The issue of quality education is a critical topic of discussion, for South Africa facing the challenge of implementation amidst a plethora of progressive policies. This research project is undertaken in collaboration with the Curriculum, Evaluation, and Management Centre (CEM) at Durham University in the United Kingdom. The Middle Years Information System (MidYIS) project was developed with the aim of providing schools with information on how learners would perform at the end of two national examinations namely Key Stage 3 and General Certificate in Secondary Education, in addition to providing value-added information. The purpose of the research reported here is to describe the procedures undertaken to explore the feasibility of implementing the MidYIS system in the South African context. The research was guided by two main research questions. The first research main research question is how appropriate is the Middle Years Information System (MidYIS) as a monitoring system in the South African context? The word “appropriate” here interrogates the suitability of the MidYIS system for South Africa looking specifically at validity and reliability issues. This non-experimental study used a mixed methods design, rooted in pragmatism, to explore validity and reliability issues of using MidYIS as a possible monitoring system that would provide a balanced view of the school’s contribution to academic gains made by learners. The sample included in the study ranged from National Department of Education officials (two officials from curriculum and assessment), Provincial Department of Education officials (one mathematics specialist, one language specialist and one specialist from the Gauteng Department of Education Office for Standards in Education), specialists in the field of language, mathematics, and psychology as well as 11 schools. In particular content-related validity (including curriculum validity), construct-related validity, and predictive validity were examined while inferences drawn with regard to reliability were done by means of internal consistency reliability. From a curriculum perspective for content-related validity, it was found that there was moderate curriculum validity for language while inferences drawn for mathematics were substantially stronger. For content-related validity from a psychometric perspective, it was found that there was overlap between the domain of developed abilities and the MidYIS assessment. Construct-related validity was explored by means of Rasch analysis and it was found that items in the MidYIS assessment tend to form well-defined constructs. Predictive validity was explored by means of correlation analysis between the MidYIS assessment and school-based results in language and mathematics. The analysis shows that it could be possible to use the MidYIS assessment for prediction purposes. However, additional research would be needed to explore this facet of validity further with a larger sample and using standardised school-based results. The MidYIS assessment was found to be reliable for the sample as a whole as well as for population groups within the sample. The second main research question extends the first research question. If MidYIS is valid, with South African adaptations, and reliable, then what factors on a school, classroom, and learner-level could have an effect on learner performance. Thus, the second main research question is which factors could have an effect on learner performance and therefore inform the design of the monitoring system? In order to explore factors, multilevel analysis was undertaken on the various levels within the school system namely the principals, mathematics and language educators, as well as learners who completed questionnaires. It was found that four learner-level factors (with whom learners live, mother’s level of education, importance of mathematics and importance of English), one educator level factor (challenges to assessment due to lack of in-service training) and two school-level factors (educators make use of monitoring systems and encouraging academic achievement) seem to have an effect on the performance of learners. / Thesis (PhD (Assessment and Quality Assurance in Education and Training))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

As the Internet and online shopping is growing at a very fast pace worldwide, investigating this phenomenon within a South African context is crucial considering that it is a relatively new trend in this country. Typical of new trends and phenomena is the absence of research already conducted, resulting in a lack of existing literature. Very few studies have examined the factors and reasons that entice South Africans to utilise this modern shopping channel, and even less have used an in-depth, qualitative approach. To assist in filling this void, this research study examines people’s reasons for taking up or not taking up online shopping, from a South African perspective. A snowball sampling method was used to identify participants fitting the predetermined sample criteria and in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with all participants. The theoretical approach used in the analysis was social constructionism. Findings are presented by means of constructions identified during the data analysis, and these indicated that saving time, the convenience of products being increasingly available and accessible and being able to make price comparisons easily are the main advantages of online shopping. Main disadvantages were not being able to touch and feel products, and the absence of a salesperson. Limitations of the research are discussed, along with recommendations for online retailers and future research. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

This work is focused on the choice of further educational path of elementary school pupils, namely pupils of the last year's ninth grade of the elementary school Novoborská. First the theoretical part is devoted to defining the basic concepts, the specifics of the pupils of the ninth classes and subsequently the specific factors that could influence the choice of pupils' secondary school. In this sense, it also deals with the professional orientation of pupils and the system of career counseling in the Czech Republic at the level of basic education. The practical part of this thesis focuses on the process of making decisions of the students of the ninth class about the choice of further educational or professional career through in-depth interviews with individual pupils. It also examines the specific aspects that have entered this decision and the extent to which the choice of the secondary school coincided with their professional orientation. The aim of this work is to approach the issue, to describe the factors that can be the key in transferring pupils from elementary to the secondary school and to identify the specific aspects that most influenced the choice of the secondary school pupils of the last year's ninth grade of elementary school Novoborská.

Thesis "Comparison of the prices of the house in various parts of the city Světlá in 2014 and 2015" deals with the valuation of the selectedhouse. Compared takes place at the usual price and the price determined in different years and by identifying differences in prices in those years. For the year 2014 the calculation methodology used by the Valuation Decree no. 441/2013 coll., and the 2015 Decree no. 441/2013 coll.,as amended by Decree no. 199/ 2014Sb., that previous changes. Valuation is made by a comparative market method and comparative method of valuation decree. In the work is also this house valued by the same methods, but placed in a different location. The result of the practical part is to define the factors that influence the price in terms of other location. Furthermore it is defined how the price influence the.The theoretical part explains the basic important concepts related to pricing. Also approaches valuation methods according to the valuationrules and principles of market valuation.

Diploma thesis deals with price comparison of family house in Brno – Královo Pole between 2015 and 2016. This family house is located near of the town center and then will be as a simulation moved to the outskirts, Brno – Líšeň. House prices are determined by observed price and market value. The task is to find out and evaluate the price differences, dependents to the valuation time and the place. I will make summary of factors that affect these prices.

