This research project conducted an in-depth, qualitative assessment of vocational education and training (VET) teachers’ perceptions of pedagogic innovation, with an emphasis on obstacles and supporting factors. The main research question was: “How do teachers’ roles and perspectives shape innovation processes in VET and what does this imply for the development of teaching and learning practices?” Three clusters of subsidiary questions were derived around thematic foci: ‘perceptions and concepts’, ‘documentation of practice’, and ‘dynamics, limitations, and lessons for innovation’. Based on analytical strategies derived from grounded theory, two phases of interviews – the first with ten experts and the second with 62 VET practitioners at 20 colleges – were conducted in England, Germany, and Austria, with a focus on full-time VET (Further Education Colleges, Berufskollegs, and Berufsbildende Mittlere und Höhere Schulen) in the 16-19 age range. Classroom observation preceded semi-structured, 30 to 60 minute interviews with teachers. The study builds on previous research and existing frameworks such as Lipsky’s concept of ‘street-level bureaucracy’ and Flyvbjerg’s ‘critical cases’. However, it fills a gap in the literature by focusing on practitioner perceptions, motivations, professionalism, autonomy, work contexts, and own learning in relation to pedagogic innovation, whilst tracing relevant connections to educational policy, college management, and societal influences. Teachers are shown in multiple roles as inventors, designers, and implementers of innovation, facing nine categories of obstacles. Those include limited time and budgets, bureaucracy and lack of autonomy, problems with project planning and execution, and issues related to lack of support. In addition, this study provides a comparative investigation of practitioners’ interpretations of key terms (‘pedagogy’, ‘didactics’, ‘innovation’), revealing differences between England on the one hand, and Germany and Austria on the other, based on different degrees of autonomy and innovative focus. Based on such findings, the study details recommendations for college leaders and policy makers for facilitating pedagogic innovation, placing each in their respective national contexts.

Après un chapitre d’introduction à propos des alliages métalliques complexes et leurs surfaces, le manuscrit est divisé en deux parties distinctes. La première partie (Chap.II) porte sur la détermination structurale de la surface d’ordre 2 de la phase décagonale Al-Cu-Co par LEED et STM. Les conclusions de ce chapitre indiquent (i) que la surface observée expérimentalement correspond à des terminaisons denses et riches en l’élément de plus faible énergie de surface (Al) et (ii) que la phase serait stabilisée par le terme entropique de l’énergie libre de Helmotz. Dans la deuxième partie de la thèse (Chap.III, IV et V), on applique une approche originale de science des surfaces pour résoudre un problème applicatif : l’adhérence des revêtements quasicristallins sur les substrats métalliques. On propose d’insérer une couche d’accrochage entre le revêtement et le substrat. L’alliage ?-Al4Cu9 est un bon candidat pour réaliser cette interface car il possède des propriétés structurales et électroniques intermédiaires entre un métal et un quasicristal. On élabore donc par MBE des interfaces modèles par adsorption puis recuit de Cu sur le quasicristal i-Al-Cu-Fe, puis d’Al sur Cu(111). Les expériences de photoémission, STM et LEED, ainsi que les calculs de DFT, démontrent la faisabilité d’une interface cohérente entre l’alliage de surface ?-Al4Cu9 et le Cu d’une part, et entre ?-Al4Cu9 et le quasicristal, d’autre part. Ces résultats fondamentaux sont reproduits avec succès dans le domaine applicatif, par l’élaboration de revêtements de phase ? par pulvérisation cathodique magnétron (Chap.V) / After an introductive chapter on complex metallic alloys and surfaces, the thesis is divided into two distinct parts. The first part (Chap.II) concerns the structural determination of the 2-fold surface of d-Al-Cu-Co quasicrystal, by using LEED and STM. The results show (i) that the experimental terraces correspond to dense and Al-rich terminations -the element with the lowest surface energy- and (ii) that this decagonal phase could be entropically stabilized. In the second part of the manuscript (Chap.III, IV and V), we apply a surface science approach to solve a technological bottleneck: the adherence of quasicrystalline coatings on metallic substrates. We propose to grow a buffer layer that would accommodate the differences between the two materials. For that purpose, the ?-Al4Cu9 phase is a good candidate as it shares electronic and structural properties with both substrate and coating. Hence, we synthesize model interfaces by using MBE, first by adsorption and annealing of Cu on the 5-f surface of i-Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal and then in the Al on Cu(111) system. Photoemission, STM and LEED experiments, along with DFT calculations show that a coherent interface can be grown between the ?-Al4Cu9 surface alloy and both the Cu and the quasicrystal. Those fundamental results are successfully reproduced in the real world, by growing similar interfaces using magnetron sputterring (Chap.V)

