The use of short columns, higher carrier gas velocity and fast temperature programs in Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography coupled to Time-of- Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC x GC/TOFMS) technique is expected to increase the speed of analysis up to several orders of magnitude when compared to conventional gas chromatography (GC) or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A systematic evaluation of the GC x GC/TOFMS configuration for high-speed applications has received little attention in the literature. The feasibility of High Speed Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry (High speed GC x GC/MS) for complex mixtures has been investigated in this thesis. A particular focus was placed on comparing conventional scanning quadrupole mass spectrometry (qMS) with a newly available non-scanning time-of-flight instruments (TOFMS). Experiments were carried out using GC/qMS, GC x GC/qMS, GC/TOFMS and GC x GC/TOFMS both in normal (slow) and fast temperature rates coupled with high frequency modulation in GC x GC. Initially a complex mixture consists of 24 semivolatile compounds was used as the analyte for the above purpose. In the initial experiments parameters like acquisition rate and duty cycle for qMS were determined to evaluate the effectiveness of the instrument for fast analysis. The practical duty cycle value obtained for the qMS was only about 18 % for single ion and one compound at a dwell time of 10 ms in SIM mode. In both high-speed GC/qMS and high-speed GC x GC/qMS techniques only about 40 % of the components in the complex mixture were found to be well separated. The acquisition rate of scanning instruments like qMS is incompatible for fast eluting peaks in high speed GC. TOFMS that has an acquisition rate of several hundred spectra per second offer the potential to define the fast GC peaks accurately. The high quality spectra from TOFMS also enable deconvolution of coeluting peaks in the complex mixtures. The advantage of the automated spectral deconvolution is demonstrated for the identification of the coeluting peaks in the complex mixtures. Coelution of peaks is also observed with highspeed GC/TOFMS technique. The high-speed GC x GC/TOFMS was also tested with two different analyte system ??? A pesticide mixture and platformate (an aromatic mixture) to evaluate the suitability for high-speed analysis of complex mixtures. A poor resolution was observed for the pesticide mixture in the two-dimensional plane and it appeared, as there was nearly no orthogonal separation in the second dimension. The platformate mixture displayed a better two-dimensional separation. Chromatographic peak resolution is not really a primary requirement for locating and identifying the coeluting compounds in high-speed GC x GC/TOFMS technique. However, it was observed that the high-speed GC x GC/TOFMS too faced problem to unscramble the mass spectra of those compounds with similar structure and sharing the same unique masses.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an informed understanding of the views of elementary school staff about the characteristics of the Nutrition Positive incentive program including: program development, implementation strategies used by individual schools, and challenges and related concerns associated with program implementation. As an initial step in a process evaluation, knowledge was gained through document analysis, site observations and 14 semi-structured interviews with principals, teachers and nutrition coordinators in 4 Greater Saskatoon Catholic, and 4 Saskatoon Public, Saskatchewan schools. Findings were then compared and contrasted with three models for best practice from the scientific literature and related to school health, education, and promotion. <p>The results led to the following conclusions. Nutrition Positive serves as an entry point for health promotion in Saskatoon elementary schools. While providing principals, teachers and other school staff with the necessary supports to enable children to learn critical life and health skills, it is also practical and realistic. The program can easily be adapted to different age and developmental levels, and a variety of cultures. The Advisory Committee and the program manual provide multiple resources to facilitate implementation. Schools may adapt the program for use across curricula, within school timetables, and concurrent with other health-related programs. Nutrition Positive schools attempt to provide healthy, serve most often foods for student mealtimes, special events, fundraising activities, vending machines and classroom rewards. While the program appears to be sustainable, it needs to specify measurable objectives and requires a better design for its assessment, monitoring and evaluation components. It is recommended that schools include all stakeholders, including parents and students, when forming a school-based program committee. Committee members need to participate in developing written school policies and guidelines, as well as learning about healthy eating themselves. School activities and foods offered need to more consistently and uniformly compliment the curriculum and program goals and objectives. In order to expand, program materials need to be widely publicized, communicated in a timely manner, culturally relevant, and available in languages in addition to English.