This study was designed to address teachers' difficulties implementing Response-to-Intervention (RtI) program strategies at a low-performing school in south Texas in response to students failing to meet statewide assessment standards in reading. This exploratory case study investigated the perceptions of Grades 3 and 4 teachers to assist in understanding a pathway to increase higher fidelity of RtI implementation and improve student academic performance. Knowles' theory of andragogy and Lewin's change theory provided the framework for the study. The study included interview data from 6 purposefully selected Grades 3 and 4 teachers supplemented by document reviews of professional development (PD) presentations and RtI implementation policies. All data were analyzed using comparative and inductive analysis and coded into 7 emergent themes. The findings included the need for administrative supervision, a lack of RtI fidelity of implementation, and a need for PD focusing on interventions and organizational tools. The project, which was developed based on the findings and literature review, includes opportunities for learning and participating in campus RtI planning to gain support for the program, attending district-approved PD sessions to assist teachers' techniques to improve student performance in reading, and training in specific RtI progress monitor reporting to document use of the various interventions for individuals in the classroom. By ensuring that students receive RtI instruction that is designed to meet their individual academic needs, the project may help the school district decrease referrals to special education and improve students' reading abilities.

In spite of technological advances in wireless systems, transmitted data suffers from impairments through both lossy source coding and transmission overerror prone channels. Due to these errors, the quality of multimedia content is degraded. The major challenge for service providers in this scenario is to measure the perceptual impact of distortions to provide certain Quality of Experience(QoE) to the end user. The general tendency of the Human Visual System (HVS) suggests that the artifacts in the Region-of-Interest (ROI) are perceived to be more annoying compared to the artifacts in Background (BG). With this assumption, the thesis aims to measure the quality of image over ROI and BG independently. Visual Information Fidelity (VIF), a full-reference image quality assessment is chosen for this purpose. Finally, the metric measured over ROI and BG are pooled to get a ROI aware metric. The ROI aware metric is used to predict the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of an image. In this study, an ROI aware quality metric is used to measure the quality of a set of distorted images generated using a wireless channel. Eventually, MOS of the distorted images is estimated. Lastly, the predicted MOS is validated with the MOS obtained from subjective tests. Testing the proposed image quality assessment approach shows an improved prediction performance of ROI aware quality metric over traditional image quality metrics. It is also observed that the above approach provides a consistent improvement over a wide variety of distortions. After extensive research, the obtained results suggest that the impairments in the ROI are perceived to be more annoying than that of the BG.

Einleitung Studierende der Veterinärmedizin müssen neben umfangreichem theoretischem Wissen zahlreiche praktische Fertigkeiten erlernen. Da jeder Einzelne in seinem eigenen Tempo lernt, besteht ein großer Bedarf an Trainingsmöglichkeiten. Kadaver und lebende Tiere sind selten in ausreichender Menge verfügbar und lebende Tiere sind zudem aus Gründen des Tierwohls nur eingeschränkt zu verwenden. Simulationsmodelle (Modelle von Organismen / Körperteilen) können hier Abhilfe schaffen. Kommerziell erhältliche Modelle sind sehr kostenintensiv und für die Tiermedizin noch nicht flächendeckend erhältlich. Zunehmend werden selbst entwickelte low-fidelity Modelle in der Tiermedizin verwendet. Aufgrund des Mangels an publizierten Daten zu ihrem Einsatz besteht intensiver Forschungsbedarf. Ziele der Untersuchungen In dieser Arbeit sollte untersucht werden, ob einfache, selbst entwickelte Simulationsmodelle (low-fidelity Modelle) erfolgreich in der Lehre eingesetzt werden können. Dazu wurden zwei selbst entwickelte und gebaute Simulationsmodelle evaluiert (Studie 1) und ihr Einsatz in Kombination mit anderen Lehrmedien untersucht (Studie 2). Materialien und Methoden In Studie 1 wurden zwei low-fidelity Modelle zur kaninen Intubation und Katheterisierung entwickelt und evaluiert. Es wurde ein Studiendesign genutzt, das die erworbenen Fertigkeiten zweier Übungsgruppen und einer Kontrollgruppe in einer praktischen Prüfung (OSCE = objective structured clinical examination) am toten Hund vergleicht. Achtundfünfzig Studierende (4. FS) erhielten eine theoretische Einführung zur Intubation und wurden randomisiert auf drei Gruppen aufgeteilt. Gruppe 1 (high-fidelity) übte