The purposes of this study were to assess the effect of the initial and exiting attitudes toward mathematics and academic outcomes of students placed in the Developmental Mathematics Basic Arithmetic course at a community college in Maryland. Major research questions included were: (1) What is the difference, if any, between the pretest and posttest attitudes toward mathematics of students placed in Basic Arithmetic as measured by the Aiken Mathematics Attitude Survey? (2) What is the effect, if any, of the placement test for students enrolled in Basic Arithmetic on the final exam score, attitude pretest scores, and attitude change scores? (3) What is the difference between the achievers and nonachievers in Basic Arithmetic as measured by the Aiken Attitude Towards Mathematics Survey? (4) What is the difference between the achievers and nonachievers in Basic Arithmetic based on the demographic variables of age, gender, and ethnicity? The population consisted of 329 students placed in the developmental course DVM001 Basic Arithmetic. Data were collected by utilizing the Lewis R. Aiken Attitude Toward Mathematics Survey and the admissions and registration data. The analysis of variance and the Paired Samples Test were used to obtain the comparative and correlation analysis. Chi Square was utilized to determine the relationship between the final grade and the demographic variables. The results revealed: (a) No significant differences between the pretest and posttest attitudes toward mathematics; (b) The posttest shows a gain of 1.70 percent in the attitudes towards mathematics; (c) Attitude change based on gender showed a gain in the female score only; (d) Achievers and nonachievers have the same attitude towards mathematics; (e) There were statistically significant differences between the placement score and the final exam score, and (f) The demographic variables of age and gender were related to the final exam score. / Ed. D.

Teaching mathematics is now gaining more importance, as the new elementary mathematics school curriculum has been adapted to Turkish Educational System. One of the main goals of the curriculum reform is to increase elementary school students&rsquo / problem solving abilities in mathematics (Ko&ccedil / , ISiksal &amp / Bulut / 2007). In this study, the aim is to investigate the change in sixth grade students&rsquo / problem solving abilities, attitude towards problem solving and attitude toward mathematics after mathematics instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps. The sample of this study consisted of 53 sixth grade students from an elementary school in Istanbul. The participants consist of a class selected conveniently among all the sixth grade classes in the school. In these selected classes, mathematical problems are solved according to the Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps by following different problem solution techniques during the semester.At the end of this study, the three main results were found: 1) Instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s step has significantly affected students&rsquo / problem solving abilities in a positive way, 2) students&rsquo / attitudes towards problem solving has changed in a positive way, 3) students&rsquo / attitudes towards mathematics is enhanced by the instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps.

Downstream fuel retailing among the major players in South Africa is highly competitive, and further compounded by the emergence of new players and changing customer orientation under the current price regulation environment. Marketing of fuel by way of expanding geographical coverage and the distribution network is no longer sustainable. Advertising benefits fuel companies by communicating their value proposition for brand differentiation, swaying consumer perception of fuel as a low involvement commodity with no difference in quality, and ultimately influencing their attitudes and behaviour. Fuel companies can take advantage of the advertising elements that have direct bearing – and are within their control – to make impactful advertisements to attract customers. Thus, this study investigates the influence of advertising controllable elements – namely, source and message – on attitude towards the advertisement, as well as attitude towards the brand and subsequently on purchase intention. A sample of 201 respondents was selected using convenience sampling method. The data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. The relationship between the independent and the dependent variables was then examined using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) version 26.0. The study findings established that attitude towards the advertisement is positively and significantly influenced by source credibility, source likeability and emotional message. Rational message has a positive impact on attitude towards the advertisement, albeit insignificant. Meanwhile, only source credibility and rational message have positive significant effects on attitude towards the brand. The impact of source likeability on brand attitude although positive, is not significant. Contrariwise, emotional message has neither influence nor significant effect on attitude towards the brand. Moreover, the study findings showed that while attitude towards the advertisement positively influences brand attitude, it does not influence purchase intention. The purchase intention for fuel is nonetheless influenced by attitude towards the brand. This study offers useful insights that can be used to create an impactful fuel advertisement, leveraging on source attributes and message appeals to influence consumers' attitudinal as well as behavioural intention.

Candidates’ attitudes towards various personnel selection methods get attention of organizational and work psychology specialists because of various reasons. The most important reason is that individuals’ attitudes towards personnel selection methods influence their latter behavior. Although there is a substantial amount of studies carried out in different countries, there is no data from Lithuanian and Swedish samples. The aim of current study was to analyze the attitudes towards personnel selection methods among Lithuanian students, Lithuanian employees and Swedish students. The participants (197 students and 86 employees) filled in a questionnaire, which includes short descriptions of 10 personnel selection methods as well as items about fairness of these methods. According to the results of the study, work-sample tests were ranked as the fairest personnel selection method in the Lithuanian sample. The fairest personnel selection methods in Swedish sample were work-sample tests, interview, resumes, and personal references. Lithuanian students ranked the fairness of written ability test and honesty test more favorably than Swedish students, but Swedish students tended to rank as more favorable interview, resumes, personal references and personal contacts. Personal contacts and graphology were ranked the lowest on fairness dimension in Lithuanian sample, and Swedes ranked only graphology as the least fair personnel selection method. Lithuanian employees ranked personal references, personal contacts and graphology more favorably than Lithuanian students. In Lithuanian students sample, perception of personnel selection method as a scientifically proved, logic and precise or providing an opportunity to show one’s skills, had the strongest connection with favorability ranking of personnel selection method’s fairness. In the Lithuanian employees and the Swedish students samples, perception of the method as logic or providing an opportunity to show one’s skills, had the strongest link with fairness.

<p>Candidates’ attitudes towards various personnel selection methods get attention of organizational and work psychology specialists because of various reasons. The most important reason is that individuals’ attitudes towards personnel selection methods influence their latter behavior. Although there is a substantial amount of studies carried out in different countries, there is no data from Lithuanian and Swedish samples. The aim of current study was to analyze the attitudes towards personnel selection methods among Lithuanian students, Lithuanian employees and Swedish students. The participants (197 students and 86 employees) filled in a questionnaire, which includes short descriptions of 10 personnel selection methods as well as items about fairness of these methods. According to the results of the study, work-sample tests were ranked as the fairest personnel selection method in the Lithuanian sample. The fairest personnel selection methods in Swedish sample were work-sample tests, interview, resumes, and personal references. Lithuanian students ranked the fairness of written ability test and honesty test more favorably than Swedish students, but Swedish students tended to rank as more favorable interview, resumes, personal references and personal contacts. Personal contacts and graphology were ranked the lowest on fairness dimension in Lithuanian sample, and Swedes ranked only graphology as the least fair personnel selection method. Lithuanian employees ranked personal references, personal contacts and graphology more favorably than Lithuanian students. In Lithuanian students sample, perception of personnel selection method as a scientifically proved, logic and precise or providing an opportunity to show one’s skills, had the strongest connection with favorability ranking of personnel selection method’s fairness. In the Lithuanian employees and the Swedish students samples, perception of the method as logic or providing an opportunity to show one’s skills, had the strongest link with fairness.</p>

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to explore how love relationship affects the identity and attitude towards school of study motivated girls in 17-18 years of age with the subsidiary purpose to get anidea of how the gender order is maintained in the relationship.</p><p>The study is based on theories of gender theory and identity theory, which concerns gender as aresult of actions and how the gender order is maintained. The identity theory is based as a choice toconvey different roles.</p><p>The study is founded on qualitative research interviews with six different girls, where the focus wasto learn about their own experiences of how the love relationship affects them.</p><p>The results were interpreted through a hermeneutic analysis.The results show that the love relationship affect informants' identity on self-perception, what roles they convey and the attitude towards school. It turned out that the informants' attitude towards school was dependent on their boyfriend´s attitude towards school.</p><p>The results also show that girls are highly involved in the process of maintaining the gender order in which they choose to manage their time according to their boyfriend's time, and has the role of the engaging and emotional in the relationship.</p>

The purpose of this thesis is to explore how love relationship affects the identity and attitude towards school of study motivated girls in 17-18 years of age with the subsidiary purpose to get anidea of how the gender order is maintained in the relationship. The study is based on theories of gender theory and identity theory, which concerns gender as aresult of actions and how the gender order is maintained. The identity theory is based as a choice toconvey different roles. The study is founded on qualitative research interviews with six different girls, where the focus wasto learn about their own experiences of how the love relationship affects them. The results were interpreted through a hermeneutic analysis.The results show that the love relationship affect informants' identity on self-perception, what roles they convey and the attitude towards school. It turned out that the informants' attitude towards school was dependent on their boyfriend´s attitude towards school. The results also show that girls are highly involved in the process of maintaining the gender order in which they choose to manage their time according to their boyfriend's time, and has the role of the engaging and emotional in the relationship.

