Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Education. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2006. / "A dissertation in urban leadership and policy studies in education and education." Advisor: Joan V. Gallos. Typescript. Vita. Title from "catalog record" of the print edition Description based on contents viewed Jan. 29, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-192). Online version of the print edition.

This study reanalyzed a part of the national data of the responses of 288 students in grades 6 to 8 on the ¡§One-Variable Linear Equation Virtual Situational Test¡¨ collected by Professor Pao-Kuei Wu from August 1, 2001 through July 31, 2003. The analyses were based on the ¡§One-Variable Linear Equation Conceptual Tables¡¨. The results of the analyses are the following. I. The use of variables A. Compared to 7th and 8th graders, 6th graders would first solve the numerical arithmetic and solve the unknown parts next. But if the students could not handle the unknown parts, the 6th graders tended to ignore or even not list the unknown variable in the equations. B. When encountering the unknown situations, most 6th graders are not accustomed to using symbols to represent unknown variables. Instead, they would observe the numerical components first to try to deduce what the unknown variable would be, and proceed from there. Some students would even set up some constants to represent those unknown variables. These results indicate that the 6th graders¡¦ ability to use symbolic representation is still in the beginning stages. C. In the unknown virtual situations, the majority of 7th graders were able to use symbolic representations. However, most of them would use pictorial representations such as ¡¼, instead of alphabetical representations such as x, y and z. Moreover, many students use the same symbols to represent different variables; this shows that although the 7th graders know to use symbols to represent unknown variables, they still are not able to fully comprehend unknown variables. Hence, the 7th graders¡¦ ability to use symbolic representation is in the transitional stage. D. When encountering unknown virtual situations, the majority of the 8th graders would able to use the numerical symbols such as x, y and z to represent the unknown variables. The frequency of using pictorial representations such as ¡¼ becomes less and less, and the tendency to use the same symbols to represent different variables is decreasing. All these indicate that the 8th graders¡¦ development of the concept of unknown variables is maturing. II. The concept of problem solving A. The 6th graders¡¦ ability to use symbolic representation is still in the beginning stages: 1. They only deal with the simple part; for the more complicated part, they chose to ignore. 2. Due to their immature development of symbol representation, when encountering the two variable linear equation problems, they even do not have the ability to write the ¡¥complete¡¦ equation, not to mention to solve the equations. B. The 7th graders¡¦ ability to use symbolic representation is in the transitional stage: 1. Compared to the 6th graders, the 7th graders are more able to draw relationships among the different components of the problem. 2. The fact that the substantially decreasing proportion of 7th graders conceiving the unknown variable as a certain numeric compared with 6th graders means that the 7th graders have deeper recognition of unknown variables. 3. When encountering ¡¥simple¡¦ two-variable linear equation virtual situations, some 7th graders can translate at least one condition into an equation. This result shows that the 7th graders have developed some ability to translate the conditions embedded in the virtual situation into some equations. But when the situation gets more complicated, due to conception immaturity of solving two equations simultaneously, the 7th graders either solve each equation independently, or mess up and tangle the clues of all the conditions together. Moreover, they would use the same symbol to stand for different variables. C. The 8th graders¡¦ development of the concept of unknown variables is maturing: 1. Most of the 8th graders can use the clues of all the conditions in the virtual situation in a sufficient way. 2. Only a few 8th graders would use the same symbol to stand for different variables during their problem-solving procedure. This result indicates that the ability to use the symbolic way to represent unknown variables is more mature among the 8th grade students. 3. When encountering two-variable linear equation virtual situations, the 8th graders can formulate two independent equations and solve them simultaneously. This result shows that the 8th grade students possess more profound skills to solve two-variable linear equations. III. Proportion of answering questions correctly: In general, for simpler virtual problems, there does not exist many differences among grades. Whereas, for the more difficult virtual problems, the 8th graders outperform the 7th graders, and the 7th graders, in turn, outdo the 6th grade students.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate and further the understanding of the interaction between law, technology and society. My original contribution to this understanding lies in an account and analysis of the process of emergence (or potential emergence) of new legal concepts and of how new and developing technologies and social responses influence that process. Specifically, the work focuses on identity, which I argue is a currently emerging legal concept, and the ways in which identity, variously understood, is impacted by new technologies and changes in the social landscape, what those impacts on identity might be, and the relationship of those changes to the representation (or otherwise) of identity in law. In the literature looking at law and technology and the legal responses to the issues of regulating technology, I critique the conceptualisation of law as “lagging behind” novel advances in technology. By drawing upon work in philosophy of technology, sociology and science and technology studies it is argued that emerging technologies have a modulating effect upon social values and moralities and that equally the modulation of society by technology and the complex dynamics of social change or resistance may also have an impact upon the law itself. In turn developments in law may be part of the ongoing process of the identification, conceptualisation, recognition and contestation over specific social issues and the way in which they should be addressed. Such dynamics and conflicts can lead to the shifting of accountability regimes and the recognition of new values, harms and interests and their own conceptualisation and justification. Studying the emergence of new legal concepts provides a link in to understanding this mutual coproducing relationship between law/regulation, technology and society. My approach to this study seeks to better understand the factors that precipitate formal recognition in law of specific concepts, an aspect of legal development that is not well considered by the existing literature in law and that in Science and Technology Studies (STS). In so doing it contributes a novel conceptualisation of an “emerging legal concept” and a conceptual analysis of identity as an emerging legal concept specifically as currently modulated by novel biotechnologies.

