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mso-style-parent:"" / mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt / mso-para-margin-top:0cm / mso-para-margin-right:0cm / mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt / mso-para-margin-left:0cm / line-height:115% / mso-pagination:widow-orphan / font-size:11.0pt / font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif" / mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri / mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri / mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman" / mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi / mso-fareast-language:EN-US / } </style> <![endif]--> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Behaviour problems have been on the rise in Kenyan schools for some time now. Various maladaptive behaviours found among school children include bullying, vandalism, stealing, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, not completing homework assignments and other forms of problem behaviours. These problem behaviours impact negatively on the teaching and learning enterprises of schools as well as on the safety and security of the school environment. As consequence, schools have to develop student behaviour management practices aimed at addressing student problem behaviours. Corporal punishment was a major means by which schools dealt with students&rsquo / problem behaviours. However, because of the human rights abuses associated with corporal punishment, the Kenyan Ministry of Education had to abolish corporal punishment in 2001 and instructed schools to evolve more effective student behaviour management practices with strong emphasis on positive student behaviour development. Schools&rsquo / student behaviour management practices including policies on student behaviour expectations, school rules and regulations as well as counselling services are all to be coordinated by each School Disciplinary Panel. A School Disciplinary Panel is to be composed of small group of teachers as a way of emphasizing the latter&rsquo / s roles in student behaviour development and not just student academic or educational development. The central concern of this study was to investigate the Kenyan schools&rsquo / behaviour management practices as being implemented by School Disciplinary Panels especially in the latter&rsquo / s responses to students&rsquo / problem behaviours. The study investigated processes of decision making by Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels for the management of student behaviours and the contribution of this to student behaviour development. Mixed methods research design was adopted for the study. The adoption of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was to ensure the collection of comprehensive information for better understanding of the behaviour management practices of Kenyan schools. The population for the study comprised all Kenyan schools with behaviour management practices and School Disciplinary Panels. Rongo District, one of the largest education districts in Kenya was chosen for the study. Ten of the schools in this district were actually involved in the study. The selection of the schools took into consideration the three different types of schools in Kenya (Girls&rsquo / Only, Boys&rsquo / Only and Co-educational schools) as well as other variables of particular interest to the study. Seventy-eight (78) disciplinary panel members from the ten selected schools were the participants of the study. Data collection was by use of questionnaire method (the Modified Choice Dilemma Questionnaire, MCDQ) and interview protocol.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">&nbsp / </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The findings of the study revealed the existence of the phenomenon of group polarization in decision making processes of disciplinary hearings conducted by the School Disciplinary Panels. Study findings also revealed that the nature of information shared during disciplinary hearings, group members&rsquo / motivation for approval of others and their concern for their status in the group as well as the personality characteristics of the members of the disciplinary panels (including gender, age, teaching experiences and school affiliation) were the major influences responsible for the existence of group polarization in the disciplinary processes of the Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels. Since group polarization is about consensus decisions with characteristics of being collective decisions as well as greater support and acceptance for the decisions the conclusion of the study is that good quality decisions of Kenyan secondary school </span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">disciplinary panels have great potentials for effective management of student behaviours and for positive behavioural development of students as an important objective of education and or the schools.</span></p> </p>

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mso-style-parent:"" / mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt / mso-para-margin-top:0cm / mso-para-margin-right:0cm / mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt / mso-para-margin-left:0cm / line-height:115% / mso-pagination:widow-orphan / font-size:11.0pt / font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif" / mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri / mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri / mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman" / mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi / mso-fareast-language:EN-US / } </style> <![endif]--> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Behaviour problems have been on the rise in Kenyan schools for some time now. Various maladaptive behaviours found among school children include bullying, vandalism, stealing, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, not completing homework assignments and other forms of problem behaviours. These problem behaviours impact negatively on the teaching and learning enterprises of schools as well as on the safety and security of the school environment. As consequence, schools have to develop student behaviour management practices aimed at addressing student problem behaviours. Corporal punishment was a major means by which schools dealt with students&rsquo / problem behaviours. However, because of the human rights abuses associated with corporal punishment, the Kenyan Ministry of Education had to abolish corporal punishment in 2001 and instructed schools to evolve more effective student behaviour management practices with strong emphasis on positive student behaviour development. Schools&rsquo / student behaviour management practices including policies on student behaviour expectations, school rules and regulations as well as counselling services are all to be coordinated by each School Disciplinary Panel. A School Disciplinary Panel is to be composed of small group of teachers as a way of emphasizing the latter&rsquo / s roles in student behaviour development and not just student academic or educational development. The central concern of this study was to investigate the Kenyan schools&rsquo / behaviour management practices as being implemented by School Disciplinary Panels especially in the latter&rsquo / s responses to students&rsquo / problem behaviours. The study investigated processes of decision making by Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels for the management of student behaviours and the contribution of this to student behaviour development. Mixed methods research design was adopted for the study. The adoption of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was to ensure the collection of comprehensive information for better understanding of the behaviour management practices of Kenyan schools. The population for the study comprised all Kenyan schools with behaviour management practices and School Disciplinary Panels. Rongo District, one of the largest education districts in Kenya was chosen for the study. Ten of the schools in this district were actually involved in the study. The selection of the schools took into consideration the three different types of schools in Kenya (Girls&rsquo / Only, Boys&rsquo / Only and Co-educational schools) as well as other variables of particular interest to the study. Seventy-eight (78) disciplinary panel members from the ten selected schools were the participants of the study. Data collection was by use of questionnaire method (the Modified Choice Dilemma Questionnaire, MCDQ) and interview protocol.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">&nbsp / </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The findings of the study revealed the existence of the phenomenon of group polarization in decision making processes of disciplinary hearings conducted by the School Disciplinary Panels. Study findings also revealed that the nature of information shared during disciplinary hearings, group members&rsquo / motivation for approval of others and their concern for their status in the group as well as the personality characteristics of the members of the disciplinary panels (including gender, age, teaching experiences and school affiliation) were the major influences responsible for the existence of group polarization in the disciplinary processes of the Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels. Since group polarization is about consensus decisions with characteristics of being collective decisions as well as greater support and acceptance for the decisions the conclusion of the study is that good quality decisions of Kenyan secondary school </span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">disciplinary panels have great potentials for effective management of student behaviours and for positive behavioural development of students as an important objective of education and or the schools.</span></p> </p>

Growing economic inequality and cultural heterogeneity has brought increased attention to the issue of 'unity in diversity', that is, the state of being joined together or being in agreement in the presence of actual and perceived differences among people. Despite the growing interest in 'politics in divided societies', many political-sociological aspects of this issue remain largely unexplored. At the heart of this thesis lies an interest in explaining how social forces shape political preferences regarding the tension between unity and diversity in contemporary democracies. More specifically, this research seeks to understand how social (and identity-based) cleavages affect public responses to the idea of solidarity-based welfare provision and the reconciliation of increased ethnic diversity with national unity (including the functioning of the welfare state). Drawing on the institutionalist view that pre-existing policy creates mass politics (policy feedback effect), the study also investigates whether institutional structures condition the association between social forces and political attitudes. Although several chapters put particular emphasis on policy feedback effects (e.g., Chapters 2, 3, and 5), they are still within the general scope of this thesis, that is, the 'social embeddedness of political attitudes'. The thesis consists of two parts: the first assesses the explanatory power of socioeconomic status and social policy structures in predicting public attitudes toward income inequality, redistribution, and taxation policies (Chapters 2 to 4), and the second examines how differences in occupational status and national identity result in differences in reactions to welfare chauvinism and multiculturalism (Chapters 5 and 6). Taken together, the findings of this study underscore the importance of social cleavages, identity, and institutional structures in explaining why and under what conditions people are more likely to sacrifice part of their private interest or particularistic identity for the common good or the general welfare of all individuals in a community, in a situation of growing economic inequality and increased cultural plurality.

Doctor Educationis / Behaviour problems have been on the rise in Kenyan schools for some time now. Various maladaptive behaviours found among school children include bullying, vandalism, stealing, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, not completing homework assignments and other forms of problem behaviours. These problem behaviours impact negatively on the teaching and learning enterprises of schools as well as on the safety and security of the school environment. As consequence, schools have to develop student behaviour management practices aimed at addressing student problem behaviours. Corporal punishment was a major means by which schools dealt with students’ problem behaviours. However, because of the human rights abuses associated with corporal punishment, the Kenyan Ministry of Education had to abolish corporal punishment in 2001 and instructed schools to evolve more effective student behaviour management practices with strong emphasis on positive student behaviour development. Schools’ student behaviour management practices including policies on student behaviour expectations, school rules and regulations as well as counselling services are all to be coordinated by each School Disciplinary Panel. A School Disciplinary Panel is to be composed of small group of teachers as a way of emphasizing the latter’s roles in student behaviour development and not just student academic or educational development. The central concern of this study was to investigate the Kenyan schools’ behaviour management practices as being implemented by School Disciplinary Panels especially in the latter’s responses to students’ problem behaviours. The study investigated processes of decision making by Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels for the management of student behaviours and the contribution of this to student behaviour development. Mixed methods research design was adopted for the study. The adoption of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was to ensure the collection of comprehensive information for better understanding of the behaviour management practices of Kenyan schools. The population for the study comprised all Kenyan schools with behaviour management practices and School Disciplinary Panels. Rongo District, one of the largest education districts in Kenya was chosen for the study. Ten of the schools in this district were actually involved in the study. The selection of the schools took into consideration the three different types of schools in Kenya (Girls’ Only, Boys’ Only and Co-educational schools) as well as other variables of particular interest to the study. Seventy-eight (78) disciplinary panel members from the ten selected schools were the participants of the study. Data collection was by use of questionnaire method (the Modified Choice Dilemma Questionnaire, MCDQ) and interview protocol. The findings of the study revealed the existence of the phenomenon of group polarization in decision making processes of disciplinary hearings conducted by the School Disciplinary Panels. Study findings also revealed that the nature of information shared during disciplinary hearings, group members’ motivation for approval of others and their concern for their status in the group as well as the personality characteristics of the members of the disciplinary panels (including gender, age, teaching experiences and school affiliation) were the major influences responsible for the existence of group polarization in the disciplinary processes of the Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels. Since group polarization is about consensus decisions with characteristics of being collective decisions as well as greater support and acceptance for the decisions the conclusion of the study is that good quality decisions of Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels have great potentials for effective management of student behaviours and for positive behavioural development of students as an important objective of education and or the schools.

No description available.

Information technology has played several important roles in group decision making, such as communication support and decision support. Little is known about how information technology can be used to persuade members of a group to reach a consensus. In this dissertation, I aim to address the issues that are related to the role of visual representation technology (VRT) for persuasion in a forecasting context. VRTs are not traditional graphical representation technologies. VRTs can select, transform, and present data in a rich visual format that facilitates exploration, comprehension, and sense-making. The first study investigates conditions under which teams are likely to increase the use of VRTs and how the use of VRTs affects teams' consensus development and decision performance. The second study evaluates the effects of influence types and information technology on a choice shift. A choice shift is the tendency of group members to shift their initial positions to a more extreme direction following discussion. A choice shift is also called group polarization. To complement my first two studies, I conduct a laboratory experiment in my third study. I explore the effect of VRTs and team composition on a choice shift in group confidence.