This thesis is an empirically based, theoretical discussion of the process of decision making in relation to Library Management Systems (LMS). Although the conceptualization of the LMS decision process in rational terms, common in many LMS selection models, may be useful in different respects, here the process is viewed from a social constructivist stance. It is argued that due to the complexities involved, the potential choice of an LMS does not necessarily reflect the superiority of the chosen LMS based on objective inherent qualities. Nevertheless, libraries continually choose new systems and in many of these selection processes, the chosen system is perceived as the optimal choice. In this study, therefore focus is placed on examining the way in which this shared perception is constructed. Three theoretical views are adopted as the research framework, including Brunsson’s views on the process of decision making and its consequences, Collins’s views on methodological symmetry and construction of conceptual order, and finally Giddens’s views on duality of structure and the social order. Observations, interviews, and document studies are the methods employed in four different case studies that each lasted from 10 months to two years. In this study an array of different factors were found to be influential during the long process of the LMS decision making. It was also found that although the norms of rationality were striven for, and shared perceptions of rationality were constructed, the complexities involved did not allow a true rational choice by determination of all the options, projection of future needs, evaluation of the identified options, and selection of the optimal outcome. Instead, the different activities and happenings during the process helped construct a shared perception of the possible courses of action and optimality of the decision outcomes. Based on this study and with the help of the theoretical framework, it was suggested that an LMS choice is only one potential consequence of the LMS decision process; other consequences include legitimization, action, responsibility, and constructions of conceptual and social order. Through this study, the importance of the day-to-day actions and interactions (at micro level) and their wider implications for the construction of shared perceptions and shaping and reshaping of social structures are highlighted. This thesis contributes towards an alternative conceptualization of the process of LMS decision making. It may also have implications for the library practice, LMS related research, and educational programs within LIS. / <p>Akademisk av handling som med tillstånd av samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten vid Göteborgs universitet för vinnande av doktorsexamen framläggs till offentlig</p><p>granskning kl. 13:15 fredagen den 1 oktober 2010, i hörsalen M404, Högskolan i Borås.</p><p>Avhandlingen har tilldelats den prestigefyllda utmärkelsen ”The 2011 Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Awards”. The thesis has been awarded with the prestigious honor of ”The 2011 Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Awards”</p>

This mixed methods study investigates the influence of student characteristics and institutional support services and interventions on graduation rates. Regression analysis was conducted using a dataset constructed from multiple publically available resources to estimate graduation rates. Regression results showed High School Grade Point Average to be the highest estimator of graduation rates, among other student and institutional characteristics. The results confirmed existing findings on the influence of student pre-college and demographic characteristics on graduation rates for students with academic needs. Content analysis of survey data from office of support service personnel at public four-year institutions shows institutions implement a wide array of support services, with a focus on Summer Bridge Programs to support college readiness in underprepared students. Content analysis of interviews with Academic Support Staff indicates institutions focus attention on students with low academic credentials through support services and interventions practiced in unique ways at the institutional level. Findings from the study were used to construct a model for use by institutions to improve support services and programs provided to students with low academic credentials regardless of their pre-existing characteristics.

Das Thema dieser Dissertation ist die Anwendung des „Matching Law” als Verhaltensannahme bei der Erklärung sozialer Phänomene. Das „Matching Law” ist ein Modell der behavioristischen Lerntheorie und sagt aus, dass die relative Häufigkeit der Wahl einer Handlung mit der relativen Häufigkeit der Belohnung dieser Handlung übereinstimmt. In der Dissertation werden verschiedene Probleme in Bezug auf die soziologische Anwendung des „Matching Law” erörtert. Aufbauend auf diesen Erkenntnissen wird das Entsprechungsgesetz in die ökonomische Entscheidungstheorie integriert und mit bestehenden Verhaltensprognosen theoretisch verglichen. Anschließend wird das Entsprechungsgesetz auf mehrere soziale Situationen angewandt. Dabei kommt ein Lernmodell zum Einsatz, welches als „Melioration Learning” bezeichnet wird und unter bestimmten Bedingungen zum Entsprechungsgesetz führt. Mit Hilfe dieses Lernmodells und agentenbasierter Simulationen werden Hypothesen zu sozialem Verhalten hergeleitet. Zunächst werden einfache Situationen mit nur zwei interagierenden Akteuren betrachtet. Dabei lassen sich durch das Entsprechungsgesetz einige Lösungskonzepte der Spieltheorie replizieren, obwohl weniger Annahmen bezüglich der kognitiven Fähigkeiten der Akteure und der verfügbaren Informationen gesetzt werden. Außerdem werden Interaktionen zwischen beliebig vielen Akteuren untersucht. Erstens lässt sich die Entstehung sozialer Konventionen über das Entsprechungsgesetz erklären. Zweitens wird dargestellt, dass die Akteure lernen, in einem Freiwilligendilemma oder einem Mehrpersonen-Gefangenendilemma zu kooperieren.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

This diploma thesis focuses on the methodological and practical approach to teaching violin at the music school. The chapters are divided chronologically into seven years of teaching first grade at the Music School. For each year is given a brief methodological analysis of instructive literature. The work includes a methodological section that deals with technical problems violin and describes the training. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

This diploma thesis is focused on methodological games in the usage of Czech language at primary school. It deals with educational methods, games in different stages of human development and mainly methodological games and their usage in Czech language lessons. The main part is created by the file of methodological games which were verified at school. One part of the research is based on the questionnaire for teachers which was concentrated on understanding and using of methodological games.

This study aims to investigate the methodological differences of wind power project economic analysis and to indicate the preferred methodology among the considered cases. The study compares the economic appraisals of onshore wind power projects. The economic appraisals of wind power projects are for evaluating wind power projects' impact on an economy. Economic appraisals of wind power projects include economic justifications of projects in comparison with the next best alternative projects, consider negative and positive externalities but exclude transfer payments such as taxes and subsidies. Also, in wind power project economic appraisals, the valuations of costs and benefits are at shadow prices and discounting of future costs and benefits at a social discount rate. There are methodological guidelines from different institutions on how to conduct project economic analysis. This study compares methodologies of three onshore wind power project economic appraisals conducted by the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Mott MacDonald and discusses methodological differences for each case study in comparison with each other. The results of this study are for any investors, institutions and government authorities involve in wind power projects and seek not only corporate profits but also social benefits. They may consider the methodological differences identified in this study to improve the assessment of wind power project economic impacts. The results indicate that the identified methodological differences complement each other rather than substitute. The preferred methodology for onshore wind power projects economic analysis would be the methodology that considers the identified differences for the comprehensive evaluations.

A dieta é considerada um dos fatores que mais influencia o comportamento espacial dos primatas. Muitas pesquisas que abordam essa relação apresentam similaridades nos seus delineamentos, mas não existe uma metodologia padrão comum. Para compreender melhor a relação entre dieta e padrões espaciais dos primatas, é preciso investigar o efeito de alguns problemas metodológicos. No presente estudo, descrevemos quatro:o problema da descontinuidade do registro, que é o efeito da dependência temporal sobre registros distribuídos desigualmente ao longo do tempo; o problema de filtragem, que descreve a dificuldade para isolar o efeito da variável independente, dieta; o problema do fracionamento, que alerta sobre os perigos de transportar conclusões a grande escala com dados de pequena escala; e o problema da linearidade fechada, que discute a validade das medidas de superfície quando o tempo registrado é muito curto. Desenvolvemos uma metodologia para controlar esses problemas. A metodologia foi aplicada com registros da dieta e localizações de um grupo de Sapajus nigritus do Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, São Paulo, coletados em dois períodos, 2007-2008 e 2009-2010. Também utilizamos um delineamento mais convencional e comparamos os resultados obtidos com ambas asmetodologias. Os resultados foram similares com ambos os delineamentos, mas em alguns aspectosa metodologia nova teve melhor desempenho. A dieta foi analisada utilizando as categorias alimentos agregados e dispersos. Essa classificação tem sido criticada pela amplitude das suas categorias, mas no presente estudo foi sensível a mudanças nos padrões espaciais de Sapajus. Os resultados não foram conclusivos com períodos grandes descontínuos, mas foram visíveis com períodos curtos e contínuos. Com o aumento de consumo de itens dispersos diminuiu a distância diária percorrida e o espaço foi utilizado de forma mais uniforme. As maiores áreas foram observadas com períodos de consumo misto. Os padrões espaciais desses primatas foram bem descritos com base na energia obtida e os custos do deslocamento / Diet is considered one of the most influential factors on primates spatial patterns. Many studies that have addressed this relationship present methodological similarities, but there is no common standard methodology. In order to better understand the relationship between diet and spatial patterns of primates we need to investigate the effect of some methodological problems. In thisstudy we describe four of these problems: the problem of the discontinuous data, that is, the effect of autocorrelation when observations are distributed unevenly over time; the filtering problem, that describes the difficulties to isolate the effect of the independent variable, in this case, the diet; the partialness problem, that calls our attention to the risk of making large scale conclusions based on small scale data; and the problem of fenced linearity, that discusses the validity of area estimations, when time sampling is too small. We developed a methodology to control these problems and tested it on the data collected for one group of Sapajus nigritus in Carlos Botelhos State Park, São Paulo (Brazil), during two periods, 2007-2008 and 2009-2010. We also used a more conventional methodology to compare results. Although the results obtained using both methodologies were similar, in some cases, the new one performed better. Diet was analyzed byusing the categories patchy and dispersed food items. This dichotomous classification has been criticized because of the broadness of its categories, but in the present study it was sensitive to changes in Sapajus spatial patterns. Results were inconclusive when analyzing data from large discontinuous periods, but some conclusions were obtained when considering data from short continuous periods: daily path length decreased and the use of space was more uniform with the increase of dispersed items on the diet. The largest ranging areas were observed when the diet was mixed. Spatial patterns of these primates can be explained in terms of energy obtained and travel costs

