The aim of this thesis was to comprehensively describe the valuation process, emphasize the significance of each part and point out possible pitfalls. The methodological valuation theory is not regulated in the Czech Republic, with a few exceptions, thus the credibility of the final value depends on the economic quality of applied process. Before the valuation methodology itself is applied, there has to be carried out both strategic and financial analysis providing the inputs for the applied models. Strategic analysis examines both general macroeconomic conditions, which could affect future performance of the company, and relevant market the company operates on within the competitive landscape. Strategic analysis provides the inputs into subsequent financial plan, primarily based on historical financial performance of the company, and serve as its corrective. In this thesis there were analyzed yield-based and market multiples methods, complemented by asset-based approach. Yield-based methods, i.e. DCF and EVA, are based on discounted future value which will the company generate. That implicates the suitability of its application for the companies with predictable financial plan. That means mostly companies with stable financial history, in case of young innovative startup the usage of such a method...

Many children are left vulnerable due to circumstances beyond their control, for example, poverty, violence, limited education and the HIV&AIDS epidemic. One way of supporting vulnerable children is by making memory boxes. This study endeavoured to identify the assets during the memory-box-making process with vulnerable children. The aim of the study was to contribute towards an understanding of vulnerable children in South Africa and the memory-box-making process that frames vulnerable children in terms of assets, resources and capacities, instead of deficits. A combination of an interpretive and constructivist paradigm was used within an action research design. The site of the study was a deep rural community in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Five participants and one helper contributed towards the research process. Primary data was collected within the memory-box-making process – by means of simple and participatory observation, individual and group interviews, audio-visual methods and field notes. Fifteen memory-box-making sessions took place over a period of six weeks. The data analysis consisted of a theme analysis that utilized the asset-based approach as a theoretical framework. The results from the study indicate a wealth of internal and external assets during the memory-box-making process with vulnerable children. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Public health policy and practice principally acknowledge a needs-based approach when developing, implementing, and evaluating community health programs. This needs-based perspective receives criticism because it focuses too heavily on what is missing or wrong with communities as opposed to building on their strengths. As a result, community members are perceived as passive recipients, which is disempowering, and ultimately risks creating unsustainable and ineffective programs. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in achieving a balance between the needs-based approach and the asset-based approach, which accentuates positive capabilities. While the amount of literature discussing the benefits of this latter perspective has grown substantially, accompanying evaluation required to sustain continued investment has been limited. Compared to needs-based research, there is less literature on asset-based evaluation. Emphasis on such research could contribute to the progression of evaluation methodologies and theories, ultimately encouraging their use. The purpose of this study is to apply an existing public health evaluation framework – the RE-AIM model (Glasgow, Vogt, and Boles, 1999) – to asset-based community health interventions and to examine the utility of such an evaluation structure across a variety of asset-based health projects. A multiple case study design facilitated comparison of the applicability of the RE-AIM model dimensions – Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance across three cases in the East London borough of Tower Hamlets, United Kingdom. These included the Local Links Asset-mapping project, the Healthy Early Years Project, and the Good Moves project. The RE-AIM framework is additionally guided by principles of the Realist Evaluation approach (Pawson and Tilley, 1997). This research study contributes to asset-based research by providing a guideline and conceptual framework to support asset-based intervention evaluation theory and practice.

