Outdoor education in the UK has been growing in popularity and with it a further understanding of its benefits. Research shows that many young people still don’t access natural environments and many educators still struggle with how to provide them. This is particularly prevalent in urban environments where spatial inequality has been linked to a decline in health, well-being and personal development. Community mapping involves a community coming together to create a map of their locality and share local knowledge. This can take many forms. Sometimes it might be a traditional cartographic map while other times it may be stories, sculptures or poems. In this research I explore how community mapping can be used as a pedagogical tool, looking particularly at how it can help educators approach outdoor education in an urban environment. I take a teacher action research approach, inspired by previous art-based approaches to educational inquiry. Through doing a community mapping project with two groups of 8 to 10 year olds on an urban farm in central London I share the visable and often invisible components of our pedagogies, including children’s voices and work as well as the voice of myself and another educators, reflecting on the realities of outdoor education in an urban environment. I discover the cross curricular possibilities that such a project brings, the spaces it opens up for us to learn from children’s voices and the many ways in which community mapping can be used to address aims and goals of the UK primary curriculum. Community mapping can help educators overcome a lack of confidence in how to approach outdoor learning. The child-led nature of projects can allow children and educators to work together to co-create their understanding of the locality, noticing the small details they hadn’t seen before. It can provide a space for educators to learn more about how the young people they work with see the world around them while also providing authentic experiences that can be utilized in wider classroom learning. This research allows other educators to take away what resonates with them, with their experiences and pedagogies, and use these new understandings to enhance their own educational practices in their own settings.

Text in English / In this study the use of the narrative analogy in couple's counselling has been outlined. A literature study situates the narrative analogy within a wider philosophical framework. The underlying assumptions of the narrative analogy, both in general and in the work with couples, as well as the role of the counsellor using the narrative analogy, are explored. A case example is described to illustrate the use of the narrative analogy. / Social Work / M. Soc. Sc. (Mental Health)

This study focuses on the cybernetic complementarity of stability and change in family therapy. Stability and change involve both the client and therapist, and is a selfreferential process where the observer is part of that which is observed. One couple was involved in ten therapy sessions. During the action research cycles of planning, acting and reflecting, the principles of systems theory, cybernetics and second cybernetics were implemented. A team consisting of one lecturer and two students were actively involved throughout all the phases of the research process. During therapy, the therapist focused on stability to facilitate change in the structure of the couple's organizational system. The research served as a good example of how punctuation of two complementarity processes (stability and change) can enable and empower clients to autonomously reflect on their own behaviour, and to make decisions regarding patterns they would like or feel ready to change. / Social Science (Mental Health) / Thesis (M. Soc. Science)--University of South Africa, 2001. / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4731.pdf: 2050130 bytes, checksum: fa617a2c66785a10e0ed629f6044803a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-21 / The main subject of this thesis is the action research and has as general objective describe the construction of knowledge in the action research field from the uses that Brazilian production engineers make of it, aiming to recognize its contributions, potential and limits. To achieve this goal, it was needed a literature review on national and international literature to later contrast with the national academic researches that use action research and show its uses to overcome the main obstacles faced. It´s shown the main features and currents of the action research, which emerged over the years, due to historical and cultural factors, and also to the practical needs arising from the research. Thus, there are characteristics that unify the action research, as well as differences. Identified these similarities and differences, a documentary research was carried out in academic papers published in National Meeting of Production Engineering (ENEGEP) from 1996 to 2010. 