The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by first-year students as they negotiated the transition from the wrting environment of high school to the writing environment of university. The research for the dissertation was undertaken using a mixed-method explanatory design. This yielded a description of students' perceptions of the differences between their high school writing and first-year university writing environments. The research questions were as follows: what are high school students' perceptions of their writing environment; and what differences, if any, do students perceive as different in the writing environment between high school and first-year university? A total of one hundred and forty-four Grade 12 students completed a quantitative survey asking for their perceptions of the high school writing environment, and twenty students took part either in qualitative focus groups or individual interviews. A follow-up interview was conducted with fourteen of the original twenty participants while they were in the process of completing their first term at university. The results indicated that students' perceptions were very much influenced by individual teachers and instructors and by their own expectations. Recommendations, implications for further research, and implications for program development are offered as a way to extend the knowledge in this area.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by first-year students as they negotiated the transition from the wrting environment of high school to the writing environment of university. The research for the dissertation was undertaken using a mixed-method explanatory design. This yielded a description of students' perceptions of the differences between their high school writing and first-year university writing environments. The research questions were as follows: what are high school students' perceptions of their writing environment; and what differences, if any, do students perceive as different in the writing environment between high school and first-year university? A total of one hundred and forty-four Grade 12 students completed a quantitative survey asking for their perceptions of the high school writing environment, and twenty students took part either in qualitative focus groups or individual interviews. A follow-up interview was conducted with fourteen of the original twenty participants while they were in the process of completing their first term at university. The results indicated that students' perceptions were very much influenced by individual teachers and instructors and by their own expectations. Recommendations, implications for further research, and implications for program development are offered as a way to extend the knowledge in this area.

This study is an attempt to read 1 John, a document which was conceptualised almost two thousand years ago in a particularly different context from that of Zulu people into which this venture is undertaken. A number of hermeneutical problems are raised by this kind of reading. Chapter eight of this thesis addresses itself to these problems. The present dissertation utilises the sociology of knowledge especially Berger and Luckmann's theory of the symbolic universe to investigate the possible social scenario of 1 John into which the conceptualisation and crystallisation of the text of 1 John first took place. The investigation has led the researcher into discovering the abundance of family language and common social conventions relating to family, which the author of 1 John found to be useful vehicles for conveying his understanding of the new situation that had come about as a result of the fellowship eventuating from the acceptance of the gospel. The same theory of Berger and Luckmann was used to investigate the African (Zulu) scenario with the view to ascertaining whether some form of congruency could be established between the social symbols identified in 1 John and those obtaining in the Zulu context. To ensure that the results of this investigation applied to Zulu people of this day and age, the researcher conducted field research. In doing this, a qualitative approach was followed as it was deemed appropriate for this kind of study. Within the qualitative framework, the focus group interview method was employed. The results were therefore subjected to a process of comparison and synthesis with the views obtaining in 1 John and the Zulu world. This investigation confirmed our hypothesis that there exists a major of congruency between both universes, that is, 1 John and that of Zulu people, which if properly identified, investigated and exploited, could enhance a smooth construction of a hermeneutical bridge of understanding between the two worlds and enhance a heightened relevance and significance of 1 John's message within the Zulu context. The investigation also revealed some difficulties regarding certain symbols especially those that that seek to express the divine reality. The bankruptcy of language to capture and express the divine reality as people perceive it was noted. Our conclusion therefore, was this: inadequate though these symbols might be to express divine reality, at the moments they are a given. For instance, within the Zulu context, a number of symbols could be used to express the reality of the Christ-event. For instance, to mention just a few, the First born son, as well as the Ancestor symbols, both convey something of the reality of Christ but they do not go far enough to express the fullness embodied in the person of Christ. For that reason it is suggested that we do not shy away from these symbols because of attendant difficulties, but that an informed and critical discussion seeking to reach consensus among all stake-holders be conducted. / Dissertation (DD)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / New Testament Studies / unrestricted

First aid is defined as a set of simple procedures that effectively reduce the extants or consequences of the threats to health or life. The first aid procedures are defined in the so- called Guidelines published by the European Resuscition Council (ERC) every five years. Even so, wrong procedures and myths are still present in the population. These could endanger peoples' health or cause death. In this diploma thesis, these incorrect procedures are called misconceptions. The aim of the thesis is to analyze the present misconceptions among general population and teachers in the Czech Republic, their dispersion and sources. The outcomes of this study are compared with results of the Czech Elementary school and Grammar school teachers determined by Zvěřinová (2018). Secondary aim is to analyze dissemination of misconceptions among the respondents from general public that had some first aid training in their life and to find out, if the extant of the training is relevant. Also, the level of first aid training at all levels of education is assessed. The research was realized by an online questionnaire. The main part of the questionnaire contains 10 case studies and the respondents decide on accuracy of the given solutions. The research sample consists of 1 046 respondents from three categories...

