In the fast changing world of a new, democratic South Africa (S.A.), the political, economic and social arenas are rapidly moving in new directions. In order to impact on important new policy developments as they are being developed and to impact on the planned changes in their fields, many adult education organisations saw the need to band together to form networks or associations and the like, through which to present their viewpoints or ideas at policy debates. In this way their views were backed by recognisable stakeholder or constituency groupings. One such networking organisation was established in 1989, well before the fastmoving, radical changes were so extreme in South Africa, namely, the Forum for the Advancement of Adult Education (FAAE). The aim of the FAAE was to inform, support and professionalize the field of Adult Education and Training via their networking activities. A t times it also acted as a structure to support: policy development. These aims continue today, although the work of the FAAE has broadened. This study looks at the role of “Networking” in Adult Education in South Africa to examine its process and its impact. The study explores the views and opinions of practitioners in different parts of South Africa and examines the case study of the FAAE as part of its data gathering, as it asks the questions: how, why, when and where does or should networking occur. What are the potential gains or problems involved in such an activity? The research design, which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, attempts to provide quantitative details which accurately portray elements of the data gathered, as well as qualitative data which reflects the rich detail of the data explored. Although networking is being explored within a specific sector or community (adult continuing education), it is hoped that this study will open up ideas and possibilities to assist networking activities in other sectors or communities. It is hoped th at this study will catalyse other studies to explore the concept of “networking” and as a consequence, that more publications addressing this issue might arise.

Music is an essential part of people’s every day lives, accompanying them as they go about their daily routines, and it can be experienced in almost any context now; which allows us to capture, categorize and reconstruct the activities and memories that shape our personal, social and cultural lives. In this thesis, the area of concern that I explore is the creation of an online community based on people’s experiences with music. Because of the personal nature of the topic and the tendency for the information to change over time, the methodology I chose was action research, specifically Checkland and Holwell’s (1998) FMA methodology. Using this approach, I investigate the different kinds of technology that can be used to build the foundations of the community and which factors are most salient to facilitate member growth. I also examine the effects that user-generated content has on the participation within an online community and the technological features that aid in facilitating this. I discovered that trust is a vital part of an online community because it fosters cooperation between members through visible pro-social behaviour, and that a combination of ease of use, usefulness and the size of the community could influence the participation and activity of users in generating content. I also found that the development cycle for Internet software never ends, thus permanently in beta, as there will always be improvements to the community based on user feedback. I analyzed the data by comparing key metrics such as membership and user-generated content growth for each community to see if the learning and reflections from previous cycles helped improve community participation in the current cycle. The results I obtained and method I used in the thesis demonstrated my contribution to the body of knowledge in using action research theory, specifically the FMA methodology, to investigate, learn and develop an online community as an app creator. I argue that action research can help guide academic-based startups in much the same way as other startup frameworks and this point is one of the focuses for future research on this topic.

Women are still strongly underrepresented in the ICT field. It is worrying that even children can hold stereotypes about gender and technology, which discourage girls from engaging with technology early in their development. Previous research has found that encouraging collaboration and the integration of storytelling in programming are successful approaches for introducing girls to coding. In practice, children often collaborate with friends since they tend to engage in the same activities. This study explores how existing friendship influences collaboration between preadolescent girls participating together in a storytelling-motivated programming experience. Results reveal that when girls collaborate with a friend, they feel comfortable and confident to express their ideas and to reject or elaborate on their friend’s suggestions. The openness of friends towards each other and the social setting of friendship may impact collaboration. Role assignment in the form of task allocation supported productive collaboration, while dominance impeded it. The project indicates that the design of solutions that aim to motivate programming through storytelling has to provide enough support in adding narration elements through code. Additionally, it proposes suggestions for the design of inclusive workshops and hackathons. / Kvinnor är fortfarande starkt underrepresenterade inom IT-området. Det är oroande att även barn kan ha stereotyper om kön och teknik, vilket avskräcker flickor från att engagera sig i teknik tidigt i sin utveckling. Tidigare forskning har visat att uppmuntrande av samarbete och att integrering av berättande i programmering är framgångsrika metoder för att introducera flickor till programmering. I praktiken samarbetar barn ofta med vänner eftersom de tenderar att delta i samma aktiviteter. Den här studien undersöker hur befintlig vänskap påverkar samarbetet mellan unga flickor som deltar tillsammans i en historieberättande-motiverad programmeringsupplevelse. Resultaten visar att när flickor samarbetar med en vän känner de sig bekväma och självsäkra i att uttrycka sina idéer och att avvisa eller utveckla sin väns förslag. Vänners öppenhet gentemot varandra och det sociala kontextet av vänskap kan påverka samarbetet. Rolltilldelning i form av uppgiftsallokering stödde produktivt samarbete, medan dominans hindrade det. Projektet indikerar att utformningen av lösningar som syftar till att motivera programmering genom berättande måste ge tillräckligt med stöd i att lägga till berättande element genom kod. Dessutom föreslås förslag för utformning av inkluderande workshops och hackathons.