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Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie is onderneem om te bepaal watter determinante 'n rol speel in die beroepsbevrediging van grondvlak maatskaplike werkers en watter gehalte van die werksleweprogramme benut kan word om dit aan te spreek. Tydens die empiriese fase van die studie is 'n vraelys aan die maatskaplike werkers van die Vereniging vir Liggaamlike Gestremdes (streek Wes-Kaap) gesirkuleer waarin aannames oor beroepsbevrediging en gehalte van die werkslewe getoets is. Die response bevestig 'n hoer arbeidsomset as die gemiddelde, 'n behoefte aan billike en regverdige vergoedingspakkette, bevorderingsgeleenthede, 'n werksomgewing wat werksekuriteit bied en 'n gebrek aan inspraak in die leierskap en bestuurstyl van welsynsorganisasies. Die rol wat die supervisor kan speel figureer sterk sowel as die behoefte aan gehalte van die werksleweprogramme soos, deelnemende bestuur, sensitiwiteitsopleiding, doelwitbestuur en spanwerk. Enkele aanbevelings vvord aan administrateurs en supervisors gemaak oor die uitbou van maatskaplike werkers se beroepsbevrediging en die benutting van gehalte van die werksleweprogramme sodat arbeidsomset bekamp en koste-effektiwitet verhoog kan word. / This study was undertaken to establish which determinants play a role in the job satisfaction of direct service social workers and what quality of worklife programmes can be utilised to address the problem. During the empirical phase of the study, a questionnaire was circulated to social workers of the Association for the Physically Disabled, Western Cape, in which suppositions regarding job satisfaction and quality of worklife was tested. Responses confirmed the need for fair remuneration packages, promotion opportunities, job security, a high labor turnover and a lack of participation in the management of welfare organisations. The role of the supervisor figures strongly. Quality of worklife programmes such as participatory management, sensitivity training, management by objectives and teamwork are needed. Suggestions are made to administrators and supervisors concerning the development of job satisfaction and the utilisation of quality of worklife programmes to control labour turnover and improve cost effectiveness. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werkrigting)

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie is onderneem om te bepaal watter determinante 'n rol speel in die beroepsbevrediging van grondvlak maatskaplike werkers en watter gehalte van die werksleweprogramme benut kan word om dit aan te spreek. Tydens die empiriese fase van die studie is 'n vraelys aan die maatskaplike werkers van die Vereniging vir Liggaamlike Gestremdes (streek Wes-Kaap) gesirkuleer waarin aannames oor beroepsbevrediging en gehalte van die werkslewe getoets is. Die response bevestig 'n hoer arbeidsomset as die gemiddelde, 'n behoefte aan billike en regverdige vergoedingspakkette, bevorderingsgeleenthede, 'n werksomgewing wat werksekuriteit bied en 'n gebrek aan inspraak in die leierskap en bestuurstyl van welsynsorganisasies. Die rol wat die supervisor kan speel figureer sterk sowel as die behoefte aan gehalte van die werksleweprogramme soos, deelnemende bestuur, sensitiwiteitsopleiding, doelwitbestuur en spanwerk. Enkele aanbevelings vvord aan administrateurs en supervisors gemaak oor die uitbou van maatskaplike werkers se beroepsbevrediging en die benutting van gehalte van die werksleweprogramme sodat arbeidsomset bekamp en koste-effektiwitet verhoog kan word. / This study was undertaken to establish which determinants play a role in the job satisfaction of direct service social workers and what quality of worklife programmes can be utilised to address the problem. During the empirical phase of the study, a questionnaire was circulated to social workers of the Association for the Physically Disabled, Western Cape, in which suppositions regarding job satisfaction and quality of worklife was tested. Responses confirmed the need for fair remuneration packages, promotion opportunities, job security, a high labor turnover and a lack of participation in the management of welfare organisations. The role of the supervisor figures strongly. Quality of worklife programmes such as participatory management, sensitivity training, management by objectives and teamwork are needed. Suggestions are made to administrators and supervisors concerning the development of job satisfaction and the utilisation of quality of worklife programmes to control labour turnover and improve cost effectiveness. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Maatskaplike Werkrigting)