The challenge of the just war theory in the post-modern era is compounded by technologic advances in warfare and the friction among state actors in a decentralized state system. The inquiry of this investigation on just war is the extent of its validity in an era that extols the sciences and human reason on the one hand and economic necessity on the other as the standard by which state actors regulate their political objectives. The thesis Just war; unjust consequences examines the longevity of the just war tradition, its moral necessity throughout history and its indispensable application in the nuclear age. Chapter 2 examines the moral foundations of the ‘two kingdoms’, which formulates the background of the just war theory, from the biblical account of the great controversy between good and evil to the formation of modern church/state relations. Within the ancient and contemporary setting, ecclesiastical and theological traditions have provided a public platform to establish moral parameters in regards to state actor intent and post-modern application, such as the U.S.-Iraq war. Chapter 3 investigates Augustine’s enduring contribution to the moral and historical formation and longevity of the just war theory. From its earliest development to its modern antecedent the just war theory has been an integral aspect of the philosophical and theological analysis distinguishing ‘why’ and ‘how’ wars are fought and the import of moral parameters to manage international conflict. Chapter 4 examines Reinhold Niebuhr’s contribution to the realist tradition and U.S. foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries. This section examines the impact of the modern state actor’s intent for war. The primary issue is that the classical formulation that identifies human nature as the catalyst of social disorder and war is superseded by the scientific method, which adheres to the viewpoint that war is complicated by numerous economic and political factors. Hans Morgenthau’s realist tradition of international relations theory, which advocates that humankind is the centric disruptive force by its abuse of power at all levels of human interaction especially among nations was eventually eclipsed by Kenneth Waltz’s neorealist school of thought, which shifted the culpability of war from the egocentricities of human nature to the disproportions of economic and military power among competing state actors in a decentralized state system. This shift in international relations theory within the framework of weapons of mass destruction contested the validity of the just war tradition in the nuclear age. Chapter 5 reasserts the Christian realist tradition’s viewpoint that the perpetrator for war is the individual actor within collective competitive self-interest, epitomized by the state actor. The classical model is reinstated as a plausible cause for war. It is within this framework that a contemporary adaptation of the just war moral theory is provided to contest the contemporary complexities of warfare in the 21st century. Chapter 6 investigates the practical challenges of modern warfare. The background of Operation Iraqi Freedom reveals the complications of state actor competition in international politics, and the necessity of moral parameters to thwart unwarranted state actor aggression. Finally, Chapter 7 reiterates, the prolonged necessity of the just war tradition in both the ancient and modern eras and, the import of moral parameters to thwart unwarranted state actor aggression and provides a reformulation of the just war moral theory to challenge the viewpoint that deems the utility of weapons of mass destruction as viable national security alternative and its tactical application in warfare. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014 / gm2015 / Practical Theology / PhD / Unrestricted

Magister Educationis - MEd / Two grade 11 classes of two high schools in Cape Town were taught some concepts of sound by means of indigenous musical instruments. The purpose was to find out the relative effects (or none) of two instructional strategies. Toulmin (1958)’s Argumentation Pattern, Ogunniyi (1997)’s Contiguity Argumentation Theory and Reiner et al. (2000)’s Substance Schema formed the theoretical framework. A pre-post-test quasi-experimental design was employed and data collated using questionnaires, a sound conceptual test, argumentation worksheets, and classroom observation schedules. One teacher taught the experimental group using dialogical argumentation while another teacher taught the comparative group using lecturedemonstration method, coupled with the use of ICTs for duration of four weeks. Data were analysed using a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods approach. The findings revealed that many the learners held some scientifically valid conceptions of sound prior to formal instruction. However, the learners also held many scientifically invalid conceptions in relation to the speed of sound in air, sound propagation, and sound produced by stringed instruments. The alternative conceptions of learners in the C group remained largely unchanged after instruction, while those of the E group changed appreciably, but not completely. The E group learners changed the alternative conceptions that were worked into structured argumentation activities better than those which were not. Also, the learners in both groups seemed to hold indigenous beliefs in relation to sound which did not seem to change after instruction. Most learners had a positive attitude towards the use of indigenous knowledge in the science class. No significant difference was found between male and female learners with respect to conceptual understanding of sound, indigenous beliefs, and interest in the integration of science and indigenous knowledge.

