The present study sets out to evaluate the effectiveness of a dynamic approach to aptitude testing. It was proposed that it is not always appropriate to use conventional aptitude tests to predict future academic success in the South African context. The study posited the belief that an alternative testing format could be facilitated by using a test-train-test procedure within a learning potential paradigm. The learning potential paradigm as formulated through Vygotskian and Feuersteinian theory is operationalised in the form of a Newtest Battery. The Newtest procedure is in direct contrast to traditional approaches to aptitude testing. The latter approaches both implicitly and explicitly adopt a static view of ability, whereas the Newtest approach focuses on the learning potential of the testee, as well as consequent performance. However, the assessment of learning potential poses problems of its own. Modifications were introduced to ensure that the Newtest format is both appropriate and psychometrically defensible. The construction and evaluation of the Newtest Battery is described. A sample of both advantaged and disadvantaged students were tested on a battery of traditional aptitude tests. This group of students was contrasted with another sample of both advantaged and disadvantaged students who undertook the Newtest Battery in the modified dynamic testing format. The traditional measures of aptitude were found to be invalid predictors of university success. Matric results showed a relationship with academic success for both groups. The Newtest measures enhanced the prediction of academic success for both advantaged and disadvantaged students. The Deductive Reasoning dynamic measure was found to be a valid predictor of university success for the disadvantaged students. The results thus successfully extend the learning potential paradigm into the realm of group aptitude testing. The validity of traditional aptitude test measures has been brought into question by the findings of the study. The study points the way forward to a more equitable and relevant aptitude testing procedure. Finally, it was shown that the testing environment forms part of the socio-educational context. Personnel involved in the administration of aptitude tests are given guidelines \vi th the aim of equalising the test process. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This theses focuses on the issue of study of foreigners from formal Soviet Union in the Czech Republic. The goal of this work is to analyse and evaluate steps on the student's journey from initial idea to study in the Czech Republic, through main obstacles that need to be overcome in the process to basic requirements and necessities that need to be fulfilled. These issues were analyzed in eight connected chapters, six theoretical and two practical. Results of the practical part uncover the most problematic areas a foreign student encounters during the study at the college in the Czech Republic. The paper also includes suggested solutions to these problems.

This thesis deals with uniform maths entrance examination for secondary school studies in education fields with a graduate exam. Thus, all primary school pupils applying for this form of secondary education will take the same tests prepared by Centre for Results in Education. The work includes an analysis of pupil's solutions of selected problematic tasks. A significant proportion of the tested pupils were found to have difficulties in dealing with the selected tasks. The last part of the work contains a collection of tasks that was created on the bases of the results obtained when testing pupils.

