The key purposes of this study were to determine the extent that people purport to utilise critical thinking in educational and organisational settings; second, to examine the forces that encouraged and discouraged critical thinking and third, to identify strategies and environments that encourage and foster critical thinking. The literature examined shows that the use and teaching of critical thinking has been well represented in educational settings. However, upon an initial review of literature within organisations it appeared that the term critical thinking was not commonly used. While critical thinking occurred within organisations it tended to be defined as problem solving and decision making approaches. The model of critical thinking which underpinned this research was that of Stephen Brookfield (1987). Brookfield's model was tested through the design of the methodology. A total of ninety three surveys were completed by students at the University of Canberra from the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Management. Thirteen individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a selection of these students. The data suggested that critical thinking occurred both within educational and organisational environments. One of the main impediments to the use of critical thinking was the availability of ample time and the respondents claimed that they had more time to apply critical thinking during their studies rather than at work. The respondents identified strategies such as brainstorming, role playing and modelling behaviour as some of the approaches that would increase the likelihood of the use of critical thinking at work and study. An unanticipated finding was that individuals applied a different interpretation in the application of critical thinking within organisations compared to educational settings.

Thesis (PhD(Agric) (Horticulture))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / It is a common practise in the Western Cape to use micro sprinklers as the standard irrigation system for apple trees. Over the past forty years much effort has been put into the optimisation of the tree canopy. Less attention has been given to root proliferation, and the question as to whether root stimulation and proliferation, through intensive water and nutrient management, can contribute towards improved tree efficiency and more efficient water use. This is addressed in this study. ‘Brookfield Gala’ apple trees were studied in the Genadendal area near Greyton, in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The trees were planted in Dundee soil (well aerated sandy loam soil) during winter 2003. Both horticultural aspects (tree growth, shoot growth, fruit yield and quality, trunk circumference and root growth) and gas exchange were studied from 2004/5 until 2007/8 under three different water application strategies, namely micro sprinkler irrigation, daily drip and pulsing drip irrigation and using two different rootstocks: M793 and M7. Irrigation under micro sprinkler irrigation was applied once to three times weekly, daily drip irrigation once daily/twice daily, and pulsing drip irrigation one to six times daily. Water use for bearing apple trees was calculated using long-term evaporation data (for Villiersdorp and Caledon) and existing crop factors for apples. Annual nutrient requirements were adapted from literature and divided percentage-wise into the requirements for five different phenological stages. Soil sensors were used to keep plant available soil water between 100% and 50%. A computer software program was used to incorporate all the above mentioned information and calculate the exact amounts of water and nutrients, and the application times. In general, drip irrigation systems used ±26% less water than micro sprinkler irrigation system. Significantly higher fruit yields were obtained with trees under daily or pulsing drip irrigation than those under micro irrigation during 2005/6 and 2007/8. During 2006/7 the crop load was low due to unfavourable weather conditions during flowering, resulting in poor fruit set and no differences in yield. There was a significantly higher number of thin plus medium roots (3mm and less in diameter) in the 0─400mm rooting zone and total root mass at 0─800mm rooting zone under drip irrigation systems than under micro sprinkler irrigation. Brookfield Gala’ apple trees grown under daily drip irrigation and pulsing drip irrigation performed better compared to those grown under micro sprinkler irrigation with respect to CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), water use efficiency (WUE) and leaf water potential. None of the three irrigation systems affected the biochemical efficiency of the leaf significantly, except on a few occasions during the pre-harvest period. This implied that the changes in leaf biochemical efficiency were as a result of both stomatal and non-stomatal effects (temperature and vapour pressure deficit). The removal of fruit at harvest had a great influence on leaf photosynthetic capacity under micro irrigation but less so under drip irrigation systems. Higher chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b concentrations were observed under drip irrigation systems than under micro sprinkler irrigation, implying efficient biochemical efficiency under these systems compared to micro sprinkler irrigation during the post-harvest period. Use of daily drip irrigation and pulsing drip irrigation delayed the process of leaf ageing. This study demonstrated the benefits of more intensive water and nutrient application for apple trees. Improved root proliferation, increased fruit yield and photosynthetic efficiency have been found under drip irrigation system than under micro sprinkler irrigation.

