Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Health professionals worldwide are currently inadequately trained to address the health issues of communities, particularly in developing countries where there are major health disparities. This study argues for an alternative and more appropriate education, one which would better prepare future health professionals to address these needs. The study draws attention to how the University of the Western Cape (UWC) responded to preparing its health professional graduates to better meet the needs of South African society. The thesis explores the rationale for a shift in health professions education to one which supports service-learning, locating the study within the broader developments in higher education within South Africa. The specific aim of this thesis was to evaluate a community-based interdisciplinary health promotion course offered to the undergraduate health sciences students from the faculties of Community and Health Sciences and Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). It focused on evaluating the perceived effectiveness and the impact on the stakeholders of the Interdisciplinary Health Promotion course, with the aim of developing an appropriate framework to guide the teaching of health promotion at higher education institutions in South Africa. Ten primary schools in three disadvantaged communities in the Western Cape were used as the health promotion settings for the Interdisciplinary Health Promotion course. The study design was a programme evaluation that used the explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. An evaluation matrix was developed, consisting of three core concepts (curriculum, community-based learning, and university-school collaboration) against which the course was evaluated. Indicators and criteria were developed for each core concept. Questionnaires were distributed to all the stakeholders, that is, the university students, the lecturers, the supervisors and the school educators, involved in the Interdisciplinary Health Promotion Course during 2006. Focus group discussions with the stakeholders were also conducted at the UWC campus and in the Delft community. There was a good response from all the stakeholders who participated in the study (students (72.4%), lecturers (85%), supervisors (100%) and school educators (71.5%)). A main finding of the study was that the Interdisciplinary Health Promotion course was relevant and up-to-date with developments in the field of health promotion. Course topics were dealt with in sufficient depth and the assignments were clear, specific and related to the course outcomes. The interdisciplinary teaching and learning approach allowed the university students to learn and develop a better understanding of the roles and contributions that the various professions played in health promotion in a community. The course was perceived as having been of value to all the stakeholders and having a positive impact on the schools. The findings revealed that the health promotion projects implemented in the schools helped the university students to learn how to plan, implement and evaluate a project in a community setting. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the schools offered an ideal placement for university students to learn about health promotion and its application. In addressing a concern about the course not making any meaningful long-term impact on the schools and the surrounding communities, the study showed that it is important to revisit the current teaching and learning approach of the Interdisciplinary Health Promotion course. It revealed that service-learning as an alternative to the field education approach would facilitate a closer relationship between theoretical and practical knowledge, where the practical application was translated into a service that met the needs of a community. The study further revealed that the collaboration model between the university and the school also needed to be reconceptualized, to include all the stakeholders as well as their needs in relation to health promotion in the schools. It was recommended that the Health Promoting School framework should be seen as the overarching framework for the sustainability of school-based health promotion. In conclusion, this study showed that the recognition and establishment of university community partnerships and reliance upon them in the educational process, would provide many new opportunities for relevant and meaningful health professional education and training. These efforts would contribute to improving the quality of higher education delivered to students, thereby ensuring their competency to better meet the needs of the communities they will serve.

This study investigates the correlation between Millennial workers' sense of belonging and a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Bearing in mind the gap in academic research on the introspective impact CSR has on a company’s employees, this study aims to explore how the Millennial workers at one of the biggest banking and insurance companies operating in Bulgaria understand and relate to companies’ philanthropic endeavours. To do so, this paper has used a theoretical framework, which combines four pillars that interact with and amplify one another. Two of them are empirical and present CSR and the Millennials as a generation. The other two are theoretical with social identity theory (SIT), which explains the sense of belonging innate to the Millennials, and corporate citizenship and shareholder value theory, which represent the polar opposites of what CSR should be about. As such, the thesis probes the hypotheses that, on one hand, if a company engages in genuine CSR initiatives, this will lead to an increased sense of belonging from the Millennial employees. However, on the other hand, if the company engages in greenwashing instead, this will lead to a diminished sense of belonging in the target group.  The findings infer that the Millennial workers at the banking and insurance company have strong opinions favouring their company utilizing genuine CSR practices. In addition, the majority of them have shared that if the company started utilizing CSR as means of greenwashing, this would lead to their overall disappointment and a diminished sense of association with the employer. However, the data has also shown that there might be different reasons for why people are joining CSR initiatives. These findings were produced with the help of mixed-method research combining quantitative survey plus qualitative semi-structured individual and focus group interviews.

No description available.

