The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate that the conduct of judge-led commissions of inquiry in Canada could be improved, and rendered more consistent with purposive values embodied in the rule of law, were judicial commissioners to observe a principle of fidelity to adjudication. The rule of law, practically understood as a political and legal ideal, treats independence as integral to the judicial role in interpreting and applying law, safeguarding the Constitution, and honouring individual rights. Public confidence in the independence and integrity of Canada’s judiciary flows not just from constitutional safeguards, however, but from judicial observance of adjudicative procedure. So too does confidence that in exercising their functions, judges respect the boundaries commanded by the separation of powers. Contrary to categorical distinctions that are often drawn between commissions of inquiry and courts, adjudicative procedure is an essential feature of many inquiries. This is so because the participants in such inquiries legitimately demand an assurance of justice equivalent to that associated with traditional judicial proceedings. Recognizing this commonality does not mean burdening public inquiries with the evidentiary and procedural rigidity of courts. It does suggest, however, that adjudication has a valuable (if non-exclusive) role to play in the conduct of some inquiries, establishing a compelling reason why judges should be their leaders. Fidelity to adjudication directs judicial commissioners to account for this reality when confronting common dilemmas and challenges in inquiry conduct. I explore the methodological implications of fidelity to adjudication in two broad areas, first concerning procedural fairness, and second concerning the protection of a commissioner’s independence. Finally, I consider how fidelity to adjudication establishes boundaries cautioning against judicial service in inquiries that demand different conceptions of justice, or advance different notions of truth-seeking, than those in which judges are traditionally informed. A principled alignment is thus established between judicial service on commissions of inquiry, judicial methods and skills, and observance of the rule of law.

The Iraq ‘Chilcot’ Inquiry is the last in a string of public inquiries tasked with understanding how the British state went to war with Iraq. In so doing, the inquiries have become defined by the problem of striking a balance between publicity and secrecy. While exposing foreign policy decision-making to public scrutiny should be the norm in a liberal democracy, this must be balanced by state secrecy, which is justified in exceptional circumstances when there is a threat to national security. Striking the right balance acts to maintain and legitimise a distinction between liberal and illiberal regimes by justifying exceptions as the mitigation of existential threats to liberal values. In contrast to the balance metaphor, this thesis shows how the inquiries are a site of contestation between two technologies of government: the public gaze and official secrecy. Drawing on Foucault, I demonstrate how both technologies support the liberal ‘security dispositif’: the exercise of freedom without too little or too much government. Each technology secures this liberal governmentality in a different but mutually supportive way. The public gaze seeks constitutes security of the liberal subject by exposing, criticising and disciplining statesmen and statecraft. Official secrecy, meanwhile, constitutes security of the state by protecting the value of privileged information used to support a necessary minimum of government. In this context, the balance metaphor may be recognized as the discursive framework that, in any moment, legitimises either the exercise of publicity in response to insecurity engendered by secrecy or vice versa. The balance metaphor thereby supports a further distinction between the responsible liberal self and the illiberal other. I show how the Iraq Inquiry legitimizes British official secrecy while re-inscribing the conditions of possibility for waging liberal war.

This thesis describes an analysis of science textbooks, eight years after the implementation of the Years 1-10 Queensland Science Syllabus, which suggested a move towards constructivist teaching in Queensland schools (QSSC 1999). The textbooks have been analysed for evidence of constructivism, and this has led to recommendations for writing better textbooks. This thesis has been written in five chapters. In Chapter 1, a review of literature develops a conceptual framework, which is the basis of this research. Chapter 2 describes the process used to develop its methodology, and Chapter 3 presents the results of this analysis. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the findings of this research and its implications for textbook content and design. In the literature review the themes of constructivism and the nature of science and the use of textbooks by teachers are explored. It suggests that textbooks continue to be central to developing curriculum, that they are used as a reference and as an independent learning tool, rather than as a guide to enacting curriculum. It also shows constructivist teaching closely aligns with authentic science, that it moves school science closer to that practised by scientists, and that it can engender improvements in teaching practice and in student interest. The data from this research has been collected using an analytical grid developed from three successive trials, after the literature review showed no previously developed analytical grid was suitable. In this final version of the grid, Likert scales are used to observe four dimensions of constructivism in textbook activities: coherence (use knowledge and concepts in a range of contexts), student-centredness of inquiries, language used and analysis questions to practice making new knowledge claims. The unit of analysis was ecology chapters of four middle school science textbooks. The research questions asked in this study are as follows: • Is a constructivist approach discernable in the textbooks reviewed in terms of the four dimensions of constructivism identified in the literature review? • What elements of constructivism are readily identifiable, and therefore are easily included in textbooks? • What elements of constructivism are not discernable? The results of this research have been synthesised and show no textbook could be considered constructivist, although one textbook had inquiries that could be considered exemplary. Two of the textbooks had no claim to be constructivist because they lacked inquiries, and this is where students experience the methods of scientists and practise making knowledge claims.   Other conclusions of this research include the following: •All textbooks reviewed were deficient in at least one dimension of constructivism, and those with one inquiry cannot be constructivist; •Activities and contexts made textbooks more coherent; •Technical terms were reduced compared to what has been traditionally covered by textbooks, however technical terms are also essential to scientific literacy and need to be used appropriately; •Most methods of inquiries are prescribed, so they do not allow students to solve problems in their own relevant contexts; even in those textbooks with more inquiries; •There was little evidence of hypothetico-deductive reasoning in inquiries rather data collection and simple analysis were usually suggested. Guidelines for writing better textbooks have become apparent from this research. Coherent textbooks are inherently constructivist because they apply concepts across contexts, and have more inquiries. Inquiries with a rigorous, authentic hypothetico-deductive approach arise naturally when the methods, concepts and language of science are applied in contexts that students are likely to find relevant and interesting, and where real-life problems need to be solved. Adopting these recommendations could lead to textbooks being more centrally positioned in enacting curriculum than now, because they are more likely to be constructivist (and represent the best thinking in the field).

