Poor academic performance in science is a problem in the world. Numbers of factors contribute to this academic performance. Secondary school learners, particularly those in grade 10 are experiencing problems in understanding simple electric circuits in Physical Sciences. Lack of exposure to practical work might be one of the factors that contribute to lack of understanding of simple electric circuit and inability to link what they learn in class with the outside world. For that reason, it is the purpose of this study to determine what grade 10 learners’ alternative conceptions in electricity are and to explore the impact of conceptual change model on grade 10 learners using simple electric circuits. The study further highlights a number of issues that lead to poor academic achievements in physical sciences. This study further provides the learning strategy in physical science for learners to improve their learning process of simple electric circuits. Four secondary schools from Mankweng cluster, Capricorn District of Limpopo Province were randomly selected to participate in this study. From these schools a sample of 136 learners of different sex were also randomly selected. Two survey instruments, an open-ended questionnaire and the Simple Electric Circuit Conceptual Test were used to collect data. The data was collected over a period of 3 weeks. Learners (in the experimental group) were taught the same electric circuit topics using Conceptual Change Model (CCM) while Regular Teaching Approach (RTP) was used in the control group. Data collected was analysed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA and ANCOVA. The explanations the respondents gave were analysed using nomothetic and ideographic analyses. Misconceptions were identified as one of the learning barriers. The results from the questionnaire also revealed that learners were willing to learn electric circuits’ concepts but they lacked effective learning strategies and techniques to enhance their academic performances. It was also established that learners could not relate what they had learnt on electric circuit with their daily experiences and that practical work was rarely conducted at most schools. The statistical results showed that when teaching simple electric circuits using Conceptual Change Model, there is equal improvement in academic results across all sexes. There was no significant difference between academic achievements of males and females taught using the Conceptual Change Model. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Poor academic performance in science is a problem in the world. Numbers of factors contribute to this academic performance. Secondary school learners, particularly those in grade 10 are experiencing problems in understanding simple electric circuits in Physical Sciences. Lack of exposure to practical work might be one of the factors that contribute to lack of understanding of simple electric circuit and inability to link what they learn in class with the outside world. For that reason, it is the purpose of this study to determine what grade 10 learners’ alternative conceptions in electricity are and to explore the impact of conceptual change model on grade 10 learners using simple electric circuits. The study further highlights a number of issues that lead to poor academic achievements in physical sciences. This study further provides the learning strategy in physical science for learners to improve their learning process of simple electric circuits. Four secondary schools from Mankweng cluster, Capricorn District of Limpopo Province were randomly selected to participate in this study. From these schools a sample of 136 learners of different sex were also randomly selected. Two survey instruments, an open-ended questionnaire and the Simple Electric Circuit Conceptual Test were used to collect data. The data was collected over a period of 3 weeks. Learners (in the experimental group) were taught the same electric circuit topics using Conceptual Change Model (CCM) while Regular Teaching Approach (RTP) was used in the control group. Data collected was analysed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA and ANCOVA. The explanations the respondents gave were analysed using nomothetic and ideographic analyses. Misconceptions were identified as one of the learning barriers. The results from the questionnaire also revealed that learners were willing to learn electric circuits’ concepts but they lacked effective learning strategies and techniques to enhance their academic performances. It was also established that learners could not relate what they had learnt on electric circuit with their daily experiences and that practical work was rarely conducted at most schools. The statistical results showed that when teaching simple electric circuits using Conceptual Change Model, there is equal improvement in academic results across all sexes. There was no significant difference between academic achievements of males and females taught using the Conceptual Change Model. / MEd (Natural Sciences Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

