[pt] Orientado pelos princípios da Linguística Aplicada Crítica (PENNYCOOK, 2015; FABRÍCIO, 2006) e da Prática Exploratória (ALLWRIGHT; HANKS, 2009; MILLER, 2013), o presente estudo tem por objetivo analisar as narrativas de experiências pessoais e profissionais (LABOV; WALETZKY, 1967; LABOV, 1972) contadas por Josiele, estudante de licenciatura bilíngue (Português-Inglês) de uma universidade privada localizada na zona sul do Rio de Janeiro. Com dados gerados em quatro conversas reflexivas, discutimos, dentre outros tópicos, sobre partes da trajetória formativa da participante ligadas às suas vivências no estágio supervisionado, no PIBID/Inglês, no curso de línguas onde leciona, especialmente seus medos e frustrações. Dentro de uma visão qualitativa e interpretativa de pesquisa (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 2006), a análise é conduzida de acordo com as perspectivas da Análise da Narrativa (BRUNER, 2004; BASTOS, 2005) e do Sistema de Avaliatividade (MARTIN; WHITE, 2005). Dessa forma, busco: (i) investigar como as narrativas elaboradas por Josiele são (co)construídas na interação, (ii) refletir criticamente sobre os tópicos que delas emergem, (iii) examinar as marcas discursivas avaliativas e como elas contribuem discursivamente para a (co)construção de identidades (MOITA LOPES, 2003). Em meio a diferentes experiências, o estudo contribuiu para a geração de entendimentos a respeito do processo situado nesta pesquisa de ser e de tornar-se professor e os resultados indicam que as nossas interações nos possibilitaram (i) refletir criticamente sobre o tipo de aluna/profissional que Josiele vem sendo, bem como (ii) compartilhar reclamações, propostas pedagógicas, momentos de êxito e episódios de fracasso que, muitas vezes, foram intensificados e ampliados pelo nosso discurso avaliativo de (co)narradores. / [en] Aligned with the principles of Critical Applied Linguistics (PENNYCOOK, 2015; FABRÍCIO, 2006) and of Exploratory Practice (ALLWRIGHT; HANKS, 2009; MILLER, 2013), the present study aims to analyze the narratives of personal and professional experiences (LABOV; WALETZKY, 1967; LABOV, 1972) told by Josiele, a Portuguese-English undergraduate student of a private university located in the south zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro. With data generated in four reflective conversations, we take into consideration, among other topics, parts of Josiele s formative trajectory linked to her experiences in the supervised teaching practice, in the PIBID/English Project, in the language course where she teaches, especially her fears and frustrations. Within a qualitative and interpretative view of research (DENZIN, LINCOLN, 2006), the analysis is conducted according to the perspectives of Narrative Analysis (BRUNER, 2004; BASTOS, 2005) and of Appraisal System (MARTIN; WHITE, 2005). Thus, I seek to: (i) investigate how the narratives told by Josiele are (co)constructed throughout the interaction, (ii) reflect critically on the topics emerging from them, (iii) examine the evaluative marks and how they contribute discursively to the (co)construction of identities (MOITA LOPES, 2003). Amongst different experiences, the study contributed to the generation of understandings about the process situated in this research of becoming and of being a teacher and the results indicate that our interactions have enabled us to (i) reflect critically on the type of student/professional Josiele is becoming, as well as (ii) to share complaints, pedagogical proposals, moments of success and episodes of failure which were, on many occasions, intensified and expanded by our evaluative discourse as (co)narrators.

