O Design, inserido na complexidade do atual ambiente social, cultural, produtivo e mercadológico se apresenta como uma atividade complexa, o que exige o estudo de estratégias de inovação direcionadas a resolução de problemas de projeto, aplicáveis ao Design de Moda. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo propõe a apresentação de um framework para implementação de estratégias de inovação pelo Design no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos de moda em empresas de confecção do vestuário, valendo-se da abordagem teórico-metodológica de Design Estratégico. Frente a essa proposta de estudo, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida em três fases sistêmicas: Epistemologia do Projeto, Praxiologia do Projeto e Pedagogia do Projeto. A primeira fase compreendeu a realização de uma Pesquisa Bibliográfica sobre o tema com o objetivo de refletir sobre a natureza complexa da atividade de Design sob a perspectiva da cultura de projeto, trazendo algumas abordagens conceituais e metodológicas em Design Estratégico e Design de Moda. A segunda fase compreendeu a realização de uma Pesquisa de Campo e de um Estudo de Caso com o objetivo identificar as práxis de Design adotadas em empresas de confecção do vestuário vinculadas ao Arranjo Produtivo Local Têxtil e do Vestuário (APL Polovest), localizado na região do Alto Uruguai Gaúcho. Inicialmente, buscou-se identificar a presença e as formas de atuação do Design nestas empresas, e posteriormente, diagnosticar a função do Design no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos de moda em três empresas com potencial para implementação de estratégias de inovação pelo Design. A terceira fase compreendeu a realização de uma Pesquisa Ação com o objetivo de implementar estratégias de inovação pelo Design no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos de moda nas três empresas que participaram da fase anterior do estudo. Os resultados obtidos nestas fases da pesquisa permitiram a reflexão sobre a teoria e a prática em Design de Moda, possibilitando a configuração de um framework para orientar a implementação de estratégias de inovação no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos de moda em empresas de confecção do vestuário. O framework propõe a construção de uma nova cultura de projeto nestas empresas, capitalizando um conjunto de conhecimentos em torno da ação projetual, a fim de direcionar à identificação, à análise e a resolução de problemas de projeto, inseridos na complexidade da atividade de Design. Portanto, espera-se que a aplicação do framework possa indicar oportunidades de inovação projetual, tornando estas empresas mais competitivas por meio de suas ofertas, com vistas ao fortalecimento do setor do vestuário na região do Alto Uruguai Gaúcho. / Design, inserted in the complexity of the current social, cultural, productive and market environment, represents a complex activity, requiring the study of innovation strategies directed to solving project problems, applicable to Fashion Design. In this regard, the present study proposes a Design framework for implementing innovation strategies in the development of fashion products in apparel manufacturing companies, drawing on the theoretical-methodological approach of Strategic Design. Given this study’s proposal, research was developed in three systemic phases: Project Epistemology, Project Praxeology and Project Pedagogy. The first phase involved a literature review on the theme, which contemplated the complex nature of the Design activity from a project culture perspective, conveying some conceptual and methodological approaches from Strategic and Fashion Design. The second phase involved a Field Survey and a Case Study, with the goal of identifying the Design praxis adopted by apparel manufacturing companies linked to the Local Textile and Clothing Productive Arrangement (APL Polovest), located in the Alto Uruguai Gaúcho region, southern Brazil. Initially, we sought to identify the presence and proceedings of Design in these companies and, later, to establish the role of Design in the process of fashion products development in three companies, selected for their potential to implement innovation strategies through Design. The third phase involved the execution of an Action Research to implement innovation strategies through Design in the process of developing fashion products in the companies from the previous phase. Results obtained in these research phases supported a critical reflection on Fashion Design theory and practice, as well as the configuration of a framework to guide the implementation of Design innovation strategies in the process of developing fashion products in apparel manufacturing companies. The framework proposes the construction of a novel project culture in these companies, using a set of knowledge capitalized around the project action, guiding the identification, analysis and resolution of project problems inserted into the Design action complexity. Therefore, we may expect the implementation of this framework to reveal opportunities for project innovation, making these companies more competitive through their offerings, with focus on the strengthening of the clothing sector in the Alto Uruguai Gaúcho region.