am kommerziell erhältlichen Intubation Training Manikin, Gruppe 2 (low-fidelity) am entwickelten low-fidelity Modell und die Textgruppe las einen Text, der die Intubation beim Hund beschreibt. Siebenundvierzig Studierende (10. FS) durchliefen dasselbe Studiendesign zum Thema Katheterisierung der Hündin. Sie nutzten das kommerziell erhältliche Female Urinary Catheter Training Manikin, das selbst entwickelte low-fidelity Modell und Lehrtexte. In Studie 2 wurde die Vermittlung zweier spezifischer Fertigkeiten mit Hilfe von Potcasts und Simulationstraining evaluiert. Zwei anleitende Potcasts zu Intubation und Katheterisierung und die oben beschriebenen Modelle wurden innerhalb eines crossover-Studiendesigns genutzt. In dieser Studie sind Potcasts audio-visuell aufbereitete Animationen mit Schritt für Schritt – Anleitungen und Informationen. Die erworbenen praktischen Fertigkeiten zweier Übungsgruppen, die sich in der Art der theoretischen Vorbereitung unterschieden, wurden in einer praktischen Prüfung (OSCE) am toten Hund verglichen. Ein Fragebogen erfasste das Feedback der Teilnehmer. Sechzig Studierende (2. FS) wurden randomisiert auf eine Potcast- und eine Textgruppe aufgeteilt. Die Potcastgruppe sah sich das anleitende Potcast an, die Textgruppe bereitete sich anhand eines Lehrtextes vor. Im Anschluss hatten beide Gruppen separate Übungseinheiten an den low-fidelity Modellen ohne Betreuung durch Lehrende. Ergebnisse In Studie 1 schnitten alle Übungsgruppen signifikant besser ab als die Textgruppen. Gruppe 1 (high-fidelity) und Gruppe 2 (low-fidelity) unterschieden sich weder bei der Intubation noch bei der Katheterisierung signifikant in ihren Leistungen. In Studie 2 schnitt die Potcastgruppe beim Thema Intubation signifikant besser ab als die Textgruppe, beim Thema Katheterisierung ergaben sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede. Insgesamt hatte das Simulationstraining den Studierenden Spaß gemacht, das Lernen ohne Betreuer wurde jedoch als Herausforderung empfunden. Schlussfolgerungen Es ist davon auszugehen, dass low-fidelity Modelle genauso geeignet für das Training klinischer Fertigkeiten sein können wie high-fidelity Modelle. Das Training klinischer Fertigkeiten mit Hilfe von Potcasts und low-fidelity Modellen sollte durch Betreuer ergänzt werden, anstatt als alleiniges Lehrmedium für Studierende des ersten Studienjahres Verwendung zu finden. Eigenständiges Lernen klinischer Fertigkeiten, angeleitet durch Potcasts bietet eine Möglichkeit für vertiefendes und wiederholendes Training höherer Semester. Der Einsatz von Simulationsmodellen in der veterinärmedizinischen Ausbildung wächst seit wenigen Jahren stetig. Diese Arbeit leistet einen zeitgerechten Beitrag bei der Evaluierung von Simulationstraining. / Introduction Students of veterinary medicine are expected to acquire various practical skills in addition to a wide range of theoretical knowledge. There is a strong demand for training opportunities, as every individual learns and acquires practical skills at individual pace. For reasons of animal welfare concerns and availability, live animals and cadavers cannot always be used for clinical skills training. Simulation models, which are models of organisms or body parts can be a considerable alternative for clinical skills training. Models that are commercially produced often have a high price and are not available for all skills. Self-made models are increasingly used in veterinary education. Because there is few published data regarding their use, more scientific research is required. Aims of the Investigation The objective of this study was to determine, if self-made low-fidelity models can be successfully used in veterinary medical education. For this purpose, two self-made low-fidelity models were evaluated (study 1) and their use in combination with other teaching tools was analyzed (study 2). Materials and Methods In study 1, two self-made low-fidelity models for simulation of canine intubation and canine female urinary catheterization were developed and evaluated. We used a study design that compares acquired skills of two intervention groups and one control group in a practical examination (OSCE = objective structured clinical examination). Fifty-eight second-year veterinary medicine students received a theoretical introduction to intubation and were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (high-fidelity) was then trained on a commercially available Intubation Training Manikin, group 2 (low-fidelity) was trained on our low-fidelity model, and the text group read a text describing intubation of the dog. Forty-seven fifth-year veterinary medicine students followed the same procedure for training urinary catheterization using the commercially available Female Urinary Catheter Training Manikin, our self-made model, and text. Outcomes were assessed in a practical examination on a cadaver using an OSCE checklist. In study 2 we evaluated the teaching of two specific clinical skills using potcasts and low-fidelity simulation training. Two instructional potcasts describing intubation and catheterization and both low-fidelity models described above were used. In our study, potcasts are audio-visual animations that provide the learner with step by step information and instruction on a clinical skill. We used a crossover study design and compared the acquired practical skills of two intervention groups after a different theoretical preparation. A survey captured the participants’ feedback. Sixty first year veterinary medicine students were randomly allocated to two groups, a potcast group and a text group. The potcast group watched a potcast while the text group read an instructional text for preparation. Then both groups had separate self-directed training sessions on low-fidelity models. Outcomes were assessed in practical examinations on a cadaver using an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) checklist. Results In study 1 all intervention groups performed significantly better than the text groups. Group I (high-fidelity) and group II (low-fidelity) for both intubation and catheterization showed no significant differences. In study 2 the potcast group performed significantly better than the text group in study intubation but no significant differences were observed in study catheterization. Overall, participants enjoyed clinical skills training but experienced self-directed learning as challenging. Conclusion Low-fidelity models can be as effective as high-fidelity models for clinical skills training. Clinical skills training using potcasts and self-directed low-fidelity simulation training should be complemented by supervisor or peer instruction rather than used as exclusive tool for teaching first year veterinary students. We assume though, that self-directed learning instructed by our potcasts can be a valuable chance for deepening and repetitive training of higher semesters. The use of simulation models in veterinary education has been consistently increasing in the past few years. This study is an important, timely contribution to the evaluation of simulation based education.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

In the Spin is a semi-autobiographical collection of poetry, dealing primarily with themes of family, marital infidelity, loyalty, the female body, and the tension between political vs. aesthetic existence. This is a collection of poems influenced by the work of French Feminism, Shakespeare and Faulkner, and hybrid lyric-narrative poets of the last fifty years.

[pt] O BNDES é, desde 1952, o principal provedor de financiamentos de longo prazo para investimentos na economia brasileira. Ao financiar projetos de seus clientes, o banco tem como objetivo promover o desenvolvimento do país. Neste processo, é fundamental selecionar, além dos melhores projetos, os clientes mais capacitados para executá-los, procurando então desenvolver um relacionamento com eles que garanta o sucesso dos projetos e a maximização dos impactos positivos para o país. O objetivo desta dissertação é analisar o ciclo de relacionamento com clientes no BNDES, utilizando como parâmetro as práticas preconizadas pelo Marketing de Relacionamento. Para esta análise, foi conduzida uma pesquisa qualitativa por meio de entrevistas em profundidade com quinze executivos do BNDES. As entrevistas foram integralmente gravadas e compiladas, sendo então identificadas problemáticas e temáticas vinculadas ao relacionamento do banco com seus clientes. Por fim, as problemáticas foram distribuídas pelo modelo de ciclo de relacionamento proposto por Stone, Woodcock e Machtynger (2001) e confrontadas com a teoria do Marketing de Relacionamento. A pesquisa revelou os hiatos entre a condução do relacionamento com clientes no BNDES e as práticas e conceitos preconizados pelos teóricos, assim como as possíveis conseqüências destes hiatos para a eficácia e eficiência na consecução dos objetivos estratégicos do banco. / [en] Since 1952, BNDES has been the leading provider of long-term funding for investments in the Brazilian economy, with the objective of promoting the country’s development. To maximize these effects, it is essential for the bank to manage relationships with the customers that will carry out the selected projects. This study aims to analyze the customer relationship cycle in BNDES, comparing the bank’s practices with the insights provided by the Relationship Marketing Theory. For this analysis, a qualitative research was conducted, by means of interviews with thirteen BNDES executives. These interviews were recorded, compiled and analyzed, allowing the identification of the main issues related to the bank s relationship with customers. Finally, these issues were distributed by the relationship cycle model proposed by Stone, Woodcock and Machtynger (2001) and confronted with the insights provided by the Relationship Marketing Theory. The analysis revealed the gaps between the relationship practices in BNDES and the concepts advocated by Relationship Marketing Theory and also identified the main reasons for their existence.