[pt] Inserida na área de Estudos da Linguagem, mais especificamente dentro do campo de investigação da Linguística Aplicada (Moita Lopes, 1999, 2006, 2013), esta pesquisa tem como objetivo buscar entendimentos acerca de como as crenças (Kalaja e Barcelos, 2003, 2013; Barcelos, 2006, 2007) dos aprendizes se relacionam a suas interpretações e avaliações (Martin e Rose, 2003; Martin e White, 2005) sobre aspectos relativos ao ensino-aprendizagem em uma sala de aula de inglês para fins específicos (IFE), concebido em sintonia com a Pedagogia Pós-método (Kumaravadivelu, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2006). Para tanto, participaram desta pesquisa um total de dez alunos de um curso técnico de farmácia do Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), campus Rio de Janeiro. Os dados, que incluem suas produções discursivo-reflexivas escritas e orais, foram construídos a partir da utilização de instrumentos de aprendizagem (IA), termo usado em referência ao material didático e definido, no âmbito desta pesquisa, como um conjunto de tarefas sequenciadas em andaimento (scaffolding) elaboradas a partir de texto(s) autêntico(s) com objetivo de mediar o processo de construção de conhecimento. Dessa forma, apesar de não integrarem a análise dos dados desta pesquisa, os IA funcionam como andaimes que possibilitam o processo de construção desses dados com base em questões motivadoras (metatarefas) que surgem a partir de sua utilização na prática pedagógica cotidiana na qual se desenvolve esta investigação. Os pressupostos teóricos relacionam uma visão de ensino-aprendizagem e de linguagem, respectivamente: a socioconstrução do conhecimento de acordo com a Teoria Sociocultural (Vygotsky, 1962[1994], 1978; Donato, 2000; Pollard, 2001; Mercer e Littleton, 2007) e a linguagem como fenômeno sociossemiótico segundo o quadro teórico da Linguística Sistêmico-Funcional (Halliday e Hasan, 1989; Halliday, 1994; Halliday e Matthiessen 2013). Orientado por esse quadro teórico, bem como pelo paradigma do construtivismo (Lincoln e Guba, 2006; Edge e Richards, 1998) associado a uma abordagem qualitativo-interpretativista (Erickson, 1986), este trabalho apresenta, então, resultados que sugerem que os alunos, privilegiando o Sistema de Avaliatividade (Martin e Rose, 2003; Martin e White, 2005) no domínio de Atitude, e respectivos subdomínios de Afeto, Julgamento e Apreciação, constroem discursivamente crenças sobre ensino-aprendizagem, sobre linguagem, sobre identidade individual e sobre identidade sociocultural. Ou seja, os alunos participantes parecem estar organizando seus entendimentos acerca do processo ensino-aprendizagem a partir de quatro eixos de significação inter-relacionados: (i) o processo ensino-aprendizagem, (ii) a língua a ser aprendida, (iii) suas identidades individuais e (iv) identidades socioculturais. / [en] This research is inserted in the area of language studies, more specifically within the field of applied linguistics (Moita Lopes, 1999, 2006, 2013), and aims to seek understandings of how learners beliefs (Kalaja and Barcelos, 2003, 2013; Barcelos, 2006, 2007) may be related to their interpretations and evaluations (Martin and Rose, 2003; Martin and White, 2005) of aspects concerning the teaching-learning process in an ESP classroom, conceived in line with the Post-method Pedagogy (Kumaravadivelu, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2006). In order to do that, a total of ten students of a pharmacy technician course at the Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ) participated in this research. The data, which include their written and oral discursive-reflexive productions, were built from the utilization of learning instruments (LI), term used in reference to our pedagogical material and defined, in the scope of this research, as a set of sequential tasks related to the use of authentic text(s) and organized in line with the scaffolding principle in order to mediate the process of knowledge construction. Therefore, although these LI do not integrate the data analysis, they act as scaffolds in the process of data construction as they provide prompts that arise from their use in our everyday classroom practice, where this investigation is carried out. The theoretical framework relates a theory of learning and a theory of language, respectively: the social construction of knowledge, according to the Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, 1962[1994], 1978; Donato, 2000; Pollard, 2001; Mercer and Littleton, 2007), and language as a social semiotic phenomenon, following the Systemic-functional Linguistics perspective (Halliday and Hasan, 1989; Halliday, 1994; Halliday and Matthiessen 2013). Guided by this theoretical background, as well as by the Constructivism paradigm (Lincoln and Guba, 2006; Edge and Richards, 1998) interfaced with a qualitative and interpretivist approach (Erickson, 1986), this thesis presents results that suggest that the students, resorting to the Appraisal System (Martin and Rose, 2003; Martin and White, 2005) in the domain of Attitude, and its subdomains of Affect, Judgment and Appreciation, discursively construct beliefs about teaching and learning, about language, about individual identity and about cultural identity. That is, students seem to be organizing their understandings of the teaching-learning process from four interrelated meaning axes: (i) the teaching-learning process, (ii) the language to be learned, (iii) their individual identities and (iv) sociocultural identities.

