Syftet med denna empiriska studie är att undersöka hur lärare kan erbjuda möjligheter för 6-åringar att vidga sin förståelse av likhetstecknets innebörd. Undersökningen är inspirerad av Learning Study metoden vilket är en metod som har sin utgångspunkt i variationsteorin. Barnens initiala förmågor analyseras före planeringen av undervisningen och det ger en uppfattning om barnens kunskaper. Utifrån det planeras lektionerna och de aspekter som är de mest kritiska för barnen lyfts och på så sätt utvecklas deras kunskap. Vår slutsats är att det är viktigt att arbeta utifrån ett variationsinriktat lärandeperspektiv. Barnen lyckas bra i de uppgifter där de får laborera med konkret material. / The purpose of this empirical study is to examine how teachers can provide opportunities for children aged 6 to extend their understanding of the equal sign. This study is inspired by the Learning Study method which is a method that has its origins in variation theory.  By analyzing the children's initial abilities before planning our lessons, it gives us an idea of the children's knowledge. From there the lessons are planned and the aspects that are the most critical for the children are lifted and thereby develop their knowledge. Our conclusion is that it is important to work with variety oriented learning. The children are successful in tasks in which they are allowed to experiment with concrete materials.

Rock music has during all of its almost 50 years of existence been the subject of criticism and debate. Much of this criticism has risen from religious circles. But also in these circles, rock music has its advocates. This thesis studies the reactions to rock music by spokespersons for institutional Christianity. Most of the material studied is written and published material. The material dates from 1983-1998 and originates from Sweden, Finland and the United States. The material is studied qualitatively. The purpose is to study the Christian discourse on rock music as an example of how institutional religion defends itself against competition. A theoretical perspective and conceptual apparatus is developed. The Christian discourse on rock is viewed as the defence of a monopolistic symbolic universe - institutional Christianity - against an outside threat - rock. This defence is described by two concepts, devaluation and incorporation. Devaluation involves giving rock an inferior status, for example defining it as demonic. Incorporation is an attempt to make rock part of the Christian symbolic universe. The result of devaluation and incorporation is the same: the denial of any reality outside the Christian symbolic universe. Several different techniques for devaluating and incorporating for example rock music can be used. Two such techniques are studied in the thesis: symbol interpretation, and the defence of boundaries. The main contribution of the thesis is the development and application of a theoretical perspective on how institutional religion defends itself against competition. The discussion on how established religion reacts to "secular" media adds an important dimension to the academic discussion on media, religion and culture.

Syftet med denna intervjustudie var att undersöka hur ett antal nyckelaktörer inom turismnäringen såg på matens roll och hur de arbetade med matupplevelser i praktiken. Insamling av data genomfördes genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer som transkriberades och analyserades utifrån en mall för kvalitativ bearbetning av text. De aktörer som fungerade som informanter för undersökningen arbetade samtliga med matturism på nationell, regional eller lokal nivå.  De aktörer som deltog i studien var Landsbygdsdepartementet, Visit Sweden, Regional Matkultur Småland, Smaka på Skåne, Kristianstad Kommun och Idala Gård. Undersökningens resultat visade att samtliga aktörer ansåg att maten hade en given roll inom turismnäringen.  Informanterna betonade vikten av att producenter ser matens potential till att bli en matupplevelse och synliggör den för turister. Ett skäl till att detta inte alltid görs kunde bero på den bild svenskar har av svensk mat och svensk matkultur menade informanterna.  De förespråkade en stolthet över svensk mat och mattradition. I undersökningen framkom även att matupplevelser fått en alltmer självklar plats inom turismnäringen, både som en huvudanledning till, eller som en betydande del av resan.  Informanterna framhöll att fördelen med matupplevelser jämfört med andra upplevelser var att matupplevelsen aktiverar samtliga sinnen och därmed bidrar till en total turismupplevelse. / The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how key stakeholders see food as a part of the tourist industry and how they work with food experiences in practice. Data collection was collected by semi-structured interviews which were transcribed and analyzed within the model of processing a qualitative text. The stakeholders which participated were Landsbygdsdepartementet, Visit Sweden, Regional Matkultur Småland, Smaka på Skåne, Kristianstad Kommun and Idala gård. The interviewed stakeholders are working with food tourism at national, regional and local level. The results showed that all the participants thought food had a specific role within the tourist industry. In this study, it became clear that the respondents emphasized the importance for producers to see the potential food have to become a food experience and at the same time to make it more visible for tourists. A reason for this would be the view of Swedish food culture that the respondents think Swedish people have. It is important to see the unique assets which are available and to be proud of the culture.  It also shows that food experiences have a more obvious role in tourist industry, both as the main reason or as part of the travel. The advantage of the food experiences in relation to other experiences is the use of all the senses, thus providing a total tourism experience.