本研究的主要目的在試圖提出一個架構，說明臺灣升大學重考生的情緒困擾問題，並描述出在此問題上，社會教化內容可能扮演的角色。經由文獻探討自我信念與情緒困擾間的關連，以及社會文化對個人情緒困擾的可能影響方式，研究者提出了「情緒困擾之整合性概念架構」作為說明重考生情緒困擾問題的起點，此架構主張：覺察自我落差導致了人們的情緒痛苦，而社會價值觀念不但形塑了人們的外在評價壓力，社會教化的內容也會經由影響個人的自我信念（含導引自我標準、預期自我信念及實際自我信念），對人們的情緒與行為產生重要的影響。 本研究的主要研究對象為：台北市某著名升大學補習班的197位重考生，其中121位為高中升大學重考生，其餘76位為高職升大學重考生。研究的工具除了Rosenberg自尊量表（RSE）、貝氏憂鬱量表（BDI）以及症狀檢核表焦慮分量表（SCL-A）外，還包括自行編製的「自我期許問卷」（可得到受測者所填寫的導引自我標準，以及他在這些標準上自評的各項自我落差量及落差覺察頻率），以及課業自我落差評量。 實徵研究的方法和結果可分為幾個部分，分別說明臺灣升大學重考生情緒困擾問題的不同面向： (一) 在情緒困擾相關評量上，對重考生及其他同齡學生（高三學生和大一學生）的狀況進行調查與比較，以巨觀描繪出臺灣升大學重考生的情緒困擾問題。研究結果發現：重考生較其他同齡學生具有更高的憂鬱和焦慮，而在自我落差評量方面，他們具有較高的自我落差覺察頻率，以及較大的課業自我落差量。 (二) 以大學生及重考生樣本，實徵檢驗自我落差量及其覺察頻率是否能有效預測人們的情緒困擾狀況，以瞭解本研究所提出來的概念架構是否可以用來說明臺灣學生的情緒困擾問題。研究結果顯示：學生的自尊、憂鬱以及焦慮都可以由一些自我落差評量有效解釋，然而由於重考生所具有的一些特質，使得自我落差評量對於重考生組內差異的解釋力多數比它們在大一樣本中為。 (三) 對高中升大學重考生的導引自我標準進行內容分析，以檢視社會教化內容與個人導引自我標準間的關連。由內容分析的結果可以發現：重考生的導引自我標準受到社會教化內容很大的影響（特別是升學觀念的社會教化），因此重考生的導引自我標準並不是散亂地分佈，絕大多數的項目可群集為二十一個類目，至於其餘的項目則是少見且較不具重要性的。 (四) 依據前述內容分析的結果，分析升學在臺灣社會中可能具有的社會心理意涵，並探索性地描繪重考生的心理處境。由內容分析發現：重考生的導引 自我標準包含很多與升學有關的價值觀（至少佔 46 %），由於這些價值觀在重考生群體中的普遍性與重要性，本研究將它們統合成一個整體結構，推論出升學在臺灣社會中可能具有的六種社會心理意涵：(1)「受高等教育，以取得謀職、營生的優勢」；(2)「具有豐富的學識，前途看好」；(3)「享受自 由學風，拓展自我潛能」；(4)「表現出眾，讓人看得起」；(5)「善盡本分，能榮顯父母師長」；(6)「戰勝自己，達成對自己的期許」。 在上述的整體結構中，由於「順利升學，取得文憑」居於最為核心的地位，因此重考生對於自我的評價普遍會受到他們對自己升學表現的預期很大的影響。「升學在臺灣社會中可能具有的社會心理意涵」與「個別重考生的心理處境」兩者之間的關係，彷彿就是「完整的圖像」與「殘缺的圖像複製品」兩者之間的關係，儘管複製不可能完美，使得後者在顏色上可能會比原圖較像 濃或是較淡，在色調上可能會比原圖像較為明朗或是更為陰鬱，然而，它們之間的共同點是，後者都可以在前者上面找到它相對應的部分（但僅為圖像的局部），使得個別重考生的心理處境與集體的社會升學觀念間，即使存在著許多表象的差異，但它們之間至少仍保有一種「理解的可滲透性」。 最後，本研究除了根據研究所得的結果，說明研究結果的意義並提出一些後續研究建議外，也討論了臺灣的升學主義解構運動，主張欲有效解決升學主義下臺灣的教育問題，需經歷一種「進步的問題轉換」，方能有效突破臺灣在教育改革中所面臨到的瓶頸。

在評量學生的寫作能力時，通常採用直接測驗。然而，四技二專統一入學測驗英文專業考科卻採用間接測驗，來評量應用外語科學生的英文寫作能力。本研究旨在檢視專業考科之效力，並研究如何改進現行的考試方式。 為了達成該研究目的，119位應用外語科三年級學生參與本研究。本研究間接測驗試題採用四技二專統一入學測驗英文專業考科，直接測驗試題採用看圖寫作，以檢視專業考科與直接寫作成績之間的相關性。此外本研究使用問卷以調查學生對直接與間接寫作測驗的看法。 結果顯示，專業考科與看圖寫作之間呈現中度相關，表示該專業考科在某種程度上，能顯示出受試者的直接寫作能力。在四個大題中，段落組成及段落語意不連貫句子挑選與看圖寫作呈現中度相關，因此，這兩個大題較能顯示出受試者的直接寫作能力。 然而，問卷調查結果發現，受試者運用篇章結構的知識來完成間接測驗。但是，卻沒有運用相同的概念於直接測驗中。此種現象可能是因為傳統的寫作教學方式著重在文法分析及單字教學。因此，四技二專統一入學測驗的英文專業考科應同時施測直接與間接測驗，以期對英文寫作教學產生正面的回衝效應。 / Direct writing assessment is usually employed to evaluate students’ writing proficiency. However, the Technological and Vocational Education (TVE) Joint College Entrance Exam adopts indirect writing assessment to assess students from Department of Applied Foreign Languages (DAFL) in English Professional Subject (EPS). The purpose of the present paper is to examine the effectiveness of the EPS indirect writing test and how the current practice can be improved. For serving the purpose, a total of 119 third-year DAFL students participated in the study. The researcher uses indirect writing assessment, the EPS indirect writing test, and direct writing assessment, a picture writing task, as the testing instruments to examine the correlation between the two writing measures. Moreover, questionnaires are used to investigate the participants’ perceptions of the two writing tasks. Results indicated that the EPS multiple-choice writing test and the picture writing task exhibited a moderate correlation, suggesting the indirect test could, at least in part, serve as a good indication of the students’ writing competence in direct writing. Results also showed that sentence insertion (SI) and sentence deletion (SD), among the four subtests, moderately correlated with the direct writing task. The two subtests could thus be depended on as a better indication of the participants’ direct writing proficiency. Nevertheless, questionnaire findings displayed that the students applied discourse-level knowledge in the indirect test. Nonetheless, the same concept was not applied to the direct task probably because of the traditional teaching approach to English writing, focusing on grammar analysis and vocabulary teaching. Therefore, the two writing tasks should be combined in the entrance exam to produce positive washback effect on writing instruction.

