[pt] Enquanto a maioria da pesquisa relata efeitos positivos de gamificação, o foco em seus efeitos adversos é consideravelmente menor. Tendo isso em mente, conduzimos um mapeamento sistemático dos efeitos negativos de elementos de game design em sistemas de aprendizado/educação. O estudo revelou 77 papers reportando efeitos não desejados de game design. Descobrimos que badges, competição, leaderboards e pontos são os elementos de game design mais encontrados sendo declarados como causadores de efeitos adversos. Os efeitos mais citados foram falta de efeito, falta de entendimento, irrelevância, problemas motivacionais e performance piorada. Então usamos os dados recolhidos para criar 7 diretrizes sobre alguns dos efeitos negativos encontrados e como lidar com eles. A dissertação pode ajudar designers de gamificação a tomarem decisões mais bem informadas quando selecionando elementos de game design a serem encontrados em sistemas de educação/aprendizado, criando percepção de efeitos adversos. / [en] While most research shows positive effects of gamification, the focus on its adverse effects is considerably smaller. Having this in mind, we conducted a systematic mapping study of the negative effects of game design elements on education/learning systems. The study revealed 77 papers reporting undesired effects of game design elements. We found that badges, competitions, leaderboards, and points are the game design elements most often reported as causing negative effects. The most cited negative effects were lack of effect, lack of understanding, irrelevance, motivational issues, and worsened performance. The ethical issue of cheating was also often reported. Then we used the data gathered to create 7 guidelines about some of the negative effects found and how to deal with those. This dissertation can help gamification designers make more informed decisions when selecting game design elements to be included in education/learning systems, raising awareness on potential negative effects.

The first decision in an application development project is choosing the application development platform. Until recently, native application development was the dominant development platform used. The recent increase in popularity of cross-platform development has made this decision to choose between native and cross platform development platforms even more difficult. There is a problem of a lack of guidelines on choosing between native and cross platform development. This lack of guidelines can lead companies to incur costs since application development is a time and money intensive process. The purpose of the thesis is to provide guidelines on when to choose between native application development and cross platform development. This thesis utilized qualitative methods to perform a comparative analysis between native and cross platform development. This analysis was done by building a weather application using native platform development and Flutter, which is the cross-platform development tool we have chosen. We used five comparative criteria to perform the comparative analyses. The results of the thesis are the set of guidelines that are obtained by performing a comparative analysis between native and cross platform development using five comparative criteria. These results will aid people involved in the application development process in making an informed decision of what development platform to use. / Det första beslutet i ett applikationsutvecklingsprojekt är att välja applikationsutvecklingsplattform. Fram tills nyligen var inbyggd applikationsutveckling den dominerande plattformen som användes. Det ökande populariteten för plattformsoberoende utveckling har gjort det ännu svårare att välja mellan inhemska och plattformsoberoende utvecklingsplattformar. Det finns en brist på riktlinjer för att välja mellan inbyggd och plattformsoberoende utveckling. Denna brist på riktlinjer kan leda till kostnader för företag eftersom applikationsutveckling är en tids- och resurskrävande process. Syftet med rapporten är att tillhandahålla riktlinjer för när man ska välja mellan inbyggd applikationsutveckling och plattformsoberoende utveckling. Denna rapport använde kvalitativa metoder för att utföra en jämförande analys mellan inbyggd och plattformsoberoende utveckling. Denna analys utfördes genom att bygga en väderapplikation med inbyggd apputveckling och Flutter, som är det plattformsoberoende utvecklingsverktyget vi har valt. Vi använde fem jämförande kriterier för att utföra de jämförande analyserna. Resultaten av rapporten är den uppsättning riktlinjer som erhålls genom att utföra en jämförande analys mellan nativ apputveckling och tvärplattformsutveckling med hjälp av fem jämförande kriterier. Dessa resultat kommer att hjälpa personer som är involverade i applikationsutvecklingsprocessen att fatta ett välgrundat beslut om vilken utvecklingsplattform de ska använda

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the entrepreneurial orientation of a vehicle management and sales company. This was done to help design recommendations to establish an entrepreneurial orientation in the company and enhance the personal traits of the company. A vast journey into the body of knowledge about entrepreneurship emerged when the literature review of Chapter 2 resulted in the leaders in the field, internationally and local, gave shape and depth to the study. The empirical study was conducted by distributing a questionnaire to a target population of 120 employees. A total of 41 questionnaires were received and was used to conduct a statistical analysis on. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by calculating the Cronbach Alpha coefficients for all the variables of entrepreneurial orientation as well as the personal traits. The data was used to calculate the mean and standard deviations of the individual responses for all the variables. The analysis also included the relationship between different demographic information and the variables of the study to test for any significant differences in the means. Conclusions were drawn from the data extracted from the questionnaires and recommendations were made based on the conclusions and the data on the relevant topics identified in the study. An action plan that supports the data, conclusions and recommendations was designed to help the company enhance the entrepreneurial orientation as well as the companies’ entrepreneurial behaviour. The study concludes with measurements of the objectives as well as suggestions for further research on the topic. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the entrepreneurial orientation of a vehicle management and sales company. This was done to help design recommendations to establish an entrepreneurial orientation in the company and enhance the personal traits of the company. A vast journey into the body of knowledge about entrepreneurship emerged when the literature review of Chapter 2 resulted in the leaders in the field, internationally and local, gave shape and depth to the study. The empirical study was conducted by distributing a questionnaire to a target population of 120 employees. A total of 41 questionnaires were received and was used to conduct a statistical analysis on. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by calculating the Cronbach Alpha coefficients for all the variables of entrepreneurial orientation as well as the personal traits. The data was used to calculate the mean and standard deviations of the individual responses for all the variables. The analysis also included the relationship between different demographic information and the variables of the study to test for any significant differences in the means. Conclusions were drawn from the data extracted from the questionnaires and recommendations were made based on the conclusions and the data on the relevant topics identified in the study. An action plan that supports the data, conclusions and recommendations was designed to help the company enhance the entrepreneurial orientation as well as the companies’ entrepreneurial behaviour. The study concludes with measurements of the objectives as well as suggestions for further research on the topic. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / William P. Winslow III / Access to water has always been a critical and often times conflicted issue along Colorado's Front Range. With current and projected population growth in the state of Colorado it can be expected that the importance of the issue will only increase. In order to control future conflicts and costs, communities throughout Colorado have started to update and implement water conservation programs to address demand and delivery issues. A water demand category that has been commonly targeted by community water conservation programs is the designed urban landscape. This study explores the effectiveness of landscape water regulations in urban, landscaped open space as tools for water conservation. The study examines the effectiveness of landscape regulations using three landscape regulations in the city of Colorado Springs. The three landscape regulations represent city and development landscape regulations and guidelines implemented before and after 1998. The effectiveness of the three regulations is measured from the results of four evaluations (regulation composition, landscape design, landscape installation and maintenance, and landscape water use) that represent the steps necessary for the development and maintenance of water efficient landscapes. The tool of measure in the four evaluations is the application and enforcement of the research based Xeriscape principles in the codes, policies, and guidelines found in the three landscape regulations. The results indicated that regulation changes that occurred in the City Landscape Code and Policy Manual in the late 1990's effectively created water conserving landscape regulations. The post 1998 landscape regulations used a diverse combination of water-wise principles that were not only suggested by the codes, policies, and guidelines but also enforced through inspections and submittals. The diversity of water-wise principles in the regulations and the balance of citations and enforcement were the major elements that reduced water use and increased conservation in the evaluated landscape tracts.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Stephanie A. Rolley / Much like designing golf courses, designing and building skateboard parks requires very specific knowledge. This knowledge is difficult to obtain without firsthand experience of the sport in question. An understanding of how design details such as alignment, layout, surface, proportion, and radii of the curved surfaces impact the skateboarder's experience is essential and, without it, a poor park will result. Skateboarding is the fastest growing sport in the US, and new skate parks are being finished at a rate of about three per day. Cities and even small towns all across North America are committing themselves to embracing this sport and giving both younger and older participants a positive environment in which to enjoy it. In the interest of both the skateboarders who use them and the people that pay to have them built, it is imperative that these skate parks are built correctly. Landscape architects will increasingly be called upon to help build these public parks in conjunction with skate park design/builders. At present, the relationship between landscape architects and skate park design/builders is often strained due to the gaps in knowledge between the two professions. This does not have to be the case. This thesis synthesizes information about skate parks into design guidelines for landscape architects. This information comes from: 1. A case study of the Kansas City Skate Plaza (a.k.a. Penn Valley Skate Park), involving skating of the park, video/photography, physical measurements, and site analysis. 2. Books, articles, movies, and websites concerning ethnography, landscape architecture, concrete construction methods, skate park and pool construction methods,landscape architecture for public spaces, and skateboarding/ skateboarding culture. 3. Interviews with landscape architects, skate park design/builders, and skateboarders. The intent of this thesis is to help landscape architects familiarize themselves in preparation for working with the skate park design/builders.