Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur Ultra Short Race Pace Training (USRPT) uppfattas från tränares perspektiv. Uppsatsen jämför även metoden med taper och en mer traditionell träningsmetod. Studien baseras på 12 intervjuer med tränare som arbetat med junior/senior-simmare och en litteratursökning för att kunna besvara frågeställningarna. Vidare analyseras det genom teorin praxisgemenskap och metoden kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visar att USRPT är en högintensiv metod som uppfattas olika av simtränare men att den utvecklar den anaeroba kapaciteten och inte den aeroba. Skillnader och likheter mellan USRPT, taper och mera traditionella metoder kan enligt studien mätas på två skalor bestående av intensitet och volym. Det påvisades av tränare att USRPT och taper kan ha samma volym men att det förstnämnda är mer intensivt. / The aim of this study was to examine how Ultra Short Race Pace Training (USRPT) is being perceived by swim coaches. It also compared the method with taper and a more traditional approach to swim training. The study was based on 12 interviews with swim coaches who have worked with junior/senior-swimmers and a literature search to be able to answer the questions. Furthermore, it was analyzed through with the theory community of practice and the method qualitative content analysis. The results showed that USRPT is a high-intensity method that is perceived differently by different coaches but develops the anaerobic capacity and not the aerobic capacity. The differences and similarities between USRPT, taper and a more traditional approach could, according to the study, be measured on two different scales. These are intensity and volume. It was pointed out by swim coaches that USRPT and taper could have the same volume, but that the first-mentioned is more intense.

The purpose of this descriptive and exploratory study was to obtain insight into collaborative partnership trends between educational psychology researchers and teachers, in order to inform participatory theory and practice in future methodology studies. The Community of Practice Framework theoretically framed the study, describing professional communities and the way in which meanings, beliefs and understandings are negotiated and reflected in communal practices. Five symposium and two reflection session presentations were purposefully selected and transcribed for qualitative content analysis in terms of a trend analysis. Findings indicate that collaborative partnerships between educational psychology researchers and teachers differ from other partnerships in that collaborative partnerships between teachers and educational psychology researchers appear to be directed by an overarching philosophy of “care”. Also, collaborative partnership studies between teachers and educational psychology researchers favour methodologies encouraging participation in identifying and addressing school-community issues. In this way, knowledge exchange and the co-creation of knowledge is promoted. These partnerships focus on how education, as well as teacher and learner experiences can be enhanced and be meaningful, rewarding, enabling and supportive. Finally, benefits and challenges in collaborative partnerships between teachers and educational psychology researchers are similar to those experienced by other professionals participating in collaborative partnerships. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Abstract This qualitative case study examined teachers' perceptions that contributed to a lack of technology integration in their K-8 classrooms. The purpose of the study was to determine why teachers of a K-8 and K-5 school underused or failed to integrate technology to support learning. The theoretical framework for this study was provided by Dewey's constructivist theory, Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory and communities of practice, and Kolb's experiential learning theory principles of teaching and learning. The research questions addressed teachers' perceptions of technology integration as a curriculum strategy and teachers' perceptions of how technology affected professional practices to improve student performance in Grades 3 through 8. A purposeful sample of 8 certified teachers who used technology in their classrooms was selected to participate in the study. The participants represented a range of grades in 2 schools located in an economically disadvantaged sector of an urban school district. Qualitative data were collected through one-on-one interviews, classroom observations, and use of technology questionnaires. Data were transcribed, coded, and grouped into categories and themes focused on: (a) progressive technology usage, (b) competency in technology education, and (c) assertiveness towards computer techniques. Participants articulated the need for technical acuity, collaboration, and continuous professional growth activities to integrate technology as a curriculum element. Findings from this study were used to establish a 3 day professional development plan to provide training on technology integration to local K-8 teachers. Social change can be achieved by increasing the level of technology integration to enhance K-8 instruction.

Integration of immigrants has become a major focus of the EU policy agenda in recent years with Sweden being one of the first EU countries to address the need for immigrant integration. However, in recent times integration outcomes in Sweden have become unfavourable. Malmö Sweden has a unique context of immigrant integration being Sweden’s third largest city and having the highest percentage of immigrants within Sweden. The city transitioned from being an “industrial” city to a “professional” city in the 1970’s with a large percentage of jobs requiring a college degree. This job gap for workers with “limited skills” led to an employment shortage for immigrants, with a disproportionate impact on women.  This study explores how social sector organizations in Malmö are fostering learning and knowledge sharing through communities of practice (CoP) among immigrant women in Malmö with limited skills in order to integrate into the Swedish system and reach economic & social integration. The study covered four social sector organizations’ program facilitators and participants that participate in communities of practice programs. The study’s primary source of data collection was Semi-structured interviews conducted at four social sector organizations that work with integrating immigrant women in Malmö, Sweden and analyzed through thematic analysis. The learning programs were not publicized as communities of programs. When examined, learning programs at the four social organizations followed the classification of CoPs based on the individual learning program’s domain, community, and practice. Through the analysis of the interviews, the learning programs at the four organizations were uncovered to be “hidden” communities of practice. The study also found a unique municipal-non-profit partnership that existed in every learning program studied, allowing more resources and opportunities to the women within the CoP for better integration. Each woman in the CoP had a Shared Goal or Joint Enterprise of socially, culturally, and economically integrating into Sweden. The "safe space" and average age attracted by the program created mutual engagement or collaboration through relationship building. The shared native language and Swedish language between the women became communal tools or their “shared repertoire” that the women developed and used together to improve their Swedish as well as their professional skills These communal tools enhance the immigrant women’s ability to learn and open opportunities needed to integrate into Sweden such as employment or further education.

