This capstone project was part of a group project completed by five school and district administrators in Hillsborough County, Florida. The project began because of our passion for teachers who are able to establish a culture of care in their classrooms that support students academically but transform their learning through experiences that enable them to be more highly engaged and productive students, regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, perceived academic abilities, and backgrounds. My focus in this group project looked at school climate, culture and student behavior in high needs schools. I asked, what steps can be taken by a school leader to improve school climate and culture in turnaround schools? What happens with student behavior as school climate and culture improve? Selected literature was reviewed that concentrated on current issues with school discipline, multi-tiered approaches for support, and the role of school-based leadership in student success (mediated by the size of student enrollment). I applied what I learned to developing a collaborative working environment for teachers, implementing school uniforms, developing discipline procedures for managing student behavior, and looking for ways to encourage positive student behaviors. Key findings in my area of focus included development of a common understanding of discipline infractions and procedures, decrease in discipline referrals, increase in teacher satisfaction with discipline processes, and improved school grade.

Many interacting factors need to be considered when contemplating the optimum conditions for the creation of a learning environment that is compatible with the aims of tertiary teaching and learning. In the current economic climate, the costs of creating learning environments that foster these aims is also a major consideration. Further, in this era of rapid technological development and change, there are increasing numbers of students of divergent age, experience and ability entering the tertiary sector. Teachers at this level are therefore faced with real problems in providing students with interesting and innovative learning environments that influence and encourage the use of a deep approach to learning and the development of real understanding.This longitudinal research project sought, through the development and introduction of various teaching and learning interventions, to influence nursing students' attitudes towards microbiology and consequently their approaches to learning and achievement. The instruments used in the intervention practices were developed as a result of suggestions by students and staff during the course of this study and were fashioned along the lines of two models of student learning developed by Kember and Gow (1989) and Biggs (1993a). The study also attempted to elucidate the major factors affecting student attitudes towards teaching and learning with multiple media and the relationship between students' attitude, achievement and their learning approach.Significant relationships were established in the study between positive attitudes towards microbiology, higher scores for higher level learning approaches and higher academic grades.The major factors that appeared to influence students' attitudes towards microbiology included: (1) students' interest in microbiology; (2) the relevance students perceived microbiology had to nursing; (3) ++ / students' perceptions of the quality of the microbiology unit and learning materials, (4) the nature of the pastoral care provided; (5) the availability of independent study options; (6) students' perceptions of the degree of difficulty of the unit; (7) the credit point values for the unit and (8) students' perceptions of overload.In this study, freedom of choice of learning materials and the factors interest in, and relevance of microbiology to nursing practice appear to be major forces associated with increased use of deep approaches to learning by the different student groups. Perceptions of a heavy workload, overload of information, lack of pastoral care and perceived inadequate credit point value given to the microbiology units demonstrated little effect in increasing the use of surface learning approaches by students. However, when students' ratings for interest and relevance were low, and these factors were present as a group or individually, they were shown to influence an increase in surface approaches with a corresponding decline in use of deep approaches to learning.Overall, the results derived from this study with regard to learning approach and attitude suggest that if interest in microbiology and the perceived relevance of microbiology to nursing is high, these factors will have a greater positive effect on the use of higher level learning approaches than the variables of overload, inappropriate credit point values and nomenclature problems will have in increasing the use of lower level learning approaches by students.Part of this investigation involved the possible identification of learning strategies that were used more often by students who tended to utilise higher level learning approaches in contrast to students who used lower level approaches. Strategies that evolved from the data collected across the quasi-experimental cohort included (1) ++ / discrimination between specific learning materials that best fitted with students' lifestyles and learning preferences; (2) discrimination between specific learning strategies that better suited different subject areas; (3) interrelating microbiology theory with patients' clinical presentations in the hospitals; (4) using self-assessment, working in groups or with a friend; (5) the use of organised and consistent study habits; (6) the use of mnemonics, note taking, rote learning and continual revision of facts to establish a base knowledge of the subject before linking of material across areas could be made; (7) use of graphs, diagrams and flow charts; and (8) the use of more interactive learning materials such as the CAL.

