The present study identified factors influencing determination of educational setting for students with Emotional Disturbance (ED). Determination of most appropriate educational setting, a key provision of students' individualized education programs (IEP) continues to be one the most contentious issues in special education. Focus group interviews were conducted to identify and understand factors contributing to placement decisions for IEP teams. Qualitative analysis of interviews produced three themes. First, IEP team members' beliefs, knowledge, and attitudes of ED influenced their recommendations for placement decisions. Second, teacher and resource-based factors played as critical a role as student-based factors in where students were placed. Third, needs of school-based stakeholders (i.e. teachers, principals, district officials) competed with those of the student with ED. Previous interview-based research on factors related to the determination of educational setting for students with ED relied predominantly on a single population: teachers. This study extends the research literature by including psychologists and principals as participants. The findings, provided by a cross section of school districts and personnel, highlight challenges related to the provision of high quality educational services for students with ED.

Den omfattande globaliseringen som sker i världen har givit upphov till stora förändringar för världens organisationer. Den ständigt växande konkurrensen som kommer därav ökar kraven på en fungerande internkommunikation samt betydelsen av att de interna kommunikationskanalerna utnyttjas så effektivt som möjligt. Samtidigt krävs långtgående hänsynstaganden gällande alla organisationens medlemmar då utveckling av internkommunikationens struktur och strategi genomförs.   I detta examensarbete används teorierna “Uses and gratifications”, “Dependency theory” och ”Social information processing theory”. Teorierna används med målsättning att beskriva de mest framträdande dragen i den interna kommunikationsutövningen i en organisation och vidare för att undersöka hur denna utövning överensstämmer med de förväntningar och användningsmönster som kan utrönas bland de anställda. Med utgångspunkt i tidigare forskning inom ämnet framkommer vikten av att utföra studien från ett användarperspektiv i en organisation som bedriver industriell produktion såväl som kontorsarbete. Skillnader mellan dessa olika grupper i fråga om upplevelser och förväntningar inkluderades också i undersökningen.           Studien genomfördes på ett teknologiföretag i södra Sverige i ett skede där lansering av en ny intranät-portal väntade. Det empiriska materialet erhölls genom utförande av sju fokusgruppsintervjuer. Totalt deltog 28 personer i dessa fokusgrupper. Resultatet visade på många tillgängliga interna kommunikationskanaler samtidigt som det synliggjorde en upplevd avsaknad av en tydlig strategi och en utsedd koordinator som ansvarar för den interna kommunikationen.  Från ett medarbetarperspektiv karaktäriseras den generella internkommunikationen av inkonsekvens, otillförlitlighet och godtycklighet. Olika typer av strategier för att tillfredsställa specifika behov kunde identifieras såväl som långtgående beroenden av vissa informationskanaler för att få information. Kollaborationsplattformar som en integrerad del av intranätet mötte motsägelsefulla åsikter och visar på att de anställda både önskar och fruktar det fria ordet i organisationskommunikativa sammanhang. De interna kommunikationskanalsera måste struktureras och samköras för att ge alla organisationsmedlemmar möjlighet att tillfredställa sina informations- och kommunikationsbehov.

Mobile banking is an application of mobile computing which provides customers with the support needed to be able to bank anywhere, anytime using a mobile handheld device and a mobile service such as text messaging (SMS). Mobile banking removes space and time limitations from banking activities such as checking account balances, or transferring money from one account to another. In recent research and studies it was found that while mobile banking and more specifically SMS-based mobile banking applications have become popular in some countries and regions, they were still not widely used. This study identifies and investigates the factors which influence customers’ decision to use a specific form of mobile banking, and specifically focuses on the evaluation of SMS-based mobile banking in the context of New Zealand. The research model includes the basic concepts of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), as well as some constructs derived through a focus group discussion. The model is tested to determine its predictive power with respect to individual’s behaviour when considering the use of SMS-based mobile banking. A survey questionnaire was developed and employed to collect data from 250 AUT university students in New Zealand. The results of the data analysis contributes to the body of knowledge in the area by demonstrating that context specific factors such as service quality and service awareness are influencing user perceptions about the usefulness of SMS mobile banking which in turn affect intention to use and adoption. Secondly, the study demonstrates, on the example of SMS-based mobile banking, how a hybrid approach involving qualitative data collection and a subsequent quantitative survey can help investigate how user perceptions about usefulness and ease of use are formed. Although the study has its limitations, the implications of the results allow providing practical recommendations to the banking industry, and directions for further work.