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an informed understanding of the views of elementary school staff about the characteristics of the Nutrition Positive incentive program including: program development, implementation strategies used by individual schools, and challenges and related concerns associated with program implementation. As an initial step in a process evaluation, knowledge was gained through document analysis, site observations and 14 semi-structured interviews with principals, teachers and nutrition coordinators in 4 Greater Saskatoon Catholic, and 4 Saskatoon Public, Saskatchewan schools. Findings were then compared and contrasted with three models for best practice from the scientific literature and related to school health, education, and promotion. <p>The results led to the following conclusions. Nutrition Positive serves as an entry point for health promotion in Saskatoon elementary schools. While providing principals, teachers and other school staff with the necessary supports to enable children to learn critical life and health skills, it is also practical and realistic. The program can easily be adapted to different age and developmental levels, and a variety of cultures. The Advisory Committee and the program manual provide multiple resources to facilitate implementation. Schools may adapt the program for use across curricula, within school timetables, and concurrent with other health-related programs. Nutrition Positive schools attempt to provide healthy, serve most often foods for student mealtimes, special events, fundraising activities, vending machines and classroom rewards. While the program appears to be sustainable, it needs to specify measurable objectives and requires a better design for its assessment, monitoring and evaluation components. It is recommended that schools include all stakeholders, including parents and students, when forming a school-based program committee. Committee members need to participate in developing written school policies and guidelines, as well as learning about healthy eating themselves. School activities and foods offered need to more consistently and uniformly compliment the curriculum and program goals and objectives. In order to expand, program materials need to be widely publicized, communicated in a timely manner, culturally relevant, and available in languages in addition to English.

The global weakening of nation states has isolated cities. On the other hand, the authority of local administrations has been increasing rapidly. Urban planning responsibility is under the authority of local governments. Due to intense competition for attractive solutions, local authorities have tended to use methods that produce immediate results. Therefore, planning approach has been changing and in place of comprehensive plans, we find quick fix projects. According to comprehensive planning approach and the planning legislation in Turkey, urban plans should be made according to the principle of planning hierarchy. This principle defines the consistency of plans in different scales and refers to the holistic principle of urban planning. However, local governments have adopted project-based policy implemented in the form of urban transformation. This policy leads to practical applications that contradict the principles of the discipline of urban planning. Then, it forms a basis for negative results such as unplanned development. This study focuses on projects in Ankara and their consistency with upper scale plans in order to make a rational assessment of urban transformation projects. This thesis aims to show how local authorities and new legislative frameworks encourage urban transformation while ignoring the principle of planning hierarchy in case of Ankara. Local governments prefer project-based policy since development serves the benefit of investors and therefore municipalities. To avoid this situation, legislation should be examined and laws that lead to conflicting investments of authority should be simplified. Additionally, through law, planning agenda should be focused on the structural planning approach.