A non-concurrent multiple baseline design across eight participants was used to determine whether working through Hayes and Smith's (2005) book would help those with public speaking anxiety. Hayes and Smith (2005) is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It encourages people to accept internal experiences as opposed to avoiding and struggling with them. For the purposes of this study, the book was divided into nine components, which participants discussed with the researcher. They also completed measures daily, during baseline and over the intervention period, as well as a battery of tests pre-baseline, mid and post intervention. The multiple baseline data showed that self-reported willingness to approach public speaking situations increased while self-reported avoidance decreased over the intervention. The pre and post measures also showed avoidance of internal experiences decreased significantly after the intervention. These outcomes are in line with changes suggested to result from engaging in such a therapy. The pre and post results also showed that quality of life increased significantly from mid to post-intervention. However, engagement with values did not change. While this measure is expected to change after such an intervention, this result may have occurred because the ideas about values were introduced last in the book. The intervention also led to significant decreases in anxiety, significant changes in thoughts about public speaking and significant increases in anxiety control as shown by the test battery. These findings are positive but are not predicted by processes posited for this therapy. However, there was no control group so these pre vs post comparisons must be interpreted with caution. Despite this limitation, the results suggest that the book, together with therapist contact, can help those with public speaking anxiety.

This thesis tests one of the major propositions of deterrence theory: that increases in the severity of punishment can reduce the likelihood of offending. To this end, a case study in which the statutory penalties were doubled for almost all drink-driving offences in New South Wales, Australia, is examined. Two quasi-experimental studies were undertaken to assess the impact of these legislative changes: an interrupted time-series analysis of road crash rates (Study 1) and an analysis of drink-driving reoffending rates before and after the penalty changes were implemented (Study 2). Study 1 showed a significant increase in a surrogate measure of alcohol-related road crashes after the tougher drink-driving penalties were introduced. Further analyses suggested that this increase was driven primarily by a secular rise in non alcohol-related crashes that coincided with the policy???s implementation. Two possible conclusions about the deterrent effect of the policy are drawn from these findings: (1) that there was a reduction in alcohol-related road crashes which was overwhelmed by the rise in non alcohol-related crashes occurring around the same time or (2) that there was no change in crash rates. Study 2 found that drink-drivers who were convicted under the new penalty regime were less likely, and took longer, to reoffend than drink-drivers convicted before the introduction of the new penalties. This reduction in reoffending was only apparent for drink-drivers residing in country and regional areas and was small in magnitude.These latter findings are consistent with the possibility that the penalty changes coincided with a reduction in alcohol-related crashes but suggest that any decrease is likely to have been relatively small. A third study using a scenario-based survey methodology was also undertaken to examine the relationship between legal sanctions and willingness to drink-drive, controlling for other factors. The results of this study showed that participants who were more knowledgeable about drink-driving penalties were less likely to state that they would offend in the drink-driving scenario than participants who were less knowledgeable about the law. The implications of these findings for deterrence theory and criminal justice policy are discussed.

<p>This article examines how former street children experienced going from street life to life within an organization. Through semi-structured interviews with six children and one field worker, the aim has been to identify key points that made these children going all the way while other left, but also to highlight challenges and difficulties along the way. Reports from Ghana and other parts of the world about a low rate of success in working with these children made the subject interesting. Findings suggest that the process of leaving the street is more than just a physical move. The ability of the organizations to motivate and assist the children to change character has shown to be very critical for making the children stay within the program. Also the influence and assistance between the boys themselves has been of uttermost importance.</p>

This article examines how former street children experienced going from street life to life within an organization. Through semi-structured interviews with six children and one field worker, the aim has been to identify key points that made these children going all the way while other left, but also to highlight challenges and difficulties along the way. Reports from Ghana and other parts of the world about a low rate of success in working with these children made the subject interesting. Findings suggest that the process of leaving the street is more than just a physical move. The ability of the organizations to motivate and assist the children to change character has shown to be very critical for making the children stay within the program. Also the influence and assistance between the boys themselves has been of uttermost importance.

Sub-Saharan Africa is a region plagued by the spread of HIV/AIDS. While many individuals have devoted their careers to preventing new diagnoses of the disease, one crucial population is often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which the psychological needs of those orphaned by HIV/AIDS are addressed in three prominent interventions. After evaluating institutionalization, foster care, and community-based care in Sub-Saharan Africa, a model for effective intervention is proposed.

Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients are subject to low patient health outcomes due to limited health literacy. Cultural and linguistic barriers prohibit the obtainment and comprehension of health information and services. This systematic review will present the complications of healthcare experienced by LEP patients and will provide an analysis of interventions and policies that will be a gateway to better health outcomes for the LEP patient population.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) scramble for Africa which begun in 1980 and 90’s as a result of the introduction of Structural Adjusted Policies (SAP) by the neo-liberalist which are; International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank was purposely meant for free market economy, less government intervention in the economy in order to raise competition, induce rapid growth and economic development. The introduction of SAP resulted to a vacuum in the provision of welfare in Ghana especially in the remote areas. Since the introduction of SAP bilateral and multilateral institutions are increasingly entrusting NGOs to carry out the needs of the people more than government. This has led to a myriad explosion of local and international NGOs in Ghana for development purposes. Though the rural poor are the primary aim for NGOs and District Assembly (DA) activities, they are often the least to be contacted on the implementation and formulation of programs or projects in terms of priorities and interventions. The materials and methods used in the write up of this thesis include field survey, interviews and literature study. Both primary and secondary data was used. Purposive sampling is adopted based on the objectives of the study. Forty households were selected in order to interview project participants since they were expected to have first-hand knowledge of the organizations projects and activities. This was supplemented with interviews with focus group discussion, key informants, international and local NGOs and government officials’ interviews were made. The study emphasized that NGOs suffer from external agenda-setting which makes their programs or projects rigidly defined and create new dependencies. This prevents them from carrying out other actions apart from those initially foreseen in the project or program (not flexible) (top-down). Interventions have not benefited the people and lack of transparency and co-ordination among the NGOs and the DA is a primary problem in the study area. The stakeholders often contribute to an all-ready decided projects or programs and participated in past development programs or projects as laborers. Clientelist has weakened the DA system in Lambussie. There has not been any training for sustainable self-reliant organizations by the nine NGOs operating in Karni. Also it was evident from the study that farmers have not made any collective efforts to improve their marketing situation in the area and neither has NGOs and DA made any effort to improve farmers marketing situation. The study made the following suggestions; access to improved infrastructures, availability of unrestricted funds from donors, education and gender issues, enhancing micro-credit schemes and small scale industries, modernization of agricultural productivity, transparency and accountability—of which would help to improve DA and NGOs activities and achieve sustainable food security in Karni.

The thesis focuses on, and tries to evaluate, the role that the African Union (AU) plays in protecting the peace and security on the African continent. The thesis takes an interdisciplinary approach to the topic by both utilizing international relations and international law theories. The two disciplines are combined in an attempt to understand the evolution of the AU’s commitment to the pragmatist doctrine: responsibility to protect (R2P). The AU charter is considered to be the first international law document to cover R2P as it allows the AU to interfere in the internal affairs of its member states. The R2P doctrine was evolved around the notion of a need to arrive at a consensus in regard to the right to intervene in the face of humanitarian emergencies. A part of the post-Cold War shift in UN behaviour has been to support local solutions to local problems. Hereby the UN acts in collaboration with regional organizations, such as the AU, to achieve the shared aspirations to maintain international peace and security without getting directly involved on the ground. The R2P takes a more holistic and long-term approach to interventions by including an awareness of the need to address the root causes of the crisis in order to prevent future resurrections of conflicts. The doctrine also acknowledges the responsibility of the international community and the intervening parties to actively participate in the rebuilding of the post-conflict state. This requires sustained and well planned support to ensure the development of a stable society.While the AU is committed to implementing R2P, many of the AU’s members are struggling, both ideologically and practically, to uphold the foundations on which legitimate intervention rests, such as the protection of human rights and good governance. The fact that many members are also among the poorest countries in the world adds to the challenges facing the AU. A lack of human and material resources leads to a situation where few countries are willing, or able, to support a long-term commitment to humanitarian interventions. Bad planning and unclear mandates also limit the effectiveness of the interventions. This leaves the AU strongly dependent on regional powerbrokers such as Nigeria and South Africa, which in itself creates new problems in regard to the motivations behind interventions. The current AU charter does not provide sufficient checks and balances to ensure that national interests are not furthered through humanitarian interventions. The lack of resources within the AU also generates worries over what pressure foreign nations and other international actors apply through donor funding. It is impossible for the principle of “local solutions for local problems? to gain ground while this donor conditionality exists.The future of the AU peace and security regime is not established since it still is a work in progress. The direction that these developments will take depends on a wide verity of factors, many of which are beyond the immediate control of the AU.