Nesta pesquisa procuramos investigar se o uso do pluralismo metodológico nas aulas de Física pode contribuir para o aprimoramento da argumentação científica dos alunos. As atividades foram realizadas com alunos da terceira série do ensino médio de uma escola do interior do estado de São Paulo. No desenvolvimento da pesquisa foram utilizadas, em sala de aula, metodologias de ensino variadas: atividades experimentais e de demonstração, atividades com o uso das tecnologias de informação e comunicação e projetos como estratégia de resolução de problema. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de quatro grupos focais e pelas apresentações de projetos pelos alunos, com a finalidade de investigar as suas argumentações sobre os conceitos físicos estudados por meio das metodologias mencionadas anteriormente. Para a análise da estrutura das argumentações dos alunos demos ênfase aos elementos constitutivos do padrão de Toulmin. Os resultados desta pesquisa mostram indícios do aprimoramento da argumentação científica dos alunos. Isso nos fez concluir que o uso do pluralismo metodológico, juntamente com o processo de interação social, promove o desenvolvimento da argumentação científica e é uma alternativa que colabora para a formação de alunos mais reflexivos e participativos no processo de ensino e aprendizagem de Física. / In this research we investigate if the use of methodological pluralism in Physics classes can contribute to the improvement of the student\'s cientific argumentation. The activities were conducted with students of the third grade of secondary education at a school in the state of São Paulo. In the research\'s development was used, in the classroom, varied teaching methodologies: experimental and demonstration activities, activities using information and communication technology and projects such as problem solving strategy. The data collection was done through four focus groups and by the student\'s presentations of the project, in order to investigate their arguments about physical concepts studied by the methods mentioned above. For the initial structure analysis of the students\' argumentation we gave emphasis to the constituent elements of the standard Toulmin. Our results show evidence of student\'s improvement in scientific argumentation. Using these data we concluded that the use of methodological pluralism, with the process of social interaction, facilitates the development of scientific argument and it is an alternative that contributes to the formation of more reflective and participatory students in the teaching and learning of Physics.

