Socio-cultural activity theory (SCAT) was used to examine the nature of collaborative working in a case study of school-based occupational therapy (SBOT) in Ontario. Collaborative consultation has been widely adopted in SBOT practice. However, we know little about the impact of collaboration for students and lack understanding about how the organization of SBOT service contributes to collaborative working among educators and occupational therapists. Grounded in theoretical understanding about the distributed nature of group learning, SCAT was used as a conceptual and analytical tool in this study to describe SBOT collaborative consultation from multiple stakeholder perspectives. The research took place in two phases. Phase One involved case study research to describe SBOT for three students with disabilities from multiple stakeholder perspectives. Data were gathered using a combination of observation, document analysis, and interviews involving participants directly involved in the delivery of SBOT with each focal participant. SCAT provided a framework for describing the nature of joint effort. Dilemmas emerging from incongruence between elements in the activity system were identified and described. Common characteristics in two cases enabled cross-case analysis to also identify features of collaborative working that facilitated educational programming and outcomes for students with developmental disability. In Phase Two, program administrators participated alongside service recipients and service providers in a series of focused discussion workshops to reflect on case study findings and prioritize areas for program improvement. Developmental Work Research (Engeström, 2000) and Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider, Whitney, & Stavros, 2003) methods were used within a participatory action research approach to facilitate organizational learning among stakeholders. Engagement of stakeholders supported program administrators in critically examining decision-making for the delivery of SBOT service in the region studied. Combining practice-driven dilemmas with conceptual tools of analysis enabled a multiple-perspective understanding about the social, cultural, and historical work practices that have influenced collaborative interactions in SBOT practice and led to the development of principles for improving how work is shared. Program administrators used their shared understanding to propose a new model for delivering SBOT services. / Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-28 21:31:58.308

SUMMARY Renata GAIŠAITĖ ORGANIZATION OF YOUTH SOCIO-CULTURAL ACTIVITY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES Final project of Master’s studies written in Lithuanian language consists of 69 pages, 23 pictures, 13 tables, 56 sources of literature and 5 enclosures. KEYWORDS: youth, organization of socio-cultural activity, rural community, social problem, social assistance, social integration. Object of research – youth socio-cultural activity in rural communities. Objective of study – to analyze the organization of youth socio-cultural activity in rural communities and to present a model of youth’ socio-cultural activity organization in rural communities. The main tasks are: 1. To traverse theoretical aspects of youth socio-cultural activity organization in rural communities. 2. To present youth’, as a social group, characteristics that has its peculiar problematic aspects. 3. To analyze the survey data results of experts’ and youth’ sociological research. 4. To do a comparable analysis of survey results of experts and rural youth. 5. To present a model of youth socio-cultural activity organization in rural communities. Methods of research are: logical analysis and synthesis, comparable analysis, data analysis of nonfiction and statistics, half standardized interview of experts, youth’ questionnaire survey data analysis, graphic presentment and generalization. While studying the scientific works of Lithuanian and foreign authors, Laws of Lithuanian Republic, the theoretical aspects of youth... [to full text]

В работе исследуется работа книжных магазинов России и Европы. Деятельность магазинов рассматривается с социокультурной точки зрения. В диссертации проводится анализ крупных книжных сетей России, Германии и Польши, а также маленьких независимых магазинов в тех же странах по специальным параметрам. Кроме того, в работе рассмотрен мировой опыт функционирования книжных магазинов. На основе анализа выявлен ряд важнейших факторов, которые влияют на успешность работы книжного магазина, а также в целом на культурную ситуацию в городе и стране, где расположен книжный магазин. / The paper examines the work of bookstores in Russia and Europe. The activity of stores is considered from a socio-cultural point of view. The dissertation analyzes large book chains in Russia, Germany and Poland, as well as small independent stores in the same countries by special parameters. In addition, the paper considers the world experience of the functioning of bookstores. Based on the analysis, a number of important factors that affect the success of the bookstore, as well as the overall cultural situation in the city and country where the bookstore is located, are identified.