This research project explores factors affecting sustainability initiatives within educational institutions. Using grounded theory and mixed-methods, the project evaluates the experiences and perspective of nineteen individuals involved with sustainability initiatives in schools. Twelve research participants are from one school community while the other seven are sustainability programme coordinators at a range of educational institutions. Results indicate that significant life experiences and situational factors both have an impact on an individual’s perspective on sustainability. The success of sustainability initiatives relies heavily on keen advocates for sustainability within the community and the support ascribed to sustainability by the institution. Providing engaging, hands-on experiences, supporting individuals and groups, and encouraging role modeling can foster an ethic of sustainability across the community. The outcome of this research project is a framework designed to help individuals and institutions in their efforts to support and implement sustainability initiatives. Keywords: Sustainability, education, barriers, environment

Bakalauro baigiamasis darbas nagrinėja socialinius procesus vykstančius projektinėje veikloje, naudojant šiuolaikinį, į žmogiškuosiuos išteklius orientuotą, projektinės veiklos požiūrį. Iki šiol projektinių veiklų įgyvendinimas buvo suprantamas labai siaurai: reikalingas techninis darbas, apimantis veiklų įgyvendinimo procesus, etapus. Tokiu būdu individai ir tarp jų vykstantys socialiniai procesai laikomi neesminiais ir projekto rezultatams įtakos neturintys veiksniai. Todėl šio darbo tikslas – atskleisti socialines sąveikas, vykstančias projektų valdymo metu. Tyrimas atliktas remiantis mokslinės literatūros šaltinių analizės metodu; pusiau struktūruotu interviu ir dokumentų analizės metodu, naudojant grindžiamosios teorijos metodologijos strategiją. Atlikus tyrimą remiantis šia strategija per nuolatinį egzistuojančių ir formuojamų teorijų palyginimą buvo konstruojamos naujos teorijos, kurios praplėtė esamas projekto valdymo teorijas taikytinas socialiniams procesams: saviraiškos galimybės projektinėje veikloje, ugdomasis projektinės aplinkos poveikis, tarpusavio pažinimo procesas. Taip pat praplėstos ir papildytos šios teorijos: konfliktų atsiradimo ir jo išvengimų būdų, komunikacijos proceso naudojant kontrolės mechanizmą, kryptingos darbinės veiklos komandoje, komandinio darbo sąvokos neįsisavinimo teorijos. / Undergraduate thesis examines the social processes in project management a contemporary to human resource-oriented, project's activities. So far, the implementation of project activities have been defined too narrowly: for technical work, including activities in the implementation of processes and stages. In this way, individuals within and between social processes are considered minor and do not affect project performance factors. Therefore, the goal to reveal the social interactions taking place in project management. The study was conducted on the basis of scientific literature analysis method and semi-structured interviews and document analysis, using grounded theory methodology strategy. The investigation based on this strategy through the regular existing molding and comparison of theories have been constructed in the new theory, which expanded the existing project management theories applicable to the social process of expression the possibility of project work, educational environment for the project, between the cognitive process. As well as extended and supplemented by this theory: the emergence of conflict and avoidance techniques, communication with the process control mechanism, focused work team performance, teamwork concept-execution theory.

Muziejaus edukacinė veikla, kaip mokslinio tyrimo objektas, ypač Lietuvoje, yra dar labai mažai nagrinėta, taigi disertacinis muziejinės edukacijos tyrimas yra reikšmingas tolimesnei muziejinės edukacijos plėtrai. Tyrimui atlikti pasirinkta klasikinės grindžiamosios teorijos strategija, suteikianti tyrėjui galimybę, konceptualizuojant tyrimo duomenis, „iškelti“ teoriją, atskleidžiančią pagrindinį rūpestį ir paaiškinančią, kaip jis yra sprendžiamas. Tyrime taikyti duomenų rinkimo metodai (interviu, stebėjimas, neformalūs pokalbiai, virtualūs komentarai, rašinėliai, piešiniai, dokumentai) ir klasikinės grindžiamosios teorijos procedūrų taikymas padėjo atskleisti, kad pagrindinį rūpestį muziejinėje edukacijoje kelia nuobodulys. Nuobodulio problema muziejinėje edukacijoje yra sprendžiama nardinančiu interaktyvumu, kurio pagrindu ir suformuota grindžiamoji teorija: Nardinantis interaktyvumas muziejinėje edukacijoje. Šioje teorijoje yra atskleidžiami plūduriavimo ir pasinėrimo procesai, paaiškinantys šiuolaikinę muziejinę edukaciją. Plūduriavimą, kaip paviršinės muziejinės edukacijos procesą, atskleidžia nuobodulio rato įsukimas, kai sprendžiant nuobodulio problemą, siekiama išvengti nuobodulio aktyvinimu, kuris veda prie perdozavimo ir lemia grįžimą į pradinę nuobodulio būseną. Tuomet muziejaus lankytojas tarsi plūduriuoja muziejinės edukacijos paviršiuje, kas veda prie dalinio ir laikino nuobodulio problemos sprendimo bei skatina muziejaus lankytojus ateityje labiau vengti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Museum education as the subject of scientific research has been little analyzed, especially in Lithuania, thus, the dissertation research on museum education is significant for further development of museum education. The strategy of classic grounded theory was selected for research. It provides the possibility to researcher to “emerge” the theory, which reveals the main concern and explains how it is solved, by conceptualizing the data of research. The data collection methods (interviews, observation, informal conversations, virtual comments, essays, drawings, documents), used in research, and application of procedures of classic grounded theory helped to reveal that the main concern in museum education is boredom. The problem of boredom in museum education is solved by submerging interactivity on the basis of which the grounded theory is formed: submerging interactivity in museum education. The processes of floating and immersing, which explain a modern museum education, are revealed in this theory. Floating as process of superficial museum education is disclosed by turning the wheel of boredom (when solving the boredom problem, it is sought to avoid boredom by activation, which leads to overdosing and results in return to initial condition of boredom). Then it seems that museum visitor floats on the surface of museum education, which leads to partial and temporal solving of boredom problem and promotes museum visitors to avoid museum even more in the future. Immersing... [to full text]