Memoria (licenciado en ciencias jurídicas y sociales)

En Union Européenne les accidents frontaux font 28% des accidents routiers et sont responsables de 49% de mortalité, les fractures thoraciques étant la cause principale de décès. Les modèles en éléments finis du corps humain sont un outil important pour la simulation de chocs réels et la prédiction des risques d'endommagement. Cette thèse a permis de développer un modèle simple en éléments finis de la cage thoracique suffisamment souple d'utilisation et facilement paramétrable. Ce modèle est validé expérimentalement avant d'être utilisé pour une étude paramétrique. Cette étude a permis de caractériser l'influence de différents paramètres structurels et géométriques sur le comportement de la cage thoracique sous chargement dynamique. Le travail réalisé au cours de cette thèse est divisé en trois parties : Modélisation de la cage thoracique entière avec des éléments finis de type poutre dont les propriétés mécaniques sont déterminées à partir d'essais de flexion trois points sur des segments de côtes et complétées par des éléments de la littérature, Validation du modèle dont les résultats sont suffisamment proches des résultats des essais de chargement dynamique antéro-postérieur menés par Vezin et Berthet [Vez09], Etude paramétrique sur l'influence paramètres, géométrie des sections droites et géométrie globale de la cage thoracique (inclinaison des côtes, forme et taille globale de la cage thoracique). A partir de cette étude nous trouvons que le module d'Young et l'épaisseur du cortical ont une influence identique sur la raideur globale de la cage thoracique ainsi que sur la rotation et la déformation des côtes. Avec l'augmentation de ces deux paramètres la rigidité du thorax augmente et le taux de compression maximal diminue. D'autre part les côtes tournent plus et se déforment moins. La raideur des liaisons costo-verterbales a une influence directe sur la rotation latérale qui diminue avec l'augmentation de cette raideur alors que les déformations augmentent ; tandis que la raideur globale de la cage thoracique est légèrement modifiée. L'inclinaison des côtes est le facteur ayant la plus grande influence sur la déformation des côtes et donc sur le risque d'endommagement : plus les côtes sont proches de la direction de chargement la raideur de la cage thoracique augmente et la déformation des côtes augmente / In the European Union, 28% of road accidents are frontal impacts which provoke 49% of fatalities where the thoracic fractures are the main cause of death. The finite element models of the human body are an important tool for the simulation of real impacts and the prediction of damage. This thesis has led to develop a rib cage simplified finite element model sufficiently flexible and easily customizable. First, this model is experimentally validated and then used in a parametric study. This study allowed us to characterize the influence of different structural and geometric parameters on the behavior of the rib cage under dynamic loading. This work is divided into three parts : Modeling the rib cage using beam elements whose mechanical properties are determined by three-point bending tests on rib segments and supplemented from literature, Validating the model by simulating the anteroposterior dynamic loading tests led by Vezin and Berthet [Vez09], Performing a parametric study on the influence of the mechanical parameters (Young modulus, stiffness of costo-vertebral joints), the geometry of the rib sections and the overall geometry of the rib cage (ribs slope, shape and overall size of the rib cage). This study permitted to find that Young modulus and the thickness of the cortical have the same influence on the overall stiffness of the chest as well as on the rotation and deformation of the ribs. By increasing these parameters, the stiffness of the chest increases and the maximum compression ratio decreases. Besides, we'll find more rotation and less deformation of the ribs. The stiffness of the costoverterbal joints has a direct influence on the lateral rotation : it will decrease by increasing of the stiffness while deformation will increase. However, the overall stiffness of the chest is slightly modified by modifying the costovertebral joint stiffness. The initial inclination of the ribs accordingly to the load direction has the greatest influence on the deformation of the ribs and therefore on the damage risk. When the ribs are closer to the loading direction, the stiffness of the rib cage and the deformation of the ribs increases