A compreensão da complexidade do conhecimento e da realidade requer uma educação diferenciada, que promova a interconexão de saberes e a capacidade de resolver problemas provindos dessa realidade. Para isso, é preciso investir na formação interdisciplinar de licenciandos e de professores que auxiliem seus alunos a compreender e a tratar criticamente questões trazidas pela sociedade complexa. Como não existe uma teoria geral da interdisciplinaridade, ou modelos de práticas interdisciplinares a ser seguidos, é preciso que os licenciandos construam seu percurso formativo pelas habilidades de reflexão na ação e reflexão sobre a ação, além do desenvolvimento do pensamento interdisciplinar. Considerando as potencialidades da pesquisa no ensino como eficiente mecanismo de formação crítica docente investigamos as contribuições da pesquisa no ensino para a formação interdisciplinar de licenciandos. Para isso, desenvolvemos um trabalho de Pesquisação junto a doze licenciandos em ciências da natureza no âmbito de uma proposta formativa interdisciplinar, pautada no protagonismo desses sujeitos como pesquisadores de seu ensino e da aprendizagem de seus alunos. O ciclo da Pesquisação envolveu dois grupos estudantes da Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), sendo o grupo 1 composto por licenciandos participantes da disciplina Estágio I e o grupo 2 formado por licenciandos participantes da disciplina Docência em Ciências: cultura escolar e cultura científica. Os dois grupos realizaram pesquisa no ensino à medida que desenvolveram práticas potencialmente interdisciplinares. Enquanto os licenciandos do grupo 1 promoveram sequências didáticas e oficinas pedagógicas durante o estágio, os licenciandos do grupo 2 realizaram oficinas pedagógicas ao final da disciplina. As atividades foram realizadas nas escolas campo e também na universidade. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários, produções dos licenciandos, relatórios de estágio, aulas videogravadas, observação participante e entrevistas. A análise dos dados foi feita por meio de análise de conteúdos e por análise textual discursiva. Os resultados da investigação compuseram dez artigos científicos, apresentados nessa tese. A análise desses resultados indicou que a pesquisa no ensino auxiliou os licenciandos na aquisição habilidades de resolução de problemas e no estabelecimento de conexões disciplinares. / The understanding of the complexity of knowledge and reality requires a differentiated education that promotes the interconnection of knowledge and the ability to solve problems stemming from this reality. For this, it is necessary to invest in the interdisciplinary formation of graduates and teachers who help their students to understand and critically treat issues brought about by the complex society. Since there isn’t general theory of interdisciplinarity, or models of interdisciplinary practices to be followed, it is necessary for the graduates to build their formative course through the skills of reflection in action and reflection on action, besides the development of interdisciplinary thinking. Considering the potential of teaching research as an efficient mechanism of critical teacher training we investigate the contributions of research in teaching to the interdisciplinary training of undergraduates. For this, we have developed a research work with twelve graduates in the natural sciences within the scope of an interdisciplinary training proposal, based on the protagonism of these subjects as researchers of their teaching and the learning of their students. The research cycle involved two student groups from the Federal University of the Valley of São Francisco (UNIVASF), group 1 being composed of graduates participating in the Internship I course and group 2 graduated in the discipline Teaching in Sciences: school culture and scientific culture. Both groups conducted research in teaching as they developed potentially interdisciplinary practices. While group 1 graduates promoted didactic sequences and pedagogical workshops during the internship, group 2 graduates held pedagogical workshops at the end of the course. The activities happened in the field schools and also in the university. We collected data through questionnaires, graduates' productions, internship reports, video lessons, participant observation and interviews. We analysed the data through content analysis and discursive textual analysis. The results of the research comprised ten scientific articles presented in this thesis. The analysis of these results indicated that research in teaching helped the graduates in the acquisition of problem solving skills and in the establishment of disciplinary connections.