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Initial observation shows that there is a knowledge gap between the demand of the end customers and the supply of material and products provided by suppliers. The culprit manifests in the nature of the construction industry, seen as conservative and not prone to innovation combined with lackluster incentives between the contractor and supplier through framework agreements. Collaboration is not developed, presented through the fact that each actor relies on each other to gain information on sought after products and material. The research aims to present how supplier-based innovation can promote the development of new products and materials that are of value to the end customer. This is done by conducting a case study within a general contractor and interviewing suppliers, purchasers, and end customers to understand how collaboration could be a first step to create an ecosystem in which new products and materials are developed. The results show that collaborative product development would be suitable in certain instances, such as with a general contractor with an own developing unit in collaboration with a preferred supplier or framework supplier. / Inledande observation visar att det finns ett kunskapsgap mellan efterfrågan från slutkunderna och utbudet av material och produkter från leverantörer. Boven visar sig i byggbranschens karaktär, sedd som konservativ och inte benägen till innovation i kombination med svaga incitament mellan entreprenör och leverantör genom ramavtal. Samverkan utvecklas inte, detta kan observeras genom att varje aktör förlitar sig på varandra för att få information om eftertraktade produkter och material. Forskningen syftar till att presentera hur leverantörsbaserad innovation kan främja utvecklingen av nya produkter och material som är av värde för slutkunden. Detta görs genom att genomföra en fallstudie inom en byggentreprenör och intervjua leverantörer, inköpare och slutkunder för att förstå hur samarbete kan vara ett första steg för att skapa ett ekosystem där nya produkter och material utvecklas. Resultaten visar att samverkande produktutveckling skulle vara lämplig i vissa fall, till exempel med en byggentreprenör med en egen utvecklingsenhet i samarbete med en föredragen leverantör eller ramleverantör.

The professional identity of career practitioners in the UK has become increasingly challenged in recent decades due to the influence of government policy and the dominance of work-based qualifications. Privatisation, multi-professional working and workforce realignment have all contributed to a reshaping of the career guidance professional. This research examines the views of a group of practitioners all undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) in the form of a postgraduate award. The participants were all UK based practitioners working in a career related role; all were either currently on programme, had completed or stepped off with an interim award within a masters programme. The research explored practitioners’ views at a time of significant upheaval, of themselves as professionals, their professional identity and the extent to which postgraduate CPD contributed to this. The research utilised a case study approach employing document analysis, questionnaire, in-depth interviews and narrative biographies. These tools were specifically selected to enable sequential analysis of data allowing findings from each stage to be rigorously tested out by the next research tool. Applications from potential students were initially analysed helping to establish motivation for undertaking a programme of this type, an on-line survey explored practitioners views of themselves as professionals, motivation for postgraduate study and potential outcomes for themselves, their organisation and their profession. In-depth interviews and narrative biographies provided a voice allowing participants to explore their personal journey with their studies and how this engagement contributed to the establishment, maintenance or enhancement of their practitioner professional identity. Continuing professional development was classified as consisting of three types, operational, experiential and formal. Findings suggested participants predominantly valued formal CPD with operational being perceived as only meeting employer contractual compliance. Postgraduate level CPD contributed to professional identity through engagement with reflection, theory, policy and academic study. Ethics and client focus were central to the professional identity of the career practitioner. Postgraduate study was perceived to empower practitioners and to contribute to the professionalisation of the sector and give parity with other public sector professions. The research contributes to both the limited body of knowledge addressing professional identity within the career guidance context and discourse addressing professionalisation of new professions. It offers a shared professional perspective that can inform the evolving policy debate aiming to professionalise the career and allied workforces. The research offers a unique insight into a profession in transition and the voice of practitioners who have experienced successive waves of government policy, which has been often internalised as de-professionalisation.

