This thesis investigates student engagement in the Media and Communication Programme at Malmö University through the lens of audience- as well as learning theories. It has two main aims: Building a systematized theoretical framework to distinguish different nuances of audience activity in a cross-mediatic learning environment, and exploring factors influencing student engagement in our Media and Communication Master Programme (MCS). Constructivist Grounded Theory (Charmaz 2006) with a multi-method approach for data collection is applied to gather rich data and analyse it accordingly through coding processes and constant comparison. Following social constructivism, it argues that each student, actively constructing knowledge, has her own subjective learning preference. This thesis takes a non- normative stand on the subject. A matrix of audience activity, grounded in audience theories and developed through the collected data, is established. In a second step this is used to illustrate the concepts participation, engagement and collaboration and then further employed to examine factors influencing student engagement. Thereby, the matrix is tested, refined and further developed. Through this approach eight states a student might be situated in while studying as well as possible barriers for student engagement were identified. Factors influencing student engagement this study found are the personal situation of the student, the access Hyflex education allows, possibilities and challenges of physical and virtual learning spaces, the interaction between teachers and students, the structure of the programme and how students are connected with each other. By looking at student engagement in a media rich environment from an audience- as well as education-angle this thesis expands existing research. It presents influencing factors for student engagement. More importantly the theoretical model is a useful tool to investigate different kinds of student activities and to develop educational media tools. It could also be transferred to research other audiences.

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Open space planning has been present within the United States for over a century. Traditionally, open space planning efforts tend to focus more exclusively on either socially-based (e.g., recreational, scenic, or park planning) or ecologically-based (e.g., preserves, habitat networks or more general conservation planning) planning efforts. This separation of ecological and social frameworks in open space planning is reinforced by a persistent cultural model, where community and conservation are seen as opposing forces instead of partners. While recent open space planning efforts have begun to integrate social and ecological frameworks into one plan, the majority of our knowledge on integrated open space planning comes from individual case studies. Thus, a synthesized toolbox for how to practice this planning field is lacking. Given this lack of synthesized knowledge of integrated open space planning, an exploratory effort was undertaken to begin to view this newer planning field through a comprehensive lens. The goal of this research was to identify the state of integrated open space planning and begin to assess whether this state was leading toward "landscape integrity," which suggests that healthy social and ecological systems must function together to be sustainable. Framed within an adapted Pressure-State-Response framework, this thesis employed mixed methods and multiple perspectives to engender a holistic framework that identifies the pressures, state of, and potential responses surrounding integrated open space planning. Pressures synthesized from practice and theory include key barriers and facilitators to achieving integration. For the first time, the state of integrated open space planning has been identified from a synthesis of thirty planning processes, practices, and tools utilized in this new planning field. This framework provides planners with a framework upon which sharing and communication can now take place regarding how integrated open space planning can be institutionalized. Finally, this understanding of the pressures and state reveals potential responses for this newer planning field, including the need for increased collaboration to build this new field of open space planning into a mainstream planning field and increased research into bridging the gaps between theory and practice identified through this thesis. This study found two integrated open space planning models and a breadth of literature supporting a movement away from the community versus conservation dichotomy. While this movement is not yet mainstream, both paradigm shifts and the rapidly changing landscapes in which we live are reinforcing this trend. With the expanded view and holistic framework illustrated by this research, planners are afforded a similar language upon which they can discuss the tools and processes central to integrated open space planning.

The purpose of this dissertation research was to understand the decision-making process that well older adults use when deciding whether to make a home modification. The researcher also sought to understand the views of well older adults concerning the use of home modification to prevent injury and declines in occupational performance. The researcher used the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model (Law et al., 1996) from occupational therapy and occupational science as the orienting framework. A qualitative grounded theory approach based on that proposed by Strauss and Corbin (1998) was used to structure data collection and analysis. Participants were obtained using purposive and theoretical sampling and were interviewed by the researcher. The 19 participants in this study ranged in age from 65 to 89. Findings from this study include a model of the decision-making process that well older adults used to plan for their futures related to home setting and modification and also a substantive grounded theory. The Theory of Home Modification Decision-Making: Well Older Adults is proposed and explained. Central to the theory are two decision-making processes, including the conditions that influence the decisions. These findings and the theory are discussed relative to the PEO model and existing occupational therapy and gerontology literature. The information gained from this study is beneficial to occupational therapists and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists to improve and expand their services to the well older adult population.