Alors que dans les sociétés de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, le mariage représente traditionnellement le point de départ de la séquence des événements démographiques associés à la formation de la famille, aujourd’hui cette séquence s’est complexifiée. Suite à l’effritement des modes traditionnels du passage à l’âge adulte, les jeunes citadins reportent leur mariage, le contexte de l’initiation sexuelle est plus fréquemment prénuptial et le nombre de naissances hors mariage semble augmenter. Peu d’études se sont penchées sur l’analyse de la séquence de ces événements sous l’angle du parcours individuel. L’objectif central de ce mémoire est d’explorer, de décrire et d’expliquer les changements survenus dans les parcours d’entrée en vie féconde des femmes durant leur jeunesse en utilisant comme unité d’analyse l’entièreté des parcours. Utilisant les données EDS du Burkina Faso, nous synthétisons en parcours, sous forme des séquences d’épisodes, les calendriers du premier rapport sexuel, de la première union et de la première naissance. Avec l’analyse séquentielle, nous identifions quatre catégories de parcours : nuptial, sexualité prénuptiale, maternité prénuptiale et célibataires. La méthode permet également une catégorisation plus fine des parcours et une visualisation de modèles de transitions. Nous analysons ensuite l’association entre les caractéristiques individuelles et les parcours suivis grâce à des modèles multinomiaux. Nos résultats confirment l’augmentation des parcours non nuptiaux auprès des jeunes. De plus, ils montrent qu’un niveau de scolarité plus élevé augmente la probabilité de suivre un parcours non-traditionnel, notamment chez les femmes urbaines, le milieu de socialisation à l’enfance ayant aussi un effet sur le choix du parcours. / In West African societies, marriage has traditionally represented the first step of the sequence of demographic events regarding the formation of the family. Currently, this sequence has become more complex. Following the erosion of traditional patterns of entrance into adulthood, urban youth tend to delay marriage, to increasingly engage in premarital sex while premarital births among youth seem to rise. Our study considers demographic life courses of entry into reproductive life as individual sequences of states. The main purpose of this study is to explore, describe and explain changes in young women’s sequences of entry in reproductive life using individual sequences as the unit of analysis. Using data from the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey of Burkina Faso, we synthesize the timing of first sexual intercourse, first union and first birth into sequences. Using Sequence Analysis methods, we identify four main categories of entrance in reproductive life: marital, premarital sex, premarital childbearing and singles. These methods allow a finer classification and a visualization of complete sequences and their transition patterns. We then analyze the association between individual characteristics and the sequence that women follow. Our results confirm that non-traditional sequences rise among younger generations. We also show that while women’s years of instruction increase, the probability of starting a sequence by premarital sex rises and the probability of starting a sequence by a marriage falls dramatically. Finally the childhood place of residence seems to moderate these effects by increasing the probability to follow a non-traditional sequence for urban women. / En las sociedades del Africa subsahariano el matrimonio representa tradicionialmente el inicio de la secuencia de eventos demográficos asociados a la formación de la familia, pero esta secuencia ha sufrido transformaciones. Como consecuencia de la erosión de los modelos tradicionales del paso a la edad adulta, los jovenes citadinos tienden a retardar el casamiento, el contexto de la primera relación sexual es cada vez mas prenupcial y los nacimientos prenupciales han aumentado. Pocos estudios han analizado la secuencia estos eventos bajo la perspectiva del curso de vida individual. El objetivo central de este estudio es explorar, describir y explicar los cambios en la secuencia de la entrada a la vida fecunda empleando las secuencias de episodios completas como las unidades de análisis. Utilizando los datos de la EDSBF-2003, sintetizamos en secuencias individuales los calendarios de la primera relación sexual, de la primera unión y del primer nacimiento. A traves del análisis secuencial, identificamos cuatro tipologías: nupcial, sexualidad prenupcial,maternidad prenupcial y solteras. Obtenemos una clasificación mas fina de las secuencias al visualizar distintos modelos de transición. Empleando un modelo multinomial analizamos la asociación entre las características de los individuos y las secuencias. Nuestros resultados confirman que las secuencias no nupciales ganan terreno en las generaciones mas jóvenes. Además, un nivel de escolaridad mas elevado aumenta la probabilidad de empezar una secuencia con una relación sexual. El medio de socialización en la infancia modera estos efectos, ya que las mujeres urbanas tienen una probabilidad mas elevada que las rurales de seguir una secuencia no nupcial.