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:27:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Carolina Lobo Gluck Paul.pdf: 468862 bytes, checksum: 441f06ca3620290a35925eb5896f0700 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-28 / Private autonomy is one of the main principles of Civil Law and it indicates the power given by juridical order to people to rule their own juridical relationships. The private autonomy concept itself reveals that this power isn t absolute. It means that people s will must be conformed to public order rules and good behavior. Some of theses limits are easy to be applied because they are detailed by law. However, there are limits in juridical order that are general clauses, and other limits that even have express determination, but are given by the dynamic of the system. In theses hypothesis, its complex to define private autonomy limits, due to the inexistence of a generic formula that can be applied to every situation. In these cases, the limits are extract case by case, taking into consideration elements that, sometimes, are beyond juridical order. This work aims to study private autonomy limits that are consequences of the general clauses, the property social function, the contract social function, the good-faith and from the conflict between private autonomy and individual rights / A autonomia privada é um dos princípios estruturantes do Direito Civil e consiste no poder que as pessoas têm de regulamentar suas relações jurídicas, nos limites fixados pelo ordenamento jurídico. O próprio conceito de autonomia privada revela que esse poder não é absoluto, o que significa que a vontade dos sujeitos deve estar conformada a normas de ordem pública e aos bons costumes. Alguns desses limites são de fácil aplicação por estarem detalhados na própria lei. Há, porém, limites que estão contidos no ordenamento sob a forma de cláusulas gerais e outros que sequer contam com determinação expressa, mas são depreendidos pela dinâmica do sistema. Nessas hipóteses, a determinação dos limites à autonomia privada é mais complexa, pois não há uma formulação abstrata aplicável a todas as situações, devendo os limites ser extraídos caso a caso, levando em consideração fatores que, às vezes, transcendem o próprio ordenamento jurídico. O propósito dessa dissertação é estudar os limites à autonomia privada, decorrentes das cláusulas gerais da função social da propriedade, função social do contrato, boa-fé objetiva e da colisão entre a autonomia privada e os direitos individuais

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:28:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paulo Sergio Velten Pereira.pdf: 1462939 bytes, checksum: 530435c0be253f37979a287c199079b8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-11-06 / This research aims the investigation of the possibility of arguing the exception of the breach of contract (exceptio non adimpleti contractus) due to the violation of the lateral duty of conduct. The choice for preparing this study has been motivated by the verification that the open system of the Brazilian Civil Code of 2002 has given the interpreter the possibility of filling the legislation s general clauses with the fundamental values of the Constitution and the civil Law, in a way that those values become applied in interprivate relations. Among the general clauses, one of great importance is the objective good-faith clause, which constitutes a mandatory clause for the contracting parties. By researching the national and foreign literature concerning the changes in the field of the Law of Obligations, it has been concluded that from the general clause of objective good-faith derives the lateral duties, which grants complexity to the obligational relations, widens the base of default and generates effects that move beyond the mere duty to compensate damages and the possibility of termination of contract. The study s main hypothesis is that the reactive function the general clause of objective good-faith constitutes enough grounds to restrict the subjective right and control the abuse of a contract party who demands the other party s fulfilment of the contract without even respecting the lateral duties in the first place. This hypothesis gives a new approach to the exceptio non adimpleti contractus, highlighting the institute as an instrument for preserving the contractual balance and justice / Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo investigar a possibilidade de argüição da exceção do contrato não cumprido diante da