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To evaluate specific architectural theories, an analytic methodology was used. The specific architectural theories evaluated all have in common the fact that their formative models can explain how their original ideas manifest in the practice of architectural works. Although these architectural theories researched are thousands or in some cases hundreds of years apart, a way to compare and contrast them was to use philosophies of art common to all. This contemporary approach to analysis was done with the use of ?analytic philosophy? for its effectiveness to clarify concepts. Central aspects of architectural theories will be analyzed in detail through the lenses of four contemporary theories of the philosophy of art. They are: formalism (including neo-formalism and theories that emphasize the connection between form and function), expression theories, representation theories (including neo-representational and mimetic accounts), and theories based on aesthetic experience. Looking at architecture from the viewpoint of analytic philosophy of art provides new insights into the nature of architecture and illuminates the field in significant ways. A recommendation for further study is enclosed.

In this thesis, we extend the numerical S-matrix bootstrap program to 1+1d theories with a boundary, where we bootstrap the 1-to-1 reflection matrix (R-matrix). We review the constraints that a physical R-matrix must obey, namely unitarity, analyticiy and crossing symmetry. We then carve out the allowed space of 2d R-matrices with the O(N) nonlinear sigma model and the periodic Yang Baxter solution in the bulk. We find a variety of integrable R-matrices along the boundary of the allowed space both with and without free parameters. The integrable models without a free parameter appear at vertices of the allowed space, while those with a free parameter occupy the whole boundary. We also introduce the extended analyticity constraint where we increase the domain of analyticity beyond the physical region. In some cases, the allowed space of R-matrices shrinks drastically and we observe new vertices which correspond to integrable theories. We also find a new integrable R-matrix through our numerics, which we later obtained by solving the boundary Yang--Baxter equation. Finally, we derive the dual to the extended analyticity problem and find that the formalism allows for R-matrices which do not saturate unitarity to lie on the boundary of the allowed region.

La modernité juridique porte en elle deux projets parfois contradictoires : le constitutionnalisme et la démocratie, c’est-à-dire la volonté de préserver la liberté de l’individu en limitant le pouvoir par la Constitution et celle d’associer les individus à l’élaboration des normes. Ce double projet se traduit dans le concept de démocratie constitutionnelle, dont il existe deux grandes conceptions. La première, dominante au sein de la doctrine juridique, fait de la protection des droits et libertés par un juge constitutionnel le point central de l’équilibre à réaliser entre liberté individuelle et exercice du pouvoir en commun. L’hypothèse qui sera la nôtre est de considérer que cette conception est soutenue par des discours à la fois descriptifs et prescriptifs, issus des autorités normatives ou de la doctrine, reposant essentiellement sur des présupposés libéraux. La mutation des droits de l’homme en droits fondamentaux ne peut se comprendre que dans le cadre d’une philosophie politique libérale, une conception particulière de la liberté, des droits et de la démocratie, ainsi que dans un contexte historique spécifique. Il existe cependant une seconde conception de la démocratie constitutionnelle, reposant, quant à elle, sur la philosophie républicaine. Celle-ci entend se séparer d’une conception trop centrée sur le juge, pour réévaluer le rôle des institutions élues et du peuple, dans la concrétisation de la Constitution. Ce républicanisme juridique, longtemps ignoré par la doctrine française, mais davantage théorisé à l’étranger, apporte ainsi des réponses utiles aux diverses évolutions venues perturber le champ classique du droit constitutionnel : développement des droits fondamentaux, déploiement de la justice constitutionnelle, érosion de la responsabilité politique, disparition du peuple, évolutions de la souveraineté. À cetitre, l’étude du républicanisme permet à la fois de mettre en lumière les limites de la conception libérale dominante de la démocratie constitutionnelle, tout en proposant une conception renouvelée de celle-ci. / Constitutionalism, and Democracy, are the two projects of modernity. The concept of constitutional democracy carries theses two projects. There are two conceptions of constitutional democracy. The first one is the most popular in legal scholarship. It is centred on rights-based judicial review. Our hypothesis is that this conception of constitutional democracy is backed up by descriptive and normative discourses resting on liberal assumptions. Therefore, the evolution from human rights to fundamental right is based on a specific conception of freedom, rights, democracy, and a specific historical context. This dominant view is not the only view. The second conception of constitutional democracy is based on republican philosophy. The republican view intent to overtake the judicial-centred conception of democracy, by rehabilitating elected institutions and the people themselves. This legal republicanism is widely ignored by French scholars, but very dynamic abroad, gives us tools to grasp recent constitutional evolutions : the expansion of fundamental rights, the growth of constitutional adjudication, the attrition of political responsibility, the disappearance of the people, the mutation of sovereignty. Therefore, republicanism brings to light the limits of dominant liberal conception of constitutional democracy, and put forward a renewed one.

