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Yes / This project investigated the extent to which e-portfolio tools can be applied to final year engineering projects with a view to supporting the experience from the perspective of supervisor and student respectively. E-portfolio tools allow students to generate, store and share evidence, minute meetings and record reflections as well as helping them to develop generic professional engineering skills. The research methodology combined qualitative and quantitative techniques. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews with eight supervisors and online questionnaires completed by 13 supervisors and 31 students provided the basis for the research. Training on the university's e-portfolio tool was provided for 19 members of staff, while a seminar introducing the project to the final year cohort was attended by 33 students. To conclude, an e-portfolio application was made available to students. / Royal Academy of Engineering

Yes / The research presented in this paper addresses the challenge of developing functional models for complex systems that have multiple modes of operation or use cases. An industrial case study of an electric vehicle is used to illustrate the proposed methodology, which is based on a systematic modelling of functions through nested systems using the system state flow diagram (SSFD) method. The paper discusses the use of SSFD parameter based state definition to identify physical and logical conditions for joining function models, and the use of heuristics to construct complex function models.

Many international graduate students serve as teaching assistants at US universities. As teaching assistants, they carry out significant responsibilities such as leading lab sessions, grading student work, holding office hours, and proctoring exams. When these international teaching assistants (ITAs) cross national boundaries to teach at US universities, they may experience significant differences in the educational cultures. Teaching in a new educational culture offers ITAs both challenges and opportunities for growth. To better understand the experiences of this population within engineering, data were collected from seven engineering ITAs using a multiple-case study approach with each ITA representing a case. Data were collected in the form of weekly reflections and in-person interviews at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester, at an R1 university representative of national averages in terms of international graduate student population in the US. The participant pool represented diversity in the form of nationality, gender, prior teaching experience with the same course, and engineering discipline. Data were analyzed using both a priori codes and inductive coding emerging from the data, with particular attention given to experiences specific to engineering. Based on data analysis, codebooks were developed that operationalize ITAs' experiences and navigational strategies in the context of engineering. While illuminating the intersections of ITAs' teaching experiences with their international and GTA identities, the results point to the complexity and variations in participants' experiences based on various social and contextual factors such as gender, cultural background, prior exposure to the English language, prior engagement with the course material, and interaction with the teaching team. The results point to several contributions, and implications for engineering departments and universities, faculty, and ITAs to better engage ITAs in the process of undergraduate engineering education. In terms of contributions, this study uses intersectionality, a critical framework, which accounts for the complexity of engineering ITAs' experiences to provide systematic accounts of their experiences and navigational strategies while illuminating the nuances related to social, cultural, and disciplinary identities. Implications for the engineering departments and universities include creating an educational environment that values the cultural and linguistic diversity brought by ITAs, and collaborating with ITAs to organize training programs that help ITAs strengthen their communication, workload management, and intercultural skills; those for faculty include helping ITAs manage their teaching and research requirements by allowing for flexibility in ITAs' schedules, and treating ITAs as budding colleagues by using ITAs' existing pedagogical knowledge and scaffolding them when needed; those for ITAs include resisting the institutional pressure to "fit" into the US educational norms by using the pedagogical and cultural knowledge they bring from their home countries to better support student learning, and develop students' intercultural skills; and those for undergraduate students include engaging with ITAs to learn the engineering course content and simultaneously develop intercultural competence. / Ph. D. / In light of the pivotal role played by international teaching assistants (ITAs) in undergraduate education at US universities, particularly in