Le thème de l’individuation et de la persistance des entités vivantes constitue l’une des problématiques centrales de la philosophie de la biologie. Dans les sciences du vivant, l’organisme représente traditionnellement l’exemple paradigmatique de l’individu biologique. Toutefois, malgré le lien intuitif entre l’organisme et l’individu, la biologie contemporaine a su faire un usage plus large du concept d’individu. Ainsi, la circonscription de ce qui était appréhendé comme appartenant au vivant a été élargie par la reconnaissance de plusieurs types d’individus biologiques, parmi lesquels nous trouvons non seulement les organismes dits « traditionnels », mais également toute une variété d’entités telles que des protistes, des molécules d’ARN, des prions, des virus et des bactéries de toutes sortes. Par ailleurs, cette nouvelle vision de l’individu biologique a été utilisée afin d’illustrer les différents niveaux de l’organisation biologique. En ce sens, la discussion porte principalement sur le niveau – gènes, cellules, organismes, superorganismes, espèces, écosystèmes – où la sélection agit, dans lequel l’organisme, en tant qu’exemple paradigmatique d’individu, peut être considéré comme un simple niveau entre une diversité de niveaux de sélection. Par conséquent, l’extension des limites de l’ontologie biologique a permis, d’une part, d’interroger le concept d’individu en le libérant de la référence à l’organisme, et d’une autre, de relativiser l’importance de l’organisme au sein du discours biologique. Pourtant, nous soutenons que, pour contribuer au développement de la thématique de l’individu biologique, il faut donner voix à un autre discours sur l’individualité, qui émerge des discussions sur l’ontologie des organismes. C’est vers la tradition systémique qu’il convient de tourner le regard, dans le but d’étendre les recherches sur la nature de l’individualité biologique sous l’angle d’une définition renouvelée de l’organisme. Notre démarche suppose d’établir une distinction importante entre deux tendances biologiques à propos du problème de l’individu biologique : l’individu darwinien et l’individu ontogénétique. Dans une approche ontogénétique, un individu correspond à l’entité qui s’autodétermine au cours de son temps de vie individuel. Ainsi, cette position repose sur une conception davantage physiologique, centrée sur l’organisation biologique. / The theme about individuation and persistence of living entities is one of the central issues in the philosophy of biology. In the life sciences, the organism represents traditionally the paradigmatic example of the biological individual. However, despite the intuitive connection between the organism and the individual, contemporary biology has been able to make wider use of the concept of the individual. Thus, the contours of what was apprehended as belonging to the living world has been enlarged by the recognition of several types of biological individuals, among which we find not only so-called "traditional" organisms, but also a variety of entities such as protists, RNA molecules, prions, viruses and bacteria of all kinds. In addition, this new vision of the biological individual has been used to illustrate the different levels of biological organization. In this sense, the discussion focuses on the level - genes, cells, organisms, superorganisms, species, ecosystems - where selection acts, in which the organism can be considered a simple level between a variety of levels of selection. Consequently, the extension of the limits of biological ontology allowed, on the one hand, to question the concept of the individual by releasing it from the reference to the organism, and on the other hand, to relativize the importance of the organism within the biological discourse. However, we argue that, to contribute to the development of biological individuality theme, we must give voice to another discourse on individuality, which emerges from discussions on the ontology of organisms. It is towards the systemic tradition that we must turn our attention, in order to extend research on the nature of biological individuality in the light of a renewed definition of the organism. Thus, we assumes an important distinction between two non-exclusive biological tendencies about the problem of the biological individual: the Darwinian individual and the ontogenetic individual. In an ontogenetic approach, an individual corresponds to the entity that self-determines during its individual life time. Thus, this approach is on a physiological conception, centered on biological organization.

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Faculty of Humanities School of Education PHD 9605681F njabulison@mstp.org.za / Since the 1990s, the corporate concept of learning organizations has been promoted as a solution to problems caused by ever-changing educational reforms and as a model for schools in the twenty-first century. Through an indepth analysis of two South African secondary schools in Gauteng, this study examines how organizational learning is nurtured and sustained, and considers whether and how the concept of learning organizations is applicable in schools. Three perspectives on learning organizations are considered: the normative, developmental and capability perspectives. The investigative framework links theories on organizational memory, organizational learning, organizational change and complexity theory to provide insights into why some organizations are ‘smarter’ than others and why educational reforms and innovations often fail. The study used a multi-method approach, within a nested case design, at two contrasting schools, each facing the challenges of a changing society and education system, but under very different conditions: a state school in a poor informal settlement and a wealthy faith-based, independent school. Research participants included two principals, four heads of departments, ten teachers and fourteen learners. Although learners were included, the study focuses primarily on teachers and school leaders. At each school, key informants were selected from among those acknowledged to have contributed significantly to the school, either individually or as team members. In-depth interviews, as well as teachers’ narrative accounts of their own learning and unlearning, and a variety of schoolgenerated documents provided the data set. Two approaches were used for the stories of learning and unlearning – personal writing and elicitation through narrative interviews. Findings pertain to participating schools, but also provide a basis for more general claims. In ethos, practices and leadership, both schools reflect a deep commitment to improving learners’ lives. However, schools cannot operate as learning organizations unless they can harness individual staff members’ aspirations as well. Internal and external circumstances impeded organizational learning and reciprocal professional commitment among staff. These included: personal problems; an individualistic school learning system with limited social interaction; concomitant anxiety about collaborative professional learning; a value system that favours competition; routine rather than reflective contexts for professional learning and communication; and unacknowledged gender issues. Another feature of a learning organization is a reflective openness to change. Yet both schools strive for stability and conformity to rules, and neither has developed tools for recognizing turning points, disjunctures and triggers for change. Learning organizations emphasize collective learning; yet teachers and department heads are ‘starving’ for personal recognition, especially in cases where they have become multi-skilled in the course of career advancement. The study also analyses complexities of school leadership and resulting trade-offs that have to be made between satisfying the diverse needs of school members and responding to external demands, especially at the level of policy. Overall, the vi study demonstrates that while the related concepts of learning organizations and organizational learning are generative for understanding, structuring and leading schools, the definitive purposes of schools and the external pressures one them preclude a simple transfer from the corporate world.

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Thesis advisor: Patrick J. McQuillan / In a time of increasing accountability, school leaders are besieged with challenges to improve student performance (Cosner & Jones, 2016; Day et al., 2016), build teacher capacity (Beteille et al., 2012; Miller, 2013), and develop a coherent school vision (Finnigan & Stewart, 2009; Hitt & Tucker, 2016) to better meet the needs of increasingly diverse student populations. Unsurprisingly, the stress of these and other challenges has led to a marked increase in principal turnover in recent decades (Snodgrass Rangel, 2018). These conditions necessitate an understanding of how schools navigate transitions in leadership and the impact changes in leadership can have on a school’s ability to meet ever evolving challenges. Analyzing data from a seven-year study using a comparative case study approach (Bartlett & Vavrus, 2017), this paper considers the experiences of three different schools as a single Catholic school principal transitions between the school sites. Drawing on complexity thinking (Goldstein et al., 2011; Lichtenstein & Plowman, 2009), this study explores the extent to which the principal was able to impact each school’s readiness for change through the interconnected processes of distributing authority, creating a common school vision, and fostering trust. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Evolution geography takes a systems approach to the study of evolution. The interconnected systems include: the gravitational and thermodynamic solar system in which the Earth was formed and resides; the cosmic, solar, electrical, chemical, radioactive and thermal energy flows of Earth; the Earth’s ever-changing biogeochemistry; the dynamic geography of the Earth (deep space); the energy gradients of living matter, which have reciprocally shaped and been shaped by their physical environment for at least 3400 million years (“deep time”); and hominid cultures and civilizations and their ramifications for the Earth's surface over at least the last 60,000 years. We humans are largely unaware of our place or time of evolutionary appearance on Earth. We have had a growing impact on Earth over the last seven centuries. Our over-reliance on reductionism affects the search for knowledge, proliferates and distorts worldviews extrapolated from within narrow disciplines, stifles debate and suppresses novel hypotheses. Data must be mapped into history and context where it can be challenged by other fields, be seen in the context of the evolution of the dynamical Earth system (Gaia). Can humanity trust any worldview to be the basis of good judgment absent the context of Gaia? The evidence is obvious and overwhelming that the answer is “no”.

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This study evaluated the possible influence of linguistic demands on speech motor control by measuring articulatory movement stability during conditions of increasing grammatical complexity. There were 60 participants in three age groups: 20-30 years, 40-50 years, and 60-70 years, with equal numbers of men and women in each group. These speakers produced 10 repetitions of five different sentence or phrase conditions. These five conditions included two baseline measurements and three sentences of varying complexity. Each complexity condition had an MLU count of 23, word length of 17, syllable length of 25, and contained the phrase open boxes of pompoms. Complexity was measured by node-count and grammatical structure. Lower lip movements during production of the target phrase were used to compute the spatiotemporal index (STI), a measure of lip movement stability over 10 repetitions. It was predicted that STI would be lower (indicating greater stability) in the baseline and low complexity conditions. Comparison of complexity conditions against the baseline-counting condition demonstrated significant differences in the upper lip's STI, displacement, and velocity, as well as in vocal intensity. Speech motor differences between the grammatical complexity levels were minimal and could be attributed to several factors, such as speaking rate or semantic differences. An unexpected finding of this study was the influence of age on speech production. Participants from the 60 year-old group had significantly longer utterance duration, while those from the 20 year-old group had the highest lower lip and jaw STI values. These findings suggest that speech motor control matures even beyond young adulthood and that linguistic complexity does not appear to have a consistent effect on speech movement variables.

Effective Scenario-Based Training (SBT) is sequenced in an efficient trajectory from novice to mastery and is well-grounded in pedagogically sound instructional strategies and learning theory. Adaptive, automated SBT attempts to sequence scenarios according to the performance of the student and implement the sequence without human agency. The source of these scenarios may take the form of a matrix constructed by Instructional Systems Designers (ISD), software engineers or trainers. The domain being instructed may contain procedures or concepts that are easily differentiated thus allowing quick and accurate determination of difficulty. In this instance, the sequencing of the SBT is relatively simple. However, in complex, domain-integrated instructional environments accurate and efficient sequencing may be extremely difficult as ISD, software engineers and trainers, without an objective means to calculate a scenario*s complexity must rely on subjectivity. In the Military, where time, fiscal and manpower constraints may lead to ineffective, inefficient and, perhaps, negative training SBT is a growing alternative to live training due to the significant cost avoidance demonstrated by such systems as the United States Marine Corps* (USMC) Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A1) Advanced Gunnery Training System (AGTS). Even as the practice of simulation training grows, leadership such as the Government Accountability Office asserts that little has been done to demonstrate simulator impact on trainee proficiency. The M1A1 AGTS instructional sub system, the Improved Crew Training Program (ICTP), employs an automated matrix intended to increase Tank Commander (TC) and Gunner (GNR) team proficiency. This matrix is intended to guide the team along a trajectory of ever-increasing scenario difficulty. However, as designed, the sequencing of the matrix is based on subjective evaluation of difficulty, not on empirical or objective calculations of complexity. Without effective, automated SBT that adapts to the performance of the trainee, gaps in combat readiness and fiscal responsibility could grow large. In 2010, the author developed an algorithm intended to computationally define scenario complexity (Dunne, Schatz, Fiore, Martin & Nicholson, 2010) and conducted a proof of concept study to determine the algorithm*s effectiveness (Dunne, Schatz, Fiore, Nicholson & Fowlkes, 2010). Based on results of that study, and follow-on analysis, revisions were made to that Scenario Complexity (SC) algorithm. The purpose of this research was to examine the efficacy of the revised SC algorithm to enable Educators and Trainers, ISDs, and software engineers to objectively and computationally define SC. The research process included a period of instruction for Subject Matter Experts (SME) to receive instruction on how to identify the base variables that comprise SC. Using this knowledge SMEs then determined the values of the scenarios base variables. Once calculated, these values were ranked and compared to the ICTP matrix sequence. Results indicate that the SMEs were very consistent in their ratings of the items across scenario base variables. Due to the highly proceduralized process underlying advanced gunnery skills, this high degree of agreement was expected. However, the significant lack of correlation to the matrix sequencing is alarming and while a recent study has shown the AGTS to increase TC and GNR team proficiency (PM TRASYS, 2014a), this research*s findings suggests that redesign of the ICTP matrix is in order.

The main drivers for this research are the complexities associated with the project management and an organization's project management style in dealing with these complexities. This research aims to demonstrate that alignment between project complexity and project management style increases project performance and decreases project issues, and also, with increased project issues, project performance deteriorates. In order to test these claims, this research developed measures for assessing project complexity, project management styles and project issues by employing a survey of project management professionals. The measure for project complexity is based on a taxonomy with four categories: organizational complexity, product complexity, methods (process) complexity and goal complexity. Project management style is defined as the management paradigm that guides the managers of an organization in perceiving and dealing with management problems. The measure for project nagement style is based on the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle and the Newtonian and complexity paradigms. Also the measures for project issues are developed after an extensive content analysis on the literature on project issues, risks and success factors. A self-administered survey instrument (paper-based and on-line) with 40 questions (seven point Likert scale) was utilized. The respondents were the project management professionals from different industries in the Central Florida region. Each respondent was asked to answer questions for two different kinds of projects: a successful project and a challenged project. Based on the data collected by the survey instrument, the results of confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses provide strong evidence that the final measures for project technology complexity, project management styles, project issues and project performance have adequate validity and reliability. Results of the hypothesis tests demonstrate that increased alignment of project complexity and project management style leads to increased project performance and decreased project issues, and also increased project issues leads to project decreased performance. From the perspective of project management, the results of this study have illustrated the importance of aligning a project's complexity and management style. These results suggest that project or program managers can improve the performance of their projects by any attempt to increase the alignment between project complexity and project management style. Project management professionals and theoreticians can use the methodologies provided in this dissertation to assess project complexity, project management style and alignment.