Sexual homicide is a rare occurrence. Little is known about the offending perspective of sexual homicide from a criminological standpoint. Recently, Chan, Heide, and Beauregard (2011) proposed an integrative theoretical framework using concepts and propositions of Social Learning Theory (differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement or punishment, and imitation) and Routine Activities Theory (a motivated offender, an attractive and suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian or guardianship) to elucidate the sexual homicide offending dynamics. According to this integrative model, the individual-level view of the sexual murderers is explained by the social learning principles, while the offending process is complemented by the routine activities propositions from a micro-level to provide a better explained sexual homicide offending model. However, this model has yet to be tested empirically. In addition to testing the Chan et al.'s model, this study proposes and tests an alternative model by incorporating the construct of pre-crime precipitators to better explain the motivating factor of an offender to commit a sexual homicide. To empirically test both models, this study utilizes the dataset collected by a group of Canadian researchers on 230 incarcerated non-serial homicidal (N = 55) and non-homicidal (N = 175) sex offenders in the province of Quebec, Canada for the period between 1995 and 2005. Using step-wise logistic regression, four regression models are tested to examine the offending process of sexual homicide by investigating the effects of the offender's motivation, the target suitability and attractiveness, the absence of a capable guardian or guardianship, and the pre-crime precipitating factors in deciding the lethal outcome of a sexual offense. The theoretical model proposed by Chan and colleagues received some support. Consistent with Chan et al.'s theoretical propositions, findings suggest that the sex offender's sexually deviant behaviors and attitudes serve as a motivating factor, and the presence/absence of a capable guardian or guardianship at the immediate crime surroundings are significant factors in deciding the survival rate of the victim. Methodological limitations of the study, practical implications for offender profiling and crime preventive measures, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the beliefs of 5 experienced instructors about the ways adults learn in online professional development (OPD) courses, beliefs about creating online learning environments, and beliefs about instructional strategies for facilitating adult learning. The following questions guided this study: 1. What are the instructor’s beliefs about the ways that adults learn in online professional development courses? 2. What are the instructor’s beliefs about creating an online learning environment for adult learners? 3. What are the instructor’s beliefs about the use of instructional strategies to facilitate online learning with adults? The setting for the study was the professional development program of a large metropolitan school district in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through interviews, discussion board postings, and instructor journals and analyzed using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). The following themes emerged from the data: • Adult learning in OPD courses is an active process of making connections and applying knowledge and skills. • Learning for adults in OPD courses must be useful, meaningful, relevant, practical, adaptable, and applicable to the work setting. • Learning for adults in an OPD course requires more effort and commitment than learning in face-to-face professional development settings. • Adult learners in OPD courses need a comfort zone where they can feel “safe” communicating and interacting with learners and the instructor. • Adult learners need varying amounts of encouragement, support, guidance, and nurturing within a positive online learning environment(OLE)that supports and sustains them. • Instructors believe that collaboration is an effective strategy for facilitating learning with adults in OPD courses, yet existing barriers limit collaboration. • The OPD instructor is a flexible facilitator of learning who uses different types of feedback to confirm, correct, and inform learning with adults.

From a fresh data science perspective, this thesis discusses the prediction of coronary artery disease based on Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) from the Ontario Heart Genomics Study (OHGS). First, the thesis explains the k-Nearest Neighbour (k-NN) and Random Forest learning algorithms, and includes a complete proof that k-NN is universally consistent in finite dimensional normed vector spaces. Second, the thesis introduces two dimensionality reduction techniques: Random Projections and a new method termed Mass Transportation Distance (MTD) Feature Selection. Then, this thesis compares the performance of Random Projections with k-NN against MTD Feature Selection and Random Forest for predicting artery disease. Results demonstrate that MTD Feature Selection with Random Forest is superior to Random Projections and k-NN. Random Forest is able to obtain an accuracy of 0.6660 and an area under the ROC curve of 0.8562 on the OHGS dataset, when 3335 SNPs are selected by MTD Feature Selection for classification. This area is considerably better than the previous high score of 0.608 obtained by Davies et al. in 2010 on the same dataset.