This thesis describes an analysis of science textbooks, eight years after the implementation of the Years 1-10 Queensland Science Syllabus, which suggested a move towards constructivist teaching in Queensland schools (QSSC 1999). The textbooks have been analysed for evidence of constructivism, and this has led to recommendations for writing better textbooks. This thesis has been written in five chapters. In Chapter 1, a review of literature develops a conceptual framework, which is the basis of this research. Chapter 2 describes the process used to develop its methodology, and Chapter 3 presents the results of this analysis. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the findings of this research and its implications for textbook content and design. In the literature review the themes of constructivism and the nature of science and the use of textbooks by teachers are explored. It suggests that textbooks continue to be central to developing curriculum, that they are used as a reference and as an independent learning tool, rather than as a guide to enacting curriculum. It also shows constructivist teaching closely aligns with authentic science, that it moves school science closer to that practised by scientists, and that it can engender improvements in teaching practice and in student interest. The data from this research has been collected using an analytical grid developed from three successive trials, after the literature review showed no previously developed analytical grid was suitable. In this final version of the grid, Likert scales are used to observe four dimensions of constructivism in textbook activities: coherence (use knowledge and concepts in a range of contexts), student-centredness of inquiries, language used and analysis questions to practice making new knowledge claims. The unit of analysis was ecology chapters of four middle school science textbooks. The research questions asked in this study are as follows: • Is a constructivist approach discernable in the textbooks reviewed in terms of the four dimensions of constructivism identified in the literature review? • What elements of constructivism are readily identifiable, and therefore are easily included in textbooks? • What elements of constructivism are not discernable? The results of this research have been synthesised and show no textbook could be considered constructivist, although one textbook had inquiries that could be considered exemplary. Two of the textbooks had no claim to be constructivist because they lacked inquiries, and this is where students experience the methods of scientists and practise making knowledge claims.   Other conclusions of this research include the following: •All textbooks reviewed were deficient in at least one dimension of constructivism, and those with one inquiry cannot be constructivist; •Activities and contexts made textbooks more coherent; •Technical terms were reduced compared to what has been traditionally covered by textbooks, however technical terms are also essential to scientific literacy and need to be used appropriately; •Most methods of inquiries are prescribed, so they do not allow students to solve problems in their own relevant contexts; even in those textbooks with more inquiries; •There was little evidence of hypothetico-deductive reasoning in inquiries rather data collection and simple analysis were usually suggested. Guidelines for writing better textbooks have become apparent from this research. Coherent textbooks are inherently constructivist because they apply concepts across contexts, and have more inquiries. Inquiries with a rigorous, authentic hypothetico-deductive approach arise naturally when the methods, concepts and language of science are applied in contexts that students are likely to find relevant and interesting, and where real-life problems need to be solved. Adopting these recommendations could lead to textbooks being more centrally positioned in enacting curriculum than now, because they are more likely to be constructivist (and represent the best thinking in the field).

