Compared to other subjects, Learning Area Technology teaching is a relatively new knowledge area world-wide, especially in the South African school curriculum, and it consequently presents new challenges. One of these challenges is the fact that no previous tertiary training programmes exist for the Learning Area Technology; thus new ones have to be developed. Since limited research has been done regarding Learning Area Technology teaching, teachers of Technology are forced to base their professional teaching and learning practices on approaches from other fields of knowledge and adapt these. This is not necessarily ideal for Learning Area Technology teaching in the South African context. The following question can thus be posed: To which extent do existing pre-service training programmes develop the essential competences and skills required for the effective teaching of the Learning Area Technology? Against the background of this overarching aim of the study, this research attempted to find answers to the following research questions: • What are the competences a qualified Learning Area Technology teacher should possess? • What is the nature of Learning Area Technology teacher training in South Africa? • What is lacking in training programmes for pre-service Learning Area Technology teachers in South Africa? To provide answers to these questions, a literature study as well as an empirical study was conducted. To achieve the aim of the empirical study a phenomenological approach was applied in executing an exploratory qualitative study. A random sample was drawn from available tertiary institutions training pre-service Technology teachers in the Learning Area Technology. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with lecturers to enable the researcher to comprehend and interpret experiences and realities in terms of the research question. Findings from the literature study on the competences a qualified technology Teacher should possess indicate that a Technology teacher, upon completion of studies, should posses the following competences to present the Learning Area Technology as a subject specialist: indepth subject knowledge of the various knowledge areas for the Learning Area Technology; suitable pedagogical content knowledge to be able to transform technological knowledge to teachable matter; technological skills in technological processes and techniques; and positive values and attitudes which can be integrated successfully during various learning opportunities. It is also imperative that pre-service Learning Area Technology teachers possess knowledge of appropriate teaching strategies to accomplish critical, creative and problem-solving skills among learners. The empirical research was aimed at establishing the nature of pre-service training programmes in South Africa, as well as identifying shortcomings in the training of pre-service Technology teachers. Data analyses regarding the nature of pre-service training of Learning Area Technology teachers-.enabled the researcher to identify particular shortcomings in preservice training programmes in South Africa. The following shortcomings were identified: insufficient subject knowledge and technological subject skills; limited subject specific pedagogical knowledge; lack of real life situations in learning opportunities; and a lack of modelling of teaching strategies during facilitation of the Learning Area Technology. Based on the findings of the research which was also related to the literature, specific recommendations were made in order to improve the quality of pre-service training for the Learning Area Technology. Recommendations on the identified shortcomings include the following: the training of Learning Area Technology teachers as subject specialists by establishing standards appropriate for tertiary training in order to enhance the development of subject knowledge; the development of subject specific pedagogical content knowledge by implementing micro lessons; revision of time planning and facilities for the practising of technological skills; and sufficient opportunities to practise, analyse and reflect on teaching processes to develop proper and appropriate teaching strategies. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010

The subject of the „The project proposal for building an ISP network“ thesis is the analysis of a current state of internet connectivity in a city of Komarno as well as a project proposal of a new network infrastructure for an internet service provider. The analysis consists of the current state of infrastructure and a possibilities of building new ISP network infrastructure. This thesis also contains brief summary of a required technologies and a description of project management, including project risk analysis, time schedule and cost calculation.

Aus der Einleitung: "Arbeitsabläufe werden in der Regel durch eine jahrzehntelange Praxis geprägt. Eine Vielzahl von individuellen Gewohnheiten und Aspekten bildet oft eine hermetische Abgrenzung gegenüber allen Versuchen, organisatorische Veränderungen herbeizuführen. Dies gilt in besonderem Maße für die Konstruktion. Die unvoreingenommene Betrachtung heutiger Konstruktionsabläufe lässt uns feststellen, dass der Arbeitsprozess an sich seit Anbeginn vor vielen tausend Jahren fast unverändert geblieben ist. Abgesehen von einer Reihe mehr oder weniger voneinander isolierter Computer-Aided Software-Tools, die den Konstrukteur bei der Modellierung, Simulation und Datenspeicherung unterstützen, bekommt er keine weiteren Hilfestellungen. Eine Ausnahme bilden hier automatisierte Verfahrensketten, die auf der Basis fest definierter Produktmodelle in parametrisierten Verfahren Fertigungsunterlagen automatisch erstellen können. Prozessorientiert sind auch neuere Benutzeroberflächen zur Kopplung von Simulationsanwendungen. Hiermit können Anwendungen über mehrere Softwareapplikationen hinweg geschaffen werden (ModelCenter, modeFrontier). Das Wissensmanagement hingegen ist so gut wie gar nicht in die Abläufe integriert, lässt man die Fülle der Freigabeprozeduren einmal außen vor."

At the moment, in the daily health care for horses there is a lack of technical aids for private use. As a horse owner you need to physically palpate the horse’s limbs to detect signs of injury and lameness. It is difficult and the signs are usually vague and hard to distinguish. Technology and interaction design could be the solution to this problem. The related research this paper builds on are: clinical complementary diagnostic methods for lameness diagnosis, wearable health monitor systems for humans and smart textiles on horses. The question this paper tries to answer is: How to develop and design a prototype of a product that is an aid for horse owners to document and better understand changes in surface temperature of the horse’s fetlock? To answer this question a user-centered design process was used. A survey, expert domain interview, design and development of a prototype, two different user testings’ and a design workshop. The result is a prototype of a palpating aid called EquumTemp. It is used by the horse owner as a second opinion on the status of their horse fetlock temperature. EquumTemp measures, stores and documents surface temperature of the fetlock. The prototype was tested by the author for 2 weeks and by three different potential users. The knowledge gained from the project resulted in defined product requirements. / Just nu, i den dagliga vården för hästar finns det en brist på tekniska hjälpmedel för privat bruk. Som hästägare måste du fysiskt palpera hästens ben för att upptäcka tecken på skador och hälta. Det är svårt och tecknen är oftast vaga och svåra att urskilja. Teknik och interaktionsdesign kan vara lösningen på detta problem. Relaterad forskning som denna rapport bygger på är: kliniska diagnostiska metoder för att diagnostisera hälta, monitorsystem för att övervaka människors hälsa och smarta textilier på hästar. Frågan denna rapport försöker besvara är: Hur man utvecklar och designar en prototyp av en produkt som är ett hjälpmedel för hästägare att dokumentera och bättre förstå förändringar i yttemperatur av hästens kotled? För att besvara denna fråga användes en användarcentrerad designprocess. En användarundersökning, expert domän intervju, design och utveckling av en prototyp, två olika användartestningar och en designworkshop. Resultatet är en prototyp av ett palperingshjälpmedel som kallas EquumTemp. Den används av hästägaren för att mäta hästens hud temperatur runt kotan. EquumTemp mäter, lagrar och dokument yttemperaturen runt kotan. Prototypen testades av författaren i 2 veckor och av tre olika potentiella användare. Kunskapen från projektet resulterade i definierade produktkrav.

The Higher Education Institution and the Construction Industry are yet to define the most appropriate and effective design parameters for E-learning spaces. Those which exist, focus mainly on cost, budget and timely delivery i.e. the process only not the product. An effective approach to E-learning space design is needed to address the problems of space efficiency, effectiveness, quality, innovativeness, performance and client satisfaction. This study aimed to develop a novel methodology for e-learning space design, by investigating: the impact of e-learning on facilities and design; the impact of e-learning on the design of future spaces; the impact of blended learning on space design; designing for the learn anytime, anywhere paradigm; security issues of e-learning and e-learning space design, the levels of design risk in an e-learning infrastructure and inclusive design issues. A Grounded theory approach was used during initial desk studies, synchronized with a three part forum and pilot survey of 33participants. From this process, two hypotheses emerged; firstly, e-learning space design could affect users‘ learning outcomes and secondly that; user‘s learning requirements were different and varied. To investigate further, site based analyses of 11 HEI‘s, 10 interviews and subsequently a questionnaire survey was administered. Users‘ and stakeholders requirements and good examples of e-learning space design were identified. Data were analysed using a mixed-method research design approach. Three main constructs, Space design, Technology and the E-learning Space Design research focus (ELSD focus), emerged as significant components in the development of a novel framework for the design of e-learning spaces. The relationship between the components is such that the design of spaces with consideration of the ELSD research focus would ensure the effective identification, interpretation and delivery of users‘ requirement while maximising the benefits of the adoption of appropriate technology within HEI facilities. This was therefore proposed as the realistic framework/model for future design of E- learning Spaces in HEI campuses. The framework was adapted into a conceptual design guide to provide guidance for future space design. It is expected the study will support the HEI sector globally as it moves towards achieving best practice solutions to future E-learning space design in HEI campuses.

La technologie CMOS à base de Silicium complètement déserté sur isolant (FDSOI) est considérée comme une option privilégiée pour les applications à faible consommation telles que les applications mobiles ou les objets connectés. Elle doit cela à son architecture garantissant un excellent comportement électrostatique des transistors ainsi qu'à l'intégration de canaux contraints améliorant la mobilité des porteurs. Ce travail de thèse explore des solutions innovantes en FDSOI pour nœuds 20nm et en deçà, comprenant l'ingénierie de la contrainte mécanique à travers des études sur les matériaux, les dispositifs, les procédés d'intégration et les dessins des circuits. Des simulations mécaniques, caractérisations physiques (µRaman), et intégrations expérimentales de canaux contraints (sSOI, SiGe) ou de procédés générant de la contrainte (nitrure, fluage de l'oxyde enterré) nous permettent d'apporter des recommandations pour la technologie et le dessin physique des transistors en FDSOI. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons étudié le transport dans les dispositifs à canal court, ce qui nous a amené à proposer une méthode originale pour extraire simultanément la mobilité des porteurs et la résistance d'accès. Nous mettons ainsi en évidence la sensibilité de la résistance d'accès à la contrainte que ce soit pour des transistors FDSOI ou nanofils. Nous mettons en évidence et modélisons la relaxation de la contrainte dans le SiGe apparaissant lors de la gravure des motifs et causant des effets géométriques (LLE) dans les technologies FDSOI avancées. Nous proposons des solutions de type dessin ainsi que des solutions technologiques afin d'améliorer la performance des cellules standard digitales et de mémoire vive statique (SRAM). En particulier, nous démontrons l'efficacité d'une isolation duale pour la gestion de la contrainte et l'extension de la capacité de polarisation arrière, qui un atout majeur de la technologie FDSOI. Enfin, la technologie 3D séquentielle rend possible la polarisation arrière en régime dynamique, à travers une co-optimisation dessin/technologie (DTCO). / The Ultra-Thin Body and Buried oxide Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator (UTBB FDSOI) CMOS technology has been demonstrated to be highly efficient for low power and low leakage applications such as mobile, internet of things or wearable. This is mainly due to the excellent electrostatics in the transistor and the successful integration of strained channel as a carrier mobility booster. This work explores scaling solutions of FDSOI for sub-20nm nodes, including innovative strain engineering, relying on material, device, process integration and circuit design layout studies. Thanks to mechanical simulations, physical characterizations and experimental integration of strained channels (sSOI, SiGe) and local stressors (nitride, oxide creeping, SiGe source/drain) into FDSOI CMOS transistors, we provide guidelines for technology and physical circuit design. In this PhD, we have in-depth studied the carrier transport in short devices, leading us to propose an original method to extract simultaneously the carrier mobility and the access resistance and to clearly evidence and extract the strain sensitivity of the access resistance, not only in FDSOI but also in strained nanowire transistors. Most of all, we evidence and model the patterning-induced SiGe strain relaxation, which is responsible for electrical Local Layout Effects (LLE) in advanced FDSOI transistors. Taking into account these geometrical effects observed at the nano-scale, we propose design and technology solutions to enhance Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and digital standard cells performance and especially an original dual active isolation integration. Such a solution is not only stress-friendly but can also extend the powerful back-bias capability, which is a key differentiating feature of FDSOI. Eventually the 3D monolithic integration can also leverage planar Fully-Depleted devices by enabling dynamic back-bias owing to a Design/Technology Co-Optimization.

This thesis deals with the basic principles of the functioning of the technology of generative design, using the method of topology optimization and finding their potential with the capabilities of the application in the field of furniture design. The main outcome is a functional prototype of a low relaxing chair, which specific construction is designed using the method of topology optimization.

This thesis specifically focuses on the professional practices and training of Western industrial designers using postcolonial theory to inform working practices in a complex global ecology. It investigates the culturally hegemonic construction of design solutions in man-made products. By adopting key ideas from postcolonial and cultural studies as a lens to evaluate fields of industrial design discourse, practice and pedagogy, the work proceeds from the premise that design is not intrinsic to a product but the result of a myriad different forces and factors acting on it externally including hegemonic potencies. By reinterpreting technological formations in light of research emerging from post-colonial studies, it attempts to broaden our intellectual understanding of how product design in theory, practice and education can often rely upon western [hegemonic] aesthetic and deep cultural archetypes. The purpose of this enquiry is to highlight the potentials that exist to explore a synergy between east and west in industrial design with a prospective vision for global, trans-cultural design. The research claims that current design practice often leads to culturally determined - rather than universal - conceptions in design and it attempts to re-conceptualise design as practice within a necessarily hegemonic culture. This hegemony needs to be acknowledged and redressed via increased awareness and changes to the intellectual heritage and autonomy of West European and American industrial design, in its dialogue, practice and education. As an epistemological project to identify knowledge within this discourse, it suggests new methodological and strategic approaches to engage with the crisis the discipline faces in light of globalisation so as to open up future discussions in design discourse and give a voice to the many silences that make up the noise of the world. It attempts to: • Further understand the trajectory of hegemony and globalisation in relation to design, technology and culture. • Critically engage with cross- and trans-cultural, global and social design implications. • Address the discrepancies between designers’ culture and users’ culture, to expose the necessity for more culturally-cognizant design practice and pedagogic provision. The research was initiated by identifying a number of questions that designers and users may consciously or subconsciously confront when faced with products that problematise the imagined universal values of designed products in terms of gender and culture. It explores how certain design solutions produced and developed in the west and their diffusion into global, international markets and foreign cultures could affect those cultures by asking in what ways the usability, aesthetic and symbolic characteristics of these artefacts often unwittingly contribute to the privilege or marginalisation of people from particular socio-cultural backgrounds. The thesis intervention is that product designers are neither explicitly trained to comprehend nor surmount their respective cultural constraints and design education both nationally and internationally is not sufficiently equipped with the tools to acknowledge and confront this. The key arguments presented in this thesis are: 1. Products can often be deconstructed to identify cultural connotations or omissions in their design. 2. Global, a-cultural design and universal usability are fallacies that frequently deny the existence of an underlying cultural hegemony at play. 3. Mass-produced products can gradually homogenise and eradicate cultural diversity contributing to the negative effects of colonialist attitudes and/or globalisation. 4. Academia and educational institutions have the potential to extend awareness in this field to inform and train future designers and graduates to better advance design obligations in global, trans-cultural, cross-cultural and multicultural contexts.

Denna studie undersöker den möjliga förändring som kommer ske när 3D-simulering som arbetssätt får ta en allt större plats i en textil produktframtagningsprocess. Detta genom att besvara om det finns en marknad och ett intresse för ett förändrat arbetssätt. Undersöka vilka för- och nackdelar ett arbetssätt av implementerad 3D har. Samt utforska hur branschens yrkesroller kommer påverkas av detta. Situationen av COVID-19 har påvisat hur sårbar en produktframtagningsprocess på andra sidan jorden är i en global kris och därmed har intresset för ett arbetssätt av 3D ökat. Studien bedrivs med en abduktiv metod av kvalitativa undersökningar i form av fokusgrupp och intervjutillfälle. Rapportens resultat påvisar att marknaden är öppen och angelägen för ett nytt arbetssätt i form av 3D-baserad produktutveckling. COVID-19 har varit en bromskloss för många företag inom textilbranschen vilket har lett till ett ökat intresse och öppenheten för implementeringen av 3D. Efterfrågan och intresset av 3D-kompetens ses även på de utbildningar i programvaran CLO3D som redan från första terminsstart drevs med överfulla klasser. Implementerad 3D ses som det nya och framtida sätt att uppnå en mer effektiv och lättlöpande arbetsprocess. / This study examines the possible change that will take place when 3D-simulation will take a major place in a textile product development process. This by answering whether there is a market for a changed way of working. Investigate the advantages and disadvantages of an implemented 3D approach. And explore how the industry's professional roles will be affected by it. COVID-19 has shown how vulnerable a product development process on the other side of the world becomes in a global crisis and because of that the interest of 3D has increased. The study is conducted with an abductive method of qualitative research methods in the form of a focus group and an interview. The report's results show that the market is open for a new way of working in the form of implement 3D. The prevailing pandemic has led to a more open sight for implementing 3D. The demand and interest in 3D-competence has also been seen in the course of CLO3D software that from the first semester start with overfull classes. Implemented 3D is seen as the new way to achieve a more efficient and flexible work process.