Klimatfrågan är ett ständigt aktuellt ämne i dagens samhälle och det tycks finnas en stor medvetenhet hos de flesta människor om att det krävs akuta insatser och stora livsstilsförändringar, om vi ska ha möjlighet att minska vår klimatpåverkan. Trots att klimatförändringarna lämnar få oberörda och många individer uppger sig dessutom vara både insatta och engagerade i klimatfrågan, så omsätts engagemanget inte alltid till handling. Denna miljösociologiska kvantitativa studie avser undersöka om olika typer av klimatbudskap har en inverkan på individens attityd gentemot klimatförändringar vid exponeringstillfället. Studien undersöker också huruvida det finns skillnader i individens socio-ekonomiska bakgrund som inverkar på deras självskattade klimatengagemang. I studien deltog 140 respondenter med varierande bakgrundsvariabler (ålder, kön, boendeort, utbildningsnivå och inkomst). Respondenterna som delades upp i två experimentgrupper och en kontrollgrupp, fick besvara en digital enkät med en kvasi-experimentell design.                                                                                                     Resultatet visade att de olika kommunikativa angreppssätten att förmedla frågor kring klimatet på, inte hade en inverkan på respondenternas attityd gentemot klimatförändringar vid exponeringstillfället. Det fanns inte heller en signifikant skillnad avseende respondenternas klimatengagemang mellan bakgrundsvariablerna boendeort och utbildningsnivå. Däremot visade resultatet en signifikant skillnad mellan män och kvinnor gällande skattat klimatengagemang, något som ligger i linje med tidigare forskning. / Climate change is a constantly debated issue in our society today, and most people seem to have a sense of awareness that we need to act urgently and make major changes in our lifestyle in order to decrease our impact on the climate. Despite the fact that climate change leaves few untouched and many individuals also claim to be both well informed and engaged in the climate issue, the commitment is not always put into action. This environmental sociological quantitative study intends to investigate whether different types of climate messages have an impact on the individual's attitude towards climate change at the time of exposure. The study also examines whether there are differences in the individual's socio-economic background that affect their self-rated climate commitment. In the study 140 respondents with varying background variables participated (age, sex, level of education, place of residence and income). Respondents who were divided into two experimental groups and one control group were asked to answer a digital survey with a quasi-experimental design.                                                                                                                The result showed that the different communicative approaches to conveying issues around the climate did not have an impact on the respondents' attitude towards climate change at the time of exposure. There was also no significant difference with respect to the respondents' climate commitment between the background variables residential area and level of education. However, the result showed a significant difference between men and women regarding estimated climate engagement, which is in line with previous research.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom (IPS) / The construction industry plays a crucial role in the South African economy. In this high-risk industry, a lack of engagement by employees can have serious and costly health and safety consequences. Because construction companies work under conditions of tight deadlines and stringent requirements, executives and managers are often unable to reduce the demands on their employees. Hence, if employees are to increase their own levels of work engagement (and so improve health, promote safety, and guard against burnout), they need to exert personal agency by recrafting their own jobs. The term job crafting refers to proactive employee behaviours that seek to optimise the work environment, frequently by addressing the balance between job demands and job resource. Previous literature suggests that employees who use job crafting behaviours show higher work engagement, lower disengagement, more positive emotions, and better adaptive performance.

The present study attempted to measure library literacy levels of open or flexible learners at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) during the 1995 academic year, and to investigate to what extent the information skills component of TAFE open learning modules influence adult learners' library literacy levels. To address these issues, a quasi-experimental research methodology was used to measure library literacy levels at the beginning and, again, on or near course completion to ascertain whether any change had occurred, through the administration of a questionnaire. A number of participants were then interviewed to further validate the responses fiom the questionnaires. The study attempted to show that though courses claim to address key competencies in a vocational education and training environment, one component of the key competencies, the ability to collect, analyse and organise information, was not being met. That one component was the ability to locate (or collect) information. No strong correlations resulted fiom the library literacy levels measured and the degree to which the key competency was addressed within course modules. No statistical measures were possible due to the small sample population that eventuated, though it was almost half the original targeted population. No real gain was achieved in library literacy levels between the pretest and posttest stages of the research for either the Experimental or Control groups. Though a highly suitable research methodology, the quasi-experimental research design did have some limitations in this piece of research. The CIT flexible learning environment at the time of the study contributed to the limitations of the study. However, a number of recommendations were made on the basis of the research results, advocating some strategies that might be implemented to improve the library literacy levels of learners undertaking open or flexible delivery courses within CIT, and suggestions to change the research environment to avoid many of the problems experienced. The CIT pilot study was the first known formally documented study of library literacy levels in an Australian TAFE environment of its kind. The study reflects the literature published at the time of the study. At that time, the research in this field was minimal. Many publications and research have emerged since 1995 when this study was conducted, indicating this is an area of great interest.