Magister Educationis - MEd / The study employed a quasi-experimental design to determine the effect of DAIM on learners’ conceptions of lightning. The experimental group was taught using DAIM while the control group was taught the same content using TLM. Data was collected using the Science Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), Beliefs about Lightning Questionnaire (BALQ), Conceptions of Lightning Questionnaire (COLQ) and Science Achievement Test on Lightning (SATOL) which was used to determine learners’ overall performance on the topic of electrostatics. The data was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings of the study revealed that prior to the intervention (DAIM); the two groups of learners had both the scientific and the indigenous knowledge about lightning. A majority of the learners believed that lightning is caused by witches and traditional doctors. After being exposed to the DAIM most of the learners in the experimental group were found to have changed to the more scientific explanation of cause of lightning and protective measures against lightning. Few learners in the control were classified as possessing an equipollent worldview in terms of the CAT after the post tests. Some learners’ conceptions about lightning wavered between the scientific and traditional worldviews. The Science Attitude Questionnaire showed that both groups of learners had a positive attitude towards science. The findings also suggested that the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science lessons promoted active participation from the learners, reinforced the learning of science because it promoted conceptual development and scientific literacy. The learners in the study also supported the integration of the scientific and the traditional worldviews about lightning. After the instruction, the learners in both groups seemed to still hold indigenous beliefs in relation to lightning. The post-test results showed that the DAIM group seemed to have been able to link the concept of lightning with electrostatics when they related lightning storms to electric discharge. The experimental group was found to be more elaborate in their explanations of the scientific nature of lightning than the control group which was not exposed to DAIM

Science education is marked by conceptual plurality, fundamental aspect for learning activities. However, the evaluation is scarcely associated with these theoretical perspectives. Most exams verify student’s knowledge by one parameter, by an answer considered correct. This study, therefore, aims to construct and validate questions for an instrument focused in evaluating school performance for the elementary school in Sergipe over the axis of “Human Being” and “Health” inspired in the epistemological diversity of knowledge. Among the theories developed based on the theoretical perspective, alternative conceptions guide the present work. The resource being developed comprehends formation in natural sciences in elementary school, therefore applied in a sample of students of the 9o (ninth) year of state public education of Sergipe. A reference matrix was built to guide the instrument. The reference matrix considers the topics of Anatomy, Physiology, Diseases, Life Quality and Prophylactic Measurements. The goals of their descriptors were elaborated from the National Curriculum Parameters (NCP). The performance test elaborated from matrix has 10 questions, each one of them presenting four phrases. The Thurstone scale inspires the instrument. Question alternatives oscillate between scholar education and common sense, where some questions present all correct answers, and other present conceptual mistakes. The alternatives differ from scientific knowledge differently. Students respond to the question that seems more correct to them, being thus possible to estimate which knowledge is used in order to solve problems. If the knowledge is closer to the scientific or if in daily use common sense, dominate their activities. In order to ensure credibility, the test was validated qualitatively and through commented application by judges and quantitatively analyzed by descriptive statistics on Software Package for Social Science (SPSS) 18.0. / O ensino de ciências é marcado pela pluralidade conceitual, aspecto este fundamental para a aprendizagem. Entretanto, a avaliação é pouco associada à essas perspectivas teóricas. A maioria dos exames verifica o conhecimento dos alunos através de um parâmetro, de uma resposta considerada correta. Faltam testes que considerem a diversidade de saberes, sua existência e influência para a aprendizagem. Objetiva-se portanto, com este estudo, construir e validar questões para um instrumento de avaliação do desempenho escolar para o ensino fundamental em Sergipe sobre o eixo “Ser Humano” e “Saúde” inspirado na diversidade epistemológica do conhecimento. Dentre as teorias desenvolvidas com base nessa perspectiva teórica, as concepções alternativas balizam o presente trabalho. O recurso em desenvolvimento compreende a formação em ciências naturais no ensino fundamental, portanto aplicado em uma amostra de alunos do 9º (nono) ano da rede pública estadual de Sergipe. Uma matriz de referência foi construída para nortear o instrumento. A matriz de referência construída aborda os conteúdos de Anatomia, Fisiologia, Doenças, Qualidade de Vida e Medidas Profiláticas. Os objetivos dos seus descritores foram elaborados segundo os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCN). O teste de desempenho elaborado a partir da matriz conta com dez questões, cada questão com quatro sentenças. O instrumento é inspirado na escala de Thurstone. As alternativas das perguntas oscilam entre o conhecimento escolar e o conhecimento comum, podem ocorrer questões nas quais todas as alternativas estão corretas, outras podem conter erros conceituais. As alternativas estão a diferentes distâncias do conhecimento científico. Os alunos responderam com a resposta que lhe parece mais correta, sendo possível assim, aferir qual conhecimento é manifestado na hora de resolver problemas. Se o conhecimento dos alunos está mais próximo do senso científico, ou se no seu dia-a-dia o senso comum domina suas atividades. Para garantir sua credibilidade o teste foi validado qualitativamente por juízes e aplicação comentada e quantitativamente analisada por estatística descritiva no Software Package for Social Science (SPSS) 18.0.

