This research examines the use of writing resources in tutoring sessions, which is considered one of the valued tutoring practices at the University Writing Center (UWC) at the University of Central Florida (UCF). This research explains the methodology and presents the findings of a study that serves as a partial answer to the call for more evidence-based research in the field of writing center studies. There is scholarship that explains the importance of using resources to facilitate learning, but there is a lack of empirical research that explores the patterns and variations in the resources that writing tutors use, the ways they are implemented in tutoring sessions, and the effects of the moves tutors and writers make involving resources. To address this gap in the research, the researcher developed a study of tutoring sessions in the UCF UWC to explore the role of writing resources as they are used to mediate activity in tutoring sessions. This research investigates the relationship between the use of resources by the tutor and/or the writer and the impact this has on the facilitation of the writer's learning during the consultation. To gain insight into these areas of interest, tutoring sessions were video recorded and follow-up interviews were conducted with the participants to gain insight into the choices made involving resources and the resultant consequences. This research demonstrates the potential of writing resources to contribute to the collaborative knowledge development processes that happen in tutoring sessions to address writing concerns. This study also provides insight into the control that tutors have over the distribution of knowledge in the way that they implement resources into the tutoring session. What we can learn from these findings is a step toward developing a more evidence-based practice in the writing center.

The demands on teachers have been further amplified both personal and professional in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of stress teachers face is unsustainable. Stress can have negative outcomes for the teacher student relationship. Increasing teachers' social-emotional competence can lead to a more supportive classroom environment and improved teacher and student outcomes. Researchers have determined mindfulness-based interventions are conducive to increasing teachers' social-emotional competence. School counselors can assist and equip teachers with these vital skills through consultation services. To date, there are no studies that investigate the effects of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning-based school counselor consultation approach. In this study, I sought to explore the results of that approach. Teacher participants reported their racial identity as 22% Black (n = 7), 46% Caucasian (n = 15), 25% Hispanic (n = 8), 3% multi-racial (n = 1), and 3% Asian (n = 1) and self-reported gender as follows 38% male (n = 12) and 62% female (n = 20). Participants received 5 weeks of a combined mindfulness and social-emotional learning school counselor consultation. Results of hierarchical linear regressions revealed statistically significant improvement in the mindfulness disposition of acting with awareness, and practical significance of decreased perceived stress and conflict in the teacher student relationship. Results of this study illustrate the possible benefits of utilizing school counselor consultation to increase the socio-emotional competence of teachers through mindfulness.

There is currently a gap in research related to the potential effects of student race on school consultation and teacher help seeking behavior. It is well documented in the existing research that racial/ethnic bias exists in education at many levels. These biases lead to negative systemic effects such as achievement gaps, disproportionality in discipline, and disproportionality in special education referrals. Biases can also have negative effects on classroom interactions between teachers and students. It seems plausible that if biases exist in other domains of education, that they may also exist in the school consultation process. The purpose of the current study is to fill the gap in the school consultation literature by evaluating pre-service teacher’s ratings of situation severity and their likelihood to seek assistance. Participants (n= 179) were shown 4 vignettes depicting various classroom scenarios and asked to rate both situation severity and their likelihood to seek assistance. Participants were randomized to consider either white sounding names or black sounding names within the vignettes. Findings from this study indicate that perceived student race did not have a significant effect on pre-service teachers’ ratings of situation severity and ratings of situation severity. These findings provide insight into the help seeking behaviors of pre-service teachers. Additionally, results have implications for graduate training in consultation. Limitations to this study as well as recommendations for future research in this area are discussed.

In this thesis I develop a critical theory of public participation and deliberation in post-communist Romania. Primarily, this theory is developed from a critical assessment of two intermediate-level Romanian institutions: the deliberative system that has formed to debate the authorisation of a proposed gold mining project in Ro¿ia Montan¿, Romania and the legitimacy claims of the series of hybrid forums that were convened as part of that project¿s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The hybrid forum legitimacy claims were assessed based on a standard of hybrid forum legitimacy developed in this thesis from deliberative democracy theory and practice. Grounded in new institutionalism theory, this thesis describes the historical and contemporary socio-economic conditions that have shaped Romanian public participation and deliberation. / American Fulbright Commission

