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MA, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009 / Even though investigations of knowledge construction within CMC have been conducted (e.g. Gunawardena, Lowe and Anderson, 1997; Schellens & Valcke, 2004), no research has compared F2F communication and CMC in terms of the ability to solve complex tasks and to develop group cohesion. Group cohesion has been found to be vital for group cooperation and performance. Eight self-formed groups of 5 student participants each volunteered to participate in this study. Each group was required to solve two standardised, complex tasks in the same order. Student groups were randomly assigned to one of four medium combinations with two groups per combination. The combinations were: F2F communication for both tasks, CMC for both tasks, F2F communication for the first task and CMC for the second task, and CMC for the first task and F2F communication for the second task. Measures of knowledge construction were taken using the IAM (Gunawardena et al., 1997), group cohesion (assessed before and after the tasks) using the GAS (Evans & Jarvis, 1986), and a self-developed scale to assess satisfaction with the process and the outcome. The results showed that CMC groups produced significantly fewer contributions, and took a longer time to complete tasks, but there was no significant difference between the two mediums in terms of knowledge construction. The medium combination of F2F communication followed by CMC, achieved the least time to completion; the second most effective medium for knowledge construction, the greatest satisfaction with respect to group processes and the decision in the first task, and achieved a significantly higher level of post-manipulation group cohesion.

This thesis focuses on the experiences of videoconferencing and face-to-face counselling of clients ages 60 or older. Using qualitative methodology to provide insight into their accounts, it aims to enhance existing research in this area through the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The phenomenological and interpretive nature of this methodology allows for an in-depth look into individual perspectives in engaging with a therapist via both videoconferencing and in-person from within and on the periphery of the session itself. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and were carried out with five individuals (who were therapists-as-clients). These individuals have had at least six sessions of therapy with a minimum of at least one session conducted via videoconferencing technology, in this case using Skype (2017) video-chat internet technology. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed using IPA. Analysis of the interviews yielded four superordinate themes. These were the salience of the physical space, suggesting that physical space remains important in videoconferencing therapy; resourcing the ending process, which indicates that both therapeutic modalities raise specific issues regarding how endings are managed. The relationship with the medium as a dynamic process emphasises that participants were able to work with videoconferencing technology despite having initial doubt. The fourth theme, the therapeutic relationship transcends the medium suggests that regardless of modality, it is the therapeutic relationship is of paramount importance. Implications of these themes are discussed both in terms of the theoretical understanding of older clients’ experiences of therapy and in terms of therapeutic practice.

Purpose Traditionally, researchers have relied on eliciting preferences through face-to-face interviews. Recently, there has been a shift towards using internet-based methods. Different methods of data collection may be a source of variation in the results. In this study, we compare the preferences for the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) service user measure elicited using best-worst scaling (BWS) via a face-to-face interview and an online survey. Methods Data were collected from a representative sample of the general population in England. The respondents (face-toface: n = 500; online: n = 1001) completed a survey, which included the BWS experiment involving the ASCOT measure. Each respondent received eight best-worst scenarios and made four choices (best, second best, worst, second worst) in each scenario. Multinomial logit regressions were undertaken to analyse the data taking into account differences in the characteristics of the two samples and the repeated nature of the data. Results We initially found a number of small significant differences in preferences between the two methods across all ASCOT domains. These differences were substantially reduced-from 15 to 5 out of 30 coefficients being different at the 5% Level-and remained small in value after controlling for differences in observable and unobservable characteristics of the two samples. Conclusions This comparison demonstrates that face-to-face and internet surveys may lead to fairly similar preferences for social care-related quality of life when differences in sample characteristics are controlled for. With or without a constant sampling frame, studies should carefully design the BWS exercise and provide similar levels of clarification to participants in each survey to minimise the amount of error variance in the choice process.

