This research study takes a multi-disciplinary perspective, using critical discourse theory, transactional communication theory and cross-cultural theory to contribute insight into the experiences of alternative entry students as they strive to access and participate in higher education. The study seeks to determine how these students learn to persevere: how they construct their means of succeeding in the university culture. The methodological structure of the research comprises a collective case study design, encompassing critical ethnography, action research and reflexive approaches to guide a deeper understanding of the experiences of studying at a regional Australian university. The reflexive nature of the research facilitated the development of an original theoretical construct, the ‘deficit-discourse’ shift, which challenges higher education policy and practice, in particular, in relation to academics’ roles in making their discourses explicit and in collaborating with students to facilitate students’ perseverance and success. The research has also generated two models: the Framework for Student Engagement and Mastery and the Model for Student Success at University. The Framework re-conceptualises the university as a dynamic culture made up of a multiplicity of sub-cultures, each with its own literacy or discourse. The Framework recasts the first year experience as a journey, with students’ transition re-conceptualised as the processes of gaining familiarity with and negotiating these new literacies and discourses whereas perseverance is viewed as the processes of mastering and demonstrating them. The Model provides a three step practical strategy (incorporating reflective practice, socio-cultural practice and critical practice) for achieving this engagement: for empowering students to negotiate, master and demonstrate their mastery of the university culture’s multiple discourses. Together, the two models provide students with a means of succeeding in the new university culture.

This degree project has been made in cooperation with engineers working for GM Engineering/Saab Automobile AB in Trollhättan. The given name by Saab for the project is “Fuel efficiency improvements in All Wheel Drive(AWD)-system”. The main tasks of this thesis work were to investigate the size of the power losses in different parts on the propeller shaft, to design a computer program that calculates coordinates and angles on a propeller shaft and to investigate the possibilities to put together a simplified formula that calculates the natural frequencies on a propeller shaft. The main parts of this report are a compilation of the theory about AWD and mostly about the parts on the propeller shaft, and also a description of the developed computer program called Propeller Shaft Calculator. This report doesn’t concern power losses in the different joints because there were no such general equations to be found. The most common way to calculate the power losses inside a joint is to do tests were the power loss is measured at different angles, torque and speed and then use that data to put together an approximated equation. Most of the work on this project has been on theory studies and on programming. The main result of the project is the program Propeller Shaft Calculator. Propeller Shaft Calculator is a program that is designed in Microsoft Excel. All the menus are programmed in the visual basic editor in Excel. The program is supposed to be used as a help while designing new propeller shafts. Propeller Shaft Calculator can calculate all the coordinates, lengths, angles and directions on a propeller shaft. It also calculates natural frequencies, plunge, estimated power loss on the second shaft and angles in the joints. In the program you can choose to do calculations on four different configurations of propeller shafts but can quite easy upgrade the program with more choices. Basically the program works like this: First you choose the right propeller shaft in the main menu. Then you fill out the indata sheet with coordinates, lengths, material data and so on. As you type in the input data the output data will appear in the out-data sheet next to the in-data. Every propeller shaft has also a calculations sheet were more detailed calculations can be found. The program also has a built in help function and a warning function that lights a warning sign next to the values if they are outside the limits.

<p>This degree project has been made in cooperation with engineers working for GM Engineering/Saab Automobile AB in Trollhättan. The given name by Saab for the project is “Fuel efficiency improvements in All Wheel Drive(AWD)-system”. The main tasks of this thesis work were to investigate the size of the power losses in different parts on the propeller shaft, to design a computer program that calculates</p><p>coordinates and angles on a propeller shaft and to investigate the possibilities to put together a simplified formula that calculates the natural frequencies on a propeller shaft.</p><p>The main parts of this report are a compilation of the theory about AWD and mostly about the parts on the propeller shaft, and also a description of the developed computer program called Propeller Shaft Calculator. This report doesn’t concern power losses in the different joints because there were no such general equations to be found. The most common way to calculate the power losses inside a joint is to do tests were the power loss is measured at different angles, torque and speed and then use that data to put together an approximated equation.</p><p>Most of the work on this project has been on theory studies and on programming. The main result of the project is the program Propeller Shaft Calculator.</p><p>Propeller Shaft Calculator is a program that is designed in Microsoft Excel. All the menus are programmed in the visual basic editor in Excel. The program is supposed to be used as a help while designing new propeller shafts.</p><p>Propeller Shaft Calculator can calculate all the coordinates, lengths, angles and directions on a propeller shaft. It also calculates natural frequencies, plunge, estimated power loss on the second shaft and angles in the joints. In the program you can choose to do calculations on four different configurations of propeller shafts but can quite</p><p>easy upgrade the program with more choices.</p><p>Basically the program works like this:</p><p>First you choose the right propeller shaft in the main menu. Then you fill out the indata sheet with coordinates, lengths, material data and so on. As you type in the input data the output data will appear in the out-data sheet next to the in-data. Every propeller shaft has also a calculations sheet were more detailed calculations can be</p><p>found.</p><p>The program also has a built in help function and a warning function that lights a warning sign next to the values if they are outside the limits.</p>