The introduction of the 14-19 Diploma into the English Qualifications framework was the most developed attempt at creating a vocational qualification which advanced beyond mere job training. The Diploma offered vocational education with occupational capacity, underpinned by functional skills and academic subject content. It was truly the first hybrid qualification that attempted to combine the hitherto separate vocational and academic curricula. This study examines the educational policies that led to the introduction of the Diploma and the reasons behind its ultimate failure and demise. The study comprises two parts. The first is an investigation into the continuing professional development needs that this new initiative created for teachers. This led to the publication in 2010 of a book, The Essential Guide to Teaching 14-19 Diplomas, a description and account of which is presented in this thesis. This book was the first of its kind aimed at supporting teachers working with the Diploma. The key research findings addressed were the need to understand the structure and constituent elements of the Diploma and to provide practical advice on how to deliver effective Initial Advice and Guidance (IAG), Personal Thinking and Learning Skills (PTLS) and Functional Skills. The second part of the study is concerned with the aftermath of the Diploma. This involved an examination of the professional ethos and standing of vocational subject teachers within the author’s consortium of colleges and schools involved in teacher training, and their reactions to the withdrawal of support for the qualification following the change of government in 2010. The study concludes with an analysis of a series of semi-structured interviews or ‘conversations’ with leading educationalists concerning their attitudes to, and involvement with, the development of the Diploma and any ‘lessons for the future’. The key findings from the second part of the study are there were several issues in the development and implementation of the Diploma that were critical factors leading to its demise. The first issue that arose from both the initial and final phases of the research was that the vocational Diploma was introduced very quickly following the rejection of Sir Mike Tomlinson’s proposals for linking academic and vocational learning. The qualification that was developed, the Vocational Diploma introduced in 2008, later renamed as the ‘Diploma’, only went part way to achieving the proposals put forward by Tomlinson. This was due to the complexity of collaboration between three sectors, pre- and post-compulsory education and employers, plus the complexity and breadth of the component parts of the qualification. Also arising from the research is that the rushed introduction did not allow the developers to pilot, review or consult effectively with the major stakeholders. The second issue, which is a thread throughout the research, is that the rush to implementation, coupled with the complexity of the qualification, demonstrated that there was a clear need for professional development within the teaching profession tasked with implementing the qualification. Indeed, the initial phase of the research highlights clear areas that teachers were unfamiliar with and were anxious about. The third issue that arises focuses on the demise of the qualification and the impact that it has had upon the teaching profession tasked with delivering it. The demise has created a certain disillusionment and loss of professional identity amongst the Diploma teachers and the teachers of vocational curriculum. There is now an uncertainty and mistrust in new vocational qualifications and there are real questions as to whether the Technical Baccalaureate, introduced in 2013, and the new 16-19 vocational study programmes are fit for purpose. The final issue is whether we should be looking back at the original proposals put forward by Tomlinson or whether we should be looking at a return to job-specific training. In conclusion, the common theme that arose from both sets of participants in the final stage of the study was of lost opportunities and the recognition that, after the demise of the diploma, there is a continuing state of policy confusion and that any new development needs to be from the ‘bottom up’.

Background: Due to a change in service delivery, the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) in which the researcher works now has an income-generated target which represents 20% of the full cost of the service. An increasing amount of this traded work is delivered in the form of training. Whilst training is perceived to be an important role of an Educational Psychologist (EP), there is a dearth of published literature about the role of the EP as a trainer. It was therefore felt that it would be useful to establish a more in-depth understanding of the EP’s role as a trainer, its distinctive and valuable contribution and the content and process elements of effective EP training.Participants: Sixteen participants in total took part within the study. This included the Principal Educational Psychologist of a Central England Metropolitan Local Authority, three EPs who delivered three separate training events, the three commissioners of the EP training events, and nine recipients of the EP training events.Methods: The study uses an exploratory single case study design, using a combination of semi-structured interviews and a focus group with additional data from a training observation, documentary analysis of training materials and training evaluation data. The interviews and focus group were analysed using inductive, explicit thematic analysis.Findings: A wide range of themes were identified about the distinct and valued contribution of EPs as trainers. Some of these included: EPs’ psychological knowledge and skills; EPs’ local knowledge of schools and other services; EPs’ wider view of training. Further findings identified the competing demands for Educational Psychology Services in delivering effective training and the commercialisation of EP services within the current financial climate.Conclusions: The exploratory nature of the study allowed for distinct and valued contributions of EPs’ as trainers to be identified. This resulted in a number of implications and recommendations for future practice.

