Previous research indicates that pre- and in-service teachers are not receiving adequate training to implement data-informed instructional decision making. This is problematic given the promise this decision making process holds for improving instruction and student learning. At the same time, many educators do not see the value of different types of assessment data (e.g. accountability data), and lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to use available data to guide instructional decisions. The purpose of this study was to conduct a formative evaluation of an online training designed to improve Iowa pre- and in-service teachers’ perceptions about data, data knowledge, skills and confidence working with data. The training along with a data literacy test was administered online to 29 pre-service teachers from two Iowa universities. A pre-post design was used to assess changes in these data constructs. Results indicated that participants’ perceptions about external accountability data improved significantly after completing the training, as did their confidence working with data. However, most participants’ data performance were relatively stable pre-post training. A content analysis of responses pre-post revealed qualitative changes in some participants’ thinking about data. Participants rated the value, effectiveness and quality of the training and complementary materials. Ratings were mostly positive, with participants signifying the training and materials as valuable and effective for enhancing their understanding of data as well as their confidence working with data. Participants also identified opportunities for improving the training. The author concludes with a discussion of the results, implications for future research, and how the study adds to the existing literature and informs practice.

Database Auto Awesome is an approach to enhancing web applications comprised of forms used to interact with stored information. It was inspired by Google's Auto Awesome tool, which provides automatic enhancements for photos. Database Auto Awesome aims to automatically or semi-automatically provide improvements to an application by expanding the functionality of the application and improving the existing code. This thesis describes a tool that gathers information from the application and provides details on how the parts of the application work together. This information provides the details necessary to generate new portions of an application. These enhancements are directed by the web application administrator through specifying what they would like to have generated, in terms of functionality. Once the administrator has provided this direction, the new application code is generated and put in updated or new files. Using this approach, Database Auto Awesome provides a viable solution for semi-automatically generating enhancements to an existing web application.