This thesis describes an analysis of science textbooks, eight years after the implementation of the Years 1-10 Queensland Science Syllabus, which suggested a move towards constructivist teaching in Queensland schools (QSSC 1999). The textbooks have been analysed for evidence of constructivism, and this has led to recommendations for writing better textbooks. This thesis has been written in five chapters. In Chapter 1, a review of literature develops a conceptual framework, which is the basis of this research. Chapter 2 describes the process used to develop its methodology, and Chapter 3 presents the results of this analysis. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the findings of this research and its implications for textbook content and design. In the literature review the themes of constructivism and the nature of science and the use of textbooks by teachers are explored. It suggests that textbooks continue to be central to developing curriculum, that they are used as a reference and as an independent learning tool, rather than as a guide to enacting curriculum. It also shows constructivist teaching closely aligns with authentic science, that it moves school science closer to that practised by scientists, and that it can engender improvements in teaching practice and in student interest. The data from this research has been collected using an analytical grid developed from three successive trials, after the literature review showed no previously developed analytical grid was suitable. In this final version of the grid, Likert scales are used to observe four dimensions of constructivism in textbook activities: coherence (use knowledge and concepts in a range of contexts), student-centredness of inquiries, language used and analysis questions to practice making new knowledge claims. The unit of analysis was ecology chapters of four middle school science textbooks. The research questions asked in this study are as follows: • Is a constructivist approach discernable in the textbooks reviewed in terms of the four dimensions of constructivism identified in the literature review? • What elements of constructivism are readily identifiable, and therefore are easily included in textbooks? • What elements of constructivism are not discernable? The results of this research have been synthesised and show no textbook could be considered constructivist, although one textbook had inquiries that could be considered exemplary. Two of the textbooks had no claim to be constructivist because they lacked inquiries, and this is where students experience the methods of scientists and practise making knowledge claims.   Other conclusions of this research include the following: •All textbooks reviewed were deficient in at least one dimension of constructivism, and those with one inquiry cannot be constructivist; •Activities and contexts made textbooks more coherent; •Technical terms were reduced compared to what has been traditionally covered by textbooks, however technical terms are also essential to scientific literacy and need to be used appropriately; •Most methods of inquiries are prescribed, so they do not allow students to solve problems in their own relevant contexts; even in those textbooks with more inquiries; •There was little evidence of hypothetico-deductive reasoning in inquiries rather data collection and simple analysis were usually suggested. Guidelines for writing better textbooks have become apparent from this research. Coherent textbooks are inherently constructivist because they apply concepts across contexts, and have more inquiries. Inquiries with a rigorous, authentic hypothetico-deductive approach arise naturally when the methods, concepts and language of science are applied in contexts that students are likely to find relevant and interesting, and where real-life problems need to be solved. Adopting these recommendations could lead to textbooks being more centrally positioned in enacting curriculum than now, because they are more likely to be constructivist (and represent the best thinking in the field).

Independent Homicide Inquiries (IHIs) investigate homicides committed by persons in receipt of mental health services. They explore the potential causes of these events in order to learn lessons and improve the future provision of mental health services. IHIs decipher complex mental health care histories that, on further inspection, appear resistant to linear causal theories about what actually happened. IHIs are thus constantly open to indeterminacy in their findings regarding what caused the homicide, whether it was predictable and whether it could have been prevented. This is important because IHIs use these findings as a platform for changing the way mental health services are provided. The present thesis implements a theoretical framework, based on Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory, which explains why this problem occurs. Luhmann argued that reality is constructed by distinctly meaningful social systems of communication based around specific social codes. He furthermore posits that decisions are open to continual objection, disagreement and regret. Not only can decisions be decided otherwise by virtue of being decisions, but that social systems will observe decisions in different ways. Decisions can always be observed to be objectionable, incorrect and regrettable after they have been taken. Using this framework, this thesis asks how IHIs retrospectively understand the provision of mental health services in the cases that appear before them. It argues that IHIs construct their investigation and findings using specific social communications that give their observations specific meaning. In light of an expanding, interconnected decision making edifice that comprises mental health services however, the link between identifiable decisions and acts of homicide is obfuscated by ‘systems and processes’. This, in turn, obfuscates individual agency. The thesis consequently calls for a revision of what it means to hold mental health professionals to account in the aftermath of homicide.

The primary aim of this research was to assess the adequacy of postexperimental inquiries (PEI) used in deception research, as well as to examine whether mood state, reward, or administering the PEI as a face-to-face interview or computer survey impacts participants' willingness to divulge suspicion or knowledge about a study. We also sought to determine why participants are not always forthcoming on the PEI. Study 1 examined how frequently PEIs are included in research and found that most researchers employing deception do use a PEI. Studies 2 and 3 showed that participants are often unwilling to divulge suspicion or awareness of deception or to admit to having prior knowledge about a study, though offering a reward and completing the PEI on a computer modestly improved awareness and admission rates. Study 4 indicated several reasons why participants may not reveal suspicion or knowledge about a study on the PEI.