L2 WRITING TEACHERS&rsquo / PERCEPTIONS OF MISTAKES IN STUDENT WRITING AND THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING FEEDBACK: THE CASE OF A TURKISH PRIVATE UNIVERSITY Dokuzoglu, Selcen M.A. Program of English Language Teaching Supervisor: Prof. Dr. H&uuml / sn&uuml / Enginarlar September 2010, 161 pages This study aimed to investigate L2 writing instructors&rsquo / perceptions of seriousness of different mistake types in upper-intermediate level students&rsquo / essays. It also set out to examine the teachers&rsquo / preferences related with feedback provision. Furthermore, whether there were discrepancies between the teachers&rsquo / claims about the issues mentioned above and their actual performance while marking the essays was looked into. The study was conducted at the Preparatory School of a private university in Turkey. Ten essays written by upper intermediate level students were marked by ten writing teachers who showed the most disturbing mistakes in these essays. They also gave feedback for these papers and half of the teachers were requested to think aloud while evaluating the essays. In addition, a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used by the v questionnaire were analyzed through SPSS 15.0. This data gathering instrument was implemented on ten writing teachers working at the institution. In analyzing the data, descriptive statistics were used. The averages showing the seriousness of different mistake types and the frequency at which the teachers use different feedback techniques were revealed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five teachers. The results of the interviews were analyzed through content analysis. The results of the study revealed that 80 % of the teachers viewed content related and organizational problems more disturbing than those related with accuracy. However, for 20 % of the teachers mistakes concerning the accuracy of the sentences were more serious. As for the feedback preferences of the teachers, 90 % of them used error codes while marking the essays and all the teachers preferred to write comments. While 60 % of the teachers were in favour of marking students&rsquo / mistakes comprehensively, the rest (40 %) believed selective marking was preferable. Moreover, it was found out that the teachers&rsquo / claims were compatible with their actual performances although some contradictions were observed in their performance.

The purpose of this study was not to disprove the effects of the current, common remedial literacy course design and the literacy practices within that help adolescent RLLs pass statewide assessment tests, but to describe the potential long-term impact of an innovative comprehensive approach to literacy (CAL) framed through an integrated course design model. In this study I sought to determine if the 2012 CAL design with a particular demographic of student produced "significant" or lasting learning as defined by Fink (2003). In other words, did the 2012 CAL design promote sustained or increased practices of literacy and PYD over time with adolescent remedial literacy learners? Findings were documented through the participants' voices one year after participation in the CAL design. These findings demonstrate metadiscursivity with literacy and personal development in all six of Fink's taxa, thus indicating the design produced significant learning as defined by Fink (2003). All four participants demonstrated evidence of sustained or increased growth in their awareness of their learning practices and purposes, as well as their personal development. A major conclusion of this study was that remedial literacy educators and policy makers who impact the current remedial curriculum designs in secondary schools can no longer assume that students who enter the secondary remedial classroom with a deficiency in literacy do not have the potential for academic success and personal growth. Findings from this study demonstrate that this demographic of student can move from a negative to a positive trajectory and come to see themselves as successful and thriving individuals.

Pasaulio globalizacijos procesas, Lietuvos švietimo integracija į Europos Sąjungos švietimo erdvę kelia naujus reikalavimus tiek mokyklų vadovams tiek visai mokyklos bendruomenei. Šiandien reikalingi aukščiausios kvalifikacijos vadybos specialistai: kompetentingi, turintys reikiamų žinių ir įgūdžių, nuolat tobulinantys savo kvalifikaciją bei vadybinius gebėjimus, galintys daryti įtaką kaitos procesams savo mokyklose. Strateginis planavimas yra visų mokyklos suinteresuotų asmenų bendrų sprendimų bei pažiūrų visuma, kuri kiekvieną organizacijos atstovą skatina prisiimti atsakomybę už organizacijos veiklą. Atsižvelgiant į tai, buvo iškelta tyrimo problema – kokia yra strateginio planavimo įtaka mokyklos kaitai: ar strateginis planavimas padeda valdyti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos pokyčius; kaip padėti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos vadovams vadovauti mokyklos kaitai? Tyrimo objektas – strateginis planavimas bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje. Tyrimo tikslas - išanalizuoti strateginio planavimo bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje ypatumus. Tyrimo uždaviniai:  Aptarti teisinius dokumentus, reglamentuojančius bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos kaitą.  