This thesis aimed to study the everyday use of ICT-enabled memory aids in order to understand and to describe the technological mediations that are brought by them (i.e. how they shape/mediate experiences and actions of their users). To do this, a post-phenomenological approach was appropriated. Postphenomenology is a modified, hybrid phenomenology that tries to overcome the limitations of phenomenology. As for theoretical framework, ‘Technological Mediation’ was adopted to conduct the study. Technological Mediation as a theory provides concepts suitable for explorations of the phenomenon of human-technology relation. It was believed that this specific choice of approach and theoretical framework would provide a new way of exploring the use of concrete technologies in everyday life of human beings and the implications that this use might have on humans’ lives. The study was conducted in the city of Växjö, Sweden. Data was collected by conducting twelve face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Collected data was, then, analyzed by applying the concepts within the theoretical framework – Technological Mediation - to them. The results of this study provided a list of ICT-enabled devices and services that participants were using in their everyday life in order to support their memory such as: calendars, alarms, notes, bookmarks, etc. Furthermore, this study resulted in a detailed description of how these devices and services shaped/mediated the experiences and the actions of their users.

The purpose of this study was to develop an educational application and evaluate how it could support multilingualism in preschool. In carrying out this study, two methods were used. First, a research and development method (R&D) was used to help form and develop the application. To develop the product further, an interview study was used to explore preschool teachers` experiences of the developed application and whether the developed application supports multilingualism in preschool. The interviews were processed and categorized. The study found that the developed application can encourage multilingualism in preschools and has the potential to be developed further. / Syftet med denna studie var att utveckla en digital applikation, samt utvärdera applikationen om den stödjer flerspråkighet i förskolan. Det har använts två metoder i studien. Den första är en forskning och utvecklingsmetod (R & D) för att forma och utveckla produkten. För att utveckla produkten vidare användes metoden intervjustudie, för att undersöka förskollärares upplevelser av den utvecklade applikationen samt om den stödjer flerspråkighet i förskolan. Intervjuerna bearbetades och kategoriserades. Studien påvisade att den utvecklade applikationen kan stödja flerspråkighet i förskolan och har potential att utvecklas vidare.

Education is a sector that has the potential to become a critical area of action for the full exploitation of ICT. Educational systems of developed and developing countries have an ever-increasing tendency to apply ICT to education, in an attempt to prepare their students for the future's society. This thesis attempted to explore what kind of ICT is used in the Greek Primary Schools and develop an understanding on the relationship between the ICT and the teachers. The philosophical background is post-phenomenology and the methods chosen for collecting data for this research are policy document analysis and interviews. The empirical findings show that various ICT are being used in the classrooms of the Greek Primary Schools,  others widely and others occasionally. The research compares the legal framework revolving around ICT in Primary Schools in Greece, with the teachers' own experiences and shows that the guidelines suggested by the Greek Ministry of Education cannot be followed easily, due to economical and pedagogical reasons. It also investigates the ICT's effects on the teachers and the students through the teachers' own words and perceptions. The effects are mostly positive, there are mentioned however, some negative ones to take into consideration. Finally, the research presents a number of sectors where the participant teachers suggested there is room for improvement. By comparing the legal framework with the situation in the Primary Schools, this research adds a new perspective to the previous literature. The findings show that the current situation can be improved and the teachers' statements may trigger further research.

Use of information and communication technology in formal education settings is a fundamental issue in management of education across the globe. But in Africa the issues takes a different turn as it regards to how to apply and utilize technology in education. Facility and technology experts have been on debate across board as the literature implies. Thus, understanding the digital native factors behind individuals’ application and utilization is central to the development of ICT in Nigeria and Africa in general. The main goal of this thesis was to explore factors influencing effective utilization of computer and ICT (Computer laboratories) in the secondary school level. However, in the literature the thesis identify issues affecting utilization of computer and ICT facilities in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), Nigeria and secondary schools (SS). The thesis proposed the use of educational games to drive the concept of utilization of computer and ICT facilities in the educational sector. In addition to the main goal of the thesis, use of computer and ICT facilities in secondary schools are explored alongside teachers and students interest in educational games. Qualitative interviews and a questionnaire survey were used in conduct of the study. Thematic and descriptive analysis was used to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data respectively. The results indicate that computer and ICT facilities (Computer laboratories) were poorly utilized by teachers and students due to lack of funds, poor infrastructure and technology knowledge. The results also demonstrate that teachers and students have knowledge about educational games and are willing to apply it in teaching and learning. But the issues of application of educational games into the mainstream could be hindered by Government curriculum policy and infrastructural facilities. The study indicates the relevance of applying educational games in secondary schools to reduce the level of digital divide among graduates. This thesis further argues that the inclusion of educational games would encourage teachers and students to effectively utilization of computer and ICT Facilities (Computer laboratory).

Syftet var att undersöka vilka hinder och möjligheter förskollärare upplever i arbetet med IKT som ett stöd för barns utveckling och lärande. Vi utgick från Vygotskijs sociokulturella perspektiv med tyngdpunkt på samspel och redskap. Åtta utbildade förskollärare har deltagit i semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet visar att det finns många möjligheter att stödja barns utveckling och lärande med IKT i förskolan, t.ex. använder förskollärare IKT för att stärka barns samspel, självförtroende, språk och matematik. Resultatet visar också att de flesta förskollärare i studien anser att användandet av IKT på förskolan behöver begränsas. En slutsats är att förskollärare behöver kompetensutbildning inom IKT för att främja barnens lärande och utveckling på bästa sätt.