This study is predicated on the belief that there does not now exist, nor will there ever exist, any single theory of learning that is broad enough to account for all types of learning yet specific enough to be maximally useful in practical application. Perhaps this dichotomy is the reason for the apparent gap between existing theories of learning and the practice of instructional design. As an alternative to any supposed grand theory of learning—and following the lead of prominent thinkers in the fields of clinical psychology and language teaching—this study proposes a shift toward principles. It presents a principle-based conceptual framework of learning, and recommends use of the framework as a guide for creating domain-specific theories of learning. The purpose of this study was to review theories of learning in the behavioral, cognitive, constructive, human, and social traditions to identify principles of learning local to those theories that might represent specific instances of more universal principles, fundamentally requisite to the facilitation of learning in general. Many of the ideas reviewed have resulted from, or been supported by, direct empirical evidence. Others have been suggested based on observational or practical experience of the theorist. The ideas come from different points in time, are described from a variety of perspectives, and emphasize different aspects and types of learning; yet there are a number of common themes shared among them regarding the means by which learning occurs. It is hypothesized that such themes represent universal and fundamental principles of learning. These principles were the objective of the present study. They have been sought through careful review and analysis of both theoretical and empirical literature by methods of textual research (Clingan, 2008) and constant comparative analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). By way of textual research a methodological lens was defined to identify general themes, and by way of constant comparative analysis these themes were developed further through the analysis and classification of specific instances of those themes in the texts reviewed. Ten such principles were identified: repetition, time, step size, sequence, contrast, significance, feedback, context, engagement, and agency. These ten facilitative principles were then organized in the context of a comprehensive principles-of-learning framework, which includes the four additional principles of potential, target, change, and practice.