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2017-09-19T17:50:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BeatrizNascimento.pdf: 1641767 bytes, checksum: 96c673505e2fd7a53e7a1aa2d64320df (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-19T17:50:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BeatrizNascimento.pdf: 1641767 bytes, checksum: 96c673505e2fd7a53e7a1aa2d64320df (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-25 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study aims at evaluating different viewpoints on the concept of (good) practice in nursery schools based on the narrative of the researcher about her formative experiences and with small children, on the narratives of two teachers who work in nursery classes and on the narratives of three elementary school teachers who have already worked in nursery classes, all in institutions of São Bernardo do Campo, SP, apart from scenes observed in a nursery class of the same city. The initial premise was the hypothesis that there is complexity (MORIN, 2015b) in the concepts of (good) practices and that these concepts are related to the conceptions of childhood of the theories and evaluated subjects.In order to understand the substance of this premise, this research was inspired by a mirror-oriented metaphor and based on the methodological approach of Narrative Research (CLANDININ, CONNELLY, 2011).The gazes in the mirror intended to relate, at first, the narratives of the teachers to the concept of childhood in the slant of the sociology of childhood.Thus, this study was also based on childhood reaserchers, such as Sarmento (2004) and Larrosa (2003), on nursery teachers formation, and on the analysis of some documents that rule educational institutions in Brazil.During the research, the position of Moss (2002) regarding the discussion of the concept of quality, or of what isgood in the nursery, was also considered.The gazes in the field text allowed the re-signification of the concept of (good) practices with a look from a new paradigm.The study broadens the horizons of the Emergent Paradigm (MORAES, 2010), proposing gazes of (good) practices in nursery school in the perspective of a paradigm that emerges from the gaze of the child and the voice of childhood as an integral being and that therefore favors practices which are meant to come out as integral / A presente pesquisa buscou investigar diferentes olhares sobre o conceito de (boas) práticas na creche a partir da narrativa da pesquisadora acerca de suas experiências formativas e com crianças pequenas, das narrativas de duas professoras que atuam em turmas de creche e das narrativas de três professoras da educação infantil e do ensino fundamental que já atuaram em turmas de creche – todas em instituições do município de São Bernardo do Campo/SP, além de cenas observadas em uma turma de creche do mesmo município. A problematização da pesquisa consiste no questionamento sobre o que seriam (boas) práticas no trabalho com as crianças pequenas, de modo particular, crianças de zero a três anos de idade. A premissa inicial consistiu na hipótese de que há complexidade (MORIN, 2015b) nos conceitos de (boas) práticas e que esses conceitos estão relacionados com as concepções de infância das teorias e sujeitos investigados. Para compreender a substância dessa premissa, a pesquisa foi inspirada na metáfora do espelho e fundamentada na abordagem metodológica da Pesquisa Narrativa (CLANDININ; CONNELLY, 2011). As miradas no espelho, nesse viés, buscaram relacionar, no primeiro momento, as narrativas das professoras com o conceito de infância no viés da Sociologia da Infância. Assim, o estudo fundamentou-se, também, em autores que estudam a infância como Sarmento (2004) e Larrosa (2003), na formação dos docentes da creche e na análise de alguns documentos que orientam o funcionamento das instituições de educação infantil no Brasil. Ao longo da pesquisa, a posição de Moss (2002) acerca da discussão sobre o conceito de qualidade ou sobre o que é bom na creche, também é considerada. Nos momentos seguintes do estudo as miradas voltaram-se para o pensamento complexo na perspectiva Morin (2015b), ressaltado nesta pesquisa para fundamentar a percepção das práticas das professoras. As miradas dos textos de campo permitiram a ressignificação do conceito de (boas) práticas com um olhar a partir de um novo paradigma. Assim, o estudo finaliza-se nos horizontes do Paradigma Emergente (MORAES, 2010), ao propor miradas das (boas) práticas na creche na perspectiva de um paradigma que emerge do olhar da criança e da voz da infância como um ser integral e que, portanto, favorece práticas que se pressupõem integrais.

Submitted by Noeme Timbo (noeme.timbo@metodista.br) on 2018-02-16T17:03:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 GUSTAVOCOTOMACCI.pdf: 787247 bytes, checksum: f0d8ec0ae8d99aba1f1bc43a5a4d8670 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-16T17:03:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GUSTAVOCOTOMACCI.pdf: 787247 bytes, checksum: f0d8ec0ae8d99aba1f1bc43a5a4d8670 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-06 / The present study, nurtured by teacher formation, aims at sparking initial discussion on the law teaching in undergraduate courses in which law is not the focus. Most of such courses do not offer law teaching in their programs. In the light of such a frame, the challenge of teaching law-oriented issues stands out. The research intends to consider perceptions which emerge from students’ narratives on a twofold basis: (i) through informal conversations and (ii) through questions based on an interdisciplinary task. The students involved in the research belong to a confessional university in São Bernardo do Campo. The law teaching focus on Geertz (2005), Martinez (2008), Oliveira (2004) and, as far as the theoretical foundations is concerned, on Beherens and Oliari (2007), Demo (2001) and Moraes (2012). The Paradigm of Complexity (MORIN, 2014, 2015, 2015a) and the so-called narrative inquiry (CLANDININ; CONNELY, 2015) cast light on the theme under investigation. / O presente estudo, vinculado à linha de pesquisa “Formação de Educadores” do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação da Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, tem como objetivo promover uma reflexão acerca do ensino jurídico ministrado em cursos não jurídicos. Nas matrizes curriculares de uma gama de cursos universitários se tem presente, nem que por um semestre, alguma disciplina que transita no universo jurídico. Diante deste panorama, surge a necessidade de levar a esses alunos, que não fazem parte do curso de Direito, uma linguagem técnica. Para a sua composição, o trabalho busca investigar quais percepções emergem a partir de narrativas de alunos sob dois aspectos, (i) em conversas informais e (ii) por meio de perguntas baseadas em uma atividade desenvolvida de forma interdisciplinar. Os discentes envolvidos estudam em uma Universidade no município de São Bernardo do Campo. O escopo jurídico se sustenta em Geertz (2006), Martinez (2008), Oliveira (2004), e na linha teórica nos fundamentos em Beherehs e Oliari (2007), Demo (2001), Moraes (2012) que completa o trajeto da educação no Brasil. Como sustentáculo metodológico, os fragmentos de narrativa encontram seu alicerce no estudo do paradigma da complexidade com Morin (2014, 2015, 2015a), juntamente com os fragmentos de narrativa à luz de Clandinin e Connelly (2015), que perfazem a chave para abertura de novas compreensões sobre o tema proposto

of doctoral thesis "Computational Homotopy Theory": We consider several basic problems of algebraic topology, with connections to combinatorial and geometric questions, from the point of view of compu- tational complexity. The extension problem asks, given topological spaces X, Y , a subspace A ⊆ X, and a (continuous) map f : A → Y , whether f can be extended to a map X → Y . For computational purposes, we assume that A, X, Y are represented as finite simplicial complexes and f as a simplicial map. We study the problem under the assumption that, for some d ≥ 1, Y is d- connected, otherwise the problem is undecidable by uncomputability of the fundamental group; We prove that, this problem is still undecidable for dim X = 2d + 2. On the other hand, for every fixed dim X ≤ 2d + 1, we obtain an algorithm that solves the extension problem in polynomial time. We obtain analogous complexity results for the problem of determining the set of homotopy classes of maps X → Y . We also consider the computation of the homotopy groups πk(Y ), k ≥ 2, for a 1-connected Y . Their computability was established by Brown in 1957; we show that πk(Y ) can be computed in polynomial time for every fixed k ≥ 2. On the other hand, we prove that computing πk(Y ) is #P-hard if k is a part of input. It is a strengthening of...

