This study explored forms of distributed leadership in schools and the relationship between these forms and various personal and organizational factors. Though all empirical constructs used in this study were carefully grounded in the existing literature on the topic, the organization and empirical investigation of these constructs in a systemic manner is a distinct contribution of the study. The research was conducted in one large Ontario district that had been promoting distribute leadership for years. The evidence consisted of the surveys of 92 principals, 52 vice-principals, and 2190 teachers from the district’s elementary schools. Various statistical analyses, including descriptive, correlation, regression, and multi-level modeling analyses, were used to analyze the gathered data. In the study schools, administrators and teachers perceived leadership for high-priority school initiatives being mostly distributed in an egalitarian and coordinated manner. They also associated this coordinated way of distribution with wider distribution of leadership. At the same time, teachers often experienced leadership being distributed by principals in an authoritative manner as well. This finding indicates that principal delegation remains a dominant form of leadership and should be studied alongside more egalitarian distributed forms. This research brings to light the differences in principals’, vice-principals’, teacher-leaders’, and classroom teachers’ experiences with distributed leadership. It is recommended for researchers to take into account these differences in their studies of school leadership. District and school leaders should also consider staff’s varied leadership experiences while developing distributed leadership forms in schools. The study also suggests that school conditions have more effect on the way leadership gets distributed in schools than personal beliefs and experiences of principals, vice-principals, and teachers do. This implies that in order to develop extensive and coordinated distributed leadership forms, which are believed to be more productive, school administrators should devote considerable effort to encourage teachers’ engagement in leadership activities, build cultures of trust and collaboration, develop structures supporting shared decision making, ensure staff’s commitment to shared goals and provide incentives and relevant resources.

This study explored forms of distributed leadership in schools and the relationship between these forms and various personal and organizational factors. Though all empirical constructs used in this study were carefully grounded in the existing literature on the topic, the organization and empirical investigation of these constructs in a systemic manner is a distinct contribution of the study. The research was conducted in one large Ontario district that had been promoting distribute leadership for years. The evidence consisted of the surveys of 92 principals, 52 vice-principals, and 2190 teachers from the district’s elementary schools. Various statistical analyses, including descriptive, correlation, regression, and multi-level modeling analyses, were used to analyze the gathered data. In the study schools, administrators and teachers perceived leadership for high-priority school initiatives being mostly distributed in an egalitarian and coordinated manner. They also associated this coordinated way of distribution with wider distribution of leadership. At the same time, teachers often experienced leadership being distributed by principals in an authoritative manner as well. This finding indicates that principal delegation remains a dominant form of leadership and should be studied alongside more egalitarian distributed forms. This research brings to light the differences in principals’, vice-principals’, teacher-leaders’, and classroom teachers’ experiences with distributed leadership. It is recommended for researchers to take into account these differences in their studies of school leadership. District and school leaders should also consider staff’s varied leadership experiences while developing distributed leadership forms in schools. The study also suggests that school conditions have more effect on the way leadership gets distributed in schools than personal beliefs and experiences of principals, vice-principals, and teachers do. This implies that in order to develop extensive and coordinated distributed leadership forms, which are believed to be more productive, school administrators should devote considerable effort to encourage teachers’ engagement in leadership activities, build cultures of trust and collaboration, develop structures supporting shared decision making, ensure staff’s commitment to shared goals and provide incentives and relevant resources.