Museum education as the subject of scientific research has been little analyzed, especially in Lithuania, thus, the dissertation research on museum education is significant for further development of museum education. The strategy of classic grounded theory was selected for research. It provides the possibility to researcher to “emerge” the theory, which reveals the main concern and explains how it is solved, by conceptualizing the data of research. The data collection methods (interviews, observation, informal conversations, virtual comments, essays, drawings, documents), used in research, and application of procedures of classic grounded theory helped to reveal that the main concern in museum education is boredom. The problem of boredom in museum education is solved by submerging interactivity on the basis of which the grounded theory is formed: submerging interactivity in museum education. The processes of floating and immersing, which explain a modern museum education, are revealed in this theory. Floating as process of superficial museum education is disclosed by turning the wheel of boredom (when solving the boredom problem, it is sought to avoid boredom by activation, which leads to overdosing and results in return to initial condition of boredom). Then it seems that museum visitor floats on the surface of museum education, which leads to partial and temporal solving of boredom problem and promotes museum visitors to avoid museum even more in the future. Immersing... [to full text] / Muziejaus edukacinė veikla, kaip mokslinio tyrimo objektas, ypač Lietuvoje, yra dar labai mažai nagrinėta, taigi disertacinis muziejinės edukacijos tyrimas yra reikšmingas tolimesnei muziejinės edukacijos plėtrai. Tyrimui atlikti pasirinkta klasikinės grindžiamosios teorijos strategija, suteikianti tyrėjui galimybę, konceptualizuojant tyrimo duomenis, „iškelti“ teoriją, atskleidžiančią pagrindinį rūpestį ir paaiškinančią, kaip jis yra sprendžiamas. Tyrime taikyti duomenų rinkimo metodai (interviu, stebėjimas, neformalūs pokalbiai, virtualūs komentarai, rašinėliai, piešiniai, dokumentai) ir klasikinės grindžiamosios teorijos procedūrų taikymas padėjo atskleisti, kad pagrindinį rūpestį muziejinėje edukacijoje kelia nuobodulys. Nuobodulio problema muziejinėje edukacijoje yra sprendžiama nardinančiu interaktyvumu, kurio pagrindu ir suformuota grindžiamoji teorija: Nardinantis interaktyvumas muziejinėje edukacijoje. Šioje teorijoje yra atskleidžiami plūduriavimo ir pasinėrimo procesai, paaiškinantys šiuolaikinę muziejinę edukaciją. Plūduriavimą, kaip paviršinės muziejinės edukacijos procesą, atskleidžia nuobodulio rato įsukimas, kai sprendžiant nuobodulio problemą, siekiama išvengti nuobodulio aktyvinimu, kuris veda prie perdozavimo ir lemia grįžimą į pradinę nuobodulio būseną. Tuomet muziejaus lankytojas tarsi plūduriuoja muziejinės edukacijos paviršiuje, kas veda prie dalinio ir laikino nuobodulio problemos sprendimo bei skatina muziejaus lankytojus ateityje labiau vengti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The purpose of this thesis is to examine dynamics and consequences of geographical return movements in two North-South contexts based on migrants' biographies. The thesis examines the consequences of return migration in terms of social mobility, meanings of return and the shaping of identity-place relationships for the subjects of migration. Categories of return were identified and related to evolving migration processes in the two case studies of long term labour migration and political exile respectively. The concept of 'narrative identity' was used to analyse the shaping of the migration biographies and to examine the ways migrants made sense of their experiences of emigration/exile and return. In a further step the narrative identities were discussed in relation to examples of public narratives in the two contexts. The dissertation's case study of US-Mexican migration showed that geographical return took different shapes at the local level as the migration process evolved between the studied municipality in Mexico and different destinations in the USA. The initial phase of formative return led to the gradual establishment of a migration tradition and development of a remittance economy. Return movements turned in a later phase into an increasingly trapped migratory pattern of differentiated circulation between the municipality in Mexico and different locations in the USA. The 'narrative identities' of returning migrants were related to family situations (family formation, safety of the family, family commitment), perceptions of real life in Mexico and work identities (respected worker, independent businessman), negative experiences of migration (threat, social degradation, trapped migration), and the search and fulfilment of personal experiences. These narrative identities were contrasted with public narratives, showing the partial incorporation of some public narratives and contrasting senses of self of migrants in relation to 'imposed identities' in both the USA and Mexico. The second case study of the dissertation identified categories of return movements in a context of changing conditions in both Chile and Sweden. Examples of categories were 'conditional return' and 'programmed return' and in the phase of desexilio professional circulation, continued exile and everyday life circulation. The narrative identities of retornados were related to family situations (children's future and education, the extended family and the family vote), Sweden as 'parenthesis' (programmed return, duty to return, political return, personal return), work identities (independent businessman, professional circulation) and experiences of exclusion (foreigner, immigrant, prolonged political exile). The narrative identities of migrants were discussed in relation to larger public narratives about retornados in the Chilean media. / digitalisering@umu