violação de dever lateral de conduta. A escolha do problema se deu a partir da constatação de que o sistema aberto do Código Civil brasileiro de 2002 conferiu ao intérprete a possibilidade de colmatar cláusulas gerais do ordenamento com valores fundamentais da Constituição e da própria Lei civil, concretizando-os nas relações interprivadas. Entre essas cláusulas gerais desponta a da boa-fé objetiva, de observação obrigatória pelos contratantes. Através da pesquisa da doutrina nacional e estrangeira sobre as transformações operadas no direito das obrigações, chegou-se à conclusão que da cláusula geral da boa-fé objetiva decorrem deveres laterais que conferem complexidade à relação obrigacional, alargando a base do inadimplemento e gerando efeitos que vão além do simples dever de indenizar e da possibilidade de resolução do contrato. A principal hipótese de trabalho é que a função reativa da cláusula geral da boa-fé objetiva constitui fundamento para restringir direito subjetivo e controlar o abuso do contratante que, na relação bilateral, exige dever de prestação sem antes cumprir dever lateral, com o que se dá nova abordagem ao instituto da exceptio non adimpleti contractus, inclusive, como instrumento de preservação do equilíbrio e da justiça contratuais

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:29:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ana Paula Chiovitti.pdf: 1113806 bytes, checksum: a6e52fb193f36ec584bf7a3c9d9d7782 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-18 / The objective of this work is to first analyze the good faith on civil procedure and its applicability and later, abusive and unethical conduct from the parties, aimed to distort devoted procedural institutes (as the broad defense, or right of action, for example). On a second part, it seeks to examine the ways and means of prevention and prosecution of these actions drawbacks in the Brazilian civil procedure law. Thus, analysis of national and foreign doctrine and the study of judicial decisions homelands, which helped understand how the Brazilian judges are positioning on the subject. The subject is justified in the view of the problems that the Brazilian Judiciary goes through, with the load of demands and consequent delays regarding the proceedings, as well as little, sometimes any, are effective for which depends the judicial decisions, this theme that has been sanctioned by various authors and always gathers views of all shades. It is undeniable that there are effective means to contain unfair or unethical practices of litigants; however, the timidity by which the subject is seen by the judges in Brazil, just to make, in some situations, even with the subjectivity that the issue is viewed, safe means of repression to the procedural intent. Any possibility of punishing the party that wrongly uses the civil procedure techniques, blaming it by "marginal damage of the process", unethical conduct would certainly tend to diminish or even to be abolished in our judicial system. In this context, we find that good faith, viewed from the etimologic perspective, even with its undeniable subjectivism, still is the major milestone in both the actions of the parties as a model of conduct to be followed, and the means and methods by which the judiciary must combat frivolous practices, which only cause procedural turmoil or undue delays, and never contribute to the strengthening of the democratic state of law / O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar, primeiramente, a boa-fé no processo e sua aplicabilidade e depois as condutas abusivas e antiéticas das partes, tendentes a desvirtuar institutos processuais consagrados (como a ampla defesa, ou o direito de ação, por exemplo). Num segundo momento, pretende-se examinar os meios e formas de prevenção e repressão destas ações inconvenientes no processo civil brasileiro. Para tanto, foi feita análise de doutrina nacional e estrangeira, bem como o estudo das decisões jurisprudenciais pátrias, os quais permitiram compreender como os magistrados brasileiros vêm se posicionando a respeito do tema. A temática justifica-se à vista das mazelas pelas quais passa o Judiciário brasileiro, com toda carga de demandas e conseqüente morosidade na tramitação dos processos, bem como a pouca, ou por vezes nenhuma, eficácia pela qual se revestem as decisões judiciais, tema este que vem sendo referendado por diversos autores e sempre acoroçoa opiniões de todos os matizes. É inegável que existem remédios efetivos para conter as práticas abusivas ou antiéticas dos litigantes; contudo, a timidez pela qual o tema é encarado pelos juízes brasileiros, acaba por tornar, em algumas situações, até mesmo pela subjetividade com que a questão é vista, inócuos os meios de repressão ao dolo processual. Havendo possibilidade de punir a parte que utiliza indevidamente o processo, responsabilizando-a pelos denominados danos marginais do processo , certamente as condutas antiéticas tenderiam a diminuir ou mesmo a serem abolidas de nosso sistema judiciário. Neste contexto, percebe-se que a boa-fé, encarada sob a ótica etimológica, mesmo com seu inegável subjetivismo, ainda assim é o grande marco responsável tanto pelas ações das partes como modelo de conduta a ser seguido, como pelos meios e modos com que o Judiciário deve combater as práticas levianas, que apenas causam tumulto processual ou dilações indevidas, e nunca contribuem para o fortalecimento do Estado Democrático de Direito