191 articles were analyzed, searching for the answer to the question: which use is made of the action research in Production Engineering in Brazil that allows to identifying the types of knowledge generated by it? The content analysis was the strategy used for the treatment of data, using NVivo software of the company QSR International. Through this software it was possible to do an analysis with a qualitative approach. With the analysis were identified some researchers who make use of action research very often in their researches. With these data, semi-structured interviews were made with seven researchers. It was noticed that in some sub-areas of Production Engineering there is a higher use, such as in the sub-area of information systems, product development and knowledge management. Even in other sub-areas we notice that the use of action research takes place mainly because it is a real study, combining theory and practice. This means, that the greatest knowledge that the researcher seeks to obtain when using the action research is the practical application in a given sector, promoting during the intervention the changing process and consequently the learning. / O tema principal desta tese é a pesquisa-ação e tem como objetivo geral descrever a construção do conhecimento no campo da pesquisa-ação a partir dos usos que os engenheiros de produção brasileiros fazem dela, visando reconhecer seus aportes, as suas potencialidades, e seus limites. Para conseguir atingir tal objetivo, fez-se um levantamento bibliográfico na literatura nacional e internacional para posteriormente contrastar com as pesquisas acadêmicas nacionais que usam pesquisa-ação e apresentar seus usos para a superação dos principais obstáculos encontrados. Para tanto, é apresentada as principais características e correntes da pesquisa-ação, que surgiram ao longo dos anos, em decorrência de fatores históricos, culturais e também em decorrência das necessidades práticas oriundas da pesquisa. Assim, existem características que unificam a pesquisa-ação, bem como diferenças. Identificadas estas semelhanças e diferenças, foi realizada uma pesquisa documental nos trabalhos acadêmicos publicados no ENEGEP Encontro Nacional de Engenharia de Produção no período que compreende 1996 a 2010. Foram analisados 191 artigos, buscando a resposta à questão: qual o uso que se faz da pesquisa-ação em Engenharia de Produção no Brasil que permite identificar os tipos de conhecimentos gerados por ela? A análise de conteúdo foi a estratégia utilizada para o tratamento dos dados, bem como foi utilizado o software NVivo, da empresa QSR International. Por intermédio deste software foi possível realizar uma análise com abordagem qualitativa. A partir da análise foram identificados alguns pesquisadores que fazem uso da pesquisa-ação com certa frequência em suas pesquisas. Com esses dados, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com sete pesquisadores. O que se pode constatar é que algumas subáreas da Engenharia de Produção possui um uso maior, tais como a subárea de sistemas de informação, desenvolvimento de produto e gestão de conhecimento. Mesmo em outras subáreas o que se pode constatar é que o uso da pesquisa-ação se dá, principalmente, pelo fato de ser um estudo real, conjugando a teoria e a prática. Isto implica dizer, que o maior conhecimento que o pesquisador busca obter quando do uso da pesquisa-ação é a aplicação prática em um determinado setor, promovendo durante a intervenção o processo de mudança e consequentemente de aprendizagem.

Waste management of vulcanized rubber is a serious environmental problem as the molecular structure formed during the process complicates recycling. Due to this, researchers have developed a process that can break the strong bonds and return the rubber to its original state. This process is called devulcanization and is developed for the tire industry due to the large amount of waste formed from this sector. This rubber is vulcanized with sulfurs like 90 % of other rubber products. However, there exist other products that are vulcanized with peroxides where much less research has been done. Due to this, it is unclear if devulcanization is possible as a different type of bond is formed in the vulcanization process. This work therefore investigates the possibilities with recycling by devulcanization of peroxide cured rubber where a collaboration is done with Roxtec International AB. The work also investigates the possibilities with reuse of the cooperating partner’s particular rubber and how everything can be implemented to understand the efficiency of these two waste management strategies and to share knowledge.  The used method for this work is a combination of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) and the Design thinking (DT) framework. A systematic literature review has also been conducted to collect relevant material for one of the research questions. The result showed that there exist many methods and possibilities with devulcanization of peroxides if sufficient energy is provided. However, the quality of the reclaimed rubber will be lacking as the bonds in the polymers main chain are degraded which affects the mechanical properties. Due to this only a small percentage can be reused by mixing it with virgin rubber. The efficiency for peroxides is therefore lower than for sulfurs. Regarding reuse many alternative usage areas were brainstromed but once the concepts were evaluated against the limitations with the material, the needs and the sustainability factor, only few solutions survived. The winning concept became a punching bag filled with granulated rubber crumbs. When investigating how everything can be implemented it turned out that a lot of effort is needed. For example, to get favorable results, the solution will require the punching bag company to also want to work towards sustainability by adapting take back systems. Devulcanization will then require that the waste is sorted which requires a big investment in both time and money to achieve. The conclusion of this work is that devulcanization and reuse is possible and the developed system solution can take care of parts of the waste. However, the