The performance of children in writing is a cause for concern: national testing at age 11 indicates that too many pupils underachieve in writing. The purpose of the project outlined in this thesis was to design a computer tool which would assist children aged between 7 and 11 years achieve a higher standard in narrative writing. The project involved four phases of research. First, a review of the research literature and government documents relating to literacy was undertaken, to establish differences between good and poor narrative writing, differences in the approach of mature and beginner writers, the natural course of children's writing development, effective methods of teaching, ways of assessing writing quality and approaches adopted by other computer applications. Secondly, a computer tool which scaffolds the narrative writing process was designed. HARRY delivers conversational prompts, stored in Microsoft Access databases, in a conference like-sitaation. The tool acts as a bridge between the writing approach adopted by beginner writers and the mature approach whilst demonstrating features of successful narrative writing. Thirdly, a method for automating the assessment of children's written grammar was devised. CHECK TEXT, a computer utility program, provides quantitative analyses of specific grammar features, facilitating comparisons between examples of stories written at Key Stage 2. Both applications use ASP and HTML files, for implementation on a web server. Finally, two small scale studies were conducted in a primary school - the first to investigate the effects of HARRY's assistance upon children's writing performance and behaviour, and the second to investigate the effects of using the system upon children's subsequent writing performance. The first study showed that when supported by HARRY, the children adopted a more reflective writing approach and they produced more successful narratives, provided they followed the advice. The second study showed that HARRY can accelerate children's writing development - most of the children wrote subsequently better stories and they all felt that they had improved. All the children liked using the tool and thought that HARRY made writing stories easier. HARRY's limitations are indicated, and potential developments and further investigations are proposed.

