Bibliography / Thesis (MEdPsych))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: ‘Self-esteem development’ is an outcome in the South African education curriculum. However, it does not appear to be underpinned by (a) clear and/or comprehensive understanding(s), potentially endangering its realisation. Rationale: In developing (a) contextualised understanding(s) in cosmopolitan South Africa, extant scholarship offers a limited resource. It is largely ‘westernised’, quantitative, and privileges the often conflicting understandings of academics thereby marginalising ‘non-academic’ role players. Gaining currency, inclusive Mode 2 hybrid trans-disciplinary research aims to augment understandings by bridging the academic – practice disconnect, championing epistemological contextualisation, democratisation and collaboration between different role players. Furthermore, Shavelson, Hubner and Stanton’s (1976) classic review of ‘self-concept’ scholarship which generated a landmark new model, and Marsh and O’Mara’s (2008) declaration of its multidisciplinarity, resonate with this study’s approach. Main Research Question: Focusing on the frequently associated concept of ‘self-esteem’, this study asked the main research question: “What is/are a trans-disciplinary collaborative team’s facilitated understanding(s) of ‘self-esteem’ and ‘selfesteem development in the (South African) educational context(s)’?” Aim: This study involved hybrid trans-disciplinary collaboration between the voices of scholarship and ‘non-academic’ and ‘local’ voices aiming to develop a ‘new’ inclusive and contextually sensitive model. This study’s hybrid EMDC or local education authority trans-disciplinary collaborative team consisted of school, intern or educational psychologists, social workers, learning support advisors, life orientation curriculum advisors, life orientation educators, and the voices of literature (scholarship and ‘non-academic’ and/or local literature). Design and Implementation: A hybrid qualitative, participatory ‘action’ research design employed four workshops and inter-workshop periods with action including within the team and somewhat within their contexts. ‘Transgogy’ based on trans-disciplinary collaboration principles and Mezirowean and Freirean andragogic theories, facilitated the process. Data Constructions: A ‘self-ecosystemic model of ‘self-esteem’ and ‘self-esteem development in the (South African) educational context(s)’’ was developed, with the process and ‘product’ concept of ‘meta selfesteem’ or ‘the evaluation of the evaluation or self-esteem’ at the apex of a novel self-esteem hierarchy conceptualisation. The ‘optimal’ meta self-esteem ‘product’ or nature status is a ‘high healthy self-esteem’ and with the concomitant process, provide the prime aims of self-esteem development. An intact ‘core self-esteem’ or ‘I matter no matter what’ is a sine qua non of the metastatus of ‘healthy’, as is evenly dovetailing individualism with, for example, the African collectivistic philosophy of ‘ubuntu’. Discussion of the Data and ‘Concluding’ the Journey: This data, model, the implications, recommendations, and evaluation of this study are presented and discussed. This journey is then ‘concluded’. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel ‘self-agtingsontwikkeling’ as ‘n leeruitkoms in die Suid-Afrikaanse Lewensoriënteringkurrikulum geformuleer is, wil dit voorkom of dit nie geanker word in ‘n duidelike en/of omvattende begripsverklaring nie wat dus potensieel die verwesenliking daarvan bedreig. Bestaande navorsingsliteratuur bied beperkte verklaring van die konsep vir gebruik binne die multikulturele konteks van Suid-Afrika. Die verklarings is grootendeels ‘verwesters’, kwantitatief, en bevoordeel die dikwels teenstrydige verduidelikings van akademici wat in die proses ‘nieakademiese’ rolspelers marginaliseer. Die transdissiplinêre benadering volg ‘n Modus 2 formaat deur verskeie rolspelers te betrek wat saam kennis konstrueer met die doel om die begrip epistemologies te konstekstualiseer en die diskrepansie tussen akademiese en praktykkonnotasies te oorbrug. Die studie steun veral op Shavelson, Hubner en Stanton (1976) se klassieke oorsig van selfkonsep en Marsh en O’Mara (2008) se verklaring van multidissiplinariteit. Die navorsingsvraag wat hierdie studie gerig het was: “Wat is ‘n trans-dissiplinêre kollaboratiewe span se gefasiliteerde begrip van self-agting en self-agtingontwikkeling in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwyskonteks?” Die doel van die studie was om met interaksie tussen die stemme in die navorsingsliteratuur oor selfkonsep en die singewing van die lede van die span ‘n werkbare model te ontwikkel om die konsep self-agting in die plaaslike konteks beter te verstaan. Die trans-dissiplinêre samewerkende span het bestaan uit sielkundiges, maatskaplike werkers, leerondersteuningsadviseurs, lewensoriëntering kurrikulumadviseurs, lewensoriënteringopvoeders van ‘n plaaslike OBOS, asook die stemme van die literatuur (akademiese en nieakademiese en/of plaaslike literatuur). ’n Kwalitatiewe, deelnemende aksienavorsingsprojek is ontwerp wat vier werkswinkels met tussenposes insluit. ‘n Transgogiese benadering gegrond op transdissiplinêre kollaboratiewe beginsels en andragogiese teorie van Mezirow en Freire is gevolg om die groep se prosses van begripsbou te fasiliteer. Die produk van die werkswinkels was ‘n ‘Selfekosistemiese model van ‘self-agting’ en ‘self-agtingontwikkeling in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwyskontek’. Hierdie model kan as raamwerk gebruik word in die praktykmaak van die uitkomste rakende selfagting in die Lewensoriëringkurrikulum.