Current teacher education research calls for investigation of the "missing paradigm," the connection between teachers' conceptions of knowledge and learning and their instructional practices. This call has been heeded in the scholarship on personal epistemology that reveals the role of knowledge in learning and instruction within and across various socio-cultural contexts. This study extends the work on the relationship between teachers' personal epistemologies and instructional practices to a previously unexamined population: international and U.S. Teaching Assistants (TAs). Employing a two-phase explanatory mixed methods approach, this study examines the relationship between personal epistemologies and instructional practices of two teaching assistant (TA) groups, international and U.S.-born, in U.S. university contexts. In the first phase of the study, an epistemological beliefs survey was conducted with two groups of TAs, 106 international and 50 U.S.-born, at four large research universities in the Mid-Atlantic States. Their answers were analyzed with a focus on the relationship between group variables and seven dimensions of personal epistemologies. Building on the initial quantitative study results, in the second phase, a qualitative case study was carried out to investigate the relationship between epistemic positions and teaching practices for four TAs representing international and domestic TA groups within two academic disciplines at a public research university in Philadelphia, PA. Forty four undergraduate student data from focus-group interviews and surveys also were collected to examine the relationship between TAs' instructional practices and student opinions about their teaching. The quantitative results showed a significant group difference in the knowledge beliefs domain and the relational views domain (p < .001). In general, ITAs held a higher degree in their beliefs about certainty of knowledge than did US TAs. In addition, US TAs assumed a closer relationship with their students than did the ITAs, while unlike common assumptions, US TAs assumed a higher degree of status differentiation from students than did ITAs. The findings of the qualitative phase of the study revealed that the relationship between TAs' epistemic positions and instructional practices was not fully consistent. In the case of the US TAs, much of the inconsistency of the relationship is explained by the lack of pedagogical knowledge and pedagogic skills, which would enable them to exercise control over the types of instructional approaches that they wanted to implement at a discourse level in class. ITAs' instructional practices were more closely aligned with learning strategies that they had developed through educational experiences in their home countries and with their generalized assumptions about attitudes of U.S. students toward learning. The results also show that ITAs are as qualified and competent instructors in teaching of undergraduate students as US TAs are, and that ITAs' teacher-centered approaches are well received by the students who expect explanation, guidance, direction, and reinforcement on the part of their instructors. In addition, the analysis of TAs' epistemic positions revealed domain specificity as well as group differences to be major compounding factors affecting TAs' professed epistemologies. Pedagogic as well as theoretical implications of the study are discussed. / CITE/Language Arts

Bakgrund och problemdiskussion: Att erhålla ett godkänt resultat på auktorisationsprovet och därmed bli auktoriserad revisor utgör ett långsiktigt mål och milstople för många revisionsmedarbetare. I Sverige motsvarar denna titel en kvalitetsstämpel på att revisorn har den kompetens som krävs för att enligt nationell lagstiftning utöva professionen. I dagens föränderliga samhälle möter revisionsyrket nya krav, dilemman och reformer för att säkerställa att branschen balanserar yrkets attraktion med kompetens. Studien ämnar således att utforska de komplexiteter och utmaningar som är förknippade med att uppnå denna eftertraktade titel med hänsyn till branschens föränderliga krav och den föränderliga utbildningsmiljön som råder för framtida revisorer. Speciellt med tanke på att det är cirka 40 procent som i dagsläget erhåller ett underkänt resultat. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera eventuella mönster, trender och hinder som påverkar möjligheterna till auktorisation. Metod: Studien bygger på en deduktiv flermetodsstudie där befintlig teori har använts för att härleda hypoteser som sedan testas statistiskt utifrån data tilldelad av Revisorsinspektionen. För att skapa ytterligare förståelse för resultaten från den kvantitativa delstudien utförs även semistrukturerade intervjuer som syftar till att inkludera tentandernas egna uppfattningar och erfarenheter. På så sätt tillåts fördjupande inslag för att vidga insikterna och generera en helhetlig bild över tentandernas potential att erhålla ett godkänt resultat.  Slutsats: Utifrån teorier om profession, kompetensutveckling, genus och socialt kapital visar resultaten att byråtillhörighet, ålder och provtillfälle har en avgörande påverkan på om tentanden lyckas på auktorisationsprovet. Arbetslivserfarenhet från Big-4-byråer anses vara betydande för framgång på provet, vilket medför att provets bredd och relevans i förhållande till verkliga typsituationer kan ifrågasättas. Dessutom poängteras det även hur individuella faktorer har ett inflytande på utfallet. Vidare visar resultatet hur RIFS 2018:1's införande har haft en negativ påverkan på erhållna poäng och möjligheten till ett godkänt resultat. Trots detta anses yrkets roll som profession inte hotad i och med provets bibehållande svårighetsgrad såväl som att arbetslivserfarenhet uppfattas som det främsta medlet för kunskapsinsamling. / Background and Problem: The pursuit of achieving a passing result on the certification exam, and thereby becoming a certified public accountant, is a long-term goal and milestone for many audit employees. In Sweden, this title represents a benchmark of quality assurance that the auditor has the competence required to practice the profession according to national legislation. In today's changing society, the audit profession faces new demands, dilemmas, and reforms to ensure that the industry balances professional attractiveness with competence. The study thus aims to explore the complexities and challenges associated with achieving this coveted title, taking into account the changing demands of the industry and the changing educational environment prevailing for future accountants, especially considering that it is approximately 40 percent who currently receive a failing result.  Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze possible patterns, trends, and obstacles that affect the possibilities for authorization.  Method: The study is based on a mixed-methods research with a deductive approach, where existing theory has been used to derive hypotheses that are then tested statistcally based on data provided by Revisorsinspektionen. In order to gain further understanding of the results from the quantitative sub-study, semi-structured interviews are also conducted with the aim of incorporating the examinees' own perceptions and experiences. With this approach, deeper insights are allowed to broaden and generate a holistic picture of the examinees' potential to obtain a passing result.  Conclusion: Based on theories about profession, competence development, gender and social capital, the results show that agency affiliation, age, and the time of examination significantly influence whether the examinee suceeds in the CPA-exam or not. Work experience from Big-4 agencies is considered significant for success on the exam, which disputes the exam´s relevance to real-life situations. Additionally, results demonstrate how the introduction of RIFS 2018:1 has negatively impacted the points obtained and the possibility of achieving a passing result. Despite this, the auditing profession is not considered threatened due to the CPA-exam's maintained level of difficulty, as well as the perception that practical expertise is the primary means of acquiring knowledge.