Motivated employees contribute to the wellbeing of the employee as well as the success of the company. Each and every person is motivated differently and at a different level. One of the biggest challenges for an organisation is to find out how it can motivate employees to ensure job satisfaction and improve employee efficiency and productivity. The objective of this study is to determine how employees of a retirement fund company in Centurion, Gauteng believe they are motivated and how the company is performing in meeting the expectation for motivation of the employees. A comprehensive literature study was done to investigate the theories on motivation. A structured questionnaire was compiled based on the factors of motivation identified in the literature study by the author in collaboration with the Statistical Consultation Service of the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Data was captured by the researcher and analysed with the assistance of the Statistical Consultation Services. Based on the results of the data analysis, it is recommended that managers focus on areas identified as important motivators by the employees to improve overall motivation in the workplace. The results also improve the understanding of the managers as to how their employees want to be motivated and how they are currently performing to those expectations. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Motivated employees contribute to the wellbeing of the employee as well as the success of the company. Each and every person is motivated differently and at a different level. One of the biggest challenges for an organisation is to find out how it can motivate employees to ensure job satisfaction and improve employee efficiency and productivity. The objective of this study is to determine how employees of a retirement fund company in Centurion, Gauteng believe they are motivated and how the company is performing in meeting the expectation for motivation of the employees. A comprehensive literature study was done to investigate the theories on motivation. A structured questionnaire was compiled based on the factors of motivation identified in the literature study by the author in collaboration with the Statistical Consultation Service of the North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus. Data was captured by the researcher and analysed with the assistance of the Statistical Consultation Services. Based on the results of the data analysis, it is recommended that managers focus on areas identified as important motivators by the employees to improve overall motivation in the workplace. The results also improve the understanding of the managers as to how their employees want to be motivated and how they are currently performing to those expectations. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The increasing number of isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans medium schools gave rise to this investigation. According to our Constitution, all citizens have the right to receive education in one of the official languages. Some isiXhosa parents exercise their democratic right by enrolling their children in English- or Afrikaans-medium schools. They are of the opinion that the level of education is of a higher standard in these schools. Consequently, some isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans-medium schools develop barriers to learning due to the fact that they have little or no knowledge of Afrikaans. The purpose of this study was to develop a literacy intervention programme to improve the vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. Secondly, the aim of the study was to determine whether the literacy intervention programme would lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. The research was conducted in a previously disenfranchised Afrikaans-medium school in Stellenbosch. The research methods employed comprised a literature review supported by an empirical investigation that included pre- and post-tests with learners, interviews with educators and the development and implementation of a literacy intervention programme. A mixed method research design was used, because quantitative data alone would have supplied inadequate answers to the research question. The theoretical basis of the study was Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, as well as Vygotsky’s social constructivist language acquisition theory. Both Piaget and Vygotsky emphasised the importance of social interactions in cognitive development. They regarded the development and use of vocabulary as an integral part of these interactions. Research indicates that the field of second language acquisition is multifaceted and is not supported by a singular theory. Three theories of second language acquisition were explored in this study. They are the communicative approach, shared reading and the schema theory. The role that the language-in-education policy, motivation and social economic status play in second language acquisition was also investigated. Another goal of the literature review was to collect data to develop a literacy intervention programme in which the above-mentioned theories of second language acquisition were utilised. The marsh at the school served as the context for the activities in the programme. Twenty isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 to 6 Afrikaans-medium classes were subjected to an intervention programme over a period of six months to determine the success of the intervention programme. Data gathering included quantitative data (pre- and post-tests) as well as qualitative data (interviews with Afrikaans educators) to determine whether the learners’ vocabulary and reading comprehension had improved. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the literacy intervention programme can lead to the improvement of the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa mother tongue speakers in grade 4 tot 6 Afrikaans-medium classes. This is substantiated by previous research. The results also support findings that the Afrikaans vocabulary and reading comprehension of isiXhosa learners in the Afrikaans-medium intervention school can improve if the appropriate intervention is offered timeously. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem weens die toenemende getal Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in Afrikaansmediumskole. Volgens die Grondwet het elkeen die reg om onderrig in enige van die amptelike tale te ontvang. Sommige Xhosasprekende ouers oefen hierdie reg uit deur hulle kinders in Afrikaansmediumskole te plaas. Hulle is van mening dat onderrig van 'n hoёr gehalte daar plaasvind. Gevolglik is daar 'n toename van leerders wat struikelblokke tot leer ondervind, omdat hulle min of geen begrip van Afrikaans het nie. Eerstens, is die fokus van hierdie studie die ontwikkeling van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram om die Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in 'n Afrikaansmediumskool te bevorder. Ten tweede is dit om te bepaal of die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram 'n verbetering in die woordeskat en leesbegrip van graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers tot gevolg gehad het. 'n Voorheen benadeelde Afrikaansmediumskool in die Stellenbosch-omgewing is deur die navorser gekies vir die implementering van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram. Hierdie projek het 'n literatuurstudie ondersteun deur 'n empiriese ondersoek wat voor- en natoetse met leerders, onderhoude met onderwysers en die ontwerp en toepassing van 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram ingesluit het, behels. Daar is van 'n gemengde navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak, omdat die gebruik van slegs kwantitatiewe data onvoldoende antwoorde op die navorsingsvraag sou verskaf. 'n Literatuurondersoek is gedoen om 'n teoretiese grondslag vir die studie te verkry. Piaget se teorie van kognitiewe ontwikkeling en Vygotsky se sosiaal-konstruktivistiese taalverwerwingsteorie is gebruik om die verwerwing van 'n tweede taal te beskryf. Beide Piaget en Vygotsky het die belangrikheid van sosiale interaksies in kognitiewe ontwikkeling beklemtoon. Hulle het die ontwikkeling en gebruik van woordeskat as 'n integrale deel van hierdie interaksies beskou. Die studie dui daarop dat die aard van tweedetaalverwerwing kompleks is en nie deur 'n enkele teorie ondersteun kan word nie. Drie verskillende benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing, naamlik die kommunikatiewe benadering, gedeelde lees en die skema-teorie, is ondersoek. Die rol wat die taal-in-onderwysbeleid (TiOB), motivering en sosio-ekonomiese status in tweedetaalverwerwing speel, is ook ondersoek. 'n Verdere doel van die literatuurondersoek was om inligting te versamel om 'n geletterdheidsintervensieprogram te ontwerp waarin bogenoemde benaderings tot tweedetaalverwerwing gebruik is. Die vleiland by die skool het die konteks geskep waarbinne die onderskeie aktiwiteite beplan is. Die geletterdheids-intervensieprogram is vir ses maande in 'n klas met 20 graad 4 tot 6 Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers toegepas om die sukses daarvan te bepaal. Datagenerering het bestaan uit kwantitatiewe data (voor- en natoetse) asook kwalitatiewe data (onderhoude met die opvoeders wat Afrikaans onderrig) om vas te stel of die leerders se woordeskat en leesbegrip verbeter het al dan nie. Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat die toepassing van die geletterdheidsintervensieprogram tot die verbetering van die Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in graad 4 tot 6 Afrikaansmediumklasse se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan lei. Dit stem ooreen met bevindinge van vorige navorsing, naamlik dat die verbetering van leerders se woordeskat tot die verbetering van leesbegrip lei. Verder ondersteun die resultate die bevindinge dat Xhosa-moedertaalsprekers in die Afrikaansmedium intervensieskool se Afrikaanse woordeskat en leesbegrip kan verbeter, mits hulle die nodige, gepaste ondersteuning betyds ontvang.

published_or_final_version / Civil Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy