Master of Applied Science / The aim of this investigation was to investigate the effects of computer-based visual feedback in the teaching of singing. Pitch accuracy, a readily-measured parameter of the singing voice, was used in this study to gauge changes in singing for groups with and without visual feedback. The study investigated whether the style of feedback affects the amount of learning achieved, and whether the provision of concurrent visual feedback hampers the simultaneous performance of the singing task. The investigation used a baseline–intervention–post-test between-groups design. Participants of all skill levels were randomly assigned to a control group or one of two experimental groups – with all participants given one hour of singing training. At intervention, the two experimental groups were offered one of two different displays of real-time visual feedback on their vocal pitch accuracy, while control participants had a non-interactive display. All sessions were recorded, and the vocal exercise patterns performed at baseline, intervention and post-test phases were acoustically analysed for pitch accuracy. Questionnaires assessed both general health and the amount of singing and music training of all participants; people in the two experimental groups were also given a further questionnaire about the visual feedback. The results indicate that visual feedback improves pitch accuracy in singing. Cognitive load related to the decoding of visual information was a factor at intervention. At post-test, the two groups who had used real-time visual feedback demonstrated marked improvement on their initial pitch accuracy. There was no significant difference between the results of participants from the two experimental groups, although the participants with some background in singing training showed greater improvement using a simpler visual feedback design. The findings suggest that a hybrid approach integrating standard singing teaching practices with real-time visual feedback of aspects of the singing voice may improve learning.

<p>The purpose of my study is to examine if the total study results differ between music classes and regular classes. Are there higher grades in music classes? If so, what are the causes for this? I chose to make an inquiry at two schools in different town districts, with music classes. At those schools I also collected data of pupils grades, and was informed by the principals and the music teachers about the activities. The number of respondents were ninety.</p><p>The inquiry showed that the grades were markedly better in music classes, and that you can see great differences in well-being, parental engagement and ambition level, compared to regular classes. The study gives several factors. The social background has some significance. The group effect of the music playing and the well-being in class has good influence on the grades.</p>

This thesis, which consists of four chapters, focuses on three topics: discriminating between stationary and nonstationary time series, testing the constancy of the error covariance matrix of a vector model, and estimating density functions over bounded domains using kernel techniques. In Chapter 1, “Testing the unit root hypothesis against the logistic smooth transition autoregressive model”, and Chapter 2, “A nonlinear alternative to the unit root hypothesis”, the joint hypothesis of unit root and linearity allows one to distinguish between random walk processes, with or without drift, and stationary nonlinear processes of the smooth transition autoregressive type. This is important in applications because steps taken in modelling a time series are likely to be drastically different depending on whether or not the unit root hypothesis is rejected. In Chapter 1 the nonlinearity is based on the logistic function, while Chapter 2 considers the second-order logistic function. Monte Carlo simulations show that the proposed tests have about the same or higher power than the standard Dickey-Fuller unit root tests when the alternative exhibits nonlinear behavior. In Chapter 1 the tests are applied to the seasonally adjusted U.S. monthly unemployment rate, giving support to the hypothesis that the unemployment rate series follows a smooth transition autoregressive model rather than a random walk. Chapter 2 considers testing the so called purchasing power parity (PPP) hypothesis. The test results complement earlier studies, giving support to the PPP hypothesis for 44 out of 120 real exchange rates considered. Chapter 3. “Testing the constancy of the error covariance matrix in vector models”Estimating the parameters of an econometric model is necessary for any use of the model, be it forecasting or policy evaluation. Finding out thereafter whether or not the model appears to satisfy the assumptions under which it was estimated should be an integral part of a normal modelling exercise. This chapter includes the derivation of a Lagrange Multiplier test of the null hypothesis of constant variance in vector models when testing against three specific parametric alternatives. The Monte Carlo simulations show that the test has good size properties, very good power against a correctly specified alternative, but low or only up to moderate power in cases for a misspecified alternative hypothesis. Chapter 4. “ Estimating confidence regions over bounded domains”Nonparametric density estimation by kernel techniques is a standard statistical tool in the estimation of a density function in situations where its parametric form is assumed to be unknown. In many cases, the data set over which the density is to be estimated exhibits linear, or nonlinear, dependence. A solution to this problem is to apply a one-to-one transformation to the considered data set in such a way that the dependence in the data vanishes, but too often such a unique transformation does not exist. This chapter proposes a method for estimating confidence regions over bounded domains when no one-to-one transformation of the considered data exists, or if the existence of such a transformation is difficult to verify. The method, simple kernel estimation over a nonlinear grid, is illustrated by applying it to three data sets generated from the GARCH(1,1) model. The resulting confidence regions cover a reasonable area of the definition space, and are well aligned with the corresponding data sets. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2003