Les missions internationales en entreprise ne parviennent plus à retenir les talents alors même que leur coût reste très élevé. La délocalisation de l’individu apparaît donc comme une nouvelle forme d'expatriation à mi-chemin entre expatriation auto-initiée et mission internationale en entreprise. Cependant, celle-ci résonne comme une violation du contrat psychologique liant l’individu à son entreprise. En effet, le diplôme ne semble plus protéger l’employé contre la délocalisation de son poste vers des pays à coût plus bas. Cette étude de cas a aidé à identifier les facteurs influençant les talents à accepter une relocalisation sous contrat local dans un pays à moindre coût. De ce fait, cette thèse fournit aux entreprises des éléments contributifs à la gestion globale des talents dans un contexte de délocalisation. / Individual offshoring emerges as a new form of organizational-initiated expatriation which bridges self-initiated-expatriation and international assignment. The failure of IA to retain talented individuals (talent) and a growing pressure on costs leave no choice to companies but to dramatically reconsider how expatriation can develop talent globally in a different but still sustainable way.However, this new form of expatriation resonates as a breach of the psychological contract. If talent no longer expect to remain in the same company for a large part of their career, they still hold an expectation that white collar activities associated to higher degrees would protect their jobs from moving abroad. This thesis was a case study of a company offshoring some of its global talent to lower cost locations. The purpose was to understand what factors talent consider in accepting to relocate to a lower cost location under a local contract. This research contributes to talent retention and sustained talent management while offshoring ac-tivities to lower cost countries.

