Understanding the process of transformational change currently taking place in the media industry is an urgent challenge for people working in the industry as well as for media consumers and other stakeholders. There is a great need to deepen our general knowledge when it comes to what the future media landscape will look like. Which of the major consumption trends that exist today will continue and possibly lead to disruptive change? Which of today’s existing trends could give us a hint of tomorrow’s media landscape? Furthermore, we need to explore the environmental impact of the future media landscape. What parameters are important when it comes to environmental aspects of media consumption, as well as in the production and distribution of media content? These are examples of the questions explored in this thesis. I have used a number of methods, such as qualitative interviews, workshops, scenarios, case studies, process studies and life cycle assessment, in order to explore the research questions. The characteristics of the media consumption trends are presented in four scenarios. I have assumed that the strength of influence from the government in combination with the strength of commercial powers will strongly affect the future of media. The development of media is framed by the economy, the political system, and by culture. The future of media is closely connected with its relationship to the power structures in society. I have also defined eleven parameters, as central when discussing the environmental aspects of media consumption. These parameters are related to electronic devices, travel, transportation, energy use and waste. In the future, we may see the realisation of some of all four scenarios described in this thesis. The environmental aspects of these different future directions depend on each person’s life situation and a number of choices that each consumer makes concerning environmental issues, in combination with the overall societal structure. In relation to the global challenge of climate change/global warming, I conclude that traditional media, public service media in particular, together with social media channels play an important role in the process of increasing knowledge and awareness among consumers, politicians and other stakeholders in society. However, in current media development, media companies are rapidly becoming more commercialized and more focused on entertainment instead of on producing serious journalism concerned with social, political and cultural matters. To conclude, I believe that it is possible to create a sustainable media system, but it will require some conscious effort of people working in the media industry, of consumers, and ultimately at the level of regulatory authorities. / <p>QC 20150416</p>

The capacity to mentally project the self into the future or, what has recently been termed “episodic foresight” is an emerging topic of study in developmental psychology. The aim of this dissertation was to review available research on this topic and explore its development in two groups of children: typically-developing preschoolers and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This dissertation had two main goals. The first goal was to explore whether tasks thought to measure episodic foresight in children are related and whether, as has been hypothesized, they were related to theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF). Study 1 showed that after controlling for age and language ability, episodic foresight tasks were not intercorrelated, nor were they individually related to ToM or EF tasks. Importantly, however, an episodic foresight composite score was related to several EF tasks. Specifically, the results suggested a significant relation between episodic foresight and inhibitory control. The second goal of this dissertation was to explore the development of episodic foresight in children with ASD. Specifically, I tested whether children with ASD would perform more poorly on a series of episodic foresight tasks than a mental-age matched group of typically-developing children. Study 2 revealed significant group differences on several episodic foresight tasks, suggesting that children with ASD showed impairments in thinking about themselves in the future. These results are a timely contribution to the research on episodic foresight and will hopefully aid in the further development of tasks that adequately measure this important cognitive ability in children.

This study focuses on parental future planning for adults with intellectual disabilities. In recent years, the need for parents to engage in future planning for their offspring with intellectual disabilities has been increasingly emphasized. Within the literature, a number of approaches to future planning have been identified, including both formalized approaches (i.e., creating clear, explicit, and largely unchanging plans for the future of the individual with an intellectual disability) and more informal approaches (i.e., designating a person or a group of people to oversee the well-being of the individual with an intellectual disability without necessarily providing specific guidelines relating to the individual’s future care). Despite growing understanding that parents may approach developing future plans in different ways, to date, research on future planning has largely been focused on exploring formalized, concrete approaches to future planning. Using an Interpretive Description methodology, in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 parents of adults with intellectual disabilities, this study sought to gain a greater understanding of parental future planning in real life practice in the province of British Columbia. Results revealed that while the parents in this study often utilized several future planning approaches -- both formal and informal -- when engaged in planning, they could be classified into two broad categories: Concrete Planners and Informal Planners. In addition, the results of this study also highlight key factors that may distinguish between parents who plan more formally and parents who plan more informally. Overall, these result highlight important avenues for future research and policy and practice; which, ultimately, may lead to important changes regarding how best to support aging parents of adult children with intellectual disabilities as they face the challenging task of planning for the post-parental care phase of their adult child’s life. / Graduate / megan.caines@gmail.com