In much of Canada, the number of children in child welfare care has been increasing significantly in recent years. In Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, the permanent ward population doubled in size over the decade ending in 2005, according to the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (Gail Vandermeulen, personal communication, January 6, 2006). Ontario law asserts that it is preferable for children who are permanent wards with no access to their biological parents to leave care via domestic adoption rather than remain in fostering arrangements (Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, 2000). Nevertheless, rates of adoption for these children in Ontario actually declined over the past ten years according to the former government minister of the Ministry of Community and Social Services (Marie Bountrogianni, personal communication, February 23, 2004). The purpose of these investigations was two-fold: to profile the population of children who were legally available for domestic public adoptions while developing a theory about the decision-making processes of adoption applicants as they consider available children with and without disabilities. In the first study a representative sample of over 20% of the files of children who were permanent wards of the state on December 31, 2003 and legally available for domestic public adoption in Ontario was reviewed. Results indicated that 57.8% of children had at least one type of disability. Children with disabilities were more likely to enter care at older ages, were significantly less likely to be residing in adoption probationary homes, and have an official permanency plan of adoption than were the child wards who had no disabilities. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the variables most predictive of permanency plans included the age at which a child entered care. The second study included interviewing 15 adoption applicants. Using a grounded theory approach the data regarding participants’ decision-making processes were analyzed and a substantive level theory generated. A core category resulted and was labeled, gaining balance. Key categories included commitment, persistence, and evaluation. The findings were member checked by a select group of participants and were found to have considerable explanatory power.

Despite our theoretical commitment to community development (CD) approaches in occupational therapy, current practice models focus on individual interventions, rather than identifying how occupational therapists (OTs) can contribute at a community level. Consequently, OTs attempting to work with communities may not have clear guidance on methods of community engagement or strategies for addressing community level issues. This research examined three cases of OTs working in CD in different regions of Canada in order to 1) generate in-depth interpretive case descriptions of CD practice; and 2) conceptualize CD from the perspective and practices of occupational therapy. Data collection in each case occurred over three weeks and included approximately 30 hours of observations, document reviews and 14 interviews with health professionals and program participants. Constructivist grounded theory informed data analysis. The conceptual framework generated from the cross-case analysis describes the context of CD in which the OTs bridged the health and community sectors. The OTs were in community-focused positions located within regional health authorities. The OTs strategically used both professional and personal self to enable more equitable power sharing between health services, community agencies and consumers, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement with and in communities. Four main CD strategies contributed to this power shift: 1) building consumer and community capacity, 2) nurturing community partnerships, 3) influencing the health care system, and 4) linking sectors and resources. These OTs focused on a set of core values while drawing on their professional experiences. Individual, organizational and community-level changes resulted from these CD initiatives. The conceptualizations developed in this study can inform the practice of OTs by identifying potential CD strategies for enabling occupations with communities and sensitizing OTs to historical contextual tensions and power inequities. From this, the applicability of current occupational therapy models to communities can be extended, enhancing reflexive CD practice. / Thesis (Ph.D, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2010-03-04 13:35:42.337

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