Idag använder spelindustrin flertalet metoder för att leda spelare igenom spel som färg- och ljussättning och användandet av former. Denna uppsats fokuserar på det sist nämnda och försöker besvara frågan: I valet mellan simpla symboler, finns det en specifik symbol som spelare föredrar att följa och vad assosierar de med denna symbol? För att besvara denna fråga skapades ett test som undersökte spelares val då de presenterades för tre symboler, en cirkel, en triangle och en fyrkant. Testet var en spelprototyp som bestod av en korridor, vilket var spelets inlärnings område, och ett rum med tre dörrar, vilket var det huvudsakliga testet. Testet visade att det inte fanns en viss symbol som spelare följde mer än någon av de andra, men att associationerna med symbolerna verkar stämma överrens med tidigare studiers förklaring av vad symbolerna står för. Detta visar på att att symbolerna kan användas inom speldesign för att framföra meddelanden till spelaren och hjälpa till att leda dem i nya områden. / Presently the video game industry uses a number of methods to lead the players though the games such as colours, lights and shapes. This thesis focuses on shapes and tries to answer the question: In choosing between basic symbols is there a particular symbol that players prefer tofollow and what do they associate with that symbol? In order to answer this question we created an experiment in which we tested how test subjects respond to three primitive shapes, triangles, circles and squares. The experiment consisted of a corridor with a door in one end, acting as the controls tutorial, and a room with three doors which was the actual experiment. Our test shows that there is not a certain symbol that the test subjects prefer to follow, but that the associations to the symbols seem to be true in comparison to earlier made studies on what these symbols are viewed to represent. This points at the possibility that the symbols can be used in game design to convey messages to the players and be used to guide the players in new environments.

This paper is a description of the research and processes that have culminated in the graduating master's thesis exhibition Dwall. This body of work consists of large-scale drawing and printmaking gallery installations that explore culture as well as darkness and fear, narrative and nature. These pieces have a surreal, illustrative and darkly whimsical quality highly influenced by artists like Kiki Smith, Collette Urban, Jim Holyoak, Albrecht Dürer, Swoon, Damien Hirst and Anselm Kiefer. This supporting paper will place the work in the contemporary and historical context of these artists, and also explore how all these complementary, conflicting influences have led to the production of a graduate-level body of work—particularly with a focus on the paradoxical nature of darkness and how it is a necessary tool for creation.