Cette thèse porte sur la génération aléatoire uniforme des automates finis et l'analyse des algorithmes de minimisation qui s'y appliquent. La génération aléatoire permet de conduire une étude expérimentale sur les propriétésde l'objet engendré et sur les méthodes algorithmiques qui s'y appliquent. Il s'agit également d'un outil de recherche, qui permet de faciliter l'étude théorique du comportement moyen des algorithmes. L'analyse en moyenne des algorithmes s'inscrit dans la suite des travaux précurseurs de Donald Knuth. Le schéma classique en analyse d'algorithmes consiste à étudier le pire des cas, qui n'est souvent pas représentatif du comportement de l'algorithme en pratique. D'un point de vue théorique, on définit ce qui se produit "souvent'' en fixant une loi de probabilitésur les entrées de l'algorithme. L'analyse en moyenne consiste alors à estimer des ressources utiliséespour cette distribution de probabilité. Dans ce cadre, j'ai travaillé sur des algorithmes de génération aléatoire d'automatesdéterministes accessibles (complets ou non). Ces algorithmes sont basés sur de la combinatoirebijective, qui permet d'utiliser un procédé générique : les générateurs de Boltzmann. J'ai ensuite implanté ces méthodes dans deux logiciels : REGAL et PREGA. Je me suis intéressé à l'analyse en moyenne des algorithmes de minimisation d'automateset j'ai obtenu des résultats qui montrent le cas moyen des algorithmes de Moore et Hopcroft est bien meilleur que le pire des cas / This thesis is about the uniform random generation of finite automata and the analysisof their state minimization algorithms. Random generators allow to conduct an experimental study on the properties of the generated objectand on the algorithms that apply to this object. It is also a useful tool for research that facilitates the theoretical study of the average behavior of algorithms. Usually, the analysis of an algorithm focuses on the worst case scenario, which is often not representative of thepractical behavior of the algorithm. From a theoretical point of view, one can define what happens "often" by fixing a probability law on the algorithm's inputs. The average analysis consists in the estimation ofthe requested resources, according to this probability distribution.In this context, I worked on several algorithms for the random generation of deterministic accessibleautomata (complete or not).Those algorithms are based on bijective combinatorics, that allows to use generic tools called the Boltzmann generators. I implemented those methods in two softwares : REGAL and PREGA. I studied the average complexity of state minimization algorithms and obtained results showing that theaverage case of the two algorithms due to Moore and Hopcroft is way better than the worst case

This thesis uses complexity theory to explore education in the context of a changing curriculum called ‘Opening Minds’. This new curriculum was introduced in the case study school in response to a wider curriculum change which emphasised ‘learning to learn’ and the development of ‘skills for the 21st Century’. In this study, a ‘complexity thinking’ theoretical framework was adopted, drawing especially on the work of Osberg and Biesta (Osberg et al., 2008, Osberg and Biesta, 2007, Biesta and Osberg, 2007) and Davis and Sumara (2006; 2007), paying particular attention to concepts of emergence and complexity reduction. Complexity theory, through the ‘logic of emergence’ offers a challenge to mechanistic approaches to understanding the world which, despite the work of postmodern and poststructural scholars in education, remains dominant in educational practice. The Opening Minds curriculum that is the focus of this case study demonstrated the potential to challenge this mechanistic approach, as the teachers expressed a desire to work in different, flexible and creative ways: this thesis therefore explores complexity theory’s challenge to a mechanistic approach in this particular case. It also addresses the relationship between Opening Minds and science education using complexity thinking. To facilitate exploration and analysis of the case, concepts of temporal and relational emergence and complexity reduction to develop a ‘complexity thinking’ understanding of concepts of agency/structure, power, identity