abstract: As global competition continues to grow more disruptive, organizational change is an ever-present reality that affects companies in all industries at both the operational and strategic level. Organizational change capabilities have become a necessary aspect of existence for organizations in all industries worldwide. Research suggests that more than half of all organizational change efforts fail to achieve their original intended results, with some studies quoting failure rates as high as 70 percent. Exasperating this problem is the fact that no single change methodology has been universally accepted. This thesis examines two aspect of organizational change: the implementation of tactical and strategic initiatives, primarily focusing on successful tactical implementation techniques. This research proposed that tactical issues typically dominate the focus of change agents and recipients alike, often to the detriment of strategic level initiatives that are vital to the overall value and success of the organizational change effort. The Delphi method was employed to develop a tool to facilitate the initial implementation of organizational change such that tactical barriers were minimized and available resources for strategic initiatives were maximized. Feedback from two expert groups of change agents and change facilitators was solicited to develop the tool and evaluate its impact. Preliminary pilot testing of the tool confirmed the proposal and successfully served to minimize tactical barriers to organizational change. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Construction 2011

For students who want to make a difference in college and beyond, involvement in a variety of available leadership positions while in college can lead to gains in many areas-and most importantly, the ability to work respectfully, flexibly, and effectively with an increasingly diverse population. While it is widely acknowledged that leadership qualities and skills are principally learned and developed (rather than inherently innate to the individual), scholars are less certain as to the specific variables and values that result in socially responsible leadership skills among college students. The Resident Assistant (RA) represents a pivotal student leadership role on campus-but it is not the only way for students to assume an influential and skills-building leadership role. Other student leaders (OSLs), encompassed herein under the umbrella title of "peer helpers," include peer counselors, peer educators, and tutors. College and university educators are striving to develop leaders to be effective in an increasingly diverse society through a variety of methods including co-curricular opportunities. The implementation of targeted leadership development opportunities represents another way to meet this goal. The Social Change Model (SCM) of Leadership Development, which consists of seven core value (citizenship, collaboration, common purpose, controversy with civility, consciousness of self, congruence, and commitment), was created to help educate college students by focusing on positive social change through leadership. Given the lack of research examining leadership outcomes from serving in the RA position, this quantitative investigation was designed to compare SCM values in RAs to the analogous values in OSLs to determine if there were differences between the two cohorts with respect to socially responsible leadership. In short, are outcomes associated with socially responsible leadership due to being a student leader in general, or will serving in the RA role be more advantageous in developing those skills? An additional goal was to determine to what degree elements of the Social Change Model (SCM) could predict a student leader serving as a RA or in another role as an OSL. Findings from this investigation were based on responses from the 2012 iteration of the Multi-institutional Study on Leadership (MSL). A careful analysis of the data revealed that the SCM value of "citizenship" was the only one among the seven that could predict a student leader serving as an RA over an OSL; in contrast, RAs did not score significantly higher than OSLs on any of the other remaining six values. Although there is a large body of work related to RA performance, further research is needed to understand the relationship between the performance of student leaders who serve in this role and SCM values. / Ph. D.

<p><strong>Syfte: </strong>Att kartlägga patientgruppen som förskrevs Fysisk aktivitet på Recept, FaR® och hänvisades till friskvårdslots i Uppsala läns landsting under perioden 090701-091231 samt att undersöka eventuell skillnad i fördelningen av kön beträffande förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Vidare var syftet att se om de patienter som avslutade kontakten med friskvårdslots visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet. <strong>Metod: </strong>Patientdata tillhörande patientgruppen (<em>n = </em>193) sammanställdes och kartlades efter insamling av friskvårdslotsar i Uppsala läns landsting. Patienternas förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes av friskvårdslotsen, enligt Stages of change-modellen, i samband med telefonkontakt. Förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet vid första och avslutande telefonkontakt undersöktes hos de patienter (<em>n </em>= 39) som inom tidsramen för detta uppsatsarbete hann avsluta sin kontakt med friskvårdslotsen. <strong>Resultat: </strong>Majoriteten av patienterna i gruppen (<em>n = </em>193<em>) </em>var kvinnor (75,6 %). De flesta var hemmahörande i Uppsala kommun (75,6 %) och primärvården var den enhet som i störst utsträckning hänvisade patienter (63,7 %) till friskvårdslots via FaR®. Träning på gym var den träningsform som flest patienter (30,6 %) föredrog. Av patienterna vars förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes (<em>n </em>= 167) befann sig störst andel i förberedelsestadiet (46,7 %) följt av begrundandestadiet (39,5 %) vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Det förelåg ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad beträffande könsfördelningen i de olika stadierna vid första kontakten. De patienter (<em>n </em>= 39) som avslutades av friskvårdslotsen visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet (<em>P </em>= 0,004). <strong>Konklusion: </strong>Patienter som hänvisades till friskvårdslots via FaR® var till största delen kvinnor och flest patienter förskrevs från primärvården. Förskrivning av FaR® med hänvisning till friskvårdlots ökade förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet.</p>

