The existing curriculum for piano lessons in West Malaysia is over-reliant on the syllabi of foreign examination boards resulting in a fragmentary curriculum which denies the student access to a wider range of musical experiences. The aim of the study was to identify and suggest solutions to problems by analysing the teaching approaches of piano teachers and to determine if there are elements which are lacking in the lessons. It also aimed to provide solutions by establishing a theoretical framework for effective piano teaching with optimal lesson plans. This study made use of mixed methods research design. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data collection was by self-structured questionnaires. In addition, interviews were conducted for the qualitative component of this study. Twenty-five piano teachers with between one to twenty years of teaching experience were randomly selected to participate in the survey. A further fifteen interviews were conducted with teachers who were selected from the participants of the survey by purposive sampling. Interpretative phenomenology analysis was used to analyse the interviews in an effort to gain a better understanding of the nature and quality of the piano teaching in West Malaysia. The study finds that having piano examinations with regularity, usually on a yearly basis, has largely dominated the curriculum with examination requirements and has resulted in several elements being missing or absent in a typical lesson. Hence the situation is clearly not ideal as lessons are too examination oriented. Furthermore, students are generally not exposed to sufficient opportunities to display their skills and musical achievements. These findings suggest that Western classical piano music can be taught more effectively in West Malaysia if teachers re-think their approach to teaching in terms of planning for an optimal lesson. This would involve having both long-term and short–term goals in which a variety of strategies and important elements are incorporated seamlessly using the “simultaneous learning” approach advocated by Harris, Crozier and Ley. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Music / unrestricted

