This study examines boundaries and synergies between continuing professional learning contexts of academy, workplace and profession, and considers what factors and approaches of learning contribute to common good in societies. In a review of literature, historical trends in professions and professional learning, concerns of managerialism and performativity, and educational theories of socially constructivism, developmental and ethical learning were considered. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyse data from eighty work-based student documents and from twelve semi-structured interviews with practitioners in four Scottish professions. The findings indicated that learning across contexts was disconnected, creating additional demands for professionals. Increased academic study indicated a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce, with a caveat of market-led credentialism in response to demands for higher qualifications. Professional CPD provided benefits of quality assurance and public safety, but was reported as individualised procedural accountability. Interpersonal communicative action was identified as key to workplace learning, although was afforded less significance than accredited learning in professional and academic contexts. Factors of individualism, accountability and credentialism were noted to have effect on participative workplace learning, which, the study argued, impacted on ethical agency in professions. To address these trends, adaptability, reciprocity and dialogical critical thinking were identified as necessary factors for a continuing professional learning that contributes to common good in societies.

Violence against women and children is a pervasive challenge across the globe. Research has shown that survivors of interpersonal violence, such as child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, may develop a complex form of post-traumatic stress disorder accompanied by, for example, difficulties in regulating emotions and relating to others. Additional mental health and social problems contribute to survivors' long-term impairment. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the key elements and processes that facilitate trauma recovery. The majority of research places survivors as individuals at the core of understanding trauma and recovery, which makes it an intrapsychic problem focused on, for example, the individual's cognitive bias, maladaptive interpersonal behaviour, or emotion dysregulation which need repairing, rather than considering appropriately the role of context, external factors and social processes. Thus, trauma recovery may be more complicated. The current study explored key elements and processes of trauma recovery in female adult survivors with a focus on emotional and interpersonal skills, within the narratives of individuals constructing their own recovery within an interpersonal context. Fifteen female adult survivors were recruited from a statutory clinical service and a third-sector community project. Participants were interviewed individually, and data were analysed qualitatively using grounded theory. The study constructed a framework of four key components. Women survivors initially disengaged from feelings, other people and themselves (1), gradually made hidden experiences visible (2) and examined these (3), and eventually reconstructed their reality (4). Although not always a linear process, this framework revealed a transition from self-guided to supported self-management. Women survivors sought out relationships, were impacted by relationships, and these relationships changed the way survivors responded. Thus, female trauma survivors reconstructed abuse, trauma and identity through various supportive others. Similarly, female survivors reframed emotional and interpersonal difficulties and gradually managed these through relationships. Future research as well as theories, practices and policies need to consider the multifaceted and relational nature of interpersonal trauma recovery. Guidelines and practices, for instance, could include community-focused strategies that provide a larger network of support to survivors and, thus, would offer multiple opportunities to experience positive interactions. Equally, mandatory training of health care staff about interpersonal violence and subsequent trauma as well as training in relating positively to survivors would make a real difference.

Landbased Studies Foundation and Bachelor degrees (FD and BSc) are generally taught in specialist FE landbased colleges, with teachers typically teaching both FE (Ofqual RQF Levels 0–3) and HE (Ofqual RQF Levels 4–6). Such teachers are designated in the literature as being HE in FE (Higher Education in Further Education) or CBHE (College Based Higher Education) teachers. Using a single case study landbased college, this study adopts a qualitative, naturalistic methodology using intensive interviewing and classroom observations of six Animal, Equine and Veterinary Nursing Studies HE in FE teachers. Characterised as an under-represented group within UK education research, these teachers teach both HE and FE within a small, UK landbased college. The study examines the nature of HE teacher pedagogic practice enactments, and factors which enable and constrain them within an FE college environment. Conceived within a interpretivist socio-constructivist framework, this study is influenced by the anti-dualist social philosophy of Practice Theory (PT) whereby people, places and material objects all contribute to how practice is enacted. Rather than considering material artefacts to be merely background objects and a college being simply an inert container where teaching takes place, a sensitivity to Practice Theory considers the FE context, material aspects and teacher pedagogic practices as a whole, rather than from one or other side of the structure versus agency divide. Within this study a particular variant of Practice Theory, Practice Architectures (PA) (Kemmis and Grootenboer, 2008), has been used to sensitise the study. The study adopts a Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) approach as a means of exploring a neglected and under-theorised area of Post-Compulsory education. The CGT methodology influenced and guided the research design and interpretive data iv analysis. Using purposive sampling of teacher participants, theoretical sampling, and the iterative cycles of constant comparison associated with Grounded Theory (GT), the data was used to construct four key categories. From these categories three main theoretical themes were identified from the data; Surveillance and Control, Teacher Identity and Agency, and Pedagogic Risk Aversion. The interpretive analysis suggests that HE pedagogic practice enactments are influenced and constrained by the college as a site, by its management, and by the wider neoliberal landscape of surveillance and auditing, as well as by the teachers themselves, the HE students, and material, non-human physical spaces and artefacts. The resultant HE pedagogic practice enactments are risk averse, tending towards instrumentalism and teacher-centeredness. The final CGT theoretically accounts for the HE practice enactments of the HE in FE teachers at the college and is discussed in relation to HE in FE literature, and to a number of pertinent theories within and beyond education. The CGT contributes to an enhanced understanding of HE teacher pedagogic practice enactments, and has potential for generalisability beyond the specific college. The original contributions to knowledge consists of: devising a novel methodology whereby PT/PA and CGT are articulated; adding to the body of literature for HE in FE pedagogy; and adding to the pauce corpus of literature for landbased education.