Computational learning theory is a branch of theoretical computer science that re-imagines the role of an algorithm from an agent of computation to an agent of learning. The operations of computers become those of the human mind; an important step towards illuminating the limitations of artificial intelligence. The central difference between a learning algorithm and a traditional algorithm is that the learner has access to an oracle who, in constant time, can answer queries about that to be learned. Normally an algorithm would have to discover such information on its own accord. This subtle change in how we model problem solving results in changes in the computational complexity of some classic problems; allowing us to re-examine them in a new light. Specifically two known result are examined: one positive, one negative. It is know that one can efficiently learn Deterministic Finite Automatons with queries, not so of Non-Deterministic Finite Automatons. We generalize these Automatons into Labeled Transition Systems and attempt to learn them using a stronger query.

在代理人基計算建模(agent-based computational modeling)被拿來廣泛應用的同時，多數學者發現模擬的結果會高度取決於人工適應性個體的設計方式或者是個體的學習方法上，所以如何挑選合適的演算法就成為我們應用代理人基計算建模時首要面臨的課題。 本文挑選了兩個常出現於文獻當中但是卻甚少一起比較的演算法，分別是遺傳演算法(genetic algorithms)與強化學習(reinforcement learning)。我們透過將演算法與學習理論(learning theory)結合的方式，歸納出這兩個高使用頻率的演算法各自有其適合描述的個體行為以及議題，最後並套用到代理人基彩券市場當中，而模擬的結果也證實符合真實彩券市場上多數人學習特性(個人式學習)的強化學習比起遺傳演算法更能完整地捕捉彩券市場上的特性。

There is a lack of empirical research on the motivational regulation and reactions of higher education students enrolled in blended courses. Studies that target this focus with nontraditional adult learners enrolled in the community college are even more difficult to locate. In this mixed-methods exploratory case study, I explored in what ways nontraditional adult learners' motivational regulation and their motivational reactions to course design relate to their perceived learning experience in a blended technology course with a flipped design. Specifically, I investigated how nontraditional community college students described their goals for participating in a blended course prior to the start of the class, in what ways they utilized motivational regulation strategies within the course, how they described their motivational reactions to a blended course developed with a flipped design, and how they perceived their goal accomplishments at the end of the course. The following A Priori questions guided my research: 1. In what ways do five nontraditional community college students describe their goals for participating in a blended technology course with a flipped design prior to the start of the class? 2. How do these students describe their motivational regulation experiences in the blended technology course on their responses to the Motivational Regulation Strategies Questionnaire? 3. How do these students perceive the motivational aspects of the course design as measured by the Course Interest Survey? 4. In what ways do these students perceive they achieved their described goals at the end of the course? I collected quantitative and qualitative data in the Fall semester of 2017 from five purposefully selected nontraditional adult community college learners who voluntarily engaged in the inquiry. I used several data collection instruments throughout the study. I collected quantitative data via three questionnaires: (1) a Demographics, Goals, and Interest Survey (2) the Motivational Regulation Strategies questionnaire, and (3) the Course Interest Survey. I gathered qualitative data through (1) participant electronic journals, (2) semi-structured interviews and (3) a researcher's reflective journal. There are both practical and theoretical implications to this study. The results of this research suggest guidelines on how to design an effective blended course for nontraditional students enrolled in the community college arena. The information gleaned might be used to further develop and redesign future blended courses for nontraditional community college students who seek alternative modes of content delivery for the purposes of continued learning and convenience of integration into their busy lifestyles. The findings from this study contribute to at least two bodies of empirical research literature: (1) motivational regulation strategies employed by nontraditional community college students and the (2) development of blended courses with motivational design to help nontraditional community college adult learners obtain their learning goals.