Por sua praticidade e facilidade na aplicação e avaliação, o Desenho da Figura Humana (DFH) sempre foi muito utilizado por psicólogos de todo país. Em 1968, Koppitz propôs uma escala para avaliação do DFH, conciliando o seu uso como técnica projetiva na investigação da personalidade e como teste de maturidade/inteligência. A falta de dados normativos atualizados para as crianças brasileiras criou uma demanda por pesquisas e estudos de precisão e validade para os testes, inclusive o DFH. Assim, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo estabelecer normas para o DFH segundo os indicadores emocionais (IEs) de Koppitz para as crianças de São Paulo; estabelecer a precisão pelo reteste e a precisão entre juízes; verificar a frequência de cada item em cada faixa etária para saber quantos e quais itens podem ser considerados indicadores emocionais para as crianças da cidade de São Paulo; e verificar se existem diferenças entre as idades, sexo e tipo de escola em relação aos resultados do teste. Fizeram parte desta amostra 1568 crianças entre cinco e 11 anos, sendo 778 do sexo feminino e 790 do sexo masculino, sorteadas de modo a ser representativa de escolares da cidade de São Paulo. Foram realizadas análises de variância para as variáveis idade, sexo e tipo de escola e constatou-se que a quantidade de IEs nos desenhos apresentou variação em função da idade da criança, não havendo interação com o sexo ou tipo de escola. Para o estudo da precisão pelo Reteste foram selecionadas 68 crianças de duas faixas etárias: seis e nove anos. A correlação entre o teste e o reteste mostrou um aumento das médias dos IEs, indicando uma pior qualidade do desenho no reteste. A segunda maneira de verificar a precisão do teste foi pela comparação da avaliação entre juízes. Foram enviados 416 xvi protocolos para avaliação por uma psicóloga clínica experiente. A precisão entre avaliadores, para todos os itens foi significante e alta (maior que 0,782) e do reteste foi menor mais significante (0,581). A análise das frequências percentuais dos IEs por idade e por sexo, estabeleceu quais os IEs válidos por faixa etária, por sexo e pela pontuação total. Na tentativa de estabelecer normas para os IEs, foram avaliadas as frequências totais dos IEs na amostra total e depois na amostra corrigida, de onde foram retirados da pontuação total, os IEs não validados para determinada faixa etária. Os resultados indicaram que 77,3% da amostra tinha um total de pontos de zero ou 1, os demais 22,7% totalizaram entre 2 e 7 pontos, confirmando assim, o que foi postulado por Koppitz: que a presença de dois ou mais IEs no DFH é altamente sugestivo de problemas emocionais e relacionamentos interpessoais insatisfatórios. Os resultados desta pesquisa confirmam a validade dos IEs para avaliação emocional da criança, porém ressalta a necessidade de se estabelecer critérios mais claros para pontuação ou não do indicador / The Human Figure Drawing (HFD) has always been used by psychologists across the country for its practicality, ease of administration and evaluation. In 1968, Koppitz proposed a scale to assess the HFD, combining its use as a projective technique in personality assessment and as a test of maturity / intelligence. The lack of updated normative data for Brazilian children created a demand for standards, reliability and validity studies of tests, including the HFD. Therefore, this research aims to establish standards for the HFD according to the Koppitz emotional indicators (EIs) for children from São Paulo; to establish the reliability by retest and between judges; to verify the frequency of each item in each age group in order to identify how many and which items can be considered emotional indicators for children in São Paulo city; and to determinate significant differences between age, sex and type of school in relation to the test results. The sample comprised 1568 children aging between 5 and 11 years old, 778 girls and 790 boys randomly selected in order to be representative of student population of São Paulo city. Variance Analysis were performed for age, sex and type of school demonstrating that the amount of EIs in the drawings varied in function of the child\'s age, but not for sex or type of school. In order to study reliability by Retest, 68 children from two age groups, six and nine years old were selected Scores differences between test and retest showed an increase in average of EIs, indicating a worse drawing quality in the retest. The second method to check for test reliability was by comparing the evaluation between two judges. An experienced clinical psychologist evaluated 416 protocols. The correlation between judges of total score was significant and high (0.782) and by retest was lower (0,581) and significant. The analysis of the xviii percentage frequencies of each EI by age and sex, established which EIs are valid for this variables and total score. In an attempt to establish standards for EIs, it was evaluated the total frequencies of the EIs in the total sample and then in the corrected sample, from which were removed from the total score the EIs not validated for a certain age group. As a result, 77.3% of the sample had a total score equal to zero or 1, the remaining 22.7% scored between 2 and 7 points, thus confirming what has been postulated by Koppitz: the presence of two or more EIs in HFD is highly suggestive of emotional problems and poor interpersonal relationships. The results confirm the validity of EIs for emotional evaluation of children, but emphasize the need to establish stronger criteria for scoring or not the indicator

The overwhelming social norm for pregnant women in the U.S. is to receive prenatal care from an obstetrician and to give birth in a hospital setting. However, the incidence of midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth is increasing, particularly among White, non-Hispanic women. Florida has been considered a "model" state for home birth midwifery given legislative support that mandates coverage of all types of midwifery (e.g., Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Nurse-Midwives) care in all birth settings (e.g., hospital, home, birth center) and by all forms of insurance (e.g., commercial and Medicaid). Medicaid is the payer source for nearly half of the births in the United States and in Florida. However, Florida is one of only ten states where Certified Professional Midwives, who attend the vast majority of planned home births, are actively able to receive Medicaid reimbursement for home birth care. A key question then becomes, how is the system for Medicaid-funded home birth in Florida functioning? The central aim of this research was to better understand how Medicaid impacts the practice of and access to planned home birth in Florida. This was examined through quantitative analysis of Florida birth certificates as well as through qualitative data collection and analysis that sought to describe the experiences of women who had planned home birth while on Medicaid as well as the experiences of midwives that cared for these women. Findings are presented through the lens of Critical Medical Anthropology, which helps to interpret how and why home birth is systematically supported or threatened by legislation, policy, and practice at the level of the State of Florida, the federal-state Medicaid program, and the professional organizations in the United States involved in maternity care. Key findings demonstrate that the vast majority (87%) of planned home birth in Florida is attended by Certified Professional Midwives, and that while Florida Medicaid paid for 45% of all births between 2005 and 2010, only 31% of planned home births were paid for by Medicaid. However, after controlling for multiple factors (e.g., race/ethnicity, age, parity), in fact women who completed home (vs. hospital) birth were much more likely to be self-pay (AOR 10.1) or on Medicaid (AOR 4.6) compared to private, commercial insurance. Women interviewed for this study who received Medicaid for their home births overwhelmingly appreciated the "safety net" that Medicaid provided to them and the "relief" of knowing that if a hospital transfer was necessary it would be covered. However, they nearly universally stated that they would have found a way to pay for a home birth if they had not received Medicaid. Women felt that home birth with midwives provided them the greatest chance of having a "natural" birth in the environment most likely to maintain autonomy over decisions related to their pregnancy and birth. Several women experienced significant delays in enrolling in Medicaid, and found that the only providers who would provide care during "presumptive eligibility" were Licensed, Certified Professional Midwives. Midwives appreciated the steady, reliable payments Medicaid provided, despite that these were at about 30 to 40% of their rates charged to privately insured or self-pay clients. They felt that providing care to Medicaid funded women served as a form of social justice. They strongly disliked interfacing with Medicaid HMOs. Some midwives felt that the Florida legislation supported their practice, while others felt that it constrained their practice. Medicaid coverage of planned home birth in Florida now stands at a crossroads, given that Florida Medicaid has recently transitioned to a 100% managed care program (i.e., HMOs). These HMOs act as intermediaries between Medicaid providers and their reimbursements, as well as between Medicaid providers and recipients. The new relationships between providers, patients and the HMOs have shifted from that with a state agency to that with a private, for-profit industry. It remains to be seen whether home birth providers will enroll with Medicaid HMOs in order to continue providing care to pregnant women receiving Medicaid. Key policy recommendations therefore are to monitor women's access to pregnancy Medicaid, and specifically access to services mandated under Florida statute, including home birth and midwifery care. Furthermore, the creation of an integrated maternity care system that better supports transfers of care from the home to hospital setting is needed.

Women afflicted with cervical cancer who have the highest morbidity and mortality rates have been the least likely to be screened. The overall aim of this research project was to investigate non-attendance in a cervical cancer screening (CCS) program among women with no registered cervical smear during the previous five years. Both quantitative (I,III) and qualitative methods (II) as well as costeffectiveness analysis (IV) were used in this research project. In Kalmar County women (aged 23-65 years) are invited to CCS every third year. All cervical smears taken both in opportunistic and organised CCS are coordinated in a register called Sympathy. The coverage is 88.4 %. From Sympathy, a random sample of 400 women served as a study group and another 400 women as a control group (III,IV). From the study group, 133 women participated in study I and 14 women in study II. Data was collected by telephone interviews based on a questionnaire (I), qualitative face-to-face interviews (II), questionnaire, promotive efforts and outcome (III), costs and effectiveness (IV). Quantitative data was analysed by descriptive and analytic statistics (I,III), qualitative data was analysed by content analysis. In study IV, cost-effectiveness analysis was used. The women believed that CCS was a good idea for all other women, but tended to refer to various circumstances resulting in their own non-attendance. One of the most common reasons for non-attendance was the feeling of being healthy. The women prioritized family and work commitments, and the invitation to attend CCS was sometimes experienced as a stressful disturbance. The feeling of discomfort was related to the gynaecologic examination, or to health care visits in general (I,II). Of 133 women, 120 could consider having a cervical smear taken and their two most common requirements for doing so were to be assured they would be treated in a friendly way (19%) and to find a suitable time (18%) for having the cervical smear. Fifty women wanted to be helped to have a cervical smear taken. Promotive efforts ranged from making a simple telephone call to arranging an appointment time to a combination of promotive efforts including repeated encounters in order to create a trusting relationship with respect to taking the smear. In the study group, 29.5% (n=118) had a registered cervical smear at follow-up compared to 18.5% (n=74) in the control group, (p<0.001) (III). In the study group, the cost per cervical smear taken was 66.87 €, and in the control group it was 16.62 €. The incremental cost per additional cervical smear taken was 151.36 € (IV). In conclusion, women’s reasons for not attending CCS are complex and are influenced by both present and earlier circumstances. In settings with high coverage, further contact in order to promote women’s attendance at CCS seems to be associated with high costs in relation to the number of additional cervical smears taken. / On the day of the defence data the status of article I was: In press; article II: Submitted; article II: Accepted and artile IV: In press.

Background: 1985 saw the beginnings of a population-based biobank in Västerbotten County, Sweden. In 1999, a start-up genomics company, UmanGenomics, obtained ‘all commercial rights’ to the biobank. The company introduced an ethics policy, which was well received in prestigious journals, focusing on public oversight and informed consent. Aims: To explore how social anthropology can aid understanding of the challenges posed by the new role of the biobank in Västerbotten, and thus complement more established traditions in the field of medical ethics. An anthropological study of the ethics policy was executed. Theoretical perspective: Inspired by the anthropology of policy and social science perspectives on ethics and morality, the policy was studied at three analytical levels: policymakers (who formulate the policy), policy workers (who implement the policy, primarily nurses who obtain informed consent) and target group (for whom and on whom the policy is supposed to work: the potential donors to the biobank). Methods: Policymakers, nurses, and potential donors were interviewed, donations observed, and official documents analysed to mirror the moral problematizations made at the three levels in each other and to study the practical implications of the policy. To extend the reliability of the findings two surveys were executed: one among the general population, one among donors. Results: The qualitative studies show that policymakers distinguish between blood and data differently to potential donors. Informed consent seems more important to policymakers than potential donors, who are more concerned about political implications at a societal level. Among the respondents from the survey in the general public, a majority (66.8%) accepted surrogate decisions by Research Ethics Committees; a minority (4 %) stated informed consent as a principal concern; and genetic research based on biobank material was generally accepted (71%). Among the respondents to the survey in donors, 65% knew they had consented to donate a blood sample, and 32% knew they could withdraw their consent; 6% were dissatisfied with the information they had received; and 85% accepted surrogate decisions by Research Ethics Committees. Discussion: The ethics policy constitutes a particular naming and framing of moral problems in biobank-based research which overemphasises the need for informed consent, and underemphasises other concerns of potential donors. This embodies a political transformation where access to stored blood and medical information is negotiated in ethical terms, while it also has unacknowledged political implications. In particular, the relations between authorities and citizens in the Swedish welfare state are apparently transforming: from mutual obligation to individual contracts. Conclusion: Anthropology contributes to medical ethics with increased awareness of the practical implications of particular research ethical initiatives. This awareness promotes appreciation of the political implications of ethics policies and raises new issues for further consideration.

The present thesis is based on a scientifically-informed, contextualized and historicized reading of Ludwik Fleck. In addition to his monograph, the material studied includes his additional philosophical writings, his internationally-published scientific articles and two, thus-far-unstudied postwar Polish papers related to his Buchenwald experiences. The sources provided by Fleck have been traced back to the time of their origin. Based on the above material, it is argued that, rather than relativizing science and deeply influencing Kuhn, Fleck, attempting to participate in the current debates, is an ardent proponent of science, offering an internal account of its pursuit that accords with his oft-contested epistemic concepts, e.g., Denkzwang, Sinnsehen and Kopplungen. The exposure of his description of the Wassermann reaction discloses a highly selective reading of the sources available at the time, but also reveals its relation to the current debate on Einzelwissenschaften, or the standing of new emerging disciplines versus age-old ones, all occasioned by the remarkable progress of science that has also affected philosophy. The divide between philosophers and scientists on the philosophical implications of modern physics is exposed, as is Fleck’s heuristic use of the latter topic in his epistemology. A more realistic account of his often-valued scientific accomplishments is provided. It is argued that the modern interpretation or received humanist view of Fleck is based on the opposition, at the time Fleck’s monograph was rediscovered, of STS writers to a scientifically-informed reading of his texts. An additional corrective to the received view of Fleck is found in some of his postwar Polish papers related his Buchenwald experiences. The latter might also provide an answer to some of the contradictions inherent in the modern mythology surrounding Fleck. In amply exposing the precarious situation of the time, and the complexity of the ethical issues at stake, Fleck’s papers in fact generate age-old philosophical questions still worth contemplating. / QC 20100826

