The following research question motivated this study: How can effective discipline in school and classroom management be maintained? To answer this, a school was selected which had excellent discipline as demonstrated by its good matriculation results. Discipline in this school was researched by means of a qualitative approach. Phenomenological interviews and focus group interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed. This was complemented by observation. Findings indicated that aspects of school system (including school and classroom policy, the role of the standard tutor and of bodies such as the school governing body and the learners' representative council as well as the specific disciplinary actions used) are important in maintaining discipline at school. The discipline, dedication, motivation and teamwork of educators as role models for children are also significant. Moreover, the learners themselves as well as the cooperation and involvement of their parents play a vital role in maintaining discipline. / Educational Leadership and Management / M.A. (Educational Management)

The Pedagogical Content Knowledge in an Educational Context (PCK-EC) model is proposed as a framework to support teachers, coaches and researchers in the examination of teacher knowledge within a specific context and with a particular focus. This framework combines the theoretical and practical aspects represented by five dimensions of teachers’ attitudes and teachers’ knowledge (technology, learners’ cognition, subject matter, pedagogy) within an educational context that includes curricular, technological, social, cultural, and teaching - learning contexts. Two case studies were used to examine the utility of the proposed PCK-EC model. Data collected included: semi-structured initial and final interviews; teacher’s journals of reflection (completed after teaching each lesson); direct observations during lessons; observations from video recordings of lessons; transcripts from initial and final interviews; and other collected documents in regards to the educational context. The interpretive repertoires method allowed us to identify and characterize groups of themes in each dimension of teachers’ attitudes and knowledge, and supported inter-relationships between themes. The PCK-EC was useful to support a deep description of a collection of themes by using different sources of data. Analysis of each one of these collections of themes allowed us to understand teachers’ PCK-EC and provided insights about how different technological tools might affect teachers’ attitudes and their knowledge. The dimensions of teachers’ attitudes and knowledge are not isolated, but rather they are inter-related during teaching practice. It is possible to recognize inter-relationships (outgoing and incoming) between themes (within and across dimensions). It is suggested that the frequency of the outgoing and incoming inter-relationships found between themes might give us an average weight for each of the dimensions of the PCK-EC and this could represent teachers’ attitudes and knowledge used during teaching practice. The collection of themes identified might be useful as a tool to support teachers as they explore their attitudes and their knowledge needed for teaching a specific topic with the use of technological tools, and may provide coaches with an effective mechanism to support the identification of an individuals’ PCK and development needs. / Graduate / melipemo@hotmail.com

This is a longitudinal study that examines children's perspectives on the development of biliteracy. The theories of children as they learn through two languages reflect a crucial source of knowledge that has received little attention in the research. This study is concerned with the ways in which children learn to read and write in two languages for academic and social purposes as they encounter discourse laden with ideological contradictions.Using a case study design, the study draws on theoretical frameworks from the fields of language socialization, biliteracy, dual language education, and middle school literacy. By showing that children hold sophisticated notions of biliteracy, transforming the ways that language, oral and written become defined and perceived, the research presented here demonstrates that biliteracy is a complex phenomenon that includes meaning-making in two languages and cultures.The study triangulates ethnographic data from interviews with students, families and teachers, participant observation in classrooms, literacy instruction, other school domains, and document and archival analysis. These data indicate that there are multiple paths to biliteracy and that home and school literacy practices can mediate the effects of low income status on literacy development. Additional findings indicate that curriculum and instruction that consistently support minority language literacy promote the development of additive biliteracy in both language majority and language minority students.

This thesis explores the impact of crime on seaside resorts in mid-nineteenth century England, together with the implications and challenges presented for authority and control. The evidence is based on a case study of two contrasting south Devon resorts, Exmouth and Torquay. The research findings are based mainly on the period between 1835 and 1860. In particular, the thesis considers the nature and scale of crime committed and the reactions produced amongst those in positions of power and authority. The responses of these influential individuals and groups were shaped by a range of factors such as social and economic change, class, gender and the unique characteristics of seaside resorts. As the fledgling tourist industry developed, it was important to provide an environment where visitors were welcome and their property was safe. The evidence from the two resorts reflected patterns of crime detected in other parts of the country, especially in relation to property crime, which is examined in detail. Larceny emerges as the most common category of crime. Here, the evidence indicates that this crime was regularly perpetrated by servants, with women often being convicted for stealing clothes and other wearing apparel. Workplace theft was common in Torquay, related to the fact that building work was going ahead at a fast pace from the 1830s. The most distinctive feature of crime within the two resorts can be found in the attention given to countering anti-social behaviour and keeping order on the streets. This was closely tied up with the maintenance of ‘social tone’, which was of crucial importance to the authorities in a number of nineteenth century seaside resorts, including Exmouth and Torquay.