Hintergrund und Zielstellung: Im Zuge der Intensivierung der Schweinemast kommen Atemwegsinfektionen und deren klinische Auswirkungen auf die Tiere, in Verbindung mit möglichen Wechselwirkungen zu den Umgebungsfaktoren, eine entscheidende Bedeutung für die Tiergesundheit und Wirtschaftlichkeit der Betriebe zu. Daher war es Ziel dieser Arbeit, unter Feldbedingungen festzustellen, inwieweit Korrelationen zwischen Parametern des Stallklimas, dem Nachweis potentiell pathogener Infektionserreger des Respirationstraktes, klinischem Befund der Tiere, dem Lungenbefund am Schlachtband und den Leistungsfaktoren bestehen. Material und Methoden: Über den Zeitraum von einem Jahr wurden fünf Schweinemastbetriebe in Thüringen, mit Betriebsgrößen im Bereich von 2480 bis 22 000 Mastplätzen hinsichtlich Tiergesundheit, insbesondere der Atemwegsgesundheit und Stallklima untersucht. Betriebskenndaten über Stallbau, Belegungsdichte, Lüftungs- und Heiztechnik sowie Fütterungs, -Tränke- und Impfregime wurden aufgenommen. Für die Untersuchungen wurden pro Betrieb zwei Abteile ausgewählt. Dabei lagen die betriebsabhängigen Abteilgrößen zwischen 159 bis 751 Tieren. In diesen Abteilen wurden bei einer Stichprobengröße von zehn Tieren in zwei Mastperioden, Sommer und Winter, zu jeweils drei Zeitpunkten (Vormast, Mittelmast und Endmast) 840 Blutproben entnommen und bezüglich der lungenpathogenen Erreger PRRSV, PCV 2, SIV sowie APP untersucht. PRRSV und PCV 2 betreffend, wurde sowohl auf Virus mittels in house-PCR-Untersuchungen gepoolter Proben, als auch serologisch auf Antikörper mittels ELISA untersucht. Für den Erreger SIV erfolgte eine serologische Untersuchung auf Antikörper mittels HAH sowie für APP mittels ELISA. Des Weiteren kam es in den entsprechenden Abteilen zur Durchführung stallklimatischer Messungen, wobei die Stallklimaparameter Lufttemperatur, Relative Luftfeuchte, Luftgeschwindigkeit sowie die Beleuchtungsstärke mithilfe von Geräten der Firma Testo sowie die Konzentrationen von CO2, O2, NH3und H2S mithilfe eines Multiwarn-Mehrgasmessgeräts der Firma Dräger ermittelt wurden. Gleichzeitig erfolgte eine klinische Befunderhebung in den Gruppen, mit der Bildung eines Klinikscores mit Schwerpunkt Lungengesundheit, sowie die Aufnahme der Leistungsparameter: durchschnittliche tägliche Zunahme, Mortalität der Gruppe und dem Tierbehandlungsindex, aus denen ein Leistungsscore ermittelt wurde. Im Zuge der Schlachtung wurden 9921 Schlachtkörper, insbesondere das Geschlinge und die Lungen, makroskopisch beurteilt und daraus ein modifizierter Organboniturscore, auf Grundlage des Organbefundindex nach Blaha gebildet. Alle Score-Bewertungen erfolgten nach Punkten und gaben somit eine Aussage zum Tiergesundheitsstatus der Betriebe. Höhere Punktzahlen entsprachen einem schlechterem Gesundheits- bzw. Leistungsstatus. Somit konnten Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Ergebnissen der Blutuntersuchungen, den Stallklimaparametern, dem Klinik- und Leistungsscore sowie dem Organboniturscore mittels statistischer Auswertung hergestellt werden, wobei die einzelnen Bestände sowohl betriebsübergreifend als auch auf Bestandsebene untersucht wurden. Aufgrund durchgeführter Umbaumaßnahmen in drei Beständen wurde ein Vergleich alter und neuer Betriebsteile in die Betrachtungen mit einbezogen. Ergebnisse: Keiner der Betriebe wies eine vollständige Erregerfreiheit auf, was für die endemische Verbreitung der Infektionserreger, insbesondere PRRSV, PCV 2 sowie APP spricht. SIV wurde lediglich in einem Bestand nachgewiesen. Serokonversionen hinsichtlich PRRSV gingen signifikant mit vermehrtem Husten der Tiere (p = 0,027) und einer höheren klinischen Gesamtpunktzahl (p = 0,016) einher. Bei Virusnachweis zeigte sich mit p = 0,047 eine signifikant schlechtere Lungengesundheit. Hinsichtlich des Stallklimas bestand für die Parameter Temperatur, Relative Luftfeuchte, CO2 Gehalt sowie den Schadgasgehalten der Stallluft ein starker Bezug zu den unterschiedlichen Mastperioden Sommer und Winter, mit vorrangig schlechteren Werten in der Winterperiode. Diese Klimaparameter lagen oftmals über den Grenz- bzw. Regelwertbereichen, mit Auswirkungen auf die Atemwegsgesundheit. Mit Ausnahme des Parameters NH3 ergaben sich bestandsübergreifend mit p ≤ 0,01 signifikante Zusammenhänge zu den klinischen Befunden (höhere Teilpunkzahlen Lungengesundheit korrelieren mit ρ = 0,250 zum CO2-sowie mit ρ = 0,222 zum H2S-Gehalt der Stallluft, negativ mit ρ = −0,396 zur Temperatur) sowie NH3 inbegriffen (mit einer Korrelation von ρ = 0,401) zu den Pneumoniebefunden. Ebenfalls bestandsübergreifend zeigte sich ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen der Infektion von APP (p = 0,038) sowie PRRSV (p = 0,001) und einer erhöhten Anzahl an Pleuritiden. Des Weiteren zeigten sich mit einer Signifikanz von p ≤ 0,01 in Verbindung mit verstärkten klinischen Symptomen auch signifikant mehr makroskopisch sichtbare Pneumonien bei der Schlachtung (Korrelation der Gesamtpunktzahl Klinik mit ρ = 0,297). Bestandsabhängig wurden beim Vorhandensein multipler Erregerspektren im Betrieb erhöhte Lungenbefunde ermittelt. Beziehungen der Klima- und Klinikparameter sowie der Lungenbefunde zu den Leistungsparametern, konnten nur in geringem Maße festgestellt werden. So wurden beispielsweise keine Korrelationen zwischen den Schadgasparametern und der durchschnittlichen Masttagszunahme festgestellt. Hier scheint der genetische Aspekt einen starken Einfluss zu besitzen. Schlussfolgerungen: Anhand der Untersuchungen konnten sowohl einzelbetrieblich als auch betriebsübergreifend Signifikanzen zwischen den einzelnen Parametern festgestellt werden. Die gegenseitige Beeinflussung und Abhängigkeit aller Faktoren ist jedoch immer herdenabhängig und variiert, je nach Bestandsdynamik.