The world is dominated by digital media that have become central to many children’s lives. Children born in the last 30 years have become known as ‘digital natives’, as digital technology has always been part of their experiential field. The use of such media in play therapy could offer innovative ways of enhancing dialogue with those children in whose field they are included, as they have been to date unexplored in play therapy interventions, possibly resulting in missed therapeutic opportunities. This mixed methods research took the form of an email questionnaire sent out to play therapists in South Africa to ascertain whether digital technology is being used in therapy and, if so, which digital media are being used and how. Additionally, a focus group interview was conducted using the same questionnaire to ensure data triangulation. The data gathered were analysed qualitatively, and an understanding was gained regarding the current use of digital media in play therapy. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The purpose of the study is to explore the current policy and practice of the national and institutional QA system in public HEIs in Ethiopia in order to determine how the quality of teaching and learning might have been enhanced through the QA system. Two organisational theories – contingency and neo-institutional theory – provide a theoretical lens to explain how internal and external organisational environments affect the implementation of QA in the HEIs. The mixed-methods research approach was used in the study, including document analysis, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Three public universities were chosen as data source. At macro level, the HERQA was also included to examine the effect of the institutional environments on internal quality assurance practices. The findings revealed that there is little evidence of self-initiated quality enhancement activities in the public HEIs. They do not have adequate structures, systems, and written policies to assure quality. The quality assurance efforts were implemented without a clear sense of direction and purposes and therefore lacked effective coordination. The self-evaluations were symbolically took place at the higher levels of the universities and that the results of the evaluations were rarely used in a structured way in improvement of teaching-learning, faculty decision-making and planning processes. It is far from clear that whether the internal quality assurance contributed to the teaching and learning or transformed the student learning experience. It can be concluded that the HERQA’s quality assurance policy and practices seems to be de-coupled from internal initiatives to improve quality in the higher education institutions. It is recommended that HEIs should develop QA policy, mobilise resources for institutional quality improvement, establish full-fledged QA structures at all levels, and furnish the structures with necessary human resources. The HEIs should initiate and undertake effective self-assessment of their activities, own it and work towards achieving their own stated objectives. It is important that the HERQA should develop accreditation procedures, particularly at programme level, for the public HEIs. The HERQA should consider playing more active roles in communicating with HEIs regularly about QA; pay more attention to a follow-up of the audits, the punctual development and delivery of the SEDs. The HERQA should be more independent, have more autonomy and sufficient resources to become a viable professional agency informing the HE sector on the quality of its performance. / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Introduction : Au sein de la population vieillissante, les chutes à domicile représentent une problématique importante (1 personne âgée/3 chute au moins 1 fois/année). Pour détecter automatiquement les chutes en respectant la vie privée, une technologie novatrice a été développée : la vidéosurveillance intelligente. Objectif : Explorer la perception et la réceptivité des personnes âgées concernant l’introduction de cette nouvelle technologie, à domicile. Méthodologie : Trente personnes âgées ont participé à une entrevue structurée (devis mixte). Une analyse de contenu (données qualitatives) et des analyses descriptives (données quantitatives) ont été effectuées puis combinées. Résultats : 93,4% des participants sont favorables (ou partiellement) à la vidéosurveillance intelligente et 43,3% l’utiliserait pour le sentiment de sécurité et la confidentialité procurés. Conclusion : Le contexte de vie des personnes âgées influence leur perception et réceptivité envers la vidéosurveillance intelligente. Il s’agit maintenant d’évaluer cette technologie dans divers milieux de vie. / Backgroung: Among the elderly, at-home falls are a significant problem (on average, 1 elder/3 falls at least 1/year). In order to automatically detect falls while maintaining privacy, an innovative technology was developed: an intelligent videomonitoring system. Objective: To explore the perception and receptivity of the elderly regarding the introduction of this new technology at home. Methodology: Using a mixed methods design, 30 elderly underwent a structured interview. A content analysis (qualitative data) and descriptive analyses (quantitative data) were executed and then combined. Findings: 93.4% of the participants were favorable (or partially) to the intelligent videomonitoring system and 43.3% would use it for the sense of security and the privacy provided. Conclusion: The living situation of the elderly influences their perception and receptivity regarding an intelligent videomonitoring system. The next step will be to evaluate this new technology in various living environments.

Cette étude propose d’identifier les facteurs affectant la consommation d’aliments traditionnels à travers une perspective écologique, afin de réduire les taux de prévalence élevés de maladies chroniques et ralentir la forte diminution de consommation d’aliments traditionnels chez les Cris du nord québécois. Pour ce faire, une méthode mixte « sequential explanatory », fut utilisée, combinant quatre groupes focus (n=23) et une régression logistique (n=374) à partir de données secondaires issues de trois études transversales. Selon les résultats de la régression logistique: l’âge, chasser, marcher, le niveau d’éducation et la communauté de résidence étaient associées à une consommation d’aliments traditionnelle trois fois/semaine (p<0,05). Subséquemment, des groupes focus vinrent enrichir et contredire ces résultats. Par exemple : les participants étaient en désaccord avec le fait qu’il n’y avait aucune association entre les aliments traditionnels et l’emploi. Ils croyaient que les personnes sans emploi ont plus d’opportunités pour aller chasser mais peu d’argent pour couvrir les dépenses et inversement pour ceux avec emploi. Ce double effet aurait possiblement fait disparaître l’association dans la régression logistique. Suite aux groupes focus, plusieurs facteurs furent identifiés et distribués dans un modèle écologique suggérant que la consommation d’aliments traditionnels est principalement influencée par des facteurs sociaux, communautaires et environnementaux et ne se limite pas aux facteurs individuels. En conclusion, afin de promouvoir l’alimentation traditionnelle, quatre suggestions de priorités d’action sont proposées. L’alimentation traditionnelle doit faire partie des stratégies de santé publique pour réduire les taux de maladies chroniques et améliorer le bien-être des populations autochtones. / To reduce the high prevalence rates of chronic diseases and slow the sharp decline in consumption of traditional foods for the Cree, northern Quebec, this study proposes to identify the factors affecting the consumption of traditional foods through an ecological perspective. A mixed method design was used combining focus groups (n = 23) with secondary data analysis from three cross-sectional studies (n = 374). First, a logistic regression was performed followed by interviews, providing additional information to enrich, clarify and even contradict interpretations based on quantitative analyzes. In light of the results, two scientific papers were written. The results clearly identified several factors that help or interfer with the consumption of traditional foods. These factors are distributed on four levels of influence :individual, social, community and environmental. A better documentation of environmental, social and community factors is desirable for future research. These findings will have an immediate application in public health planning.