Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Andrew G. Bennett / On-line homework is becoming a larger part of mathematics classrooms each year. Thus, ways to maximize the effectiveness of on-line homework for both students and teachers must be investigated. This study sought to provide one possible answer to this aim, by requiring students to achieve at least 50% for any on-line homework assignment in order to receive credit. Research shows that students respond well to reasonably set high expectations, and coupling this with one of the primary advantages of on-line homework, the ability to rework assignments, provided the basis for this study. Data for this experimental study was collected from the spring semester of 2008 until the fall semester of 2009, and included student exam scores, the number of on-line assignments above and below the 50% threshold, and the number of times students accessed help features of the on-line homework system when given the ability to do so. Analysis at both the whole-class and cluster levels attempted to discern the effectiveness of the intervention. Results indicated that significantly fewer students settled for on-line homework scores less than 50% in the experimental semesters where the 50% requirement was in place than in the control semesters in which the requirement was absent. Certain clusters of students seemed to benefit even more than others from this higher expectation, leading to the possibility of differentiated instruction or differentiated interventions in the future. In addition to fewer sub-par on-line homework scores, students also demonstrated other positive traits, such as accessing the on-line help links more within the experimental semesters.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between patient expectations about a treatment and the treatment outcomes, particularly for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, is not well understood. Using qualitative data from a larger study to develop a valid expectancy questionnaire for use with participants starting new CAM therapies, we examined how participants' expectations of treatment changed over the course of a therapy. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 64 participants initiating one of four CAM therapies (yoga, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage) for chronic low back pain. Participants just starting treatment were interviewed up to three times over a period of 3 months. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a qualitative mixed methods approach incorporating immersion/crystallization and matrix analysis for a decontexualization and recontextualization approach to understand changes in thematic emphasis over time. RESULTS: Pre-treatment expectations consisted of conjecture about whether or not the CAM therapy could relieve pain and improve participation in meaningful activities. Expectations tended to shift over the course of treatment to be more inclusive of broader lifestyle factors, the need for long-term pain management strategies and attention to long-term quality of life and wellness. Although a shift toward greater acceptance of chronic pain and the need for strategies to keep pain from flaring was observed across participants regardless of therapy, participants varied in their assessments of whether increased awareness of the need for ongoing self-care and maintenance strategies was considered a "positive outcome". Regardless of how participants evaluated the outcome of treatment, participants from all four therapies reported increased awareness, acceptance of the chronic nature of pain, and attention to the need to take responsibility for their own health. CONCLUSIONS: The shift in treatment expectations to greater acceptance of pain and the need for continued self-care suggests that future research should explore how CAM practitioners can capitalize on these shifts to encourage feelings of empowerment rather than disappointment surrounding realizations of the need for continued engagement with self-care.

BACKGROUND:Some researchers think that patients with higher expectations for CAM therapies experience better outcomes and that enthusiastic providers can enhance treatment outcomes. This is in contrast to evidence suggesting conventional medical providers often reorient patient expectations to better match what providers believe to be realistic. However, there is a paucity of research on CAM providers' views of their patients' expectations regarding CAM therapy and the role of these expectations in patient outcomes.METHODS:To better understand how CAM providers view and respond to their patients' expectations of a particular therapy, we conducted 32 semi-structured, qualitative interviews with acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists and yoga instructors identified through convenience sampling. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically using Atlas ti version 6.1.RESULTS:CAM providers reported that they attempt to ensure that their patients' expectations are realistic. Providers indicated they manage their patients' expectations in a number of domains-- roles and responsibilities of providers and patients, treatment outcomes, timeframe for improvement, and treatment experience. Providers reported that patients' expectations change over time and that they need to continually manage these expectations to enhance patient engagement and satisfaction with treatment.CONCLUSIONS:Providers of four types of CAM therapies viewed patients' expectations as an important component of their experiences with CAM therapy and indicated that they try to align patient expectations with reality. These findings suggest that CAM providers are similar in this respect to conventional medical providers.