The issue addressed in this article is how a feminist case study would look like. This includes that the one who does the research, the purpose of the study, the content of the study and to whom the case study contributes should have feminist perspectives in order to be a feminist study. The case studies mapped in this article are limited to case studies about leadership, education and organizations. By analysing 20 different case studies with feminist point of views, I concluded that feminist case studies often includes gender inequality issues like acceptation of gender inequalities or gender employment discrimination but some of them cover how feminism ideology in organizations operate.

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The generalisability of case study findings is heavily criticised in the scientific community. This study attempts to answer to what extent generalisation is possible, through a literature review. Resources were collected by searching in databases and in reference lists. A presentation of arguments from both sides will follow, finding that generalisation is possible to almost the same extent as quantitative research, if done correctly and carefully, with great concern and accuracy.

The world of literacy has expanded alongside technology, and new literacies are being used as an alternative or an addition to traditional text. By including video gaming as literacy, the connection can be made between students' multimodal world outside of school with the world of literacy they encounter in school. This study took two approaches of a content study and a case study. A collective case study was used to examine the gaming experience of participants with three commercial video games falling into three separate genres: Sims FreePlay (simulation); Halo 1 (first person shooter); and World of Warcraft (role playing game). The 15 gamers were placed into three sets of five participants for each video game, and interviews were conducted to explore the gaming experience in relation to stance and transaction, which are major components of Louise Rosenblatt's reader response theory. Limited research has been conducted regarding reader response theory and the new literacies; by using the reader response lens, the gaming experience was compared to the reading experience to add the new literacies to the existing literature on reader response. As a way to look at both the text and the experience, a content study examined three mainstream video games to establish literacy content by using Zimmerman's gaming literacy theory. Even though this theory is useful by detailing elements found in video games and not traditional literature, literary value cannot be fully assessed unless the theory is developed further to include other components or discuss how the depth of the components can relate to literary value. The literature does not currently contain substantial research regarding how to assess the literary value of video games, so this study begins to add to the present literature by demonstrating that at least for these games the presence of the components of the theory can be evaluated. This analysis of both the game and the experience demonstrated substantial parallels between the gaming experience and the reading transaction as well as looking at the viability of using gaming literacy theory to evaluate literacy value.

Governments around the globe were actively implementing e-government initiatives in the past two decades. However, the majority of e-government initiatives fail in achieving their objectives before, during or after implementation. This study is addressing the problem, e-government initiatives are still more failure than success. Literature indicates differing models that analyse various stages, stakeholders and factors influencing e-government implementation in the public sector. Yet, these models do not explore in particular the important roles and responsibilities of internal stakeholders and influencing factors during different phases of the implementation cycle of the e-government initiative. There is a need for a framework that guides the e-government initiative implementation internally. To achieve the aim of this research, this study should empirically investigate "managing e-government initiative implementation." Consequently, this thesis results in research that contributes towards successful e-government initiative implementation based on empirical data derived from three case studies. The practical parts of the research are three case studies on e-government initiative implementation, which are analysed using an interpretive and qualitative research approach. Besides document analysis and observation, interview was the main method to collect empirical data for this study. For an accurate result, only managers and above level are selected and interviewed. The study examines the proposed framework in three government organizations in the State of Kuwait by using a qualitative, interpretive, multiple case study research strategy. As a result, this thesis is proposing a framework that can be used to enhance the implementation process of e-government initiative throughout the different phases of the implementation cycle, and contributes to the body of knowledge by extending the literature. The stakeholders, factors and implementation phases are mapped together to ease understanding the implementation process of e-government initiative implementation across the public organizations. The study concludes by identifying internal stakeholders, factors, and providing a holistic framework for e-government initiative implementation. The findings of this research are useful for internal stakeholders in the field, as it enables them to gain a better understanding of their own roles and responsibilities. Moreover, researchers in similar fields may find this work useful as a way to approach the study of e-government initiative implementation.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Keith Harris / Iowa State University’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative (AgEI) was founded in 2005 from a generous gift given by Roger and Connie Underwood of Ames, IA. The original mission for the initiative was to provide undergraduate students at Iowa State University, specifically in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), with practical business development and entrepreneurial experiences essential for their success in future careers and endeavors. A non-conventional case study structure will walk readers through the history of how the AgEI program came to be and introduce them to the present day, while acknowledging tribulations the program has faced along the way. The purpose of this study is to determine wether the addition of soft skills programming will strengthen the value of the program to Iowa State University CALS students and generate actionable ideas on how to do so. Further analysis will ascertain whether enticing additional participation in the program, while maintaining its original entrepreneurial goals, will allow the AgEI program to grow in value and size. Quantitative, as well as qualitative, means of analysis are utilized to understand the students’ needs for soft skills development and identify skills deemed necessary by entrepreneurs to find success in the marketplace. Results indicate that it is advantageous to add a focus in soft skills development for undergraduate students who have an interest in entrepreneurship and small business development. These skills compliment their technical skills nicely when considering all aspects of creating a successful startup business. By implementing soft skills development programming, the AgEI program will be able to produce more well-rounded individuals and enhance their likelihood to successfully start their own businesses.