The government and funding bodies encourage researchers to develop their use of technology and related e-Infrastructure to enhance research. Due to the disciplinary nature of research, this study focuses on researchers from non-STEM areas, such as Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business and Law, and aims to understand their experiences of using technology. The study used a phenomenographic approach to map and understand the experiences of 26 experienced researchers from 10 Further and Higher Education institutions in England. Marton and Booth’s extension of subject-object relationship (Piaget, Brentano) and the structure of awareness (Gestalt, Gurwitsch) were used to theorise the data. The findings describe researchers’ experiences of technology use by categorising them in four prominent ways: Irrelevant (in the background of research); Secondary (led by research); Integral (embedded in research); and Informing (complementing research). The thesis maps the outcome space of this phenomenographic analysis and shows that variation in the experiences of using technology amongst these researchers can be understood in terms of their structure of awareness, that is, which critical aspects are in their focus at that particular point. These critical aspects are informed by the way researchers have experienced research, and their experiences of technical support and development. The variations are also related to the subject-object relationship between the researcher and the direct object (technology) as well as between the researcher and the indirect object (aims or benefits). Furthermore, a particular researcher could experience technology use differently depending on these combinations of focus in different situations, and they could move from one way of experiencing to another by being aware of the different ways of experiencing through their peers or professional development programmes. The thesis offers insights into the range of ways in which researchers approach research tasks through the lens of technology use. It makes an original contribution through this description and analysis of the qualitatively varied ways in which researchers experience technology use in their research and the critical aspects that explain these variations. In addition, it makes a methodological contribution in relation to the use of a phenomenographic approach for understanding the issues and questions in the area of researchers’ use of technology.

Despite the laudable inclusive policies in Scotland such as Getting it Right for Every Child and Curriculum for Excellence, it is clear that some young people still do not experience equal access to educational opportunity. With education at its heart, the Capabilities Approach is a theory of social justice that starts with a commitment to the equal dignity of all human beings and focuses on choice or freedom. Offering an alternative means of measuring wellbeing or advantage rather than the traditional measurements such Gross National Product, the Capabilities Approach, particularly Martha Nussbaum’s list of capabilities, is a useful framework to assess how pupils and teachers in Scotland’s schools are faring. Using complementary sociological and philosophical perspectives and a literary thread of fictional characters from texts taught in Scottish schools, this dissertation shows how Scottish educational policies are deeply concerned with social justice and equity. However, there are barriers standing in the way of equal access to educational opportunity for some young people. As well as individual and micro structures addressed by the Capabilities Approach, macro structures in our society also play a role in perpetuating social injustice. A critical sociological perspective enriches the account by considering the economic and political institutions of society: unequal class structures and possession of the various forms of capital; austerity; precarity; the attainment agenda and the deficit ideology. Bourdieu’s notion of the various forms of capital is threaded through the dissertation, highlighting how possession of capital is advantageous to upper and middle class families whereas lack of capital can be disadvantageous to young people from working class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Bourdieu’s theory of habitus illuminates the inherited reproduction of social conditions and how some young people adapt their choices in accordance with what they think is appropriate for them. Oppressive societal structures and lack of agency can influence and disempower young people but there is scant recognition of this in educational policies. Teachers can and do make a difference in young people’s lives and current educational reforms such as Curriculum for Excellence are aimed at achieving better educational outcomes for all children in Scotland. However, teachers too face obstacles in achieving equality of educational opportunity, such as challenges to teacher autonomy, hegemony, crisis discourse and the attainment agenda. I argue that the Capabilities Approach can shed new light on what teachers, school management teams, local authorities and the government need to do in order to work successfully towards educational equality in twenty-first century Scotland.