Dada a importância da ciência no desenvolvimento humano, a adoção da alfabetização científica como meta educacional mundial e o papel fundamental da educação formal nesse sentido, muito se tem feito para promover a educação continuada dos professores de ciências. Se se discute quais habilidades e competências são importantes para a atividade didática, o bom conhecimento do conteúdo é consenso. A análise dos registros do curso a distância Bioquímica das Drogas, planejado, ministrado, avaliado e aprimorado neste trabalho e oferecido a professores de Biologia, Química e Ciências da rede pública de ensino do Estado de São Paulo, revelou que: (1) o modelo de ensino em ambientes virtuais e de aprendizagem colaborativa pode ser adequadamente aplicado na formação continuada de professores, embora com restrições relacionadas ao letramento digital; (2) a participação de pós-graduandos na equipe didática trouxe valiosa contribuição para o projeto e para sua formação didática em EaD; (3) os professores têm diversas concepções alternativas em bioquímica, sobretudo com relação à complexidade da estrutura de proteínas e às inter-relações dos metabolismos de carboidratos, lipídeos e proteínas e (4) as intervenções didáticas realizadas foram eficientes para promover a aprendizagem de concepções científicas sobre o tema, incluindo as relacionadas às concepções alternativas detectadas. / Given the importance of Science to human development, the adoption of scientific literacy as a global educational goal, and the major role of formal education, many efforts have been made to promote continuing education of science teachers. While the discussion on which didactic skills are essential to teacher education still endures, mastering the subject matter remains a consensus. This work focuses on designing, implementing, and improving the distant education course Biochemistry of Drugs, offered to science teachers of public schools in São Paulo, Brazil. The analysis of the course records revealed that: (1) the collaborative learning model in virtual environments is adequate to teachers\' continuing education, although with some restrictions concerning digital literacy issues; (2) joining graduate students to the teaching staff contributed positively to the project itself as well as to the didactic training of the latter in distance education; (3) school teachers displayed several alternative conceptions in biochemistry, remarkably on the topics of protein structure and the correlation of the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins; (4) the instruction efficiently facilitated learning of biochemical concepts, including those related to the misconceptions detected.

