Magistrantūros studijose yra ugdomi pirmieji mokslinio darbo įgūdžiai ir išryškėja būsimųjų tyrėjų gebėjimai savarankiškai tęsti, gilinti bei skleisti įgytas žinias. Vienas pagrindinių antrosios studijų pakopos siekių – išugdyti kompetentingą tyrėją bei suinteresuoti jį tęsti studijas doktorantūroje, tad magistrantai – tai mokslininkų gretų papildymo rezervas. Tyrimo objektas. Edukologijos krypties Švietimo vadybos specialybės magistrantai. Tyrimo tikslas. Ištirti Edukologijos krypties Švietimo vadybos specialybės magistrantų studijų metu įgytas tyrimines kompetencijas, orientuojantis į magistro baigiamųjų darbų rengimo procesą. Tyrimo metodai. Teoriniai: su tyrimo problema susijusios literatūros analizė; empiriniai: turinio (content) analizė, anketinė apklausa; duomenų analizės metodai: programos Windows Microsoft Exel ir SPSS. 17.0 (Statistical package For Social Science). Tyrime dalyvavo 41 Edukologijos krypties Švietimo vadybos specialybės magistrantūros absolventas bei 17 pirmo kurso magistrantų iš ŠU, KU, VPU, VDU. Metodologiniu tyrimo pagrindu laikytini humanistinės filosofinės teorijos principai. Tyrimo hipotezė. Tikėtina, kad Edukologijos krypties Švietimo vadybos specialybės magistrantūros absolventai studijų metu yra įgiję tyriminių kompetencijų, būtinų baigiamojo darbo rengimui. Tyrimo rezultatai. Tyrimo rezultatai iš dalies patvirtino hipotezę – magistrantūros absolventai yra įgiję tyriminių kompetencijų, būtinų baigiamojo darbo rengimui, tačiau jos yra... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In Master's program students are developing their skills needed to continue, deepen and disseminate knowledge. One of the main aims of the second cycle - educate competent researchers, and interested them to continue his doctoral studies. Master`s is the addition of reserve armies of scientists. Object of the research. Master's students of Educational Management speciality Aim of the research. To investigate gained research competencies of Educational Management speciality on the Master's thesis preparation process. Research methods. Theory: literature analysis witch associated with research problem; empirical: content analysis, questionnaire survey, data analysis methods: programs Windows Microsoft Exel ir SPSS. 17.0 (Statistical package For Social Science). The research includes 41 Master's student of Educational Management speciality and 17 first course Master`s from ŠU, KU, VPU, VDU. Hypothesis of the research. Students of Educational Management speciality have gained research competencies necessary for the preparation of the final thesis. Results. Results of research partially confirmed the hypothesis that Master's graduates students have gained research competences, needed for the final thesis preparation, but those are not sufficiently developed. Main part in witch students lack of research competences are conclusions and recommendations.

Visuotinis priešmokyklinis ugdymas yra valstybės garantija visiems priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikams ugdytis pagal priešmokyklinio ugdymo programą. Todėl priešmokyklinis ugdymas turi būti išplėtotas formomis ir būdais, susijusiais su priešmokyklinio ugdymo organizavimu bei tolimesniu vaiko ugdymu(si) švietimo sistemoje. Savivaldybė, atsižvelgdama į savo bendruomenės poreikius, ieško efektyvesnių priešmokyklinio ugdymo organizavimo modelių, kurie užtikrintų priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų kompetencijų raišką socialinėje, komunikavimo, sveikatos saugojimo, pažinimo ir meninėje srityse bei ugdymo kokybę. Magistro darbe siekiama teoriškai ir empiriškai atskleisti efektyviausio priešmokyklinio ugdymo organizavimo modelio ir vaiko pasirengimo mokyklai ikimokyklinėje įstaigoje prielaidas. Analizuojant mokslinę literatūrą, atskleidžiama priešmokyklinio ugdymo organizavimo specifika, išsiaiškinami priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų kompetencijų lygmenys, išanalizuojama subjektyvi tėvų nuomonė apie vaikų kompetencijų plėtotę ikimokyklinėje įstaigoje bei pasirengimą mokyklai. Patvirtinama autoriaus suformuluota mokslinio tyrimo hipotezė, kad išsiskiria priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų įgytų kompetencijų lygmenys, ugdant skirtinguose ugdymo organizavimo modeliuose. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad tėvai domisi priešmokykliniu ugdymu, tačiau ugdymo organizavimo modelį pasirinko pagal savo poreikius. Priešmokyklinio ugdymo organizavimo modelių įvairovė būtina, siekiant priešmokyklinio ugdymo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The diversity of preschool organization models are essential trying to reach the universality of primary education. It is for every family which grows five or six years old child and want that their children have access to quality primary education services in preschool institution. Municipality depends on the needs of their community, looks for more effective preschool education organization models, which provide the expression of preschool children in social, communication, health care, cognitive and artistic field, and the quality of education. Preschool child competence expression in the context of education organization models are researching in this work. The main purpose of this work is to reveal the competence of preschool child expression peculiarity, when there are different education models, different teachers and parent’s point of view. The study was conducted using survey method (in writing), the instrument is two questionnaires. In order to harmonize the problem of representation that is more focused to detect the variety of practices, in conjunction of objective and subjective information was distributed 240 questionnaires. The author received 213 filled questionnaires (115 preschool children teachers and 98 parents whose children attend preschool education group). There were used statistical data processing methods: periphrastic statistics and Kruskal-Wall nonparametric average rank criteria. The methodology of research is based on human personality... [to full text]