Unique characteristics of cluster randomized trials (CRTs) complicate the interpretation of standard research ethics guidelines. Variable interpretation by research ethics committees may further complicate review and conduct. An international web-based survey was administered to corresponding authors of 300 randomly sampled CRT publications. We investigated ethics review and consent practices, investigator experiences with ethics review, and the perceived need for CRT-specific ethics guidelines. The response rate was 64%. Ethics review and consent were under-reported in publications. Ethics approval was obtained in 91%, and consent from individual and cluster level participants in 79% and 82% of trials. Consent varied by level of experimental intervention, data collection, and cluster size. Respondents cited variability among ethics committees (46%), and negative impacts of ethics review on their studies (38%). The majority perceived a need for ethics guidelines (73%), and guidance for ethics committees (70%). CRT-specific ethics guidelines are required to ensure practices meet ethical standards.

This thesis is based on a life history study of two women involved in activism for social change. Broadly guided by life history methodology and feminist and constructivist postmodern theories and approaches, this inter-disciplinary research explores experiences and stories in the lives of these women that evoke the transformative journeys of womens long-term commitments to social change activism, and that portray ways in which personal and social transformation interweave. The stories illuminate how individual courses of action both resonate with and diverge from meta-narratives of social movements, and how they reflect and resist the contexts in which those courses evolve. Reflection on the process of constructing the stories reveals the effects on the participants and the researcher of the inter-subjective realm from which life history arises. The studys practical purpose relating activism, transformative education and postmodernism also leads to experimentation with creative texts that at once provide educational tools and invite participation in the interpretive process. Overall the thesis melds more traditional approaches with more unconventional ones. The study is both provocative and supportive of those working for social change through transformative education and activism.

Abstract The act of knowing is a critical determinant of what is known, yet there are limits and potential violence inherent in all ways of knowing. Social workers have an ethical responsibility to understand our means of knowing and our knowledge claims – both shape the work we do. Conspicuously under-represented as creators of/commentators on how they are represented, people with intellectual disabilities have had little/no control over what or how they are known. These ethical and epistemological concerns were the focus of this arts-informed qualitative study. The purpose was an interrogative encounter with one way of knowing – how public photographic imagery of people with intellectual disabilities influences knowledge about them. It was concerned, however, to come to this knowledge through an inquiry into how labelled people would, themselves, interpret and respond to these representations, and how they might use photography to trouble disabling images and non-disabled (social work) knowing. Theoretically framed by a critical disability lens, the work was influenced, too, by Derrida’s essay on photography, “The Right of Inspection”. The other regarding aspect of the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, his concern with our ethical responsibility to the alterity of the Other, most powerfully informs the work. Four adults with intellectual disabilities accepted the invitation to participate in this project. First, they critically engaged with a selection of public photographic images. In a unique methodological turn, they then transformed the images to reflect their critique. Interpretive analysis of the critiques and transformations identified four thematic ideas. Participants’ critiques were insightful and profound; transformations provocative and disruptive. Challenging dominant assumptions – and demanding non-disabled others re-think intellectual disability and people so labeled – the critiques and transformations also respond to the social/political/ideological/psychological ramifications of photographic imagery on the lived experience of intellectual disability. Through the work, participants confront non-disabled responses to public photographs and to labeled people, challenging non-disabled others to question their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The work also raises questions about research and people with intellectual disabilities: the possibilities for voice and empowerment through inclusive research strategies and visual methodologies, and the transformative potential of dialogic encounters between people with and without intellectual disabilities.