AbstractThe purpose of our study is to contribute with knowledge about how preschoolteachers perceive and describe the inclusion of children in need of special support.Based on the purpose of the study, three research questions are formulated. The studyhighlights legal text and documents, important concepts, the change in inclusion overtime, the preschool teachers' approach and the impact of the environment and groupsize on the inclusion of children in need of special support.The study is based on an inclusion perspective based on a phenomenographicapproach. The data collection method was qualitative semi-structured interview andbased on an interview guide. The interviews were conducted digitally with tenlicensed preschool teachers with varied professional experience. Interviews wererecorded, transcribed and analyzed. From the inclusion perspective, we analyzed thematerial and were thus able to find variations in the preschool teachers' perceptionsand conceptions regarding the inclusion of children in need of special support.The result of the study showed that children in need of special support can beperceived from two different perspectives, organizational perspective and childperspective. Furthermore, it emerged that lack of time, the size of the group ofchildren and adaptations to the environment affected the inclusion work. Anotherthing that was perceived to affect inclusion of children in need of special support wasdescribed as the approach and attitude that the preschool teachers adopted towardsboth children and each other. Many preschool teachers described that they lackedsome knowledge about inclusion and therefore wanted more education in the form ofexchange of experience. / Syftet med vår studie är att bidra med kunskap om hur förskollärare uppfattar ochbeskriver arbetet kring inkludering av barn i behov av särskilt stöd. Utifrån syftetformulerades tre frågeställningar. Studien lyfter fram lagtexter och dokument, viktigabegrepp, inkluderingens förändring över tid, förskollärarnas förhållningssätt samtmiljöns och gruppstorlekens påverkan på inkludering av barn i behov av särskilt stöd.Studien baserades på ett inkluderingsperspektiv utifrån en fenomenografiskmetodansats. Datainsamlingsmetoden var kvalitativa intervjuer som varsemistrukturerade och utgick från en intervjuguide. Intervjuerna genomfördes digitaltmed tio legitimerade förskollärare med varierad yrkeserfarenhet. Samtliga intervjuerspelades in för att sedan transkriberas och analyseras. Utifrån inkluderingsperspektivetanalyserade vi materialet och kunde därmed finna variationer i förskollärarnasuppfattningar och beskrivningar gällande inkludering av barn i behov av särskilt stöd.I studiens resultat framkom det att barn i behov av särskilt stöd kan uppfattas utifråntvå olika perspektiv, vilka var det organisatoriska perspektivet och barnperspektivet.Vidare framkom det att tidsbrist, barngruppens storlek samt anpassningar i miljönpåverkade inkluderingsarbetet. Något annat som uppfattades inverka på arbetet medinkludering av barn i behov av särskilt stöd beskrevs vara vilket synsätt ochförhållningssätt som förskollärarna antog mot såväl barn som mot varandra. Mångaförskollärare beskrev också att de saknade vissa kunskaper kring arbetet gällandeinkludering och önskade därför mer utbildning i form av erfarenhetsutbyte.

The diploma thesis called "Motives and Results of The Great Terror in the USSR 1936-1938 in historic discussion" analyzes in broad terms progression of the scientific discussion in an international scientific world on one of the most important of Soviet history. It means bloody purges in late thirties. In the strict sense the diploma thesis has to assess two aspects of world's scholarship on this topic. Motives of the great purges and results of repressive policy in qualitative and quantitative terms. A special attention is to be given to a problem of eventual ideological approach of scholars. This paper has to present a main trends in global research of "The Great Terror" and stalinism respectively too. Next: to study an effect of objective circumstancies on the research (particularly fall of the USSR and so called archive revolution in 1991). A final part writes on contemporary achievement in a global research and on meanings of narrow problems 1936-1938 in a stalinism research in whole. Last word is dedicated to an relations of academia public to changes in terms of an official interpretations of history of stalinism in the Russian Federation.

This paper addresses the question of whether Russia’s role conception changed after the annexation of Crimea. Research on role conceptions has a solid standing within foreign policy analysis, but information on role change and what it is that affects it has not been given the necessary attention. The paper’s theoretical framework contains earlier theoretical definitions of role conceptions and role change. In conjunction with the theoretical approach, process tracing and systematic text analysis with a focus on narratives are used as methodological tools. Relevant findings are then generated through the study of elite-expressions of the Russian master role from, firstly, the period between 2012 and late 2013, and, secondly, 2014. In brief, the results indicate that no major change occurred. Rather the role conception remained stable throughout both sequences. This suggests that the ramifications of the annexation of Crimea did not challenge the Russian master role and that it was not perceived as a crisis by Putin and his colleagues. Moreover, it is possible that role change more likely occurs when exceptional circumstances arise unexpectedly and when they fundamentally challenge ingrained role conceptions.