Syfte: Att kartlägga patientgruppen som förskrevs Fysisk aktivitet på Recept, FaR® och hänvisades till friskvårdslots i Uppsala läns landsting under perioden 090701-091231 samt att undersöka eventuell skillnad i fördelningen av kön beträffande förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Vidare var syftet att se om de patienter som avslutade kontakten med friskvårdslots visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet. Metod: Patientdata tillhörande patientgruppen (n = 193) sammanställdes och kartlades efter insamling av friskvårdslotsar i Uppsala läns landsting. Patienternas förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes av friskvårdslotsen, enligt Stages of change-modellen, i samband med telefonkontakt. Förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet vid första och avslutande telefonkontakt undersöktes hos de patienter (n = 39) som inom tidsramen för detta uppsatsarbete hann avsluta sin kontakt med friskvårdslotsen. Resultat: Majoriteten av patienterna i gruppen (n = 193) var kvinnor (75,6 %). De flesta var hemmahörande i Uppsala kommun (75,6 %) och primärvården var den enhet som i störst utsträckning hänvisade patienter (63,7 %) till friskvårdslots via FaR®. Träning på gym var den träningsform som flest patienter (30,6 %) föredrog. Av patienterna vars förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet bedömdes (n = 167) befann sig störst andel i förberedelsestadiet (46,7 %) följt av begrundandestadiet (39,5 %) vid första kontakt med friskvårdslots. Det förelåg ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad beträffande könsfördelningen i de olika stadierna vid första kontakten. De patienter (n = 39) som avslutades av friskvårdslotsen visade ökad förändringsbenägenhet för fysisk aktivitet (P = 0,004). Konklusion: Patienter som hänvisades till friskvårdslots via FaR® var till största delen kvinnor och flest patienter förskrevs från primärvården. Förskrivning av FaR® med hänvisning till friskvårdlots ökade förändringsbenägenheten för fysisk aktivitet.