Η παρούσα εργασία, απαρτίζεται από τρία μέρη. Τα δυο πρώτα μέρη αποτελούν το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο και την εγκυκλοπαιδική εξέταση του θέματος και το τρίτο περιλαμβάνει το ερευνητικό κομμάτι της δουλειάς μας. Σε αυτό το σημείο, καλό θα ήταν να γίνει μια σύντομη παρουσίαση του καθενός ξεχωριστά. Στο θεωρητικό πλαίσιο, λοιπόν, εξετάζονται δύο θέματα. Αρχικά γίνεται μια σύντομη παρουσίαση αφενός της επιστήμης της Ανθρωπολογίας και αφετέρου της επιστήμης της Λαογραφίας, έτσι ώστε ο αναγνώστης να μπορεί να κατανοήσει τις γενικές αρχές και τους κανόνες που χαρακτηρίζουν τις δυο αυτές συναφείς επιστήμες. Επίσης, ιδιαίτερα μας απασχολούν έννοιες όπως “πολιτισμός”, “παραδοσιακός πολιτισμός”, “σύμβολα” και “έθιμα” και προσπαθούμε να δούμε πως οι παραπάνω έννοιες συνδέονται με τις επιστήμες της Ανθρωπολογίας και της Λαογραφίας. Στο δεύτερο μέρος του θεωρητικού πλαισίου, γίνεται αναφορά στις μεθόδους έρευνας που χρησιμοποιούν τόσο η Ανθρωπολογία όσο και η Λαογραφία για να μελετήσουν, παραδείγματος χάριν, μια πληθυσμιακή ομάδα, μια πτυχή ενός πολιτισμού ή ακόμα και έναν ολόκληρο πολιτισμό. Συγκεκριμένα, ερχόμαστε σε μια πρώτη επαφή με μεθόδους έρευνας όπως είναι η επιτόπια έρευνα, η συμμετοχική παρατήρηση και η συνέντευξη, τονίζοντας τα βήματα που ακολουθούνται, όπως επίσης και τα ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά μιας ανθρωπολογικής μελέτης. Στο τρίτο και τελευταίο τώρα μέρος, όπως αναφέρθηκε και παραπάνω, γίνεται μια παρουσίαση της μελέτης μας πάνω στο συγκεκριμένο έθιμο με το οποίο ασχοληθήκαμε. Αναλυτικότερα, με την μελέτη του εθίμου της “φρούτουλας” και του τρόπου με τον οποίο το έθιμο αυτό μαθαίνεται και περνάει από γενιά σε γενιά, ευελπιστούμε να δώσουμε στον αναγνώστη μία συστηματική περιγραφή όλης αυτής της εθιμικής διεργασίας που είναι ακόμα ζωντανή στην Μαλεσίνα. / This dissertation consists of three parts. In the first two parts the theoretical framework and encyclopaedic aspects of our theme are exposed, while the third part presents our research and its results. These three parts are briefly presented here. In regards to the theoretical framework, it deals with two issues. In the first part, it will be briefly presented on the one hand, the science of Anthropology and on the other hand the science of Laography, so that the reader can understand the general principles and rules that characterize these two related sciences. Also, concepts such as "culture", "traditional culture", "symbols" and "customs" will concern us and we will try to understand how the above concepts are related to the sciences of Anthropology and Laography. In the second part of the theoretical framework, we will refer to the survey methods used by both Anthropology and Laography to study, for instance, one ethnic group, one aspect of a culture or even an entire culture. Specifically, we will have a first contact with research methods such as fieldwork, participant observation and interview, highlighting the steps to be followed, as well as the specifics of anthropological study. In the third and last part, as mentioned above, we present our study on this particular custom which we dealt with. More specifically, by referring to the purpose of our work, the reasons for choosing the topic, the methodology, the first contact with the research, but also to the themes-categories that arise and characterize all the interviews, we hope to offer the reader a holistic view of all our research effort.

