Research indicates a significant rise in child and adolescent mental health difficulties over the past few decades (Mental Health Foundation, 2015). Evidence-based programmes are becoming increasingly favoured as a preventative measure to address these difficulties, given that a large number of interventions delivered in schools have been shown to be effective (Domitrovich et al., 2008). While schools offer an ideal stage for the prevention of mental health difficulties, research suggests that the outcomes of evidence-based programmes are heavily moderated by implementation variability (Durlak, 2015). A key driver of effective implementation and therefore, positive outcomes, is the implementer - who in the case of school-based preventative programmes is almost exclusively the class teacher. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of individual level teacher characteristics on implementation variability in a universal social and emotional learning programme, using data drawn from the evaluation of the PATHS to Success trial (Humphrey et al., under review). A concurrent embedded mixed methods design was used to gain a fuller appreciation of the individual level factors that affect implementation variability. A total of 183 teachers were included in the analyses, who completed surveys regarding their professional and psychological characteristics, as well as their perceptions of and attitudes towards interventions. Data were analysed using multiple regression, including a series of interaction terms. Missing data were addressed by means of multiple imputation. There were twelve focus teachers in the qualitative strand, with interviews conducted to investigate the individual level barriers and facilitators associated with implementation variability. Teachers' interview data was analysed thematically. Results indicated that teachers' characteristics did have an influence on implementation variability, although this varied depending on the aspect of implementation. A series of multiple regression analyses indicated that implementer characteristics accounted for 9% of the variance in the fidelity model, 21% in the dosage model, and 15% in the quality model. No individual predictors were significant, although there were some marginally non-significant trends. There was also no reported increase in the variance across the three models when a series of interaction terms were added. The qualitative interviews aided the clarification of some of the quantitative findings, adding substantial depth to some of the conclusions drawn, with school leadership emerging as a significant factor in the successful implementation of the programme. There were a number of implications as a result of the findings from the current study for researchers, programme developers, and schools in understanding implementation variability at the individual level. Directions for future research are discussed in light of these findings.

Too many traffic accidents are caused by drivers’ failure of noticing buildings, traffic sign and other objects. Video based scene or object detection which can easily enhance drivers’ judgment performance by automatically detecting scene and signs. Two of the recent popular video detection algorithms are Background Differentiation and Feature based object detection. The background Differentiation is an efficient and fast way of observing a moving object in a relatively stationary background, which makes it easy to be implemented on a mobile platform and performs a swift processing speed. The Feature based scene detection such like the Speeded Up Robust Feature (SURF), is an appropriate way of detecting specific scene with accuracy and rotation and illumination invariance. By comparison, SURF computational expense is much higher, which remains the algorithm limited in real time mobile platform. In this thesis, I present two real time tracking algorithms, Differentiation based and SURF based scene detection systems on FPGA platform. The proposed hardware designs are able to process video of 800*600 resolution at 60 frames per second, the video clock rate is 40 MHz.

This thesis focuses on a class of Galois field used to achieve fast finite field arithmetic which we call Optimal Extension Fields (OEFs), first introduced in cite{baileypaar98}. We extend this work by presenting an adaptation of Itoh and Tsujii's algorithm for finite field inversion applied to OEFs. In particular, we use the facts that the action of the Frobenius map in $GF(p^m)$ can be computed with only $m-1$ subfield multiplications and that inverses in $GF(p)$ may be computed cheaply using known techniques. As a result, we show that one extension field inversion can be computed with a logarithmic number of extension field multiplications. In addition, we provide new variants of the Karatsuba-Ofman algorithm for extension field multiplication which give a performance increase. Further, we provide an OEF construction algorithm together with tables of Type I and Type II OEFs along with statistics on the number of pseudo-Mersenne primes and OEFs. We apply this new work to provide implementation results for elliptic curve cryptosystems on both DEC Alpha workstations and Pentium-class PCs. These results show that OEFs when used with our new inversion and multiplication algorithms provide a substantial performance increase over other reported methods.