and reflexivity. This entailed reconceptualisation of these ideas in a temporal-relational sense that explicitly incorporates a sensitivity to emergence. Specifically, an additional dimension to Emirbayer and Mische’s (1998) construction of multidimensional agency was added: that of creative agency. The research was conducted as a case study in which a ‘bricolage’ approach to data collection and analysis was used as part of an explicitly ‘complex’ methodology, addressing questions of the challenge of complexity reduction and ethics in research drawing on complexity theory. The findings indicated a challenge for teachers in negotiating tensions as they attempted to adopt approaches that could be considered ‘emergent’ alongside other ‘mechanistic’ practices. These tensions were explored in detail in relation to the concept of ‘reflection’, and in the interaction between science and Opening Minds. Bringing together the empirical and theoretical work in this study, it is suggested that mechanistic and emergent aspects may helpfully be viewed as a ‘vital simultaneity’ within the educational relationship (Davis, 2008) with the interaction between them facilitated by creative agency within a ‘pedagogy of interruption’ (Biesta, 2006). It was further argued that reflection could be used in responsive and flexible ways to support both learning and assessment as a crucial aspect of a pedagogy of interruption. Such a ‘contingently responsive and creative pedagogy’ may support the interaction between science and Opening Minds productively. It is suggested that complex approach to a pedagogy of interruption could support teachers in engaging with the creative and diverse elements of science or learning to learn curricula whilst maintaining the mechanistic aspects of teaching that support students in learning key concepts and skills.

Many learning and inference problems involve high-dimensional data such as images, video or genomic data, which cannot be processed efficiently using conventional methods due to their dimensionality. However, high-dimensional data often exhibit an inherent low-dimensional structure, for instance they can often be represented sparsely in some basis or domain. The discovery of an underlying low-dimensional structure is important to develop more robust and efficient analysis and processing algorithms. The first part of the dissertation investigates the statistical complexity of sparse recovery problems, including sparse linear and nonlinear regression models, feature selection and graph estimation. We present a framework that unifies sparse recovery problems and construct an analogy to channel coding in classical information theory. We perform an information-theoretic analysis to derive bounds on the number of samples required to reliably recover sparsity patterns independent of any specific recovery algorithm. In particular, we show that sample complexity can be tightly characterized using a mutual information formula similar to channel coding results. Next, we derive major extensions to this framework, including dependent input variables and a lower bound for sequential adaptive recovery schemes, which helps determine whether adaptivity provides performance gains. We compute statistical complexity bounds for various sparse recovery problems, showing our analysis improves upon the existing bounds and leads to intuitive results for new applications. In the second part, we investigate methods for improving the computational complexity of subgraph detection in graph-structured data, where we aim to discover anomalous patterns present in a connected subgraph of a given graph. This problem arises in many applications such as detection of network intrusions, community detection, detection of anomalous events in surveillance videos or disease outbreaks. Since optimization over connected subgraphs is a combinatorial and computationally difficult problem, we propose a convex relaxation that offers a principled approach to incorporating connectivity and conductance constraints on candidate subgraphs. We develop a novel nearly-linear time algorithm to solve the relaxed problem, establish convergence and consistency guarantees and demonstrate its feasibility and performance with experiments on real networks.