Little et al., (1971) define citizen feedback as information from citizens directed to societal institutions, particularly government, to improve their functioning. Citizen feedback can further be categorized into service feedback, which includes inquiries, requests, complaints, and involvement feedback, which includes opinions, suggestions, and volunteering. There is a great dissonance between the amount of service feedback available to government organizations and its use in development and improvement of public services and policies. There is literature available that suggests governments use of social media for collecting citizen feedback. But very little research has been done to study that government organizations analyze direct communication to collect citizen feedback and what ICT tools they use or would like to use. This becomes even more relevant in countries with high eGovernment maturity with more availability of service feedback through a combination of traditional and newer channels. Therefore, this study investigates the above-mentioned research problem by answering the following two related research questions: 1) How do Swedish public organizations gather and utilize the wealth of information about citizens' needs available in the direct communication from citizens to public organizations? A) is the content of the direct communication between citizens and public organizations actionable? B) And is the volume of the communication sufficient to make it actionable 2) What kind of ICT tool support the public organizations would like to have in order to better utilize the aforementioned information? For the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six public officers from Swedish public organizations. The respondents were individuals working within customer relations departments of public organizations in Sweden. The respondents were not only involved in the registration, collection, analysis, and resolution of customer inquiries but also in improvement of processes and services. The interviews were conducted in Swedish, recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were translated into English. The transcripts were then analyzed in the form of a thematic analysis following the principles of Braun & Clarke (2006). The analysis led to the discovery of five themes namely 1) Types of inquiries 2) Frequent inquiries 3) Contact channels 4) Utilization of direct communication 5) ICT tool support The study highlights the various ways in which Swedish public organizations gather and utilize service feedback. In the gathering phase, multiple channels are offered to citizens. The use of traditional channels remain high for the problem area of information supply. In the utilization phase, various strategies are used depending on eGovernment maturity. Every public organization is required to maintain a “diarium” because of laws on record keeping for transparency purposes, it is a common tool for registering citizen inquiries, and also a source for annual performance and quality reporting. Additionally, LIME CRM system is used by some organizations, citizen opinions received through webforms is analysed, phone calls recorded and analysed. Lack of alignment is a challenge for some public organizations. There is little evidence to suggest that data from various sources is integrated into a centralized CRM system, leading to insight into citizen preferences, behavior or trends.

Undersökningar påvisar att barns delaktighet i socialtjänstens utredningar är bristfällig (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, 2014). Barns åsikter beskrivs som lågt prioriterade i förhållande till vuxna (Östberg, 2010). Syftet med studien var följaktligen att undersöka hur socialsekreterare uppfattar barns delaktighet i utredningar där barn misstänkts blivit utsatta för våld i hemmet. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ ansats i form av fokusgruppsintervjuer med socialsekreterare. Delaktighetsmodeller och professionsteori utifrån begreppen jurisdiktion samt handlingsutrymme har tillämpats i analysen av empirin. Resultatet visar att det råder en samstämmighet i hur informanterna definierar barns delaktighet, dock har detta en komplex innebörd i praktiken. Informanterna beskriver att metoder kan främja barns delaktighet. Däremot framträder hinder såsom barns ålder, föräldrars inblandning, hög arbetsbelastning och tidsbrist. Vidare synliggörs att socialsekreterarna ser barn som aktiva deltagare i utredningsarbetet. Skyddsaspekten framhävs dock som starkt styrande för barns delaktighet. Föreliggande studie belyser således att det råder både hinder samt möjligheter i det praktiska arbetet gällande barns delaktighet. / Studies show that children's participation in social services inquiries are flawed (Inspektionen för vård och omsorg, 2014). Children's views are described as a low priority compared to adults (Östberg, 2010). The aim of this study was therefore to examine how social workers perceive children's participation in inquiries where children are suspected of being victims of domestic violence. The study has been conducted with a qualitative approach in the form of focus group interviews with social workers. Participation models and theory of professions based on the concepts of jurisdiction and discretion has been applied in the analysis of empirical data. The result shows that there is a consistency in how the informants define children's participation but that it has a complex meaning in practice. The informants describe that methods can facilitate children's participation. However, it also appears that there are obstacles such as the children’s age, parent’s involvement, high workload and lack of time. Furthermore, the study shows that social workers perceive children as active participants in inquiries. However, the protection aspect is emphasized as a main factor for children's participation. This study thus highlights that there are both obstacles and opportunities in the practical work regarding children's participation.

No description available.