<p> This research study used a quantitative comparative method to investigate the relationship between consumer satisfaction and communication based on the format of health record. The central problem investigated in this research study related to the format of health record used and consumer satisfaction with care provided and effect on communication with provider. The purpose of this current research was to ascertain if statistically significant differences existed between the format of health records (electronic versus paper) and the level of consumer satisfaction with care provided and communication with provider. The results of this research study found no support for the ideas that consumer satisfaction and consumer communication with their doctor were related to the format of the health record. Based on the results, further investigation is suggested to specify how the implementation of electronic health records may affect consumer satisfaction with health care provided and how this may affect communication with health care provider. </p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1993. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [139]-151).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 1996. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 232-247).

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-155). Also available via the Internet.

Orientadora: Maria Cláudia Cabrini Grácio / Coorientadora: Ana Elisa Bressan Smith Lourenzani / Resumo: A profissão do Engenheiro de Biossistemas ainda é recente no Brasil, sendo que a implantação do primeiro curso superior ocorreu em 2009. Em função da sua afinidade com a Engenharia Agrícola, os órgãos reguladores da profissão de Engenharia ainda não reconhecem seus egressos como Engenheiros de Biossistemas, mas sim os intitulam de Engenheiros Agrícolas com especificidade em Biossistemas. Diante desta problemática, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi traçar paralelos entre os campos científicos das Engenharia Agrícola e Engenharia de Biossistemas, de forma a permitir a elaboração de subsídios que levem à compreensão dos pontos de proximidade e de distanciamento dos domínios estudados. O método utilizado para alcançar o objetivo proposto foi a Análise de Domínio, optando pelas abordagens com Estudos Históricos e Estudos Bibliométricos, com a adoção da análise de conteúdo de Bardin e a elaboração de nuvens de palavras para as analogias. Os resultados permitiram compreender que sim, há vários momentos em que a Engenharia de Biossistemas e a Engenharia Agrícola são análogas, como na organização e na duração e integralização dos cursos, porém quanto aos conteúdos disseminados oferecem uma variação quanto aos temas relacionados à Zootecnia e Ciências Biológicas, sendo que enquanto a Engenharia de Biossistemas os trata como temas centrais, a Engenharia Agrícola os tem como temáticas periféricas. A produção científica também tem suas características peculiares, havendo periódicos que public... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The profession of the Biosystems Engineer is very recent in Brazil. The first undergraduate major was implemented in 2009. Due to its affinity with Agricultural Engineering, the regulatory entities of the Engineering majors in Brazil do not recognize its graduates as Biosystems Engineers, but rather call them Agricultural Engineers with specificity in Biosystems. In view of this problem, the objective of this research was to draw parallels between the scientific fields of Agricultural Engineering and Biosystems Engineering, in order to find information that lead to understanding the points of proximity and distancing of the studied domains. The method used to reach the proposed goal was Domain Analysis, opting for approaches with Historical Studies and Bibliometric Studies, with the adoption of the Bardin content analysis and the elaboration of word clouds to allow for comparisons. The results allowed us to understand that there are several moments in which Biosystems Engineering and Agricultural Engineering are similar, as in the organization and duration and completion of the majors. However, the disseminated contents offer a variation regarding the subjects related to Zootechnics and Sciences Biological Sciences. While Engineering of Biosystems treats them as central themes, Agricultural Engineering has them as peripheral themes. Scientific production also has its peculiar characteristics, and there are periodicals that publish only the content of one or the other Engineer... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

In this study I attempt to develop a rationale for the role of student writing in advancing learning in Zoology. To this end, I use the informed and insightful voices of five academics from the University of Cape Town's Department of Zoology to present a picture of the goals of the discipline, how they view the role that student writing plays in advan~ing these goals, a sense of the tensions they face in dealing with student diversity, and the promise and challenges of innovative approaches. My interest in how staff view student writing stems from a belief that staff make use of student writing in different ways, depending on their assumptions about writing. I explore these assumptions by means of interviews with members of staff, in which I ask about how they understand the pursuit of science, the qualities a scientist needs to develop, the best ways to develop these qualities in students, and the part that student writing plays in this development. What emerges in this study is the understanding that the kinds of writing we ask students to do reflect the forms of educational practice that we sustain. On the one hand, certain forms of writing may support forms of transmission pedagogy that are viewed as being at odds with progressive science education. On the other hand, if we are to develop alternative teaching approaches which are in keeping with contemporary views of science and learning, then we need to develop new genres of student writing that give expression to these goals and methods. The study concludes with suggested avenues into curriculum review that would operationalise the insights developed by this study.