Experiential, outdoor education supports improvement in students’ problem-solving skills; collaboration and communication skills; and enjoyment in learning in the outdoors. Outdoor instruction is becoming increasingly underutilized. A residential environmental education center, located in Tennessee has conducted professional development programs in effort to increase teacher implementation of instruction in outdoor spaces. This institute revealed concern for low implementation rates to past professional development opportunities. Their newly designed, long-term professional development explored teacher’s perceived challenges and needs, then combined effective experiential pedagogy in outdoor spaces with pre-established communities of support from the participating schools in effort to contribute to experiential, outdoor instruction reform. This program entailed four workshop meetings over a seven-month time span, producing over 50 hours of face-toace contact during the training. Program leaders designed the learning experience to include effective professional development strategies; reflective assignments; and activities that related to citizen science, experiential learning, and science and engineering practices found in the recently adopted Tennessee State Science Standards. This study identified concepts of the planned, delivered, and received curricula of the workshop series to define the intentions, methodologies, and impact of the experience. The intentions of the program were aligned to the delivered curricula then the impact of the program was considered. Data collected during this qualitative study included over 15 hours of interviews; over 110 hours of observation field notes; and various artifacts including journals, handouts and applications. This long-term professional development provided a pre-established community of practice and advocated for experiential instruction in outdoor spaces; eliminating barriers; improving teacher confidence and implementation of knowledge gained; and reinforcing the professional development experience.

Då det finns ett intresse för den kollektiva lärprocessen inom många organisationer är syftet med studien att undersöka hur processen sker och hur den påverkas inom team som arbetar helt eller delvis på distans. För att förstå vad som påverkar lärprocessen och hur den kan främjas har studien undersökt vilka förutsättningar för kollektivt lärande som finns i teamen, främst utifrån en teori om att praktikgemenskaper underlättar teamets lärande. Studien utfördes enligt en komparativ fallstudiedesign med semistrukturerade intervjuer samt en observation, där två olika team jämfördes med varandra. Resultatet visade att det finns möjlighet att uppnå kollektivt lärande inom team som arbetar helt eller delvis på distans men att utfallet i enlighet med teorin påverkas av huruvida det finns ett delat kunskapsområde där medlemmarna utgår från ett gemensamt mål, en gemensam praktik med en tydlig struktur för kommunikation samt en stark gemenskap inom teamet. Däremot gick det inte att helt bortse från vikten av att träffas ansikte mot ansikte. / As there is an interest in the collective learning process within many organizations, the aim of the study is to investigate how the process takes place and how it is affected within teams that work fully or partially remotely. In order to understand what influences the learning process and how it can be promoted, the study has investigated the conditions for collective learning which exist in teams, primarily based on a theory that communities of practice facilitate team learning. The study was carried out according to a comparative case study design with semi-structured interviews and an observation, where two different teams were compared to one another. The results showed that it is possible to achieve collective learning within teams that work partially or fully remotely, but that the outcome, in accordance with the theory, is affected by whether there is a domain of knowledge where the members share a common goal, a shared practice with a clear structure for communication and a strong community within the team. However, the importance of meeting face to face could not be completely ignored.

Recognising water as a central relational location of the asymmetric Israel- Palestinian conflict, this study critically analyses the peacebuilding significance of Israeli, transboundary water and peace practitioner discourses. Anchored in a theoretically-constructed framework of hydropolitical peacebuilding, it discursively analyses the historical, officially-sanctioned, as well as academic and civil society water and peace relations of Israelis and Palestinians. It responds to the question: How are Israeli water and peace practitioners discursively practicing hydropolitical peacebuilding in the Middle East? In doing so, this study has drawn upon a methodology of interpretive practice, combining ethnography, foucauldian discourse analysis and narrative inquiry. This study discursively traces Israel¿s development into a hydrohegemonic state in the Jordan River Basin, from the late-19th century to 2011. Recognising conflict as a power-laden social system, it makes visible the construction, production and circulation of Israel¿s power in the basin. It examines key narrative elements invoked by Israel to justify its evolving asymmetric, hydrohegemonic relations. Leveraging the hydropolitical peacebuilding framework, itself constituted of equality, partnership, equity and shared ii sustainability, this study also examines the discursive practices of Israeli transboundary water and peace practitioners in relationship with Palestinians. In so doing, it makes visible their hydrohegemony, hydropolitical peacebuilding, and hydrohegemonic residues. This study¿s conclusions re-affirm earlier findings, notably that environmental and hydropolitical cooperation neither inherently nor necessarily constitute peacebuilding practice. This work also suggests that hydropolitical peacebuilding may discursively be recognised in water and peace practices that engage, critique, resist, desist from, and practice alternative relational formations to hydrohegemony in asymmetric conflicts. / British Council/Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Fonds québecois de recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC).

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