Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-131). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Indiana University of Pennsylvania. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Harvard University, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references.

Texte remanié de: Th. Ph.D--University of Dehli. / Notes bibliogr. Index.

Georgia Charter School Act of 1998 intends to increase student achievement through academic and organizational innovations, and increased flexibility granted to charter schools. With the legislative intent in mind, the primary purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which student achievement in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools differ across the Georgia start-up charter schools and charter system schools as measured by the achievement, progress, and achievement gap scores of 2014 Georgia’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). The data set, which is publicly available on the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement website and Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) website, includes 87 start-up charter schools and 265 charter system schools in operation during the school year 2013-14 as reported by the GADOE Office of District Flexibility and Governmental Affairs. Informed by the legislative intent for the Georgia charter school law, the review of the literature conducted for this study examined innovations and increased autonomy in charter schools followed by the student achievement studies involving charter schools across the nation. The method of Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed to analyze the data, following the selection of the sample through propensity score matching procedure. The Factorial ANOVA procedure revealed no significant differences between the mean scores for charter system schools and start-up charter schools as far as the achievement, progress, and achievement gap components of the 2014 CCRPI are concerned. This result led to the conclusion that start-up charter schools and charter system schools fulfill their legislative obligation of increasing student achievement to a similar extent. This study contributes to the policy and political dialog surrounding charter schools. Results from the analysis will: (a) reveal which type of charter school fulfills statutory obligations of increasing student achievement more effectively, (b) inform legislators in adopting new laws or revising current laws regarding school choice options, (c) help leaders of charter systems decide whether to introduce or expand start-up charter school offerings in their district portfolios, and (d) help parents choose the best school option among those available.

Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Deforestation in Malawi is said to reach 2.3% per annum and negatively affects agricultural production, the backbone of the country's economy. High dependence on indigenous wood for sale as fuelwood or charcoal by rural communities due to poverty largely contributes to this deforestation. Women and children suffer most because they spend more time collecting firewood than men, affecting other activities like child-care and education. The study, aimed at investigating ways to alleviate deforestation by increasing rural people's economic benefits from non-destructive indigenous fruit utilisation, was conducted in Mwanza District from February to June 2001. The district's customary forests which contain a wide variety of wild fruit species are currently deforested due mainly to charcoal production. Five out of 16 villages facing deforestation were randomly chosen by the lottery method. Group, individual and key informant interviews focused on the utilisation of preferred fruit species by communities while participatory resource assessment was used to determine availability and distribution of fruit trees. A market survey to assess fruit trade in the country was conducted in Balaka, Blantyre, Mangochi, Mwanza and Zomba Districts in early June 2001. Twenty-six wild fruit species were found to be utilised by villagers in the study area but Adansonia digitata (Baobab) was the most commonly found near villages and the most preferred fruit by 90% of respondents. Other preferred species were Tamarindus indica (Tamarind), Diospyros kirkii, Flacourtia indica and Vangueria infausta. Most fruit trees except for baobab were found to be of small size classes because of being young stems regenerating while others were shrubs. The poor largely depended on fruit as a meal and for sale. Mainly children and women sold baobab and tamarind within the villages while only men sold fruit at distant markets for more income. Middlemen largely benefited from fruit sales compared to villagers who sold at low prices and lacked marketing information. Fruit rot affected retailers outside the study area. Tree climbing to harvest fruit was mainly done by boys and destructive harvesting methods were associated with commercial use. Large, sweet tasting fruit were mainly chosen by rural communities for subsistence use. Land clearance, mast fruiting, perishability and seasonality of fruit seemed to have affected harvest both for subsistence and for sale. However, 89% of households owned fruit trees in homesteads and agricultural fields, said to be more protected than in communal lands with open access. Preferred wild fruit trees were rarely cut by the communities. Local fruit processing, mainly by women, included porridge and juice making and fruit drying while careful storage enabled baobab fruit to be stored for up to a year. Wild fruit plays an important role in the lives of rural communities mainly the poor. Communities attach value to the preferred fruit species but it is difficult to convince most of them to sell wild fruit unless value is added and price incentives are initiated. Regular marketing information could be provided to rural communities and policy makers should set fruit pricing guidelines to create price incentives. Domestication of the preferred fruit trees should be encouraged for continuous fruit supply. Simple fruit processing technologies for commercial purpose could be initiated for women mostly. Research is needed to determine sustainable harvesting levels of wild fruit and ways for participatory monitoring of the levels and harvesting methods used. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ontbossing in Malawi beloop 2.3% per jaar, wat beteken dat landbouproduksie, die ruggraat van die land se ekonomie, negatief geaffekteer word. Wat grootliks bydra tot hierdie ontbossing is dat die plattelandse gemeenskappe as gevolg van armoede hoogs afhanklik is van inheemse hout wat as brandhout of as houtskool verkoop word. Vroue en kinders ly die meeste omdat hulle meer tyd as mans spandeer om vuurmaakhout bymekaar te maak. Dit affekteer ander aktiwiteite soos kindersorg en opvoeding. Hierdie studie het ten doelom maniere te ondersoek waarvolgens ontbossing verlig kan word deur mense op die platteland se ekonomiese voordele uit die benutting van inheemse vrugte te vermeerder sonder dat daar enige omgewingskade aangebring word. Die studie is uitgevoer in die Mwanza Distrik vanaf Februarie 2001 tot Junie 2001. Die distrik se inheemse bosse wat 'n wye verskeidenheid wilde vrugtespesies bevat, word tans ontbos - hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die produksie van houtskool. Vyf uit die 16 dorpies wat ontbossing in die gesig staar, is op 'n lukrake wyse met die loterymetode gekies. In die onderhoude met groepe, individue, en sleutelinformante is gefokus op die benutting van vrugtespesies wat deur die gemeenskappe verkies word. Hulpbronevaluering is gebruik om die beskikbaarheid en verspreiding van vrugtebome te bepaal. Die gemeenskap is by hierdie evaluering betrek. Marknavorsing om vrugtehandel in die land te evalueer, is vroeg in Junie 2001 in die Balaka, Blantyre, Mangochi, Mwanza en Zomba distrikte gedoen. In die studie is bevind dat die inwoners van die area wat bestudeer is 26 wilde vrugtespesies benut. Adansonia digitata (Baobab/Kremetartboom) is egter die meeste naby die dorpies aangetref, en is deur 90% van die respondente as hulle gunsteling vrug aangedui. Ander gewilde spesies is Tamarindus indica (Tamarinde/Suurdadelboom), Diospyros kirkii, Flacourtia indica en Vangueria infausta. Die meeste vrugtebome, behalwe die baobab, val in die laer klasse wat grootte betref, omdat dit die jong lote is wat regenereer, terwyl ander struike is. Die arm mense is grootliks afhanklik van vrugte as 'n maaltyd en as verkoopsartikels. Hoofsaaklik kinders en vroue verkoop baobab- en tamarindevrugte in die dorpies, terwyl vrugte by verafgeleë markte slegs deur mans vir 'n groter inkomste verkoop word. Die middelman trek grootliks voordeel uit vrugteverkope, in vergelyking met die inwoners van die dorpies wat vrugte teen lae pryse verkoop as gevolg van 'n tekort aan bemarkingsinligting. Kleinhandelaars buite die studie-area is deur vrugteverrotting geaffekteer. Dit is hoofsaaklik seuns wat die bome klim om vrugte te oes, en destruktiewe oesmetodes is met kommersiële gebruik geassosieer. Plattelandse gemeenskappe verkies hoofsaaklik groot, soet vrugte vir bestaansgebruik. Dit wil voorkom of grondopruiming, die vrugvorming van byvoorbeeld akkers (mast fruiting), die bederfbaarheid en seisoensgebondenheid van vrugte, die oes affekteer vir bestaansgebruik sowel as vir verkope. Vrugtebome word egter deur 89% van die huishoudings besit en die bome by hierdie huise en in landbouvelde word beter beskerm as dié in gemeenskaplike lande met vrye toegang. Die gemeenskappe kap selde hulle gunsteling wilde vrugtebome uit. Plaaslike vrugteverwerking, hoofsaaklik deur vroue, sluit in die maak van pap en sap, asook die droog van vrugte, terwyl sorgvuldige bewaring daartoe kan lei dat baobabvrugte vir tot 'n jaar lank gebêre kan word. Wilde vrugte speel 'n belangrike rol in die lewens van plattelandse gemeenskappe, veral vir die armes. Die gemeenskappe heg waarde aan hulle gunstelingvrugtespesies, maar dit is moeilik om die meeste te oortuig om wilde vrugte te verkoop - behalwe as waarde bygevoeg word en prysaansporings ingestel word. Gereelde bemarkingsinligting kan aan plattelandse gemeenskappe voorsien word, en beleidbepalers behoort riglyne vir vrugtepryse daar te stelom prysaansporings te skep. Die mense behoort aangemoedig te word om hulle gunstelingvrugtebome by hulle huise te plant om 'n voortdurende vrugtevoorraad te verseker. Eenvoudige vrugteverwerkingtegnologie kan vir kommersiële doeleindes vir hoofsaaklik vroue ingestel word. Navorsing is nodig om volhoubare oesvlakke van wilde vrugte te bepaal, sowel as maniere vir die deelnemende monitering van hierdie vlakke en die oesmetodes wat gebruik word.

Thesis (MFamMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / Introduction: Tuberculosis and HIV are major public health problems in Botswana. The Botswana National Tuberculosis Control Programme (BNTP) was established in 1975. Short course chemotherapy was introduced in 1986 and the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) Strategy was adopted in 1993. In the face of growing TB notification rates, a low country average cure rate, human resource constraints in health facilities and sometimes poor accessibility to health facilities by weak patients and those living far away, Botswana decided to offer home-based care using volunteers or family members. Setting: Kweneng West Subdistrict, a rural area in Botswana Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the success of home-based DOT in the management of tuberculosis compared to facility-based DOT in Kweneng West Subdistrict, Botswana and to explore the acceptability of home-based DOT among TB patients, TB treatment supervisors and health workers. Objectives: - To compare treatment outcomes for patients receiving home-based DOT and those receiving facility-based DOT through the following criteria: - To compare patient contact(s) tracing efforts among home-based providers and facility-based providers - To establish TB patient’s, TB treatment supervisor’s and health worker’s perceptions about home-based DOT Methods: A quantitative, observational study combined with qualitative in-depth interviews. Participants were selected from TB patients who attended treatment from January 2006 till June 2008 at all main clinics of Kweneng West Subdistrict, Botswana. The interview purposively selected health care workers, TB patients and community supervisors to establish their thoughts about HB DOT. A framework approach was used to analyse interviews. Results: Treatment outcomes and, particularly, the cure rates were not statistically different between FB DOT, HB DOT and MX DOT. However there was a surprisingly difference in contact tracing, with FB DOT performing better than other DOT types. Interviews revealed that patients were happy with their choice of DOT types. Among reasons to choose HB DOT was the need to shorten distances for DOT. Among reasons to choose FB DOT were the needs to ensure safety through supervision by nurses as opposed to lay people (community supervisors) and to obtain injections that no community supervisor is allowed to administer. A mix of HB DOT and FB DOT was generally adopted to allow flexibility in the administration of DOT for few patients. Overall cure rate was 78.5% and successful treatment rate was 83%. Conclusion: The introduction of HB DOT and the option given to choose this DOT type is supported. Indeed allowing patient’s preference of DOT type may impact positively on patients’ satisfaction and adherence to medication. On the other hand, issues were still raised by all stakeholders to help improve the flexibility and sustainability of HB DOT. Further studies may be needed to understand the better performance of FB DOT in contact tracing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Nie beskikbaar.

Orientador: Darlene Aparecida de Oliveira Ferreira / Banca: Pedro Geraldo Tosi / Banca: Renata Medeiros Paolielo / Resumo: Este estudo tem como tema central o pequeno município e as relações estabelecidas com o meio rural. O objetivo do trabalho é analisar a realidade de Cristais Paulista, localizado no nordeste do Estado de São Paulo, fazendo parte da microrregião geográfica de Franca e como ocorre a relação campo-cidade em seu interior. Para compreender como se dá a relação, fez-se um breve resgate de estudos clássicos sobre a relação campo-cidade, inclusive o debate atual brasileiro sobre a temática. Procurou-se elementos de definição de cidade, pequeno município e pequena cidade, segundo alguns estudiosos do tema, onde não há um consenso sobre os seus significados, principalmente em se tratando do pequeno município, um tema pouco estudado no meio acadêmico. Buscou-se também mostrar as interpretações oficiais dos Censos, ressaltando, a taxa de urbanização e seus possíveis equívocos na definição do espaço rural e urbano no Brasil. Alguns autores têm proposto novas abordagens de análise e estudo dos problemas do espaço brasileiro, diante das deficiências na definição normativa, que vem do decreto nº. 311 de 1938. José Eli da Veiga enfatiza o uso do enfoque territorial como nova abordagem de análise. A metodologia de classificação territorial de Veiga foi utilizada no estudo aplicada no Estado de São Paulo, permitindo outra visualização do espaço rural e urbano, quando restringimos a análise a níveis menores como mesorregiões e microrregiões. No presente trabalho podemos observar a presença de ruralidades e também urbanidades distintas no pequeno município estudado e também particularidades advindas das relações sociais entre os moradores do campo e da cidade, sempre marcadas pela pessoalidade. No estudo do pequeno município adotou-se como metodologia a análise de Maria de Nazareth Baudel Wanderley, quando propõe cinco dimensões para se analisar... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study has as central theme the small district and the relationships established in the rural environment. The objective of the study is to analyze the reality from Cristais Paulista, located in the northeast of the State of São Paulo, being part of the geographical micro region from Franca and as it happens the relationship countryside-city in its upstate. Understanding as its relationship works, it was made a small rescue of classic studies on the relationship countryside-city, including the recent debate Brazilian about the theme. Looked for elements of city definition, small district and town, some specialists about the theme, do not agree about this ideas and their meanings, mainly because is about a small municipal district, an idea understudied in the academic circle. It was also looked for to show the official interpretations of the Census, standing out the urbanization rate and their possible mistakes in the definition of the rural and urban area in Brazil. Some authors have been proposing new approaches, analysis and study of these problems of the Brazilian area, in font the deficiencies about the normative definition, from the ordinance nº. 311 of 1938. José Eli da Veiga emphasizes the use of the territorial focus as new analysis approach. The methodology of territorial classification of Veiga was used in the study applied in the State of São Paulo, allowing another visualization of the rural and urban area, when we limited the analysis to smaller levels as macro regions and micro regions. In the present study we can observe the rural habits and also different urban customs in the small municipal district studied and also some particularities resulted of the social relationships among the residents of the countryside and of the city, always marked by the personality character. In the study of the small municipal district it was adopted as methodology the analysis... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre