This study tested the construct validity of the People of Color Racal Identity Attitudes Scale (PCRIAS) for Asian Americans using a mixed methods inquiry. The study produced mixed results with regard to the construct validity of the PCRIAS; Conformity and Immersion-Emersion statuses were somewhat corroborated by the qualitative data and provide tentative construct validity for these statuses of Helms’s model. Though statistically insignificant, results for the Internalization status,purportedly the most mature and developed of all racial identity statuses, were opposite to what racial identity theory would predict. Although some dimensions of the PCRIAS may be meaningful for Asian Americans, findings cast doubt upon the overall applicability of PCRIAS scale for Asian Americans. Results draw attention to the importance of race-specific experiences for Asian Americans and highlight the within-group heterogeneity of Asian Americans’ racial experiences. Qualitative analysis yielded critical theoretical points that illuminate how the historical, political, and economic context of Asian Americans has led to a multitude of options for the management of racial stimuli. Emergent themes revealed that Asian Americans have discursive options—factors such as the model minority myth and recourse to ethnic identity—that may offer possible detours around the recognition of racism or the incorporation of race into their sense of identity. These detours, however, may not necessarily be experienced as maladaptive or ego-dystonic. Nonetheless, one of the most prevalent emergent themes involved an endorsement of subjective distress caused by some racial experience, highlighting the clinical significance of Asian Americans’ racial identity and their management of racial stimuli. Emergent themes also revealed that the salience of race is externally imposed upon Asian Americans through the experiences of being (mis)recognized as a racial other. Limitations of the current study are discussed and suggestions for future research are explored. / text

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of ninth-grade students and their teachers and parents/guardians with regard to the transition from middle school to high school. A mixed-method approach with both qualitative and quantitative measures assessed attitudes toward this transition. Student focus groups were also conducted toward this end. Parents and school staff were surveyed to gain insight into the problems associated with the student transition.Data gathered from students, parents, and school faculty were also analyzed to facilitate the design of a school-transition program for the local high school serving as the study site in this research. The findings support research that has indicated academic and social problems confronted by students transitioning into high school. All three study groups agree that developing a program to effectuate early adjustment by students and parents to this transition will “pave the way” toward ultimate student success.

Tangible and intangible heritage values of cultural landscapes are becoming lost or transforming under the threat of rapidly changing landscapes. Researcher-oriented documenting methods are missing significant meanings of landscapes for local communities. Community-based methods can reveal both tangible and intangible heritage of landscapes without missing important values for local communities. This dissertation study proposed a community-based mixed method research to reveal and document cultural heritage or other values from the perspective of local community members in the case study area of Findikli in Rize/Turkey. Findikli's cultural landscape is under the threat of rapidly changing landscape due to newly introduced agriculture practice - tea production. To reveal lost or transformed tangible and intangible heritage meanings of the Findikli's cultural landscape, multiple community-based research methods were used for collecting data from local residents as well as those with family or community connections to the area. Community workshops, individual and group interviews, and surveys gathered information on the social and cultural relationships, as well as locations of past and present agricultural activities, land uses and built structures. Analysis of family and community photographs and aerial imagery, as well as community produced land use and cognitive maps helped place these in spatial relationship to the landscape. Results of this dissertation study made contributions to case study area with a rich archive of Findikli's traditional tangible and intangible landscape elements, and to cultural landscape studies with a method of discovering traditional cultural heritage and landscape values under the threat of change and a guidance to document them with the community-based methods to increase quality and quantity of information. / Ph. D. / Physical and social values of cultural landscapes are becoming lost or transforming under the threat of rapidly changing landscapes. Documenting physical and social values of landscapes via researchers’ point of view is missing some significant meanings of landscapes for local communities. Engaging community in the revealing landscape meanings process provides more information compared to researchers’ perspective studies. This dissertation study proposed a community-based mixed method research to reveal and document cultural heritage or other values from the perspective of local community members in the case study area of Findikli in Rize/Turkey. Findikli’s cultural landscape is under the threat of rapidly changing landscape due to newly introduced agriculture practice –tea production. To reveal lost or transformed socially and culturally important meanings of the Findikli’s cultural landscape, multiple community-based research methods were used for collecting data from local residents as well as those with family or community connections to the area. Community workshops, individual and group interviews, and surveys gathered information on the social and cultural relationships, as well as locations of past and present agricultural activities, land uses and built structures. Analysis of family and community photographs and aerial imagery, as well as community produced land use helped place these in spatial relationship to the landscape. Results of this dissertation study made contributions to case study area with a rich archive of Findikli’s traditional physical and social landscape elements, and to cultural landscape studies with a method of discovering traditional cultural heritage and landscape values under the threat of change and a guidance to document them with the community-based methods to increase quality and quantity of information.

This study aimed to investigate what constituted the professional practical knowledge of EFL experienced teachers in the Egyptian context and what the sources of their knowledge were. It also aimed to examine the relationship between the teachers’ knowledge and the contextual factors intervening in action. By delineating its focus as such, the study responds to call for reconceptualising the core of the knowledge base of teaching to focus on teaching as a knowledge-based activity and an act of common sense and reasoning, the pedagogy by which teaching is done, and the context in which it is done. The study was carried out using multiple methods for collecting qualitative and quantitative data. This design was chosen to investigate the participants’ views of professional practical knowledge and to construct their different understandings and interpretations which they brought with them. Questionnaires completed by 236 EFL experienced teachers, semi-structured interviews conducted with 14 of them and stimulated recall classroom observation data with three of them were the data collected for the current study. Although it provided a parsimonious view, quantitative questionnaire data made an important contribution to the bricolage of information built up during the study. A more in-depth understanding was gained from qualitative data using responses to the open-ended section of the questionnaire, interviews and classroom observation. Based on quantitative and qualitative data analyses, six core areas of teacher knowledge were constructed from the participants’ responses and accounts. These were: subject matter, pedagogy, students, classroom learning environment, curriculum and self. The findings also revealed a variety of sources which shaped the teachers’ professional practical knowledge including: experience, teacher education, university study in the subject department, student and peer feedback, in-service training, expert advice, student output and postgraduate study. The findings also revealed that the relationship between teacher knowledge and practice was reflected in two ways. The first was that teacher knowledge represented an operative model which underpinned practice. The second was that it informed the classroom decisions. However, not all teacher knowledge found application in practice. A variety of intervening contextual challenges were revealed to deter the actualisation of teacher knowledge in action such as the EFL exam policy, lack of time, support and resources, mismatch between teacher purposes and students’ expectations and needs, and large class size. These findings were discussed in relation to existing research evidence and context. Implications for pre-service and in-service teacher learning were also drawn based on the findings of the study.

Little empirical work has been conducted on workplace practices in university settings. Meanwhile, the impact of feedback on changing consumption patterns has been mainly studied through individualistic approaches. The academic workplace with its variety of users offers a setting that could provide a range of insights as to how practices form and change under the impact of efficiency interventions and, in turn, how relevant policies could be formed. This research looks at workplace practices related to the regulation of indoor temperature and the use of office equipment. It examines the potential of reducing energy usage in the workplace through a case study on the understanding of and interventions in practices using consumption feedback. A framework based on social practice theory is applied where daily practices are configured by routines, technologies, knowledge and meanings. The research takes place in a UK university building, where the provision of real-time consumption feedback through a display is employed to raise energy awareness. It follows a case study approach featuring three different office typologies and associated user groups: the shared, enclosed administrative office; the PhD open-plan office, and the post-doctoral cellular office. The study begins with an examination of the thermal characteristics and comfort preferences in the case study offices. It then examines how users shape their practices in the workplace. Finally, it observes the impact of feedback through real-time displays on the reduction of energy consumption. A mixed methods approach is employed combining qualitative and quantitative data. Semi- structured interviews and on-site observations are cross-related to environmental conditions monitoring, electricity audits and thermal comfort diaries. Data collection takes place in two phases— (February 2014 and July 2014) —to capture differences in practices between the winter and summer as well as before and after the installation of real-time displays. By exploring the empirical evidence through a practice theory framework, this research shows how social dynamics, the difference between the notion of comfort at home and work, and striving for productivity can prefigure ‘passive’ thermal comfort practices in the workplace. The real-time displays did not trigger change despite the fact electricity audits revealed a savings potential related to high standby use. The inadequacy of building maintenance structures, significant installation delays and the type of projected information were the main factors restricting change. The use of a practice approach advanced the understanding as to why it is so difficult to save energy at work and use feedback as a successful intervention. The combination of qualitative enquiry and energy audits meanwhile indicated the potential source of savings.

Agriculture is a hazardous industry worldwide, and certain groups of agricultural workers are at increased risk of experiencing adverse health outcomes. Agricultural workforces are becoming increasingly transitional, as established and experienced workers exit the industry and new workers take their place. Limited occupational health surveillance exists among certain transitional agricultural workforces. In the US, beginning farmers, i.e., agricultural workers with 10 years or less experience operating a farm, may differ from established farmers in terms of their demographics, length of experience within the agricultural industry, and occupational exposures and health outcomes. Separately, South Indian tea harvesting workers are exposed to occupational physical demands that are risk factors for musculoskeletal health outcomes. However, few studies have examined associations between occupational demands and musculoskeletal pain among these workers. Furthermore, no studies have identified additional occupational health issues within the tea harvesting process. To address the lack of available knowledge on beginning farmers and tea harvesting workers, the goals of this mixed method study were to estimate the associations between musculoskeletal symptoms and occupational physical demands and occupational psychosocial stress among beginning farmers in the US and tea harvesting workers in South India. An additional goal was to identify occupational health issues within the tea harvesting process and to determine how tea harvesting workers conceptualize and prioritize these issues. An online survey was conducted among beginning farmers across the U.S. Participants answered questions about their demographics, personal health and farm characteristics, occupational physical demands, occupational psychosocial stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms of the low back, neck/shoulder, and elbow/wrist/hand. An interviewer-based survey was conducted among South Indian tea harvesting workers. Participants answered questions about their demographics, personal health, occupational physical demands, occupational psychosocial stress, and musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck/upper back, lower back, upper extremity region, and lower extremity region. A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups among South Indian tea harvesting workers and semi-structured interviews and structured interviews among South Indian tea harvesting workers and supervisors. Results from the cross sectional online survey concluded that musculoskeletal symptoms were common among beginning farmers. In addition, occupational physical demands were associated with musculoskeletal pain, particularly low back pain was associated with working in awkward and cramped positions, bending or twisting the back, and carrying, lifting, or moving heavy material by hand. Results from the cross sectional interviewer-based survey concluded that musculoskeletal symptoms were also common among South Indian tea harvesting workers. Musculoskeletal pain was associated with exposure to forceful exertions, awkward posture, and repetition. Finally, results from the qualitative study identified additional occupational health issues within tea harvesting, including the presence of animals and pelvic organ prolapse. The study further identified important influential stakeholders within the tea harvesting process. Findings from these three studies may be used to inform future health interventions among these transitional workforces.

