This thesis is the outcome of a PhD CASE Studentship funded by the ESRC and British Telecom. It presents an exploration into the teaching of collaborative talk. The study was conducted in three phases: exploratory, development and implementation. During the exploratory phase, observations and interviews were conducted in authentic workplace settings to gain an understanding of workplace collaboration and collaborative talk. During the development phase, a teaching unit for the teaching of collaborative talk at GCSE was devised, informed by understandings gleaned during the preceding phase. During the implementation phase, the teaching unit was taught by two teachers in their secondary English classrooms. Both participating classes were arranged into groups of 4: 8 groups in School 1 and 7 in School 2. For the duration of the 3 week teaching unit, groups were recorded via camera and audio recorder, and the data later synchronised. Both teachers wore an audio recorder to capture interactions with groups and the whole class. To complement the core data set, students were interviewed for their views on their learning. Student booklets provided a means of collecting both group and individual reflections and evaluative comments. The data was analysed to explore the development of students’ collaborative talk. The role of the teacher in implementing the teaching unit and supporting students’ development was also examined. The findings provide an insight into the realities of implementing successful collaborative talk in the ‘real’ secondary classroom. It contributes to conceptualisations of collaborative talk and its development. It makes links between the role of emotional engagement and dialogic interactions in supporting that development. It proposes teaching strategies which challenge perceived notions of ‘good’ talk and encourages the development of meta-language to support self-evaluation and the development of collaborative talk.

Background: Swedish textile waste management ecosystem is recognized to be a multi-actor ecosystem as opposed to a single-actor scenario whereas actors tend to perform their activities single-handedly and in a fragmented manner. Participating actors, each play a significant role in handling and treating the textile waste but this fragmented system renders certain drawbacks. The main treatment of textile waste in Sweden is incineration which addresses environmental damages. This in particular is more worrying when textiles are used as a fuel. This highlights the necessity for the actors to perform in a network and expand their collaboration, thus move more efficiently towards development of a sustainable innovation and find an alternative for the current treatment of textile waste. Purpose: This study strives to investigate the challenges and at the same time opportunities of implementation of a collaborative business model for sustainable innovation. This has been achieved through taking benefits of value mapping tool and actor-mapping. The core values of actors have been identified which was continued by identification of their shared and conflicting values. Methodology: Pre-study was conducted in order to design and develop two mappings, “main actors mapping”, “actor’s activity mapping” which helped the authors and the interviewees to gain a better realization of the Swedish Textile Waste Management ecosystem through visualization. The process of data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews with Open-ended questions which resulted to rich detailed responses from the interviewees. Seven organizations as the representative of Swedish textile waste management ecosystem were reached and studied. The outcomes of the interview were analyzed by the aid of value mapping tool and led the authors to formulate the answer to the research question. Interview findings: Interview findings presents the outcome of the collected data in accordance with the purpose of the study and the answer to the proposed research question. Consequently, this chapter provides a description of the Activity classification in TWM eco-system in Sweden as an outcome of the pre-study, continued by expanding on the results of Actors mapping & their activities in TW eco-system and Activity mapping in relation to actors’ interactions, which were achieved by the aid of value mapping tool. This chapter is concluded by providing actors perspectives regarding the formation and the suitability of a collaborative business model for sustainable innovation on the basis of mapped values within textile waste scenario in Sweden. Analysis& Discussion: This study tends to present rich and comprehensive picture in a descriptive manner in regards with participating actors, their activities, collaboration and value-orientations within Swedish textile waste scenario and propose a solution to the identified short-comings of the system by investigating the potentials of a collaborative business model for sustainable innovation. The literature review confirm and support the interview findings and addresses the need for further dialogue and collaboration among actors while highlighting the need from moving from ego-centric business model to multi-actor business model. This chapter is concluded by the response to the research question.