Nous abordons dans cette thèse un problème important en simulation multi-agent pour l'étude des systèmes complexes: celui d'assembler de multiples expertises par une approche multi-niveau. Alors que les approches existantes considèrent habituellement la vue d'un seul expert principal sur le système, nous proposons d'utiliser une approche multi-niveau pour intégrer plusieurs expertises sous la forme d'agents de différents niveaux d'abstraction. Nous montrons qu'il est ainsi possible de rester proche des concepts manipulés par les différents experts (ce qui permet de faciliter le processus de validation dans leurs domaines respectifs) et de combiner les différents niveaux de ces concepts, de manière à ce que chaque expert puisse comprendre les dynamiques des éléments liés à son domaine. Nous proposons le méta-modèle SIMLAB basé sur une représentation unifiée des concepts par des agents pouvant s'influencer les uns les autres dans différents axes et différents niveaux. Ce travail est concrétisé dans le cadre de l'étude de l'activité humaine en relation avec la consommation électrique. Il s'agit là d'un exemple typique de système complexe nécessitant de multiples expertises issues de différents domaines tels que l'ergonomie, l'énergétique, la sociologie, la thermique, ... Dans ce contexte, nous présentons ensuite la mise en oeuvre de notre approche dans la plate-forme SMACH de simulation des comportements humains et nous décrivons un ensemble d'expérimentations illustrant les différentes caractéristiques de notre approche. Nous montrons enfin la capacité de SIMLAB à reproduire et à étendre en simulation une étude réalisée sur le terrain de gestion de la demande énergétique. / The purpose of this work is to tackle a key problem in the study of complex systems when using multi-agent simulation: how to assemble several domains of expertise with a multi-level approach. While existing approaches usually consider the viewpoint of a unique main expert, we propose to use a multi-level model to integrate the multiple domains of expertise embodied in agents located at different abstraction levels. In this work, we show that it is possible to both stay close to the concepts manipulated by the experts (for the sake of the validation process in the domain of each expert) and combine the levels of those concepts. That way, each expert can easily understand the dynamics of the components related to their domain.We present SIMLAB, our meta-model based on a unified representation of the concepts using agents. Each agent can influence the others on different axes and levels. This work is materialised in a study of human activity in relation to electrical consumption. It is a typical example of complex system which requires many domains of expertise such as psychology, energetics, sociology, heat science, … In this context, we present the implementation of our approach in SMACH, a simulation platform of human behaviours. We Then describe several experiments to illustrate the characteristics of our approach. Finally, we show how SIMLAB can reproduce and extend in silico a field study of energy demand management.

Clark (2008) analyzed the role of provocation on dating partners’ level of aggression and found they were more aggressive in jealousy-provoking situations. Using the couple-level dataset collected by Clark, we examine the relationship of gender and setting on provoked interpersonal violence, and compare the accuracy of several analytical approaches on interpreting dyadic data. Results indicate some findings from Clark are extremely robust. For instance, consistent with previous findings, the significant role of provocation on aggression in a dating context is further supported in the current study (Bettencourt & Miller, 1996; Jacquin et al., 2006). Clark suggested gender symmetry in levels of aggression. However, results show a significant effect of gender, in that females were more passive aggressive than males. One implication of this study is that when analyzing dyadic data, a multi-level modeling (MLM) approach best represents the relationship between the outcome and predictors when compared to other analytical approaches.

This study was part of a larger multi-informant longitudinal study with a sample of 319 children (52% male, 48% female) ages 4-12 (mean= 7 years 9 months) whose parents had recently filed for divorce. Three annual waves of data from four informants were used for analysis: child self-report, mother, teacher, and observer report. The purpose of the study was to add to the understanding of multi-informant research and children’s psycho-social well-being. The first goal was to determine the consensus of children’s psycho-social well-being scores within informant across time, within child across informant, and between children over time. The second goal was to determine factors that contribute to the levels of consensus, such as, child gender, child age, child ethnicity, and length of parents’ separation, maternal baseline depressive symptoms score, and timing of the teacher questionnaire. The third goal was to determine if children could be classified into meaningful psycho-social well-being groups. Lastly, a visual diagnostic tool, the “patchwork”, was created using a random sample of eight prototypical cases of group membership based on predicted probabilities. This tool displayed the four informants scores, and child and informant characteristics. A single measure of child psycho-social well-being was created for each informant to compare rater consensus in hierarchical linear modeling. Latent class analysis was used to determine groupings. The HLM results indicate that 53% of the variance is within informants across time, 31% is within child across raters, and only 16% is between child over time. As expected, results showed more consensus of informants’ scores among girls than boys, the greatest consensus for children in middle childhood over other age groups, among Non-Hispanic White children compared to other ethnicities, and among spring reports than fall reports from teachers. Maternal baseline depressive symptoms score was significantly related to level of consensus of reporters, with greatest consensus when mother’s baseline depressive symptoms scores are at the mean (15.47). Mother’s scores of children’s psycho-social well-being decrease from highest scores of when baseline depressive symptoms score is 0, decreasing -.02 with each point increase in baseline depressive symptoms score. The results of the latent class analysis show two latent classes with maternal baseline depressive symptoms as a covariate best fit the data, one class with psycho-social well-being scores above the mean (N=258), and one with scores below the mean (N=61). Baseline data alone sufficiently models these groups and is chosen for parsimony over latent transition analysis. In sum, this study demonstrated benefits of multi-method multi-informant research, while acknowledging the strengths and biases that influence informant consensus of children’s psycho-social well being / text