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:30:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Alberto Garbi.pdf: 1408803 bytes, checksum: c592faeeed5a886b649dfef769fe46ba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-05-14 / The influence of liberalism in the formation of western private law has strict rules to accomplish the obligation due to the value that was given to the freedom of choice. The creditor, comfortable in his position, was entitled to accept or reject any amendment to the contract and require to the debtor at any cost, the performance of the obligation incurred, because what was contracted was fair. With the passage of the Social State to the Liberal State values of liberalism were shaken and autonomy of the will gave way to private autonomy. Understood the relationship of obligation as a process, which incorporates other accessories duties, secondary and sideways, and incident the principles and constitutional values, the application of the general clause of objective good faith, which promoted the opening of the system, revealed the duties of solidarity and cooperation that impose the creditor to accept changes on the contractual relationship. The rules of accomplishment of the obligation gained flexibility, allowing the creditor to enforce the subdivision or extension of the deadline for the implementation of the obligation. This study aims to advocate new paradigms for the right of obligation in the light of existential values defined in the Constitution in order to find solution to the conflicts of the parties in attention to the social function of the contract, the principle of conservation of the contract, the principle of objective good faith, the principle of solidarity and duty of cooperation, overcoming the rigidity of the liberal model / A influência do Liberalismo na formação do direito privado ocidental tornou rígidas as regras de adimplemento da obrigação em razão do valor que era conferido à autonomia da vontade. O credor, confortável na sua posição, tinha a faculdade de aceitar ou não qualquer modificação do contrato e exigir do devedor, a qualquer custo, o cumprimento da obrigação contraída, porque o que era contratado era justo. Com a passagem do Estado Liberal ao Estado Social, os valores do Liberalismo foram abalados e a autonomia da vontade cedeu lugar à autonomia privada. Entendida a relação obrigacional como processo, no qual estão integrados outros deveres acessórios, secundários e laterais, e incidentes os princípios e valores constitucionais, a aplicação da cláusula geral da boa-fé objetiva, que promoveu a abertura do sistema, revelou deveres de solidariedade e cooperação a impor ao credor a aceitação de modificações na relação obrigacional. As regras de adimplemento ganharam flexibilidade, permitindo impor ao credor o parcelamento ou a dilação de prazo para a execução da obrigação. Este estudo objetiva defender novos paradigmas para o direito obrigacional à luz de valores existenciais definidos na Constituição, com o propósito de encontrar solução para os conflitos das partes em atenção à função social do contrato, ao princípio da conservação do contrato, ao princípio da boa-fé objetiva, ao princípio da solidariedade e ao dever de cooperação, superando a rigidez do modelo liberal

Shelf seas represent an important source of iron (Fe) to the open ocean. Additionally, shelf seas are highly productive environments which contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide drawdown and support large fisheries. The work presented in this thesis describes the seasonal cycle of Fe in the Celtic and Hebridean Shelf Seas, and determines the physico-chemical speciation of Fe supplied from oxic margins. The results from repeated field surveys of the central Celtic Sea showed a nutrient type seasonal cycling of dissolved Fe (< 0.2 µm; dFe), which is surprising in a particle rich shelf system, suggesting a balance of scavenging and remineralisation processes. Coincident drawdown of dFe and nitrate (NO3-) was observed during the phytoplankton spring bloom. During the bloom, preferential drawdown of soluble Fe (< 0.02 