[pt] Este estudo investiga a construção das identidades de uma professora de inglês, por meio das manifestações de suas crenças em conversas sobre material didático. A pesquisa fundamenta-se em teorias socioconstrucionistas de identidade, que concebem a construção identitária como um fenômeno fluido, múltiplo e fragmentado; gerado no discurso, situado no contexto e no curso das interações; e construído em termos de semelhança e diferença (DUSZAK, 2002; MOITA LOPES, 2002, 2003; BAUMAN, 2005; BUCHOLTZ; HALL, 2005; HALL, 2005). O arcabouço teórico também toma por base a abordagem sociossemiótica de linguagem da Linguística Sistêmico-Funcional (HALLIDAY, 1989, 1994) e segue uma metodologia qualitativa de pesquisa (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 2000). O trabalho foi conduzido em cima de um estudo de caso com uma professora de inglês durante reuniões realizadas para discussão sobre o novo material proposto para o curso infantil de uma escola de idiomas do Rio de Janeiro, da qual eu era coordenadora do segmento à época. Os dados foram analisados sob a ótica da Linguística Sistêmico-Funcional, principalmente com o ferramental de análise do Sistema de Avaliatividade (MARTIN, 2000; MARTIN; WHITE, 2005; VIAN JR., 2009), e sinalizam que o afeto, o julgamento e as apreciações permeiam as crenças que contribuem para os processos identitários da professora participante. Durante as conversas, a participante (co)construiu e (re)construiu suas identidades, refletindo como ela se vê profissionalmente e como ela se relaciona com as outras participantes das reuniões, assim como com os outros professores da instituição e com os alunos. / [en] This study aims at investigating the construction of the identities of an English teacher, through the manifestations of her beliefs on talks about textbooks and instructional materials. The research is based upon socioconstructionist identity theories which conceive identity construction as a fluid, multiple and fragmented phenomenon, which is generated in discourse; situated in the context and in the course of the interactions; and built in terms of similarity and difference (DUSZAK, 2002; MOITA LOPES, 2002, 2003; BAUMAN, 2005; BUCHOLTZ; HALL, 2005; HALL, 2005). The theoretical framework is also built on the sociosemiotic approach of language proposed by the Systemic-Functional Linguistics (HALLIDAY, 1989, 1994) and follows a qualitative methodology of research (DENZIN; LINCOLN, 2000). The work was carried out upon a case study with an English teacher during meetings held to discuss the new materials proposed for the new childrens course at a language school in Rio de Janeiro, where I was the academic coordinator in charge of the segment then. The data were analyzed under the light of the Systemic-Functional Linguistics, mainly with the analytical tools of the Appraisal Theory (MARTIN, 2000; MARTIN; WHITE, 2005; VIAN JR., 2009), and they indicate that affection, judgment and appreciation permeate the beliefs which contribute to the teachers identity processes. During these talks, this participant (co)constructed and (re)constructed her identities, reflecting how she sees herself professionally and how she engages with the other participants in the meetings, as well as with the other teachers in the institution and with the students.

<p>As a mid-size industrial city in North America, the City of Hamilton has been increasingly experiencing urban sprawl in the past six decades coupled with population growth and economic development. The study of various interdependent processes driving the evolution of urban form requires the application of simulation models that offer urban planners and policy-makers an efficient means for evaluating urban development policies. This thesis focuses on the modeling efforts towards building a microsimulation residential housing market system for the City of Hamilton. To this end, two major tasks have been conducted in this research. First, a state-of-the-art agent-based microsimulation housing market framework has been designed. Second, two model components in the microsimulation framework, namely a real estate appraisal model and a new housing development model, have been estimated. The objective of the real estate appraisal model is to assess the market values of existing dwellings based on the housing transactions in the previous period. Thre e model forms, including a traditional hedonic model, a spatial regression model, and a regression Kriging model, have been employed in estimations for comparison purposes. A series of independent variables that describe the