Midst contextual themes of new technologies and globalisation, South African organisations are challenged to attract, develop and retain suitable skills in a labour market that will continue to suffer shortages. The HR function of today is required to partner with organisations at a strategic level in response to this challenge. Successful organisations understand that transforming the HR function require regular in-depth analyses of its effectiveness. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an HR function operating in a public utility, against current trends in HR transition. Different evaluation methodologies are explored to develop a theoretical evaluation model for the effectiveness of a HR function. The results confirmed that the HR function is not effective in its role as strategic partner, and highlights significant differences in perception between the stakeholders and the HR function regarding its effectiveness. Recommendations were made on future transformation actions for the specific HR function. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Midst contextual themes of new technologies and globalisation, South African organisations are challenged to attract, develop and retain suitable skills in a labour market that will continue to suffer shortages. The HR function of today is required to partner with organisations at a strategic level in response to this challenge. Successful organisations understand that transforming the HR function require regular in-depth analyses of its effectiveness. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an HR function operating in a public utility, against current trends in HR transition. Different evaluation methodologies are explored to develop a theoretical evaluation model for the effectiveness of a HR function. The results confirmed that the HR function is not effective in its role as strategic partner, and highlights significant differences in perception between the stakeholders and the HR function regarding its effectiveness. Recommendations were made on future transformation actions for the specific HR function. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / In this work, methodologies to evaluate the wear of flexible riser pipe and bend stiffener samples were developed. In order to achieve this goal, a three coordinate measuring machine (3CMM) was used to evaluate the wear rates of samples tested in in a large-scale tribometer. Additionally, the events that occur during the sliding wear of these samples were correlated with vibration signals from the tribometer structure. The first methodology was applied to estimate the linear wear of riser samples of the polyamide outer coating that was based on the thickness reduction during the test. The second methodology was designed to estimate the volumetric wear loss of the bendstiffener samples. To evaluate the thickness loss of the riser samples, the Calypso® software was used to define the alignment and to determine and execute the measurement strategy. In order to assess the bend-stiffener volume, the same software was used to define the system alignment. The Dimension Volume® software was used to define and to perform the measurement strategy. The sample volume was calculated using a specially designed program that was developed in Matlab®. In order to analyze the vibrations during the wear test, a routine of data acquisition, monitoring and storage of vibration signals in Labview® software was developed and implemented. The results showed that the developed methodology to quantify the riser thickness loss using a 3CMM is viable and efficient in measuring the wear process of this tribosystem. It was also found that the developed program using Matlab® was an effective tool to evaluate the volumetric losses of bend-stiffeners samples. The measurement strategy using a mesh spacing of 1 mm x 1 mm was considered the most adequate to estimate the volume of a bend-stiffener sample accurately and with the least possible amount of points. Furthermore, it was observed a vibration peak located at 16.71 Hz, that should be related to the wear process. / Neste trabalho foram desenvolvidas e aplicadas duas metodologias para quantificar o desgaste em amostras de risers e enrijecedores utilizando uma máquina de medir a três coordenadas (MM3C). Tais amostras foram testadas em um tribômetro capaz de realizar ensaios de desgaste por deslizamento em escala real. Adicionalmente, foram correlacionados os eventos que ocorrem durante o processo de desgaste destas amostras com as vibrações na estrutura do tribômetro. A primeira metodologia foi aplicada na estimativa do desgaste linear em amostras de risers, com base na variação de espessura, enquanto que a segunda foi destinada à estimativa do desgaste volumétrico em amostras de enrijecedores, tendo por base a perda de volume das mesmas. Para avaliar a perda de espessura nas amostras de riser foi utilizado o software Calypso® na definição do alinhamento e na determinação e execução da estratégia de medição. Já na avaliação do volume das amostras de enrijecedores, foi utilizado o mesmo software na definição do alinhamento. O software Dimension Volume® foi empregado na definição e execução da estratégia de medição, e, para calcular o volume destas amostras, foi elaborado e utilizado um programa em Matlab®. Com o intuito de analisar as vibrações durante o ensaio de desgaste, foi desenvolvida e implementada uma rotina de aquisição, monitoramento e salvamento dos sinais de vibrações no software Labview®. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que a metodologia desenvolvida para quantificação da perda de espessura de risers usando uma MM3C é uma técnica viável e eficiente. Constatou-se, também, que o programa desenvolvido em Matlab® foi uma ferramenta eficaz na avaliação volumétrica das amostras de enrijecedores. A estratégia de medição com malha 1 mm x 1 mm foi considerada a mais adequada para estimar o volume de uma amostra de enrijecedor, com precisão e com a menor quantidade de pontos possível. Além disso, verificou-se que o pico da amplitude vibratória esteve localizado em 16,71 Hz, que deve estar relacionado ao processo de desgaste. / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

This thesis compares residential realties market in the Czech Republic and in Ireland. Thesis also describes all methods of appraisement used both in the Czech Republic and Ireland. It also analyses market segmentation in chosen regions of each state. There is created database of family houses, which are destined to be sold.

A comparative evaluation framework of instructional interventions for implementation of online training for public library staff would enable a better understanding of how to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and efficacy of training in certain training environments. This dissertation describes a quasi-experimental study of a two-week, asynchronous online training course that was provided at four levels of instructional intervention to public library staff in the United States. The course content addressed the complex issues of difficult patron policy development and situational coping techniques. The objective of the study was to develop and demonstrate a theoretically grounded, evidence-based impact evaluation framework. The framework was used to assess the relative impact of an online course for public librarians at four levels of instructional intervention. The researcher investigated the relationships between the type of e-Training instructional interventions and the short- and long-term impacts on participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, and workplace performance. The study used a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design that included a pretest, posttest and three-month delayed posttest with follow-up survey. 194 participants completed all three phases of the study. The evaluation tools measured course content related knowledge and self-efficacy at all three phases (pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest) and assessed workplace application of training at 3-month follow-up. The results of this study contributed to evaluation theory and learning theory literature applied to the online learning environment and informed public library staff online training practices and evaluation methodologies.

This thesis deals with residential real estate market in the Great Britain and its development. The thesis describes all evalution methods used in the Great Britain, it also describes the current state of the property market, expert work and in the end are described in detail the methods used for the valuation of the house. In thesis attachment is an exemplar of the evalution report for a house in the Great Britain according to the standards and the methodologies used by the evaluation experts in the United Kingdom.