This written thesis has been developed in tandem with its practical counterpart: Entrance Not For Everybody. Together the practical and theoretical work make use of virtually every interesting experience I have had. In essence it explores how ancient spiritual practices may be the most developed tools we have for experiential mind expansion - regardless of how these practices are viewed by the scientific community. In addition this text question science's relevance for the personal experience of reality - in comparison to individual exploration of the same by whatever means. The prime strength of the sciences is its consistent, empirical development through logic. Mostly aided by external (as in not belonging to one's own body and mind) resources and tools and the development thereof. So far, science largely concern a material evolution - even if it is of an immaterial nature such as software or intellect. What I propose is the Human Individual Experience - optional means for experiencing the world as alternative ways of knowing. The work's main intention is to awaken an interest in spiritual practice in individuals who have no such experience or did not know to value such experiences that could be perceived as being of spiritual magnitude. This is important because regardless of the nature of spiritual content - seen from a scientific perspective of any kind - spiritual experiences are mind blowing, mind altering and most of all mind expansion in its purest form - at least on an experiential level - which naturally is key - given the context this text is being written in. For someone who already have a personal relationship to spiritual practices of an experiential nature - of any sort - there is a place, community or method to expand within their field of choice - if not locally then certainly globally. Therefore the target audience is not the experienced spiritual seeker for whom endless paths lay ahead. What is being proposed here is an approach which put the individual's experience in the centre of all - using more or less traditional spiritual practices as they have been constructed or discovered to offer great paths into higher consciousness experientially. In its practical manifestation, Entrance Not For Everybody, these have been gift wrapped in - as well as accompanied by - layers of fiction, cultural references and very detailed physical props, much because the individual of no spiritual background who is the main target group for this introductory experience, is likely used to a material world based in tools, entertainment, storytelling etc. Therefore this redressing and recontextualizing of practices is just a means to target and introduce a new crowd to old and useful methods - in a smooth and memorable manner. The idea is to offer this experience as a starting point and to be continued as a forum or hub for future explorations of more advanced experiences focusing on expansion of consciousness. Material complexity is bound to develop further in both it's tangible and intangible realms but it is here questioned whether this will really lead to an expansion of consciousness or just offer products to reach realms that are already accessible within - at no cost. The aim of this work is not to clarify the lack of consistency in what is commonly referred to as reality - although this might be a direct consequence. It is rather taken for granted that reality is subjectively understood. Therefore the thesis only investigates if and explains how a composition of experiential practices which are strung together thoughtfully may work as a door-opener for further inquiries into the realm of spiritual practice as a means of expanding mind and consciousness. In this respect the exhibition itself is the most important research ground for the thesis - which naturally cannot be incorporated in advance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate pupils' and teachers' experiences of using the simulator computer game Minecraft in connection with the Swedish school competition Future City. The study examines how students (ages 14-15) and teachers have experienced the use of Minecraft, what the students have learned in relation to everyday education and the different forms of education during Future City and also examine which patterns that exists in the experiences of the students, with personal interest of and knowledge of Minecraft as a benchmark. The study was conducted through individual semi-structured interviews with both students and teachers. The analysis of the results is based upon a theoretical perspective that includes a socio-cultural view of learning, as well as the lines of reasoning in previous research about computer games and learning. As a general approach towards the study, and in a way, a justification of the chosen research method, a hermeneutic approach was used. ICT and learning as a field of research is not used as a theoretical basis for the analysis, but is presented because the use computer games in education can be considered as use of ICT (computers). The purpose is also to present the frontier in which research about computer gaming and learning originates.     Findings indicate that the students' personal interest and knowledge of Minecraft are determining factors concerning how they are experiencing the game in education, as well as what they perceive that they are learning through it. For example, students with high personal interest and knowledge of Minecraft tend to be more focused on the game play and creative activity, while students with low or no interest and prior experiences of the game tend to be excluded from the activity, either voluntarily or by more the experienced students. Both students and teachers think that the benefits with Minecraft in education are mainly motivational in terms of learning, but that the game is poorly adapted for educational purposes.

The thesis presents an argument for the re-alignment of Australia's National Security efforts so that they mirror the changes occurring in our economy and society. Specifically, it seeks outcomes that can focus our efforts in protecting the critical infrastructure including our financial information infrastructure, from new and emerging threats. The thesis presents a definition of security as it applies to the Nation-State and provides the evidence of the changes in conflict and global security. It outlines the changes in the National Security environment and identifies emerging forms of conflict that effect national economic systems, and financial information infrastructures. It shows how the traditional view of National Security is being eroded by the Information Age. To support this argument a view of the key forces that are changing weapons, warfare, and approaches to National Security are provided. The thesis presents a view of the unconventional threats to economic systems. In particular, it describes the targeting of critical national information infrastructures including energy, banking and finance, transportation, vital human services, and telecommunications. The thesis outlines concern regarding the vulnerability of developed nations' social structures through increasing dependence on information and communications technology (ICT) systems, and the small population of specialist that support and protect it. The thesis argues that this dependency exposes national and global economies to new threats and forms of attack. The thesis consists of an overview of the evolution National Security approaches. In particular, it examines collective security and security concepts as they relates to the Nation-State. It identifies a number of drivers, which outline the changing nature of the global security environment. The thesis describes asymmetric warfare and discusses Information Warfare (IW), describing its elements and goals. An analysis of offensive and defensive information warfare, strategies, and operations is provided. This is then related to economic systems and how they have featured in conflicts between nations throughout history. The information and communications technology (ICT) that underpin the financial environment (in particular payment systems) are reviewed and the thesis closes by focusing on the elements of economic infrastructure assets and types of attacks from which they require protection. We conclude that the challenges for Critical Infrastructure protection in Australia are daunting and a number of recommendations are made that should be considered in light of the rapidly changing security environment. The challenges of Information Warfare will stretch Australia's resources, require re-conceptualising of our national defence forces, greater participation of the private sector, and changes in our daily lives.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on February 29, 2008) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [102-106]).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-131). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-131). Also available on the Internet.