possibilities are limited and to get rid of all the waste and develop a long-term solution that is both sustainable and further prepared for the future, more actions are needed. It is therefore of high interest to start investigating the possibilities with a new material that is easy to recycle or are degradable. / Avfallshantering av vulkaniserat gummi är ett allvarligt miljöproblem eftersom den molekylära strukturen som bildas under processen komplicerar återvinning. På grund av detta har forskare utvecklat en process som kan bryta de starka bindningarna och återställa gummit till sitt ursprungliga tillstånd. Denna process kallas devulkanisering och är främst utvecklad för däck-industrin på grund av den stora mängden avfall som bildas från denna sektor. Detta gummi vulkaniseras med svavel som 90% av andra gummiprodukter. Det finns dock andra produkter som vulkaniseras med peroxider där mycket mindre forskning har gjorts. På grund av detta är det oklart om devulkanisering är möjlig eftersom en annan typ av bindning bildas i vulkaniseringsprocessen. Detta arbete undersöker därför möjligheterna med återvinning genom devulkanisering av peroxid härdat gummi där ett samarbete görs med Roxtec International AB. Arbetet undersöker också möjligheterna med återanvändning av samarbetspartners specifika gummi spill och hur allt kan implementeras för att förstå effektiviteten i dessa två avfallshanterings strategier och för att sprida kunskap. Den använda metoden för detta arbete var en kombination av PAR (Participatory Action Research) och design thinking (DT). En systematisk litteraturstudie har också genomförts för att samla in relevant material för en av forskningsfrågorna. Resultatet visade att det finns många metoder och möjligheter för devulkanisering av peroxider om tillräcklig energi tillhandahålls. Dock kommer kvalitén på det återvunna gummit att försämras markant då bindningarna i polymerens huvudkedja bryts vilket påverkar de mekaniska egenskaperna. På grund av detta kan endast en liten andel återanvändas genom att blanda med jungfruligt gummi. Effektiviteten för peroxider är därför lägre än för svavel. När det gäller återanvändning, brainstormades många alternativa användningsområden, men när koncepten utvärderades mot begränsningarna med materialet, behoven och hållbarhetsfaktorer överlevde bara ett fåtal lösningar. Det vinnande konceptet blev en slagsäck fylld med granulerat gummi. När det undersöktes hur allt kan implementeras visade det sig att det krävs mycket ansträngningar. Till exempel, för att få gynnsamma resultat kommer lösningen att kräva att boxsäck företaget också vill arbeta för hållbarhet genom att anpassa take back system. Devulkaniserings-processen kommer även kräva att avfallet sorteras vilket kräver en stor investering i både tid och pengar för att uppnå. Slutsatserna av detta arbete är att devulkanisering och återanvändning är möjligt och den utvecklade systemlösningen kan ta hand om delar av avfallet. Men möjligheterna är begränsade och för att bli av med allt avfall och utveckla en långsiktig lösning som både är hållbar och ytterligare förberedd för framtiden, kommer fler åtgärder att behövas. Det är därför av stort intresse att börja undersöka möjligheterna med ett nytt material som är lätt att återvinna eller är nedbrytbart.

This thesis explores the factors contributing to successful collaboration within the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix frameworks, with a specific focus on the active involvement of students as stakeholders. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising interviews, questionnaires, and action research documented in a diary form, to gather data. The study examines the Creative LAB, an innovation lab initiated by students in the Innovation and Design master’s program at Mälardalens University, as a base for the collaborations with which the data is inquired from. The research employs the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models as theoretical frameworks to understand collaboration dynamics. Phenomenographic analysis was used to categorise and analyse the experiences of collaboration. The interviews and questionnaires, both addressing the same topic, were transcribed, and subjected to systematic extraction and analysis. The findings are presented in the form of categories, supported by direct quotations and perspectives from the respondents. The research diary served as a reflective tool throughout the thesis, documenting and analysing the obtained results and the work conducted within the Creative LAB. It provided valuable insights into the collaboration dynamics, success factors, and the role of students as active stakeholders in the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models. By capturing observations and personal reflections, the diary contributed to a deeper understanding of the research findings and enhanced the overall validity of the study. One of the projects, WellBot, is also presented as a case study. In summary, this thesis provides insights into the key success factors for collaboration within the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix frameworks, while also highlighting the significant role of students as active stakeholders. The results shed light on the perceptions and experiences of the participants, offering valuable implications for fostering effective collaboration in the context of academia, industry, and society. In the end, success-factors identified within the study is presented, as well as a questionnaire to identify perceptions on potential collaborations.