First-generation and low-income college graduates are an invisible minority within medicine that has gone largely unstudied. I explored their unique experiences to better understand how diversity and inclusion can be improved. Through gathering stories from students, residents, and attending physicians, I identified unique challenges that they face, and formulated strategies to address them. First-generation college graduates in medicine have a unique set of strengths, challenges, and opportunities that position them to be valuable physicians in the communities that they serve. The American Medical Association states that when minority students finish medical school and residency, they go on to serve society in a way that has not been done before. Furthermore, they are more likely to serve underserved and minority populations, in turn fostering justice and equity in medicine. Some of the qualities that most first-generation college graduates possess that make them well-suited to become successful physicians are resilience, self-motivation, and efficacy. Paving the path for future physicians is a tremendous pressure that can motivate or overwhelm them as they trailblaze their way through medicine. There is an accumulated disadvantage as they are more likely to be underprepared academically, to have less guidance, and to have more financial struggles. First-generation students have several traits that characterize them as an at-risk population in higher education; they take longer to complete their bachelor’s degree and have lower degree aspirations when compared with their peers. They also face moral distress and a growing disconnect as they balance their familial obligations with academics and experience social mobility. Though these are factors that impact their success in college, they do not cease to pose issues when they successfully enter medical school and have to navigate the culture and hierarchy of medicine, as well as the disparate allocation of resources in medical school as they are not deemed as underrepresented in medicine. By understanding these factors, administrators can strengthen pipeline programs and support systems. In supporting the next generation of first-generation physicians at all stages of their training, they can promote a workforce as diverse as the patients it serves. / Urban Bioethics

The first night effect (FNE) has been described as a phenomenon that affects sleep quality as measured by objective parameters by polysomnography (PSG) tests that show decreased sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, total sleep time and increased sleep latencies and REM latencies. Music therapy has been an effective tool in treating anxiety in a number of patient populations as well as helping patients improve sleep quality when measured by questionnaires administered pre and post intervention. It is hypothesized that music therapy may help alleviate the FNE by improving sleep quality and the current study investigates this music intervention by observing objective parameters through PSG. A total of ninety-eight subjects completed the study of determining effectiveness of intervention in a recently constructed sleep laboratory at Boston Medical Center. Results have shown that there are no significant improvements in the sleep parameters investigated: sleep latency, sleep efficient, non-REM sleep, REM sleep, REM latency, time spent awake after initial sleep onset, arousal index, and total sleep time in the total population examined. Men and subjects that did not receive night-time respiratory treatments showed longer REM latencies when an intervention was involved. At this time, there is no reason to suggest that music therapy can help improve sleep quality on the first night in sleep laboratories when sleep quality is assessed using objective parameters. Further studies investigating anxiety levels and looking at particular patient populations on the first night pre and post music intervention may help determine the true efficacy of music intervention in helping lessen the FNE.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Kingsly Ambrose / It is a well-known phenomenon that the break-release, particle size and size distribution of wheat milling are functions of machine operational parameters and grain properties. Due to the non-uniformity in characteristics and properties of wheat kernel, the kernel physical and mechanical properties may affect the size reduction process. The discrete element method (DEM) is a numerical modeling technique that can be used to study and understand the effect of physical and mechanical properties of a material on processing. The overall objective of this study is to develop a DEM model of the 1st break wheat milling process. In this study, different physical and mechanical properties of wheat mill streams were determined for using as the input parameters in DEM model development. The particle size and size distribution (PSD), true, bulk and tapped density, young’s modulus, coefficient of static and rolling friction, and coefficient of restitution were measured for wheat kernel, 1st break and flour from hard red winter (HRW), hard red spring (HRS), and soft red winter (SRW) wheat. Overall moisture content was found to have a greater significant effect on the physical properties i.e. density and PSD of the mill streams than material properties i.e. Young’s modulus, coefficients of friction and coefficient of restitution. The DEM model of 1st break wheat milling was developed using both single and multi-sphere approaches. The single sphere approach simulated the size reduction of a spherical cluster of bonded particles with mono-sized particles. The model was simulated for hard red winter (HRW) wheat milling at 16% moisture levels and validated using lab scale milling trials giving a PSD of 437.73 m with a percent deviation of prediction of 235.37. The deviation of prediction was reduced to 192.29 with a mean PSD of 371.52 m by conducting sensitivity analysis by modifying the shear modulus and coefficient of restitution values. In the multi-sphere approach, a bonded cluster resembling a wheat kernel in shape and size was used to simulate the milling process. The model predicted a 1st break PSD of 412.65 µm which had a deviation of 185.89 from lab scale and 156.78 from plant scale milling. The model could however satisfactorily predict the variation in PSD from 1st break milling with moisture content with reasonable accuracy. Future capabilities using the model include performing additional sensitivity analysis to understand the effect of other mechanical properties of wheat on the 1st break PSD. It can also be used to improve the 1st break release during wheat milling.