L'évaluation des compétences comporte des enjeux éthiques reliés à la validité et l'équité des inférences évaluatives. Ces valeurs édumétriques sont fortement compromises lorsque l'objet et les critères d'évaluation ainsi que les pratiques évaluatives des évaluateurs ne tiennent pas compte des caractéristiques du concept de compétence, notamment son caractère développemental. Un système d'évaluation des compétences fondé sur le modèle cognitif de l'apprentissage, congruent avec le concept de compétence, est plus susceptible d'assurer la validité et l'équité des inférences évaluatives. La compétence "Exercer un jugement clinique infirmier" fut choisie pour élaborer un modèle cognitif de l'apprentissage pour les trois années de formation au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières. De plus, des indicateurs de développement ont été identifiés pour les trois niveaux de développement de cette même compétence. Une approche collaborative a été privilégiée pour atteindre ces objectifs. Le groupe collaboratif, composé de trois tutrices, de trois infirmières-monitrices et de la chercheuse, a analysé six récits d'expérience d'évaluation de cette compétence chez des étudiants de ce programme. L'analyse des données a conduit à une première version du modèle cognitif de l'apprentissage de la compétence "Exercer un jugement clinique infirmier" qui fut validée et améliorée par les partenaires de recherche. La logique de progression des apprentissages critiques et la concrétisation de ceux-ci par les indicateurs de développement ont été confirmées par des experts académiques. Les résultats montrent également des interinfluences entre les paramètres de cette compétence qui appuient la nécessité de réaliser tous les apprentissages critiques d'un même niveau pour l'atteindre. Les retombées de cette étude concernent les programmes de formation en sciences infirmières ainsi que ceux destinés à l'intégration des nouvelles infirmières dans les milieux cliniques. Les résultats de l'étude incitent aussi à poursuivre des recherches ultérieures pour compléter ce modèle cognitif de l'apprentissage et également à en construire pour d'autres compétences professionnelles.

The overarching aim of this thesis is to probe more deeply into how col­laborative writing can help to socialise students in a writing practice. More specifically, the thesis deals with lab report writing and the relationship of three students with different backgrounds to the educational practices of a university department. The three students differ in language background, previous higher education and vocational experience. The material comprises recordings of student discussions while writing lab reports in a group. The students and their lab report writing in different group con­stellations has been followed longitudi­nally for between two to four semesters. In addition the development of the lab reports over time has been studied, as well as teachers’ comments on them. Student acquisition of the genre is linked to internal textual criteria (textual aspects) and to extratextual criteria in the educational context. In view of the study’s focus on group collaboration a socio-cultural per­spective has been adopted as a frame. A model developed by Storch (2002) based on Vygotsky’s role relationships between expert and novice is used to shed light on how the students resolve problems related to the writing task through group discussions. The results show that the students’ backgrounds play a role in the creation of their profiles in the collaborative writing groups. The student with a second-language background often seeks support, not least where linguistic correctness is concerned, and cites what teachers say as arguments. The student with prior experience of academic writing appears to be a seasoned writer, for instance by daring to deviate from instructions and teachers’ directives. The third student uses his professional experience of writing lab reports in discussions to gain acceptance for his ideas.

Businesses and governmental agencies are increasingly reliant on virtual teams composed of team members in different location. However, such virtual teams face all the interpersonal challenges inherent in working in a group, plus additional challenges that are a consequence from communicating through electronic methods. Numerous technological tools are available to facilitate electronic communication, and some organizations provide Collaborative Technology Skills Training (CTST) to virtual team members to help them select and use these tools. In this study, the researcher investigated whether CTST improves virtual team effectiveness by quantifying relationships between CTST and five components of team effectiveness: knowledge sharing, trust, cohesion, performance, and satisfaction. The researcher designed a survey based on an extensive literature review to allow respondents to quantify and describe their virtual team experiences, including information on any CTST they received and their perceptions of the five components of team effectiveness. Prior to the main research study, a panel of experts used the Delphi method to evaluate the survey, commenting on structure, content, and applicability to the research questions. The researcher then evaluated the temporal reliability and internal reliability of the survey. For the research study, the researcher invited over 1000 members of virtual teams to complete the online, self-report survey. Data were analyzed using MANOVA to investigate and confirm that CTST significantly affected components of team effectiveness. Results of this study can be used to improve CTST, thereby increasing the effectiveness of virtual teams.

