Bakgrund: Riksrevisionens statistik visar på en allt högre belastning på ambulanssjukvården i landet, detta har medfört att flera regioner infört rutiner för ambulanssjuksköterskan att bedöma det aktuella vårdbehovet hos patienterna för att hänvisa till rätt vårdnivå om det inte föreligger transportbehov med ambulans. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka ambulanssjuksköterskors upplevelser av att hänvisa patienter till annan vårdnivå när inget behov av ambulanstransport föreligger. Metod: Två kvalitativa fokusgruppsintervjuer genomfördes på två ambulansstationer inom Region Norrbotten. Ett ändamålsenligt urval användes för att rekrytera ambulanssjuksköterskor. Deltagarna var mellan 33 och 48 år och yrkeserfarenheten sträckte sig mellan 8 och 20 år. Data analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysen resulterade i fyra huvudkategorier: Erfarenheter, magkänsla och bemötande gav förutsättningar för bedömning, Att välja vårdnivå var tidskrävande men värt arbetsinsatsen, Patienter som transporteras utan vårdbehov skapar frustration, En förändring kräver information, utbildning och stöd i beslut. Resultatet visade att ambulanssjuksköterskorna använde sig av intuition tillsammans med de befintliga rutinerna och kände sig då trygga med att bedöma och hänvisa patienterna till en annan vårdnivå. De saknade möjligheten till stöd av ambulansläkare för att underlätta vid bedömning och beslut. Ambulanssjuksköterskorna upplevde det som en begränsning att inte privata vårdgivare var anslutna till rutinen för att hänvisa patienter. Frustration uppstod när de var tvungna att transportera patienter utan vårdbehov.  Slutsats: För att kunna optimera akutsjukvårdens resurser så behöver rutiner ses över så att samtliga hälsocentraler i regionen ingår i “vårdstigen”. En ambulansläkare bör omgående rekryteras som ett stöd i ambulanssjuksköterskornas dagliga arbete och vid hänvisning av patienter till annan vårdnivå.

An exploratory case study research design was followed to explore and categorize 23 pre-service physics teachers’ understanding in the fields of superconductivity and nanotechnology at the Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. To elicit their responses, a five-stage categorical framework analysis was used. The five stages included identification of the thematic framework, familiarization, coding, placing the categories on a chart and finally, interpretation. A conceptual survey test (Conceptual Survey of Superconductivity and Nanotechnology) was administered to the pre-service physics teachers to form four independently homogenous ability focus groups. This was followed by focus group discussions whose data were analyzed to group their conceptions in both the epistemological as well as ontological categories. From the focus group discussions, six categories were considered from previous studies, namely; lateral alternative conceptions, ontological conceptions, naïve physics, Ohm’s p-primes, mixed conceptions and loose ideas. Since this was a pre-instructional study, naïve physics ideas and lateral alternative conceptions were dominant. Naïve physics refers to the untrained student or human perception of various physical phenomena while lateral alternative conception refers the misconceptions individuals have on ideas that may be inconsistent with scientifically acceptable facts. Findings indicate that the pre-service teachers’ conceptions deviated from canonical scientific concepts, are diversified and inconsistent. The knowledge on pre-instructional conceptions will influence the development of evidence-based pedagogy, which is fundamental to the development of an effective physics education curriculum. / Institute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE) / M. Sc. (Physics Education)

Recent research indicates that the Internet (or Net) is currently being used at many post-secondary institutions in support of traditional, classroom-based instruction. From 1994 to 2002, the percentage of post-secondary classes using the Web as a research tool and E-mail as a method of communication has increased almost ten fold. An extensive literature on the evaluation of the Internet as an educational technology has developed in recent years; however, there are some gaps that need to be filled to provide a more complete understanding of the Internet and its use by post-secondary students. First, most of the studies focus primarily on student usage of the Net, and less so on the value (or the advantages and disadvantages) and the utility (or usefulness) associated with that usage. Second, many of these studies make a distinction between the research and communication functions of the Internet. While I argue that this is an appropriate distinction, many examine one function or the other only – and not both simultaneously. The central research problem that this study addresses is helping to fill those two gaps in the evaluation literature by examining in detail student usage, value and utility of the Net as a research and/or communication tool for post-secondary students in support of classroom-based instruction. Drawing upon work from the fields of media studies, learning theory, and theories of communication, I establish a "Net as Tool" framework and adopt a uses and gratifications approach to examine student use of the Net. The three main inter-related concepts of usage, value and utility are used as organizing themes for the study, and I designed and developed a survey instrument to gather original quantitative data from post-secondary students in both Canada and Australia to fully examine those concepts. Two focus group sessions were designed to supplement this quantitative data with qualitative findings (and to generate more in-depth insights into student usage, value and utility of the Net as a research and/or communication tool). The results presented in this study have both theoretical and practical importance. In regards to the theoretical side, I have identified the underlying dimensions of usage, value, and utility, and highlighted what makes the Net valuable and useful as a research and/or communication tool. Additionally, I have identified the factors which are related to usage, value, and utility, and explored the inter-related nature of those three concepts. I concluded my study with an outline of the importance of the skill of digital literacy so that students can cope effectively with the online environment. These findings are significant because they help to fill some specific gaps in the evaluation knowledge of the Net in post-secondary education. In addition, I have developed a practical strategy which suggests how the Net could be used most effectively by students as a research and/or communication tool in support of classroom based instruction. The areas addressed by the strategy include access, infrastructure, technical support, training, integration into the curriculum, and appropriate use of the tool. The overall strategy is important because it contributes to our understanding of the Net as an educational tool, and it outlines ways to address the issue of the digital divide within post-secondary education. It is hoped the strategy will be useful to training staff, post-secondary administrators, instructors, and students.