<p>Information technology (IT) is becoming the primary factordetermining the survival of most organizations. The differenttypes of systems and the wide range of objectives suggest thatdiverse evaluation methods are needed. There is a critical needfor a new approach to managing IT investments, and solving theinformation paradox should be a business imperative for allmanagers today.</p><p>Evaluating IT investments introduces different types ofproblems that investment in traditional assets does notconsider. The focal point shifts from measuring hard andquantifiable benefits that appear on a firm’s incomestatement to measuring soft, diffuse, and qualitativeimpact.</p><p>The decision to acquire new information technology poses anumber of serious evaluation problems for managers because theavailable methods for IT investment evaluation are mostlystatic and they do not consider dynamism in decision-makingprocesses.</p><p>Common problems with the methods for evaluating ITinvestments are related to their inability to take account ofthe full range of potential benefits. There is a gap betweentheory and practice in relation to the use of any method formaking decisions and for continuous evaluation of ITinvestments.</p><p>This thesis presents a new approach to evaluating benefitsof IT investments in a dynamic way, an approach consisting of acombination of dynamic information workflow models and businessprocess simulation techniques. The proposed approach givesmanagers and organizations the possibility of implementingother models for measuring different metrics and aspects of ITinvestments.</p><p>A dynamic information workflow model of an electric utilityandsimulation essays are presented in order to show how theproposed approach is applied. The performance measure selectedfor running experiments was efficiency, which was characterizedby the following selected performance indicators: cycle time,resource utilization, and activity costs. Empirical data wascollected from case studies of different utilities in CentralAmerican countries.</p><p><b>Key words:</b>Business Process Modeling and Simulation,Evaluating IT Investments, Dynamic Information Workflow Model,Electric Utilities.</p>

Mathematical skill is viewed as critically important in a technologically sophisticated world. Since everyone needs to acquire at least some skills in this learning area, the poor performance of grade 12 learners raises concern. The process during which learners gain awareness of their own thinking processes when solving mathematical problems, is referred to as "metacognition". Metacognitive strategies include knowledge (of oneself as a learner, the task at hand and strategies to be used) and self-regulation (planning, monitoring and evaluation). Metacognitive strategies are linked interactively by its twin process of reflection, eventually facilitating the implementation of certain cognitive strategies. Since metacognitive strategies essentially comprise skills, facilitators of learning should facilitate learners' development and application of these skills and the study and mastery of mathematics in an integrated way, thereby ensuring that learners deliberately and intentionally apply these skills in a satisfactory way. It is important to note that "metacognition" is both directly and indirectly mentioned in the Critical Outcomes stated in Curriculum 2005 - after all, most of the outcomes referred to imply that learners should be directed to reflect on their own thoughts. The primary aim of my study was to investigate the possible value of metacognition for the teaching and learning of mathematics. I used a two-phased, consecutive, mixed research method involving learners as well as in-service and pre-service mathematics facilitators. Results of the quantitative part of my study were triangulated with the results of the qualitative part of my study. My findings indicate, inter alia, that learners' metacognitive strategies as regards prediction, evaluation, monitoring and reflection could be insufficient. In-service and pre-service facilitators of mathematics may very well possess metacognitive skills and utilise them intuitively, however, these skills are not implemented in their classes or learning to a satisfactory extent. Since this is a local study conducted on a relatively small scale, it would be inappropriate to infer. My findings do, however, suggest that implementation of and research on metacognition and metacognitive strategies in the teaching and learning of mathematics require attention at national. tertiary and secondary levels. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

The problem with which this investigation was concerned was the determination of group perception profiles of selected higher education faculties. These group perception profiles were based upon faculty perceptions of the ten most important criteria considered in evaluating faculty members for purposes of rank, promotion, salary, and tenure. Also, the study determined whether or not cluster profiles existed at three levels or types of institutions-- university, liberal arts, and junior college--and how such profiles differed between levels. This study had several purposes. The first was to determine how group perception profiles of higher education faculties clustered in response to perceptions of criteria considered in evaluating faculty members. The second was to determine if similar clusters existed at three types of institutions. A third was to determine differences in the proportion of teachers belonging to each identifiable cluster at each level of institution. The fourth was to determine differences in profiles according to proportions of teachers across common clusters. And finally, the fifth was to determine differences in profiles among faculty members in identified clusters at each institutional level according to biographical characteristics: age, rank, teaching experience, seniority, and highest degree held.

Qualifying requirements and evaluating criteria in public tenders The purpose of my thesis is to analyse selected areas of public tenders awarding, namely qualifying requirements and evaluating criteria, which are used for selection of the most advantageous contractor for performance of the public tender object. The thesis is composed of four main chapters. Chapter One summarizes the development of public tender legislation in the Czech Republic, defines current legislation both in the Czech Republic and in the European Union. Chapter Two defines basic terms of the public tenders area which are typical and characteristic only for public tenders and which are not used in other fields of Czech law. The two remaining chapters are devoted to the qualifying requirements and evaluating criteria, their role and types. Through qualifying requirements contractors are divided into those who are qualified to perform public tender and those who are not. Regarding its importance, it is necessary to stick to the binding provision of the Public Procurement Act while setting the qualifying requirements. Chapter Four is devoted to the evaluating criteria. On the basis of the evaluating criteria the contractor whose bid best fulfils the idea of performance of the contracting authority is chosen from those who are...

Esta Tese consiste em avaliar o desempenho comercial do Mercosul, no período de 1994- 2005. O intuito da mesma é verificar de que maneira as crises internacionais da década de 1990, bem como as crises conjunturais e estruturais das economias-membro, influenciaram no desempenho do comércio intra e extra-regional das mesmas, a saber: Argentina, Brasil, Paraguai e Uruguai, nesse período. / This thesis consists of evaluating the Mercosur commercial performance from 1994 to 2005. It aims to verify both the form in which the 90s decade international crisis as well as the junctural and structural bodywork crisis affected the internal and external regions of Mercosur economies trade performance such as: Argentine, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay during the period mentioned above.

Over the past decade, relationship education has grown as a means of enhancing couple relations. This study examines the experiences of 2,828 ethnically diverse and low-income adults who participated in the Smart Steps for Stepfamilies: Embrace the Journey program, a 12-hour stepfamily education program. Self-report measures of relationship quality, couple commitment, and relationship instability were gathered prior to and immediately after the Smart Steps intervention as well as six weeks, six months, and one year post-program. Results suggest that stepfamily participants experienced increases in relationship quality; however, these increases reduced to near pre-program levels one year after the programs completion. Results further showed no changes in couple commitment or relationship instability measures nor among differing participant groups including Latinos, European Americans, low-income, moderate- income, married, unmarried, those in a first marriage, second remarriage, and higher order remarriage. Finally a cost-analysis of the program was conducted. Application of these findings and policy implications are discussed.

The occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in surface waters has become a growing concern within the last decade although the first mention of human PPCPs in the environment goes back to late 1970s. Pharmaceuticals include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and veterinary drugs. Personal care products include products such as lotions, fragrances, and soaps. In addition to traditional personal care products, the term PPCPs has been adopted to represent a wide variety of chemicals used in consumer products including plasticizers and fire retardants. Wastewater effluents are thought to be the main source of PPCPs in surface waters since most pharmaceuticals and personal care products eventually are disposed of, directly or indirectly, into domestic sewage systems that are not specifically designed to treat them. This thesis research examined the occurrence and removal of ten PPCPs in three Utah wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the State of Utah. The ten PPCPs (caffeine, acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, carbamazepine, estrone, progesterone, gemfibrozil, 4-n-nonylphenol, and bis(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate) were selected for this study based on their chemical properties, environmental concern due to their widespread use, frequent detection in natural water, wastewater, and biosolids, and potential risk to the environmental and human health. The selected treatment technologies, represented by Brigham, Hyrum, and Spanish Fork WWTPs, were oxidation ditches, membrane bioreactors, and trickling filters. Influent, effluent and biosolids samples were collected in May, July, and August of 2011. The highest influent concentrations were measured for caffeine (3.9 – 15.4 μg/L) and acetaminophen (7.4 – 71.5 μg/L). Sulfamethoxazole, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and carbamazepine were measured in the effluent of all three WWTPs. Removal efficiencies calculated from differences between influent and effluent concentrations were caffeine (>80%), acetaminophen (>99%), and sulfamethoxazole (>60%). Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, carbamazepine, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate were not consistently found above the method limits of quantitation (LOQs). The effluent concentrations of the measured PPCPs were below the levels of concern suggested by available toxicity data.

The integrated profit and loss (IP&amp;L™) model is a model that provides a holistic performance evaluation of the organisation. The purpose of this study has been to explore how IP&amp;L™ can be used in a wider setting and contribute towards more sustainable practices for an industry. The aim has therefore been to investigate advantages of having a widespread usage of the IP&amp;L™ method, and to find out how the method can be spread to more companies. Based on this, the following three research questions was developed: What are the advantages of IP&amp;L™ within an industry? What are the key factors in order to spread IP&amp;L™ to other companies? What are the prerequisites for collaboration around IP&amp;L™? The study has had a deductive and qualitative approach, investigating two different case companies. One company within the Australian water industry, and one within the Swedish forest industry. Data was collected through interviews with representatives from three different perspectives of working with IP&amp;L™ within each company; the strategic perspective of sustainable development, the perspective of integrated reporting, and the market and customer perspective. It has been found that the main advantages of IP&amp;L™ within an industry is that it develops consensus and new norms, enhances the external communication, and improves industry reputation. In order to spread IP&amp;L™ to other companies, the study show that collaboration is an important factor, and to establish fruitful collaboration around IP&amp;L™, it is important with leadership and dialogue. This study contributes to theory by providing knowledge around the specific IP&amp;L™ model. It further has a practical contribution in the sense that it provides deeper knowledge around the IP&amp;L™ and its usefulness, and can serve as a foundation for organisations in further developing how they use IP&amp;L™.

The purpose of this study has been to investigate if the Pervasive GameFlow Model is suitable for evaluating Player Experience in Augmented Reality games. The work has described a definition of Augmented Reality, how it generally operates and reviewed common challenges when developing Augmented Reality applications. A prototype game has been developed, based on a previous concept of merging board games with computer games using Augmented Reality. After development, the game has been tested with a method based on the Pervasive GameFlow Model. Results showed the model to be suitable for future tests and evaluations, but did not produce data for evolving the game design. Generating such data would require execution of additional testing methods. / Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka om Pervasive GameFlow Modellen är lämplig för att utvärdera spelarupplevelse i Augmented Reality-spel. Arbetet har beskrivit en definition av Augmented Reality, hur det generellt fungerar och granskat vanliga utmaningar vid utveckling av Augmented Reality-applikationer. Ett prototypspel har utvecklats, baserat på ett tidigare koncept för att slå samman brädspel med datorspel med hjälp av Augmented Reality. Efter utveckling har spelet testats med en metod baserad på Pervasive GameFlow Modellen. Resultat visade att modellen var lämplig för framtida tester och utvärderingar, men producerade inte data för att utveckla speldesignen. Generering av sådan data skulle kräva utförande av ytterligare testmetoder.