The increasingly diverse population of the United States is reflected in classrooms across the country. Teachers often struggle with understanding students' cultural differences in the classroom and therefore also struggle with implementing culturally appropriate instructional strategies. The results of this study provide educational leaders with a viable option to enhance intercultural competence for implementing culturally appropriate instructional practices through the experiences gained in teaching abroad programs like Apufram International. This exploratory case study investigated how teaching experiences abroad contributed to implementing culturally diverse instruction in multicultural classroom settings. The multicultural educational theory of Banks was the theoretical framework used for this study. The research question addressed how a travel abroad experience contributed to the participants' insights into the cultural differences of students and strategies for implementing culturally diverse instruction in the multicultural classroom. The analytic process included a series of semi structured interviews and classroom observations, and a two-step process (thematic followed by open) to identify common themes. Eight teachers who participated in a teaching abroad experience with the Apufram International within the last 5 years provided the data that addressed the research question. The results of this study found that participating in a teaching abroad program increased cultural awareness and understanding of the need for implementation of culturally diverse instructional practices. Providing teachers with a creative means of improving student academic success helps develop students into global leaders for positive social change.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Marc Prensky’s digital natives theory became popular, because it supplied teachers with answer as to why students were unresponsive to their curriculums. In essence, Prensky’s theory asks: what has changed? In most cases, it is not the teachers’ curriculums that have changed, so it has to be something else. Prensky points to digital technologies, because teachers are now having to teach students who never knew a world without digital technologies—Prensky, of course, asserting that this changes the way students think, which naturally transfers over to how they learn. In short, it is the students that have changed due to digital technologies. According to Prensky, students, within the digital natives generation, would value their courses more if teachers utilized digital technologies in their classroom. However, critics of the digital natives theory assert that Prensky has not considered many variables that could have an effect on how students use digital technologies, such as socio-economic factors, gender, education, and geographic location, and ultimately there is no empirical evidence to support the use of digital technologies in Prensky’s pedagogy (see Sue Bennett and Karl Maton, Chris Jones et al., Anoush Margaryan et al., and Neil Selwyn). Although, I mostly agree with the critics evaluations of the digital natives theories, I believe that there are larger economic variables, such as Gee et al.’s new capitalism, that influence how students value digital technologies as well as literacy and learning. This concept was reflected in the survey that I conducted in order to examine how students value W131 in general, the writing done in W131, and writing done in social digital technologies. The survey demonstrated that students do not understand social digital writing to be writing; therefore, utilizing digital technologies in the writing classroom, as Prensky suggest, would not be beneficial, because it would take a great deal of class time for students to come to the understanding that social digital writing is writing. More importantly, the survey indicated that students are highly career motivated, which influences how students value their courses. For students, a course’s value is determined by how applicable it is to students’ career goals. The survey results suggest that while students recognize that first-year composition (FYC) has value, they do not necessarily see it specifically valuable to their primary goals. Although I believe it is important for students to be able to find value in a course, I am not suggesting that FYC should be tailored to cater to students; on the contrary, I believe that the ideal FYC course would acknowledge the values of the field of study that it pertains to, and attempt to demonstrate to students how those values relate to their own. This is ideal—however, by using the Writing about Writing pedagogy, designed by Douglas Downs and Elizabeth Wardle, this kind of value system may be possible. Downs and Wardle’s pedagogy also has the potential to bridge the value systems of the students, and writing studies, because Downs and Wardle’s pedagogy focuses on students gaining a better understanding of writing studies as a field of study, by engaging and exploring texts that represent writing studies’ central beliefs and important works. Through texts that come out of the writing studies discipline students can gain a better understanding of concepts that come out of writing studies, as well as build a bridge between students’ values and the values of the writing studies discipline. Texts such as chapter six (“The Means of Production: Literacy and Stratification as the Twenty-First Century) of Deborah Brandt’s Literacy in American Lives, James Paul Gee’s “The New Literacy Studies and the ‘Social Turn,’” and Harvey Graff’s “The Literacy Myth at Thirty,” offers students a new perspective on the economic climate that effects the job market, as well as provide a meaningful way into writing studies. In this chapter, I will discuss Downs and Wardle’s Writing about Writing pedagogy, how I would implement their pedagogy in a FYC course, and what would be the ideal learning outcomes for this course.