engineering, this research explores the experiences of engineering ITAs. When ITAs cross national boundaries to teach at US universities, they may experience differences in teaching and learning practices. These differences present both rewards and challenges to ITAs. Prior research has explored the rewards and challenges of the ITA experience more generally, but this work has not addressed the unique experiences of ITAs in engineering. Hence, it is important to understand ITAs’ experiences and navigational strategies from a viewpoint that highlights both the issues faced by ITAs and their strengths so that adequate steps can be taken to better engage them in undergraduate engineering education in the United States. To this end, this research focuses on exploring ITAs’ teaching experiences, navigational strategies, and the influence of ITAs’ social identities on their experiences. To address these research problems, data were collected from seven engineering ITAs at a large research-focused university for a semester of their teaching. Data were collected from these ITAs in the form of weekly reflections and periodic interviews. Data were analyzed using existing work on ITAs’ experiences as the starting point. The starting framework was then modified to capture the themes emerging from the data, with additional attention given to engineering specific nuances. The findings point to several contributions and implications for practice. In terms of contributions, this research illuminates the complexities of engineering ITAs’ experiences by highlighting both advantages and disadvantages experienced by them while expanding on our existing understanding of ITAs’ experiences. In terms of implications, the findings of this research suggest that efforts should be made at the institutional level to create an environment that values the cultural and linguistic diversity brought by ITAs, and collaborate with ITAs to improve their communication, workload management, and intercultural skills through focused training programs. Faculty working with ITAs should build flexibility into ITAs’ schedules so that ITAs can pay attention to other personal and professional responsibilities. Also, faculty should treat ITAs as budding colleagues by using ITAs’ pedagogical inputs and scaffolding them when needed. ITAs should use the pedagogical and cultural knowledge they bring from their home countries to better support student learning and develop students’ cross-cultural skills, and thus resist the urge to assimilate into the US educational culture. Finally, undergraduate students should see the presence of ITAs in their classrooms in positive light and engage with ITAs to learn the engineering course content and simultaneously develop intercultural skills.

Thesis (MEd(Psych)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the use of Eye Movement Desensitisation (hereafter referred to as EMDR), a form of psychotherapy on a female adolescent sexual assault survivor. Adolescence as a developmental stage is characterised by specific issues, such as the search for own identity. Sexual trauma may increase the inner conflict, because of the adolescent's ability to deal with the trauma at a higher cognitive level than in earlier childhood. Without support including psychotherapy, the adolescent sexual assault survivor may be at risk of developing mental health problems including Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome (hereafter referred to as PTSD). This research is a qualitative case study, involving only one adolescent participant. Mary (pseudonym) a sexual assault survivor, was selected from referrals the Unit for Educational Psychology at the University of Stellenbosch received from the Child Protection Unit of the South African Police Services. She was referred because she displayed symptoms of depression and PTSD, which affected her relations with her parents, siblings and peers. She also struggled to cope emotionally with the academic demands of school. The ecosystemic approach was chosen as the preferred framework within which to locate this study. In assessment and intervention this framework lends itself to focussing on relationships and systems rather than merely the individual with a problem. The study explores the use of EMDR to alleviate symptoms of depression and PTSD in Mary. She attended thirteen sessions of which the first three were used to assess her level of functioning. Data were collected by means of self-report questionnaires including the Beck's Depression Inventory and the Dissociative Experiences Scale, interviews and therapy sessions during which EMDR was used. The data were analysed using codes, categories and themes, interpreted and the study concluded with a discussion of the findings. The findings suggest that EMDR effectively alleviated Mary's symptoms of depression and PTSD. However, since the study was limited to a single participant, a larger sample is recommended to determine whether EMDR might be a feasible treatment tool for female adolescent sexual assault survivors. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die gebruik van Oogbeweging Desensitifisering Herprosessering (hierna verwys as OBDH), 'n tipe psigoterapie, om 'n vroulike adolessente slagoffer van seksuele misbruik te ondersteun. Adolessensie as 'n ontwikkelingsfase word deur spesifieke kwessies gekenmerk, onder andere die soeke na 'n eie identiteit. Seksuele trauma mag die innerlike konflik verhoog, weens die adolessent se vermoeë om dit op 'n hoër vlak van ontwikkeling as die jonger kind te hanteer. Sonder ondersteuning, insluitend psigoterapie, mag die adolessent die risiko loop om geestesversteurings soos Posttraumatiese stresversteuring (hierna verwys as PTSV) te ontwikkel. Hierdie navorsing was 'n kwalitatiewe gevallestudie en slegs een adolessente deelnemer was daarby betrokke. Mary (skuilnaam) 'n seksuele geweld oorwinnaar, is gekies vanuit verwysings wat die Eenheid vir Opvoedkundige Sielkunde van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch van die Kinderbeskermings-eenheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie Dienste ontvang het. Sy is verwys aangesien sy blykbaar simptome van depressie en PTSV geopenbaar het, wat haar verhoudings met haar ouers, sibbe en portuurgroep beïnvloed het. Sy het ook emosioneel gesukkel om die akademiese eise van die skool te hanteer. Die ekosistemiese benadering is gekies as die raamwerk vir hierdie studie. In assessering en intervensie lê dié benadering groter klem op verhoudings en sisteme, as op 'n individu met 'n probleem. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stelof die gebruik van OBDH verligting van simptome van depressie en PTSV in Mary teweeg sou bring. Sy het dertien sessies bygewoon en die eerste drie is gebruik om haar vlak van funksionering te bepaal. Data is ingesamel deur middel van die Beck's Depression Inventory en die Dissociative Experiences Scale vraelyste, onderhoude en terapie sessies waarin OBDH ook gebruik was. Die data is ontleed deur middel van kodes, kategorieë en temas, geïnterpreteer en die studie eindig met 'n bespreking van die bevindinge. Die bevindinge het aangedui dat OBDH effektief Mary se simptome van depressie en PTSV verlig. Omdat die studie egter beperk was tot 'n enkele deelnemer, word 'n groter getal deelnemers aanbeveel om te bepaal of OBDH moontlik geskik is om vroulike adolesente oorwinnaars van seksueel geweld te ondersteun.

Fatherlessness seems to have instigated a growing political and social debate in recent years (Daniels, 1998). At the core of this debate lies the questions of whether fatherlessness today is more widespread than it has been historically, and whether the necessity and efficacy of fathers is important in the changing landscape of family paradigms (Daniels, 1998). In the last thirty years, research has defined fatherlessness in terms of parental marital status, father abandonment, and father death (Daniels, 1998; Gallagher, 1998; Popenoe, 1996). Some psychoanalysts extended the definition to include the emotional absence (Blundell, 2002), or emotional unavailability of the father (Lamb & Tamis-LeMonda, 2004). Research suggests that children raised by both biological parents have greater socio-economic success (McLanahan & Teitler, 1999), seem to have an intellectual advantage (Research Center for Minority Data, 2009), and are less prone to encounter emotional problems than single-parented children (Cockett and Tripp, 1994). These factors reflect the deficit model of fatherlessness that dominated child development research prior to the 1970s (Hawkins and Dollahite, 1997). More current research focused on the benefits of father involvement and purported that fathers who are more involved in the lives of their children (Day & Lamb, 2004; Pleck & Masciadrelli, 2004), and make themselves more emotionally available tend to raise children with fewer emotional problems and better overall mental health (Lum & Phares, 2005). With society producing what some refer to as a fatherless generation (Hydrate Studios, 2006), and a number of researchers attesting that fatherlessness is a devastating modern, social trend (Blackenhorn, 1995; Popenoe, 1996), current qualitative research was warranted in order to explore factors that lead fatherless individuals to assume a fatherless identity. In this exploratory case study, semi-structured interviews were conducted to better understand fatherlessness as experienced by adult male case study participants. The study focused on the experiences of men in order to manage the scope of research, and defer to the male experiences that prompted the research. Four men self-identified as fatherless with no imposed research definition by responding to the recruitment question Are You Fatherless? Results indicated that historical ways of defining fatherless were merely factors that intensify the experience; they do not define a person as fatherless. Findings suggested that the father role, family dynamics, emotionality, socio-economic and intellectual factors, disparate ideal and perceived father images, negative emotional connections with fathers, and a sons sense of masculinity all play a part in men assuming a fatherless identity.