characteristics of dwelling, location, and neighborhood are specified in the explanatory model. The comparisons among estimation results demonstrate that the spatial regression model has achieved a higher goodness-of-fit than the traditional hedonic model. In addition, we verified that spatial autocorrelation is present in the residuals of the traditional hedonic model, which is explicitly captured by the spatial regression model. In terms of model prediction accuracy, spatial models (SAR and Kriging) both achieve a certain level of improvements over the traditional hedonic model. Overall, we end up recommending that the SAR model is more appropriate to be incorporated into the microsimulation framework, as it provides the best match between predicted and observed values. The new housing development model enables the development of a dynamic housing supply module in the simulation framework by modeling the location and type decisions during the housing development process for each year. A parcel -level two-tier nested-logit model has been estimated. The model is able to deal with not only the decision to develop a specific vacant residential land parcel, but also the development type choice. In terms of the factors influencing the decision to develop, the picture revealed from the model estimation results is that land developers are more likely to start a development project in greenfields than in brownfields. As for the type choice decision during the development process, a variety of variables describing transportation accessibility, residential amenities, the characteristics of the land parcel and neighborhood are included in the model specifications.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

The integration of Vision Transformers (ViTs) using Masked Autoencoder pre-training (ViTMAE) into real estate valuation is investigated in this Master’s thesis, addressing the challenge of effectively analyzing visual information from real estate images. This integration aims to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of valuation, a task traditionally dependent on realtor expertise. The research involved developing a model that combines ViTMAE-extracted visual features from real estate images with traditional property data. Focusing on residential properties in Sweden, the study utilized a dataset of images and metadata from online real estate listings. An adapted ViTMAE model, accessed via the Hugging Face library, was trained on the dataset for feature extraction, which was then integrated with metadata to create a comprehensive multimodal valuation model. Results indicate that including ViTMAE-extracted image features improves prediction accuracy in real estate valuation models. The multimodal approach, merging visual and traditional metadata, improved accuracy over metadata-only models. This thesis contributes to real estate valuation by showcasing the potential of advanced image processing techniques in enhancing valuation models. It lays the groundwork for future research in more refined holistic valuation models, incorporating a wider range of factors beyond visual data. / Detta examensarbete undersöker integrationen av Vision Transformers (ViTs) med Masked Autoencoder pre-training (ViTMAE) i bostadsvärdering, genom att addressera utmaningen att effektivt analysera visuell information från bostadsannonser. Denna integration syftar till att förbättra noggrannheten och effektiviteten i fastighetsvärdering, en uppgift som traditionellt är beroende av en fysisk besiktning av mäklare. Arbetet innefattade utvecklingen av en modell som kombinerar bildinformation extraherad med ViTMAE från fastighetsbilder med traditionella fastighetsdata. Med fokus på bostadsfastigheter i Sverige använde studien en databas med bilder och metadata från bostadsannonser. Den anpassade ViTMAE-modellen, tillgänglig via Hugging Face-biblioteket, tränades på denna databas för extraktion av bildinformation, som sedan integrerades med metadata för att skapa en omfattande värderingsmodell. Resultaten indikerar att inklusion av ViTMAE-extraherad bildinformation förbättrar noggranheten av bostadssvärderingsmodeller. Den multimodala metoden, som kombinerar visuell och traditionell metadata, visade en förbättring i noggrannhet jämfört med modeller som endast använder metadata. Denna uppsats bidrar till bostadsvärdering genom att visa på potentialen hos avancerade bildanalys för att förbättra värderingsmodeller. Den lägger grunden för framtida forskning i mer raffinerade holistiska värderingsmodeller som inkluderar ett bredare spektrum av faktorer utöver visuell data.