This study examines the use of a digital Critical Incident Questionnaire (CIQ), which was originally developed by Professor Stephen Brookfield, to extract perspectives of students on the lecture/lesson they had just conducted. Three FE colleges in the UK took part in the study and utilised a blog for students to post their comments. Students conducting media production courses at level three and four were the focus groups that submitted approaching two thousand CIQ responses over two academic years. The aim of utilising the CIQ was for a course tutor to receive additional perspectives on their practice and instant on-event feedback, resulting in identifying whether the learners mimicked the course tutor’s perspective. The findings indicate that the other perspectives gathered from the CIQ provided the course tutor with a greater understanding of their practice and assisted them in becoming more critically reflective. Additionally, some CIQ comments were different from the assumptions of the course tutor, which allowed them to adapt the delivery of the programme. Furthermore, utilising the data from the CIQ has identified that some of the comments students provide to the course tutor in-class do not mimic the comments of the CIQ. Moreover, comments received through the CIQ identify that there are also managerial implications, such as the usefulness and reliability of teaching observations, student induction and exit questionnaires. Utilising a blog format allowed students to submit their responses on a variety of digital devices, but some problems remained similar to Brookfield’s carbon paper-based system. There appears to be a definite place for using the CIQ in FE educational practice, and many best practice recommendations are constructed.

Anthropogenic and geogenic sources of arsenic (As) have been identified in mining-impacted soils from the Giant mine (1948-1999), NT and the North Brookfield mine (1886-1906), NS. Both used roasting to extract gold from the arsenopyrite ore, decomposing it to As-bearing iron oxides (roaster oxides or RO) containing As, and releasing As3+-bearing arsenic trioxide (As2O3). Arsenic trioxide is considered highly soluble with the dissolved As3+ species being more mobile and toxic than other oxidation states. Soil profiles from the Giant mine show elevated As and antimony (Sb) at the surface (As=140-3300ppm) and decreasing concentrations with depth (As=22-600ppm). Surface soils contain anthropogenically-derived As2O3 identified using synchrotron methods (µXRD, µXANES) and environmental SEM. The persistence of As2O3 is attributed to Sb in As2O3 grains, dry climate and high organics in the soils. Anthropogenically-derived RO of maghemite (containing both As3+ and As5+) and natural arsenopyrite were observed. Sequential selective extractions (SSE) from surface soils show between 20% and 75% of As extracted in the crystalline iron-oxide phase is attributed to As2O3 and RO, while at depth As is bound by organics in the weaker leaches. North Brookfield mine soils show lower total As (2ppm to 45ppm) except near the roaster (4300ppm). No As2O3 was identified, probably due to the smaller scale and age of the mine, lower organic content and the lack of Sb. As-bearing phases include RO of hematite (As5+), As-rich rims on titanium-oxides, and As associated with clays and goethite. Adjacent to the roaster, SSE show As was also in the amorphous iron-oxide phase, also shown by As in arsenopyrite weathering rims. There are many differences between the North Brookfield and Giant mine soils including roasting techniques which produced different RO mineralogy, the scale of mining, climate, soil type, and the presence of As2O3. Currently, the Giant property is not publically accessible but may become so in the future while the North Brookfield property is accessible. Understanding the form and distribution of As phases is critical because of the potential risk to human and ecosystem health associated with ingestion of soil particles and their control on the total dissolved As in surface and groundwater. / Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-29 17:21:50.73