BACKGROUND:No consistent relationship exists between pre-treatment expectations and therapeutic benefit from various complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in clinical trials. However, many different expectancy measures have been used in those studies, with no validated questionnaires clearly focused on CAM and pain. We undertook cognitive interviews as part of a process to develop and validate such a questionnaire.METHODS:We reviewed questions about expectations of benefits of acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, or yoga for pain. Components of the questions - verbs, nouns, response options, terms and phrases describing back pain - were identified. Using seven different cognitive interview scripts, we conducted 39 interviews to evaluate how individuals with chronic low back pain understood these individual components in the context of expectancy questions for a therapy they had not yet received. Chosen items were those with the greatest agreement and least confusion among participants, and were closest to the meanings intended by the investigators.RESULTS:The questionnaire drafted for psychometric evaluation had 18 items covering various domains of expectancy. "Back pain" was the most consistently interpreted descriptor for this condition. The most understandable response options were 0-10 scales, a structure used throughout the questionnaire, with 0 always indicating no change, and 10 anchored with an absolute descriptor such as "complete relief". The use of words to describe midpoints was found to be confusing. The word "expect" held different and shifting meanings for participants. Thus paired items comparing "hope" and "realistically expect" were chosen to evaluate 5 different aspects of treatment expectations (back pain / back dysfunction and global effects / impact of back pain on specific areas of life / sleep, mood, and energy / coping). "Impact of back pain" on various areas of life was found to be a consistently meaningful concept, and more global than "interference".CONCLUSIONS:Cognitive interviews identified wordings with considerable agreement among both participants and investigators. Some items widely used in clinical studies had different meanings to participants than investigators, or were confusing to participants. The final 18-item questionnaire is undergoing psychometric evaluation with goals of streamlining as well as identifying best items for use when questionnaire length is constrained.

Syfte Vårt syfte med denna uppsats är att beskriva och förklara controllers olika roller i två stora företag som arbetar med sin controllerfunktion på olika nivåer. Vi vill skapa en fördjupad förståelse för controllerrollen och hur rollen påverkas av förväntningar från olika nivåer i företaget och controllerns position i företaget. Bakgrund Controllerrollen är under ständig förändring och det finns mycket forskning kring controllers. Det finns dock ett kunskapsgap som vi vill fylla när det gäller hur controllers roller påverkas utifrån förväntningar och position i företaget. Problemformulering Hur påverkar förväntningar och position i företaget controllers roller i ett företag? Metod Denna kvalitativa undersökning bygger på en induktiv ansats för att försöka fördjupa läsarens förståelse för området. Insamlade teorier och genomförda intervjuer tolkas genom ett hermeneutiskt synsätt. Vi har genomfört intervjuer på två stora svenska företag med sex olika controllers. Slutsats Varje controllerroll är unik och det är svårt att kategorisera controllers i bestämda fack. För varje controller som undersöks uppstår en ny kombination av controllerroller. Osäkerhet i rollen kan leda till att controllers tar hjälp av sin chef för att prioritera i sin roll. Överlag har controllers ingen formell beslutsmakt utan är indirekt aktiva i beslutsfattandet genom att ta fram beslutsunderlag, och besitter därigenom informell makt istället. Controllers roller påverkas även av ledningens tillit och graden av frihet som tilldelas controllern. Genom att controllers agerar flexibelt kan de motverka rolltvetydighet. Controllers påverkas även av var de är positionerad i företaget då de förväntas vara mest lojala mot den delen av organisationen de är anställda i. / Purpose Our purpose of this paper is to describe and explain the controllers different roles in two large companies who work with their controller function at various levels. We want to create a deeper understanding of controller roles and how the role is influenced by expectations from various levels of the company and the controller's position in the company. Background The controller role is constantly changing and there is much research on the controllers. However, there is a knowledge gap we want to fill in terms of how expectations and position in the company affects controllers roles. Research question How do expectations and position in the company affect controllers roles in a company? Methods This qualitative study is based on an inductiv approach to try to deepen the reader's understanding of the area. Collected theories and conducted interviews are interpreted by a hermeneutic approach. We conducted interviews at two large Swedish company with six different controllers. Conclusion Each controller role is unique and it is difficult to categorize the controllers in specific compartments. With every studied controller there is a new combination of controller roles. Insecurity in the role can result in controllers taking help of his boss to priority in their role. Overall, controllers have no formal power in decision making but is indirectly active in decision-making by providing decision basic data, and instead posses informal power in decision making. Controllers roles are also affected by the trust of the management and the degree of freedom controllers have been assigned. By acting flexible, controllers can work against role ambiguity. The position in the company also affects the controllers as they are expected to be most loyal to the part of the organization they are employed in.