This study is concerned with how competent mathematics teachers develop pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in statistics teaching. Pedagogical content knowledge was used as the theoretical framework that guided the research and data collection. The study’s methodology consisted of two phases. In the first phase, the six identified mathematics teachers undertook a conceptual knowledge written exercise. The result of this exercise was used to select the best four performing teachers for the second phase of the study. The second phase consisted mainly of lesson observations, interviews, written documents in the form of completed questionnaires, written diaries or reports, document analysis designed to produce rich detailed descriptions of participating teachers’ PCK in the context of teaching statistics concepts at school level. The concept mapping exercise was used to indirectly assess participating teachers’ content knowledge and their conceptions of the nature of school statistics and how it is to be taught. The qualitative data obtained were analysed to try to determine individual teachers’ content knowledge of school statistics, related pedagogical knowledge, knowledge of learners’ conceptions in statistics teaching, knowledge of learners’ learning difficulties as well as how they developed their PCK in statistics teaching. The analysis was done based on iterative coding and categorisation of responses and observations made to identify themes, patterns, and gaps, in school statistics teaching. Commonalities and differences if any, in the PCK profiles of the four participating teachers were also analysed and determined. The results of the study showed that overall, individual teachers develop their PCK in school statistics teaching by: (a) formally developing their knowledge of the subject matter in a formal undergraduate educational programme, as well as subject matter content knowledge during classroom practice; (b) using varied topic-specific instructional skills such as graphical construction skills in teaching statistical graphs; (c) using diagnostic techniques (oral questioning and pre-activity, class discussions and questioning) and a review of previous lessons to introduce lessons, and to determine learners’ preconceptions in statistics teaching ; (d) Using teaching strategies that can help to identify learners’ learning difficulties as well as intervention to address the difficulties; (e) continually updating their knowledge of school statistics by attending content knowledge workshops and other teacher development programmes designed to improve content knowledge and practice. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

Syftet med studien är att öka kunskap om vilka föreställningar elever i årskurs 3 har om teknik och programmering. Studien har utgångspunkt i två frågeställningar: Vilka föreställningar har eleverna om ämnet teknik? Vilka föreställningar har elever om programmering och kopplingen till teknikämnet? Metoden som användes i studien var semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer. Dessa intervjuer videoinspelades och utfördes i fyra fokusgrupper med vardera tre elever. Resultatet av studien visar att elevernas föreställningar om teknik till största del är i relation till fysikämnet. Artefakter, uppfinningar, pyssel och att klippa är ytterligare variationer om hur teknik framställs. Sambandet mellan teknik och programmering är diffust och majoriteten av eleverna hänvisar till matematikämnet. Eleverna har problem att se programmering i ett större sammanhang som en helhet och de ser inte nyttan med att ha kunskaper om programmering som barn. Några av eleverna förklarar däremot programmering som ett verktyg för att effektivisera och förenkla arbetsuppgifter för människan. Sammanfattningsvis ger resultatet en indikation om att lärare behöver synliggöra teknikämnets bredd samt tydliggöra programmeringens samband med teknik. Lärare behöver konkretisera och synliggöra programmering både som en del ur ett större sammanhang och som en helhet för fördjupad förståelse och kunskap så att eleverna aktivt kan delta i vårt nutida och framtida samhälle. / The purpose of the study is to increase knowledge about the conceptions students in grade 3 have about technology and programming. The study is based on two questions: What conceptions do students have about the subject of technology? What ideas do students have about programming and the connection to the technology subject? The method used in the study was semi-structured qualitative interviews. These interviews were videotaped and conducted in four focus groups of three students each. The results of the study show that the students' conceptions of technology are largely related to the subject of physics. Motor and creative elements, artifacts and innovations are further variations on how technology is represented. The connection between technology and programming is diffuse and many students refer to the mathematics subject. Many students have trouble seeing programming from a whole and a context and do not express the benefit of having programming knowledge. The other students explain programming in artifacts is helpful and a way of streamlining work tasks for human. The result gives an indication that teachers need to make visible the breadth of the subject and the role of programming and its connection with technology. The teacher needs to concretize and put programming in connection with different contexts for deepened understanding and knowledge, as the students will be given the conditions necessary to actively participate in our present and future society.