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-10-31T12:38:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) VERSAOFINALDISSERTACAOBRUNOFIGUEIREDO.pdf: 3063476 bytes, checksum: c8babf719687b86ef5dbc4015778c40f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-31T12:38:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) VERSAOFINALDISSERTACAOBRUNOFIGUEIREDO.pdf: 3063476 bytes, checksum: c8babf719687b86ef5dbc4015778c40f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-16 / FACEPE / Contexto: Multi Level Autonomic Business Process (MABUP) é uma opção para auxiliar no gerenciamento de processos de negócios autonômicos. Ela considera aspectos relativos à variabilidade, compreensibilidade, escalabilidade e Requisitos Não- Funcionais. Contudo, identificamos algumas limitações para adoção da abordagem MABUP, entre elas a necessidade do desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta de apoio que permita não apenas a modelagem dos processos de negócios com características autonômicas, mas também a sua execução. Objetivo: Portanto, nesta dissertação propomos o desenvolvimento da ferramenta MABUPTool, a partir da extensão do framework Activiti, com o objetivo de auxiliar na adoção e compreensão da abordagem MABUP. Método: Após o desenvolvimento da ferramenta foram feitas duas avaliações experimentais com o objetivo de investigar a adoção da abordagem como sua ferramenta de apoio. Os resultados obtidos são promissores uma vez que os dados indicam que a adoção dos elementos estendidos auxilia a compreensão da abordagem MABUP. Conclusões: Para avaliar a qualidade da ferramenta, uma avaliação de usabilidade foi feita e os resultados indicaram que os quatro fatores analisados (satisfação geral, utilidade do sistema, qualidade da informação e qualidade da interface) foram alcançados com sucesso. / Context: Multi-level Autonomic Business Process (MABUP) approach is an option to manage autonomic business processes, it is considers aspects such as to variability, understandability, scalability and Non-Functional Requirements. However, we have identified several limitations for the adoption of MABUP approach. Among then, the need for a supporting tool, that allows not only the modeling of the business process with autonomic characteristics, but also its execution. Objective: Hence, in this dissertation we propose the development of MABUPTool tool, from the extension of Activiti framework, in order to assist in the adoption and understanding of MABUP approach. Method: After the tool development, some experiments were conducted to assess both the adoption of the MABUP approach and its supporting tool. The results indicate that the adoption extended elements enhances the understanding of MABUP approach. Conclusions: To assess the quality of the tool, a usability evaluation was performed and the results shows that all four factors analyzed (overall satisfaction, system utility, quality of information and interface quality) were successfully achieved.

Occupational hearing loss resulting from noise exposures encountered in the workplace affects millions of workers and costs hundreds of millions of dollars annually in Workers’ Compensation costs in the United States alone. Some industries have been well studied, and the presence of hazardous noise in the work environment established and documented. The restaurant industry is one in which little current data exists, but in which there may be cause for concern. This work sought to quantify noise exposures for cooks, servers, and dishwashers and to determine whether or not any of these workers are at risk for Noise Induced Hearing Loss. Further, the researchers wanted to know what environmental factors present in the restaurants had the greatest impact on noise exposures for each exposure group. Statistical analysis was conducted on selected factors, and while nearly all were found to have significant effects on noise exposure for servers, only the number of minutes worked explained variance in exposures for cooks and dishwashers when all factors were included in analysis. These two groups are the ones most likely to be overexposed and they typically worked more than 480 minutes on the day the sample was collected. Efforts to control exposure must take these extended shifts into careful account. The study was limited by relatively small sample size, with 124 cooks, 119 servers, and 91 dishwashers employed at nine different restaurants participating. Future efforts to explain and characterize the sources of variation in noise exposure for these three groups should include greater numbers of participants and structure the data in a way that allows the effects of selected factors to be more clearly seen.