This dissertation focuses on design sessions in which users and stakeholders participate. It demonstrates how material from field studies can be used in exploratory design sessions. The emphasis is on the staging and realization of experiments with ‘possible futures’. Using a design perspective I have worked with how field studies can contribute to design processes in which many parties collaborate. With a starting point in collaborative ‘sketching’ and creation of scenarios I have striven to create a meaningful way for design teams to adopt a practice perspective. The dissertation shows that there need not be any opposition between exploring ‘what is’ and envisioning ‘what can be’. The increase of computer technology in everyday life and the development making information technology become an integrated part of more and more everyday products has given rise to a need to find new ways of working in the process of designing. If it was ever possible to work in an isolated way on either digital or physical technology, this is no longer the case since development requires collaboration over these borders. In the same way, IT plays an increasing significant role in people’s everyday lives. User focus and user involvement have become commonplace. This calls for new ways of organizing the design process. The present dissertation meets this problem. I have participated in four projects in which exploring users everyday practices has become a meaningful design activity and a foundation for collaboration. The purpose of this dissertation is to shed light on the possibilities and the advantages offered by working design oriented with material from field studies. Furthermore, it strives to show how design sessions can be organized and carried out on a practical level and exemplifies with concrete projects. Special emphasis is given to the creation of and the inquiry into design material and the development and use of design games. / <p>In collaboration with School of Arts and Communication, Malmö University, Sweden.</p>

Thesis (DEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates answers to the question: "How does one decide on the approach to implement when planning, managing and executing a development project?". By examining the prescriptive models of the development process, as proposed by design science, the principle characteristics are identified, that these models try to enforce. The need for tailoring the development process to the context of the project is highlighted by contrasting these prescriptive models to industrial practice and the corresponding descriptive models of the development process. A framework of contextual variables is proposed, which facilitates the tailoring of the approach to the project by defining the project methodology. The usefulness of this contextual framework is verified by means of case studies. Finally the dissertation proposes the use of a roadmap to define the project methodology at the beginning of the project. By packaging the project methodology in the form of a roadmap, implemented in a collaborative computer environment, it can be refined during the execution of the project to suit the information requirements of the project. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek antwoorde tot die vraag: "Hoe besluit ’n mens watter benadering om vir die beplanning, bestuur en deurvoering van ’n ontwikkelingsprojek toe te pas?". Deur die voorskriftelike modelle van die ontwikkelingsproses wat deur die ontwikkelingswetenskap voorgestel word, te ondersoek, word die grondbeginsels bepaal wat di modelle poog om af te dwing. Die behoefte om die ontwikkelingsproses by die projek se konteks aan te pas, word duidelik uitgebeeld deur die kontras tussen hierdie voorskriftelike modelle van die ontwikkelingsproses en industrile praktyk, sowel as die ooreenkomstige beskrywende modelle. ’n Raamwerk word voorgestel om die konteks van ’n projek te beskryf. Die aanpassing van die benadering tot die projek word sodoende deur die definisie van ’n projekmetodologie vergemaklik. Gevallestudies bevestig die nuttigheid van hierdie raamwerk. Die verhandeling sluit met die slotsom af dat ’n padkaart gebruik kan word om die projekmetodologie aan die begin van die projek te bepaal. Deur die projekmetodologie in ’n padkaart te verpak wat in ’n rekenaargesteunde spanomgewing gebruik kan word, kan dit gedurende die uitvoering van die projek gewysig word volgens die inligtingsbehoeftes van die projek.

This thesis reports a research effort that comprises six papers and a cover paper. In essence, the thesis contributes to the understanding of collaborative settings by introducing the perspective of &apos;places of collaboration‘. This perspective is particularly important when designing computer-based technologies that support collaborative settings. The starting point and overall research aim is to understand people‘s efforts to configure their current context for the purposes of collaboration. The cover paper of the thesis comprises a theoretical reflection and examination of four collaborative settings. The settings have been studied in situ through ethnographic inquiry and the results are reported in the six papers enclosed in the thesis. In my theoretical reflection, the concepts of &apos;place‘, &apos;space‘ and &apos;boundary objects‘ are central. The studies revealed that people‘s efforts to configure the current context create and reflect a &apos;place of collaboration‘. In other words, the effort to configure the context results in a practice characterized by an understanding of how to cooperate; a collaborative practice that constitutes a &apos;place of collaboration‘. During this configuration, the space and the use of materiality in this space are important parts in the creation of a place of collaboration. In addition, people configure collaborative contexts of intersecting practices by creating boundary objects. Boundary objects serve as mediators in a place-making process for the integration of places into a &apos;place of collaboration‘ for several practices. What is more, the dynamics of a place of collaboration may affect changes in existing modes of working and in computer-based tools that have been introduced into the workplace. The people and practices that constitute the place will in turn re-configure the place of collaboration, including the space and objects available due to the new circumstances. People‘s configuration of their current context reveals crucial aspects about the place of collaboration that must be considered also when designing to support this setting. However, this configuration may not necessarily equal efficiency and effectiveness, as evaluated by actors external to this context. The conclusion of this thesis is that future research and design should consider how to support people in their own effort to configure their collaborative context.

The biggest barrier for expansion and adoption in the field of sharing economy is risk and fear regarding safety. This new company form has resulted in higher competition in the service industry, resulting in increased focus on high quality. Since sharing economy is a new phenomenon a comparison with traditional companies has been made in order to see how the different forms of companies work with quality management. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how sharing economy companies within ridesharing and on demand rides, compared to traditional taxi companies, work with quality management. The thesis answers three subordinate questions: 1) How do companies work with quality assurance during the recruitment process? 2) How do companies work with continuous quality control and evaluation? 3) Is there a difference between the investigated industries within sharing economy and traditional taxi companies? Based on theories from management control and service quality management a theoretical framework was designed which provides guidance as to how researchers and managers can work with quality management in the service industry. A qualitative study was further performed through semi-structured interviews, where the gathered empirical material was presented through the theoretical framework. One conclusion that can be made in this thesis is that sharing economy companies have automated their services, as well as big parts of their quality management. Traditional companies seem to move more towards automating their services, as well as some parts of their quality control, but many parts are still handled manually. Another conclusion is that both types of companies have differences that lie in the nature of being a traditional company versus being a sharing economy company, and at the same time they have some fundamental similarities.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways in which members of interorganizational collaborations (IOCs) create and maintain the processes and structures of collaborative organizing. This research argues that IOCs are complex organizations that include ongoing communicative processes among individuals who act as collaborative members and constituent representatives. Specifically, this research seeks to explain how individual boundary spanners come to understand collaborative identities that create structures affecting actions and outcomes of the collaboration. Five research questions are posed using social identity theory as a guide to explore the data collected. The communication processes of IOC boundary spanners was investigated during a 13-month ethnographic field study, which included meeting observations, in-depth interviews, video stimulated recall, and document analysis. Overall, over 90% of the active members in the IOC were interviewed. Data was analyzed using the constant comparative method and organized by research question. Results indicate that boundary spanners in IOC use social identity to help orient and organize the diverse voices present within the collaboration. IOC members invoked group prototypes that created sub-groups within the IOC, thus allowing members with different goals for participation to find ways to justify membership. These prototypes also formed norms for communicating between members and created a collaborative environment that eventually led to organizational collapse. In addition, memberships within the IOC was constantly negotiated between members as the IOC worked towards certain goals. As sub-groups communicatively interacted with each other in the IOC, individuals would become more or less engaged in the collaborative process based on the successes and failures of the sub-group a boundary spanner has joined. Overall, this study helps us better understand how individuals within the IOC experience the collaboration and emphasize the importance of communication in collaborative processes. This study concludes with a discussion of the results and implications of the data for social identity theory, boundary spanner research and IOC research, as well as implications for practice. Limitations and future directions are also discussed. / text