysis and basic simulation in OptSim.

Multiple target tracking (MTT) is the process of localizing targets in an environment using sensors that perceive the environment. MTT has many applications such as wildlife monitoring, air traffic monitoring, and surveillance. These applications motivate further research in the different challenging aspects of MTT. One of these challenges that we will focus on in this dissertation is constructing a high fidelity target model. A common approach to target modeling is to use linear models or other simplified models that do not properly describe the target's pose (position and orientation), motion, and uncertainty. These simplified models are typically used because they are easy to implement and computationally efficient. A more accurate approach that improves tracking performance is to define the target model using a geometric representation of the target's natural configuration manifold. In essence, this geometric approach seeks to define a target model that can express every pose and motion of the target while preserving geometric properties such as distances and angles. We restrict our discussion of MTT to objects that move in physical space and can be modeled as a rigid body. This restriction allows us to construct generic geometric target models defined on Lie groups. Since not every Lie group has additional structure that permits vector space arithmetic like Euclidean space, many components of MTT such as data association, track initialization, track propagation and updating, track association and fusing, etc, must be adapted to work with Lie groups. The main contribution of this dissertation is the presentation of a novel MTT algorithm that implements the different MTT components to work with target models defined on Lie groups. We call this new algorithm, Geometric Multiple Target Tracking (G-MTT). This dissertation also serves as a guide on how other MTT algorithms can be modified to work with geometric target models. As part of the presentation there are various experimental results that strengthen the argument that a geometric approach to target modeling improves tracking performance.

Cette thèse vise à modéliser numériquement des barrages en enrochements pendant les phases de construction et de mise en eau. Ceci est fait en se basant sur des essais en laboratoire et l’analyse des données de l'instrumentation insitu. Des essais triaxiaux en compression monotone à déformation/contrainte contrôlée sont effectués sur des assemblages compactés de particules de granit. Les échantillons utilisés en laboratoire ont initialement été préparés à différentes densités sèches et à différentes granulométries. Une loi de comportement élastoplastique parfait, en considérant l’élasticité non linéaire est implémentée dans le logiciel FLAC. Ceci est fait pour modéliser le comportement des particules de roche pendant les essais. Le nouveau modèle est basé sur le comportement hyperbolique, en considérant le critère de rupture de Mohr-Coulomb avec une règle d'écoulement non associé pour considérer la dilatance à cause du cisaillement. La technique de relaxation des contraintes de Nobari-Duncan est également implémentée dans FLAC avec les procédures modifiées et les nouveaux algorithmes pour reproduire les déformations causées par le mouillage. À l'aide de neuf paramètres, le modèle réussi à reproduire le comportement observé pendant les essais triaxiaux et à caractériser l'assemblage des particules de roche. Les effets de temps et de saturation sont également discutés en détail. Finalement, le modèle est utilisé pour la modélisation des étapes de la construction et de la mise en eau du barrage en enrochement LG4 construit au Québec, Canada. Les résultats de la modélisation sont comparés avec les données de l'instrumentation. Aussi, les efforts antérieurs de modélisation de ce barrage et les avantages du nouveau modèle sont discutés. / This thesis contributes to the field of numerical modeling of rockfill dams during construction and impoundment based on laboratory research and field instrumentation. Data is presented from monotonic triaxial compression tests, in both stress and strain-controlled conditions, on compacted assemblages of granite rock particles prepared in the laboratory using different initial dry densities and grain size distribution. A nonlinear elastic-perfectly plastic constitutive model is implemented into the commercial software, FLAC, to simulate the behavior of the rock particles during the tests. The new implemented model is the traditional hyperbolic model coupled with the Mohr-Coulomb plastic failure criteria, and with a non-associated flow rule to consider shear dilatancy. The Nobari-Duncan stress relaxation technique with modified procedures and algorithms is also implemented in FLAC to reproduce the collapse deformations due to wetting. Using nine parameters, the model is successful to capture the observed behavior in the triaxial tests and to characterize the assemblage of rock particles. The effects of time and saturation are also discussed in detail. Finally, the model is used to simulate the construction and impoundment stages of LG4 rockfill dam in Quebec, Canada. The results of the modeling of both stages are compared with the instrumentation data and previous efforts of the modeling of this dam and the advantages of the new model are discussed.