Bibliography: p. [331]-349. / This exploratory study was conducted against the background of immediate post-apartheid South Africa in which the social upliftment and improvement of living conditions of all South Africans is regarded as of the highest priority. In a science- and technology-orientated world, science and technology is inextricably linked to this process. The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the level of scientific literacy of matriculants entering tertiary education in the Western Cape for the first time; (b) to describe patterns of scientific literacy levels with respect to selected demographic and other student background variables; and (c) to ascertain which student background variables appear to have the most influence in determining whether matriculants are scientifically literate or not. A survey was deemed to be appropriate for answering the above research questions. Underpinning the study was the development of a pool of scientific literacy test-items, from which a criterion-referenced, reliable, valid, and composite scientific literacy test instrument - the Test of Basic Scientific Literacy - could be constructed.

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the relationship between the Advanced Placement Calculus AB exam and student achievement in college level Math 1710-Calculus I. The review of literature shows that this possible relationship is based on Alexander Astin's longitudinal input-environment-outcome (I-E-O) model. The I-E-O model was used to analyze the relationship between the input and outcome of the two variables. In addition, this quantitative study determined the relationship between a score of 3 or lower on the Advanced Placement Calculus AB exam and student achievement in college level Math 1710-Calculus I. The sample population of this study contained 91 students from various high schools in Texas. Spearman's rank correlation revealed there was a statistically significant relationship between Advanced Placement Calculus AB exam scores and final grades in Math 1710-Calculus I.

This dissertation includes three essays that examine the potential of policies, interventions, and curricula in improving transitions to four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. The first essay provides a novel investigation of New York City’s adoption of SAT School Day (SSD), which provides universal access to college entrance exams for high school juniors. I examine the causal impact of the policy on SAT taking and four-year college enrollment patterns for the first three post-policy cohorts. Using a two-way fixed effects differences-in-differences (DID) model, I find that the SSD policy increases SAT-taking rates by 20% but has little impact on four-year enrollment. These findings suggest that increased college entrance test participation alone is not sufficient to increase enrollment to four-year colleges. The second essay provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 studies on the causal impact of late pre-college advising interventions, which I refer to as LPCAIs. LPCAIs aim to connect juniors and seniors with pre-college advisors to guide them through the complex college application process. The studies use experimental and quasi-experimental designs to identify the causal effect of LPCAIs on postsecondary enrollment outcomes for historically underrepresented students. I find that the offer of an LPCAI, on average, increases postsecondary enrollment and improves institutional choices. However, the in-person advising format accounts for nearly all of the positive impact derived from LPCAIs. Several implications of these findings are discussed, particularly in the context of COVID-19. The third chapter presents a correlational study that uses transcript data from a statewide community college system to estimate how well GPA, credit accumulation, and course taking at community college predict upward transfer and baccalaureate completion. While GPAs and credit accumulation rates in all academic branches are strong, positive predictors of transfer, GPAs in humanities are significantly more predictive of transfer compared to GPAs in non-humanities branches. GPAs and successful credit accumulation rates in humanities courses are also associated with greater likelihoods of baccalaureate completion, conditional on transfer. However, humanities courses are equally valid predictors of baccalaureate completion as courses in other academic branches. In contrast to strong academic performance, taking more courses in humanities, although associated with greater likelihoods of vertical transfer, is associated with lower likelihoods of baccalaureate completion. Taken together, these essays contribute to our understanding of approaches to improve transitions to four-year colleges and universities. They also highlight the importance of academic preparation and advising within transitional pathways.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Clinical nursing faculty members often work with students who underperform in the clinical area. Underperforming students are those who exhibit deficits in nursing knowledge, the application of nursing knowledge, psychomotor skills, motivation, and/or interpersonal skills. The outcomes of faculty work with underperforming students have implications for patient safety and the nursing workforce, yet little is known about how faculty work with underperforming students. The purpose of this project was to develop a theoretical framework that describes how clinical faculty work with underperforming students in the clinical area. Twenty-eight nursing faculty who had worked with underperforming nursing students during clinical rotations were interviewed and invited to tell stories about working with these students. Their narratives were analyzed using constant comparison analysis, and a theoretical framework was developed. The framework included three stages that unfolded as faculty worked with underperforming students over time. The first stage, Being Present, was the process by which faculty came to know students were underperforming. They did this by noticing red flags, taking extra time with students, working side-by-side with students, and connecting with students "where they were at." The second stage, Setting a New Course, was the process by which faculty attempted to provide remedial experiences to improve the performance of those students determined to be underperforming. The participants did this by beginning a new course of instruction for the students, bringing in new people to help the students, and creating new learning experiences for them. This process could result in students turning it [their performance] around, making it through [the clinical rotation], or not making it. The final stage, Being Objective, was the process by which participants made negative progression decisions. They did this by relying on objective indices, documenting problematic student behaviors, and obtaining validation for their decisions.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition affecting millions, continues to rise in epidemic proportions. Type 2 diabetes, managed through lifestyle changes, affects the entire family. Family caregivers provide vital support to these individuals; however, little research has been conducted surrounding the perceived difficulty or ease of caregiver activity and supportive behaviors. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop and psychometrically test a scale that measures this difficulty or ease of activities and behaviors. This was accomplished through the compilation of three distinct manuscripts. First, an integrative review was conducted to identify what is known regarding needs and concerns of family caregivers of persons with type 2 diabetes; findings revealed a need for more research. Then, based on these recommendations, a qualitative study was conducted that explored the needs and concerns identified by 33 American Indian, African American, and White family caregivers. All these caregivers had similar concerns related to needing general diabetes information, providing support to the family member, and taking care of their own health. Study themes were used to develop items for a new instrument, the Diabetes Caregiver Activity and Support Scale (D-CASS) that was psychometrically tested with 101 American Indian, African American, and White family caregivers of persons with type 2 diabetes. This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational design and provided evidence of internal consistency reliability (α = .82) and two-week test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .70) for the D-CASS. Criterion-related validity was established using a single-item criterion measuring overall how easy or difficult it was for caregivers to provide care for their loved ones (r = .65, p < .01). Unidimensionality was supported by factor analysis, with loadings ranging from .45 to .70, with 32% of the variance explained by the first factor (eigenvalue = 4.02). Model testing through a series of three hierarchical multiple regressions guided by a conceptual model provided further evidence of construct validity for the D-CASS. This dissertation provided better understanding of needs and concerns of family caregivers of persons with type 2 diabetes and led to the development of a psychometrically sound diabetes-specific instrument for future research.

