The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of three volunteer care workers in their role as facilitators of an intervention programme aimed at strengthening the resilience of pre-school children. The study forms part of a broad research project, the Kgolo-Mmogo project, involving a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Pretoria and Yale University in the United States of America. One of the objectives of the project is to investigate the possibility of strengthening the resilience, as well as the adaptive functioning of children affected by HIV and AIDS. These children are living in poor urban communities in South Africa and their vulnerability is related to their mothers being infected with HIV. The conceptual framework for my study was based on existing theory relating to care workers, focussing on their responsibilities and experiences, and the process of facilitation. In addition I explored the concepts ‘resilience’ and ‘vulnerable children’. I followed a qualitative research approach, guided by an interpretivist epistemology. I employed an instrumental case study design and conveniently selected three volunteer care workers fulfilling the role of facilitators in the Kgolo-Mmogo project, as participants. These volunteer care workers were responsible for facilitating an intervention programme with a small group of 3 to 5-year old children. I observed five of the intervention sessions, which were presented by the participating volunteer care workers. I conducted a focus group discussion with the participants in order to explore their experiences as facilitators of the intervention programme. I furthermore conducted a follow-up focus group discussion with the purpose of member checking. In addition, I relied on a reflective journal, field notes and audio-visual methods, for data collection and documentation purposes. Four main themes emerged as a result of the thematic data analysis and interpretation that I completed. Firstly, I found that the foreseen scenario of the facilitation of an intervention programme differed from the real scenario of what such a role would entail. The role of facilitators of an intervention programme implied more than what the volunteer care workers had anticipated and implied diverse responsibilities. Secondly, from my results I concluded that the participants encountered a variety of positive experiences, including experiences of being meaningful and self-development, as well as feelings of pride, excitement and joy. Thirdly, the participants encountered some challenges in their role as facilitators of an intervention programme. They were required to deal with negative emotions, handle conflict more effectively, become more flexible, and deal with stress appropriately. The last theme that emerged relates to the participants experience of the importance of continuous support. This was offered by means of training and a structured manual, regular debriefing sessions by the volunteer care workers’ supervisor and the research coordinator, as well as support by colleagues. Based on the findings of my study, I concluded that the experiences of the volunteer care workers facilitating the intervention programme with young vulnerable children were diverse and multifaceted. As such, the role of facilitator implied multiple responsibilities, and led to the experience of a variety of benefits and challenges. In addition, my study highlights the value of continuous support in order to assist volunteer care workers to successfully facilitate intervention programmes they present. Furthermore, in dealing with the challenges they faced, the volunteer care workers in my study developed valuable skills that could be applied during future facilitation tasks, as well as in their personal lives. As such, their involvement as facilitators in the Kgolo-Mmogo project seemed to have contributed to their professional and personal development. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Syfte: Att kartlägga mammors erfarenheter av amningsstöd på BB.Metod och Material: Webbaserad tvärsnittsstudie med kvantitativ ansats. Inklusionskriterier; mammor som fått barn och vårdats på en specifik BB-avdelning i Mellansverige under åren 2019–2021 samt valt att amma. Enkäten bestod av 60 slutna frågor och 5 fritextfrågor. Redovisas med deskriptiv statistik samt kvantifiering av fritextsvaren. Resultat: Baserades på n=146 mammor. Både positiva och negativa erfarenheter beskrevs av mammorna. En majoritet av deltagarna önskade högre närvaro av barnmorskan och mer stöd i samband med amning. Det rapporterades erfarenheter av att ha blivit lämnade ensamma med barnet större delen av vårdtiden och fann det bästa stödet i partnern. Få beskrev dock att partnern involverades i amningsstödet. Olika råd gavs av personalen vilket skapade en känsla av otrygghet och tvivel till personalens kompetens. Många beskrev att hands-on metod användes i samband med amningsstöd. Upprättande av amningsplan saknades för majoriteten och bristfällig information om amningssignaler gavs. Slutsatser: Många mammor var missnöjda med amningsstödet och kände en otrygghetmed amningen vid hemgång. Det önskades mer stöd och bekräftelse i samband med amning. Möjligtvis kan det initiala bristande stödet ha påverkat mammornas fortsatta amning och lett till ett tidigare amningsavslut. / Purpose: To map mothers' experiences of breastfeeding support at BB.Method and Material: Web-based cross-sectional study with quantitative approach. Inclusion criteria: mothers that had children and been cared for in a specific BB ward in Central Sweden during the years 2019–2021 and have chosen to breastfeed. The questionnaire consisted of 60 closed questions and 5 free text questions. Reported with descriptive statistics and quantification of the free text answers.Results: Based on n=146 mothers. Both positive and negative experiences were described by the mothers. Most of the participants wanted a higher presence of the midwife and more support with breastfeeding. Experiences of being left alone with the child for most of the care period were reported and found the best support in the partner. Few described that the partner was involved in breastfeeding. Various advice was given by the staff, which created a feeling of insecurity and doubt about the staff's competence. Many described that the hands-on method was used in connection with breastfeeding support. Establishment of a breastfeeding plan was lacking for the majority and inadequate information on breastfeeding signals was provided.Conclusions: Many mothers were dissatisfied with breastfeeding support and felt insecure about breastfeeding at home. More support and confirmation in connection with breastfeeding was desirable. Possibly, the initial lack of support may have affected the mothers' continued breastfeeding and led to an earlier termination of breastfeeding.