November 2011. "Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Occupational Therapy Department, College of Allied Health and Nursing, Nova Southeastern University." Childhood obesity has been identified as a serious public health concern for over a decade. To date, no one has examined the complex interactions which seem to be occurring within this epidemic using an exploratory approach. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the complex interaction between the decisions mothers make when attempting to promote health in their children and the environmental factors which influence these decisions. A grounded theory approach guided this exploration. Eleven mothers of children aged 7-12 participated in this study. Data collection included two semi-structured interviews, personal diary entries, a parenting style questionnaire, and a demographic data sheet. Constant comparative analysis resulted in six main themes. These include: Managing Time, Managing Chaos; Managing Health from a Distance; Cultural Infatuation with Food (food is always available); Fluctuating Challenges and Supports; Strategies; and Resulting Actions/Interactions. Additionally, this research resulted in a proposition and substantive-level theory which helps illustrate and explain the complex interactions between the mothers and the surrounding context as well as the resultant influence on performance.

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Thesis (Ph.D. (Curriculum Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The purpose of this study was to look at the crisis in the implementation of inclusive education and to reflect on the role of full-service schools in Sekhukhune district. Participants were purposively selected in this study. Most of the mainstream school‘s struggle to cater for special educational needs learners, resulting in many dropouts. The study collected data through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The findings of the study have shown that many educators lack capacity on inclusive education, and full-service schools do not play a critical role in supporting neighbouring mainstream schools. The findings reveal that lack of capacity development like workshops and human resources are main factors contributing towards failure of full service schools to support neighbouring mainstream schools. In addition, inclusive education needs to be included in educator training at tertiary level qualifications. Therefore, further investigation of the impact of educator qualifications and implementation is recommended.

The intent of this thesis was to better understand the educative role of group exercise instructors, and how this role is approached when working with older exercisers. Data were collected using textual analysis, observations of instructors’ teachings in group exercise classes, semi-structured interviews with instructors and older exercisers, and go-alongs with older exercisers. This thesis is comprised of four papers (three journal articles and one book chapter). The first paper reports findings from a scoping review and elucidates that the educative role of exercise instructors is vital but under researched. Paper 2, a book chapter, reports findings from a qualitative content analysis of eight curricula used to train and certify fitness instructors in Canada and the United States. This paper proposes strategically employing compassionate ageism to meet older exercisers’ needs without (re)producing social inequalities in response to finding that the curricula conceive the older body as different from the healthy, supposedly ideal standard. Paper 3, an Institutional Ethnography, provides evidence for some of the ways employers and the aforementioned curricula influence how instructors teach. Paper 3 reports that multi-level teaching may not be enough to foster inclusivity, thus suggesting a greater need for stratification by ability rather than age. Additionally, findings outline some ableist teaching practices, which some instructors resisted by drawing on their competence to employ teaching methods respecting exercisers’ agency. Finally, Paper 4 introduces a substantive, grounded theory of age capital, which builds on Bourdieu’s theorizations of cultural capital, as well as Mauss’ habitus and body techniques. Age capital is defined as possessing a gerontological embodied competence, or cognitive and embodied knowledge of the socio-cultural practices throughout one’s life course. Collectively, this thesis provides several recommendations for teaching group exercise in a manner that fosters more inclusive classes for older adults. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The key goals of this research were to understand how fitness instructors’ training might influence how instructors teach in their group exercise classes, learn how and what fitness instructors teach, and identify how instructors’ teaching is (or should be) different with older exercisers. I found that fitness instructors are important to group exercise classes, as they bring people together and teach people how to exercise safely. It is also especially important that instructors have special training to work with older people, but there is a lack of consistency in the training of exercise instructors and instructors received mixed messages about ageism in their training. This could reinforce the idea that older persons lose abilities as they age and result in a one-size fits all way of teaching that fails to include older exercisers’ diverse abilities. This research suggests ways instructors can be better trained to relate to older exercisers.

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