Within the university system, student organizations have historically had multiple positive influences on the students who choose to participate in them. This study looked at a particular banner organization in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky. Using the Social Change Model of Leadership Development theory as a backbone, a survey was created to evaluate the impact UK CAFE Ambassador Program has on its participants, as well as to identify avenues for improvement. This is a program that seeks to represent the college through recruitment and to develop student leaders through soft skill building. After surveying current and past ambassadors, there is overwhelming evidence that the UK CAFE Ambassador Program has positively impacted the students whether it was through skills building, networking, or college experience.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / Strategic change within an organisation is inevitable. Due to the competitive global landscape, organisations have to continuously adapt their strategies to remain in the market. Strategy change is most often met with resistance, and more so when the change involves downsizing. The effects of downsizing on employee morale, performance and commitment have been studied by numerous authors and a number of models for strategy change implementation consequently suggested. However, South Africa is faced with very particular challenges when dealing with change, including a high level of unemployment, fierce resistance to change in the form of collective action such as strikes, stay-aways or go-slows, political and social transformation happening simultaneously, global competition and the conflict between social and free markets within an emerging economy. Irrespective of the vast amount of international literature available on change management, there is a distinct lack of literature investigating the impact of strategy change in an emerging economy and a knowledge gap in terms of applying existing change theories in non-Western environments. This study was aimed at determining the impact of strategy change, particularly downsizing, on employee morale, performance and commitment at a global South-African based Telecommunication Company. The objectives of the study was to determine whether employees in South Africa are negatively affected by downsizing, and provide useful information to strategic managers in terms of implementation of strategy change in a South African environment. To determine the impact of downsizing as a strategy change, a questionnaire was designed based on the literature review to ascertain responses to three sections of questions, respectively measuring morale, performance and commitment. A sample of the target population was chosen based on their position/ employment type i.e. management, supervisor or general staff. The results of the empirical study revealed some very interesting points. Although all respondents demonstrated optimism in terms of their morale, performance and commitment, it was found that comparatively, managers are more negatively impacted during times of downsizing. The Telecommunication Company’s structured nature, advances in political and social reform, and solid Training and Development policy shielded the employees from the full negative impacts of downsizing because of their positive core self evaluation. The substantial amount of neutral responses (especially under management) indicated that not all respondents revealed their true feelings, a common characteristic amongst collective people. It also surfaced that even though the majority of responses indicated positive morale and performance, most respondents were considering positions outside the organisation. Based on the literature review and results from the empirical investigation, a model was proposed to assist strategic managers in South Africa with change implementation.

This study explored the implementation of Image Theatre as a means to developing systems thinking in a co-curricular student leadership development program at the University of Victoria. The research question asked: In what ways does the implementation of an arts-based pedagogical approach, such as Image Theatre, illustrate the potentiality for undergraduate students to better understand ‘the bigger picture’ and the interconnections of their intersecting social systems? This inquiry was conducted through an arts-based methodology and used the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (Higher Education Research Institute, 1996) as a theoretical framework for designing the student leadership program. The study was conducted during a workshop in which Image Theatre and graphic recording were used in parallel to trace connections among the characters portrayed by six undergraduate students interested in environmental sustainability. The themes that emerged included the tensions of individuals ‘caught in the middle’, or system’s integrators, and the role of activism. The study’s findings suggest students’ understanding of systems as fragmented units and identifies the potentiality for further research and intentional practice emphasizing the interconnections and relationships among systems within the curriculum. / Graduate / 0745 / 0727 / 0516 / vcortes@uvic.ca

Minority status stress, which is the stress Black college students experience at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) as a result of their racial minority status, has been found to negatively impact their persistence in college. Two manuscripts were developed for this dissertation. The first is a critical literature review which establishes the relationship of minority status stress, persistence, and leadership values within psychological and higher educational scholarship of Black students at PWIs. The paper seeks to clarify the connection between the aforementioned variables as it relates to the Black student experience at PWIs. As minority status stress causes a threat to Black student persistence, leadership conceptualized using the values or the Cs of the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (SCM) were introduced as coping methods Black students have used to increase their persistence and minimize the negative effects of minority status stress. The second article is a quantitative study examining the relationship of minority status stress and persistence employing the Cs of the SCM as mediators in a sample of 340 Black college students. Results indicated that none of the Cs of the SCM fully mediated the relationship between minority status stress and persistence when employed as composite scores. However, when the six individual factors of minority status stress (environmental stressors, race-related stressors, racial-identity stressors, intrapersonal and interpersonal stressors, achievement-related stressors, and minority status stressors) and the 5 factors of persistence (academic and intellectual development, faculty concerns for student development and teaching, interactions with faculty, institutional and goal commitments, and peer group interactions) were employed in a series of multiple mediation analyses with the Cs of the SCM as mediators, there were several instances of full mediation by the Consciousness of Self, Citizenship, and Change values. The findings emphasized the importance of these three values in conceptualizing Black student leadership at PWIs and in understanding the role of leadership in Black student persistence in lieu of minority status stress. Suggestions for future research, implications, and recommendations for student affairs practitioners, other student services providers, faculty, and staff are discussed.