abstract: As a result of the district program evaluation, a follow up on teacher perceptions of an online collaboration versus face to face collaboration approach was deemed necessary. The interviews were conducted with eight teachers from a suburban southwest K-8 public school district. After all teachers had participated in a 10 week program evaluation comparing online team teacher collaboration with face-to-face team teacher collaboration, the interview process began. One teacher from each grade level team was randomly selected to participate in the interview process. Analysis of the interview responses was inconclusive. Findings were confounded by the apparent lack of understanding of major concepts of Professional Learning Communities on the part of the participants. Assumptions about participant knowledge must be tested prior to investigations of the influence of either face to face or online format as delivery modes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2013

Dans l’aéronautique et plus précisément dans les avions tout électrique, l’objectif visé est de réduire les masses et volumes des composants. Pour cela, les actionneurs électriques remplacent progressivement les actionneurs hydrauliques et mécaniques. Ces actionneurs électriques ont besoin d’être commandés ; le projet THOR (projet européen dans lequel s’inscrit cette thèse) vise entre autres à développer un étage de commande permettant de piloter des interrupteurs de puissance. Les interrupteurs étant situés à proximité directe de l’étage driver et les tensions de sorties pouvant atteindre 3 kV, une isolation galvanique est obligatoire. Anciennement, les optocoupleurs étaient utilisés pour assurer l’isolation galvanique dans les étages de commande. Cependant, afin de pouvoir utiliser ces composants dans un environnement thermique contraignant et assurer une meilleure intégration, les opto-coupleurs ne sont plus adaptés et sont remplacés par des transformateurs. Dans ce contexte, s’inscrivent les travaux de cette thèse où l’objectif principal est de développer, réaliser et caractériser des transformateurs planaires intégrables répondant au cahier des charges THOR. Dans un premier temps, un état de l’art sur les différentes technologies de fabrication de transformateurs planaires est établi avant de choisir la technologie et les matériaux utilisés dans ces composants. Dans un deuxième temps, on s’intéresse au choix et au dimensionnement du transformateur. Deux structures répondant au cahier des charges THOR ont été retenues et dimensionnées à l’aide d’un logiciel de simulation (HFSS) : une structure entrelacée et une structure ‘face to face’. Ces deux structures ont été réalisées et caractérisées à l’aide d’un LCRmètre en basse fréquence et d’un Analyseur Vectoriel de Réseaux (VNA) en haute fréquence. Pour les deux structures, la caractérisation a permis de vérifier les valeurs des inductances magnétisantes supérieures à 1 μH souhaitées par le projet THOR et des facteurs de couplages supérieurs à 0,9 déterminées par simulation. D’autres paramètres importants du cahier des charges ont été également extraits à savoir la capacité interbobinage où des capacités inférieures à quelques pF ont été obtenues et des résistances d’enroulement inférieures à 10 Ω ont été relevées / In aeronautics and more specifically in an all-electric aircraft, the main objective is to reduce the mass and volume of the components. For this, the electric actuators gradually replace hydraulic and mechanical actuators. These electric actuators need to be commanded; THOR project (European project supporting this thesis) aims to develop a control stage to command the power switches. The switches are located in the direct vicinity of the driver stage with an output voltage that can reach up to 3 kV hence the need for a galvanic isolation. Formerly, the opto-couplers were used to provide galvanic isolation in the control stages. However, in order to use these components in thermal constraining environment and ensure better integration, opto-couplers are no longer appropriate and are replaced by transformers. In this context, the main objective of this thesis is to develop, realize and characterize integrated planar transformers that meet the THOR specifications. At first a state of art on the different manufacturing technologies of planar transformers is established before choosing the technology and the materials used in the fabrication of our planar transformers. In a second step, we are interested in the choice and size of the transformer structure. Two structures that met the THOR specifications were selected and resized using a simulation software (HFSS). Finally, these two structures were realized and characterized using an RLC-meter at low frequency and a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) at high frequency. For both structures, the characterization allowed to verified the magnetizing inductance greater than 1 μH desired by the THOR project and a coupling factor greater than 0,9 obtained par simulations. Other important parameters were also extracted namely the inter-winding capacity where less than few pF wasobtained and the windings resistance has been identified less than 10 Ω