Thesis (MBA. (Business Management)) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / Strategy implementation has always been a challenge in government departments. However, this study argues that strategy implementation should not be perceived as an obstacle in an organisation, but as a vehicle for realising organisational goals. Strategy implementation in the public sector has experienced a limited research, whereas, organisational cultures, organisational structures, resource allocation and processes of linking the strategy formulation and implementation all remain a key challenge. Therefore, a strategy implementation process in the Limpopo Department of Health (LDoH) was investigated. The purpose of the study was to probe the perceptions of senior managers concerning the implementation of the strategy in the Limpopo Department of Health. A qualitative research approach was used to collect data. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaires. The overall target population was 120 employees of the Limpopo Department of Health. The sample consisted of 30 respondents (N=30). The IBM SPSS statistics (Version 24) were used to interpret and analyse the data that was collected. Further, this study espoused non-probability purposive sampling and consequently research findings cannot be generalised to the government departments. The findings showed that respondents are aware of the factors influencing strategy implementation in the LDoH. The preliminary findings revealed that incompetence, devoting less time to the core business, and continual engagement in politics by senior managers have often lead to ineffective strategy implementation. This study therefore recommends that the appointment of competent senior management who are capable of staying away from party politics during working hours should be considered, so as to improve strategy implementation processes in the Limpopo Department of Health. The study recommended the enforcement of team-work and appropriate reward systems to ensure that the members engage enthusiastically. This study also recommended the regular communication between senior management and employees of the Limpopo Department of Health. This implies the employment of effective communication strategies and channels to accelerate the strategy implementation process, in order to achieve the long-term goals of the organisation and remain sustainable in the provision of service delivery to the citizens of Limpopo v | P a g e Province. The senior management’s ability to identify the internal capabilities (organisational structure, supportive culture, reward systems, alignment and appropriate leadership style) should be fundamental in overcoming the challenges arising from inside and outside the organisation. Finally, senior management should apply relevant tools and techniques to measure organisational performance within the Department. This involves gaining knowledge in terms of assessing and evaluating performance using the four perspectives of balanced scorecard which include financial, customer, internal business processes and learning and growth.

Shared decision making (SDM) is rarely used in pediatric clinical practice. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore factors influencing SDM implementation in pediatric clinical practice. We conducted three studies that were guided by the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU): Study 1 was a systematic review using Cochrane methods and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool to determine pediatric SDM barriers and facilitators from multiple perspectives. Eighty studies, of low to high quality, were included. At each OMRU level, frequently cited barriers were: option features (decision), poor quality information (innovation), emotional state (adopter), power relations (relational), and insufficient time (environment). Frequently cited facilitators were: lower stake decisions (decision), agreement with SDM (adopter), high quality information (innovation), trust and respect (relational), and SDM tools/resources (environment). Across participant types, frequently cited barriers were: insufficient time (healthcare providers (HCP)), option features (parents), power imbalances (children), and HCPs’ SDM skills (observers). Frequently cited facilitators were: good quality information (HCPs) and agreement with SDM (parents/children). Study 2 was a post-test design that evaluated SDM knowledge and acceptability of learners who completed the Ottawa Decision Support Tutorial (ODST). Most learners were HCPs (62%). Overall, ODST learners had a median knowledge test score of 8/10 (IQR = 7-9; n=6604) and 90% reported good or excellent impressions (n=4276) after completing the tutorial. Few learners suggested improvements. Study 3 used mixed methods to evaluate pediatric HCPs’ perceived SDM barriers and facilitators after training (ODST plus workshop). Participants completed a SDM barrier survey (n=60; 88% response rate) and semi-structured interview (n=11). Their intention to use SDM was high (mean score = 5.6/7, SD=0.8). However, 90% of respondents reported minimal SDM use after training. Main barriers were lack of buy-in (adopter level) and time constraints (environmental level). Healthcare providers wanted a team-based approach to SDM training (training level). Adopters face numerous and diverse barriers to SDM use, before and after SDM training. Pediatric HCPs who completed the ODST were knowledgeable about SDM. Despite positive intentions, training alone was insufficient to achieve routine SDM use. These findings can inform intervention development to promote SDM implementation in pediatric clinical practice.

acase@tulane.edu / Agencies declare the development of social and emotional skills critical to child development, and research on outcomes of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programming supports this claim. Despite the growing number of resources for educators, the day-to-day realities of individual school environments provide countless obstacles to implementation of SEL programs and initiatives. Without proper implementation, programs may not produce the desired student outcomes. Administrative support has been identified as a key factor underlying effective implementation, and while this seems to be a concrete way to increase SEL outcomes, the construct lacks a clear definition. This makes it difficult to identify which aspects of administrative support for SEL are the most important, and what mechanisms underlie the provision of support for SEL. Because there is no academic definition to guide school administrators in what supports to provide for effective implementation, it is necessary to research this construct. The current study seeks to do so by listening to the voices of those closest to the work of implementation, administrators and teachers themselves. By determining what supports stakeholders perceive necessary to successfully implement SEL in the context of a specific school site, the study aims to identify salient components of administrator support and create an emic definition to guide implementation. / 1 / Laura C. Cornell

acase@tulane.edu / This dissertation uses a mixed methods design to analyze how the Colombian student-centered school model Escuela Nueva affects learning outcomes, and how well the model is implemented. Primary data from 78 schools in the department Quindío show large variation in implementation across schools, both overall and with regard to the model elements. On average, schools implement only around 62% of the elements. While schools that are officially classified as Escuela Nueva tend to implement more elements than conventional schools, the difference is not large, and considerable variation exists within each group. Qualitative data confirms these heterogeneities, and suggests that differences across schools are even larger than captured by the quantitative data, given the different ways in which the program is being used or adapted in practice. Learning outcomes are measured as scores on the national standardized test Pruebas SABER. Multilevel modeling techniques are used to analyze the scores from over 810,000 students in 21,235 schools across Colombia. The results show that students in schools that are officially classified as Escuela Nueva score significantly better, the difference amounting to 10.5 to 23.2 points (0.14 to 0.30 standard deviations). This effect is comparable to the effect of the difference of one socioeconomic level. Furthermore, Escuela Nueva tends to decrease the achievement gaps between socioeconomic levels and genders. The analysis also reveals large differences in the effect of the school model across municipalities and departments. For the department Quindío, the effect of the school model is analyzed using an implementation index instead of the official classifier. Data is available for 1,068 students in 76 schools, representing half of the department’s rural primary schools. Multilevel estimation generally shows no effect of program implementation, but cannot take into account the large relative sample size. Survey estimation techniques reveal a large effect of Escuela Nueva implementation for grade 3 mathematics and for civic competencies, where the difference in the expected score between a school with a low and one with a high implementation index is 140 to 220 points. The department-level analysis also confirms that the Escuela Nueva model helps to close gaps between socioeconomic levels. / 1 / Katharina Hammler