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar os significados das paisagens da microbacia do ribeirão dos Sinos, em Ipeúna, SP, a partir de um estudo dos processos de transformação do espaço e de uma vivência, uma imersão nas paisagens. O conceito de paisagem utilizado não se restringe à mera visualidade, a um espaço observado. Pelo contrário, trata-se de um espaço vivenciado, uma realidade complexa e relacional, indissociável no que diz respeito à sua materialidade e às suas representações. Nesse sentido, a busca pelos significados das paisagens depende das experiências partilhadas pelas pessoas que as vivenciam. A partir das experiências e visões de mundo dos proprietários rurais, buscamos compreender melhor como surgem as motivações que dão sentido às práticas que resultam na configuração das paisagens rurais da microbacia. Nossa abordagem se deu de forma exploratória e qualitativa. Analisamos a história local e o contexto atual a partir de uma revisão bibliográfica, de um registro fotográfico e de entrevistas semi-estruturadas realizadas com os proprietários rurais e outros membros da população local entre maio de 2008 e maio de 2009. Tendo em vista que Ipeúna foi um pequeno Distrito de Rio Claro até 1964, quando foi emancipada, seu processo de modernização, em comparação com outras cidades, foi recente. Atualmente, ainda é um município pequeno. Seu contexto social é marcado pela adaptação dos antigos moradores à chegada de novos habitantes, estranhos ao seu círculo de convivência, e às transformações sociais, econômicas e culturais. Constatamos que os pequenos produtores rurais tradicionais enfrentam dificuldades crescentes para sobreviver da atividade agropecuária e seu modo tradicional de produção está prestes a ser abandonado definitivamente. Os principais problemas ambientais mencionados foram: escassez de água, erosão, queimadas e danos provocados por javalis. Há diferenças marcantes de atribuições de significados às paisagens entre as famílias ipeunenses tradicionais e os novos moradores. A beleza das paisagens é valorizada enfaticamente pelos proprietários de chácaras, que estão em condições de aproveitar o tempo com atividades de lazer. Por outro lado, devido ao longo período de convivência no lugar, os sentimentos e as memórias depositadas sobre as paisagens e propriedades rurais pelas famílias ipeunenses tradicionais são mais profundos e íntimos, refletindo suas próprias histórias de vida. Esta pesquisa enfatiza a enorme complexidade dos processos de transformação do espaço, das experiências humanas e dos significados das paisagens. / The present work aims to investigate the meanings of the Sinos stream microbasins landscapes, in Ipeuna, SP - Brazil, from a study of space transformation processes and life experiences. The landscape concept used is not restricted to mere visuality and observed space. Contrariwise, landscape is an experienced space, a complex and relational reality, both materiality and representation. In this sense, the investigation of the meanings of the landscapes depends on peoples \"shared experiences\". Based on the landowners experiences and world views, we have hoped to expand the comprehension of motivations for practices that result in the appearance of the microbasin agricultural landscapes. This was an exploratory qualitative research. We have analyzed the local history and the present context by literature review, photo registry and semi-structured interviews conducted with landowners and other members of the local population between May 2008 and May 2009. Ipeuna had been a small district of Rio Claro until 1964, when it turned into a city. Because of this, compared to other cities, the modernization process was recent. Nowadays, it is still a small town. The social context is characterized by the adaptation of traditional dwellers to the arrival of new residents, strangers to their social circle, and the social, economic and cultural changes. We have found that the traditional farmers face increasing difficulties to survive in farming and its traditional way of production is about to be abandoned permanently. The main environmental problems cited were: water scarcity, erosion, fires and damages caused by wild boars. There are great differences of meanings attributed to the landscapes between traditional families from Ipeuna and new residents. The landscapes beauty is strongly valued by the proprietors of country houses that are able to spend time on leisure activities. On the other hand, because of the long experience time in that place, feelings and memories deposited on the landscapes and rural properties by the traditional families from Ipeuna are more profound and intimate, reflecting their own life histories. This research emphasizes the enormous complexity of space transformation processes, human experiences and meanings of landscapes.