[pt] Este trabalho estuda o caso de uma empresa do varejo farmacêutico e suas preocupações com a implantação de um sistema de CRM – Customer Relationship Management. O mercado de varejo farmacêutico no Brasil conta com mais de 60 mil farmácias e drogarias. Este é um cenário de competitividade acirrada, no qual a busca de vantagem competitiva, por meio da implantação de um CRM, exige estratégias e ações cuidadosamente elaboradas. Este estudo identifica ações usuais ao CRM e analisá-las sua pertinência às peculiaridades e dimensões de uma empresa de grande porte no cenário competitivo do varejo farmacêutico nacional. O método elege a empresa DPSP S/A da qual obtém dados por meio de consulta a documentos internos e entrevistas com dirigentes. Os resultados mostram quatro áreas de preocupações da empresa para a formulação de um plano de CRM: Identificação e Classificação de Clientes; Benefícios para os Clientes; Gestão de Benefícios e Gestão de Relacionamento. Os resultados incluem uma análise detalhada dos elementos de cada área à luz das considerações feitas pelos dirigentes; mas revelam que a importância do CRM está concentrada apenas na cabeça dos líderes, quando deveria fazer parte da cultura de toda a organização. / [en] This paper studies the case of a company in the retail pharmacy and their concerns with the implementation of a CRM - Customer Relationship Management. The retail pharmaceutical market in Brazil has more than 60,000 pharmacies. This is a tough competitive scenario, in which the pursuit of competitive advantage through the implementation of a CRM requires carefully designed strategies and actions. This study identifies the CRM usual actions and analyze them their relevance to the peculiarities and dimensions of a large company in the competitive landscape of the national retail pharmacy. The method chooses the company DPSP S / A which gets data by querying the internal documents and interviews with officials. The results show four areas of concern to the company to formulate a plan of CRM: Customer Identification and Classification; Customer Benefits, Benefits Management and Relationship Management. Results include a detailed analysis of the elements of each area in the light of the considerations made by the directors, but reveal that the importance of CRM is concentrated only in the head of the leaders when it should be part of the culture of the entire organization.

Nurse academics are constantly facing new challenges from governmental and professional groups calling for the preparation of students to be able to work with increasing complex patient cases at a time of reduction in clinical placements (NMC, 2010a and b). Simulation is a method that has been embraced, by some, for preparing for these challenges, with the potential to escalate student skills and knowledge in a meaningful way (Benner, 1984). The aim of this study was to explore and make explicit the characteristics that make simulation effective within nurse education. An explorative, qualitative case study was chosen to collect spoken data from twenty-four participants through focus groups. Participants included both students undertaking nurse training, and academics involved in the delivery of simulation. Content analysis facilitated exploration of each participant's contribution resulting in the emergence and construction of three themes (Creswell, 2007; Polit and Beck, 2014). 1. The approaches that academics use to integrate simulation into the curriculum; 2. The influences and decisions academics make to deliver simulationbased education, and their impact upon the student learning experience; 3. Evidence for the transference of skills to the realities of clinical practice. A conceptual framework has been developed and presented through the data analysis process (Saldana, 2012), which has culminated in the presentation of a unique model for 'Developing Simulation Practice in Nurse Education' (DSPiNE). The model relates to two key processes derived both during and following simulation activities (1) the preparedness for clinical practice, described as the process whereby the student gains insight into their current practice abilities; and (2) the transference to clinical practice, described as the process whereby the student gains insight into their readiness for future practice requirements. This study concludes that purposeful positive behavioural change could be achieved with the implementation of the DSPiNE model within nurse education.