Os museus existem desde a Grécia Antiga, mas apenas recentemente, principalmente a partir da metade do século XX, é que se começou a dar importância para a dimensão educativa que esses espaços podem desenvolver. Desde então, as exposições passaram a se preocupar em ressignificar os objetos expostos, pensando no conteúdo que eles podem carregar consigo. Entre a intenção dos idealizadores de uma exposição e as possíveis interpretações dos visitantes há um espaço, e cabe aos mediadores fazer a ponte entre esses dois pontos. Esses mediadores, em geral, são estudantes de graduação, que atuam muitas vezes improvisando, criando um repertório de exemplos, analogias e explicações para aproximar o conteúdo científico de uma exposição do visitante. Este trabalho analisou os mediadores da Estação Ciência (USP), quais os recursos por eles utilizados e com quais intenções eles produzem esses discursos, para então compreender o processo dessa produção na tentativa de comunicar o conhecimento científico. Buscamos nos apoiar nas teorias da Transposição Didática (Chevallard) e do Discurso Pedagógico (Bernstein), entendendo que o museu é um espaço que promove a formação de conceitos e que favorece as interações sociais capazes de promover a aprendizagem, numa referência à concepção de aprendizagem vigotskiana. Os resultados dessa análise permitiram-nos concluir que diversos discursos e saberes influenciam na construção do discurso de um mediador, no entanto, o processo de produção desse discurso mostrou-se pouco consciente e reflexivo quando se trata de comunicar algum conhecimento, e isso aponta para a necessidade de se investir na formação desses profissionais. / Museums have existed since Ancient Greece, but only recently, mainly starting in the 20th century, people have begun to notice the educational dimension that can be developed inside museums. Since then, curators have been concerned about resignifying the objects exhibited, thinking about the content they carry. There is a gap between the intentions of the creators of an exhibit and the possible interpretations of the visitors, and the role of the mediators is to bridge this gap. These mediators are, in general, undergraduate students who often improvise, creating a repertory of examples, analogies and explanations to bring visitors closer to the scientific content of the exhibit. In this paper we analyze the mediators working at USP\'s Estação Ciência (The University of São Paulo\'s Science Station), the type of resources they make use of and their intentions when building their discourses, so that we can finally understand the production process of these discourses (which try to convey scientific knowledge). For that we rely on Chevallard\'s didactic transposition and Bernstein\'s pedagogic discourse theories, with the understanding that the museum is a space that fosters the building of concepts and promotes the types of social interaction that are capable of stimulating learning, referencing Vygostky\'s vision of what learning is about. The results of this analysis enabled us to conclude that several discourses and brands of knowledge can influence the production of a mediator\'s discourse; however, the production process of this discourse is only slightly conscious and deliberative when it comes to conveying knowledge. This points to the necessity of investing in the preparation of these professionals.

In this study I investigated the effect of a science literacy strategy on the development of grade six and seven second-language learners’ general literacy skills in both their home language (isiXhosa) and language of instruction (English). The scientific literacy strategy used focuses on reading to learn science, writing to learn science, classroom discussion and argumentation. A mixed method design was used. Quantitative data were collected from baseline and post-testing of language skills of learners. Qualitative measures were generated through interviews of learners and teachers and classroom observations. The sample comprised of seven grades six and seven (multigrade classrooms) classes in seven primary schools situated in the rural areas near Hogsback in the Eastern Cape (five experimental schools and two control schools). Mean differences between the experimental and control groups for the reading, listening, writing and speaking aspects of the literacy tests were computed and the data generated were treated statistically using Analysis of Variance. The qualitative data were used to gain deeper insights into the quantitative results. The data suggest that the science literacy strategy statistically significantly improved the learners reading skills in English, their listening skills in both English and isiXhosa, and their writing skills in isiXhosa over a six-month period. Possible explanations for these results are that the reading material was in English only, extensive use of code-switching from English to Xhosa was made by the teachers while teaching, and that learner classroom discussion and writing in isiXhosa was encouraged.

This thesis deals with communication and presentation of information at South Bohemian Science and Technology Park (JVTP). Information is a basic component of communication which is required to satisfy certain quality characteristics. These coupled with communication are characterized in the theoretical part. It is also focused on the communication phase of the project and communication tools. The analytical part is divided into two sections. Environmental analysis reveals potential of innovation environment of South Bohemia and also low awareness of JVTP. Analysis of JVTP focused on its services and operation, determine the strengths and weaknesses of the project, including a lack of communication activities. The output of the analytical part is a comprehensive analysis of the innovation environment, identifying the key topics to communicate and findings media reflection of JVTP, including innovation and research. There are used methods such as analysis of internal documents, electronic resources and survey. Results of the analytical part are compared with the three hypotheses. Acquired knowledge is applied in the third chapter, the proposed solution. Communication tools are effectively divided into three stages of communication. Along with key topics, communication tools and channels are forming a comprehensive framework for effective communication and presentation of information of JVTP.

The Internet has evolved as a major medium of information and communication; broadband connection especially enhances Internet's capacity as a virtual platform for social, economic, political and civil activities. The problem is there is a limited and skewed access to the Internet in South Africa. The slow growth of household Internet and fixed broadband is problematic for a country that aspires to be "an advanced information society in which information and ICT tools are key drivers of economic and societal development" (South African Broadband Policy 2010). This dissertation investigates the pattern of Internet penetration in South Africa. Largely, I explore the pattern of Internet penetration amongst university students; data were collected from 10 universities located in both rural and urban areas with other demographic qualities that are representative of the student population in South Africa. Following Mossberger, Tolbert & McNeal's (2008) use of the concept of digital citizenship, I rearticulate the concept as a citizenry with the fulfilled rights to regular and flexible access to the Internet—implicitly individual and household forms of access, the skills to use the Internet, and regular use of the Internet for participation in all spheres of society. I then develop a theoretical framework of digital citizenship by identifying five key elements, namely: citizenship rights, Internet access, Internet use, Internet/digital skills, and policy. These elements are used as measures to investigate the pattern of Internet penetration in South Africa. I conducted a survey amongst students, interviewed officials in government agencies in the communications sector, studied selected policy documents, and carried out digital skill experiments. From the findings, I argue that digital citizenship is largely nonexistent in South Africa, particularly amongst the university students. I claim that most of these students are partially digital . A partially digital person has limited access to the Internet, inadequate skills to apply this technology and as a result cannot efficiently use the Internet to participate effectively as a citizen in society. The study also reveals the skewed access to the Internet replicates the existing pattern of social inequalities in the country, often analyzed in terms of rural-urban inequalities, inequalities based on gender of household heads, family income, racial and population groups. I also claim that students from households that bear the brunt of social inequalities in South Africa are further deprived by the lack of access to the Internet, particularly household access, and the inability to effectively use the Internet. This deprivation means that their rights and abilities to participate in society as citizens using digital means are compromised. In conclusion, I offer recommendations towards achieving digital citizenship.