AFRIKAANS: In ‘n veranderende wêreld van relatiwiteit blyk dit dat die preek al hoe meer in die spervuur is. Op elke gebied van die menslike onderneming beleef ons veranderinge. Dit maak dat prediking in die konteks van ‘n veranderende wêreld en kultuur al hoe meer kompleks word. Wat vyftig jaar gelede as homiletiese wysheid gesien is, geld nie meer nie. Die kritiese vraag is: Het die prediking nog ‘n toekoms? Het ons enige idee oor die effek en ontvangs van ‘n preek. In die huidige kritieke situasie waarin die kerk wêreldwyd verkeer, word veral ook die prediker aangespoor tot selfondersoek en herwaardering van sy prediking. In die ondersoek van die probleem en die soeke na moontlike oplossing word daar in hierdie studie aangesluit by die ‘prakties-teologiese metodologie’ waarvolgens die bestaande praktyk wetenskaplik ondersoek word. Dit geskied deur aandag te skenk aan die dinamiese wisselwerking tussen teorie en praktyk. Hierdie proses vind gestalte deur ‘n hermeneutiese interaksie tussen ‘n literatuurstudie en ‘n empiriese ondersoek wat uitmond in ‘n verstelde praktykteorie. In Hoofstuk 1 word die navorsings leemte, probleemstelling, vraagstelling en doelstelling van die studie vasgelê. Die navorsings leemte behels dat die meeste predikers ‘n persepsie het dat hulle in noue kontak met die hoorders is, en dat predikers dink dat direkte terugvoer vanaf die hoorders nie nodig is nie. Die leefwêreld en tydgees waarbinne die prediking plaasvind en die hoorder se behoeftes rondom die prediking is nog nie in die Paarl op ‘n grondige empiriese wyse ondersoek is nie. Prediking in die konteks van die Paarl is ‘n monologiese gebeurtenis, waar die hoorder passief is. Die kern van die probleemstelling is die gebrek aan deelname van gemeentelede aan die preek in die erediens. Die vraagstelling is of prediking nog relevant is en of prediking steeds moet gestalte vind op dieselfde wyse binne ons veranderende wêreld van relatiwiteit? Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om vas te stel wat die hoorders beskou as relevante prediking en of die preek nog steeds ‘n bestaansreg het. In Hoofstuk 2 word daar gekyk na die leefwêreld, kultuur en tydgees waarbinne die hoorders lewe. In Hoofstuk 3 word verskillende hermeneutiese benaderings uiteengesit om sodoende ‘n basis teorie vir relevante prediking te kan ontwikkel. Dit dien as ‘n konseptuele raamwerk vir die empiriese deel van die studie. In Hoofstuk 4 word die empiriese ondersoek onderneem. Dit geskied deur kwalitatiewe onderhoude wat fokus op individue uit verskillende gemeentes in die Paarl. Inligting is versamel deur middel van in-diepte onderhoude wat deur gestruktureerde onderhoudskedules voorafgegaan word. Daar is byvoorbeeld gevind dat die oorgrote meerderheid gelowiges die prediking sien as ‘n onvervangbare element. In Hoofstuk 5 is daar ‘n hermeneutiese interaksie tussen die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek en die voorafgaande teoretiese vertrekpunte. Hierdie gegewens wat op mekaar inspeel lei tot nuwe of verstelde konsepte vir ‘n relevante praktykteorie om die praktyk te rig en te stuur. Dit is ‘n regulatiewe aktiwiteit wat die bestaande praktyk wil bevestig en bewus maak van sekere aanpassings. In hierdie verstelde praktykteorie is daar gepleit vir nuwe klem op die kultuur en konteks waarbinne die prediking plaasvind. Daar sal meer gereeld na die hoorder se stem geluister moet word sodat meer inter aktiwiteit tussen prediker en hoorder kan plaasvind. Ook nuwe kommunikasietegniek sal aangeleer moet word vir die prediking wat in ‘n ontluikende digitalekultuur moet plaasvind. ENGLISH: In a changing world of relativism there are many critical voices against the preaching of a sermon. These critical voices put the sermon under attack. In all facets of human life we experience change. That makes the preaching of a sermon more complex in the context of a changing world. What looked like homiletic wisdom fifty years ago, doesn’t count today. The critical question is: Does preaching have a future? Do we have any idea of the effect and reception of a sermon? Because of the present critical situation of peoples’ perception about the church in general, the preacher is encouraged to introspection and revaluation of his sermons. In the research of the problem and the seeking for some possible solutions this study connects with the ‘practical theological methodology’ whereby the standing scientific praxis is researched. This is done by giving attention to the dynamic interaction between theory and praxis. This process is structured by a hermeneutical interaction between a literature study and a empirical research which results in an adjusted practical theory. In Chapter 1 the research problem is stated, followed by an explanation and formulation of the question under research as well as the purpose thereof. The deficiency in the research entails that most preachers think they are in close contact with the hearers to sermons and that direct feedback from the hearers is unnecessary. The world in which the spirit, the time the sermon is delivered and the hearers needs towards the sermon, haven’t been researched on a empirical basis in Paarl. Preaching within listeners in the context of the churches in Paarl is in the form of a monologue where the listener sits passively. The centre of the problem statement of this research is the shortage of involvement of congregation members towards the sermon during the worship service. The question under research is whether preaching is still relevant and whether preaching still must take place in the same way that we are familiar with. The purpose of this research is to find out what the hearer considers as relevant preaching and if preaching must still be that prominent in the worship service. In Chapter 2 we look at the world in which we live and the timeline wherein the hearer lives. In Chapter 3 we will look at different hermeneutical approaches to get to a base theory for relevant preaching. This will serve as a conceptual framework for the empirical part of the study. In Chapter 4 we undertake the empirical research. It takes place in the form qualitative interviews which focus on individuals from different churches in Paarl. Information was obtained by means of in-depth interviews preceded by structured interview schedules. As an example, the research found that the majority of believers regard the preaching of a sermon as an irreplaceable element of the church and of one’s Christians life. Chapter 5 reveals the results of a hermeneutical interaction between the imperical research and the preliminary theoretical assumptions. The results that play in towards each other will lead to new or adjusted concepts for a relevant practical theory to guide the praxis in a new direction. This is a regulative activity which confirms the existing praxis and makes us aware of certain adaptations. In this adjusted practical theory there is pleaded for a new emphasis towards the culture and context where preaching takes place. Therefore more often preachers must listen to the hearers voices to create interactivity between preacher and hearer. New communication techniques also need to be taught regarding preaching in a new digital culture. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Practical Theology / unrestricted

Society's attitude towards people with disabilities has changed over time. People with disabilities are a group that historically has been marginalized by society and treated differently. Many have been exposed to various assaults from society such as forced lock-ins, prohibition of marriage and sterilization. People with disabilities are a group of people who have historically been treated very badly in Swedish care, prior to the launch of the Swedish modern disability policy. Towards the end of the 1980s, an investigation was carried out into the treatment of disabled people in Sweden. This resulted in the Convention of the rights of people with disabilities reform of 1994, known as the LSS. The result was to create a fair and equal society for everyone. The LSS reform requires people with disabilities to have good living conditions, equality in living conditions, full participation in community life, an opportunity to live as other members of society, adaptation to individual needs, ease of access, opportunities for independence, good quality of life, respect for the individual's right to make their own decision and maintain their individual integrity and voluntariness.In LSS, the group housing associations meet users and staff and the idea is that the efforts made by the staff should compensate for the obstacles and difficulties that a disability may cause. Researchers describe the relationship between residents and staff as crucial for the success of the LSS goals. With correct implementation they help ensure good living conditions and high quality of life for the residents.In order to find out the reasoning and the principles about the approach to patients within the LSS-agency, the qualitative method was chosen as a course of action. The empirical material was based on semi-structured interviews with six employees within LSS-group homes. As the purpose was to examine the stories of employees regarding the work with the personal treatment of clients, the essay is built upon theories of empathy and communication.

As consumers, we are bombarded daily with companies advertising their products and services. A growing concern is the unethical use of partially-clothed or nude models and their effects on consumers who often are not even actively searching for information about these products or services. No matter the ethical implications many companies choose this method of promoting their products to the general population. Much research has been done to study the effects that these risqué images have on consumers' self-image and feelings, most commonly though, on females. This research focuses on males as consumers and their attitudes towards advertisements and how it compares to the female consumer. Only when we understand the attitudes toward advertisements can we effectively inform our customer of products and services. The purpose of this thesis is to explore males and how their self-image and exposure to images in advertising can affect their attitude towards the advertisement. Through the analysis of consumer surveys completed by both males and females, this thesis evaluates how males feel towards authentic advertisements and compare that to their female counterpart. Evidence shows that a consumer's attitude towards an advertisement has an impact on their attitude towards the brand. By discovering how males' attitudes towards advertisements are formed and comparing that to females' attitudes towards advertisements, this thesis aims to make an impact in the marketing discipline to improve advertiser's knowledge and ability to create advertisements that serve a purpose and are considered appealing by consumers- leading them to purchase.