The asset-based approach has been studied within the South African context. Up to now, primary school learners’ meaning of the experienced phenomenon, “assets for learning support” however remains an under-explored topic. The intent with this study was to qualitatively explore and discover the essence of the phenomenon, ‘assets for learning support’, as experienced by learners who attend an urban primary school. This phenomenon was explored from an interpretive/ constructivist paradigmatic perspective, which also informed the study’s qualitative methodology. A phenomenological research design was utilised. The study was conducted in a mainstream primary school, situated in an urban context. The participants for this research were eight female participants in Grades 5-7 that were confronted with and overcame extrinsic barriers to learning, while attending an urban primary school. They participated in a focus group discussion within a classroom on the school premises. During the focus group, the learners’ relevant and natural unit of significant statements were listed (horizontalisation) and structured into central clusters of meanings. Textural themes (what) and structural themes (how) were identified. The study found that human resource assets are integrated assets connecting other assets that support learning. The study also found a significant compound effect of assets upon each other. The essence of the experienced phenomenon is that the identified assets (how) interrelatedly mobilise (what) other assets (textural findings) on one of five levels (structural findings) within various systems and contexts, which contribute to mobilise learning support as an asset. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Divorce is a potentially destructive reality in society. According to the bio-ecological model of Bronfenbrenner, the development of the child takes place within two micro family systems when a family is reconstituted following divorce: the primary micro family system, where the child resides permanently with his/her biological parent who has parental rights and responsibilities, as well as the secondary micro family system of the other biological parent who also has parental rights and responsibilities, where the child visits periodically. Challenges that the child faces in the context of the reconstituted family thus include shared membership of the two micro family systems and the complexity of the mesosystem. Resilience can be defined as a process of the inborn ability to achieve positive outcomes and to adjust successfully despite challenges and adverse living conditions. The purpose of the study was twofold: firstly, to achieve understanding of the way in which middle-adolescents of divorced parents, in moving between the two micro family systems of their reconstituted families, utilise their resilience to develop optimally in spite of a probably dysfunctional relationship between their biological parents at the mesosystemic level and secondly, to contribute to the fields of knowledge on resilience and bio-ecological theory in order to enhance educational psychology praxis with regard to the adaptation of adolescents of divorced parents in reconstituted families. The study was qualitative, and conducted in the interpretive paradigm. A multiple case study with a purposeful sampling of four participants was used. Unstructured narrative conversations were conducted, which included a resilience-based therapeutic intervention to facilitate sensitisation regarding personal strengths and assets in accordance with the assetbased approach. The format of the data description and analysis was defined by the narrative way of working. The participants’ utilisation of resilience qualities was evaluated in accordance with a definition of resilience which had been newly constructed by means of a synthesis of the bio-ecological model, positive psychology and the focuses of the first three waves of resilience research. The findings of the study indicated that the way in which middle-adolescents utilise their resilience depends on a therapeutic process (a personal, controlled process) as well as the nature of the mesosystem in their developmental context (a factor that can only be controlled by the divorced biological parents). In respect of a therapeutic process, the utilisation of the middle-adolescents’ resilience depends on their emotional security to make conscious choices to mobilise their resilience and consequently change their behaviour in order to cope effectively with difficult family circumstances in both their micro-family systems. In respect of the nature of the mesosystem, the utilisation of the middle-adolescents’ resilience depends on the effectiveness of the relationship between their divorced biological parents at the mesosystemic level. The utilisation of resilience per se is apparently dependent on some consistent systemic foundation in the developmental context of the child, which is, in the case of divorce, the mesosystem. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe students’ experiences of community engagement in an Educational Psychology practicum. The theoretical framework was Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory. The study consulted relevant literature relating to community engagement, the experiences of students of community engagement activities, such as service-learning; the asset-based approach, positive psychology and the learning strategies relevant to the community engagement practice, namely experiential and reflective learning. A qualitative research approach was applied, guided by an interpretivist epistemology. An instrumental case study design was employed and the Department of Educational Psychology of the University of Pretoria, which was involved in the community engagement practicum, was conveniently selected for this research study. I selected one focus group for a pilot study, and later selected a second focus group, consisting of 8 purposefully selected students of the MEd Educational Psychology degree, as my research participants. Focus group interviews, reflective journals and visual data served as data collection methods. And, to further enrich the data collection process, audio-visual methods and a personal reflective journal also served as methods of data documentation Four main themes emerged as the result of thematic analysis and interpretation. Firstly, during the focus group interview, the students conversed about how they gained insight into themselves as Educational Psychologists within South Africa, such as their experiences of encountering individuals from different socio-economic groups, cultures, race and