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This thesis aimed to report on the qualitative research conducted which identified the role played by international television soap operas in identity formation and cultural change in relation to Kurdish women. Currently, Kurdish women live in a cultural context where traditional values often conflict with modern values when it comes to behaviour deemed appropriate for their gender. Through the impact of international television soap operas, Kurdish women come to identify themselves as being ¿traditional¿ while at the same time they attempt to integrate non-traditional beliefs into their value system. This study looked at the relationship between Kurdish women¿s exposure to international television, soap operas and consumerism, as well as the problems which they create in terms of non-Western women¿s identity formation. This thesis has documented the lives and experiences of 21 female Kurdish participants, aged between 18 and 40, through in-depth interviews and observations. The thesis assumes that the views recorded are representative of the general viewpoint of viewers of the international soaps. Open-ended, in-depth interviews about women were used to explore viewing habits and preferences for various soaps. This thesis incorporates and expresses the ideas which were recorded with regards to the accepted ¿typical¿ characteristics of men and 4 women ¿ it is these characteristics which play an important role in selfformation. It became evident that these women had incorporated values from the traditional Kurdish culture and the modern way of life. The Kurdish women cannot be said to have a ¿modernist¿ outlook on gender-appropriate behaviour, as they are still endemically entrenched in traditional Kurdistan worldviews. The qualitative research analysed the level in which the soap operas act as a kind of medium between the values of modernity and those of tradition. This study, in addition, demonstrates the appeal that soap operas can have on the norms, and other aspects, in the Kurdistan Region, and therefore illustrates that the soaps have an active role as a mechanism of change in Kurdistan. Thus, the research demonstrates the power of the soap operas and their effects on the Kurdish people in this region. Furthermore, this research explored the current media environment in the Kurdistan Region by reviewing the dependency of Kurdish viewers, and the Kurdish television channels, on foreign and imported television programmes into the region.

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Rapid industrialization, breakthroughs in science and technological development have ushered in an era regarded as a technocratic age. The advent of a technocratic age has necessitated the acquisition of technologically appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes, and consequently it has become necessary to establish education systems that fulfil the demands set by technocratic age principles. Present-day education is typified by technocratic age imperatives which include meritocracy, specialization, vocationalism, professionalism and scientism. Technocratic age education is further characterized by mass education, free and compulsory education and greater bureaucratic control of education. In technocratic age education systems, entrance examinations are used to select learners for advanced education and training. It would appear that this takes place with little regard for the learner's personal worth or meeting the learner's distinctive needs. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

Many students have difficulty of learning abstract and complex topic in chemistry. This study investigated how students develop their understanding of abstract and complex topics of chemistry with the aid of visualizing tools: animation, simulation and video. A particular focus of this investigation was to assess to what extent the uses of pedagogy based technology (PBT) is effective in learning chemistry. The combined effect of animation, simulation and video clips enable learning by doing and provide opportunity to explore the abstract and complex lessons of chemistry. The research was conducted with sequential embedded mixed research (quasi experimental and Explanatory) case study design. The experiment was carried out with second year chemistry students include 90(14 female and 76 male) students, 12 male chemistry lecturers and the college heads. The students were constituted 45 Control group and 45 Treatment groups. The groups were non-equivalent (convenient samples), suggesting that randomization was not possible as the students were in intact classes. To apply animation, simulation and video in supporting student-centered learning activities of electrochemistry for second year students flash and micro media player were used. The treatment group was trained for two weeks how to operate and use animation, simulation and video software. Pre and Post tests were administrated to the target groups. The effectiveness of PBT was also evaluated by administrating separate Schedule containing open and closed ended questions. The comments and ratings obtained from the learners‟ and lecturer insights provided the basis for the learning impact of the study. The result obtained from the vi experiment and responses of the schedule shows that PBT improves the performance of students. Therefore, to make the abstract and complex concepts of chemistry easy and clear Electrochemistry learning should be supported by animation simulation and video. An extended study may help to understand the multi sensory benefit of Pedagogy-Based-Technology. Thus, a possible extension to this study should cover a variety of universities and should aim at evaluating its effectiveness in various context and subjects‟. / Science and Technology Education / D. Phil. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (Chemistry Education))

The aim of this thesis is to describe appropriate and threatening educational strategies that have arisen as a result of parental divorce, and based on the theoretical recommendations and research conducted among a selected group of respondents to formulate educational recommendations that minimizes problems of children from divorced families. The survey seeks to answer questions about what respondents selected as their options to manage a period around parents divorce and what made the situation worse. To achieve the objectivity of this thesis were to set partial goals: 1. To find out how the respondent assessed with hindsight suitability and unsuitability of educational strategies used by parents during divorce 2. compare their opinions with the strategies formulated in the theoretical part. The focus of this work is qualitative research, processed by using content analysis of the interview. Semi-structured interviews with selected respondents from single-parent families aged between 19 and 25 years old, reversely maps their view on the appropriate educational strategies of their parents. The interviews were analyzed based on criteria described in theoretical part. Then I individual analyse interviews and match them to accordingly. Most helpful for respondents were supportive persons which they...

