This report consists of the results from implementing the co-creation paradigm in the education. It was created from international team during the project T-CREPE - TEXTILE ENGINEERING FOR CO-CREATION PARADIGMS IN EDUCATION, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. Topics as planet platform, ChoiCo games, using simulation software, Enterpreneuship and feedback from industrial partners are presented.:1. Introduction 7 2. Design Thinking – Design-based Learning – Co-creation 9 References 16 3. Games in Education 18 References 18 4. The Co-Creation Planet: Metaphor and Theory 20 4.1 The Planet Metaphor 20 4.2 Planet Tools 21 4.2.1 Design Thinking Tools 21 4.2.2 The ChoiCo, game-based learning and co-creation 21 References 23 5. Practical Guide to the Planet Platform 25 5.1 Layers of the planet 25 5.2 How to use the Planet 28 5.2.1. For Teachers 28 5.2.2. For Students 28 How to use the Planet for you projects? 28 5.3 How to use ChoiCo 29 6. ChoiCo Game Modification Example 34 6.1. The expert games “Heating outdoor pads” 34 6.2. The textile game mod by lecturer 35 6.3. The textile games mods by students 36 6.3.1. Heating Garment 37 6.3.2. Heating Cushion for Car Seat 37 6.3.3. Heating T-Shirt and Gloves 38 6.3.5. Heating Textiles 38 6.3.6. Heating Socks 39 6.3.7. Heating Socks ThermoTrousers 3000 ™ 40 7. Stimulating Entrepreneurship 41 7.1 Co-creation scenes 41 7.2. Valorisation 43 7.3 Psychological ownership 45 8. The industry experience: Co-creating with Knitronix (Italy) 50 8.1 Collaboration with industry – Knitronix 50 8.2. Knitronix and the Co-creation course at UGent 51 9. Co-creating with industry: the richter+partner GmbH (Germany) 54 9.1 Introduction 54 9.2 Collaboration with industry – r+p 54 9.3. r+p and the Co-creation course 'Digital Nomad' at UGent and UNIWA 55 10. Co-creation process with textile CAD software 57 10.1. Introduction 57 10.2. Discovery process 57 10.3. Define 58 10.4. Develop 60 11. Co-creation in (design) education: lessons learned from T-Crepe 64 11.1 A reflection 65 11.2. Role of the students 65 11.3. Role of the instructors 66 11.4. Role of the industry partners 66 11.6. The T-CREPE heritage 67 References 67

This dissertation investigates the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy outcomes at a residential environmental education (EE) program. I developed a novel methodology using observations of 81 lessons at the study site to isolate the characteristics hypothesized to influence student engagement, self-determination, and outcomes of environmental literacy. Student surveys provided self-reported data on student engagement, selfdetermination, and environmental literacy. Mixed-methods analyses allowed me to explore these links within the 81 lessons observed in this case study. The results are organized into five chapters: an introduction chapter; three manuscripts planned for stand-alone publication (Chapters 2 - 4); and a conclusion chapter. Chapter 2 reports on the links between student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. Chapter 3 provides insights on the links between the lesson characteristics (e.g., educator characteristics, teaching approaches, and schoolteacher/chaperone behaviors) and environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 4 investigates the degree to which measures of student engagement, observed or self-reported, are associated with environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from this study and presents additional analyses intended to fully synthesize the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. This study provides a novel methodology and survey items that may be of use to both practitioners and researchers. This research offers useful information about why and how EE works in this case and some of the specific characteristics and practices that engender positive environmental literacy outcomes. / Ph. D. / This dissertation investigates the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy outcomes at a residential environmental education (EE) program. I developed a novel methodology using observations of 81 lessons delivered to diverse middle school students at the study site to isolate the characteristics hypothesized to most positively influence student engagement, self-determination, and outcomes of environmental literacy. Student surveys completed at the end of each lesson observed provided self-reported data on student engagement, self-determination, and outcomes of environmental literacy. I performed a variety of mixed-methods analyses to explore these links and have organized the results into five chapters: an introduction chapter; three manuscripts planned for stand-alone publication (Chapters 2 – 4); and a conclusion chapter. Chapter 2 provides details on the links between student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. Chapter 3 provides insights on the influences of a myriad of lesson characteristics (e.g., educator characteristics, teaching approaches, and schoolteacher/chaperone behaviors) on student environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 4 provides results on the degree to which student engagement, observed or self-reported, is positively associated with environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from this study and presents additional analyses intended to fully synthesize the holistic links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy outcomes. This study provides a new novel methodology and survey items that may be of use to both practitioners and researchers, particularly those with time constraints in the field. This research offers useful information about why and how EE works at this study site and provides details on specific characteristics and practices that led to positive student environmental literacy outcomes.