Das römische Ägypten am Ende des zweiten und zu Beginn des dritten nachchristlichen Jahrhunderts ist eine sehr abwechslungsreiche Zeit. Doch in wieweit lassen sich historische Begebenheiten auch auf den Prägungen des Nillandes nachweisen? Die alexandrinischen Münzen sind eine Besonderheit der kaiserlichen Domäne Ägypten, schon weil sie aufgrund ihrer Materialzusammensetzung einen geringeren Wert haben und ausschließlich für den Umlauf in dieser bestimmt sind. In einem Typenkatalog sind zunächst mehr als siebentausend alexandrinische Münzen aus öffentlichen wie auch privaten Sammlungen, aber auch aus dem Münzhandel erfasst worden, um angemessene Informationen zu den severischen Prägungen zu erhalten. Dieser ermöglicht nun einen ersten Gesamtüberblick über die Münzprägung der severischen Zeit, die ebenso abwechslungsreich ist wie die Epoche selbst. Der Hauptfokus liegt dabei auf den ikonographischen Aspekten der Münzrückseiten, wobei geldgeschichtliche Entwicklungen eine ebenso große Rolle spielen, um einen Gesamteindruck vom Bildprogramm jedes einzelnen römischen Kaisers der severischen Dynastie zu bekommen. Einen Ausblick auf die anschließende Zeit der Soldatenkaiser gibt ein Appendix, der die alexandrinischen Prägungen des Maximinus Thrax kurz umreißt. / The history of Egypt during the severan period is a time rich in variety. This epoch is examined on the local coins of the mint of Alexandria which are unique because they were assigned just for the circulation at the Nile. To get an overview about the severan coinage in Egypt more than 7000 alexandrian coins were recorded in different collections and ordered in a typology which should be the basis of the iconographical examimations to get a picture from the iconographic programm of each severan emperor. Following this is an appendix of the coinage of Maximinus Thrax to get a prospect to the following time.

La propagation régionale de deux types d'ondes sismiques guidées, l'onde Lg et le mode fondamental de l'onde de Rayleigh, est étudiée expérimentalement. Dans la première partie, nous traitons les données de l'expérience SISBALIG II pour étudier le phénomène de blocage des ondes Lg dans la Mer Ligure (sud-est de la France). En utilisant les diagrammes énergétiques, nous montrons que l'extinction de l'onde Lg se produit dans une zone d'une largeur d'environ 20 km près de la marge Provençale. En comparant lesobservations avec des simulations numériques, nous montrons que le facteur qui contribue le plus à ce blocage de l'onde Lg est la diffraction de l'énergie dans les sédiments océaniques. Dans la deuxième partie, nous étudions la propagation de l'onde de Rayleigh et la structure de la croûte au Sud du Mexique. Nous utilisons une approche classique d'étude de structure lithosphérique à partir de l'inversion des courbes de dispersion. Pour la mesure des courbes de dispersion de la vitesse de groupe, nous développons une méthode de sommation logarithmique dans le domaine période-temps ou période-vitesse de groupe. Nous utilisons une méthode d'inversion de la courbe de dispersion composée de deux étapes : (1) l'inversion linéarisée et (2) l'inversion de Monte-Carlo. Après avoir mesuré les courbes de dispersion dans les différentes régions et les avoir inversées pour des modèles locaux ID, nous construisons un modèle hétérogène de la croûte du Mexique. Ce modèle permet de simuler les caractéristiques majeures de la propagation des ondes émises par des séismes dans la zone de subduction Centraméricaine. Ainsi, nous montrons que l'amplification régionale aux périodes comprises entre 8 et 10 s dans la région de la Vallée de Mexico s'explique par la présence d'une couche superficielle à moindre vitesse sous la partie sud de la Chaîne Volcanique Transmexicaine.

This thesis aims to investigate and discuss the conceptual and operational contexts of innovative approaches in the design of multi residential housing in Turkey over three selected cases. Flexibility, as an inclusive concept that encompasses adaptability and typological variety, is used to structure the framework of the discussion. The inquiry is based on the idea that flexibility and the associated concepts can be used to develop, in N. John Habraken&rsquo / s words, &ldquo / a new and challenging kind of architecture&rdquo / in the context of multi residential housing. The housing blocks designed by Ahmet G&uuml / lg&ouml / nen in Eryaman 3rd Stage, and those designed by Tuncay &Ccedil / avdar in the same stage, and Levent Loft 1 project designed by Tabanlioglu Architects are selected as cases. These projects advocate flexibility and also exemplify an innovative approach to design. The thesis introduces a conceptual framework that allows dealing with flexibility in the housing context, and then evaluates the selected cases by means of this conceptual framework.