O ensino de Física no Brasil passa por muitas dificuldades. Cabe ao professor a tarefa de buscar novas metodologias de ensino para tornar as aulas mais interativas e atraentes para os alunos, como forma de despertar maior gosto pela aprendizagem das ciências em geral. É imprescindível também desenvolver o poder de crítica dos alunos na formação de conceitos através da socialização entre alunos e professores e da interação com o meio em que o aluno vive, sempre visando à obtenção de uma aprendizagem potencialmente significativa. Diante deste quadro e embasados nas teorias de mediação e de interação social de Vigotski e na teoria de aprendizagem significativa de Ausubel e Novak, buscou-se desenvolver atividades em Física Térmica utilizando modelagens computacionais criadas com os programas Modellus e Excel como recurso complementar às aulas de Física. Também foram produzidos gifs animados não interativos explorando algumas situações e um hipertexto, incluindo textos de apoio utilizados, principalmente, como recurso de pesquisa extraclasse. Este projeto foi aplicado ao longo dos meses de março a agosto de 2006 em três escolas particulares de Porto Alegre: Colégio São José de Murialdo, Colégio Santa Inês e Escola Maria Goretti, envolvendo seis turmas de segundo ano do Ensino Médio, em um total de 182 alunos. O material elaborado abordou os tópicos sobre termometria, dilatação térmica, calorimetria, curvas de aquecimento, processos de transmissão do calor, gases ideais e termodinâmica. Os conteúdos foram organizados em sete módulos didáticos, com a seguinte estrutura: um texto de apoio, as modelagens utilizadas, um guia de atividades com orientações para sua utilização e questionamentos acerca do conteúdo. Em todos os módulos foi incluída uma seção denominada Física no Cotidiano, com questões que buscam relacionar os assuntos trabalhados no ambiente escolar com situações vivenciadas pelo aluno no seu dia-a-dia. As atividades eram trabalhadas em duplas ou em trios de alunos, o que promoveu uma maior interação social e trocas de experiências na construção do conhecimento; ao professor cabia o papel de mediador da atividade. O material instrucional foi sendo disponibilizado, gradualmente, em CD-ROM e em página da Web das escolas com o objetivo de fazer com que os alunos se detivessem em cada um dos módulos de forma a alcançar um amadurecimento no conteúdo correspondente. O produto deste trabalho será publicado na série Hipermídias de Apoio ao Professor de Física, para que outros professores possam utilizá-lo com seus alunos. / In order to overcome the difficulties in the physics teaching, the instructors must use new methodologies thus providing more attractive and interactive classes to motivate their students. To contribute to a meaningful learning it is worth to promote a critical and contextualized formation of concepts by socializing the students with their own environment. To accomplish these goals this proposal presents activities‟ guides on Thermal Physics, developed in association with computer simulations as a complementary resource to high school regular classes. Such approach is based on the meaningful learning theory of D. Ausubel and J. Novak and the social‟s interaction theory of L. Vigotski. It has been applied during the first quarter of the school year of 2006 to 182 students, of six classes of the second year of three High Schools at Porto Alegre, RS: Colégio São José de Murialdo, Colégio Santa Inês and Escola Maria Goretti. The addressed subjects are calorimetry, thermal dilatation, heat transfer, matter phase changes, ideal gases properties and general concepts in thermodynamics, organized in seven didactic modules consisting of a text, the computer simulations, an activity guide with questions about the subject and, also, a section where the Physics issues developed in classroom are related with the students‟ daily life situations. To deeper social interaction, the students were grouped in pair or trios working with the teacher mediation. The instructional material has been gradually displayed in a CD-ROM and in the Schools web pages to allow the students focusing on one subject at a time. The present work is to be published in the series Hipermídias de Apoio ao Professor de Física, of Instituto de Física of UFRGS, in order to give other teachers access to the proposal material.

In a globally interdependent world, teachers are charged with preparing learners for a complex, interactive world. This educational challenge requires teachers to develop learners with critical, creative and conceptual minds, while still teaching the required content. Therefore developing the individual learner's ability to construct personalised meaning for new concepts is a prerequisite for the classroom. So is the development of the learner's ability to solve increasingly complex problems in the learning area as well as in daily life. This revivefies the question of how to plan, structure and assess in order to accommodate these requirements while enhancing learner abilities and achiement. / Teacher Education / D.Ed. (Didactics)