No description available.

Serious games have the potential to add value to the teaching and learning environment but are currently not used to its full potential in the Computer Science class. Many reasons why serious games are not used are debated in the literature and a particular problem identified from the literature is that educators find it difficult to select appropriate serious games for use in the classroom environment. The research philosophy adopted for this study included the Critical Social Theory paradigm and action research as the research method. The five phases of the action research process, namely diagnosing, action planning, action taking, evaluating and specifying learning were used to provide educators with a useful model to help with the selection of serious games for the Computer Science class. During the diagnosing phase, the problem for this study was identified and a questionnaire was used to determine educators‘ perceptions of serious games that confirmed the problem identified during the literature survey. During the action planning phase the evaluation of three serious game selection models, namely the four-dimensional framework, the RETAIN model and the Magic Bullet model were planned. Participants were provided with a checklist in the form of tables so that they could familiarise themselves with the models. During the action taking phase participants evaluated the four-dimensional framework, the RETAIN model and the Magic Bullet model using the checklists and examples provided to them. During the evaluation phase the three different models were evaluated by the participants and a questionnaire was used to gather data. The data were analysed and results were reported. A major problem was identified and it was decided to initiate a second cycle of the action research process. This time participants were provided with serious games and in a joint effort of the participants the problem was addressed. During the second cycle the problems identified in the first cycle was resolved. Finally this study is concluded with a reflection on all the research questions identified, a report on the findings, recommendations and a discussion of the limitations of the research project. / MSc (Computer Science)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2015

In African folklore, there is a Swahili tale which depicts the relationship between a monkey and a shark; a story about the needs of two creatures living in two different worlds. The shark needs the heart of the monkey to give to his king and the monkey agrees to go on the journey to learn and experience new things. Unaware of each other’s intentions and goals they fall prey to a relationship of mutual distrust and suspicion. Many opportunities to use art as a tool for social engagement through service-learning exist in Higher Education. However, good intentions do not always equal good outcomes. The story above illustrates the importance of open communication around goals and motives. My past experiences in community engagement projects have taught me that more harm than good can result when communities are not involved in relationship-building and decision-making processes which affect them. It is therefore imperative that students collaborate with communities in every phase of the engagement process, so that they will learn and benefit from each other in meaningful ways. This qualitative research explores and describes the engagement between Intermediate Phase education students and community youth, the findings of which will be used to design a service-learning module in Creative Arts. The aims of the study were (i) to explore what the students and the community participants can learn from such a process, (ii) to explore what aspects of the engagement process can enhance the attainment of mutually beneficial learning outcomes, and which detract from it, and (iii) based on the findings, to suggest recommendations that can inform the development and design of a future service-learning module in Creative Arts programmes for teacher educators. A qualitative design situated within a critical theoretical paradigm employing a participatory action research approach to inquiry was utilised to achieve the aims of the study. Availability sampling was used to select participants in the engagement between the campus students from the Creative Arts department in the faculty of Education Sciences at the North West University (NWU) Potchefstroom, and the community youths from a nearby township area. The data generation process consisted of four cycles which embraced seven interactive activities, including visual, oral, art, and text-based techniques that were employed in a participatory process. Semi-structured reflective interviews towards the end concluded the research study. Data documentation was obtained through verbatim transcriptions of video clips, visual diaries, and visual charts. The engagement process was systematically monitored, inductively analysed, and thematically interpreted. Trustworthiness was verified by overlapping and multiple data generation strategies, and maintained by reflective member checking and own critical reflections on the process. Ethical requirements included the approval of the Ethics Committee of the NWU Faculty of Educational Sciences, Potchefstroom campus. Signed consent of participants was obtained in writing before the data generation began. Consent was obtained from the participants for visual material to be used for the research study and the presentations thereof. Three themes emerged from the data collection. Theme 1: the process allowed participants to gain insight into each other’s worlds. Theme 2: the participatory action research (PAR) process shifted power relations. Theme 3: the participants experienced personal and professional development through the interactive process. My findings on the student-community youth engagement suggest that