Fatherlessness seems to have instigated a growing political and social debate in recent years (Daniels, 1998). At the core of this debate lies the questions of whether fatherlessness today is more widespread than it has been historically, and whether the necessity and efficacy of fathers is important in the changing landscape of family paradigms (Daniels, 1998). In the last thirty years, research has defined fatherlessness in terms of parental marital status, father abandonment, and father death (Daniels, 1998; Gallagher, 1998; Popenoe, 1996). Some psychoanalysts extended the definition to include the emotional absence (Blundell, 2002), or emotional unavailability of the father (Lamb & Tamis-LeMonda, 2004). Research suggests that children raised by both biological parents have greater socio-economic success (McLanahan & Teitler, 1999), seem to have an intellectual advantage (Research Center for Minority Data, 2009), and are less prone to encounter emotional problems than single-parented children (Cockett and Tripp, 1994). These factors reflect the deficit model of fatherlessness that dominated child development research prior to the 1970s (Hawkins and Dollahite, 1997). More current research focused on the benefits of father involvement and purported that fathers who are more involved in the lives of their children (Day & Lamb, 2004; Pleck & Masciadrelli, 2004), and make themselves more emotionally available tend to raise children with fewer emotional problems and better overall mental health (Lum & Phares, 2005). With society producing what some refer to as a fatherless generation (Hydrate Studios, 2006), and a number of researchers attesting that fatherlessness is a devastating modern, social trend (Blackenhorn, 1995; Popenoe, 1996), current qualitative research was warranted in order to explore factors that lead fatherless individuals to assume a fatherless identity. In this exploratory case study, semi-structured interviews were conducted to better understand fatherlessness as experienced by adult male case study participants. The study focused on the experiences of men in order to manage the scope of research, and defer to the male experiences that prompted the research. Four men self-identified as fatherless with no imposed research definition by responding to the recruitment question Are You Fatherless? Results indicated that historical ways of defining fatherless were merely factors that intensify the experience; they do not define a person as fatherless. Findings suggested that the father role, family dynamics, emotionality, socio-economic and intellectual factors, disparate ideal and perceived father images, negative emotional connections with fathers, and a sons sense of masculinity all play a part in men assuming a fatherless identity.

Staten fører tilsyn med at kommunene i Norge oppfyller lovkrav som gjelder for kommunehelsetjenesten. Siden 1995 har tilsynsmetodikken i hovedsak vært systemrevisjon. I tillegg til at Fylkeslegen/Helsetilsynet i fylket kontrollerer at lovbestemmelser blir fulgt, er systemrevisjonene ment å bidra til systematisk forbedringsarbeid i kommunehelsetjenesten. Målsettingen med denne studien har vært å beskrive hvordan systemrevisjoner påvirker forbedringsarbeidet. Dette er en kvalitativ studie gjennomført som et case-study i to norske fylker. Datainnsamlingen ble gjort høsten 2001 gjennom dokumentgranskning og i fire fokusgrupper – to i hvert fylke. Det ble fokusert på hvilke forventninger 28 ansatte (14 ledere og 14 ”førstelinjepersonell”) i 19 ulike kommuner hadde til systemrevisjonene, hvordan resultatene var håndtert i kommunen og hvilken nytte de ansatte mente tilsynet hadde hatt. Resultatet viser at systemrevisjonene fikk fart på prosesser i kommunene. Tilsynet forarget noen og gledet andre. Hovedskillet går mellom et ønske om hjelp til faglig forbedring av helsetjenesten og ønsket om et friere kommunalt selvstyre. Det var tre forhold ved gjennomføringen av tilsynet som viste seg å være betydningsfulle med tanke på å bidra til systematisk forbedringsarbeid i kommunehelsetjenesten: språket/kommunikasjonen, individuell tilpasning og at kommunens øverste ledelse ble direkte involvert under tilsynsbesøket / Norwegian Board of Health controls that the municipal authorities in Norway fulfil their legal obligations as regards the municipal health service. Since 1995 system auditing has been the main method of supervision. In addition to Norwegian Board of Health in the Counties controlling that the legal obligations of the municipalities are upheld, system audits are meant to encourage systematic improvement efforts in the municipal health services. The aim of this essay has been to describe how the system audits affect improvement efforts. This is a qualitative study conducted as a case study in two Norwegian counties. Data collection was done during the autumn of 2001, by studying documents and in four focus groups – two in each county. The main focus was on what expectations 28 employees (14 leaders and 14 professionals) in 19 different municipalities had to the system audits, how the results were handled in the municipalities, and how useful the employees felt that the auditing had been. The results show that the system audits lead to greater activity in processes in the municipalities. The audits upset some and pleased others. The main differences were between a wish for more aid regarding professional improvements of the health service and a desire for greater municipal autonomy. Three areas of the audits were shown to be important for encouraging systematic improvement efforts in the municipal service: language/communication, individual adjustments, and that the municipality top management was directly involved during the audits.