Published Article / Under-performance and failure in first year accounting is a problem experienced in many higher education institutions world-wide as well as in South Africa. Literature shows that the problem is relatively well researched. Most of the research has taken place within the quantitative paradigm and in many cases focused on a search for determinants of possible success and / or failure in the subject or the factors contributing to the situation. The findings of all these research projects are varied and often inconclusive. It also becomes clear that the contexts of the studies are diverse, which makes it difficult for institutions and concerned lecturers to apply the findings in their specific situations. In this article the authors provide an overview of some of the most prominent research findings on factors determining or influencing success / failure in the field. They also attempt to organise these findings in a digestible way for the concerned lecturer and interested researcher. This is followed by a report on the first phase of an investigation into possible factors contributing to the low performance levels of students at a South African higher education institution. The unit of analysis is the first year accounting class of the first author (a lecturer at the institution). The research is quantitative in nature and statistical analyses are employed. In addition to factors such as age, gender, matric performance in key subjects, M-scores, class attendance and nationality, the investigation also looked at the levels of learning approach of the students as a possible determinant of success or failure. The findings are compared with the findings from literature and the implications of the research are discussed.

One of the most pressing and polarizing issues in Western Canada today, and for many First Nations groups in particular, is the oil sands of Alberta. My thesis is entitled Energy Uncertainty: The Effects of Oil on the Woodland Cree First Nation. My research is focused on understanding how long-term energy extraction affects the past, present, and futures of the members the Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) who are demanding an active role in the planning and consultation processes that affect their lives and their traditional lands. I have found that the energy consultation process is not working for the interests of the WCFN and the effects of oil extraction in this community are examples of how and why it is not working. During the summer of 2013 I spent nine weeks in the WCFN community and used three methods of research: participant observation, interviews, and literature analysis. I completed 22 interviews during my field work research, and made use of nine transcribed interviews with WCFN elders collected in 1995 by Rhonda Laboucan. I used a grounded approach to the content and thematic analysis of my interview and field note data. My thesis is guided by a political ecological approach because this framework challenged me to look at this subject from many angles and perspectives. This approach has kept my research from being narrowly focused on abstracted or stereotypical aspects of the energy extraction process which I cannot understand without attention to its social, political, environmental, and spatial aspects. The body of my thesis includes three chapters which explore: • The practical realities of energy consultation and its relation to Treaty Eight and Traditional Knowledge. • The complex relationship between temporality, fatalism, and the effects of the oil industry on the people, land, and animals of the WCFN. • A detailed ethnographic description of the events and processes that followed a contaminated water spill on the WCFN traditional land. My key findings include: consultation is not working for the interests of the WCFN; oil is impacting the animals, environment, and WCFN community; oil-related spills are affecting (but not being dealt with in a way that respects) WCFN people or land; and there are problems with collection, interpretation, dissemination, and even access to energy extraction and consultation information. My research helps to fill the gaps in our understanding of the complex effects of long-term energy extraction on small communities, in particular the impacts of oil and oil sands development in a small First Nations community context.

The last five decades have witnessed an increasing interest in the education-employment transition. In China, millions of university students graduate each year. Their employment has important impact on various aspects of the Chinese society. Additionally, university-work transition is related to the well-being of university graduates and their families. Therefore the university-work transition in China deserves more attention from scholars and practitioners. This thesis examines the determination of Chinese university graduates’ first job salaries. It investigates whether and how university graduates’ family background, on-campus performance (OCP) and gender are linked with their first job salaries. The thesis distinguishes three dimensions of graduates’ family background: Hukou status, parental CCP membership and income. It distinguishes three dimensions of graduates’ OCP: academic achievements, professional capability and political/ideological attainment. Information collected through interviews is used to interpret the statistical results. The results show that graduates’ first job salaries are significantly affected by their professional skills, political/ideological attainments and family income. Graduates’ gender, academic performance and family Hukou status have little impact on their first job salaries. Compared with the widely observed wage disparities among less educated workers caused by gender and Hukou status, this thesis provides evidence that higher education helps reduce the gender wage gap and rural-urban disparity in China. Analyses in the thesis are consistent with ‘state as equalizer’ and ‘market as equalizer’ theories. This thesis provides little evidence to support the marketized transition theory, as we find graduates’ first job salaries are still largely affected by their political/ideological attainments in university. Considering the unique context, the results suggest that some widely used human capital indicators and productivity signals are not applicable in the Chinese labour market. Practical implications are derived from the thesis.