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

Software development is an area in which companies not only need to keep up with the latest technology, but they additionally need to continuously increase their productivity to stay competitive in the industry. One company currently facing these challenges is Storytel - one of the strongest players on the Swedish audiobook market - with about a fourth of all employees involved with software development, and a rapidly growing workforce. With the purpose of understanding how the Storytel Tech Department is performing, this thesis maps Storytel’s productivity defined through the Four Key Metrics - Deployment Frequency, Delivery Lead Time, Mean Time To Restore and Change Fail Rate. A classification is made into which performance category (Low, Medium, High, Elite) the Storytel Tech Department belongs to through a deep-dive into the raw system data existing at Storytel, mainly focusing on the case management system Jira. A survey of the Tech Department was conducted, to give insights into the connection between human and technical factors influencing productivity (categorized into Culture, Environment, and Process) and estimated productivity. Along with these data collections, interviews with Storytel employees were performed to gather further knowledge about the Tech Department, and to understand potential bottlenecks and obstacles. All Four Key Metrics could be determined based on raw system data, except the metric Mean Time To Restore which was complemented by survey estimates. The generalized findings of the Four Key Metrics conclude that Storytel can be minimally classified as a ‘medium’ performer. The factors, validated through factor analysis, found to have an impact on the Four Key Metrics were Generative Culture, Efficiency (Automation and Shared Responsibility) and Number of Projects. Lastly, the major bottlenecks found were related to Architecture, Automation, Time Fragmentation and Communication. The thesis contributes with interesting findings from an expanding, middle-sized, healthy company in the audiobook streaming industry - but the results can be beneficial for other software development companies to learn from as well. Performing a similar study with a greater sample size, and additionally enabling comparisons between teams, is suggested for future research.

Social class climate in the first grade of the primary school is the topic of my diploma thesis. My work is oriented on the creating and affecting the class climate by a beginner teacher. The theoretical part of my thesis is describing the key concept of class societal climate. Later on, I am describing methods that teachers can use to affect the class societal climate. I have chosen methods of personal and societal education and describing them in detail within the theoretical part. Those methods are described in connection with Framework Education Program of Elementary Education and didactic point of view. In addition, there is a part describing pupils' maturity and their readiness before and after entering school. To be fully oriented in this area, I recognized as a very important thing to also include methods used for collecting information about the status of the class climate. The empirical part of my work incorporates teachers research based on McNiff cyclus. Activities related to Personal and Social Education I divided into separate chapters based on different objectives. For example a first meeting, building relationships, making rules, cooperation, conflict solving and final activities for validating the status of class unification. All different parts of activities are divided to...

Bakgrund: hälsan påverkas av exempelvis arbetsvillkor och individuella levnadsvanor. Fysisk aktivitet främjar fysisk- och psykisk hälsa och fysisk inaktivitet orsakar både fysisk- och psykisk ohälsa. Deltagandet i arbetsplatsbaserade insatser för fysisk aktivitet varierar och delaktighet ses främja deltagande. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur arbetsplatsbaserade insatser för fysisk aktivitets utformning påverkar sannolikheten för medarbetares deltagande samt om det fanns ett samband mellan deltagande och delaktighet i planering av arbetsplatsbaserade insatser för fysisk aktivitet. Metod: en kvantitativ studie med deduktivt angreppssätt genom tvärsnittsdesign har genomförts bland medarbetare i Strängnäs kommun. Urvalet bestod av 71 medarbetare. Sambandet analyserades genom Spearman’s rangkorrelation. Resultat: mindre än hälften av respondenterna har deltagit i insatser. Majoriteten av respondenterna kommer sannolikt delta om aktiviteterna genomförs på arbetstid och delaktighet erbjuds. Resultatet visade ett statistiskt signifikant starkt positivt samband mellan deltagande och delaktighet i planeringen av arbetsplatsbaserade insatser för fysisk aktivitet. Slutsats: majoriteten av respondenterna kommer sannolikt delta om insatsen genomförs på arbetstid, motionsformen är valfri och sker valfri tid. Respondenter som deltar i insatser för fysisk aktivitet ges möjlighet till delaktighet i utformningen. / Background: health is affected by determinants, for example working conditions and individual living habits. Physical activity promotes both physical- and mental health at the same time as physical inactivity causes both physical- and mental illness. Participation in workplace-based interventions for physical activity varies and participation is seen to promote participation in interventions. Aim: the aim of the study was to investigate how workplace-based interventions for physical activity design affect the probability of employees’ participation and whether there was a connection between participation in interventions and participation in the planning of workplace-based interventions for physical activity. Method: a quantitative study with a deductive approach through cross-sectional design has been conducted among employees is Strängnäs municipality. The sample consisted of 71 employees. The relationship was analyzed through Spearman’s rho. Result: less than half of the respondents had participated in any interventions, mostly due to not knowing they existed. Most respondents would probably have participated if the interventions were carried out during working hours and if participation in planning was offered. Furthermore, the result showed a statistic significant strong positive connection between participation in interventions and participation in planning. Conclusion: most of the respondents would probably participate if the intervention were carried out during working hours, type of exercise is optional and takes place at any time. There is a statistic significant strong positive connection between participation in interventions and participation in the planning of workplace-based interventions for physical activity.

The theoretical part of this thesis is focused on the description of individual aspects influencing the real estate business. It covers primarily contracts which appertain to this type of business activities and also other subjects that have a substantial impact on the real estate trade. One part is devoted to the changes of the real estate market after the accession to the European Union. The practical part is focused on the actual process of the real estate trade, both from the seller´s and the buyer´s point of view.