The theoretical part of this thesis maps the basic concepts, approaches, and categorization processes related to feedback and coaching. It also describes their relationship in the management of the development of individuals and groups. In the practical part of this thesis are primarily categorized and using qualitative methods of grounded theory explored testimony practicing coaches in the focus group and finally formulated into a number of areas recommended for further verification. Keywords: Feedback, coaching, development, grounded theory, focus group, key event

Preocupações com o envelhecimento populacional, que cresce rapidamente nos países em desenvolvimento, aliado à intensa degradação do meio ambiente, levaram ao delineamento desta pesquisa. Inicialmente, procurou-se discutir e compreender o processo de envelhecimento individual e populacional, estudando suas teorias: por que e como envelhecemos e alcançamos a longevidade. Destaca-se os fatores associados positivamente à longevidade: restrição alimentar, genética e hereditariedade, hábitos de vida, engajamento social, entre outros. E condicionantes negativos, situações de exposição opostas a estas, dentre as quais a poluição merece destaque pela morbimortalidade a ela associada, podendo encurtar o tempo de vida. Destaca-se a complexidade dos problemas ambientais e a necessidade de romper com o reducionismo, avançando na Saúde Ambiental e seus indicadores. O objetivo do presente estudo foi compreender as possíveis associações entre fatores ambientais e aumento da longevidade humana, segundo a perspectiva de um grupo de longevos ferroviários. Questionário semi-estruturado foi aplicado a uma população mais homogênea de longevos (30 ex-ferroviários aposentados da Estrada de Ferro Sorocabana de Botucatu). Caracterizou-se a vida desses indivíduos e se resgatou a importante história da ferrovia, buscando evidências de associações entre meio ambiente, saúde e longevidade, por intermédio de metodologia qualitativa (Grounded Theory) e quantitativa. Utilizando a Grounded Theory, emergiram três fenômenos, retratados a partir da experiência dos entrevistados: ANIQUILANDO A VIDA, GERANDO VIDA e FALTANDO CONTROLE SOCIAL E DO ESTADO. Esses longevos percebem o aniquilamento atual do meio ambiente, da ferrovia e até da própria vida, desencadeado pela falta de controle social e do Estado, aliado à falta de consciência coletiva, empreendido pelo movimento da ideologia capitalista do lucro a qualquer custo. Percebem que vários fatores influenciam a longevidade, como: conviver em um ambiente harmônico e sem poluição; adotar estilo de vida saudável e sociável; envolver-se com o trabalho e ter renda para se sustentar; ser e estar tranqüilo e feliz; fatores biológicos e genéticos favoráveis. Por meio desta pesquisa, levantam-se três premissas: a complexidade dos fatores associados ao binômio meio-ambiente-longevidade, suas inter-relações, e a necessidade de internalização do meio ambiente no processo de saúde-doença-envelhecimento. Propõem-se nova hipótese nas teorias da longevidade: valorização das funções desempenhadas(VFD). A partir da experiência dos longevos, destacando o papel da memória, denota-se a importância em subsidiar a população idosa a empoderar-se para que possa exigir dos governantes ações mais efetivas no sentido de garantir melhor qualidade de vida. Também é importante empoderá-los para que possam lutar contra a degradação ambiental e da própria vida, contra esta cultura do imediatismo e da etnodesvalorização, em um processo dialético histórico que faz o passado representar a vida (ganhos = trabalho, tempo áureo da ferrovia) e o presente a morte (perdas = degradação ambiental, aniquilamento da ferrovia e ferroviários, doenças). / Concerns with population aging, which grows fast in developing countries, associated with the intense environmental degradation, have led to delineation this research. Initially tried to discuss, and understand individual and population aging process, studying their theories: how and why we age, and reach longevity. Emphasize the factors positively associated to longevity: food restriction, genetics, and heredity, life habits, social engagement, among others. And negative conditioners, situation of exposure opposite to these, especially highlighting pollution because of the morbimortality associated with it, can shorten the life-span. Complexity of environmental problems, and necessity to break up reductionism are outstanding, moving forward in Environmental Health and its indicators. The objective of the current study aim to comprehend the possibility of associating environmental factors with an increase in human longevity, through the perspective of a group of longevity railroaders. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to a homogeneous longevity group (30 retired ex-railroaders from Estrada de Ferro Sorocabana in Botucatu, State of São Paulo). It characterized the lives of these individuals and recovered the importance of railroad history, seeking evidences of associations among environment, health, and longevity through qualitative methodology (Grounded Theory) and quantitative one. Through Grounded Theory, three phenomena emerged, depicted from the experience of the interviewed people: ANNIHILATING LIFE, GENERATING LIFE, and LACKING SOCIAL, AND STATE CONTROL. These longevity individuals detect the current annihilation of the environment, of the railroad, and even of life itself, descending from the lack of social, and State control, allied with lack of a collective conscience, undertaken by the movement of capitalist ideology of profit at any cost. They perceive that various factors have an influence on longevity, such as living in a harmonious environment without pollution, adopting a healthful and sociable lifestyle, involving oneself in work that earns a sustainable income, becoming and staying tranquil and happy; having favorable biological and genetic factors. This research raises three premises: the complexity of factors associated to the binomial environment longevity; their interrelations; and the need to internalize environment in the health-disease-aging process. Suggest a new hypothesis of theory of longevity: Valorization of the Develop Functions (VDF). From the experience of longevity workers, emphasizing memorys role, it denotes the importance of providing the elderly population and empowering them for what they may demand from more effective governmental actions in the sense of guaranteeing a better quality of life. Also it is important to empower them for their struggle against degradation of the environment and own lives, against this culture of immediatism, and ethno devaluation, in a historic dialetic process which makes the past represent life (profits=work, golden age of the railroads) and the present signify death (losses=environmental degradation, annihilation of the railroad and railroaders, diseases).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gisela Hernandes Gomes.pdf: 2937233 bytes, checksum: 0973a1ccf1294a2d15765c9220bd29e8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this study was to investigate aspects of Mathematics utilized in End-of-program Assessment Papers in Engineering specifically the manner in which students who attend the final terms of Mechanical Engineering and Production Engineering programs in a Brazilian university report the mathematical contents learned during the undergraduate years and which mathematical elements they apply to their End-of program Assessment Papers. Additionally, the investigation attempted to clarify how two cultures that of engineers and that of the Engineering program classroom are revealed in the discourses of students and teachers. The theoretical-methodological background of the study included aspects of mathematical thinking (Schoenfeld, 1992; Cardella, 2006), of the Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2006; Corbin & Strauss, 2008), and of Video Data Analysis (Powell, Francisco, & Maher, 2004). The findings revealed differences between the culture of engineers and that of the Engineering classroom in aspects such as mathematical rigor versus the use of approximations in the results, in addition to revealing elements of the mathematical thinking present in the assessment papers elements that can be explored in the classroom with the use of modeling and computer software / O foco desta pesquisa é a investigação da Matemática utilizada em Trabalhos de Conclusão de Curso (TCCs) de Engenharia especificamente o modo como alunos que freqüentam as etapas finais de cursos de Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia de Produção falam da Matemática aprendida ao longo da graduação e que elementos matemáticos aplicam a seus TCCs. Além desse foco, interessou-nos também entender de que maneira emergem na fala dos alunos e professores, assim como nos trabalhos finais, a cultura do engenheiro e a da sala de aula de Engenharia. O embasamento teórico-metodológico adotado foi constituído dos aspectos do pensamento matemático (Schoenfeld, 1992; Cardella, 2006), da Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2006; Corbin & Strauss, 2008) e da Análise de Vídeo (Powell, Francisco, & Maher, 2004). Os resultados revelam diferenças entre a cultura do engenheiro e a da sala de aula de Engenharia, como o rigor matemático e a aproximação de resultados, além de apontarem aspectos do pensamento matemático nos TCCs que podem ser explorados em sala de aula nos cursos de Engenharia através da modelagem e do uso de softwares