Atskleisti strateginio planavimo įtaką bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos kaitai.  Ištirti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų strateginio plano kūrimo grupės narių požiūrį į strateginio planavimo įgyvendinimą. Tyrimo imtis - 177 mokyklų strateginio plano kūrimo grupių nariai ir iš 18 bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos vadovų paimtas interviu. Tyrimo metodai: mokslinės literatūros... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Constant and rapid changes, stimulated by the process of the world globalization, integration into European Union economical, cultural and educational space, conditioned the changes in the educational system of Lithuania. It has cost the new requirements for the leaders of schools as well as for the whole school community. Today we need the high qualified specialists of management, who are competent, who have got proper knowledge and skills and can influence the processes of changes in schools. Strategic planning is the summation of the collective decisions and views of the whole school community, which stimulate and motivate every member of the organization to assume the responsibility for the actions of the organization. Strategic planning is the process during which the organization decides what it is going to aim for and how it will be done. Therefore, the research question has been raised – what is the influence of the strategic planning for the alternation of school: does strategic planning help to control the changes at comprehensive schools; how to help the leaders of comprehensive schools to lead the alternation of school? The aim of the research is to analyze the features of the strategic planning in comprehensive schools. Analysis of the documents, regulating the reform of comprehensive schools of Lithuania, analysis of the theoretical works and documents of foreign and national scientists about the role of the... [to full text]

Nacionalinės ir pasaulinės mokymo(si) sistemos išgyvena krizę: didėja atotrūkis tarp piliečių, turinčių galimybes įgyti kokybišką išsilavinimą ir jų neturinčių. Šiai problemai spręsti aktuali mokymo(si) visą gyvenimą sistemos plėtra. Lietuvoje sukurta valstybės švietimo strategija 2003–2012 metams, jos esmė – išplėtoti socialiai teisingą, visiems prieinamą švietimo sistemą, sudarančią sąlygas visuomenei mokytis visą gyvenimą. Viena tokio mokymo(si) formų – nuotolinis mokymas(is), grindžiamas moderniųjų IKT panaudojimu. Lietuvos nuotolinio švietimo esmė – plėtoti nuotolinio mokymo(si) tinklą, užtikrinantį kiekvienam prieinamą, visą gyvenimą trunkantį mokymą(si). Mokinių mobilumas, tėvų migracija ir kt. byloja, kad nuotolinio mokymo(si) poreikis gali būti jaučiamas ir bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje, todėl analizei pasirinkta tema ,,Nuotolinis mokymas(is) bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje: situacijos ir poreikio analizė“. Tyrimo objektas – nuotolinis mokymas(is) Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje. Tyrimo tikslas – išanalizuoti nuotolinio mokymo(si) situaciją ir poreikį Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje. Tyrimo uždaviniai: išanalizuoti šiuolaikinę nuotolinio mokymo(si) sampratą, jo teorinius pagrindus; išanalizuoti nuotolinio mokymo(si) situaciją Lietuvos švietimo sistemoje; atskleisti nuotolinio mokymo(si) poreikį Lietuvos bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje, tokį poreikį lemiančius veiksnius ir tikslines grupes. Tyrimui atlikti pasitelkta mokslinės informacijos, dokumentų šaltinių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / National and global education (learning) systems are in a crisis: the gap between citizens who have access to quality education and who don’t have is growing. To tackle this problem life long training (learning) system development is urgent. Lithuania has created a public education strategy for 2003–2012, its essence is the development of socially just, accessible education system, enabling the public to learn throughout their lives. One form of such training (learning) is distance learning based on the use of modern ICT. Essence of Lithuanian distance education is the development of distance education (learning) network that provides everyone with accessible lifelong learning (teaching). Student mobility, migration of parents etc. suggests that distance education (learning) needs may be felt in mainstream schools, so for analysis the following topic was chosen: “Distance education (learning) in general education schools: situation and needs analysis”. Research object is distance learning (teaching) in Lithuanian general education schools. Purpose of the survey is to analyse the need in the distance education (learning) in the Lithuanian general education schools. The objectives are: to analyze modern distance education (learning) concept, its theoretical framework, to analyze distance education (learning) situation and need in Lithuanian education system, to reveal distance education (learning) situation and its need in the Lithuanian general education schools, its demand... [to full text]