This thesis analyses the aims and objectives of the EU Acquired Rights Directive (ARD) in the context of the larger evolution of EU labour law itself. The thesis presents the overall goal of the ARD as that of striking an appropriate balance between the employer’s prerogative to transfer the business and the employee’s interest in not having the security of the job unduly threatened by such transfers. Given the current complexity and incoherence of the law regulating economic dismissals in the context of transfers, the central argument of the thesis is that there is a need for a clearer conceptual framework for defining and understanding the rights and obligations in the Acquired Rights Directive (ARD). It is suggested that the principles of legitimate expectations and proportionality are ideally adapted to play this role. In analyzing the teleology of the ARD based on these principles, this study not only assists in understanding and explaining the ARD itself, but also has wider implications for understanding the challenges facing European social policy in the field of employment protection. In its attempts to reconcile fundamental economic freedoms of employers on the one hand, and fundamental rights of employees on the other, the Court of Justice has frequently relied upon the proportionality principle to achieve a ‘fair balance’ between both parties. Following the interpretations of ‘proportionality’ in Viking and Laval, there is admittedly a fear that the proportionality balancing is likely to accord an almost absolute priority to the employers’ economic freedoms. The thesis is cognizant of this danger, and therefore advocates a ‘symmetrical’ approach to balancing. In this way the thesis offers some insight into the potential for the ARD to remain continuously effective in times of economic crisis. The study therefore finds reason to be optimistic about the prospects for the ARD and other standard-setting directives in the future of social Europe.

This thesis is set in the context of social science’s interest in the generation of expectations, the news media, and neurotechnologies. It is a qualitative case study that examines the nature and impact of news media reporting of some pioneering research, which used functional magnetic resonance imaging in an attempt to diagnose and communicate with severely brain-injured individuals. Previous news media studies exploring neurotechnologies have been quantitative, or have tended to focus on how or why the news media represents neurotechnologies and/or the impact of the reporting, but rarely all three together. My thesis looks at all three aspects of the news media reporting of my case study. I draw on three sets of empirical data. First, those related to the production of the media - the press releases which reported the research; ten semi-structured interviews with science press officers; and the relevant expert comments posted on the Science Media Centre’s website. Second, 51 newspaper articles reporting the research. Third, five semi-structured interviews with relatives of severely brain-injured patients. I show that the mood of excitement and ‘breakthrough’ present in the press release reporting of this research was closely echoed in the news coverage. This excitement influenced the views and beliefs of only some of the relatives I interviewed. I then examine the nature of hype and by drawing on Haraway’s concept of ‘situated knowledges’ (1988) I argue that individuals view hype differently depending on their profession, industry and/or socio-cultural background. Finally, I show how whilst both the news media and the scholarly literature portrayed this research as ethically contentious, the issues most prominently discussed by scholars and/or journalists do not necessarily equate with relatives’ concerns. My findings aim to contribute to the sociology of expectations, media theory, the sociology of bioethics and the public understanding of science.

Enligt “Teorin om planerat beteende” så finns det tre orsaker till beteendet. Denna teori handlar om vad som påverkar en persons förväntningar och beteende innan de ska utföra en uppgift på en webbplats. Tidigare forskning har visat att tillgängligheten på webbplatser fortfarande är bristfälliga för personer med synnedsättning, eftersom de har olika behov och det spelar en viktig roll hur webbplatserna är uppbyggda och anpassade för personer med synnedsättning. Det ska vara lätt för användaren att hitta, förstå och kunna ta del av informationen på webbplatsen. För att kunna anpassa en webbplats på bästa sätt för personer med synnedsättning, bör en designer ta hjälp av olika riktlinjer för att kunna designa webbplatsen mer tillgänglig med bra och användbar information för personer med synnedsättningar. Men dessa riklinjer hjälper inte alltid användare med svår synnedsättning, eftersom de är i behov av olika hjälpmedel. Forskningsområdet berör områdena universell design, tillgänglighet, användarupplevelse, tillgänglighet och förväntningar på webben. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka tillgängligheten för personer med synnedsättning på Linnéuniversitets webbplats och studera om webbplatsen är tillgänglig för dem, och studera om webbplatsen uppfyller deras förväntningar och upplevelse till att använda webbplatsen. Studien har studerat hur tillgängligheten påverkar användarupplevelsen för människor med synnedsättning på en webbplats och vilka förväntningar som användaren har på webbplatser. En empirisk studie genomfördes utifrån användartest med uppgifter och intervjuer på den befintliga webbplatsen med hjälp av personer med synnedsättning. I detta arbete har fullständig blindhet uteslutits, eftersom det är helt annan inriktning. Resultatet av intervjuerna sammanställdes och kategoriserades inom tillgänglighet, upplevelse och förväntningar av webbplatsen utifrån de mönster där testpersonerna hade angett liknande svar. Resultatet av sammanställningen av användartestet och intervjuerna på Linnéuniversitetets webbplats visade att testpersonerna anser att webbplatsen är tillgänglig för personer med synnedsättning och att deras förväntningar på webbplatsen uppfylldes. Resultatet visade att det som påverkar tillgängligheten på en webbplats är dåligt utformade med dåliga kontraster som till exempel ljus blått på vit bakgrund. På grund av dålig utformade webbplatser så kan inte personer med synnedsättning använda sina eventuella hjälpmedel, till exempel talsyntes, för att läsa upp innehållet på webbplatsen åt dem. Rörliga bilder, placering av objekt, otydliga menyer och rubriker, dåliga typsnitt eller att texten är för liten så att den blir svår att läsa. Det som personer med synnedsättning förväntar sig ska finnas på en tillgänglig webbplats: bra kontraster, bra typsnitt och tydliga rubriker. Bra placering av element så att det blir lätt att navigera sig, inga rörliga bilder, kunna lyssna på innehållet och att kunna använda sina eventuella hjälpmedel på webbplatsen. Genom detta får användaren en positiv upplevelse av webbplatsen. / According to “Theory of planned behavior", there are three reasons for the behavior. This theory is about what affect a person ́s expectations and behavior before they need to perform a task on a website. Previous research has shown that the availability of websites is still inadequate for people with visual impairment, because they have different needs and it plays an important role in how sites are built and adapted for people with visual impairment. It should be easy for users to find, understand and be able to take note of the information provided on the site. To be able to customize a site in the best way for people with visual impairment, a designer should take the help of various guidelines to design a website more accessible with useful information for people with visual impairment. But these guidelines don't always help users with severe visual impairment, because they are in need of different means. The research area relevant to the fields of universal design, accessibility, user experience, availability and expectations on the websites. The purpose of this study is to investigate the availability of people with visual impairment on Linnaeus University website and learn about how the site is available to them, and to study their expectations and experience of using the website. This study has studied how accessibility affects the user experience for people with visual impairment on a website and the expectations that the user has on websites. To be able to examine, I conducted an empirical study based on user tests with data and interviews on the existing site with the help of people with visual impairment. In this work I have excluded complete blindness, because it is quite a different focus. The results of the interviews were compiled and were categorised in availability, experience and expectations of the website based on the pattern in which subjects had stated similar answers. The result of the compilation of user test and interviews at Linnaeus University website showed that subjects think that the website is accessible to people with visual impairment, and that their expectations of the website were satisfied. The results showed that what affects the accessibility of a website is poorly designed interfaces with poor contrasts such as light blue on a white background. Because of badly designed websites, persons with visual impairment cannot use any assistive devices such as speech synthesizers to read out the contents of the site for them, pictures that moves, position of objects, obscure menus and headlines, bad fonts or that the text is to small, making it difficult to read. What person with visual impairment expects to find on an accessible website: good contrast, good fonts and clear titles. Good placement of the elements so that it will be easy to navigate, no pictures that moves, ability to listen to the content and to use any means at the site. Through this, the user receives a positive experience of the website.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2011 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: What stimulates the emergence of messianic expectations or messianic figures in a society such as ancient Israel? Messianic expectations emerged as prophetic responses to social, economic, political and religious crises. This could be traced from the historical background of the pre-exilic, exilic and post-exilic periods. Messianic expectations in pre-exilic Israel were triggered by the failure of the Davidic dynasty to uphold Yahweh’s instructions and they depict the shift in focus from the anointed kings to the birth of a new Davidic prince (Isa. 9:1-7).The exilic period drew attention to a gentile king, Cyrus as Messiah (Isa. 44:28-45:1-8) who would restore Israel from exile. However, messianic expectations in Daniel 9:25-27 came about as a response to the extended subjection to foreign rule after the return from exile. The expectation for a messiah therefore changed from focusing on a historical figure to an apocalyptic figure in the post-exilic period. This approach is triggered by the situation in Zimbabwe where messianic rhetoric is now being used in an attempt to address the fragile socio-economical situation. It is shown that recent characterization of President Robert Mugabe as a messianic figure based on his role as a former liberator is a skilful propaganda and manipulation of the expectations of a messiah to legitimize his leadership amidst growing opposition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wat