Bakgrund och problem:Studien undersöker revisionsprocessen och användningen av IFRS 13 därfastigheter värderas till verkligt värde. Detta innebär att värderingen ska motsvaraett marknadsmässigt försäljningspris, ett så kallat verkligt värde. Medvärderingsmetoden medföljer subjektiva bedömningar som värderingen grundas på.Att värdera fastigheter på detta vis innebär komplexitet och antaganden. Inte minstinnebär det också utmaningar för revisorn och revisionsprocessen. Syfte:Syftet med denna studie är att studera revisorers komfort kopplat tillfastighetsvärderingar enligt IFRS 13. Metod:Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ metod med en deduktiv ansats där empirinsamlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem auktoriserade revisorer. Slutsats:Trots att revisionsunderlag för fastigheter värderade till verkligt värde inte harsamma tillförlitlighet som vid anskaffningsvärde föredras de av respondenterna dåde menar att det skapar mer komfort eftersom det på ett bättre sätt speglarverkligheten till skillnad mot anskaffningsvärdering. Tidigare studier belyser riskenatt revisorer kan bli för beroende av specialister där professionell skepticism ochoberoendet rubbas. Vår studie kommer fram till att varken revisorns skepticism elleroberoende rubbas vid fastighetsvärdering enligt IFRS 13. / Background and Problem:The study examines the audit process and the use of IFRS 13, where real estates arevalued at fair value. This valuation should correspond to a market-based sales price.The method involves subjective assessments on which the valuation is based. Thisway of valuing properties involves complexity and assumptions which poseschallenges for the auditor and the audit process. Purpose:The purpose of this study is to investigate auditor’s comfort levels associated withreal estate valuation according to IFRS 13. Method:The method in the study was conducted using a qualitative method with a deductiveapproach, where empirical data was collected by semi-structured interviews withfive certified auditors. Conclusion:Despite the fact that audit evidence for real estate valued at fair value does not havethe same reliability as acquisition value, they are preferred by the respondents as thevaluation method creates more comfort by more accurately reflects reality asopposed to acquisition valuation. Previous studies highlight the risk that auditorscan become overly dependent on specialists which can affect professionalskepticism and the independence negatively. Our study concludes that neither theskepticism nor independence is disrupted during real estate valuation according toIFRS 13.

Text in Afrikaans / During the last few decades the need existed for a new framework to give direction to development and ecological thought in respect of the sustaining of nature in order to place development and ecological thought within the limits of nature. However, development thought and the debate relating to nature are to some extent still treated in theory and practice as two separate entities. One of the current challenges for sustainable development is to reconcile the development and ecological branches of this debate. The thesis firstly explains the origin and characteristics of sustainable development. Secondly, the crisis in nature is discussed, followed by a discussion of the most important ecological views relating to sustainable development. Then issues in development thought that relates to sustainable development is discussed, as well as the changing emphasis in development thought that stimulated the growth of sustainable development. The mainstream development view, as the other main branch of sustainable development thinking, is then discussed. In conclusion, some issues relating to the operationalisation of sustainable development is discussed. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Ontwikkelingstudies)

This research focuses on the role of the school principal as instructional leader in primary schools in Thoyandou area, Limpopo Province. It was motivated by a marked decline in the fulfilment of the instructional leadership role of principals in certain schools in the Limpopo Province. A literature study was undertaken to determine the role of a instructional leader, approaches to this role as well as the relationship between the principal's instructional leadership role and staff development and staff appraisal respectively. A qualitative inquiry was conducted using a focus group and personal interviews with a small sample of participants selected by judgement sampling. The findings suggest that understanding of the instructional leadership is fragmented; principals often fail to develop staff adequately; and the Department of Education's new approach to staff and development appraisals is not adequately implemented in schools. Finally guidelines are provided to assist principals in fulfilling their role as effective instructional leaders. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigates some of the issues affecting participation of the poor in two development projects in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe. Recent trends in participatory development are reviewed and discussed in the study. Some definitions of the concept of participation are explored, including its historical background, importance and challenges. Fieldwork was undertaken in Inkosikazi communal lands in July 2004. Two projects were randomly sampled, and in one of them involving goat-rearing, some of the participants were classified as being very poor, while in the other, a heifer loan-scheme project, none of the participants could be classified as very poor. The possible reasons for these variations are explored in the study. The conclusion of the thesis is that the study succeeds in examining certain key issues affecting participation of the poor in Inkosikazi communal lands in Zimbabwe and recommendations thereof are made. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

This study in philosophical-theology investigates the problems and prospects of theological non-realism, as proposed and developed by the Cambridge philosopher of religion Don Cupitt. After contextualising non-realism within the worldview, epistemology and theology of pre-modernity, modernity and postmodernity, the study appraises the prospects of non-realism as a new philosophical and theologica default position for Christianity and how it relates to what has been referred to as the New Reformation. The study hypothesises and contends that, although radical in orientation and multifarious in prospect, it is a viable and valid basis for Christian reformation. After contextualising, considering some religious and theological content, as well as critique and contrapuntal positions, the study delineates theoretical and practical reformatory options. By and large concurring with Cupitt, the study also deviates from him, particularly with respect to the prospect of ecclesiastical post-Christianity. Although this is not a study in practical theology, this study nevertheless aims to move the debate about the New Reformation forward by proposing non-realism as a basis for a new Church / Biblical and Ancient Studies / Thesis (D. Th. (Religious Studies))