In this thesis, we explore two different approaches to causal inferences. The traditional approach models the theoretical relationship between the outcome variables and their explanatory variables, i.e., the science, at the same time as the systematic differences between treated and control subjects are modeled, i.e., the assignment mechanism. The alternative approach, based on Rubin's Causal Model (RCM), makes it possible to model the science and the assignment mechanism separately in a two-step procedure. In the first step, no outcome variables are used when the assignment mechanism is modeled, the treated students are matched with similar control students using this mechanism, and the models for the science are determined. Outcome variables are only used in the second step when these pre-specified models for the science are fitted. In the first paper, we use the traditional approach to evaluate whether a husband is more prone to quit smoking when his wife quits smoking than he would have been had his wife not quit. We find evidence that this is the case, but that our analysis must rely on restrictive assumptions. In the subsequent two papers, we use the alternative RCM approach to evaluate if a Harvard freshman who does not smoke (observed potential outcome) is more prone to start smoking when he shares a suite with at least one smoker, than he would have been had he shared a suite with only smokers (missing potential outcomes). We do not find evidence that this is the case, and the small and insignificant treatment effect is robust against various assumptions that we make regarding covariate adjustments and missing potential outcomes. In contrast, we do find such evidence when we use the traditional approach previously used in the literature to evaluate peer effects relating to smoking, but the treatment effect is not robust against the assumptions that we make regarding covariate adjustments. These contrasting results in the two latter papers allow us to conclude that there are a number of advantages with the alternative RCM approach over the traditional approaches previously used to evaluate peer effects relating to smoking. Because the RCM does not use the outcome variables when the assignment mechanism is modeled, it can be re-fit repeatedly without biasing the models for the science. The assignment mechanism can then often be modeled to fit the data better and, because the models for the science can consequently better control for the assignment mechanism, they can be fit with less restrictive assumptions. Moreover, because the RCM models two distinct processes separately, the implications of the assumptions that are made on these processes become more transparent. Finally, the RCM can derive the two potential outcomes needed for drawing causal inferences explicitly, which enhances the transparency of the assumptions made with regard to the missing potential outcomes. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2006 S. 1-13: sammanfattning, s. [15]-161: 4 uppsatser

本研究旨在探討「曼陀羅課程」與「創造思考力」之間的關係，設計一套適合我國國小學生學習的課程方案，最後依據研究結果提出建議。首先，針對「曼陀羅課程」與「創造思考力」進行文獻探討，俾作為研究立論基礎與分析之依據；其次，本研究採「準實驗研究法」，以國小甲校五年A班為實驗組進行共200分鐘的實驗課程，以國小甲校五年B班為對照組。研究工具包括研究者編製之「曼陀羅課程教材」、「曼陀羅課程學習成效評量」，以及「Torrance創造思考測驗圖形版」、「Torrance創造思考測驗語文版」；接著，以統計方法對實驗結果加以探討分析，包括描述性統計、t考驗、皮爾森積差相關以及逐步迴歸法；最後，依據結果形成結論與建議。茲將本研究之主要結論歸納如下： 壹、實驗組與對照組「Torrance創造思考測驗圖形版」後測分數有顯著差異。 一、實驗組在接受「曼陀羅課程」學習後，後測分數顯著高於對照組。後測分數包含標準分數平均數、創造力指數及創造潛能優異表現三個項目。 二、在本測驗包含的五項創造力特質中，實驗組在「獨創力」之後測分數顯著高於對照組；在「精密力」和「開放力」之後測分數與前測相比有提升。 貳、實驗組與對照組「Torrance創造思考測驗語文版」後測分數有顯著差異。 一、實驗組在接受「曼陀羅課程」學習後，後測總分顯著高於對照組。 二、在本測驗包含的三項創造力特質中，包含「流暢力」、「獨創力」、「變通力」，實驗組的後測分數皆顯著高於對照組。 參、實驗組學生多能充分理解「曼陀羅課程」，學習成效評量結果佳。 肆、「實-虛」課程對「語文創造力」具顯著相關及預測力。 最後，根據後續研究研究結果，提出相關建議，俾供對曼陀羅課程之內容設計、教學方式，以及對教育工作者與後續研究之參考。

Doctor Educationis / The weak routine immunization activities in Nigeria have led to an upsurge of vaccine preventable diseases such as poliomyelitis in the northern parts of the country. This made the federal government to intensify efforts to improve routine immunization activities with various intervention programmes over the years. This commitment of the federal government towards improving routine immunization as a way to promote infant and child survival led to the partnership between the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to support the launching of Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria (PRRINN) programme in 2006. The programme, implemented in the northern states of Jigawa, Katsina, Yobe, and Zamfara was intended to augment other federal government immunization intervention efforts in improving routine immunizations services. After five years of programme implementation, assessment of the effectiveness of PRRINN had not be undertaken using a survey based immunization coverage to establish how well the primary objectives of the programme are being met in terms of improving routine immunization. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of the PRRINN programme in improving routine immunization coverage in Jigawa State using coverage data from the National Immunization Coverage Survey (NICS) of 2010.

Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study was based on the Science and Indigenous Knowledge Systems Project (SIKSP) at the School of Science and Mathematics Education, University of the Western Cape. The project seeks to enhance educators' understanding of and ability to implement a Science-IKS curriculum (Ogunniyi, 2007) through using the theoretical framework of argumentation (Toulmin Argument Pattern) to the extent that learners would value the significance of both worldviews. This study sought to find the effects of an Argumentation-Based Instruction on grade 10 learners' understanding of the causes of pollution at a river site. Since the integration of Science and IKS are envisaged by Curriculum 2005 (C2005), two theoretical argumentation constructs have been used namely, Toulmin's (1958) Argumentation Pattern (TAP) and Ogunniyi's (1995) Contiguity Argumentation Theory (CAT). / South Africa

Magister Educationis - MEd / The study employed a quasi-experimental design to determine the effect of DAIM on learners’ conceptions of lightning. The experimental group was taught using DAIM while the control group was taught the same content using TLM. Data was collected using the Science Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), Beliefs about Lightning Questionnaire (BALQ), Conceptions of Lightning Questionnaire (COLQ) and Science Achievement Test on Lightning (SATOL) which was used to determine learners’ overall performance on the topic of electrostatics. The data was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings of the study revealed that prior to the intervention (DAIM); the two groups of learners had both the scientific and the indigenous knowledge about lightning. A majority of the learners believed that lightning is caused by witches and traditional doctors. After being exposed to the DAIM most of the learners in the experimental group were found to have changed to the more scientific explanation of cause of lightning and protective measures against lightning. Few learners in the control were classified as possessing an equipollent worldview in terms of the CAT after the post tests. Some learners’ conceptions about lightning wavered between the scientific and traditional worldviews. The Science Attitude Questionnaire showed that both groups of learners had a positive attitude towards science. The findings also suggested that the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science lessons promoted active participation from the learners, reinforced the learning of science because it promoted conceptual development and scientific literacy. The learners in the study also supported the integration of the scientific and the traditional worldviews about lightning. After the instruction, the learners in both groups seemed to still hold indigenous beliefs in relation to lightning. The post-test results showed that the DAIM group seemed to have been able to link the concept of lightning with electrostatics when they related lightning storms to electric discharge. The experimental group was found to be more elaborate in their explanations of the scientific nature of lightning than the control group which was not exposed to DAIM

By exploring previous research, this systematic literature review aims to shed light on the effectiveness of oral corrective feedback practices by teachers to students on oral proficiency with the focus on recasts and prompts. This systematic literature review also intends to shed light on the effectiveness of recasts and prompts compared with each other. This study reports on the results of 13 experimental or quasi-experimental studies that measured the effectiveness of prompts and recasts on language acquisition and the effectiveness of prompts and recasts compared with each other. In those studies, outcome measures such as grammaticality judgement tasks, oral production tasks, and written production tasks were utilized. The target structures of the included studies were different morpho-syntactical and phonological structures. The accounted findings of this study show that recasts are effective at increasing students’ oral proficiency in seven of thirteen studies and not effective in six of 13 studies. The reported results also demonstrate that prompts are effective at improving students’ oral proficiency in eight of ten studies and ineffective in two of ten studies. In eight of ten studies in which the effectiveness of prompts and recasts are compared with each other, prompts are more effective than recasts. However, recasts are more effective than prompts in two of ten studies. The reported findings indicate that the effectiveness of corrective feedback in general on language acquisition is uncertain and that prompts might be effective. In addition, the accounted results suggest that the effectiveness of recasts on improving students’ oral proficiency is doubtful. Moreover, the reported findings of this study also suggest the higher degree of efficacy of prompts over recasts.

This study was intended to evaluate the impact of socioeconomically disadvantaged children's participation in the Texas Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (TX HIPPY) Program on their school readiness and academic achievement. The study used a quasi-experimental design and applied full and optimal propensity score matching (PSM) to address the evaluation concern of the impact of the TX HIPPY program on HIPPY participants' academic achievement compared to non-HIPPY participants. This evaluation targeted former HIPPY participants and tracked them in the Dallas ISD database through Grade Levels K-8. Data were obtained by administering Istation's Indicators of Progress (ISIP) for kindergarten, TerraNova/SUPERA for Grades K-2, and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness for math and reading (STAAR) for Grades 3-8. HIPPY and non-HIPPY groups were matched using propensity score analysis procedures. The evaluation findings show that the TX HIPPY program positively influences kindergarten students to start school ready to learn. The findings of math and reading achievements suggest that HIPPY children scored at the same level or higher than non-HIPPY children did on math and reading achievement, indicating that TX HIPPY program has achieved its goal of helping children maintain long-term academic success. However, the evaluation findings also indicated that the impact evaluation framework must be designed with attention to higher-level factors beyond academic achievement that influence children's academic success.