Introdução - A bactéria Listeria monocytogenes é um agente zoonótico transmitido, principalmente, por alimentos. Dentre as fontes de contaminação, destacam-se os produtos de origem láctea, carnes e embutidos, além dos ambientes da indústria de processamento alimentício. Na última década, foram detectadas cepas de L. monocytogenes e L. innocua, em ambiente de frigoríficos e alimento. Estas apresentavam variação na intensidade da virulência para células eucarióticas decorrente de mutações nos genes de virulência. Esta alteração em ambas as espécies, e o relato de um caso fatal de listeriose humana ocasionada por L. innocua atípica demandam atenção, pois apresentam maior risco à saúde da população exposta a estes ambientes e alimentos tornando-se, portanto, uma importante questão de saúde pública. Objetivo - Pesquisar genes de virulência em cepas de L. monocytogenes e L. innocua, isoladas em pontos da linha de abate suíno e do comércio de carne no Estado de São Paulo. Material e Métodos Foram estudadas 40 cepas, dentre estas, isolados de L. monocytogenes e L. innocua com atividade hemolítica atípica. Foram realizados testes de atividade hemolítica e produção de fosfolipase A para caracterização dos isolados. A detecção dos genes de virulência foi realizada através da reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR). Para confirmação das sequências amplificadas e a análise das mesmas, os fragmentos obtidos foram sequenciados. A identificação molecular das espécies foi realizada por análise filogenética dos genes prs e 16S rRNA. Resultados Dos 40 isolados, cinco de L. monocytogenes e sete de L. innocua apresentaram atividade hemolítica atípica, sendo que nestes últimos também foi observado halo atípico no meio ALOA. As cepas de L. monocytogenes foram positivas para a detecção de todos os genes de virulência estudados. Dois dos isolados atípicos de L. innocua também foram positivos para todos os genes e os outros cinco foram positivos para hly, plcA e inlC. Foram detectadas mutações nas proteínas InlC, InlB, InlA, PI-PLC, PC-PLC e PrfA, nas cepas atípicas, que resultaram em alterações nas suas estruturas secundárias que podem explicar o fenótipo desses isolados. A confirmação de espécie apenas foi alcançada com a análise filogenética do 16S rRNA. Conclusões A partir desses resultados, foi proposta a utilização dos genes prfA, plcB e inlB, como forma de triagem, para diferenciar as espécies L. monocytogenes e L. innocua, de modo a complementar os testes fenotípicos / Introduction - The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a zoonotic agent transmitted, mainly, by food. Among the sources of contamination, stands out dairy products, meat and the environments of food processing industry. In the last decade, strains of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua have been detected in food and slaughterhouses environment. These presented variation in the intensity of virulence to eukaryotic cells due to mutations in the virulence genes. These changes in both species, and the report of a fatal case of human listeriosis caused by atypical L. innocua demand attention, because they present greater risk to the health of the population exposed to these environments and food and, therefore, it is an important public health issue. Objective - To search for the virulence genes in strains of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua isolated in points of swine slaughter line and meat trade in Sao Paulo State. Material and Methods 40 strains were studied, among these, isolates of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua with atypical hemolytic activity. Tests of hemolytic activity and production of phospholipase A were performed for isolates characterization. The detection of virulence genes was performed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For confirmation of the amplified sequences and analysis of the same, the obtained fragments were sequenced. The molecular identification of species was performed by phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and prs genes. Results - Of the 40 isolates, five L. monocytogenes and seven L. innocua showed atypical hemolytic activity, and in these last ones an atypical halo was also observed in ALOA medium. The L. monocytogenes strains were positive for detection of all virulence genes studied. Two atypical L. innocua isolates were also positive for all genes and the other five were positive for hly, plcA and inlC. Mutations in InlC, InlB, InlA, PI-PLC, PC-PLC and PrfA proteins were detected, in the atypical strains, which resulted in changes in their secondary structures that may explain the isolates phenotype. Species confirmation was achieved only with phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA. Conclusions - From these results, it was proposed the use of prfA, plcB and inlB genes as a way of screening, to differentiate the species L. monocytogenes and L. innocua, in order to complement the phenotypic tests

The aim of this research was to find out if a specific model of education for sustainability known as the ‘Whole School Approach’ could apply successfully to formal junior secondary education in Rivers State in Southern Nigeria. The research findings show that, whilst the Whole School Approach is a commendable model for raising awareness about sustainable development, there are challenges in applying it to junior secondary education in Rivers State. These challenges arise because the Whole School Approach assumes certain criteria from formal education, which Rivers State did not meet; such as adequate funding, adequate infrastructure and adequate teacher training. The research used a qualitative, case-study strategy of four junior secondary schools in Rivers State. Methods of data collection were observations in the schools, interviews of teachers and educational policymakers, and focus groups with students at the schools. Data was also drawn from content analysis of Nigerian education policy documents and curricula in the following subject areas: basic science, basic technology, religion and national value and cultural and creative arts. The empirical research is underpinned by a theoretical evaluation of the concept of sustainable development, which shows it is a flexible rather than a fixed idea. And by a critical survey of education for sustainability pedagogies, focussing on a critical analysis of the Whole School Approach in particular. The research contributes to new knowledge in two main ways; first, by evaluating the Whole School Approach in the novel context of Nigerian secondary education; and second, by an empirical investigation into education for sustainability in Nigerian junior secondary schools. The research findings are beneficial to education policymakers in Nigeria, scholars of Nigerian education and to education for sustainability scholarship more widely.

This research compared English and Turkish Cypriot teachers’ pedagogical approaches to using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the classroom and explored differing contexts of ICT use in the two countries. Research methods included self-completed questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and three rounds of a modified Delphi technique aimed at building consensus around what constitutes a model of practice. Two secondary schools in each country participated. Findings highlighted differences in access to resources between ‘good’ and ‘improving’ schools and between Turkish Cypriot and English schools. Access to reliable technology and basic ICT training are identified issues for Turkish Cypriot teachers whilst effective integration of ICT in teaching is identified as a key issue for English teachers. Turkish Cypriot and English teachers differed in their pedagogical approaches but instructivist teaching methods continue to be a major component of teaching in both countries’ schools. The Delphi method proved a useful process to encourage mutual engagement toward shared goals, exploring different contexts of use and building consensus on a model of practice. The consensus building activity suggested some parameters for a model of practice, generated useful lesson plans and proved a potentially useful method for encouraging a sense of joint ownership for professional development in this area.

A purposeful sample of 21 school leaders from the UK and abroad were interviewed about their use of Twitter. The Twitter timelines of these respondents were also analysed. The study was framed around four research questions designed to interrogate the issues surrounding senior leaders' use of Twitter. The data collected pointed towards the growing importance of Twitter as a forum for discussion about a whole gamut of issues related to education and leadership. The research uncovered important ways in which Twitter is being used to supplement, or in some cases replace, traditional modes of professional development. This is seen to have implications for the way leaders' careers evolve over time. A revised model of leadership career progression is proposed. The revised model provides a conceptual framework for charting social media engagement amongst leaders as their careers progress. By systematising social media engagement in this way, the study makes an important contribution to the corpus of knowledge that already exists in relation to social media use in educational settings. Practical implications include, amongst other things, suggested changes to the professional development of leaders and a call to greater awareness of social media amongst leaders themselves.

There has always been a significant interest in the development of leaders not least in the secondary school sector. However, little research exists on how pupils learn about leadership with a STEM focus. This thesis explores the perceived leadership skills and attributes gained when pupils undertake the STEM Leadership Qualification (SLq). The qualification is based on the leadership framework of ‘Personal Capabilities’ (Bianchi, 2002). This study uses a qualitative case study methodology utilising a semi-structured interview method to generate data. Interviews were held between May and July 2011. The findings show that not all ‘Personal Capabilities’ were achieved. The study concludes with seven empirical claims of the findings that are based on; Power, Experiential Learning, Emotional Intelligence, STEM activities, Specific Team Roles, Collaboration and Communication. An emerging theoretical framework is proposed to demonstrate the main conclusions of this study (Figure 5.4). STEM in secondary school education, as detailed in the Literature Review, is a supporting pillar to deliver the SLq programme. The use of activities and enrichment allowed pupils to contextualise leadership skills and attributes to their everyday school life. Thus, making a positive difference in helping them understand some of the principles of leadership but more important than this is potentially growing leaders of the future.

Science education inSouthAfrica is not improving much. Many science educators do not have appropriate science qualifications. Majority of the learners have limited facilities to learn science. In this dilemma the move to OBE may result in further substantial deterioration of science education. Apossible wayout is to usecomputersin science education to facilitate the learning process. This study was designed to investigate how computers contribute to learners’ skills development in a physics course. A series of interactive computer simulations of colour mixing and a number of closely related traditionalpractical activities are aimed to promote learners’ understanding of colour. It was concluded that while computer environments have greater potentialas learning tools, they also limit interactions in significant ways.

A survey carried out during 1998 in rural schools of the South East Region (Butterworth) in the Eastern Cape Province revealed that science teachers do not seem to know their problems in teaching science. Teachers related their problems to lack of apparatus and laboratories. However, it appeared that lack of conceptual understanding of science and of practical skills prevented teachers from preparing practical approaches in the classrooms. Lack of conceptual understanding could have also been the cause of the teacher's inability to innovate and manipulate apparatus. The call for laboratories also seemed to be caused by lack of knowledge of what is done in a laboratory. Practical approaches to science seemed to be further undermined by the irrelevance of apparatus and science in a rural setting, where few community members and teachers might have never used apparatus or done practical exercises anywhere. It is recommended that an integrated approach towards improving science education is required. That is, by means of workshops, all role-players in science education such as teacher training institutions such as Rhodes University, NGOs, the Department of Education and pre-service as well as in-service teachers, should discuss the problems in science education. There is a need to supply basic apparatus and to make sure that in-service and pre-service courses emphasise skills in the use of apparatus, innovating apparatus and practical experiences, along with improving the teacher's conceptual understanding of science. A science college of education is highly recommended to enable a special focus on the plight of science education in the Eastern Cape Province. It also felt that rural areas require special attention in terms of designing outcomes and learning experiences that bear relevance to that environment. The assumption that science education as perceived in industrialised areas can be beneficial everywhere is dangerous and gives science a bad name in rural areas. The survey also showed that triangulation of research instruments is necessary to increase validity and reliability of any research programme. The most useful method appeared to be video recording the interviews.

In March 1997 an indigenous knowledge story was included by the Schools Water Action Project (SWAP)partners in a resource pack for Water Week educational activities. This research developed as the result of an interaction between myself and some of the schools while we investigated water quality within Howick in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands. An interest in understanding the role of indigenous knowledge in/for environmental education developed. Some of the teachers and students involved in the water audit were requested to share their views on the role of indigenous knowledge in/for environmental education. From here the study broadened to also include interviews with elderly community members and environmental educators involved in materials development processes. This post-positivistic case study documents the views of a small sample of interviewees using the SWAP story entitled Sweet Water as a spring board towards a better understanding of indigenous knowledge within the school context, with a particular aim to inform educational materials development processes. The study displayed that a link which exists between indigenous knowledge and environmental education needs to be brought to the fore. This is likely to happen with the blurring of boundaries between home and school as learning contexts, a process which student interviewees emphasised, along with the need for respecting values that award respect to the environment. Elderly community members were of the view that they have a role to play in addressing educational problems such as interpersonal and intercultural respect. However, the study also raised several issues around the complexities surrounding indigenous knowledge processes, including its appropriation, commodification and reification.