Thesis (MSc (Health and Wellness Sciences))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018 / Biomedical Laboratory Technologists play a fundamental role in the diagnosis of disease in patients. Their role in South Africa is currently undergoing profound changes with an emphasis placed on a four-year professional degree that will replace the National Diploma in Biomedical Technology at most Universities of Technology and Comprehensive Universities (UJ and NMU) by 2020. Training and competency programs, along with the retention of experienced staff, remain key in providing accurate laboratory results. It is therefore imperative to investigate this field in factors related to training, work experience and job satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians with regards to salary, interpersonal relationship, continuing professional development (CPD), work ethic and scope of practice within the profession. A mixed methods study was conducted to evaluate salary, career choice happiness and CPD compliance of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians, as well as their perceptions around interpersonal relationships, work ethic and scope of practice. In sampling, a convenience sample was identified, after which a snowballing method was used. A link to a web-based survey was distributed to a group of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians who attended the Society of Medical Laboratory Technology of South Africa (SMLTSA) Medical Laboratory Professionals congress. This congress was held in 2015 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A sample of 144 Medical Technicians and Medical Technologists was obtained, of which 98.6% were registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Only 54.2% were active members of the Society of Medical Laboratory Technologist of South Africa. Age (r = 0.674, p < 0.05) and years worked at current employer (r = 0.533, p < 0.05) proved to have stronger relationships with salary than education (r = 0.195, p < 0.05). Those employed in the public sector earned significantly lower salaries than those in any other sector (p < 0.05), with the exception of those working in independent practice. Both Medical Technologists (44.2%) and Medical Technicians (34.4%) perceived that they did not receive the respect they deserved from Pathologists in their working relationship. In addition, 31.3% of Medical Technicians perceived that their roles were regarded as of lesser value, and that their knowledge, training and attained qualifications were not recognised by the Pathologists. Despite this, this study concluded respondents were generally happy with their career choice, as 71.9% of respondents reported. Findings of this study serve as a strong foundation for additional research on the topic of career happiness versus job satisfaction and retention of staff in medical diagnostic laboratories.

Protein dynamics are critical to the structure and function of proteins. However, due to the complexity they inherently bring to the protein design problem, dynamics historically have not been considered in computational protein design (CPD). Herein, we present meta-MSD, a new CPD methodology for the design of protein dynamics. We applied our methodology to the design of a novel mode of conformational exchange in Streptococcal protein G domain B1, producing dynamic variants we termed DANCERs. Predictions were validated by NMR characterization of selected DANCERs, confirming that our meta-MSD framework is suitable for the computational design of protein dynamics. We then performed a thorough NMR characterization of the sequence determinants of dynamics in one DANCER, isolating two mutations responsible for the novel dynamics this protein exhibits. The first, A34F, is responsible for destabilizing the highly stable native Gβ1 conformation, allowing the protein to sample other conformational states. The second, V39L mediates subtle interactions that stabilize the designed conformational trajectory in the context of the A34F mutation. Together, these results highlight the role of protein plasticity in the development of dynamics and the need for highly accurate computational tools to approach similar design problems. Finally, we present an NMR-based characterization of structural dynamics in a family of related red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) and pinpoint regions of the RFP structure where dynamics correlate to RFP brightness. This overview of the RFP dynamics-function relationship will be used in future projects to perform a computation design of functional dynamics in RFPs.

