This thesis is an autoethnography exploring the engagement of records management (RM) through the vehicle of a computer mediated communication (CMC) focused co-operative inquiry. CMC is defined as, “communication that takes place between human beings via the instrumentality of computers” (Herring, 1996, p.81). The PhD stance was that with the advent of new technologies, such as CMC, the role and place of RM has been challenged. RM practitioners needed to evaluate their principles and practice in order to discover why RM is not uniformly understood and also why it fails to engage many CMC users and information professionals. The majority of today’s information is generated as the result of unstructured communications (AIIM, 2005 and 2006) that no longer have a fixed reality but exist across fragmented globalised spaces through the Cloud, Web 2.0 and software virtualisation. Organisational boundaries are permanently perforated and the division between public and private spaces are blurred. Traditional RM has evolved in highly structured organisational information environments. Nevertheless, RM could lie at the heart of the processes required for dealing with this splintered data. RM takes a holistic approach to information management, establishing the legislative requirements, technical requirements and the training and support for individuals to communicate effectively, simultaneously transmitting and processing the communications for maximum current and ongoing organisational benefits. However RM is not uniformly understood or practiced. The focus of the thesis was to understand how RM engagement can and should be achieved. The research was conducted by establishing a co-operative inquiry consisting of 82 international co-researchers, from a range of disciplines, investigating the question, ‘How do organisations maximise the information potential of CMC for organisational benefit, taking into account the impact of the individual?” The PhD established a novel approach to co-operative inquiry by separating, managing and merging three groups of co-researchers (UK Records Managers, UK CMC users, international Records Managers and CMC users). I was embedded as a co-researcher within this wider inquiry personally exploring as an autoethnography the relevance of RM to the wider research question, the ability of RM practitioners to advocate for RM and the co-researchers’ responses to the place of RM within this context. The thesis makes several contributions to the research field. It examines how records managers and RM principles and practice engaged through the inquiry, articulating the reasons why users sometimes failed to engage with RM principles and practice, and what assists users to successfully engage with RM. It was found that national perspectives and drivers were more significant as to whether or not individuals engaged with RM concepts than age, gender or professional experience. In addition, users engaged with RM when it was naturally embedded within processes. In addition, as a result of the inquiry’s discussions and actions, the thesis suggests that RM principles and practice need to be refined, for example in regards to the characteristics that define a record. In this respect it concludes that there is rarely likely to be an original archival record surviving through time given the need for migration. The research delivered a novel approach to co-operative inquiry whereby merging groups through time produced new learning at each merger point. The thesis recommends further research to build upon its findings.

No description available.

Aux cycles supérieurs, le processus de construction du mémoire et de la thèse doit correspondre aux exigences de la démarche scientifique (Green et Macauley, 2007; Green, 2010). Ainsi, les compétences à rechercher, évaluer puis utiliser l’information à bon escient sont fondamentales à la réussite universitaire (Coulon, 2005). La croissance exponentielle de l’information (Head, 2008) et l’augmentation du nombre de documents scientifiques, sous diverses formes et dans de multiples ressources disponibles, rendent la recherche complexe pour la population estudiantine universitaire. Dans cette optique, les compétences informationnelles jouent un rôle important, d’une part, dans les pratiques de recherche d’information et d’autre part, dans l’utilisation de l’information (sélection, évaluation, synthèse et diffusion de contenu). Il s’avère donc incontournable que l’étudiant soit formé à ces compétences afin de mener à bien ses études. L’objectif principal de notre recherche vise à décrire les représentations sociales des étudiants de 2e et 3e cycles des facultés d’éducation d’universités québécoises francophones au regard de leurs compétences informationnelles dans la mise en œuvre d’une démarche de recherche scientifique, et à identifier leurs besoins de formation à cet égard. Pour répondre à cet objectif, nous avons réalisé une enquête par questionnaire (N=268) et une série d’entrevues semi-dirigées (N=54) auprès d’étudiants en recherche de 2e et de 3e cycles en éducation dans quatre universités québécoises francophones (Sherbrooke, Laval, Montréal et UQAM). Les résultats de notre étude indiquent que les besoins d’aide spécifiques à la recherche d’information aux cycles supérieurs les plus exprimés se situent par rapport à l’élaboration de la stratégie de recherche et à l’utilisation des banques de données en éducation, à l’exploitation des résultats, à l’évaluation de l’information et à l’exercice du jugement critique par rapport aux sources d’information. Notre étude a comme principale retombée sur le plan scientifique de contribuer à enrichir et à systématiser l’état de la connaissance en la matière. Elle présente un intérêt direct pour l’avancement de la connaissance en pédagogie universitaire à l’échelon national et international, entre autres, au Québec et ailleurs dans le monde, puisque le problème semble ne pas être localisé au Québec. Sur le plan social, elle permet de faire la lumière sur les représentations et les pratiques déclarées des étudiants aux cycles supérieurs des facultés d’éducation des universités québécoises francophones. Elle explore une dimension cruciale des habiletés requises pour assurer un haut niveau de qualité scientifique, notamment, dans le cadre des recherches réalisées aux 2e et 3e cycles.

In this paper I assess the potential for improvement in the documentation of metal detecting in the Swedish contract archaeology. I then investigate how such an improvement could be achieved. The study consists of three parts. I begin by defining what makes up high-quality documentation of metal detecting. I then use this definition to develop criteria for an assessment system. In the second part I use this assessment system for a quantitative analysis of archaeological archive reports from four of the largest contract-archaeology organizations in the Lake Mälaren area. Finally I report on interviews I have made with representatives from two of the studied organizations to seek possible explanations for the results of my analysis. My study confirms that there is considerable room for improvement in the analyzed archive reports, and sheds light on what parts of the documentation show frequent flaws. The results suggest that information specific to metal detecting is the most lacking, such as the selection of metal indications and fieldwork conditions. But there are also considerable flaws in more elementary information about surveys, which would probably never be accepted if it were a question of more traditional fieldwork methods.

The aim of this research is to investigate factors affecting active participation in Business-to-Business Online Business Communities (B2B OBCs). The primary objective of the study was to develop a framework to better understand the important factors affecting members’ active participation behaviour in B2B OBCs. To achieve the main goal of this research, an integrated framework was developed underpinned by three well known theories: Uses and Gratification (U&G), Social Exchange (SET), and Information Systems Success Model (ISSM). A mixed method approach (partially mixed sequential dominant status design) was employed to answer the research question and achieve the objectives of the study. Accordingly, this study was carried out in two phases. During the first phase an exploratory study was carried out to further explore the framework. For that purpose semi-structured interviews with twelve members of B2B OBCs were conducted. The collected data was analysed using thematic analysis utilising NVIVO and this assisted in discovering another important factor ‘service quality’, which reflected on the moderator’s role inside B2B OBCs. Subsequently, service quality was added to the model. The exploratory study is also helped to develop a new measure for active participation in the context of B2B OBCs as this study was unable to adapt the measure for the construct from prior studies due to the discrepancy in the literature. In the second phase of the study, a quantitative approach (online questionnaires) was employed to test the developed framework. Using non-probability convenience sampling technique, 521 useable online questionnaires were collected from 41 B2B OBCs on LinkedIn. The collected data was then analysed using a second generation approach (SEM) utilising AMOS. During the data analysis, two U&G constructs (functional need and hedonic need) were found to have a positive impact on active participation. Yet, the direct association between psychological need and active participation was not significant. Nevertheless, the construct found to have a positive and indirect relationship with active participation. In addition, two of the SET constructs (reciprocity and affective commitment) were also found to have a positive association with active participation. Trusting beliefs was found to have no direct impact on active participation. Further analysis revealed that the relationship between the two construct was indirect via affective commitment. Furthermore, three factors that were identified under ISSM, information quality, system quality, and service quality, were also found to be the antecedent of trusting beliefs but they did not have a direct impact on active participation. Information quality and service quality were also found to have an indirect and positive impact on affective commitment and active participation. The analysis also revealed that members from different industry types had different participation behaviour in B2B OBCs. The research outcomes made several contributions to the literature. These include a new measure for active participation and service quality. This provides a new validated instrument for B2B OBC researchers to adapt in the future. Further, an integrated model for factors affecting active participation in B2B OBCs was developed. This also provides a foundation for future studies in the field. The final results of this study demonstrate the appropriateness and robustness of the developed model, and further suggests that any attempt to investigate members participation behaviour in B2B OBCs will be incomplete unless all three theories (U&G, SET, and ISSM) are cosnidered. Moreover, this study helped to extend the existing knowledge on Online Community (OC) defintions, OC taxonomies, OC commitment, and OC trust. Finally, the findings of this study propose several guidelines to assist B2B OBC providers to build and maintain successful communities.

Förskolechefer i en svensk kommun skriver årligen kvalitetsrapporter som bl.a. utgör under­lag för återkoppling till överliggande nivå om det gångna årets lokala skolutveck­ling. I beskrivningarna av arbetet med pedagogisk dokumentation har variationer av be­skriv­ningarna pekat på angelägenheten av att analysera beskrivningarna med hjälp av några teoretiska utgångspunkter som pedagogisk dokumentation vilar på. Studiens syfte är att undersöka olika diskurser om lärande som framträder när förskole­chefer i kvalitetsrapporter beskriver arbetet med pedagogisk dokumentation. Frågeställ­ningarna är: Vilka diskurser om barns lärande framträder? Vilka diskurser om pedagogers lärande framträder? Vilka perspektiv på kvalitet synliggörs i de identifierade diskurserna? Vilka maktdimensioner kan urskiljas i de identifierade diskurserna? Kritisk diskursteori har använts som teoretisk utgångspunkt. I analysen har också diskursen om menings­skapande, diskursen om ett förutbestämt lärandeobjekt, perspektiv på demokrati och makt samt docu­men­tality använts som teoretiska utgångspunkter. De perspektiv på kvalitet som har använts är det relativa, det intersubjektiva och det marknadsanpassade. Fem förskolors kvalitets­rapporter har analyserats med Faircloughs kritiska diskursanalys (CDA) som metod. Resultatet visar att de beskrivningar av barns lärande som finns i kvalitetsrapporterna håller sig inom diskursen om meningsskapande, dock olika starkt. Beskrivningarna av de vuxnas lärande rör sig däremot både inom diskursen om meningsskapande och diskursen om det förutbestämda lärandeobjektet. Diskursen om meningsskapande kan kopplas till det relativa eller det intersubjektiva perspektivet om kvalitet. Diskursen om det förutbestämda lärandeobjektet är kopplat till det marknadsanpassade perspektivet av kvalitet. I diskursen om meningsskapande synliggörs barnens makt över de vuxna och verksamheten, de vuxnas makt över dokumentet och politiken samt pedagogernas makt över pedagogisk dokumentation som verktyg. I diskursen om det förutbestämda lärandeobjektet synliggörs dokumentets och politikens makt över professionen. / Each year the principals of preschools in an unnamed Swedish municipality write quality reports about the past year´s local school development. The documents are read and analysed by different levels of the educational administration. In the descriptions of how the preschools work with pedagogical documentation, variations have been identified, which indicate the necessity of analysing the descriptions using some of the theoretical aspects of pedagogical documentation. The purpose of this thesis is to examine different discourses of learning that appear in the quality reports. Four research questions have been used: Which discourses of children´s learning can be identified? Which discourses of adults´ learning can be identified? Which perspectives of quality are visible in the identified discourses? What aspects of power can be distinguished in the identified discourses? Critical discourse theory has been used as theoretical framework, along with the discourse of meaning making, the discourse of predetermined learning, perspectives on democracy and power as well as documentality. The perspectives of quality that have been used are the relative, the intersubjective and the market-adapted perspectives. Five preschool quality reports have been analysed using Fairclough´s critical discourse analysis (CDA). The results show that the descriptions of children´s learning are within the discourse of meaning making, although more or less strongly. The descriptions of the adults´ learning are however both within the discourse of meaning making and the discourse of predetermined learning. The discourse of meaning making can be connected with the relative or intersubjective perspective of quality while the discourse of predetermined learning can be connected with the market-adapted perspective of quality. The following aspects of power are visible in the discourse of meaning making: children´s power over adults and the institution, the adults´ power over the document and the level of policy and finally, the teachers´ power over pedagogical documentation as a tool for school development. The power, which the document and the level of policy have over the teachers, is visible within the discourse of predetermined learning.

In line with the Swedish government's initiative and the national potential for expansion ofsolar electricity, many things will happen over the forthcoming years. Like all operationsrelated to the energy sector, there are many sub-processes that can go wrong. One in everyeighth major electrical accident in general occurs due to technical failures that emerged during commissioning. For photovoltaic systems there are both Swedish and international standards related to manufacture, testing and maintenance. For this project we have chosen to immerse ourselvesin the IEC 62446 - Grid connection photovoltaic system. IEC 62446-1 is specially designedfor grid-connected photovoltaic systems. The standard is an important part in the assurance ofreliability and includes commissioning, monitoring and documentation. This report has been completed together with Solect Power with the purpose of designing aroutine check for commissioning, as well as to compliment Solect Power’s currentdocumentation. The composed documents meets the requirements of IEC 62446 Gridconnected photovoltaic systems - Minimum Requirement, regarding system documentation,commissioning tests and inspection. The report will hopefully facilitate the work of SolectPower so that a smoother workflow can be achieved and mistakes avoided. Compiled documents are presented in the report's appendix.

This study's main purpose is to examine the space children's spontaneous imaging gets in a preschool. I have chosen to focus on two preschool teachers views on their own approach to children's spontaneous imaging and what space they find that it gets in preschool. I have also investigated how this is documented in preschool. As a theoretical approach I adopt Lev S Vygotsky's socio-cultural theories of learning and development. In my essay, I also describe previous studies on children's imaging. I have collected the material through qualitative methods such as interviews of two preschool teachers and through six days of observation divided on two of the preschool departments. The result shows that preschool teachers adult-driven approach characterizes the creative climate of the nursery, which is not particularly allowing in practice, but allowing in theory and preschool teachers thoughts. The preschool teachers approach is significant for how well the child's spontaneous creation capability will be developed or inhibited. Children can come to have a view of his own creation as something insignificant and without meaning if it never followed up in the form of pedagogical documentation or attention. The results also show that children's spontaneous imaging don´t get space in the form of schedule, this is because preschool teachers have a view on the activity as a pastime rather than an educational activity with a clear goal or purpose.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to highlight three preschool teachers and three child nurses’ views on the educational work tool pedagogical documentation and Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, often associated with pedagogical documentation. Preschool teachers and child nurses’ are all employees under the same pre-school director, and works on three preschools located in the same area. The purpose of the selection of respondents is based on highlighting how far the staff describes the concept of educational documentation, and pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, and how far their statements are consistent with each other or not. Questions: The thesis is based on three questions; How does preschool teachers and child nurses’ describe pedagogical documentation? How does preschool teachers and child nurses’ describe the Reggio Emilia pedagogical philosophy? If there are differences between the preschool teachers and child nurses’, what could these mean for the pedagogical documentation in preschool? Method: The study is based on empirical data collected through qualitative interviews. The empirical material is based on six qualitative interviews with three preschool teachers and three child nurses’, who are in an organization which is inspired by Reggio Emilia. Main theoretical approach: The essay consists of three main theories, Piaget, Dewey and Vygotsky. The theories are the basis of the analysis, together with previous research and the six qualitative interviews that are conducted in the context of the essay. Result: The study's results and answers to the questions are presented in the final discussion. Our results demonstrate the difference between preschool teachers and child nurses' perception of what pedagogical documentation means for business, children and staff, and the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy.

This dissertation explores the phenomenon of ways of speaking in the Nanti speech community of Montetoni, in southeastern Peruvian Amazonia, between 1999 and 2009. In the context of this study, a 'way of speaking' is a socially meaningful, conventionalized sound pattern, manifest at the level of the utterance, that expresses the speaker's orientation toward some aspect of the interaction. This study closely examines both the sound patterns and patterns of use of three Nanti ways of speaking — matter-of-fact talk, scolding talk, and hunting talk — and describes each one in relation to a broader set of linguistic, social, and cultural practices characteristic of the speech community at the time. The data for this study is naturally-occurring discourse recorded during multi-party, face-to-face interactions in Montetoni. Bringing together methods developed by linguists, linguistic anthropologists, conversation analysts, and interactional sociologists, this study explores the communicative relations among participants, interactions, situations of interaction, and the utterances that link them all, attending to both the individual-level cognitive (subjective) facets of interpersonal communication and the necessarily intersubjective environment in which communication takes place. In order to disaggregate the multiple levels of signification evidenced in specific utterances, tokens are examined at four levels of organization: the sound form, the sentence, the turn, and the move. The data are presented via audio files; acoustic analyses; sequentially-organized and temporally-anchored interlinearized transcripts; and composite visual representations, all of which are framed by detailed ethnographic description. Nantis' ways of speaking are shown to consistently and systematically convey social aspects of 'meaning' that are crucial to utterance interpretation and, therefore, to successful interpersonal communication. Based on the robust correspondences between sound form and communicative function identified in the Nanti communicative system, this study proposes that ways of speaking are a cross-linguistically viable level of organization in language use that awaits discovery and description in other speech communities. The research project itself is framed in terms of the practical issues that emerged through the author's own experiences in learning to communicate appropriately in monolingual Nanti society, and the ethical issues that motivate community-oriented documentation of endangered language practices. / text