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A parent's death it is one of the most stressful and traumatic events in a child's life (Guldin et al., 2015; Worden, 1996, 2008). In particular, when bereavement is linked to a parent's suicide, children face unique challenges and are more vulnerable to potentially negative outcomes (Brent, Melhem, Donohoe, & Walker, 2009; Haine, Ayers, Sandler, & Wolchik, 2008; Pitman, Osborn, King, & Erlangsen, 2014; Young et al., 2012). Although many factors influence children's recovery following a parent's suicide, the surviving parent's emotional stability and emotional availability to support their children are of critical importance. Additionally, negative outcomes are often linked to unhealthy patterns of grief, such as avoidance and blame (Ratnarajah & Schofield, 2008), social isolation, closed communication (not talking about the suicide), and secrets kept within the family (Cerel, Jordan, & Duberstein, 2008). Furthermore, society's stigmatization of suicide impedes survivors' emotional healing (Mitchell et al., 2006). In recent years, researchers have consistently shown the success of bibliotherapy in helping increase children's and parents' understanding and communication about death. However, this efficacy has not been demonstrated specifically with grief related to suicide. No bibliotherapy-related research specifically addresses children's grief associated with a parent's suicide. Addressing this lack of research, a focus group study was conducted to obtain paraprofessional counselors' opinions about which type of story would be most effective in supporting this unique population of child survivors. We sought participants' (n=5) perceptions regarding which specific criteria should be considered when selecting child-appropriate reading materials (picture books) for bibliotherapy. We focused on the purpose of opening communication with young children (ages 4—8-years old) following their parent's suicide. The following summary and recommendations are based on participants' input. Following a parent's suicide, participants emphasized the critical need to individualize treatment to fit the unique needs of the child. Participants repeatedly stressed the need to know the child-the circumstances surrounding the suicide and the child's specific situation. They also recommended that counselors should strive to find books that fit the child's individual needs; books need to be forthright and honest in their portrayal of suicide; and stories need to show a way forward, provide hope, and assure the child that that they are not alone. Participants endorsed suicide-specific books, indicating that these books tended to be best for helping the child talk about the suicide and their grief. As a foundation for conversation with the child, participants noted the importance of children's books that helped identify and address specific emotions. Additionally, participants cautioned adults to avoid sharing stories that included ambiguous and unresolved issues, as children needed stories that offered closure and directly taught effective coping strategies. Future research is recommended to further explore the efficacy of children's picture books that were endorsed by this study's focus group. It is important to assess child survivors' and surviving parents' perceptions of these stories and the effectiveness of stories in opening communication about the deceased parent's suicide. Additionally, future research needs to investigate licensed counseling professionals' perceptions of children's picture books, specifically their perception of the story's capacity to open communication and provide adaptive grief support to child survivors. Additionally, longitudinal research should focus on the long term effectiveness of sharing carefully selected stories to facilitate healthy grieving patterns in child survivors.

The diploma thesis analysis consumer behavior in the rental market within one year. Using the so-called Focus group, questionnaire survey and hypothesis, factors influen-cing consumer behavior in the rental market within one year were identified. The work focused on the target group of students and the analysis of individual factors influencing their behavior in the rental market. The results of these analyzes were the basis for proposing general marketing recommendations.

Using a sequential mixed-method methodology, this dissertation study set out to understand the emic and etic perspectives of the knowledge encompassed in the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework and to develop fixed answer questions based on that knowledge. While there have been many studies examining ways to measure TPACK in in-service and pre-service teachers, very few have addressed measuring TPACK using fixed-answer questions. Through the use of the mixed-methods, a snapshot of the emic (inside) and etic (outside) perspectives on the TPACK framework was obtained. This study used a focus group with in-service teachers (emic perspective) and interviews with teacher educators (etic perspective) to understand the kind of knowledge attributed to the TPACK framework. Six themes were derived from the focus group and interviews, from which fixed-answer questions were developed. Those six themes included such issues as access to technology, the use of technology for solid teaching and learning purposes, and passive versus active learning when using technology. Following best practices, the eleven questions included a scenario that gave context to the questions asked and the answers provided. In-service teachers reviewed the items to assure that the language and context were appropriate to classroom practice. Four experts on the TPACK framework reviewed the items for face validity. Across the experts six of the eleven items were rated as valid. Although only the experts saw a small number of items as valid, this study indicates that this kind of measurement for the TPACK framework may be possible.

Text messaging is a significant social phenomenon that merits investigation. Communications theories are well suited to this type of research because text messaging serves as both mediated communication and interpersonal communication. This kind of research can also contribute to a deeper understanding of communication differences between genders. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there are gender differences in the use of text messaging and, if so, what the differences are. Participants for the study were recruited via convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 27 participants ages 18--35; 14 were female and 13 were male. Data were collected from the participants via the focus group approach. Two of the groups consisted of females, and two of the groups consisted of males. Transcripts of the focus group sessions were analyzed using the constant comparative approach. This approach involves continually sorting through the data, comparing categories, and analyzing the resulting information. Areas of difference between the genders include selecting recipients, gathering information, seeking entertainment (trolling), ending relationships, arguing, seeking privacy and exclusion, using text shorthand and slang, remaining alert, and using text messaging for dating. These findings provide new insight in the areas of text messaging and gender studies.

Capstone courses are well embedded into the curriculum of undergraduate programs in Colleges of Business and are often used to assess program outcomes and curricular goals. Assessment of best practices of Capstone programs and skills within Capstone courses are examined as assurance of learning requirements under AACSB mandates. The conceptual framework of problem-based learning serves as the foundation for national Capstone course models with student-centered pedagogies that enhance learning about a subject through the experience of problem solving by using thinking strategies and domain knowledge. Rubrics assess student mastery of content, professionalism, organization, language structure and presentation skills. The main purpose of this study was to determine to what extent students provided evidence of skills and competencies, as demonstrated through Capstone projects and presentations at a large metropolitan university in Central Florida, which were required to meet the needs of potential employers. Using focus group research, this study examined and interpreted Capstone student papers and presentations to determine to what extent the skill sets evidenced were sufficient for hiring entry-level positions in community business partners' respective organizations. This study served to contribute to an understanding of the factors that should be embedded in course design, linking assignments to course objectives, and overall curricular goals in order to fulfill assurance of learning requirements as established by AACSB mandates.

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