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / William P. Winslow III / A 2009 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for Social & Demographic Trends found that people living in suburban areas are significantly more satisfied with their communities than are residents of cities, small towns, or rural areas. With almost 50 percent of Americans living in suburban areas, and not enough infill opportunities to accommodate future population growth, suburban development will likely continue to be a primary location for development (Berens 2010). As suburbia continues to develop there are two options: continue to use conventional suburban strategies or implement alternative suburban strategies. The city of Springville, Utah is currently experiencing suburban growth near a future transit station to the west of the downtown core. Since suburban sprawl has already begun in this area, the city has an opportunity to design for growth and become a positive example of suburban development in the region. What are the possibilities and impacts of using conventional suburban strategies versus alternative suburban methods? A 60-acre tract of land in west Springville, Utah is planned and designed for development. The first master plan is designed to demonstrate Conventional Suburban Development. The second plan is designed to demonstrate Alternative Suburban Development. A comparative analysis of the two master plans accompanies the designs to compare the two solutions. This method has been used by New Urbanists to illustrate the difference in their method of suburban development. This tract includes a future transit station, a major highway corridor, and nearby access to Interstate 15. Additionally, the tract is located approximately two miles from downtown Springville. The focus of this study is to provide the background and evidence that there are design alternatives which can contribute to the mending of suburban sprawl. In this project, city officials, planners, developers, business owners, and housing consumers are provided with an objective comparative analysis of conventional versus alternative methods of suburban development in the Wasatch Front Region of Utah. The analysis of the two design proposals provides valuable insight into the feasibility or desirability of key design principles contained in each design proposal. The study provides compelling evidence that alternative methods of community design and suburban development are to be considered to help the region achieve its long range planning goals set forth in the Envision Utah initiative.

The purpose of this study was to try to interpret interactions between social worker and adoptive parents during the adoption process from a power perspective. The study was inspired by a hermeneutic inductive approach because we were interested in the interpretation of the empirical material. The study was conducted using four qualitative interviews with a total of seven people, four adoptive parents and three social workers. The collected material is then analyzed using a content analysis. To interpret the contact between the adoptive parents and social workers, we have used a power perspective. Our study showed that the applicant, generally speaking, was positive to that an investigation was made based on “the child’s interest”, but experienced some of the questions as intrusive. They found that the assessment made was crucial for the decision, and that it easily can vary from case to case for the decision and that the assessment can certainly vary in different cases. The social workers did not feel that they had any noticeable power, because they do not make the final decision. Their assessment was partly based on laws and guidelines that set the context, for example, how old the applicants may be and the requirement that the applicants must be married. Assessments are also made on the social worker’s individual characteristics based on the applicant's personal qualities such as insight and ability to care for a child.

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this study was to determine the nature, origin and negative consequences of perfectionism and to set guidelines for the therapeutic handling of perfectionism. Two literature studies were done to investigate the phenomenon and therapeutic techniques with regards to perfectionsim. A questionnaire was developed as aid to the therapist to identify negative perfectionism and associated problem areas. An empirical study was done to investigate the effectivity of the questionnaire and to compose a program and guidelines for the therapist and perfectionist. Results of the study indicated that negative perfectionism resulted in affective, cognitive, interpersonal and behavioural consequences for the client. It further showed that it is necessary to find the origin of the client's perfectionism and to give them insight in their problem to enable the therapist to succesfully apply cognitive behavioral therapy. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Multiple-choice questions are acknowledged to be difficult for both English mother-tongue and second-language university students to interpret and answer. In a context in which university tuition policies are demanding explicitly that assessments need to be designed and administered in such a way that no students are disadvantaged by the assessment process, the thesis explores the fairness of multiple-choice questions as a way of testing second-language students in South Africa. It explores the extent to which two multiple-choice Linguistics examinations at Unisa are in fact ‘generally accessible’ to second-language students, focusing on what kinds of multiple-choice questions present particular problems for second-language speakers and what contribution linguistic factors make to these difficulties. Statistical analysis of the examination results of two classes of students writing multiple-choice exams in first-year Linguistics is coupled with a linguistic analysis of the examination papers to establish the readability level of each question and whether the questions adhered to eight item-writing guidelines relating to maximising readability and avoiding negatives, long items, incomplete sentence stems, similar answer choices, grammatically non-parallel answer choices, ‘All-of-the-above’ and ‘None-of-the-above’ items. Correlations are sought between question difficulty and aspects of the language of these questions and an attempt is made to investigate the respective contributions of cognitive difficulty and linguistic difficulty on student performance. To complement the quantitative portion of the study, a think-aloud protocol was conducted with 13 students in an attempt to gain insight into the problems experienced by individual students in reading, understanding and answering multiple-choice questions. The consolidated quantitative and qualitative findings indicate that among the linguistic aspects of questions that contributed to question difficulty for second language speakers was a high density of academic words, long items and negative stems. These sources of difficulty should be addressed as far as possible during item-writing and editorial review of questions.