Introduction - India is beginning to resemble the western worlds’ way of living and that leads to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Due to its very large population India has the world second largest number of people with diabetes; 61, 3 million people. Studies have shown that the awareness of diabetes is poor, especially in rural areas. Aim - To investigate nurses’ experience of applying professional competence in patient education with focus on diabetes type II in an Indian rural hospital. Method – Data was gathered through twelve qualitative interviews. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim and then analyzed through content analysis. Result – Three main categories were identified; Acquired competence to meet the patients, Helping the patients manage their disease and Nurses’ ideas for quality improvements regarding diabetes care. Conclusion - This study identified different obstacles that could have a negative effect on the care and treatment of patients with diabetes type II. The nurses had many ideas for quality improvements which could raise the awareness of the disease among patients, improve clinical outcomes and the work environment for the nurses. The nurses are willing to get more education about the disease and implement quality improvements if the resources and equipment are provided by the hospital.

Very preterm birth is an important developmental and public health concern, with clear evidence to suggest that very preterm children may be at long term risk of neurodevelopmental impairment and educational difficulties. Although a great deal is known about the neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with very preterm birth,comparatively little is known about the social competence of children born very preterm during the important early childhood period. Therefore, as part of a prospective, longitudinal study, this research examined the social competence of 105 children born very preterm (birth weight <1,500 g and/or gestational age ≤33 weeks) and 108 full term comparison children (gestational age 37-40 weeks) at age 4 years (corrected for extent of prematurity at birth). The aims of this study were 1) to examine the social competence of a regional cohort of children born very preterm and full term comparison children at age four years, 2) to identify infant clinical factors and socio-familial characteristics associated with poor social competence amongst children born very preterm, and 3) to examine the predictive validity of social competence problems amongst both very preterm and full term preschoolers in relation to school academic functioning and behavioural adjustment at age 6 years. At age 4, children were assessed using a range of parent and/or teacher completed questionnaires, spanning emotional regulation, behavioural adjustment and interpersonal social behaviour. Measures included the Emotion Regulation Checklist, the Infant-Toddler Symptoms Checklist, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning “ Preschool version and the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale. In addition, as part of a structured research assessment, children completed a battery of false belief tasks and a short form version of the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. Two years later at age 6, school teachers qualitatively rated children's behavioural adjustment and academic achievement in math, reading, spelling and language comprehension compared to their classroom peers. Results showed that relative to their full term peers, some children born very preterm tended to score less well across several areas of social competence. Specifically, parent report showed that children born very preterm were more likely to be characterised by higher levels of emotional dysregulation (p=.002) as well as a range of behavioural adjustment problems, spanning inhibitory control problems (p=.03), hyperactivity/inattention (p=.01), conduct problems (p=.01) and emotional symptoms (p=.008). While elevated rates of behavioural adjustment difficulties were also evident amongst very preterm children within the preschool environment, group differences were not statistically significant. However, a statistical trend towards elevated risk of inhibitory control problems amongst very preterm children in the preschool environment was noted (p=.09). Further, children born very preterm were at around a four-fold risk of emotional regulation difficulties of clinical significance,as well as being around 1.5 times more likely to exhibit clinically significant externalising and internalising behavioural difficulties and interpersonal social problems at age 4 years. In contrast, the interpersonal social behaviours and the extent of social cognitive understanding were largely similar across both groups. This pattern of findings remained largely unchanged following statistical control for the selection effects of family socio-economic status. Amongst children born very preterm, significant infant clinical and sociofamilial predictors of both emotional dysregulation and externalizing behaviour were male gender (p=.008/p=.006), neonatal indomethacin (p=.002/p=.005) and elevated maternal anxiety (p=.009/p=.002). Emotional dysregulation was also predicted by low socio-economic status (p=.002). In contrast, internalising behaviour was predicted only by low birth weight (p=.03). Finally, across both groups significant associations were found between overall social competence problems at age 4 years and later school adjustment with those very preterm and full term preschoolers characterised by poor social competence being at elevated risk of a range of behavioural adjustment difficulties and poor academic functioning in reading, spelling and math at age 6 years (corrected). Links between poor social competence and later behavioural adjustment remained across both groups following statistical control for child IQ, while associations with academic functioning were largely attenuated. By age 4 years a number of very preterm children are beginning to display elevated levels of emotional dysregulation, hyperactivity/inattention, conduct problems and emotional symptoms. Further, a substantial proportion of very preterm children may be at risk of developing clinically significant difficulties with these most pronounced in terms of emotional regulation abilities. Children's abilities to regulate their emotions and behaviour represent important building blocks for their later social and emotional functioning. Further, these abilities will likely influence the extent to which children are able to successfully transition to school. Therefore,alongside other important aspects of development, these findings highlight the importance of monitoring the social abilities of preschoolers who were born very preterm across a range of developmental domains and contexts. Preschoolers characterised by emotional, behavioural and/or interpersonal difficulties could then receive targeted intervention aimed at facilitating their social competence prior to school entry.

The ability to discriminate relative and absolute number has been researched widely in both human and nonhuman species. However, the full extent of numerical ability in nonhuman animals, and the nature of the underlying numerical representation, on which discriminations are based, is still unclear. The aim of the current research was to examine the performance of pigeons and humans in tasks that require the discrimination of relative number (a bisection procedure), and absolute number (in a reproduction procedure). One of the main research questions was whether numerical control over responding could be obtained, above and beyond control by temporal cues in nonhuman animals, and if so, whether it was possible to quantify the relative influences of number and time on responding. Experiment 1 examines nonhuman performance in a numerical bisection task; subjects were presented with either 2 and 6, 4 and 12, or 8 and 24 keylight flashes across three different conditions, and were required to classify these flash sequences as either a “large” or “small” number, by pecking the blue or white key, respectively. Subjects were then tested with novel values within and 2 values higher and lower than the training values. Experiments 2-4 investigate responding in a novel numerical reproduction procedure, in which pigeons were trained to match the number of responses made during a production phase to the number of keylight flashes (2, 4, or 6) in a recently completed sample phase. Experiments 2 and 2A examined discrimination performance when the temporal variables, flash rate and sample phase duration, were perfectly correlated (Experiment 2) or only weakly correlated (Experiment 2a) with flash number. Acquisition of performance in the numerical reproduction procedure was investigated in Experiment 3. For Experiments 1-3, hierarchical regression analyses showed significant control by number over responding, after controlling for temporal cues. Additionally, positive transfer to novel values both within and outside the training range was obtained when the temporal organization of test sequences was similar to baseline training. Experiment 4 investigated the effects of increasing or decreasing the retention interval (RI) on performance in the reproduction procedure, and found this produced a response bias towards larger numbers, contrary to predictions based on previous RI research, and suggested responding was not affected by memorial decay processes. The structure of the representation of number developed by subjects in the bisection and reproduction procedures was investigated using analyses of responding and response variability in Chapters 2 and 6, respectively. Bisection points obtained in Experiment 1 were located at the arithmetic, not geometric mean of all three scales, and coefficients of variation (CVs) obtained in both the bisection and reproduction experiments tended to decrease as flash number increased. Additionally, analyses of the acquisition data found differences in average response number was better fit by a linear than logarithmic scale. These results show that responding did not conform to scalar variability and is largely inconsistent with previous nonhuman research. Together these results suggest responding appeared to be based on a linear scale of number with constant generalisation between values, similar to that associated with human verbal counting, rather than a logarithmic scale with constant generalisation or a linear scale with scalar generalisation between values. Experiment 5 compared pigeons’ and humans’ verbal and nonverbal discrimination performance with numbers 1-20 in analogous bisection, reproduction and report tasks. Human verbal and nonverbal performance in the three tasks was similar and resembled nonhuman performance, although verbal discriminations were more accurate and less variable. The main findings from Experiments 1 and 2A were replicated with humans; bisection points were located at the arithmetic mean, average response number increased linearly as sample number increased, though there was a tendency to underestimate sample number, and decreasing CVs were also obtained for values less than 8. An additional, interesting finding was that CVs showed scalar variability for values greater than 8, suggesting a less exact representation and discrimination process was being used for these values. Collectively, these five experiments provide new evidence for a nonverbal ability to discriminate relative and absolute number with increasing relative accuracy resembling human verbal counting in both human and nonhumans.