The world’s coral reefs are being impacted by myriad disturbances, from localized overfishing and nutrient pollution to global climate change-induced temperature increases and ocean acidification. Conservation of coral reefs in the face of increasing variability and uncertainty requires an understanding of the interacting effects of multiple stressors on the diverse components of these vital ecosystems. In this thesis, I use data from reefs around Kiritimati atoll (Republic of Kiribati) in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean to examine the effects of a severe pulse heat stress event and local human disturbance on two important components of the coral reef ecosystem – three-dimensional (3D) structural complexity and reef fish assemblages. Using 3D reef models constructed through structure-from-motion photogrammetry, I examined changes in reef structural complexity in the year following the 2015-2016 El Niño and mass coral bleaching event. I found that exposure to prolonged thermal stress and subsequent coral mortality resulted in declines in reef structural complexity, particularly reef surface rugosity and terrain ruggedness. Baseline levels of structural complexity were also negatively influenced by local human disturbance, while complexity was positively related to the densities of branching and massive coral growth forms. These findings have important implications for the maintenance of healthy reef ecosystems, as high levels of structural complexity are important for supporting diverse reef-associated fish assemblages. Next, using underwater visual censuses of reef fish assemblages, I quantified fish abundance, biomass, species richness, and assemblage structure before, during, and after the 2015-2016 El Niño. Total reef fish abundance, biomass, and species richness declined during the El Niño, suggesting that pulse heat stress events may have short-term, negative consequences for reef fish. Although these metrics did not vary substantially across the local human disturbance gradient, recovery of assemblages following the heat stress event was impeded by higher levels of local human disturbance. Reef fish assemblage structure was influenced by a more diverse array of factors, showing significant shifts in response to heat stress, human disturbance, and net primary productivity. Given the many important roles that fish play on coral reefs, declines such as those observed here may impair the ecological functioning of these ecosystems. Together, my results highlight the negative impacts of heat stress and local human disturbance on coral reefs, demonstrating ways in which these stressors may interact to limit reef resilience in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures. / Graduate / 2019-12-07

This thesis offers a holistic insight into the expectations and experiences of university students in relation to academic feedback. The subjects are a diverse group of first year accounting and finance students in a post-92 university. What is identified and examined here is the lifeworld of a student studying within the current politicalised higher education environment. Many assumptions evident in the literature relating to students' attitudes and feelings about feedback are challenged. The approach adopted to develop this research is based on Layder's (1998) 'adaptive theory' combining existing social theory with my empirical data to identify and reconcile the impact of the observable social world on the lived experience of our students. A student's habitus (Bourdieu, 1977) and prior educational experiences often means she is unprepared for university study which results in a difficult and often painful transition. Building strong relationships with peers and academics is one of the most important components of student success, but many academics are often unaware of the reality of these students' lived experiences, neither are they aware of the possible impact the structures, regulations and overall power of the institution can have on students. This research establishes a link between students' pre-conceived ideas and expectations and their transition into university. Failure on the part of the institution to respond and manage students' expectations can lead to growing dissatisfaction with their academic experience which manifests itself in dissatisfaction with assessment, feedback and other aspects of their early experience. When a young, often disadvantaged student attends university she may already have overcome multiple obstacles: poor schooling; poor housing; limited financial resources; and a general lack of higher education knowledge. This research identifies the vast chasm in our understanding of students' needs and expectations. This study challenges the reliability and usefulness of using a broad range of metrics as proxies for learning, student satisfaction and quality assurance during a period when 4 metrics and benchmarks are being used to shape education. The underpinning rhetoric and ideology which informs political decisions is flawed. The study challenges the current performative approach to providing feedback and measuring effectiveness. Contrary to the classical concept of rational economic man many people's choices are restricted to a simple satisficing1 strategy because their academic ambition is bounded by cognitive limits because they have not had access to all the cultural and social capitals which might have shaped their decisions and prepared them for their university experiences differently. Using Pierre Bourdieu's sociological concepts of habitus, capital and disposition (Bourdieu, 1977a), I reposition assessment and feedback within the wider context of the students' life experiences and identify the limitations imposed on these students, first by their past and then by universities' failure to position their higher education provision within a framework in which these adolescents can develop and grow within a suitable supportive environment which recognises and accepts who they actually are. Such an approach to their higher education experiences will begin to redress the issue of feedback in accounting.