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Background: The endeavour for more effective and personalised health care requires exploration and implementation of new methods. Digital technology solutions may offer increased accessibility and efficiency and have already been proven to be both time- and cost-effective. Increased knowledge of the use and experience of e-health tools among physiotherapists may lay the ground for further development. Objective: To explore and describe the usage and experiences among Swedish physiotherapists' regarding e-health tools and evaluate which are the most used technologies. Method: A digital survey translated with cross-cultural adaptation was sent out to physiotherapists in Sweden invited to participate through digital platforms. Data were descriptively analysed and presented in tables, box diagrams, and statistical analysis was performed in Jamovi with Fisher's exact test. Results: 111 physiotherapists responded to the digital survey, but only 72 completed all of it because of a technical error. One of the most common digital tools to use was technological communication where 70% used it for their patients. The attitudes towards digital tools were generally positive among the respondents, but about 20% was however neutral in their attitude. No significant relationship was found between the variables dependent on digital tools and professional experience (p = 0.61) or to workplace (p = 0.11), respectively. Conclusion: Swedish physiotherapists in this pilot study have a positive attitude towards digital health tools. However, different tools are used to different extents, and many physiotherapists do not consider themselves dependent on them in their professional life. Further investigation is needed about opinions and experiences in the field of e-health, as well as regarding advantages and disadvantages of digital tools for further development and implementation in the clinics. / Bakgrund: Strävan efter mer effektiv och personcentrerad sjukvård kräver kartläggning och implementering av nya metoder. Digitala lösningar kan erbjuda ökad tillgänglighet och effektivitet och har redan visat sig vara både tids- och kostnadseffektiva. Ökad kunskap om användning och erfarenhet av e- hälsoverktyg bland fysioterapeuter kan lägga grunden för vidare utveckling. Syfte: Att utforska och beskriva användning och erfarenheter av e-hälsoverktyg bland svenska fysioterapeuter, och vilka de mest använda verktygen är. Metod: En digital enkät översatt och med tillämpad kulturell anpassning skickades ut till fysioterapeuter i Sverige genom digitala plattformar. Data analyserades och presenterades i tabeller, stapeldiagram och statistisk analys utfördes i Jamovi version 1.6.23.0 med Fishers exakta test. Resultat: 111 fysioterapeuter besvarade den digitala enkäten, men endast 72 genomförde hela pga ett tekniskt fel. Ett av de mest använda digitala verktygen var teknologisk kommunikation, där 70 % använde den till sina patienter. Attityderna till digitala verktyg var generellt positiva bland respondenterna i undersökningen, men ett ungefär 20% var neutrala inom ämnet. Inget signifikant samband hittades mellan variablerna beroende av digitala verktyg och arbetslivserfarenhet (p = 0,61) eller arbetsplats (p = 0,11). Slutsats: Svenska fysioterapeuter i denna pilotstudie har en positiv inställning till digitala verktyg. Olika verktyg används dock i olika utsträckning och många anser inte sig vara beroende av dem i sitt verksamma yrkesliv. Fortsatt forskning behöver göras om åsikter och erfarenheter inom området e-hälsa, samt vad som är fördelar och nackdelar med digitala verktyg. Detta för att möjliggöra att de kan utvecklas vidare och bli mer implementerade i det kliniska arbetet.

Effective classroom management may be one of the most important skills a teacher can possess. However, many teachers begin their careers lacking the expertise required to run a classroom to maximize the potential for student academic success. With the addition of legislation such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, teachers have become increasingly accountable for the academic achievement of their students. Numerous studies have found a direct link between effective classroom management skills and higher academic achievement of students (Oliver & Reschly, 2007; Gresham, 2009; Wenglinsky, 2002; Strong, Ward & Grant, 2011). Teacher praise for appropriate student behavior has been proven to be an effective classroom management strategy (Villeda, Shuster, & Carter, 2016). The current study examined the effect of two types of consultation (i.e., consultation only and consultation with performance feedback) on increasing teacher’s skill levels in the use of behavior specific praise in an effort to decrease student disruptions in the classroom. A multiple baseline A/B/B+C/ Follow-up design was used to determine the effectiveness of the two consultation methods. Results indicated that both consultation methods increased the teachers’ praise to correction ratios and reduced the frequency of students’ disruptive behavior. Implications of the study and future directions are discussed.

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No description available.

Samrådet, som är lagstadgat enligt plan- och bygglagen (2010:900) (PBL), äger rum i ett sent skede av detaljplaneprocessen, när det är förhållandevis svårt att på riktigt påverka besluten som invånare. Arbetet med att, utöver och före samrådet, genomföra tidiga dialoger med invånarna kan vara ett sätt att förbättra den slutgiltiga planen samt främja en mer levande demokrati i samhällsbyggnadsprocessen. En bra dialog innebär för invånarna ett deltagande som kan öka både förtroendet och förståelsen för kommunens möjligheter och utmaningar, samt i slutändan för de beslut som fattas i den fysiska planeringen. Arbetet med tidiga dialoger före samrådet är förenligt med utmaningar. Tidiga dialoger är, till skillnad från samrådet, inte lagstadgat i plan- och bygglagen och de genomförs således på flera olika sätt, och i vissa kommuner inte alls. Kommunerna jobbar inte med någon genomgående strategi eller efter en uttalad modell, varje enskild tidig dialog tenderar att ha sina egna förutsättningar och målsättningar vilket bidrar till blandade resultat. Kommunerna lägger ner mycket tid och energi på att förbereda, annonsera och genomföra sina tidiga dialoger med invånarna men har i regel ingen utbildning eller teoretisk grund att stå på. Utvecklingsarbetet i kommunerna fungerar ofta som en utveckling av senast genomförd tidig dialog där man tittar på vad som går att förbättra och vad som redan fungerar. Slutsatsen är att kommunerna behöver utbilda sig i större utsträckning och framför allt ta fram en genomgående strategi som är gemensam för samtliga tidiga dialoger i kommunernas arbete med fysisk planeringen. / The statutory consultation takes place at a rather late stage of the planning process, when it’s relatively difficult to influence the decision as a municipal citizen. The work of conducting early dialogues with municipality citizens in addition to, and prior to, the statutory consultation can improve the final plan and promote a more vivid democracy in the community building process. A well conducted early dialogue with the citizens leads to a participation that could increase both the citizens' trust and understanding of the opportunities and challenges municipalities face, and ultimately the final decisions as well. The work with early dialogues before the consultation is compatible with both challenges and possibilities. Unlike the consultation, early dialogues are not statutory in the Planning and Building Act and they are thus carried out in several different ways, and in some municipalities no early dialogues are conducted at all. Municipalities don’t work with any consistent strategy or according to a state model; each individual early dialogue has its own prerequisites and objectives, which contributes to assorted results. The municipalities do spend a lot of time and energy preparing, advertising and carrying out their early dialogues with the citizens, but usually have no education or theoretical basis to start from. Instead, the municipalities tend to rely on the individual official’s own experience and improve their early dialogues by constantly analyzing what worked well and less well during the previous dialogue.  The conclusion is that the municipalities need to educate themselves to a greater extentand, above all, develop a comprehensive strategy that is common to all early dialogues inthe municipalities' planning.