Bakgrund: Med ökad migration ställs nya krav på hälso- och sjukvården att utveckla en sjukvård som möter behoven hos människor från andra kulturer. Detta innebär att sjuksköterskan behöver utforma vården efter patientens individuella och kulturspecifika behov. Att kunna kommunicera utan hinder är en förutsättning för att kunna ge och få god omvårdnad. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att belysa erfarenheter av att använda sig av och kommunicera med hjälp av tolk ur ett sjuksköterskeperspektiv. Metod: En litteraturstudie baserad på 10 vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativ ansats. Efter analysen identifierades fyra teman: Tolken som en bro över språkbarriären, Begränsningar i samtalet, Bristande organisation och Kulturkompetens. Resultat: Flertalet sjuksköterskor erfor att tolkens kompetens och trovärdighet var avgörande för kvaliteten på vårdsamtalet. Vården påverkades negativt av språkbarriärer då sjuksköterskorna upplevde att de inte kunde ge vård på lika villkor till de patienter som de saknar ett gemensamt språk med. Det fanns även strukturella problem både inom sjukvården och hos tolkförmedlingarna, vilket gjorde att sjuksköterskorna avstod från att använda sig av professionella tolkar. För att kunna bemöta patienter från olika kulturer krävs en lyhördhet för vad det finns för kulturspecifika behov hos den som ska vårdas. Detta gäller även vid valet av tolk. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor måste bli medvetna om hur viktigt det är för vårdens utfall, compliance och patientens välbefinnande att professionella tolkar är närvarande då ett gemensamt språk saknas. En ökad kulturell kompetens bland sjuksköterskor krävs för att på bästa sätt bemöta patienter med kulturspecifika behov. Klinisk betydelse: Begränsad kommunikation påverkar vårdkvaliteten. Tydligare riktlinjer och en mer strukturerad organisation kring tolkservice krävs för att underlätta användandet av tolkservice. Sjuksköterskorna bör få mer utbildning och information kring vikten av att använda tolk vid samtal med patienter som inte behärskar det inhemska språket. / Background: In a globalised world, healthcare systems are increasingly required to develop ways to meet the needs of patients with different cultural backgrounds. As such, nurses are required to adapt the care they give to meet a patient’s individual and culture-specific needs. Unimpeded communication is a prerequisite for both receiving and providing good nursing care. Aim: The aim of the study is to explore, from a nursing perspective, the experiences of using, and communicating through, an interpreter. Method: A literature review based on ten research papers with a qualitative method. On analysis, four themes were revealed: The interpreter bridging the language barrier, Conversational limitations, Organisational deficiencies and Cultural competence. Result: The nurses felt that an interpreter’s skill and reliability were decisive in determining the quality of the conversation. The language barrier adversely affected the care given as the nurses felt that they were unable to provide equality in healthcare to those patients with whom they did not share a common language. In addition, there were systematic problems within both the healthcare system and the interpreting agencies which meant that the nurses avoided using professional interpreters. Treating people from other cultures with respect requires sensitivity for the culture-specific needs a patient may have. This also affects the choice of interpreter. Conclusion: In situations where nurse and patient lack a common language, nurses should be aware of the importance of professional interpretation for the patient outcome, for patient compliance and for the patient’s well-being. If the needs of patients with culture-specific requirements are to be met, nurses need to acquire a higher level of cultural competence. Clinical implication: Limited communication affects the quality of care. Clearer guidelines about interpretation services and improved organisational structure are needed in order to better facilitate the use of interpretation services. More training and information is needed for nurses so that they appreciate the importance of using an interpreter when conducting conversations with patients who do not speak the local language. / <p>Röda Korsets sjuksköterskeförening stipendium 2013</p>

Der Beruf der Staatlich anerkannten Erzieherin/des Staatlich anerkannten Erziehers hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten stark an gesellschaftlicher und bildungspolitischer Bedeutung gewonnen. Die angehenden ErzieherInnen sollen dementsprechend innerhalb der dreijährigen fachschulischen Ausbildung das Maximum an Kompetenzen aus verschiedenen Fachdisziplinen erwerben und im Berufsleben an wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen und Methoden ausgerichtet selbstständig handeln. Aktuelle Studien zeigen jedoch, dass die ErzieherInnen im Anschluss an die Ausbildung trotz umfangreicher ausbildungscurricularer Reformierungen und vielzähligen Qualitätsinitiativen seit Mitte der 1990er Jahre diesen Anforderungen zumeist nicht gerecht werden. Die Dissertation fokussiert die fachschulische Ausbildung und beleuchtet anhand von zwei Untersuchungen die Ausbildungssituation im Freistaat Sachsen. Dabei wird die mangelnde Kompetenzausrichtung von Lehre, Diagnostik und ministeriellen Vorgaben als Hauptursache identifiziert. Unter der Zielstellung ein Hilfsmittel für Dozenten als Lösungsansatz zu entwickeln, um die Lehre und Diagnostik kompetenzorientierter gestaltbar zu machen, wird ein innovatives umfassendes Kompetenzmodell entwickelt. Dieses Modell beschreibt berufsaufgabenbezogen präzise die erforderlichen Kompetenzen von ErzieherInnen in ihren Inhalts- und Verhaltensaspekten. Im Rahmen zweier empirischer Untersuchungen zeigt sich die Validität und Nützlichkeit des Kompetenzmodells der Erzieherausbildung.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the effects of competence networks on corporate branding in B2B SMEs and to develop a conceptual model of these effects. After reviewing the relevant literature that explores the field, eight components of corporate branding in an effective growth stage of an SME have been identified. Founders Alliance is a competence network in Sweden that was chosen as a case for our study. Representatives of five B2B SMEs within Founders Alliance were interviewed in order to understand what components of corporate branding the competence network influences. The study shows that even though B2B SMEs join competence networks for other reasons than improving their corporate branding, the corporate branding nonetheless is affected. However, the eight components of corporate branding are affected differently. Competence networks have no effect on three out of eight components of corporate branding, namely, controlling the corporate personality, assuring employees’ involvement and maintaining corporate image. Competence networks have possible effects on emphasizing brand-oriented strategic thinking, maintaining corporate identity and maintaining corporate brand communications. Finally, competence networks have an effect on managing corporate branding relationships and monitoring with feedback.

Critical thinking skills have been identified as important for practicing nurses to acquire. Therefore, nurse educators have a responsibility to improve the critical thinking skills of nursing students. There is limited research related to critical thinking and nursing education especially in the clinical environment. Nurses need finely honed critical thinking skills in order to be safe, competent, and skillful practitioners of their profession.The purpose of this research was to study the way nursing faculty use clinical situations to develop critical thinking in student nurses. The research question was: How do nursing faculty use clinical situations to develop critical thinking in nursing students?In researching this question a grounded theory approach was chosen. The grounded theory approach allows for the development of theory or extension of existing theory which can be used to build on or base future research in nursing education (Chenitz & Swanson, 1986).Data collection was completed using open-ended interviews and participant observation which is consistent with the grounded theory approach. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used to compare and contrast data between and among identified groups.Clinical nursing instructors were asked to participate in the study. The subjects were interviewed and observed teaching in the clinical environment. Confidentiality was guaranteed through coding and destruction of the field notes upon completion of the project. Participation was voluntary and subjects could withdraw at any time from the study.There were no identifiable risks involved in the study. Potential benefits were increased awareness of strategies to develop critical thinking skills and contributions to improve nursing education.Setting the stage for critical thinking in nursing education was identified as the core category. The data supported the development of critical thinking in the clinical environment related to trusting relationships in a risk-free environment. Teaching strategies that contribute to the development of critical thinking were identified. Nursing faculty recognize the importance of critical thinking to nursing and attempt to instill critical thinking in the nursing students. / School of Nursing

The purpose of this study was to identify the complete scope, cognitive, affective and psychomotor, of clinical competencies required for the successful practice by entry-level associate degree respiratory care graduates entering the workforce. The study was conducted using a Delphi technique. American Association for Respiratory Care House of Delegates nominated a panel of experts to participate in the study. A total of 55 individuals were nominated and 21 agree to participate in the study. The individuals represented both college-based educators and hospital managers and educators. The initial questionnaire requested that each panel member list those cognitive, affective and psychomotor clinical competencies that they believed to be required for successful entrylevel practice. The responses from the first round were grouped into like categories and returned to the panel members to be rated on a four-point scale during the second and third rounds of the study. Consensus was achieved with the third round resulting in a final list of 26 cognitive, 20 affective and 28 psychomotor clinical competencies. The final list of competencies includes the most basic cognitive and psychomotor skills of the profession and did not include many of the areas listed by the National Board for Respiratory Care exam matrix. The study also lists 20 affective attributes as essential for successful practice. There are no current standardized methods in use to evaluate affective skills. Research will need to continue to clarify the skills needed for competent and successful entry-level practice. / Department of Educational Studies