No description available.

This thesis includes two studies. The first study examined changes in soil characteristics as a result of prolonged conifer dominance in successional aspen-conifer forests. Changing disturbance patterns in aspen-conifer forests appear to be altering successional dynamics that favors conifer expansion in aspen forests. The primary objective of this paper was to identify how increasing conifer dominance that develops in later successional stages alters forest soil characteristics. Soil measurements were collected along a stand composition gradient: aspen dominated, aspen-conifer mix, conifer dominated and open meadow, which includes the range of conditions that exists through the stages of secondary succession in aspen-conifer forests. Soil chemistry, moisture content, respiration, and temperature were measured. There was a consistent trend in which aspen stands demonstrated higher mean soil nutrient concentrations than adjacent meadows, mixed or conifer stands. Soil moisture was significantly higher in aspen stands and meadows in early summer. Soil respiration was significantly higher in aspen stands than conifer stands or meadows throughout the summer. The results indicate that soil resource availability and respiration peak within aspen dominated stands that are present during early succession and then decrease as conifer abundance increases along our stand composition gradient, representative of stand characteristics present in mid to late successional stages. Emerging evidence from other studies suggest that these observed changes in soil characteristics with increasing conifer dominance may have negative feedbacks on aspen growth and vigor. The second study examined the facilitation effect between aspen and subalpine fir establishment. In subalpine forests, conifer species are often found intermixed with broadleaf species. However, few if any studies have explored the existence and influence of facilitation between broadleaf tree species and conifers. We have observed the general establishment of subalpine fir seedlings at the base of aspen trees in a subalpine forest, indicating that a facilitative relationship may exist. To explore the potential facilitative relationship during secondary succession in subalpine forests, subalpine fir seeds were planted across a stand composition gradient (aspen dominated → mixed → conifer dominated stands) at six study sites in the Fishlake National Forest. Seeds were placed during the fall of 2010, at distances of 0 cm and 25 cm in each cardinal direction at the base of mature aspen and subalpine fir trees in each of the three stand types. Seeds were also planted within stand interspaces and in adjacent meadows. Seedling emergence was recorded at the beginning of the summer of 2011 and seedling mortality was recorded in October 2011. Soil moisture content was measured at the position that seeds were placed during the summers of 2009 and 2011. Aspen dominated stands had subalpine fir germination that was on average 11 times greater than mixed or conifer dominated stands. Germination was 2.3 fold greater at the base of aspen trees than fir trees and two fold greater at the base of aspen trees than interspaces. Seedling mortality was lower in aspen stands but was not significantly influenced by position relative to mature trees. Soil moisture was highest in aspen dominated stands, with better soil moisture conditions at the base of aspen trees and in interspaces compared to the base of fir trees. Few if any studies regarding conifer facilitation have provided evidence for facilitation at the germination life stage, rather they focus on seedling survival. However, our study illustrates a strong facilitative interaction in which both aspen dominated stands and aspen trees increase the likelihood of subalpine fir seedling establishment by drastically increasing rates of subalpine fir germination. Because of aspen's primary role in initiating secondary succession through post-disturbance sucker regeneration, and the subsequent dependence of conifers on aspen for establishment, aspen mortality via competition with conifers under longer fire cycles, droughts, or intensive ungulate browsing may result in a loss of aspen-conifer forest communities in some locales.

No description available.

No description available.

Educational leaders play a critical role in creating change in schools (Fullan, 2001; Reeves, 2009; Sheninger & Murray, 2017; Ziegler & Ramage, 2017). Increasingly, school counselors are being asked to take on leadership roles during a time of educational reform (Amatea & Clark, 2005; Baker, Robichaud, Westforth Dietrich, Wells, & Schreck, 2009; House & Hayes, 2002; Lewis & Borunda, 2006; McMahon, Mason, & Paisley, 2009; Shields, Dollarhide, & Young, 2018; Young, Dollarhide, & Baughman, 2015). The research on school counselors leading collaborative change efforts is very limited, and the behaviors and characteristics of counselors that influence the formation and facilitation of teacher teams have not been studied. Using a design-based methodology, this study examined how a school counselor organized and implemented an effective work group that aimed to support the formation of desirable teacher-student relationships. The focus of the study was on the planning process that was implemented by myself, the school counselor, not the outcome of the process. The qualitative data that was collected during the process describes the structures and processes involved with the initial planning stages, formation, and functioning of the work group. The data captured the importance that relationships, empathy, planning, and reflection all had on the formation, facilitation, and group processes. Lastly, six design principles were developed for school counselors to use as practitioners when forming and facilitating teacher work groups. / Educational Leadership