La tesi analizza l'evoluzione storico normativa del rapporto di pubblico impiego concentrando l'attenzione sul trattamento economico, principalmente quello accessorio, esaminando le principali vicende della contrattazione collettiva in conseguenza della c.d. privatizzazione. / Analyses how salaries in the public sector are composed: one part is fixed and the other is variable. The variable element is an innovation from 1993, and may be linked to "payment by results".

Mit der vorliegenden Arbeit erfolgt erstmals eine vergleichende Studie hinsichtlich der endometrialen Funktionsmorphologie unter Einbezug klinisch-gynäkologischer Befunde und endokrinologischer Parameter bei zyklischen und nicht zyklischen Maultierstuten über den Zeitraum einer physiologischen Zuchtsaison. Dazu wurden beim Pferd etablierte Untersuchungsverfahren eingesetzt, was neben einer klinisch-gynäkologischen Untersuchung einschließlich Palpatio per rectum, Ultraschall der inneren Geschlechtsorgane und Vaginoskopie sowie die pathohistologische Auswertung von Endometriumpioptaten beinhaltete. Parallel dazu wurde zur Sicherung der Zyklusansprache und zur Erstellung eines endokrinologischen Verlaufsprofiles Blut zur Bestimmung der Sexualsteroide entnommen. Hierzu wurden sechs allgemein- und geschlechtsgesunde Maultierstuten über einen Zeitraum von Mitte April bis Mitte November in Abständen von zwei bis zehn Tagen untersucht. Die bei der Pferdestute etablierten Untersuchungsverfahren konnten auch bei den Maultierstuten wiederholt, aussagekräftig und komplikationslos eingesetzt werden. Besonders die Technik der Endometriumbiopsie mit Spreizspekulum, Zervixfasszange und Entnahmegerät zeigte sich als praktikabel und sicher bezüglich der Vermeidung von Verletzungen oder Kontamination der inneren Geschlechtsorgane mit lokaler Infektion. Es erfolgte eine Einteilung der Tiere in eine „azyklische“ Gruppe 1 und eine „zyklische“ Gruppe 2. Alle azyklischen Maultierstuten der Gruppe 1 zeigten während des Untersuchungszeitraumes sowohl klinisch als auch pathohistologisch eine vollständige Azyklie. Die bei den Blutproben gewonnenen Serumhormonwerte lagen bei der Gruppe 1 konstant im basalen Bereich. Histologisch wurde ein inaktives, irregulär differenziertes Endometrium vorgefunden. Die zyklischen Maultierstuten der Gruppe 2 wiesen eine variable endometriale Funktionsmorphologie mit teilweise ausgeprägter Fehldifferenzierung auf. Die Serumhormonwerte der Gruppe 2 zeigten starke Schwankungen und es konnte dabei keine Korrelation zwischen den klinisch-endokrinologischen Parametern und der endometrialen Funktionsmorphologie beobachtet werden. Weiterhin zeigten alle Tiere der Gruppe 1 und 2 eine Endometrose. Die endometrialen Gefäße wurden von jeder Maultierstute untersucht und der Gefäßschädigungsindex in Relation zum Alter dargestellt, wobei sich eine Altersassoziation hinsichtlich der Intensität der Gefäßalterationen ergab. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse der Endometriumbioptate jeder Maultierstute für sich gesehen, waren qualitativ und quantitativ über den langen Untersuchungszeitraum immer identisch und wiesen eine ausgeprägte Konstanz und Homogenität auf. Dies lässt den Rückschluss zu, dass die Ergebnisse repräsentativ für das ganze Endometrium der jeweiligen Maultierstute sind. Die Infertilität des Maultiers ist sicher durch genetische Ursachen, wie den ungeraden Chromosomensatz 2n=63 (WODSEDALEK 1916) begründet, aber auch Folgeerscheinungen wie eine reduzierte ovarielle Aktivität, eine Störung der Hypothalmus-Hypophysen-Ovarien-Uterus-Achse und eine daraus resultierende oder schon bestehende endometriale Fehldifferenzierung sind anhand der Ergebnisse dieser Studie als Ursachen der Infertilität zu berücksichtigen. Die eigenen Ergebnisse sprechen nicht dafür, dass Maultierstuten mit spontanem Zyklusgeschehen ohne exogene Unterstützung als Rezipienten für einen Embryotransfer geeignet sein dürften.