Despite the developmental and clinical importance of body image during the pre-adolescent and adolescent years, there remains a dearth of information on the body image experiences of immigrant children and adolescents. This thesis represents a purposeful attempt to examine body image experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the United States (US). Specifically, the thesis integrates multiple methods (scoping reviews, qualitative interpretive description, quantitative multi-level modeling) and samples (clinical and population-based samples) to systematically contribute to the academic literature focusing on body image experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the US. Consisting of four conceptually related studies, this thesis makes the following methodological and conceptual contributions to epidemiological and clinical research and practice. First, the results from all four studies point to the need to develop standardized approaches for identifying and classifying immigrant and ethnic-minority children and adolescents. This will substantially increase the field’s ability to systematically characterize the nature and magnitude of body image dissatisfaction, body image distortion, and their associated outcomes among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. In addition, this systematic classification has the potential to inform the development or adaptation of universal and targeted preventative intervention strategies. Second, Study’s 1 and 2 demonstrate a clear need to further examine the constructs and experiences of acculturation and acculturative stress in relation to the body image experiences of immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. The literature is unclear with respect to whether or not immigrant adolescents’ adoption of the values, behaviours and ideals of the Canadian or US culture increases their risk for body image concerns. On the other hand, we are also unclear as to whether or not immigrant adolescents’ retaining of the values, behaviours and ideals of their culture of origin may offer protection from poor body image experiences. Similarly, we are unclear about whether—and to what extent—stress as a result of adolescents’ acculturative experiences (i.e. acculturative stress) influence the onset or pervasiveness of body image concerns. Greater understanding about these constructs and processes and the extent to which they are implicated in the body image experiences among immigrant children and adolescents has the potential to inform culturally competent and targeted intervention approaches. Results from Study 3 indicate that immigrant adolescents have body image and appearance-related concerns that extend beyond what has typically been found among non-immigrant adolescents. More specifically, immigrant adolescents are concerned about the appearance of their skin (texture, complexion), their hair, their teeth, as well as other bodily features. It would be prudent for future researchers and clinicians to consider this information in relation to measuring, classifying and addressing body image dissatisfaction among immigrant adolescents. Finally, Study 4 demonstrates that females and first generation immigrants with body image dissatisfaction are at significantly elevated risk for body image distortion. This suggests that the assessment and intervention for body image dissatisfaction—particularly among females—soon after the migratory experience may play an important role in reducing body image distortion experiences. Taken together, the findings of this thesis strengthen the body image field by demonstrating that there are several unique aspects about being an immigrant that can influence adolescents’ body image experiences; and therefore, should be considered from a conceptual and methodological standpoint in future research and implementation of body image interventions. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion have been linked to serious psychological outcomes, including depression and eating disorders. Yet, we know very little about the nature of these experiences among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents. This thesis uses qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as general population and clinical samples to investigate body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion among immigrant and ethnic minority children and adolescents in Canada and the United States. Results provide important information that can inform the development of preventative interventions targeting body image dissatisfaction and body image distortion among immigrant and non-immigrant children and adolescents.

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A DC power distribution system (PDS) of a transport aircraft was modeled and analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink software. The multi-level modeling concept was used as a modeling approach, which assumes modeling subsystem of the PDS at three different levels of complexity. The subsystem models were implemented in Simulink and combined into the whole PDS model according to certain interconnection rules. Effective modeling of different scenarios of operation was achieved by mixing subsystem models of different levels in one PDS model. Linearized models were obtained from the nonlinear PDS model for stability analysis and control design. The PDS model was used to examine the system stability and the DC bus power quality under bidirectional power flow conditions. Small-signal analysis techniques were employed to study stability issues resulting from subsystem interactions. The DC bus stability diagram was proposed for predicting stability of the PDS with different types of loads without performing an actual stability test based on regular stability analysis tools. Certain PDS configurations and operational scenarios leading to instability were identified. An analysis of energy transfer in the PDS showed that a large energy storage capacitor in the input filter of a flight control actuator is effective for reduction of the DC bus voltage disturbances produced by regenerative action of the actuator. However, energy storage capacitors do not provide energy savings in the PDS and do not increase its overall efficiency. / Master of Science