Mergers and acquisitions have been demonstrated to create synergies, but not in all cases. Current research reveals that where synergies exist, these seem to accrue to the shareholders of the selling companies. Given the limitations of our qualitative research design, we find that it is important to quantify synergy before the acquisition, preferably by applying certain best practices. In an attempt to enhance understanding of the phenomenon, we find that several types of synergy exist and that their origins include efficiencies, such as economies of scale and economies in innovative activity. We further find that the bid price is an important indicator of success and that its maximum should not exceed the intrinsic value of the target, plus the value of synergies between the bidder and target. We further find that best practices exist in quantifying cost and revenue synergies and describe these separately per origin. / Management Accounting / M.Com. (Accounting)

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On average, a small business could lose $150,000 a year due to employee fraud schemes. For most of the small businesses affected by employee fraud schemes, the average $150,000 loss could be detrimental to the small business, causing the business to close. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the internal controls small business owners apply to detect and prevent fraud from occurring in the business. The population for the study consisted of 3 small business owners located in Hartsville, South Carolina who implemented effective internal fraud controls in their business. The conceptual framework guiding the study was the fraud triangle theory. Data were collected and triangulated through semistructured interviews, company internal control policy and procedure documents, the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission internal control framework, and the Small Business Administration internal control good practices. Data were analyzed through coding. There were 3 themes which emerged in relation to addressing the central research question: cash collection, separation of duties, and attentiveness and awareness. The findings could contribute to positive social change by providing best practices for small business owners to mitigate the components of the fraud triangle and subsequently decrease, if not eliminate, fraud from occurring in small businesses.

The cultural and linguistic diversity of the United States is growing rapidly and early intervention service providers are very likely to work with families whose cultures differ from their own. Service providers must consider the multiple cultural factors of families which contribute to family dynamics and the potential for miscommunication is high when the cultural frameworks of early intervention providers differ from those of the families they serve. Culturally responsive practices have been put forth in the theoretical literature as a way to increase successful communication and service provision but there is limited research investigating the beliefs, experiences, and practices of early intervention providers regarding cultural responsiveness and the efficacy of specific practices. This study utilized an exploratory case study methodology with multiple case analyses to investigate the expressed beliefs and practices of in-service early intervention providers regarding culturally responsive practices and comparing them to the tenets of best practice set forth in the conceptual literature. Specifically, the study tested the theory that cultural responsiveness is an integral component of effective early intervention service provision.

<p>Urbanisation processes in developing countries are resulting in a rapidly increasing proportion of habitants living in urban slum areas. In the international development debate the lack of tenure security for slum dwellers in developing countries is considered to be an essentially important problem. Within the framework of the UN Millennium Development Programme the necessity of efforts towards increased tenure security for marginalised urban residents was agreed upon. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where the overall progress towards improved living conditions for slum area residents is showing the least positive results. This paper investigates the occurrence of activities in the region which show an ambition of improving tenure security for people living in urban slum areas. It does so by examining cases submitted from African countries to the UN-HABITAT database of best international practices in the improvement of living conditions.</p>

Productivity and efficiency are the tools used in managing performance. This study researches and implements best practices that lead to best performance. A customer quality defined standard has to be created by benchmarking the Information Technology Service Regions which may be used to help decision-makers or management make informed decisions about (1) the effectiveness of service systems, (2) managing the performance of Information Technology Service Regions. Waiting lines or queues are an everyday occurrence and may take the form of customers waiting in a restaurant to be serviced or telephone calls waiting to be answered. The model of waiting lines is used to help managers evaluate the effectiveness of service systems. It determines precisely the optimal number of employees that must work at the centralised service desk. A Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology is used as a benchmarking tool to locate a frontier which is then used to evaluate the efficiency of each of the organizational units responsible for observed output and input quantities. The inefficient units can learn from the best practice frontier situated along the frontier line. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Computer Science))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Urbanisation processes in developing countries are resulting in a rapidly increasing proportion of habitants living in urban slum areas. In the international development debate the lack of tenure security for slum dwellers in developing countries is considered to be an essentially important problem. Within the framework of the UN Millennium Development Programme the necessity of efforts towards increased tenure security for marginalised urban residents was agreed upon. Sub-Saharan Africa is the region where the overall progress towards improved living conditions for slum area residents is showing the least positive results. This paper investigates the occurrence of activities in the region which show an ambition of improving tenure security for people living in urban slum areas. It does so by examining cases submitted from African countries to the UN-HABITAT database of best international practices in the improvement of living conditions.

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