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar os significados das paisagens da microbacia do ribeirão dos Sinos, em Ipeúna, SP, a partir de um estudo dos processos de transformação do espaço e de uma vivência, uma imersão nas paisagens. O conceito de paisagem utilizado não se restringe à mera visualidade, a um espaço observado. Pelo contrário, trata-se de um espaço vivenciado, uma realidade complexa e relacional, indissociável no que diz respeito à sua materialidade e às suas representações. Nesse sentido, a busca pelos significados das paisagens depende das experiências partilhadas pelas pessoas que as vivenciam. A partir das experiências e visões de mundo dos proprietários rurais, buscamos compreender melhor como surgem as motivações que dão sentido às práticas que resultam na configuração das paisagens rurais da microbacia. Nossa abordagem se deu de forma exploratória e qualitativa. Analisamos a história local e o contexto atual a partir de uma revisão bibliográfica, de um registro fotográfico e de entrevistas semi-estruturadas realizadas com os proprietários rurais e outros membros da população local entre maio de 2008 e maio de 2009. Tendo em vista que Ipeúna foi um pequeno Distrito de Rio Claro até 1964, quando foi emancipada, seu processo de modernização, em comparação com outras cidades, foi recente. Atualmente, ainda é um município pequeno. Seu contexto social é marcado pela adaptação dos antigos moradores à chegada de novos habitantes, estranhos ao seu círculo de convivência, e às transformações sociais, econômicas e culturais. Constatamos que os pequenos produtores rurais tradicionais enfrentam dificuldades crescentes para sobreviver da atividade agropecuária e seu modo tradicional de produção está prestes a ser abandonado definitivamente. Os principais problemas ambientais mencionados foram: escassez de água, erosão, queimadas e danos provocados por javalis. Há diferenças marcantes de atribuições de significados às paisagens entre as famílias ipeunenses tradicionais e os novos moradores. A beleza das paisagens é valorizada enfaticamente pelos proprietários de chácaras, que estão em condições de aproveitar o tempo com atividades de lazer. Por outro lado, devido ao longo período de convivência no lugar, os sentimentos e as memórias depositadas sobre as paisagens e propriedades rurais pelas famílias ipeunenses tradicionais são mais profundos e íntimos, refletindo suas próprias histórias de vida. Esta pesquisa enfatiza a enorme complexidade dos processos de transformação do espaço, das experiências humanas e dos significados das paisagens. / The present work aims to investigate the meanings of the Sinos stream microbasins landscapes, in Ipeuna, SP - Brazil, from a study of space transformation processes and life experiences. The landscape concept used is not restricted to mere visuality and observed space. Contrariwise, landscape is an experienced space, a complex and relational reality, both materiality and representation. In this sense, the investigation of the meanings of the landscapes depends on peoples \"shared experiences\". Based on the landowners experiences and world views, we have hoped to expand the comprehension of motivations for practices that result in the appearance of the microbasin agricultural landscapes. This was an exploratory qualitative research. We have analyzed the local history and the present context by literature review, photo registry and semi-structured interviews conducted with landowners and other members of the local population between May 2008 and May 2009. Ipeuna had been a small district of Rio Claro until 1964, when it turned into a city. Because of this, compared to other cities, the modernization process was recent. Nowadays, it is still a small town. The social context is characterized by the adaptation of traditional dwellers to the arrival of new residents, strangers to their social circle, and the social, economic and cultural changes. We have found that the traditional farmers face increasing difficulties to survive in farming and its traditional way of production is about to be abandoned permanently. The main environmental problems cited were: water scarcity, erosion, fires and damages caused by wild boars. There are great differences of meanings attributed to the landscapes between traditional families from Ipeuna and new residents. The landscapes beauty is strongly valued by the proprietors of country houses that are able to spend time on leisure activities. On the other hand, because of the long experience time in that place, feelings and memories deposited on the landscapes and rural properties by the traditional families from Ipeuna are more profound and intimate, reflecting their own life histories. This research emphasizes the enormous complexity of space transformation processes, human experiences and meanings of landscapes.

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The department chair position is the most critical role in a university. It is complex and filled with ambiguity. Seasoned and new department level leaders share journeys and strategies to address concerns/challenges/barriers for transitioning to leadership positions. Session offers potential/current academic leaders a forum to discuss challenges, strategies, and solutions.

This study seeks to explore, using an interpretivist phenomenological approach, how humor may impact rapport, engagement, and motivation in graduate online learning environments. Through detailed qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews, direct observation, and demographic survey data, emergent themes were identified that support the use of appropriate humor to create a positive online environment in which learning can take place. Evidence indicates that humor, when used purposefully and appropriately, is a valuable tool for promoting rapport and engagement amongst course members through community-building and enhanced interpersonal connections. The results of this study reveal the importance of finding common ground and shared experiences to improve the overall social and communicative culture of an online course. The results also support the idea that online instructors should make a great effort in connecting with students in online courses and must make a greater effort to appropriately engage in their online courses. Appropriate recommendations are made for practical application of humor to support pedagogy, as well as recommendations for future research on humor in educational environments.