A idade gestacional é uma medida importante, pois quando o bebê nasce antes da 37ª semana há riscos para alterações do desenvolvimento. A relação dos bebês com pais fornece base para o desenvolvimento dos padrões de autorregulação, para o aumento da sensibilidade materna, e para o desenvolvimento do apego. Permeando a hipótese de que, a idade gestacional pode influenciar no desenvolvimento infantil, o objetivo do estudo foi verificar a influência da idade gestacional nas habilidades do desenvolvimento infantil (motora grossa, motora fina-adaptativa, pessoal-social e de linguagem) e a qualidade da interação na díade mãe-bebê, ao longo do primeiro ano de vida (três, nove e 12 meses). Cumpriram-se os princípios éticos. Participaram do estudo 28 díades mãe-bebê, com crianças nascidas entre a 32ª a 40ª semana de gestação, recrutadas ao nascimento. Aos três meses os familiares foram contatados para a primeira avaliação, que constou da aplicação do protocolo de anamnese, aplicação do procedimento Face to Face Still-Face (FFSF) e do Teste de Screnning de Desenvolvimento Denver II (TSDD-II). Aos nove meses repetiu-se a aplicação do FFSF, TSDD-II e foi verificada a qualidade da interação por meio do Child-Adult Relationship Experimental Index (CARE-Index). Aos 12 meses repetiu-se a medida do desenvolvimento TSDD-II e foi aplicada o paradigma laboratorial da Situação Estranha (SE). O tratamento estatístico constou de análise descritiva e aplicação do Teste de Correlação de Spearman, Teste exato de Fischer, Teste de Mann-Whitney e Teste Anova de Medições Repetidas. Os resultados indicaram influência da idade gestacional nas habilidades do desenvolvimento infantil (motora grossa, motora finaadaptativa, pessoal-social e de linguagem), aos três, nove e doze meses, com valor maior nível de significância aos três meses. A qualidade da interação avaliada por meio do CARE-index, indicou predomínio de mães com alto nível de sensibilidade (81,82%). Os padrões de autorregulação avaliados por meio do procedimento FFSF indicaram que 57,14% da casuística apresentaram orientação social não positiva e 42,86% orientação social positiva aos três e aos nove meses 78,57% orientação social não positiva e 21,43% orientação social positiva. O padrão de Apego, avaliado pela SE, verificou apego inseguro para 60,71% e apego seguro em 39,29% da casuística. / Gestational age is an important baseline because when the infant is born before the 37th week there are risks for developmental changes. The relationship between infants and parents provides a basis for the development of self-regulation standards, for the increase of maternal sensitivity, and for the development of attachment. Permeating the hypothesis that gestational age may influence infant development, this study aimed to verify the influence of gestational age on infants developmental skills (gross motor, fine-adaptive motor, personal-social and language), and the quality of gestational age of the mother-infant dyad interaction during the first year of life (three, nine and 12 months). Ethical principles were fulfilled. The study included 28 mother-infant dyads, with children born between the 32nd and 40th weeks of gestation, recruited at birth. At three months old the family members were contacted for the first evaluation, which included the application of the protocol of anamnesis, application of the Face to Face Still-Face (FFSF) procedure and the Denver Development Screening Test II (DDST-II). At nine months the FFSF, DDST-II was repeated and the quality of the interaction was verified through the Child-Adult Relationship Experimental Index (CARE-Index). At 12 months the DDST-II development measurement was repeated and the laboratory paradigm of the Strange Situation (SE) was applied. The statistical treatment consisted of descriptive analysis and application of Spearman\'s Correlation Test, Fischer\'s Exact Test, Mann-Whitney Test and Repeated Measures Anova Tests. The results indicated the influence of gestational age on infant\'s developmental abilities (gross motor, fine-adaptive motor, personal-social and language) at three, nine and twelve months, with a higher level of significance at three months old. The quality of the interaction evaluated through CARE-index, indicated predominance of mothers with a high level of sensitivity (81.82%). Self-regulation standards assessed through the FFSF procedure indicated that 57.14% of the case analysis had non-positive social guidance and 42.86% had positive social guidance at three, and at nine months 78.57% non-positive social guidance and 21.43% positive social orientation. The Attachment pattern, evaluated by the SE, found unsafe attachment to 60.71% and Secure attachment in 39,29% of the cases analysis.