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l’Université de Montréal / L'organisation en colonnes est une caractéristique commune de l'architecture corticale. Dans le cortex visuel, il est bien connu que les cellules avoisinantes ont une préférence similaire pour I'orientation, pour la dominance oculaire et pour la localisation rétinotopique. La direction est aussi organisée en colonnes. La latence des réponses ainsi que la fréquence temporelle sont classifiées aussi de cette façon. Notre question est la suivante : est-ce que les neurones de l'aire 18 réagissent de la même façon en réponse à une excitation ou à une dépression de l'aire 17 ? L’objectif de cette étude est de comprendre la réponse des cellules voisines dans l’aire 18 en réponse à des stimuli sous forme de réseau lumineux sinusoïdal défilant (grating)

The global effort to rehabilitate and restore destroyed mangrove forests is unable to keep up with the high mangrove deforestation rates which exceed the average pace of global deforestation by three to five times. Our knowledge of the underlying processes of mangrove forest regeneration is too limited in order to find suitable techniques for the restoration of degraded mangrove areas. The general objective of my dissertation was to improve mangrove restoration by understanding regeneration processes and local plant-plant interaction in a regenerating Avicennia germinans forest. The study was conducted in a high-shore mangrove forest area on the Ajuruteua peninsula, State of Para, Northern Brazil. The dwarf forest consisting of shrub-like trees is recovering from a stand-replacing event caused by a road construction in 1974 which interrupted the tidal inundation of the study area. Consequently, infrequent inundation and high porewater salinity limit tree growth and canopy closure. All trees and seedlings were stem-mapped in six 20 m x 20 m plots which were located along a tree density gradient. Moreover, height, crown extent, basal stem diameter of trees were measured. The area of herbaceous ground vegetation and wood debris were mapped as well. The mapped spatial distribution of trees, seedlings and covariates was studied using point pattern analysis and point process models, such as Gibbs and Thomas point process, in order to infer underlying ecological processes, such as seed dispersal, seedling establishment, tree recruitment and tree interaction. In the first study (chapter 2), I analyzed the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the seedling establishment and tree recruitment of A. germinans during the recolonization of severely degraded mangrove sites using point process modeling. Most seedlings established adjacent to adult trees especially under their crown cover. Moreover, seedling density was higher within patches of the herbaceous salt-marsh plants Blutaparon portulacoides and Sesuvium portulacastrum than in uncovered areas. The higher density of recruited A. germinans trees in herb patches indicated that ground vegetation did not negatively influence tree development of A. germinans. In addition, tree recruitment occurred in clusters. Coarse wood debris had no apparent effect on either life stage. These results confirm that salt-marsh vegetation acts as the starting point for mangrove recolonization and indicate that the positive interaction among trees accelerates forest regeneration. In the second study (chapter 3), I analyzed how intraspecific interaction among A. germinans trees determines their growth and size under harsh environmental conditions. Interaction among a higher number of neighboring trees was positively related to the development of a focal tree. However, tree height, internode length and basal stem diameter were only positively associated in low-density forest stands (1.2 trees m-2) and not in forest stands of higher tree density (2.7 trees m-2). These results indicated a shift from facilitation, i.e. a positive effect of tree interaction, towards a balance between facilitation and competition. In the third study (chapter 4), I used point process modeling and the individual-based model mesoFON to disentangle the impact of regeneration and interaction processes on the spatial distribution of seedlings and trees. In this infrequently inundated area, propagules of A. germinans are only dispersed at a maximum distance of 3 m from their parent tree. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the following seedling establishment is influenced by trees. I was able to differentiate positive and negative tree interactions simulated by the mangrove model mesoFON regardless of dispersal processes based on static tree size information using the mark-correlation function. The results of this dissertation suggest that mangrove forest regeneration in degraded areas is a result of facilitative and not competitive interactions among mangrove trees, seedling and herbaceous vegetation. This has important implications for the restoration of degraded mangrove forest. Degraded mangrove areas are usually restored by planting a high number of evenly spaced seedlings. However, high costs constrain this approach to small areas. Assisting natural regeneration could be a less costly alternative. Herbaceous vegetation plays a crucial role in forest recolonization by entrapping propagules and possibly ameliorating harsh environmental conditions. So far only competition among mangrove trees has been considered during restoration. However, facilitative tree interactions could be utilized by planting seedling clusters in order to assist natural regeneration instead of planting seedlings evenly-spaced over large areas. This dissertation also showed that point pattern analysis and point process modeling can enable forest ecologists to describe the spatial distribution of trees as well as to infer underlying ecological processes.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of registered nurses with regard to facilitating the learning of student nurses during clinical placement. Focus group interviews with fifteen registered nurses were done, followed by participant observations in two clinical areas, to gain a clearer picture of obstacles, as well as the strategies employed during placement of student nurses in the clinical area. The :findings indicate that facilitation of the learning of student nurses during clinical placement is achieved by guidance, involvement, assisting and supervision of student nurses in the clinical area by nurses of all categories, and medical and paramedical personnel. Many obstacles were identified which obstruct the employment of strategies that are suitable for facilitation in the clinical area. Guidelines for the facilitation of learning of student nurses were recommended, to improve facilitation in the clinical area. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)