[pt] Esta dissertação apresenta um debate sobre a técnica que aproveita os materiais disponíveis no local. Este debate começa pelo próprio conceito de técnica e pela ideia de progresso técnico, para se esclarecer mais sobre a natureza da técnica que estamos pesquisando. Diferentes movimentos que se relacionam à técnica que estamos pesquisando são apresentados, como a tecnologia apropriada, a permacultura e a arquitetura popular tradicional. O objeto de estudo é a construção em terra crua, bambu e fibras naturais, que são os materiais pesquisados no Laboratório de Investigação em Living Design (LILD). É utilizada a metodologia prática deste laboratório e sua experiência prévia com técnicas que trabalham com estes materiais para dar prosseguimento à investigação. / [en] This dissertation presents a discussion on the technique that uses materials available on site. This discussion begins with the concept of technique and the idea of technical progress, to further clarify the nature of the technique that we are researching. Different movements that relate to the technique that we are researching are presented, such as appropriate technology, permaculture and traditional folk architecture. The object of investigation is buildings with mud, bamboo and natural fibers, which are the materials studied by the Laboratório de Investigação em Living Design (LILD). This study uses the practical methodology of the laboratory and its previous experience with techniques that work with these materials to continue the investigation.

Abstrakt Bakgrund: Patienter hänvisas idag i större utsträckning till egenvård av sjuksköterskor i ambulanssjukvården och beslutstöd finns för att hjälpa till med hänvisningen. Arbetet innebär att prioritera och bedöma vilken vårdnivå som är optimal för patienterna, vilka patienter som behöver följa med i ambulansen för ytterligare vård på vårdinrättning och vilka som kan hänvisas till egenvård. Att bedöma vad som är optimal vårdnivå ställer krav på att sjuksköterskorna besitter medicinska kunskaper vid olika tillstånd, men också kunskap om helheten i hänvisningsprocessen.Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av ett beslutstöd för hänvisning av patienter från ambulanssjukvård till egenvård. Metod: En kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie har utförts med hjälp av enkäter. Designen var deskriptiv och explorativ. En totalundersökning av populationen har utförts som innefattade 123 sjuksköterskor i ambulanssjukvården i en region i södra Sverige, fördelat på två länsdelar. Slutligen inkom 95 enkätsvar (77,2 %). Data har analyserats med deskriptiv statistisk och tematisk innehållsanalys. Resultat: Det var 68 (71,5 %) av sjuksköterskorna som höll med om att de alltid använde beslutsstödet och 54 (56,9 %) upplevde att beslutsstödet gav det stöd som behövdes. Det var 84 (88,5 %) som hade uppfattningen att patienter var nöjda med hänvisning till egenvård. Av sjuksköterskorna svarade 77 (81,1 %) att läkare fanns att tillgå vid behov. Dock fanns en önskan om att akutläkare alltid skulle vara tillgängliga vid frågor. Tid på dygnet och geografisk hämtplats påverkade beslutet att lämna patienter hemma. Beslutstödet fokuserade allt för mycket på vitala parametrar och täckte därmed inte andra viktiga aspekter. Konklusion: Resultatet visade att beslutstödet är i behov av förändring. Akutläkare eller läkare med hög kompetens bör finnas tillgängliga vid frågor. Genom att använda sin kliniska blick, hög medicinsk kompetens och erfarenhet, tillsammans med ett väl fungerande beslutsstöd kan sjuksköterskorna i ambulanssjukvården uppleva ökad trygghet när patienter hänvisas till egenvård. / Abstract Background: Today, more and more nurses in the prehospital care are referring patients to self-treatment and there is certain support to help make this decision. The work nurses in the ambulance care do means that assess which level of care that is optimal for the patients. Which patients who need to come along in the ambulance and which patients who can be referred to self-care. To decide what is optimal care requires nurses to possess medical knowledge in different conditions, but also knowledge about the whole process of referring patients. Purpose: The purpose was to examine nurses´ experiences of a decision support for referring patients from ambulance care to self-care. Method: A quantitative study has been made, where the writers used a survey to fulfill the purpose. The design of the survey was descriptive and explorative. A total examination of the population has been done, which was 123 nurses in the Ambulance service in a region in south of Sweden, divided into two counties. Finally, there was 95 replies of the survey (77,2 %). Statistical analysis and thematic analysis of the content were used to present the result. Result: There was 68 (71,5 %) of the nurses who agreed to that they always used the decision support and 54 (56,9 %) experienced that the decision support gave the support that was needed. A bigger part, 84 (88,5 %), had the opinion that patients were satisfied being referred to self-care. Of all nurses, 77 (81,1 %) answered that doctors were available if necessary. However, there was a desire that emergency doctors were always available on questions. Time of day and geographical place of pick up affected the decision to leave the patient in his or her home. There were 84 (88,5%) nurses who had experiences from satisfied patients being referred by the ambulance care to self-care. Decision support focused too much on vital parameters and thus did not cover other important aspects. Conclusion: The result showed that the decision support is in need of change. Emergency doctors or doctors with high competence should be available when needed. By using their clinical eye, with high medical competence and experience, together with a well-functioning decision support - the nurses in the ambulance care can experience increased confidence in referring patients to self-care.