Lietuvoje 2008-aisiais metais įsigaliojo Lietuvos Respublikos susirinkimų įstatymo 8 straipsnio 5 punktas bei Lietuvos Respublikos administracinių teisės pažeidimų kodekso 18818 straipsnis. Šios įstatyminės normos draudžia naudoti nacistinius ir komunistinius simbolius susirinkimuose, masiniuose renginiuose bei kitaip demonstruoti. Tokiu būdu siekiama apsaugoti demokratinės visuomenės narius nuo nacistinių ir komunistinių okupacinių režimų propagandos, užkirsti kelią kurtis antidemokratines idėjas propaguojančioms organizacijoms. Tačiau kai kurie draudžiami simboliai gali būti suprantami ne vien tik kaip nacistiniai ar komunistiniai, todėl ne visais atvejais jų demonstravimas ar naudojimas pažeis svarbias kitų asmenų teises ir laisves. Šio darbo tikslas yra įvertinti, ar šie draudimai neprieštarauja Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucijos 25 straipsnyje įtvirtintai saviraiškos laisvei. Saviraiškos laisvė – viena iš pagrindinių žmogaus teisių, įtvirtinta daugumos demokratinių valstybių konstitucijose bei įvairiose konvencijose, tačiau ji nėra absoliuti. Siekiant įvertinti, ar draudimas demonstruoti nacistinius bei komunistinius simbolius neprieštarauja saviraiškos laisvei, analizuojami principai, kuriais remiantis galima riboti saviraiškos laisvę, taip pat vertybės, kurias siekiama apsaugoti nustatant saviraiškos laisvės apribojimus. Analizuojant principus bei saugomas vertybes, daugiausia remiamasi Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucijos bei Europos žmogaus teisių ir pagrindinių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In 2008 Lithuanian Parliament enacted new laws prohibiting use of Nazi and Communist symbols during meetings and other mass events or other kinds of demonstration (Article 8(5) of Law on Meetings of Republic of Lithuania and Article 18818 of Administrative Violations Code of Republic of Lithuania). The purpose of this prohibition is to protect members of democratic society from propaganda of Nazi and Communist occupation regimes and to prevent the establishment of organizations that propagates antidemocratic ideas. However, some of the prohibited symbols may be understood not only as of Nazis or Communists, therefore they would not breach fundamental rights and freedoms of other members of the society. Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental human rights. It is mentioned in most constitutions of most democratic states and international conventions. However, freedom of expression is not absolute. In order to be restricted it has to meet some requirements. The requirements are being analyzed in this master project according to provisions of the Constitution of Lithuanian Republic and the European Convention on Human Rights and case-law regarding freedom of expression of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Court of Human Rights. Laws prohibiting demonstration of Nazi and Communist symbols are being compared to some other European states’ laws of the same function. The purpose of this master project is to evaluate whether the... [to full text]