This ex post facto study sought to examine: the efficacy of Mosby's Assess Test as a valid predictor of NCLEX (National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Examination) scores; significant correlations among semester averages, semester tests failed, Nelson Denny Reading Test scores, and NCLEX scores; and differences in NCLEX outcomes in relation to ethnicity, age, and prior practical nursing licensure for 558 associate degree nursing graduates who wrote the NCLEX in 1983 and 1984. Significant positive relationships were found among Mosby scores, Nelson Denny scores, semester averages, and NCLEX scores. A significant negative relationship was found between number of semester tests failed and NCLEX scores. The mean NCLEX score of older graduates was higher than the mean NCLEX score of younger graduates. LPN graduates had a higher mean NCLEX score than non-LPN graduates. White graduates' mean NCLEX score was greater than the average score for black graduates. Combined predictor variables which yielded the best estimate of the criterion variable (NCLEX scores) for all graduates included mean semester average, Mosby scores, age above thirty-three, and Nelson Denny scores, respectively. The most important predictor of black graduates' NCLEX success was prior practical nursing licensure. Other significant predictors for black graduates' NCLEX success were mean semester average, Mosby scores, mean number of semester tests failed, age above thirty-three, and Nelson Denny scores, respectively. Mean semester average, mean score of the Mosby test, mean number of semester tests failed, and age above thirty-three were the most significant predictors of white graduates' NCLEX success. Older graduates had a higher mean Mosby score, a higher mean semester average, and failed fewer semester tests than younger graduates. The study results will be of interest to nurse educators and counselors who are concerned with curricular revision, student counseling, and remediation procedures as these relate to enhancement of graduates' potential for success on the NCLEX.

In this research, an attempt is made to evaluate the music program of a typical high school in terms of its contribution to the development of pupils who show evidence of possessing musical talent. One of the aims of modern education is to help pupils develop emotional stability, desirable attitudes, and worthy ideals. In other words, the purpose is to teach pupils to feel, as well as to know and do. Music can be powerful force in fulfilling this aim. The purpose of this report is to apply the results of the Pitch and Tonal Memory tests of the Seashore Measures of Musical Talent and the results of the Kuder Preference Record to the building of a Program Music in Borger High School.

No description available.