本研究旨在探討未婚男性的愛情觀。探究個人的愛情經驗在他們的生活中所扮演的整體角色，以歸納出愛情對他們個人的意義。並以研究所獲得的結果為基礎，進一步比較當代相關的理論，發展符合本土愛情現象的論述。 　　研究方法以現象學探索個人「生命世界」的方式為出發點，採用深度訪談及焦點團體來蒐集資料，邀請十一位受訪者參與訪談。訪談資料以現象學方法為基礎發展出基本架構，輔以研究者的主觀知識來完成整體男性愛情觀的詮釋與討論。主要的研究發現如下： 一、受訪的男性在青少年時期大多缺乏兩性親密互動的經驗，他們往往會藉由追求愛情來肯定自己、探索兩性關係。男性在挑選對象時相當注重外表，女性美麗的外表對他們個人的意義，在於帶給他們愉快的感受、性的快感，自我肯定，他們並會藉著女性的外表來判斷她們的內在。 二、男性在愛情關係中常扮演主動的追求者，在不斷追求愛情的經驗中，他們漸漸累積了對真實兩性關係的瞭解，以及兩性互動深刻的體驗。在愛情經驗的累積中，他們滿足自己的需求，像是自我肯定、自我成長、征服感、被關愛、被照顧、擺脫孤獨、性需求等等。透過這些需求的滿足，他們感到愛情的意義。但是對於維繫長期關係所需要的付出、犧牲自由、情慾限制、卻常讓他們感到痛苦。並且無論在他們的內心，以及他們和女友的互動中，都容易會產生不少的衝突。這樣的衝突本身不易解決，往往他們期待脫離當下的親密關係，尋找更適合自己的愛情。 三、整體來說，男性的愛情中包含了以性為主體的親密感，這樣的親密感不只是一種慾力的宣洩，而是包含著身體與心理的親密互動，甚至是一種能達到精神安定的對話關係。此外，愛情還是男性們滿足各種個人需求與成長的一個過程，端看他當下所期待的需求與成長是什麼。而在愛情關係中所獲得的成長，往往也是一種改變，推動他們再尋找最適合他們的愛情關係。 　　最後依據以上的研究發現，提出有關於男性、女性、諮商者以及未來研究的建議。 目 錄 第一章 緒論 1 第一節 研究動機與目的 1 第二節 研究範圍的界定 12 第三節 本研究的限制 13 第二章 文獻探討 15 第一節 愛情的本質 15 第二節 愛情的來源 20 第三節 愛情的過程 24 第四節 兩性特質及其社會化影響因素 28 第五節 相關知識在本研究中的定位 33 第三章 研究方法 34 第一節 研究進行的架構 34 第二節 研究對象的選取 37 第三節 研究者自我涉入與自我檢核 42 第四節 蒐集資料的程序 45 第五節 資料整理與分析 56 第四章 研究發現 64 第一節 對象的挑選 64 第二節 愛情的追求 80 第三節 關係的發展 96 第四節 愛情的意義 109 第五章 結論、討論與建議 125 第一節 研究結論與討論 125 第二節 建議 156 參考書目 162 附錄 169 附錄一 訪談邀請函 169 附錄二 焦點團體邀請函 171 附錄三 訪談契約書 173 附錄四 個別訪談大綱 174 附錄五 田野日誌 175 附錄六 焦點團體訪談大綱 176 附錄七 個別訪談意義單元編輯舉例 177 附錄八 D的中心主題、開放編碼舉例 179 附錄九 個別訪談核心單元編輯舉例 180 附錄十 個別訪談的初步分析結果大綱 182 附錄十一 焦點團體訪談稿意義單元編輯舉例 184 附錄十二 研究方法的背景哲學 191 附表目次 表一 張老師近年求助問題前三名摘錄表 1 表二 台北市「生命線」近年求助問題統計資料 2 表三 愛情的內涵 3 表四 本土心理學界的愛情質性研究 6 表五 愛情的來源 22 表六 愛情的過程 27 表七 台灣男女兩性的特質 29 表八 研究對象的個人基本資料 37 表九 不同文化下的男女特質差異 136 附圖 圖一 研究進行的基本架構 35 圖二 資料分析的步驟 57 圖三 研究發現的初步架構 60 圖四 加入焦點團體資料後的研究發現架構 62 / The purpose of this study is to acquire the awareness of love of single males. This study tries to find the role of love in their lives to define their attitudes toward love. After all, this study compares the finding with contemporary theories, and tries to produce some discourse of romances in Taiwan. 　　Eleven interviewers have participated in this study. The phenomenological deep interview and focus group were adopted to collect data, along with the method of Phenomenological Psychology to analyze data. Finally, some hermeneutic approaches were used to illuminate the finding. The main findings were as the following. 　　First, most interviewed males lacked experience of mutually sexual interaction at their teens. They used to confine themselves and explore bi-sexual relations through the pursuing of love. Males intended to care about the appearance of females, as the beautiful appearance is of significance for them. Males judged the existence of females by the appearance of females, as it accommodated males with delighted feeling, sexual contentment, and self-confidence. 　　Secondly, Males frequently played an aggressive role in the process. Males accumulated their understandings of sexual relationship and experience of impressing sexual interaction. They were mentally and physically fulfilled with self-ascertain, self-growth, sense of conquering, being loved, being cared, and sexual interaction. Through the satisfaction of these needs, they aware the meanings of love. They, however, felt uncomfortable with the consistently long term giving, sacrifice of freedom, and control of sexual desires Such conflicts were not easily resolved, and they led males to pursue more suitable love under the present expectations. Literally speaking, love attitude of bachelors consists of intimacy mainly. Such intimacy contains physical and mental interactions and even the achievement of dialogue relations of spiritual comfort, rather than an outlet of desires. 　　Furthermore, love is also the process of various needs and self-growth at the moment of what makes expect to obtain and to be. The growth mostly in love relations is a change as well. It motivates males to define a more suitable relationship among themselves and others. 　　Based on the above findings, comments are made for males, females, consolers, and future advanced research.

Although dynamic prosthetic alignment is an important process for the rehabilitation of transtibial amputees, such alignment technique is subjective and inconsistent. Using biomechanical variables and questionnaire assessments, this study compared an instrument-assisted dynamic alignment technique using the Compas™ system and conventional alignment techniques on nine adults with unilateral transtibial amputation. A focus group discussion was conducted with six prosthetists to understand clinical practice of dynamic alignment and their perception of the Compas™ system. Results found that Compas™ produced more anterior weight line displacement and greater varus moment on the prosthesis than conventional alignment techniques. Alignment changes did not affect pelvic acceleration, and the instrument-assisted alignment technique produced certain biomechanical changes but not necessarily better alignments. Although the current version of the Compas™ system is not clinically feasible, it can be used as a teaching/justification tool. Further investigation with larger sample size and ankle alignment or moment measures is needed.

Although dynamic prosthetic alignment is an important process for the rehabilitation of transtibial amputees, such alignment technique is subjective and inconsistent. Using biomechanical variables and questionnaire assessments, this study compared an instrument-assisted dynamic alignment technique using the Compas™ system and conventional alignment techniques on nine adults with unilateral transtibial amputation. A focus group discussion was conducted with six prosthetists to understand clinical practice of dynamic alignment and their perception of the Compas™ system. Results found that Compas™ produced more anterior weight line displacement and greater varus moment on the prosthesis than conventional alignment techniques. Alignment changes did not affect pelvic acceleration, and the instrument-assisted alignment technique produced certain biomechanical changes but not necessarily better alignments. Although the current version of the Compas™ system is not clinically feasible, it can be used as a teaching/justification tool. Further investigation with larger sample size and ankle alignment or moment measures is needed.

Over the last decades the weight has increased in the Norwegian population. Report no 16 to the Storting, “Prescription for a healthier Norway”, expresses concern for this development and defines important areas of commitment to prevent a further increase in health problems like diabetes 2 and other lifestyle related diseases. The foci described above are all justified by figures and statistical surveys. The dominant approach towards lifestyle related diseases is closely connected with Western medicine. The main tendency in the recommendations is primarily presenting overweight and obesity as something negative and problematic.  This study focuses on self-assessment and self-perception of people that are overweight as well as those of normal weight. The aim is to reveal the collective understanding in a local community that struggles to avoid a further weight-gain in its population. This thesis seeks to, shed light on how the weight- evolvement in the Norwegian society influence peoples individual self-image and body perception. A local community in Norway (“Libygda”) defined by media, some years ago, as the most overweight local community in the country, constitutes the basis for this thesis. Methods like fieldwork, multistage focus group interviews and individual interviews (all carried out in “Libygda”) were used. The main focus in all the approaches is the bottom up strategy gained through the research approach Co-operative Inquiry which implies that both researcher and participants together search to gain insight and new experiential knowledge. In this case about individual health perception, body and identity. The data material is analyzed mainly through Life Mode-Theory, and theories of social capital (and other theories from the Social Science field). Methodological and theoretical approaches within Public Health Work are mainly based in Health Science, whereas this thesis has Social Science (Sociology and Social Anthropology) as its point of departure. The thesis will by its perspective aim to complement the traditional Health Science and offer a supplemental approach to the Science of Public Health. This thesis describes how experience-based perspectives on health and body exist side by side with the medical and Public Health Science perspective. This implies that there exists a parallel understanding of reality, which is rarely focused on by health professionals. If Public Health Work should gain a greater impact on peoples’ everyday life, these experience based and folk perspectives must be taken into consideration and accepted by professionals as relevant. / De siste tiårene har vekten økt i den norske befolkningen. Stortingsmelding nr 16 ”Resept for et sunnere Norge” uttrykker uro for denne utviklingen og definerer viktige satsningsområder for å hindre en økning i antallet diabetes 2 og andre livsstilsrelaterte sykdommer. Satsningsområdene beskrevet over er alle basert på og dokumentert ved statistiske undersøkelser. Hovedtendensen i anbefalingene har som utgangspunkt at overvekt og fedme er assosiert med noe negativt og problematisk. Denne avhandlingens fokus er den subjektive selvoppfatningen til både normalvektige og overvektige. Hensikten er å avdekke den kollektive forståelsen av helse og et godt liv i et lokalsamfunn med overvektsutfordringer i befolkningen. Avhandlingen søker å belyse hvordan vektøkning i det norske samfunnet påvirker individers selvbilde og kroppsforståelse, og hvordan dette speiles på lokalsamfunnsnivå. Et lokalsamfunn i Sør-Norge (”Libygda”), definert av media rundt tusenårsskiftet som den mest overvektige kommunen i Norge, danner utgangspunktet for denne studien. Metoder som feltarbeid, deltagende observasjon, flerstegs fokusgruppeintervju, individuelle intervjuer (alt uført i ”Libygda”) blir benyttet. Hovedfokuset i de metodiske tilnærmingene er en nedenfra-og-opp inngang inspirert av handlingsorientert forskningssamarbeid, hvor både forsker og deltakere sammen søker ny innsikt og erfaringskunnskap om individuell og kollektiv helseoppfatning, kroppsforståelse og identitet. Datamaterialet blir analysert i lys av livsformteori, sosial kapital og andre relevante samfunnsvitenskapelige teorier. Metodiske og teoretiske tilnærminger innen folkehelsearbeidet er ofte knyttet til helseforskningen, mens denne avhandlingen har et samfunnsvitenskapelig (sosiologi og sosialantropologi) utgangspunkt. Avhandlingens perspektiv søker å komplementere tradisjonell helseforskning med en erfaringsbasert tilnærming til folkehelsevitenskapen. Avhandlingen beskriver hvordan erfaringsbaserte og folkelige perspektiver på helse og kropp lever side om side med den medisinske og folkehelsevitenskaplige. Dette innebærer at det eksisterer en parallell forståelse av virkeligheten, som sjelden blir tillagt vekt eller fokusert av helsepersonell eller akademia. Hvis folkehelsearbeid skal få større innflytelse og gjennomslagskraft i menneskers hverdagsliv, må disse erfaringsbaserte og folkelige perspektivene inkluderes av fagfolk.

This research explored the application of a resilience assessment (RA) template in an Ontario community to facilitate sustainable community planning. Research and application of sustainable community planning that incorporates management of social and ecological resilience is relatively young territory that requires improved understanding and extension. The research goals were to critically examine the performance of the process used to perform the RA. This inquiry was considered a knowledge-generating evaluation that combined applied research and evaluation research to contribute to theoretical understanding and action. The RA template was field-tested using a single in-depth case study - the Town of Huntsville, Ontario. A mixture of qualitative methods was used to pilot and evaluate the RA, including: key informant interviews, online group discussions, focus groups, and secondary literature review. The process used to perform the RA was evaluated against four criteria that focused on the adequacy of data collection, participant diversity, participant empowerment, and utility for other communities. This research illuminated obstacles and shortcomings within the Resilience Alliance 2010 RA workbook and offered recommendations to improve the utility of the RA for communities and participants. The RA template tested in this thesis could be adapted for application in other communities, including small urban and rural communities and larger municipalities. The RA template would benefit from additional case study research.

This study examines cultural differences in time perspective (TP). Two groups of psychology students were compared using the Swedish Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI). One group was Swedish (n=125) and the other was Namibian (n=105). Students from Namibia also participated in focus groups discussing aspects affecting their TP. Results show Swedish students are more past positive, less past negative, less present hedonistic, less present fatalistic and less future negative compared to Namibian students. Focus groups findings reveal that economic aspects are important to the Namibian students view of the past and the future. They believe it is not possible to have a positive past or future if basic needs, like food and shelter, are not met. Other important aspects include family and freedom. The students also discuss the importance of finding a balance between appreciating the present and investing in the future.

This thesis aimed to extend knowledge of athletes’ career transitions through examining athletes’ retirement decision-making process and influence of cultural diversity and organisational culture on the process of career transition. The purpose of Study 1 was to identify the current status of knowledge in the study area through providing a systematic review of the athlete career transition studies. The findings provided up to date knowledge in the study area and suggested potential future research directions. Study 2 aimed to understand Korean tennis players’ career transition out of sport experiences via longitudinal qualitative research. The results indicated that athletes perceived making the retirement decision was difficult process for them and revealed that participants’ experiences were influenced by cultural aspects and sport contexts of Korea. Study 3 focused on exploring the athletes’ retirement decision-making process among Korean tennis players. Results showed that athletes’ leaving from sport decision-making is a complex and multidimensional process, and the transtheoretical model was helpful in explaining athletes’ retirement from sport decision-making. The objective of Study 4 was to explore the processes involved in the development of an athletes’ career transition programme. Results revealed that the organisation might have influence on athletes’ retirement decision and the quality of career transition. Overall, the findings from the current thesis provide advanced useful knowledge on the athlete career transition process, and such knowledge may assist attempts to enhance athletes’ well-being and welfare for during and post-sport life.