The purpose of my study is to examine if the total study results differ between music classes and regular classes. Are there higher grades in music classes? If so, what are the causes for this? I chose to make an inquiry at two schools in different town districts, with music classes. At those schools I also collected data of pupils grades, and was informed by the principals and the music teachers about the activities. The number of respondents were ninety. The inquiry showed that the grades were markedly better in music classes, and that you can see great differences in well-being, parental engagement and ambition level, compared to regular classes. The study gives several factors. The social background has some significance. The group effect of the music playing and the well-being in class has good influence on the grades.

There have been debates on the big differences in mathematics knowledge concerning pupils in Sweden and Finland. Especially, one common issue in the discussions of education is the Pisa test results, which take up in the media. In the Pisa research the Finnish pupils get through well year after year. Because of the discussions about the distinct school systems in Sweden and Finland, I found it interesting to investigate the divergence of the curriculums in these two countries. The main research questions asked were, what are the main differences and similarities in the Swedish and Finnish curriculums in primary school? Such as, is the assignment of primary school similar in Sweden and Finland? In my study I analyzed and compared by means of the curriculum especially mathe-matics teaching in primary schools in grade three in Sweden and in grade two Fin-land. I have concentrated on the knowledge differences and similarities in these two curriculums. I have as well studied how tasks of the schools and the values affect in curriculums. I have looked for the answers to my main questions by conducting a text analysis of the Swedish and the Finnish curriculums. The results indicate that in the Swedish and the Finnish curriculums there are similari-ties in the general curriculum as well in the democracy as in the assignment of the school. Several differences have also been found out concerning mathematics such as discrepancy between the objectives. Also another divergence can also be found out; The curriculum of the Finnish primary school is more detailed and legible than the curriculum of the Swedish primary school. Furthermore, my results show that level of mathematics in the primary school in grade three in Sweden is almost the same as the level in grade two in Finland which leads to another disparity in the mathematics edu-cation in these two countries.

The work deals with statistical data compression or data reduction by a general class of classification methods. The data compression results in a representation of the data set by a partition or by some typical points (called prototypes). The optimization problems are related to minimum variance partitions and principal point problems. A fixpoint method and an adaptive approach is applied for the solution of these problems. The work contains a presentation of the theoretical background of the optimization problems and lists some pseudo-codes for the numerical solution of the data compression. The main part of this work concentrates on some practical questions for carrying out a data compression. The determination of a suitable number of representing points, the choice of an objective function, the establishment of an adjacency structure and the improvement of the fixpoint algorithm belong to the practically relevant topics. The performance of the proposed methods and algorithms is compared and evaluated experimentally. A lot of examples deepen the understanding of the applied methods. (author's abstract)