Ce travail concerne la conception, la réalisation et la caractérisation d’un transformateur de commande pour interrupteurs de puissance à grille isolée, le transformateur assurant l’isolation galvanique entre étage de commande et circuit de puissance. L’objectif du travail n’était pas de répondre à un cahier des charges précis mais de développer une nouvelle voie technologique pour la réalisation de transformateur planaire intégrable. Les principales caractéristiques d’un tel transformateur sont : - une inductance élevée (rapport inductance/surface occupée le plus grand possible) ; - des résistances séries faibles ; - un couplage capacitif entre primaire et secondaire le plus faible possible. Ces contraintes nous ont conduits à étudier un transformateur planaire à couches magnétiques dont les enroulements primaire et secondaire sont enterrés dans le matériau magnétique afin de réduire l’entrefer. La structure Face to Face a été retenue avec un décalage de 45° entre enroulements primaire et secondaire. Après une étude en simulation, chaque enroulement enterré dans un matériau ferrite a été réalisé séparément puis assemblé pour donner naissance au transformateur. De très nombreuses étapes technologiques : micro usinage laser femtoseconde, dépôts de cuivre par pulvérisation cathodique, photolithographie, planarisation, gravure chimique … ont été mises en oeuvre. Le transformateur ainsi réalisé est constitué d’un empilement de couches magnétiques, conductrices et isolantes. Il a été caractérisé des très basses fréquences jusqu’à plusieurs dizaines de MHz. Les résultats de mesure obtenus sont proches des résultats de simulation, la bande passante du transformateur s’étendant de 20kHz à 7MHz / This work concerns the design, realization and characterization of a control transformer for insulated gate power switches, the transformer providing galvanic isolation between driving stage and power circuits. The aim of the work was not to respond to a precise specification but to develop a new technological path for the realization of an integrable planar transformer. The main characteristics of such transformer are: - high inductance (ratio of inductance / area occupied as large as possible); - low series resistances; - a capacitive coupling between primary and secondary as small as possible. These constraints guided us to study a planar transformer with magnetic layers whose primary and secondary windings are buried in the magnetic material in order to reduce the air gap. The Face to Face structure was chosen with a 45 ° offset between primary and secondary windings. After a numerical study, windings buried in a ferrite material were fabricated separately and then assembled to give rise to the transformer. Many technological steps: femtosecond laser micromachining, copper deposits by sputtering, photolithography, planarization, chemical etching ... have been implemented. Thus, the transformer produced consists of a stack of magnetic, conductive and insulating layers. It has been characterized from very low frequencies up to several tens of MHz. The measurement results obtained are close to simulation results, the bandwidth of the transformer extending from 20 kHz to 7 MHz

Park and resource management agencies are looking for less costly ways to undertake park visitor surveys. The use of the Internet is often suggested as a way to reduce the costs of these surveys. By itself, however, the use of the Internet for park visitor surveys faces a number of methodological challenges that include the potential for coverage error, sampling difficulties and nonresponse error. A potential way of addressing these challenges is the use of a mixed-mode approach that combines the use of the Internet with another survey mode. The procedures for such a mixed-mode approach, however, have not been fully developed and evaluated. This study develops and evaluates a new mixed-mode approach –a face-to-face/web response – for a provincial park camper survey in British Columbia. The five key steps of this approach are: (a) selecting a random sample of occupied campsites; (b) undertaking a short interview with potential respondents; (c) obtaining an email address at the end of the interview; (d) distributing a postcard to potential respondents that contains the website and an individual access code; and (e) undertaking email follow-ups with nonrespondents. In evaluating this new approach, two experiments were conducted during the summer of 2010. The first experiment was conducted at Goldstream Provincial Park campground and was designed to compare a face-to-face/paper response to face-to-face/web response for several sources of survey errors and costs. The second experiment was conducted at 12 provincial park campgrounds throughout British Columbia and was designed to examine the potential for coverage error and the effect of a number of email follow-ups on return rates, nonresponse error and the substantive results. Taken together, these experiments indicate: a low potential for coverage error (i.e., 4% non-use Internet rate); a high email collection rate for follow-ups (i.e., 99% at Goldstream; a combined rate of 88% for 12 campgrounds); similar return rates between a paper mode (60%) and a web (59%) mode; the use of two email follow-ups reduced nonresponse error for a key variable (i.e., geographic location of residence), but not for all variables; low item nonresponse for both mixed-modes (about 1%); very few differences in the substantive results between each follow-up; a 9% cost saving for the web mode. This study suggests that a face-to face/web approach can provide a viable approach for undertaking park visitor surveys if there is high Internet coverage among park visitors. / Graduate / 0366 / 0344 / 0814 / brdyckfam@yahoo.com