The solution for the generating energy derived from non-polluting sources configures a worldwide problem, which is undetermined, complex, and gradual; and certainly, passes through the diversification of the energetic matrix. Diversification means not only having different sources converted into useful energy, like the electricity, but also decentralizing the energy generation in order to fit with higher adequacy the demand, which is decentralized too. Distributed Generation proposes this sort of development but in order to increase its penetration several technical barriers must be overpassed. One of them is related to the conversion systems, which must be more flexible, modular, efficient and compatible with the different energy sources, since they are very specific for a certain area. The present study drives its efforts towards this direction, i.e. having a system with several inputs for combining different renewable energy sources into a single and efficient power converter for the grid connection. It focuses on the design and control of an 11.7 kW hybrid renewable generation system, which contains two parallel circuits of photovoltaic panels and a wind turbine. A multicell converter divided in two stages accomplishes the convertion: Generation Side Converter (GSC) and Mains Side Converter (MSC). Two boost converters responsible for the photovoltaic generation and a rectifier and a third boost, for the wind constitue the GSC. It allows the conversion to the fixed output DC voltage, controlling individually and performing the maximum power point tracking in each input. On the other side, the single-phase 4- cell MSC accomplishes the connection to the grid through an LCL filter. This filter uses an Intercell Transformer (ICT) in the first inductor for reducing the individual ripple generated by the swicthing. The MSC controls the DC-link voltage and, by doing that, it allows the power flow from the generation elements to the network.

eHealth has been adopted by many countries across the globe in response to cut down cost and improve the quality of life. Sweden has been engaged in providing web-based health care services for its citizens for the past decade and county councils have the responsibility to develop them. The main aim of this thesis is to present answers to the following research questions:What strategies (formal and informal) guide the development of web-based health care services provided by the Swedish county councils?What barriers exist in relation to the development and usage of web-based health care services provided by the county councils from the viewpoint of their IT leaders?From the perspective of IT leaders in the county councils and in their capacity to develop, manage and monitor their organizations‘ website content, which web-based health care services are mostly accessed by users and what age group utilize the services most?The thesis is an exploratory research conducted through a survey based on a mail questionnaire that was posted to all 21 county councils in Sweden with 18 councils responding. The results show that all county councils have formally adopted the National eHealth Strategy to guide the development of web-based health care services and some have other informal strategies as well. Technological barriers, resistance to use the web-based services and changing business process to integrate ICTs have been identified by IT leaders as major challenges that impede the development of web-based health care services in Swedish county councils. Swedish citizens more frequently access prescription renewal and booking and cancellation of appointments than other available web-based health care services which depicts a trend towards the use of advanced interactive services than basic information seeking, and people in the ages of 46 to 55 have been identified as the frequent users of web-based health care services according to IT leaders from the county councils.

In recent years the study of entrepreneurial spinoffs has focused on how knowledge spillover leads to new knowledge and entrepreneurial activity. This study aims to explore the effect of a founder’s knowledge inherited from an incumbent parent company in the formation of a spinoff in the ICT sector. As a theoretical framework, the study uses An Absorptive Capacity Theory of Knowledge Spillover Entrepreneurship (Qian and Acs, 2013). Using a qualitative approach through interviews with the founder of the spinoff, this study aims to strengthen the empirical validity of these theories in a single setting. The proposed findings are strongly in line with the theory, but a certain aspect considering the help from a parent company proposes a possibility to modify the framework into a particularized framework that can be implicated to various spinoffs globally. Thus, the findings suggest that entrepreneurial activity deriving through absorptive capacity and inherited knowledge is affected by the contributions from the parent company.

Information and communications technology (ICT) is a broad concept, which is often discussed in relation to the development of education. More specially, ICT can be seen as a tool to help teachers individualize students’ education. Students who have literacy difficulties, such as dyslexia, are in constant need of new techniques to help them learn and new tools to make their educational development easier. The aim of this thesis is to show what views teachers have regarding using ICT in English teaching at a sample of schools in the south of Sweden. A secondary part of the aim is to see what ICT tools, or other non ICT related methods, these teachers use to improve literacy skills for students with dyslexia.This empirical study is based on interviews with six participants. Previous research within the area is presented and different aspects of ICT within the National Agency for Education in Sweden, and the English syllabus, are also discussed. The results of this thesis show that ICT is seen as a helpful tool to make education easier for both students and teachers. Tools such as ViTal, Spell Right and Legimus are being used and the participants of the study also use iPads and Chromebooks in their teaching. According to the interviews, ICT can tribute to a fun way of learning and a more individualized education. Other non ICT related methods are also used to help students with dyslexia and these are often in terms of pictures in connection to words. These findings are based on a limited number of participants in a small area of south of Sweden. Therefore, further research is needed to see if the findings can be verified with more participants, in different parts of the country.

This thesis examines the nature and effects of current public information about food production, purchasing and sustainability that is available in Sweden. The thesis follows a two part structure based on the Action Research Cycle; it focuses predominantly on the initial diagnostic stage, using document review, questionnaires and Cultural Probes to examine what information is currently available to Swedish consumers, as well as how they respond to this information. The thesis then moves towards the action planning stage of the Action Research Cycle, using current academic literature in IS with the findings of my diagnostic research to suggest ways in which information-communication technology can be used to improve upon the current situation, and paving the way for future research in the area of public information and food sustainability.