stimuleer die verskyning van messiaanse verwagtinge of messiaanse figure in 'n samelewing soos die van ou Israel? Messiaanse verwagtinge het ontstaan as profetiese antwoorde op sosiale, ekonomiese, politiese en godsdienstige krisisse. Dit kan histories teruggelei word na die tydperke voor die ballingskap en na die ballingskap. Messiaanse verwagtinge in voor-ballingskap Israel is aangewakker deur die Dawidiese dinastie se onvermoë om Jahweh se opdragte te handhaaf, en dui op die fokus-verskuiwing van gesalfde konings na die geboorte van 'n nuwe Dawidiese prins (Jes. 9:1-7). Die ballingskap het die aandag gevestig op 'n heidense koning, Kores, as die messias (Jes. 44:28-45:1-8) wat Israel uit ballingskap sou red en herstel. Messiaanse verwagtinge in Daniel 9:25-27 het egter ontstaan as 'n reaksie op die voordurende onderwerping aan buitelandse bewind na die terugkeer uit ballingskap. Die verwagting van 'n messias het dus verander van 'n fokus op 'n historiese figuur na 'n fokus op 'n apokaliptiese figuur in die na-ballingskap-era. Die benadering tot Messianisme in hierdie navorsing is na aanleiding van die huidige situasie in Zimbabwe, waar messiaanse retoriek gebruik word om die brose sosio-ekonomiese situasie aan te spreek. Die studie dui aan dat onlangse uitbeelding van President Robert Mugabe as 'n messiaanse figuur op grond van sy rol as 'n voormalige bevryder, is knap propaganda en manipulering van die verwagtinge van 'n messias, met die doel om sy leierskap te legitimeer te midde van toenemende teenkanting.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigated the exercise preferences of female university students participating in exercise modes presented at the local gymnasium and their expectations of the outcomes of such participation. Secondly, the study aimed to determine the most important reason for their participation and whether this was satisfied by their choice of exercise mode. A third aim was to determine other reasons that contributed to the selection of exercise environment and mode. The size of the research group of the pilot study was 210 (n=210). For the final longitudinal study, over a period of three years, it was 985 (N=985). The study population was selected on a basis of convenient sampling, availability and interest among young female gymnasium members, (aged 18 to 27 years). Their participation was voluntary. Original questionnaires were constructed for the purpose of the study to provide general demographic and physical characteristic information of the participants, their exercise preference and choice of exercise mode, reasons for participation in particular exercise modes, time spent on physical activity, frequency of attendance of exercise sessions, exercise motivators, barriers to exercise, medication and supplementation prevalence, health problems and smoking. The questionnaire was completed in a five to 10 minute time slot before the commencement of exercise classes at the gymnasium. Information required on the questionnaire was verbally explained to the participants during the initial few minutes of data capturing. Guidance was given for each section of the questionnaire during the five to 10 minute period allocated for completion. Data was captured on Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and the analysis was performed using Statistica for Windows (Statsoft SA-2008). Descriptive statistics were used to analyse and present the data. The results of the study indicated that most (34.4%) young female students who regularly attended group exercise sessions at the gymnasium preferred participating in the exercise modality punchline (a boxing aerobic modality), with the aim of losing weight (45%) and improving their general fitness (24%). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die oefenvoorkeure en oefenverwagtinge van jong damestudente wat gereeld by die plaaslike universiteitgimnasium oefen, vas te stel. Tweedens wou die studie die belangrikste redes vir deelname bepaal, en of hierdie verwagting gerealiseer het met die keuse van oefenmodaliteite in hierdie oefenomgewing. 'n Derde doel was om vas te stel watter ander redes 'n bydrae sou maak tot die keuse van 'n oefenomgewing en oefenmodaliteite. Die navorsingspopulasiegroep was jong dames in 'n universiteitsomgewing. Tydens die verkennende studie was die getal kandidate 210 (n=210). Vir die finale longitudinale studie, oor ’n tydperk van 3 jaar, was dit 985 (N=985). Die jong dames by die spesifieke universiteitgimnasium is geselekteer op grond van beskikbaarheid en belangstelling in die navorsing en was tussen die ouderdom van 18 en 27 jaar. Hul deelname was vrywillig. 'n Vraelys is spesiaal vir hierdie navorsing opgestel. Die vraelys het inligting ingewin oor algemene demografiese aspekte en fisieke kenmerke van die deelnemers, oefenvoorkeure en verwagtings van oefenmodaliteite, redes vir die seleksie en deelname in oefenmodaliteite, tyd bestee aan oefening, frekwensie van deelname, motiveerders vir oefening, beperkende faktore ten opsigte van gereelde deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteit, medikasie en supplementasie gebruik, gesondheidsprobleme en rook. Die vraelyste is voltooi in die eerste vyf tot 10 minute van oefenklasse, voor die aanvang van die gereelde gimnasiumprogram. Inligting op die vraelys is verbaal aan die teikengroep verduidelik in die eerste paar minute van elke klas. Tydens hierdie tydperk is gereeld inligting oor elke vraag verskaf vir kontrole en akkuraatheid van voltooiing van die vraelys. Data oor die veranderlikes is in die rekenaarprogram Microsoft Excel gekodeer en die statistiese ontleding is deur middel van Statistica vir Windows (Statsoft SA 2008) gedoen. Beskrywende data is gebruik om die resultate te ontleed en aan te bied.