Bedrock geology of the East Brookfield quadrangle (EBQ), based on new 1:24000 scale mapping, consists of an interfolded sequence of Rangeley Fm. and Paxton Fm. metasediments, intruded by Early Mississippian tonalitic to granitic orthogneisses and underlain in the western half by folded orthogneisses of unknown age. Pervasive flattening strains have created planar, generally NNE-SSW striking and consistent moderately west dipping foliations. Generally strike-parallel stretching lineations and boudinage structures, with rarer dip parallel stretching lineations, reflect extrusion of CMZ metasediments and orthogneisses with a flattening component. Mapping in the EBQ demonstrates that a transition between deformational mechanisms of the southern Central Maine Zone is located there. Evidence for previously mapped faults was not observed during mapping. Alternatively, map scale folds terminating in the East Brookfield quadrangle likely accommodated the across-strike shortening and repetition of lithologic units of the CMZ during Acadian orogenesis. Aeromagnetic patterns and outcrop data approximate a map scale, east-verging and west-dipping, shallowly north-plunging isoclinal fold consisting of interlayered mafic and felsic gneisses. Constrictional and flattening strains documented in the deformation features of the East Brookfield quadrangle suggest that it is located on/near the eastern margin of the zone of transpression approximated by the Bronson Hill gneiss domes. Outcrop- to meter-scale folds with hinge axes sub-parallel to parallel with regional lineations suggest constrictional deformation in a transpressional regime. Deformation features associated with map-scale folding, extrusion/extension, and flattening of CMZ lithologies in the East Brookfield quadrangle support a regime of transpressional deformation caused by oblique convergence of Avalonian terrane with Laurentia. U-Pb ages and outcrop structural relationships suggest that regional flattening and folding was syn- to late-orogenic in nature and Carboniferous or younger in age. All previous structural fabrics are transposed by late regional flattening. Lithologies of the East Brookfield quadrangle exemplify the nature of the Acadian granulite-facies high, displaying a peak metamorphic assemblage of Crd + Grt + Sil + Kfs that has undergone retrograde reactions to produce Bt + Sil. Retrograde metamorphism and deformation occurred during strike-parallel extrusion of CMZ lithologies. Retrograde minerals define kinematic/shear sense indicators that record an overall top to the NNE or ENE asymmetry on vertical faces and dextral west side north on horizontal surfaces. Progressive deformation of CMZ lithologies through transpressional mechanisms is proposed as an alternative to the sequential development of Acadian deformational features in three separate stages.

Abstract Until now, there has not been a performance history of The Merchant of Venice that focuses on Portia, the main character of the play. Although she has the most lines, the most stage time, and represents the nexus of the action, Portia has often been hidden in Shylock's shadow, and this dissertation seeks to bring her into the spotlight. The Portia Project is a contribution to literary and theatrical history; its primary goal is to provide a tool for scholars and teachers. Moreover, because of Merchant's notoriously problematic nature, the play invites different perspectives. By presenting the diverse ways that actors and directors have approached the play and resolved the cruxes associated with Portia, I aim to demonstrate that there are multiple valid ways in which to interpret the text. Chapter one explores the literary criticism of The Merchant of Venice, centering on the treatment of the play's female protagonist. The early twentieth century produced wide-ranging interpretations of Portia, and the last fifty years have seen her analyzed through the lenses of feminism, cultural materialism, psychoanalytic criticism, and queer theory. Having analyzed the literary criticism, I next concentrate on the performance history of The Merchant of Venice, with particular attention to Portia. I then turn to those who have performed the role in a wide-range of theatrical venues. Chapter three features the input of Seana McKenna--star of the Canadian stage and a mainstay of the Stratford Festival in Ontario--who played Portia in a 1989 production. Michael Langham directed in an atmosphere of trepidation over the play's reception and its portrayal of Shylock's forced conversion. For chapter four I interviewed Marni Penning, a veteran of the smaller repertory companies that are sprinkled about the United States. For chapter five I talked to Edward Hall, artistic director of the all-male Propeller Theatre Company, and Kelsey Brookfield, a young black actor who played Portia for the group's 2009 production. By dressing all of the "male" characters alike, Hall de-emphasized the differences between the Christians and the Jews, while Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica were presented not as women, but as men, who have feminized themselves to survive in their harsh environment. Lily Rabe played Portia for the 2010 production of Merchant in Central Park, opposite Al Pacino's Shylock. The production was so successful that it moved to Broadway in October of that year, and Rabe's intelligent portrayal won universal accolades. The Portia Project explores the perceptions of literary critics, theatrical reviewers, actors, and directors, in order to ascertain how representations and expectations of Shakespeare's most learned heroine have changed over the years and to rescue her from Shylock's shadow. By combining the disciplines of literary criticism, theatre, and film, an evolving picture of Portia emerges, revealing Portia's complexity and her centrality to The Merchant of Venice.