Outcomes focused education is an educational reform movement that has influenced many countries, including Australia, in recent years. In this study the case of one primary school in Western Australia is examined. The study explores how this single school has implemented an outcomes approach within the context of large-scale jurisdictional change. The research design utilises the qualitative approaches of ethnography and phenomenology to develop a layered case study with the basic unit of analysis being the school site. A number of richly informative case studies, from within this single site, have been developed drawing on data from a broad range of stakeholders including teachers, students, parents and the school’s principal. Departmental and school based documents have also been utilised to inform and guide the development of each case study. Emergent themes with respect to the implementation of educational change have been identified and the implications of these are discussed. At the time of the study the school site was only in its fifth year of operation, and a variety of key factors were identified as having a significant impact on the level of success achieved in implementation. The change management model as used by the school is identified and described, and several critical areas of weakness are revealed. As a result, the study raises critical questions about the effectiveness of the model used by the school and therefore questions the potential for this model to be used successfully in other schools implementing similar pedagogical change.

This thesis explores the process by which Chinese universities carry out strategy formation. It aims to provide an insight into the lives of the managers of Chinese universities in the period 2002-2003 which was a time of transition from the regime of President Jiang Zemin to that of President Hu Jintao. Chinese refer to this period as the transition from the third to the fourth generation of leaders. Strategy was defined as a course of action aimed at achieving an organization's purpose and strategy formation was defined as including strategy development and implementation. Answers were sought to the following questions based on data from a small number of universities using stakeholder theory to inform the data collection process: · What is the process by which strategy development and implementation takes place in Chinese universities? · How is the process applied in different universities? · How can an understanding of strategy formation in Chinese universities assist in the development of joint ventures in China by foreign educational institutions? The method of data collection involved interviewing three levels of management in six different universities drawn from three major cities in China. In order to guarantee confidentiality, the identities of the instutions and the individuals involved has been concealed. Background information collected included the history of Chinese universities to 2002 and important features of Chinese culture, society and politics. Stakeholder theory was found to provide a useful framework for analysing the process of strategy formation. It was found that assumptions based on the operations of Australian universities did not apply in China, particularly in the areas of work relationships, reporting and performance management and in the conduct of research. Findings included: · Three approaches to strategy emerged, including the President making unilateral decisions, a consultative approach including stakeholders, and an approach involving consultation with staff. · The process varies between universities depending on factors such as the guanxi relationships of the President. · The learnings from this project can be applied to other joint ventures in education in China.

Bluetooth is a low cost and low power wireless technology for connecting portable and / or fixed Bluetooth enabled devices to form short-range wireless ad hoc personal area networks (PANs). As the Bluetooth specification does not specify a protocol to form ad hoc Bluetooth networks, a method for forming an efficient Bluetooth network under a practical networking scenario is still an open research problem. This thesis introduces an approach to implement an indoor ad hoc Bluetooth wireless network, Bluetooth information exchange network (BIEN). This network formation is based on Bluetooth and Java technologies. A set of Bluetooth enabled devices configured with the BIEN software application are able to spontaneously establish a dynamic multi-hop wireless network using Bluetooth technology without the need of formal network infrastructure, centralized administration, fixed routers or access points. In this study, the performance evaluation focuses on the relation between network capacity and topology by testing end-to-end performance in terms of throughput and the latency of communication links with various parameters, including the hop number between nodes and the number of slaves in piconets. The evaluation results show that the throughput reduces with the increased length of a path, and with an increase in the number of slaves in a piconet in the network. The latency also increases with path length, and with the number of slaves in a piconet in the different experimental BIENs, whether if there is traffic or not in the networks. Experimental results have further confirmed the necessity to minimize the number of bridge nodes in the Bluetooth networks due to their traffic bottleneck effect. This work is an attempt at implementation of a distributed multi-hop scatter net with an integrated routing protocol in the practical environments, while most of the literature focuses on covering the modelling of it. It intends to demonstrate how Bluetooth technology with Java technology can be used to design, develop and deploy ad hoc wireless networks with the commercial Bluetooth devices, and examine how well Bluetooth technology supports ad hoc multi-hop wireless network technology.