Bakgrunn: Bygninger med universell utforming vil kunne gi økt deltakelse og aktivitet for flere. Mål: Studiet har målsetting om å vise hvordan implementering av universell utforming kan foregå i en norsk kommune og vise til hvilke implementeringskriterier som er viktig med hensyn til å oppnå universell utforming. Metode: Case study er brukt som forskningsmetode. Studiet består av fire case; to skole- og to barnehagebygg. Visning av bilder ble brukt som metode for å illustrere universell utforming og gi økt kunnskap om temaet til berørte parter. Bygningene ble kartlagt med hensyn til hvorvidt bygningsmassen tilfredstiller ytelser nedfelt i veileding til tekniske forskrifter. Videre vil utfylte kartleggingsverktøy beskrive hva som bør gjøres av tiltak med hensyn til universell utforming.Ett år etter kartleggingsarbeidet intervjuet vi seks sentrale informanter; kommunalsjef, leder av eiendomsavdelingen, politiker, avdelingsleder for barnehagene samt leder for hver av de to barnehagene. Følgende spørsmål ble stilt: Hvilke politiske beslutninger er tatt? Hvilken forståelse og kunnskap har informanten om universell utforming?  Hvordan har planprosessen forløpt i kommunen? Økonomiske betraktninger? Hva er viktig for implementering av universell utforming? Resultat: Funn fra kartleggingsarbeidet viser mangelfull universell utforming vedrørende fremkommelighet, orienterbarhet og inneklima. Ett år etter kartleggingsarbeid ble det gjennomført intervju av seks sentrale informanter. Studiet identifiserte implementerings-kriterier for å oppnå universell utforming. Det er nødvendig med politisk og administrativ forankring, felles forståelse og samhandling mellom helse – og teknisk sektor, samarbeid med brukerorganisasjoner, plassering av et pådriveransvar for universell utforming og økonomiske ressurser avsatt til arbeidet for å oppnå implementering av universell utforming. Konklusjon: kartleggingsarbeid og bruk av implementeringskriterier er viktig for å oppnå universell utforming. Det er viktig med innspill vedrørende universell utforming tidlig i planprosesser. Med fordel kan videre forskning vise sammenheng mellom universell utforming og opplevelse av helse. / Background: Buildings that implement universal design provide increased participation and activity levels for many people. Purpose: This study aimed to show how a Norwegian community could use universal design for a planned rehabilitation of school and pre-school buildings. We sought to describe the steps necessary to achieve universal design. Methods: Our case study formed the basis of our investigation regarding the potential of universal design in school buildings. To raise awareness in study participants, we showed them photographs illustrating universal design. We also mapped the buildings according to their fulfillment of the “Guidelines to technical regulations” provided by both the construction plan and building legislation. One year following the mapping exercise, we surveyed six central participants; executive officer, manager of the property department, local politicians, managers and department heads of 2 childcare units. The following questions were posed: Which political decisions have been taken? What does the participant know about universal design? Describe planning processes in the local authority? What economical considerations have been taken? Describe the important factors necessary to implement universal design? Results: Mapping revealed insufficient design regarding mobility, adaptation ability, and indoor climate. Our study identified criteria that are essential to achieving universal design, including increased knowledge and understanding of universal design; political and administrative funding of the work; common understanding and interaction between the health sector, user organizations, and the technical sector; accountability; and economic recourses. Interviews indicated that study reports aided the municipality in laying groundwork for further rehabilitation of the buildings. Conclusions: While reports and implementation criteria contribute importantly to achieving universal design, it is important to use such information and guidelines early in the planning process. Further research is required to determine a possible connection between universal design and perception of health. / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-65-8</p>