µm; sFe) over colloidal Fe (0.02-0.2 µm; cFe) indicated greater bioavailability of the soluble fraction. Throughout summer stratification, it is known that NO3- is drawn down to < 0.02 µM in surface waters. This study revealed that both dFe and labile particulate Fe (LpFe) were also seasonally drawn down to < 0.2 nM. Consequently, it is hypothesised that the availability of Fe seasonally co-limits primary production in this region. At depth both dFe and NO3- concentrations increased from spring to autumn, indicating that remineralisation is an important process governing the seasonal cycling of dFe in the central Celtic Sea. In spring, summer and autumn, distinctive intermediate nepheloid layers (INL) were observed emanating from the Celtic Sea shelf slope. The INLs were associated with elevated concentrations of dFe (up to 3.25 ± 0.16 nM) and particulate Fe (up to 315 ± 1.8 nM) indicating that they are a persistent conduit for the supply of Fe to the open ocean. Typically > 15% of particulate Fe was labile and 60-90% of dFe was in the colloidal fraction. Despite being < 50 km from the 200 m isobath, the concentration of dFe was < 0.1 nM in surface waters at several stations. Broadly, the concentration of nutrients in surface waters described an oligotrophic environment where co-limitation between multiple nutrients, including Fe, appears likely. Over the Hebridean shelf break, residual surface NO3- concentrations (5.27 ± 0.79 µM) and very low concentrations of dFe (0.09 ± 0.04 nM) were observed during autumn, implying seasonal Fe limitation. The dFe:NO3- ratio observed is attributed to sub-optimal vertical supply of Fe relative to NO3- from sub-surface waters. In contrast to the shelf break, surface water in coastal regions contained elevated dFe concentrations (1.73 ± 1.16 nM) alongside low NO3-. Seasonal Fe limitation is known to occur in the Irminger and Iceland Basins; therefore, the Hebridean shelf break likely represents the eastern extent of sub-Arctic Atlantic seasonal Fe limitation, thus indicating that the associated weakening of the biological carbon pump exists over a wider region of the sub-Arctic Atlantic than previously recognised. These key findings demonstrate that the availability of Fe to phytoplankton may seasonally reach limiting levels in temperate shelf waters and that oxic margins persistently supply Fe dominated by colloidal and particulate fractions to the ocean.

Servo valves are used in a broad variety of flow modulation applications. In the field of aerospace, servo valves are used in aero engines to meter fuel flow. The existing valves are labour intensive to manufacture and highly optimised such that to achieve improvements in performance requires a novel design. This research investigates smart material actuators and valve concepts. Specifically, a prototype pilot stage nozzle flapper valve is developed for the purpose of actuating a main stage spool. The typical nozzle flapper type servo valve uses a torque motor to actuate the flapper. In this research project, the torque motor has been substituted for two piezoelectric ring bender actuators. A novel mounting mechanism has been developed to secure the ring benders within the valve. Analytical and finite element models have been made to understand the displacement mechanism of a ring bender and the effects of the mount on the displacement and force from a ring bender, and the results were compared with experiment. The mounting stiffness at the inner and outer edges was found to decrease the displacement of the ring bender and it was found that the stiffness of the mount at the outer edge has a greater negative effect on displacement than the stiffness of the mount at the inner edge. The displacement of a ring bender was tested across the operational temperature range of an aero engine. It was found that the displacement of the ring bender is reduced at low temperatures and increases at high temperature. The variation of stiffness of the elastomeric mount was also tested with temperature and it was found that the displacement of a ring bender is significantly reduced when the mounting elastomer approaches its glass transition temperature. A prototype valve was built to test the pressures and flows that could be achieved at two control ports by using a ring bender as actuator. A single ring bender and two ring benders, mounted in tandem to provide redundancy, have been tested. An analytical model was developed and the predictions are compared with experimental results for pressures and flow. The full stroke of the valve was 300m when mounted and reduced to 150m when mounted in tandem with an inactive ring bender. The hysteresis of the valve is +/-10%. The pressures and flow at and between the control ports of the valve are consistent with the predictions.