The present study sets out to evaluate the effectiveness of a dynamic approach to aptitude testing. It was proposed that it is not always appropriate to use conventional aptitude tests to predict future academic success in the South African context. The study posited the belief that an alternative testing format could be facilitated by using a test-train-test procedure within a learning potential paradigm. The learning potential paradigm as formulated through Vygotskian and Feuersteinian theory is operationalised in the form of a Newtest Battery. The Newtest procedure is in direct contrast to traditional approaches to aptitude testing. The latter approaches both implicitly and explicitly adopt a static view of ability, whereas the Newtest approach focuses on the learning potential of the testee, as well as consequent performance. However, the assessment of learning potential poses problems of its own. Modifications were introduced to ensure that the Newtest format is both appropriate and psychometrically defensible. The construction and evaluation of the Newtest Battery is described. A sample of both advantaged and disadvantaged students were tested on a battery of traditional aptitude tests. This group of students was contrasted with another sample of both advantaged and disadvantaged students who undertook the Newtest Battery in the modified dynamic testing format. The traditional measures of aptitude were found to be invalid predictors of university success. Matric results showed a relationship with academic success for both groups. The Newtest measures enhanced the prediction of academic success for both advantaged and disadvantaged students. The Deductive Reasoning dynamic measure was found to be a valid predictor of university success for the disadvantaged students. The results thus successfully extend the learning potential paradigm into the realm of group aptitude testing. The validity of traditional aptitude test measures has been brought into question by the findings of the study. The study points the way forward to a more equitable and relevant aptitude testing procedure. Finally, it was shown that the testing environment forms part of the socio-educational context. Personnel involved in the administration of aptitude tests are given guidelines \vi th the aim of equalising the test process. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Dissertation describes new methodology of design turbo-roundabouts in Czech Republic. Especially innovative is approach to the design of traffic lanes with regards to standard vehicles and widening of traffic lanes according to their dimensions. Innovative is also approach to road signs, where details of current signs are modified, however, these details are important for drivers’ better understanding while driving through turbo-roundabouts. Dissertation fills legislative, but also technical, blank spot during turbo-roundabouts design and I believe that it will benefit particularly designers of these intersections.

Brno will continue to be the city and the centre of the fairs. The historical part around the pavilion A is opened to public and the fairs are concentrated around the pavilion Z, where a new city entrance is planned within a linear park, also a new pavilion and a superstructure with residence of BVV is planned. Newly, the terminal Lipová is designed with the cableway station, which is not only an attraction over the valley of Pisárky, but also represents a form of transport to the campus Bohunice and back to the trade fair center. The design of an exhibition pavilion is situated in a part of Brno-Pisárky, in western area of BVV. The Pavilion contains an exhibition hall and an entrance edifice on a new axis directed from an Anthropos over an superstructure on a significant pavilion Z. The entrance edifice in a central of pavilion is surrounded by exhibition area and its centre is plaza with natural woody plants and colonnade. Entries are leaded on galleries on this level. Galleries are opened into the exhibition hall. A restaurant has a specific view on the dominant-pavilion Z. A visitor goes through the plaza and descends on monumental stairs to the pavilion Z into area of BVV in a primary direction. The visitor descents from the plaza over each galleries to the exhibiton area in a secondary direction. The proposal offers to the visitors and exhibitors not only gathering outdoor relaxation area on the plaza, but moreover interesting experiences from galleries. The total built area of the pavilion is almost equal to the exhibition area, because the design creates the entry level on the third floor. The new building meets the requirements of modern exhibitions and will be used for social and educational events - balls, weddings, conferences, cultural events - concerts, theater, opera performances and sports events. The Pavilion will be visited by inhabitents of all ages not only from Brno, from near and distant surroundings, but also by visitors from abroad.

The topic of the Diploma thesis is a design of the New train station in Brno. The plot is located on the boundary of three city districts – Komárov, Štýřice and Trnitá. This area includes the railway structure for the new train station and also its public spaces, which are very close to the river Svratka. The railway structure is designed as bridge construction, that rises all platforms and rail tracks to 7,65 metres above the ground level. So all of the railways do not become a barrier in the city. The main concept extends a longitudinal axis of the city boulevard through the train station, which creates a high-rise building in the southern part of the plot. This axis is written not only to the layout but also to the roof design. The train station includes two underground levels, ground floor and first floor. Underground levels consist of P+R parking, deliveries only area, technical facilities and subway terminal. The ground floor is the main traffic centre. There is an entrance hall, shopping area, bus terminal and public corridors. The first floor includes platforms for train departures and arrivals. There are also public spaces in the entrance hall. The basic structural system consists of two parts. The first part is a massive reinforced concrete structure of the railway bridge deck and all underground levels. This structure is based on reinforced concrete foundation pads with drilled piles. The second part is a steel frame structure of the roof. That includes steel columns and truss girders for the structure of the lower area. The higher part of the roof is designed as a steel-truss bridge with the characteristic profile. The new train station supposes to create a new gate to the city of Brno, that connects contemporary districts with the historical city center.