The world-wide problem of increasing greenhouse gas emissions has received considerable attention in recent decades. In South Africa, several factors necessitate residential energy efficiency research. These include the high levels of pollution caused by the generation of electricity with low quality coal, which is fairly readily available, the increasing consumer base since 1994, and electricity price increases of 20% per annum since 2008. This study investigates qualitative and quantitative aspects of energy efficiency strategies employed in 41 South African households from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, within the Pretoria region. Field work was conducted during 2010 and 2011. This research was conducted using a multi-phased combined experimental and ex post facto mixed methodology. Actual electricity consumption levels were recorded in all participating households, which were divided into two experimental groups, but only participants in the first experimental group participated in an interview and intervention to reduce electricity consumption. Measurements were followed by focus group sessions open to all participants. Thematic analysis was used to identify participants’ main strategies for energy efficiency, and the effectiveness of these strategies was quantified. The qualitative and quantitative findings are discussed both separately from and in conjunction with one another. Feedback was shown to be a key factor in enabling behaviour change. Needs not only for information but for guidance in its interpretation are highlighted, particularly where literacy levels are lower. Erroneous beliefs about the functioning of appliances were identified and quantified. Winter was identified as the best time to introduce an intervention and improve energy savings due to the ‘normal’ steep increase during that time. Popular and effective strategies employed in households to reduce electricity consumption were also identified. This study culminates in a theoretical model, placing the micro, meso and exo implications of residential energy efficiency in a cyclical empowerment model of environmental concern, the need for information, behaviour change and the resulting need for feedback. Suggestions for policy development and future research are made focussing specifically on the role of females in designing energy efficiency measures, measuring quality of life and not just kWhs and emphasising the importance of real-time feedback on consumption. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Psychology / Unrestricted

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TITLE: Psychological and Epistemological Aspects of Curriculum Design AUTHOR: Dominik Dvořák DEPARTMENT: Department of Primary Education, Charles University in Prague SUPERVISOR: Prof. PhDr. Vladimíra Spilková, CSc. ABSTRACT: The alarming trends in Czech pupils' achievement in reading, mathematics and science raised the question of quality of the Czech primary and lower secondary school curricula. A conceptual framework for analysis of the intended curriculum as a multi-level document has been devised. A review of available methods for curricular analysis is presented. The mixed method research design has been used to study the actual Czech curricular framework. Preliminary exploration of quantitative data on Czech pupils' success rates in individual items of TIMSS and PISA studies identified the "suspect" curriculum areas for the subsequent qualitative analysis. These areas (e.g. fractions in mathematics, reading literacy in language arts) were compared in past and present Czech curricula/syllabi. The international benchmarking method was used to compare Czech, English, Finnish, and U. S. curricula. The results revealed the idiosyncrasies that remain relatively stable feature of the Czech curricula. The neo-institutionalism may provide the theoretical explanation of the results of the analysis. KEYWORDS:...

TITLE: Peer Review of Vocational Education and Training Schools AUTHOR: Stanislav Michek DEPARTMENT: Department of Primary Education, Charles University in Prague SUPERVISOR: prof. PhDr. Karel Rýdl, CSc. ABSTRACT: The subject of the research of the thesis is the issue of external evaluation, particularly technical and vocational schools by partners at the same level (peer review). In the theoretical part is paid attention to concepts associated with the development of the school, the peer review is set in the context of other forms of external evaluation in education in general level and then describes the current state of the external evaluation of schools in the Czech Republic. For the empirical research was designed mixed methods design. When the research was, along with other research methods effected multiple case study - fed 4 specific stories of peer review in the Czech Republic. From the findings have been identified following supportive factors peer review: attitudes toward evaluation, condition, experience with evaluation, competency of the participants, of the interaction rated the school and peers and support peer review. At the end are suggested other possible ways of research and recommendations for educational policy. KEYWORDS: peer review, external evaluation, mixed methodology, school, teachers