the participatory (PAR) process is well suited for socially engaged art-based practices in service-learning as it promotes reciprocal learning through interactive activities. The activities unlocked value-laden and meaningful learning between the participants. Working collaboratively and in groups benefitted the participants in several ways. They gained confidence and self-determination, began to understand each other, improved personal and working relations, and increased their level of professional development. Limiting aspects included language barriers, short time frames, and unpredictable community events. The role of the researcher as change agent required shared leadership of collaborative groupwork, and it was necessary to structure topics in service-learning that evoke challenging and critical responses between participants from diverse backgrounds. These findings have significance for the design and development of a service-learning module for Creative Arts education, provide recommendations for future community partnerships in art-based practices, and for further research in service-learning. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Space is different from place, as space becomes place when endowed with meaning and values. Space is therefore not a neutral backdrop for people’s lives, but intertwined with their daily lives. Before attempting to create place, the particular space first has to be understood. Place-making (transformation from space to place) refers to the empowering process during which inhabitants of a setting tend to represent, renovate and upgrade their physical surroundings. This process includes the views and opinions of direct site users in terms of decision-making. This participatory process relates to an open, accountable process during which individuals and groups can exchange views and influence decision-making processes. In previous bureaucratic, top-down planning practices (‘Blueprint’ planning theory) the involvement of participants within decision making was limited. Therefore, a communicative turn towards a ‘bottom-up’ process was needed, including affected role-players by communicating and negotiating any developmental decisions. Planning is an important change agent in addressing social and economic inequality by means of inclusive planning processes, especially in South Africa with its recent transition to democracy and post-apartheid reconstruction aims. There is currently an emphasis on the need to examine particular ways in which practices of participation in development play out in concrete situations. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a research method that proactively aims to develop equal distribution of power in terms of decision making by embracing values such as empowerment, social justice and equity, collaborative relationships, mutual learning and respect towards diverse opinions. Constant reflection and self-reflection within a participatory informed study is used to benefit the decision making process to create change. Change implies the promotion of the physical and positive social transformation. This research describes how PAR is used as a method in the place-making process to create change in a community that had previously been subjected to forced removals. The research context includes an existing open space (previously utilised as a dumping site) in Ikageng, Potchefstroom, South Africa, and surrounding land owners who interact with the site daily. A qualitative research approach was appropriate in this case as the research was carried out in a natural context where no extraneous influences occur and the research focused on obtaining in-depth understanding of a process rather than focusing on presenting evidence in quantifiable terms. While the planning procedure followed included numerous phases - Focus group 1, Focus group 2, Collaborative Design Workshop and Focus group3 (see Annexure B for Focus group questions) - the primary aim of this dissertation is to explore the process of place-making in planning by using PAR. Secondary aims include: (i) the understanding of the concept of place-making, (ii) giving an overview of theoretical paradigms in planning, (iii) to develop guidelines for using PAR in a planning process, and (iv) to develop planning guidelines for the process of place-making. Findings reveal that experienced change can be described as threefold. Levels of change included: (i) the physical level (Transforming the space physically (beautification and upgrade)), (ii) the social level (Transforming the community socially), and (iii) the psychological level (Transforming the community psychologically). During the experiencing of change, PAR values were unlocked progressively by the place-making process, which included empowerment, collaborative relationships and mutual learning. In later stages of the research, the PAR values of respect towards diversity and social justice and equity were revealed. Based on the above, the study offers planning recommendations by means of the development of guidelines for a place-making process. These guidelines (as informed by PAR), refer to (i) Phase 1 - Gaining community entrance, (ii) Phase 2 - Conceptualising the space, (iii) Phase 3 - Establishing partnerships, (iv) Phase 4 - Transforming space to place, (v) Phase 5 - Implementation and, (vi) Phase 6 - Monitoring/Reflection. When following these recommended guidelines with regard to a place-making process, research challenges should be taken into consideration. These challenges relate to the time-consuming nature of place-making, as well as the necessary flexibility regarding the context of the research. Furthermore, financial resources should be seen as important when attempting to transform space into place. Therefore, these planning recommendations should be seen as a guideline and not a fixed master-plan. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015