The aim of the research was to generate a model of the interactions between career options and the concept of continuing professional development. Professional development has, in many professions and organisations, become synonymous with managerial development, but the developmental needs of individuals who wish to remain in a professional role may differ from the developmental needs of individuals in a management role. Teachers were chosen as the professional group to be tested. Fifty-four teachers, all volunteers, from six secondary schools were separately interviewed under a structured format, and were also invited to complete a number of questionnaires. From analysis of the interviews and questionnaires a model of teachers' career options was produced which identified three main categories of teachers: senior managers (headteachers or deputy headteachers); aspirants to a senior manager's role; and classroom teachers. The analysis also identified a number of main factors, and sub-factors, that affected the obtaining of one of the three categories and each of the factors was developed through a targeted literature search and through analysis of the structured interviews. An additional number of factors that related only to classroom teachers were also analysed in a similar manner. Also investigated are how teachers plan their career, and the value of continuing professional development. The model of career options was then tested on members of two similar professions -midwives and nurses. Completion of the research resulted in a proposed model of career options and recommendations for continuing professional development for each option. Together the model and recommendations represent an original contribution to knowledge.

This study draws upon a methodological approach based on the use of objects to explore the experiences of a group of teachers undertaking a Masters-level Continuing Professional Development programme. Eight Respondents were invited to bring three objects to their interview that represented significant aspects of their practice in relation to the course. These objects afforded an exploration of respondents’ views, experiences and consideration of the impact of the programme on their professional identities. In order to engage analytically with the data the work draws upon notions of spatiality as well as the later work of Foucault on truth and subject formation. The thesis considers the role of professional learning as shaped by the current policy process and, how professional learning is, in turn, shaped by the teachers undertaking the course. Such a consideration allows for a methodological take on the CPD process as one whereby people, as well as objects, such as ‘standards’, play equally important roles. In drawing upon the later work of Foucault (1984a, 1984b) analysis of the data considered the ways in which the practices of the course that the teachers engaged with (Askēsis) lead to a desire to speak their mind and express ideals of truth about educational practice (Parrhēsia). This means that in thinking about their practice through the activities and processes of the programme encourages the development of the ethical work of the teacher. In the light of such problematisation, this study encourages a rethinking of both policy and practice and argues for a change in the discourse of education from the concept of professional development to that of professional learning within a relational and ethical framing.

Internationally the contribution that teachers’ learning can make in bringing about change in education, by improving outcomes for young people, is a topic of ongoing interest. Influenced by discourses of professionalism, in Scotland education policy has developed over time to support and structure teacher learning throughout the teaching career. However, the lived experience of being a teacher is a socially constructed act located in multiple realities. Policy in action may, or may not, reflect the intentions of policy makers. Within the context of Primary Education, in which 92% of teachers are women, this qualitative study explores women Primary Teachers’ experiences and understandings of professional learning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 women Primary Teachers and 12 opinion shapers. Critical analysis of relevant educational policy also took place in order to explore dominant policy discourses. A Grounded Theory approach was adapted for data analysis and theory construction. Sensitised by thinking tools provided by feminist theory and Bourdieu, the findings suggest early schooling plays an important part in shaping experiences and understandings of learning. Moreover, gender matters in understanding women Primary Teachers’ experiences and understandings of learning. Early gendered learning identities seemed to notably influence how learning was negotiated and enacted later as a woman, as a teacher and thus as a professional. The woman teacher participants in this study were theorised as Caring Teachers. However, Caring Teachers is not a homogenous construct as the women performed as Nice women, as Confident women, as Kind women and as Authoritative women. Influenced by early schooling and a desire to be ‘good teachers’, the Nice and the Kind women produced themselves within traditional discourses of femininity, of compliance and subordination. This performance of a teacher was vulnerable to policy demands as, despite the rhetoric of professionalism, education policy constructs Class Teachers as technicians. In contrast, the Confident and Authoritative women, more likely to be Chartered Teachers, produced themselves somewhat differently. Their habitus predisposed them to perform as a learner with some confidence. However, although the Confident women and Authoritative women understood and enacted teacher learning differently, their learning too was constrained by the limitations of policy-sanctioned discourses. Informed by the findings of this small-scale study, I argue that teacher learning is subject to complex, interwoven understandings of woman, of learner and of teacher as professional. Attention, therefore, should be given to the interrelated nature of the aforementioned constructs as Women Primary teachers’ learning and professionalism has played, and will continue to play, an important role in shaping the outcomes available to children.