Abstract The school today has an assignment to offset traditional gender patterns as well as to create opportunities for all pupils to achieve the same good results in school regardless of sex, ethnicity and conditions. The educator’s assignment is determined by governing documents, and the educator plays a role in helping the pupil find their equal role in society. This means that the educator needs to work in a way that offsets traditional gender patterns and require approaches that would benefit equal opportunities for both boys and girls to achieve good results. The purpose of the study was, through interviews, to get an idea of how primary school teachers from a gender equal perspective perceive how they see them relate to boys and girls in their teachings. The study is based on the presumptions that the pupils have but focusing on the relationship between school achievements and equality. The study brings up concepts like gender theories, equality, the biological sexes, the history of the schools development and changes in acceptance of boys and girls and the role of the governing documents to reach acceptable achievements. The collected material was processed and analyzed using literature which addresses the concepts. The result of the study shows that the teachers approach partially was shaped by their own experiences. It also occurs that the educators to some extent lacks awareness that differences in school achievement between boys and girls could be connected from a gender perspective. The study also shows that the educators feel that they are missing needed recourses, education and tools to be able to work on issues related to equality from a school perspective.  This could be part of the reasons to why the traditional gender pattern is reproduced and that gender related differences in school achievements continues. / Sammandrag Skolan har i dag ett uppdrag att motverka traditionella könsmönster samt att skapa möjligheter för alla eleverna att nå samma goda resultat i skolan oavsett kön, etnicitet eller förutsättningar. Pedagogens uppdrag vilar på styrdokumenten, där pedagogen spelar aktör i elevernas arbete med att själva skapa sig en jämställd roll i samhället. Detta innebär att pedagogen ska arbeta på ett sätt som motverkar traditionella könsmönster och kräver förhållningssätt som förutsätter att pojkar och flickor får samma möjligheter att nå goda resultat.   Syftet med studien har varit att genom samtalsintervjuer få en insyn i hur grundskollärare, utifrån ett jämställdhetsperspektiv, uppfattar att de förhåller sig till pojkar och flickor i sin undervisning. Studiens har lagts med utgångspunkt i de förutsättningar som eleverna har och med fokus på relationen mellan skolprestationer och jämställdhet.   Studien tar upp begrepp som teorier kring genus, jämställdhet, det biologiska könet, skolans historiska utvecklingar utifrån pojkar och flickors perspektiv samt styrdokumentens roll för att uppnå en godtagbar prestation. Det insamlade materialet har sedan bearbetades och analyserats utifrån litteratur som behandlar dessa begrepp.   Resultatet av studien visar att lärarnas förhållningssätt, till del, formats av den egna erfarenheten. Det framkommer även att pedagogerna delvis saknar en medvetenhet om att en skillnad i skolprestation, mellan pojkar och flickor, skulle kunna kopplas till ett könsperspektiv. Det framkom även att det ur pedagogens perspektiv saknas resurser, rätt utbildning och verktyg för att kunna arbeta med frågor kring jämställdhet utifrån ett skolperspektiv. Detta kan vara delar av skälen till att det traditionella könsmönstret reproduceras och att könsskillnaderna i skolprestationer kvarstår.

We provide contributions to two classical areas of queueing. The first part of this thesis focuses on finding new conditions for a Markov chain on a general state space to be Harris recurrent, positive Harris recurrent or geometrically ergodic. Most of our results show that establishing each property listed above is equivalent to finding a good enough feasible solution to a particular optimal stopping problem, and they provide a more complete understanding of the role Foster's criterion plays in the theory of Markov chains. The second and third parts of the thesis involve analyzing queues from a transient, or time-dependent perspective. In part two, we are interested in looking at a queueing system from the perspective of a customer that arrives at a fixed time t. Doing this requires us to use tools from Palm theory. From an intuitive standpoint, Palm probabilities provide us with a way of computing probabilities of events, while conditioning on sets of measure zero. Many studies exist in the literature that deal with Palm probabilities for stationary systems, but very few treat the non-stationary case. As an application of our main results, we show that many classical results from queueing (in particular ASTA and Little's law) can be generalized to a time-dependent setting. In part three, we establish a continuity result for what we refer to as jump processes. From a queueing perspective, we basically show that if the primitives and the initial conditions of a sequence of queueing processes converge weakly, then the corresponding queue-length processes converge weakly as well in some sense. Here the notion of convergence used depends on properties of the limiting process, therefore our results generalize classical continuity results that exist in the literature. The way our results can be used to approximate queueing systems is analogous to the way phase-type random variables can be used to approximate other types of random variables.