Despite research connecting the meaningfulness of work with positive organizational outcomes, such as increased employee well-being, job satisfaction, engagement, and retention, there remains a lack of adequate, inclusive research explaining differences in women's perceptions of the meaningfulness of work. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to address this gap in the literature by developing a theory about the formation of perceptions of the meaningfulness of work and about the impact of those perceptions. Research questions explored perceptions that women from diverse social classes have of the meaningfulness of work, what influenced those perceptions, the impact of those perceptions on their career choices, and the influence of those perceptions on workplace experiences and behaviors. Data for this study were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 25 women from different social classes. Transcribed interviews, results from a demographic screening survey, and researcher memos were analyzed using constant comparison in open, axial, and selective coding phases. Results indicated that perceptions of the meaningfulness of work are primarily defined by the potential impact of meaningful work and that the type, scope, and target of that impact are influenced by contextual and experiential factors, filtered through personal identity. The analogy of a stream was used to demonstrate the theory that blockages caused by negative workplace experiences and behaviors may prevent work from having a meaningful impact, but that channels can be created to bypass these blockages. Positive social change occurs when these channels allow employees' goals for impact to be realized, leading them to experience their work as meaningful and to engage in organizational citizenship behavior.

This qualitative research study aims to facilitate a better understanding of the process of transition from secondary school to community college for students identified with autism. Previous research indicates that though most students identified with autism report that they have strong intentions of pursuing a postsecondary education, comparatively few achieve this goal. Prior research on transition has focused on strategies utilized by secondary schools to facilitate success for students identified with autism or postsecondary institutional approaches utilized once a student has arrived at the school. This bifurcated approach has resulted in a gap in the research in that virtually no studies have considered transition from a unified perspective, nor has any serious attention been given to the summer “gap” that exists between secondary school and community college. Through a grounded theory exploration, the experiences and perspectives of college-bound students identified with autism, their parents/caregivers, high school and community college faculty and other stakeholders resulted in the emergence of foundational elements central to understanding what critical factors influence these students and how these students and stakeholders experience this transition. Furthermore, these foundational elements provide, within the confines of this study, a preliminary model of transition for students identified with autism.

Excessive teacher turnover has considerable financial, logistical, and academic implications for public education. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory (GT) that conceptualized the experiences of former Georgia public school teachers in order to better understand voluntary teacher attrition. Informed by Ryan and Deci's self-determination theory, this GT study provided insight into the process by which teachers arrive at the decision to leave public schools. Interviews with 12 former Georgia public school teachers were conducted. A constant comparative analysis was used to develop the theory of navigating the cycle of decline, which accounts for the general trend of declining motivation, well-being, and fulfillment among teachers who choose to leave the public school system. The cycle of decline consists of 4 stages: (a) embarking, in which new teachers initially experience concerns about authenticity and support in the public school context; (b) resolving, in which teachers attempt to resolve these concerns; (c) weathering, in which teachers attempt to endure or tolerate the conditions causing these concerns; and (d) opting out, in which teachers opt to leave the public school context entirely. The theory provides a useful framework for identifying and implementing strategies for retaining public school teachers. Stakeholders and policymakers in education may be able to minimize the impact of early attrition by ensuring opportunities for teachers to do authentic work in a supportive environment. The study supports positive social change by providing new insight into factors that lead to teacher turnover, and could thus help improve systemic and educational outcomes of public schools in Georgia and across the nation.

Literature has identified the need to study socially pervasive ICT in context in order to understand how user acceptability of innovation varies according to different inputs. This thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge on innovation studies (Chapter 2) and proposes a methodology for a conceptual model, for representing dynamic contextual changes in longitudinal studies. The foundation for this methodology is the 'Price of Convenience' (PoC) Model (Chapter 4). As a theory development Thesis, it deals with two related studies of socially pervasive ICT implementation: (1) voluntary adoption of innovations and (2) acceptance of new socially pervasive and ubiquitous ICT innovations (Chapters 6 and 7).