This study reports on recurring difficulties experienced by undergraduate students with respect to understanding and interpretation of certain symbolism, nomenclature, terminology, shorthand notation, models and other visual representations employed in the field of Molecular Biology to communicate information. Based on teaching experience and guidelines set out by a four-level methodological framework, data on various topic-related difficulties was obtained by inductive analyses of students’ written responses to specifically designed, free-response and focused probes. In addition, interviews, think-aloud exercises and student-generated diagrams were also used to collect information. Both unanticipated and recurring difficulties were compared with scientifically correct propositional knowledge, categorized and subsequently classified. Students were adept at providing the meaning of the symbol “Δ” in various scientific contexts; however, some failed to recognize its use to depict the deletion of a leucine biosynthesis gene in the form, Δ leu. “Hazard to leucine”, “change to leucine” and “abbreviation for isoleucine” were some of the erroneous interpretations of this polysemic symbol. Investigations on these definitions suggest a constructivist approach to knowledge construction and the inappropriate transfer of knowledge from prior mental schemata. The symbol, “::”, was poorly differentiated by students in its use to indicate gene integration or transposition and in tandem gene fusion. Idiosyncratic perceptions emerged suggesting that it is, for example, a proteinaceous component linking genes in a chromosome or the centromere itself associated with the mitotic spindle or “electrons” between genes in the same way that it is symbolically shown in Lewis dot diagrams which illustrate covalent bonding between atoms. In an oligonucleotide shorthand notation, some students used valency to differentiate the phosphite trivalent form of the phosphorus atom from the pentavalent phosphodiester group, yet the concept of valency was poorly understood. By virtue of the visual form of a shorthand notation of the 3,5 phosphodiester link in DNA, the valency was incorrectly read. VSEPR theory and the Octet Rule were misunderstood or forgotten when trying to explain the valency of the phosphorus atom in synthetic oligonucleotide intermediates. Plasmid functional domains were generally well-understood although restriction mapping appeared to be a cognitively demanding task. Rote learning and substitution of definitions were evident in the explanation of promoter and operator functions. The concept of gene expression posed difficulties to many students who believed that genes contain the entity they encode. Transcription and translation of in tandem gene fusions were poorly explained by some students as was the effect of plasmid conformation on transformation and gene expression. With regard to the selection of transformants or the hybridoma, some students could not engage in reasoning or lateral thinking as protoconcepts and domain-specific information were poorly understood. A failure to integrate and reason with factual information on phenotypic traits, media components and biochemical pathways were evident in written and oral presentations. DNA-strand nomenclature and associated function were problematic to some students as they failed to differentiate coding strand from template strand and were prone to interchange the labelling of these. A substitution of labels with those characterizing DNA replication intermediates demonstrated erroneous information transfer. DNA replication models posed difficulties integrating molecular mechanisms and detail with line drawings, coupled with inaccurate illustrations of sequential replication features. Finally, a remediation model is presented, demonstrating a shift in assessment score dispersion from a range of 0 - 4.5 to 4 - 9 when learners are guided metacognitively to work with domain-specific or critical knowledge from an information bank. The present work shows that varied forms of symbolism can present students with complex learning difficulties as the underlying information depicted by these is understood in a superficial way. It is imperative that future studies be focused on the standardization of symbol use, perhaps governed by convention that determines the manner in which threshold information is disseminated on symbol use, coupled by innovative teaching strategies which facilitate an improved understanding of the use of symbolic representations in Molecular Biology. As Molecular Biology advances, it is likely that experts will continue to use new and diverse forms of symbolic representations to explain their findings. The explanation of futuristic Science is likely to develop a symbolic language that will impose great teaching challenges and unimaginable learning difficulties to new generation teachers and learners, respectively. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

The importance of the elk (Alces alces) in the Stone Age societies of northern Sweden constitutes the major focus of this thesis. The point of departure is a simple but crucial observation: this animal is the common denominator between the three stationary types of remains known in this region from the period 4000-1800 BC. Here, I refer to the pit falls, the rock art sites, and the mounds of burnt stone. Pit falls have been used for trapping elks, and can be found on the migration trails that have been used by these animals for thousands of years. On the rock art sites, the elk constitutes the most frequently depicted motif, and the mounds of burnt stones contain extremely large quantities of elk bones. If the elk had not held a central position in the life world of prehistoric people in the northern Swedish region of Norrland, these archaeological materials would certainly have had a different appearance. I claim that it is the significance of this animal that has led to, and shaped, the emergence of these material remains. In this study the overall importance of the elk is investigated. My main question is how the elk’s significance affected the prehistoric societies of Norrland. I found that the elk’s material remains led to a range of consequences. The pit falls, rock art sites and mounds of burnt stone tied the prehistoric people to certain areas in the landscape. However, at the same time, these remains required to be constantly in transformation to be usable. Pit falls, for example, have to be re-digged in order to at all function as traps for big game. The conceptual dichotomy between permanence and change can be traced in the ways in which the elk motif at the rock art site at Nämforsen was altered. The elk figures are depicted with either straight or angled legs. I interpret this variation as an indication of the fact that the elk motif functioned as a key symbol – a motif that is able to express a range of meanings when it becomes altered and varied. The emergence of depicting the opposition between mobility and permanence tells us that the Stone Age societies had problems uniting these two concepts. I interpret this as signifying that these hunter-gatherers became aware of the “Neolithic aspects” of their own social structure.

Thesis (MA (Visual Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.