Esta dissertação se insere no contexto do debate em torno da tradução e apresenta dois objetivos: o primeiro, mais geral, é fazer o (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, projeto teórico do pensador francês Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); o segundo, mais específico, é revisitar, a partir desse (re)conhecimento da poética do traduzir, três temas clássicos no debate em torno da tradução à luz dessa teoria, a saber, a própria tradução, a fidelidade e a equivalência. Justifica-se a inserção desta discussão no debate sobre a tradução pelo fato de a poética do traduzir apresenta um posicionamento bastante distinto daqueles mais reconhecidos hoje tanto na discussão acadêmica quanto no senso comum sobre o que é a tradução. Isso se deve ao fato de a poética do traduzir supor e indicar uma reflexão sobre a linguagem que modifica a visão do traduzir. A linguagem, no âmbito poético, não é tomada a partir dos termos comuns da língua (como forma e sentido, por exemplo), que representam uma visão redutora da linguagem, descontínua por natureza. Pelo contrário, a poética do traduzir situa a tradução – e a própria linguagem – no terreno do discurso, que é da ordem do contínuo, e, por aí, modifica o pensamento sobre o que é a linguagem e, consequentemente, o que é o traduzir. Desse modo, esta dissertação apresenta, inicialmente, as bases do pensamento poético, que dizem respeito a uma visão não-redutora da linguagem. Nesse contexto, a leitura meschonniquiana dos pensamentos de Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure e Émile Benveniste é apresentada para embasar essa visão não-redutora. A partir dessa construção, passo aos elementos da poética do traduzir para que se faça claro o posicionamento teórico que Meschonnic apresenta para debater a tradução. Esse é um ponto de extrema relevância pois indica como funciona o sistema do pensamento poético, permitindo seu (re)conhecimento. Por fim, a discussão final se dá como consequência das reflexões anteriores. Se a poética modifica o saber sobre o traduzir, cumpre demonstrar como isso se dá em comparação com o pensamento sobre os temas propostos a partir da visão da Tradutologia para que se compreenda como a poética do traduzir introduz elementos que renovam o debate em torno desses temas comumente difundidos em discussões dessa natureza. / This dissertation is inserted in the context of the debate regarding translation and has two objectives: the first, more general, is to make the (re)acknowledgement of the poetics of translating, the theoretical project of the French thinker Henri Meschonnic (1932-2009); the second, more specific, is to revisit, based on this (re)acknowledgment of the poetics of translating, three classic themes in the debate regarding translation in the light of this theory, namely: translation itself, fidelity and equivalence. The insertion of this discussion in the debate about translation is justified by the fact that the poetics of translating presents a different point of view from those most recognized today in both academic discussion and common sense about what translation is. This is due to the fact that the poetics of translating assumes and indicates a reflection on language that modifies the idea of translating. Language, in the poetic scope, is not regarded by the common terms of a language (such as form and meaning, for example), which represent a reductive view of language, discontinuous in nature. On the contrary, the poetics of translating places translation – and language itself – in the field of discourse, which is of the order of the continuum, hence modifying the general idea about what language is, and consequently what is there to translate. In this way, this dissertation presents initially the bases of the poetic thought, which concern a non-reductive view of language. In this context, the meschonniquian reading of the ideas of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Ferdinand de Saussure and Émile Benveniste is presented to support this non-reductive view of language. From this construction, I turn to the elements of the poetics of translating so that the theoretical positioning that Meschonnic presents to discuss translation becomes clear. This is a point of extreme relevance because it indicates how the system of poetic thinking works, allowing its (re)acknowledgement. Lastly, the final discussion comes as a consequence of these previous reflections. If poetics modifies the knowledge about translation, it is necessary to demonstrate how this is done in comparison with the ideas about the themes proposed from the point of view of Traductology so that one understands how the poetics of translating introduces elements that renew the debate around these subjects commonly disseminated in discussions of this nature.

An extensive body of empirical evidence indicates that function-based behavior support plans are likely to be more effective and efficient in school settings than plans that are not function-based. Designing technically adequate behavior support plans, however, is not sufficient to ensure that these plans will be implemented with fidelity by school staff. The contextual “fit” of support plan procedures with the values, skills, resources and administrative support of implementing personnel also affects the likelihood of implementation. In this dissertation a single-subject concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to examine the efficacy of the Contextual Fit Enhancement Protocol (CF Intervention). The CF Intervention was designed to improve the contextual fit of support plans for four elementary school students with problem behaviors. This CF Intervention was designed based on the assumption that when procedures included in a plan match the values, skills, administrative support and resources of the people responsible for implementation the plans will be implemented with higher fidelity and will be more likely to produce desired student outcomes. Results from the study indicate that after implementation of the CF Intervention, support plans that were already technically adequate improved in contextual fit: instructional staff (a) had a better understanding of behavioral procedures being used, (b) received specific, systematic feedback about its implementation, (c) perceived high levels of administrative support, and (d) perceived a collective commitment to improve current plans. Following implementation of the CF Intervention, substantial increases in implementation fidelity and decreases in student problem behavior were observed. In addition, teacher participants rated the CF Intervention process as effective and efficient. Limitations and implications for future research, practice, and training are discussed.