A idade gestacional é uma medida importante, pois quando o bebê nasce antes da 37ª semana há riscos para alterações do desenvolvimento. A relação dos bebês com pais fornece base para o desenvolvimento dos padrões de autorregulação, para o aumento da sensibilidade materna, e para o desenvolvimento do apego. Permeando a hipótese de que, a idade gestacional pode influenciar no desenvolvimento infantil, o objetivo do estudo foi verificar a influência da idade gestacional nas habilidades do desenvolvimento infantil (motora grossa, motora fina-adaptativa, pessoal-social e de linguagem) e a qualidade da interação na díade mãe-bebê, ao longo do primeiro ano de vida (três, nove e 12 meses). Cumpriram-se os princípios éticos. Participaram do estudo 28 díades mãe-bebê, com crianças nascidas entre a 32ª a 40ª semana de gestação, recrutadas ao nascimento. Aos três meses os familiares foram contatados para a primeira avaliação, que constou da aplicação do protocolo de anamnese, aplicação do procedimento Face to Face Still-Face (FFSF) e do Teste de Screnning de Desenvolvimento Denver II (TSDD-II). Aos nove meses repetiu-se a aplicação do FFSF, TSDD-II e foi verificada a qualidade da interação por meio do Child-Adult Relationship Experimental Index (CARE-Index). Aos 12 meses repetiu-se a medida do desenvolvimento TSDD-II e foi aplicada o paradigma laboratorial da Situação Estranha (SE). O tratamento estatístico constou de análise descritiva e aplicação do Teste de Correlação de Spearman, Teste exato de Fischer, Teste de Mann-Whitney e Teste Anova de Medições Repetidas. Os resultados indicaram influência da idade gestacional nas habilidades do desenvolvimento infantil (motora grossa, motora finaadaptativa, pessoal-social e de linguagem), aos três, nove e doze meses, com valor maior nível de significância aos três meses. A qualidade da interação avaliada por meio do CARE-index, indicou predomínio de mães com alto nível de sensibilidade (81,82%). Os padrões de autorregulação avaliados por meio do procedimento FFSF indicaram que 57,14% da casuística apresentaram orientação social não positiva e 42,86% orientação social positiva aos três e aos nove meses 78,57% orientação social não positiva e 21,43% orientação social positiva. O padrão de Apego, avaliado pela SE, verificou apego inseguro para 60,71% e apego seguro em 39,29% da casuística. / Gestational age is an important baseline because when the infant is born before the 37th week there are risks for developmental changes. The relationship between infants and parents provides a basis for the development of self-regulation standards, for the increase of maternal sensitivity, and for the development of attachment. Permeating the hypothesis that gestational age may influence infant development, this study aimed to verify the influence of gestational age on infants developmental skills (gross motor, fine-adaptive motor, personal-social and language), and the quality of gestational age of the mother-infant dyad interaction during the first year of life (three, nine and 12 months). Ethical principles were fulfilled. The study included 28 mother-infant dyads, with children born between the 32nd and 40th weeks of gestation, recruited at birth. At three months old the family members were contacted for the first evaluation, which included the application of the protocol of anamnesis, application of the Face to Face Still-Face (FFSF) procedure and the Denver Development Screening Test II (DDST-II). At nine months the FFSF, DDST-II was repeated and the quality of the interaction was verified through the Child-Adult Relationship Experimental Index (CARE-Index). At 12 months the DDST-II development measurement was repeated and the laboratory paradigm of the Strange Situation (SE) was applied. The statistical treatment consisted of descriptive analysis and application of Spearman\'s Correlation Test, Fischer\'s Exact Test, Mann-Whitney Test and Repeated Measures Anova Tests. The results indicated the influence of gestational age on infant\'s developmental abilities (gross motor, fine-adaptive motor, personal-social and language) at three, nine and twelve months, with a higher level of significance at three months old. The quality of the interaction evaluated through CARE-index, indicated predominance of mothers with a high level of sensitivity (81.82%). Self-regulation standards assessed through the FFSF procedure indicated that 57.14% of the case analysis had non-positive social guidance and 42.86% had positive social guidance at three, and at nine months 78.57% non-positive social guidance and 21.43% positive social orientation. The Attachment pattern, evaluated by the SE, found unsafe attachment to 60.71% and Secure attachment in 39,29% of the cases analysis.