Introdução. O automanejo em saúde pode ser entendido como a habilidade da pessoa em conseguir resolver problemas e ser a protagonista, nas tomadas de decisão relacionadas à sua vida e à sua saúde. Este conceito tem sido associado com resultados positivos, tanto para o indivíduo como para as instituições de saúde. A escala Partners in Health (PIH) avalia o automanejo em saúde por meio do engajamento da pessoa com doença crônica na execução de ações que protegem e promovem a saúde. Objetivos. Este estudo metodológico teve como objetivos adaptar culturalmente a PIH e avaliar as propriedades psicométricas da versão adaptada em uma amostra de indivíduos adultos com doenças crônicas. Método. O estudo foi aprovado pelos Comitês de Ética das instituições envolvidas. O processo de adaptação cultural ocorreu como segue: tradução do instrumento original, avaliação e síntese das traduções pelo Comitê de Juízes, retrotradução, avaliação semântica dos itens, avaliação pelo autor do instrumento original, pré-teste e avaliação psicométrica. Os dados foram coletados entre janeiro e maio de 2016, em seis ambulatórios (nefrologia, gastroenterologia, cardiologia, imunologia, endocrinologia e oncologia) do Hospital de Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto. Participaram do estudo 176 indivíduos adultos de ambos os sexos, com diagnóstico de doenças crônicas há, pelo menos, seis meses e que estavam em acompanhamento clínico regular em um dos ambulatórios referidos. A PIH é respondida em uma escala ordinal com nove pontos, na qual menores valores indicam melhor automanejo, em um intervalo possível de zero a 96 pontos. A validade de constructo da PIH foi avaliada pelas correlações entre a medida de automanejo com as medidas de autoestima (Escala de Auto-Estima de Rosenberg), ansiedade e depressão (Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão- HADS). A confiabilidade foi avaliada pela consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach). O nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05. Resultados. A média de idade dos participantes foi 54,1 anos (DP=15,1, variação 21-87) e 51,6% eram do sexo feminino. O tempo médio de ensino formal relatado foi de 7 (DP=4,80, variação 0-21) anos. Eles apresentaram diversificadas doenças crônicas, e 80,3% tinham mais de dois anos de diagnóstico. O escore médio da PIH foi de 24,5 (DP=15,1). Em 75% dos itens, foi verificada a presença de efeito chão (itens 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 e 12). O alfa de Cronbach foi de 0,78. A correlação entre as medidas de automanejo e autoestima apresentou valor negativo e de moderada intensidade (r = - 0,344; p < 0,001). As correlações entre as medidas de automanejo e sintomas de ansiedade (r = 0,360; p<0,001) e sintomas de depressão (r = 0,363; p < 0,001) apresentaram valores positivos e de moderadas intensidades. As propriedades psicométricas da versão adaptada da PIH foram consideradas adequadas. Conclusão. A versão brasileira da PIH apresentou propriedades psicométricas aceitáveis para medir o automanejo da saúde, entre os participantes do estudo. A versão adaptada da PIH deverá ser testada em outros grupos de indivíduos com doenças crônicas, com diferentes características sociodemográficas / Introduction. Self-management in healthcare can be understood as people\'s skill to manage to solve problems and play the leading role in making decisions related to their life and health. This concept has been associated with positive results both to the individual and to healthcare institutions. The Partners in Health (PIH) scale assesses self-management in health by means of the engagement of a person with a chronic disease in the execution of actions that protect and promote health. Aim. The objectives of this methodological study were to culturally adapt the PIH and to assess the psychometric properties of the adapted version in a sample of adult individuals with chronic diseases. Method. The study was approved by the ethics committees of the institutions involved. The process of cultural adaptation took place as follows: translation of the original instrument, evaluation and synthesis of the translations by a board of experts, back-translation, semantic evaluation of the items, evaluation by the author of the original instrument, pre-test, and psychometric evaluation. Data were collected between January and May 2016, in six outpatient clinics (nephrology, gastroenterology, cardiology, immunology, endocrinology and oncology) of the Clinics Hospital at the University of São Paulo - Ribeirão Preto/SP. Study participants were 176 adults, both male and female, with a diagnosis of chronic disease for at least six months, and who were undergoing regular follow-up at one of the aforementioned clinics. The PIH is answered in an ordinal scale with nine points, in which lower values indicate better self-management, in a possible range from 0 to 96 points. The construct validity of the PIH was assessed by correlations between the measures of self management and self-esteem (Rosenberg\'s Self-Esteem Scale), and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - HADS). Reliability was assessed by internal consistency (Cronbach\'s alpha). Significance was set at 0.05. Results. Mean age of the participants was 54.1 years (SD=15.1, variation 21-87) and 51.6% were women. The mean length of formal education reported was 7.08 years (SD=4.80, variation 0-21). Participants presented varied chronic diseases and 80.3% had been diagnosed for more than two years. The mean self-management score of the PIH was 24.5 (SD=15.1). Floor effect was found in 75% of the items (items 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12). Internal consistency was ?= 0.78. The correlation between the measures of self-management and self-esteem presented a negative value and moderate intensity (r = - 0.344; p < 0.001). The correlation between the measures of self management and anxiety (r = 0.360; p<0.001) and depression symptoms (r = 0.363; p < 0.001) presented positive values and moderate intensity. The psychometric properties of the adapted version of the PIH were considered adequate. Conclusion. The Brazilian version of the PIH was considered adequate and its psychometric properties acceptable to measure the self management of the study participants. The adapted version of the PIH must be tested in other groups of individuals with chronic diseases, with different sociodemographic characteristics