The purpose of this study was to explore the practices, perceptions and needs of nurses in relation to their participation in continuing professional development. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted guided by Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory as the conceptual framework. Data collection was done using a structured self-administered questionnaire with a sample of 178 nurses. The findings revealed that the respondents perceived continuing professional development as important. However the study found minimal involvement of nurses during the initial stages of designing continuing professional development programmes and this may lead to incorrect identification of learning needs. Personal, organisational and professional factors were identified as barriers to nurses’ participation in continuing professional development. Preparation of nurses in advance and the use of teaching strategies that recognise past experience and adults as resources were found to increase nurses’ participation in continuing professional development programmes / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

O ensino de Física no Brasil passa por muitas dificuldades. Cabe ao professor a tarefa de buscar novas metodologias de ensino para tornar as aulas mais interativas e atraentes para os alunos, como forma de despertar maior gosto pela aprendizagem das ciências em geral. É imprescindível também desenvolver o poder de crítica dos alunos na formação de conceitos através da socialização entre alunos e professores e da interação com o meio em que o aluno vive, sempre visando à obtenção de uma aprendizagem potencialmente significativa. Diante deste quadro e embasados nas teorias de mediação e de interação social de Vigotski e na teoria de aprendizagem significativa de Ausubel e Novak, buscou-se desenvolver atividades em Física Térmica utilizando modelagens computacionais criadas com os programas Modellus e Excel como recurso complementar às aulas de Física. Também foram produzidos gifs animados não interativos explorando algumas situações e um hipertexto, incluindo textos de apoio utilizados, principalmente, como recurso de pesquisa extraclasse. Este projeto foi aplicado ao longo dos meses de março a agosto de 2006 em três escolas particulares de Porto Alegre: Colégio São José de Murialdo, Colégio Santa Inês e Escola Maria Goretti, envolvendo seis turmas de segundo ano do Ensino Médio, em um total de 182 alunos. O material elaborado abordou os tópicos sobre termometria, dilatação térmica, calorimetria, curvas de aquecimento, processos de transmissão do calor, gases ideais e termodinâmica. Os conteúdos foram organizados em sete módulos didáticos, com a seguinte estrutura: um texto de apoio, as modelagens utilizadas, um guia de atividades com orientações para sua utilização e questionamentos acerca do conteúdo. Em todos os módulos foi incluída uma seção denominada Física no Cotidiano, com questões que buscam relacionar os assuntos trabalhados no ambiente escolar com situações vivenciadas pelo aluno no seu dia-a-dia. As atividades eram trabalhadas em duplas ou em trios de alunos, o que promoveu uma maior interação social e trocas de experiências na construção do conhecimento; ao professor cabia o papel de mediador da atividade. O material instrucional foi sendo disponibilizado, gradualmente, em CD-ROM e em página da Web das escolas com o objetivo de fazer com que os alunos se detivessem em cada um dos módulos de forma a alcançar um amadurecimento no conteúdo correspondente. O produto deste trabalho será publicado na série Hipermídias de Apoio ao Professor de Física, para que outros professores possam utilizá-lo com seus alunos. / In order to overcome the difficulties in the physics teaching, the instructors must use new methodologies thus providing more attractive and interactive classes to motivate their students. To contribute to a meaningful learning it is worth to promote a critical and contextualized formation of concepts by socializing the students with their own environment. To accomplish these goals this proposal presents activities‟ guides on Thermal Physics, developed in association with computer simulations as a complementary resource to high school regular classes. Such approach is based on the meaningful learning theory of D. Ausubel and J. Novak and the social‟s interaction theory of L. Vigotski. It has been applied during the first quarter of the school year of 2006 to 182 students, of six classes of the second year of three High Schools at Porto Alegre, RS: Colégio São José de Murialdo, Colégio Santa Inês and Escola Maria Goretti. The addressed subjects are calorimetry, thermal dilatation, heat transfer, matter phase changes, ideal gases properties and general concepts in thermodynamics, organized in seven didactic modules consisting of a text, the computer simulations, an activity guide with questions about the subject and, also, a section where the Physics issues developed in classroom are related with the students‟ daily life situations. To deeper social interaction, the students were grouped in pair or trios working with the teacher mediation. The instructional material has been gradually displayed in a CD-ROM and in the Schools web pages to allow the students focusing on one subject at a time. The present work is to be published in the series Hipermídias de Apoio ao Professor de Física, of Instituto de Física of UFRGS, in order to give other teachers access to the proposal material.