Magistro darbo santrauka Darbe atlikta teorinė specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių turinčių mokinių tenkinimo ir pedagogų įsitraukimo į šių mokinių ugdymo procesą samprata ir analizė. Iškelta hipotezė, kad dauguma mokytojų (tiek žemesniųjų, tiek aukštesniųjų klasių) yra linkę įsitraukti į specialiųjų poreikių tenkinimo procesą. Anketinės apklausos bei interviu metodu buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – išsiaiškinti bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos pradinio ugdymo pedagogų ir mokytojų dalykininkų bei specialiųjų pedagogų požiūrį apie pedagogų į(si)traukimą į specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių turinčių mokinių ugdymą. Tyrime dalyvavo 85 pradinio ugdymo pedagogai, 81 mokytojas dalykininkas ir 3 specialieji pedagogai. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjami pradinio ugdymo pedagogų, mokytojų dalykininkų bei specialiųjų pedagogų požiūriai apie pedagogų įsitraukimą į specialiųjų ugdymosi poreikių (SUP) turinčių mokinių ugdymą. Svarbiausios tyrimo išvados: 1. Atlikus literatūros ir dokumentų analizę paaiškėjo, kad pedagogas privalo suteikti pagalbą visiems SUP mokiniams, tačiau tinkamai ir kokybiškai įsitraukti į šių mokinių ugdymą lemia keletas dalykų: susipažinimas su specialųjį ugdymą reglamentuojančiais dokumentais; gebėjimas atpažinti, analizuoti ir vertinti mokinių specialiuosius ugdymosi poreikius; gebėjimas prisitaikyti prie skirtingų mokinių gebėjimų ir poreikių; tinkamas ugdymo proceso organizavimas bei komandinis darbas (įsitraukimas) su SUP mokiniais ir jų tėvais. 2. Bendrojo lavinimo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The work presents theoretical conception and analysis of children’s with special educational needs satisfaction and pedagogues’ involvement into process of such children’s education. The hypothesis has been raised, that most of the teachers (both of junior, and senior classes) tend to involve in meeting the children’s special educational needs. Using methods of survey and interview a special investigation has been carried out with a purpose to examine the level of primary teachers’, discipline teachers’, as well as special educators’ involvement into the process of children’s with special educational needs development. 85 primary teachers, 85 discipline teachers, and 3 special educators participated in the investigation. The primary teachers’, discipline teachers’, and special educators attitudes towards pedagogues’ involvement in the children’s with special educational needs (SEN) development have been reviewed in the empirical part of the work. The following conclusions, drawn from the investigation, are the most important: 1. After literary analysis and examination of documents it has been disclosed that a pedagogue is obliged to provide every SEN child with assistance. However, there are several points that determine appropriate and effective pedagogues’ involvement in such children’s development, such as: acquaintance with documents, regulating special education; ability to recognise, analyse, and evaluate children’s SEN; ability to adapt to children’s different... [to full text]

Baigiamojo magistro darbo teorinėje dalyje buvo atskleisti SUP turinčių mokinių ugdymo integracijos procesai, ugdymo specialiojoje mokykloje ir integruoto ugdymo bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje bruožai bei individualizuotų programų taikymo specialiųjų poreikių vaikams taikymo teoriniai aspektai.Empirinėje darbo dalyje pateikiamas kiekybinis tyrimas, kuriuo metu respondentai įvertino įvairių SUP turinčių mokinių ugdymo formų (integruoto/inkliuzinio, bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje specialiojoje klasėje, specialiojoje mokykloje ir ugdymo namuose) tinkamumą bei jų taikymo ypatumus. / Master thesis theoretical part revealed an integration process of pupils with special educational needs, features of special education in special school and education in comprehensive school and individualized programs for children with special needs for the application of the theoretical aspects.The empirical part of the presentation of quantitative research in which respondents rated different educational forms for pupils with special educational needs (integrated / inclusive education, education in comprehensive school in a special classroom, education in special education school and education at home), and the appropriateness of their features.