language. Secondly, the students also experienced professional development as a result of their experiences from the Educational Psychology community engagement practicum. That included experiencing themselves as being more confident, able to adapt to new situations and deeper insight into their role as a professional. Thirdly, the students discussed experiences related to integration of theory and practice. Their ability to understand theories, such as the asset-based approach and positive psychology, was enhanced as a result of putting it into practice. Finally, the students had experiences relating to structuring a community engagement practicum. The students expressed the need to receive additional information on the orientation and preparation of the practicum, as at times they had felt unsure of what was expected of them. They experienced the time spent in the practicum as being limited and discussed their experiences of writing in a reflective journal and participating in reflective dialogue Based on the findings, community engagement in this Educational Psychology practicum can be regarded as being a valuable inclusion to the training programme of these students of Educational Psychology, as it gave them the opportunity to interact with diverse clients in a South African setting. As a result of experiential learning during the practicum, students acquired several skills that they would not have gained in a classroom setting, such as the ability to work with diversity, groups, different age groups and in different contexts. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Against the background of various socio-economic barriers in many South African school-community contexts, I compared how teachers in four schools implemented an asset-based intervention aimed at school-based psychosocial support. The working assumption was that teachers could act as protective resources in implementing the asset-based approach (following their participation in STAR1) to promote psychosocial support in their school-community contexts. The four schools were conveniently selected as information-rich cases to participate in the research study. The four cases comprised one informal settlement primary school in the Eastern Cape, two urban primary schools in Gauteng and one rural secondary school in Mpumalanga. Purposeful sampling was used to select ten participating teachers (n=40) in each school. Methodologically, the study followed a qualitative paradigm and a comparative case study design, implementing participatory rural appraisal (PRA) principles. The asset-based approach was used as theoretical framework. Multiple data gathering (focus groups, observation and intervention artefacts) and documentation procedures (verbatim transcripts, field notes, research journal and visual data) were implemented over a period of three years. Following constructivist grounded theory analysis, three main themes emerged: teachers using an asset-based approach for psychosocial support; teachers addressing barriers resourcefully; and teachers’ demonstrated asset-based competencies. The findings of the current study confirm that schools as part of unique systems are interrelated in terms of networks that mobilise assets, irrespective of the context. Teachers experience and prioritise a) socio-economic barriers (HIV/AIDS, financial constraints due to poverty and unemployment, and child abuse) and b) stressors of teaching (workload and related time constraints, attrition of group members, low levels of parent involvement, as well as context-specific factors). Teachers’ identification of barriers is determined by school contexts. Across school contexts teachers identified a) internal assets in their classrooms, the school context and in their communities together with b) community resources (physical resources, natural and environmental resources, community organisations and institutions). In psychosocial support, teachers mobilised identified assets and resources to ameliorate the impact of barriers. Teachers therefore promoted resilience by means of psychosocial support. The characteristics of school-based psychosocial support include identifying assets, prioritising barriers, mobilising assets to ameliorate the presence of barriers and establishing systemic networks and partnerships. When providing psychosocial support, teachers demonstrated asset-based competencies (positive identity formation, group effectiveness skills and management skills) signified as internal protective resources. By dynamically engaging in the challenges of their school-community contexts, teachers demonstrated self-determination (Deci&Ryan, 1985, 2002; Ryan&Deci, 2000, 2002) In the process, teachers displayed and actualised asset-based competencies, which in turn fulfilled the underlying psychological needs of competence, relatedness and autonomy. When they implemented the asset-based approach, it seemed to enhance teachers’ sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987) as they viewed the existence of barriers as being comprehensible, manageable and meaningful. Teachers were able to address barriers at an intrapersonal and interpersonal level as well as by deploying management skills. The three levels on which teachers addressed barriers correlate with their asset-based competencies. Their asset-based competency of positive identity formation was utilised to address barriers on an intrapersonal level; their group effectiveness skills addressed barriers on an interpersonal level and their management skills were deployed to address barriers on a level of administrating barriers efficiently. The study provides empirical evidence to broaden the current knowledge bases of the asset-based approach, resilience and school-based psychosocial support. The study contributes to the existing knowledge base of the asset-based approach by firstly highlighting social capital in school-community contexts as potential outcome of the implementation of the asset-based approach. Secondly, the study introduces asset-based competencies, as well as the dynamic relationship between these competencies and fundamental psychological needs (competence, relatedness and autonomy) as signified in self-determination theory (Deci&Ryan, 1985, 2002; Ryan&Deci, 2000, 2002). Lastly, the study conjectures the interconnectedness between the asset-based approach and a sense of coherence, in the sense that implementation of the asset-based approach could result in enhanced eustress (Simmons&Nelson, 2005) and sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987, 1993) when faced with and addressing barriers. Within the context of the existing knowledge base of resilience in schools and school-based psychosocial support, the findings suggest that resilience in schools could be promoted by teacher-driven psychosocial support initiatives. Firstly, the study signifies greater insight in teachers’ perspective on the potential assets and resources available in school-community contexts that could be mobilised for psychosocial support and the promotion of resilience. Secondly, the findings suggest empirical evidence that teachers (in a school context) can mobilise resources so that schools may serve as protective resources to promote resilience through school-based psychosocial support. Thirdly, the study contributes to new insight in possible barriers that teachers could encounter on a daily basis as well as the sort of psychosocial support that could be expected from similar school-based interventions. Lastly, the study provides insight into potential ways in which teachers can address barriers on an intrapersonal and interpersonal level and by deploying management skills. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(経済学) / 甲第18755号 / 経博第506号 / 新制||経||272(附属図書館) / 31706 / 京都大学大学院経済学研究科経済学専攻 / (主査)教授 川北 英隆, 教授 徳賀 芳弘, 教授 澤邉 紀生 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Economics / Kyoto University / DGAM

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe teachers’ implementation of asset-based psychosocial support in a school community to promote resilience in vulnerable children and families (particularly within the context of HIV/AIDS). The study formed part of the broader STAR-pilot project. The primary assumption with which I approached the study was that teachers are able to provide asset-based psychosocial support focusing on social, emotional, health and educational needs of vulnerable children and families. An interpretivist paradigm was used to describe the asset-based psychosocial support implemented. I selected a case study design with eight participants (teachers) who were conveniently and purposefully selected due to their involvement in the STAR-pilot project. I co-facilitated a PRA-directed workshop with the teachers. Data was collected by means of a PRA-directed workshop, observations, visual data (photographs) and field notes. I followed a thematic content analysis of data to interpret emerging themes and sub-themes. Psychosocial support interventions were focused on addressing basic physiological needs, social support and emotional needs. Findings revealed that implementation of asset-based psychosocial support within a school community, promoted the resilience of vulnerable children and families. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

<p>For more than five decades, education scholars and activists have argued for a culturally relevant and nurturing education that reflects students' diverse experiences in K-12 classrooms. Yet, with the most recent national reform on science standards, the call to engage all learners pushed for advancing STEM in the United States, and many science education scholars have problematized such rhetoric. Unfortunately, the inclusionary blanket term like “engaging all learners” and the efforts that lead behind it do not consider the sociocultural realities that young children bring into the classrooms and the negotiation in learning school science. In this three-paper dissertation, I explore how middle school science teachers recognize the sociocultural realities students come with and cultivate a culturally nurturing education in response to the increase of racial, economic, and linguistic diversity within their integrated STEM classrooms. In particular, the aim of this dissertation to understand how middle school science teachers align school science, specifically in teaching integrated science and engineering, to the sociocultural realities of students by centering on the sensemaking of teacher’s lived experience and experiential knowledge. The first study draws on a narrative inquiry case study approach to understand how a middle school science teacher cultivated a culturally sustaining STEM classroom. The research question that guided this study was: How does Mrs. Johnson make meaning of her experiences in making science and engineering learning more culturally relevant and sustaining for her diverse middle school students? Findings from this study illuminates a complex narrative such as the intentionality of making multiple epistemologies explicit in learning science and engineering and the required racial reflexive work for cultivating a culturally sustaining and student-focused STEM classrooms. The findings also highlight challenges Mrs. Johnson faced as she integrates students’ lived experiences and alternative ways of knowing and doing into science and STEM teaching. The second study uses a single-case study approach to understand specific teaching practices that truncated the cultivation of a culturally sustaining education by exploring the opportunities that allowed internalized and interpersonal oppression to perpetuate with the same teacher, Mrs. Johnson. The research questions that guided this study are as follow: In what ways does teaching the GMO and Loon Nesting Platform STEM units foreground individual and interpersonal oppression to manifest? What teaching practices allow these moments of oppression to be pervasive? Findings from this study suggest that oppression becomes pervasive when teaching integrated science and engineering without considering how STEM learning could be irrelevant to students’ lived experiences and the role of power in teaching science. Based on these findings, I developed a year-long virtual professional development program that emphasized teaching integrated science and engineering with a focus on culturally nurturing and asset-based pedagogies. The final study draws on teachers’ funds of knowledge and identity to explore the sensemaking of a rural science teacher as he participates in the professional development program and how the sensemaking of his lived experiences informed his use of asset-based pedagogies. The research question that guided this study was: How do Mr. Jordan’s funds of knowledge and identity inform their use of asset-based pedagogies in reform-based, rural science classrooms? Findings from this study highlights Mr. Jordan’ funds of knowledge and identity informing his use of culturally responsive and relevant pedagogies. Implications of the third study proposes generational cultural wealth as a theoretical framework as one way teachers can begin aligning school science to students’ sociocultural realities. The final chapter of this dissertation presents a synthesis across the three studies and a summary of the implications for teaching.  </p>