Magister Scientiae (Occupational Therapy) - MSc(OT) / TB is a multi- faceted public health problem spurred on by the biological progression of the disease as well as the social issues associated with it. The treatment of TB is however primarily driven by the medical model where the focus is on the disease and not on a holistic view of the patient. Occupational therapy is a profession concerned with the use of occupation in the promotion of health and well being through the facilitation of the process of occupational adaptation. There is however a paucity of literature pertaining to the role that occupational therapy could play within the TB context. The aim of this study was to explore how adults with MDR- TB who undergo long-term hospitalisation at a hospital in the Western Cape experience occupational adaptation. The objectives of the study were to explore how the participants perceive their occupational identity, to explore the meaning and purpose the participants assign to their occupational engagement and to explore the how the participants perceive their occupational competence. The interpretive research paradigm employing a phenomenological qualitative research approach was utilized in this study. Purposive sampling was used to select four participants based on specific selection criteria. The data gathering methods utilized included diaries, semistructured interviews, participant observation and a focus group. Photographs taken by the researcher for the purpose of participant observation were used to elicit a rich, in depth response from the participants during the focus group discussion. All data was analysed through thematic content analysis. The study findings highlighted that the participants viewed themselves as occupational beings and that they valued the role that occupational engagement played in facilitating their occupational competence and ultimately their ability to adapt to long- term hospitalisation. The environmental demands and constraints that they experienced however infringed their engagement in meaningful occupation and hampered their ability to achieve occupational competence. It was recommended that the hospital adopt an integrative intervention approach to the management of MDR- TB patients that include principles of psychosocial rehabilitation and occupational enrichment to address occupational risk factors and institutionalisation.

This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the question, How do women cigarette smokers experience and perceive their occupational transition from smoker to non-smoker? The sample consisted of seven women, aged 35-55, living in New Brunswick, Canada, who quit smoking for at least twelve months, but no longer than 24 months. Data were collected through in-depth, face-to-face interviews. The occupation of smoking was shown to be a valued and meaningful occupation with both positive and negative aspects that influenced the occupational transition process. The occupational transition of smoking cessation was described as a cyclical journey that required building skills and occupational competence, not only to support occupational adaptation and engagement in meaningful occupations, but also to overcome barriers and occupational losses throughout the transition process. This also fostered the occupational identity of non-smoker, by allowing the women to become and express the self they wanted to be.

<p>Ontology development is a systematic technique to represent the existing and new knowledge about a specific domain by using some models to present the system in which <em>conceptualization</em> is involved. This thesis presents the use of ontologies to formally represent ontology-based competence model for potential users of quality registry report in a healthcare organization. The model describes the professional and occupational interests and needs of the users through structuring and describing their skills and qualifications. There are individual competences model having two main parts: general competence and occupational competence. The model is implemented in an ontology editor. Although our competence model gives the general view about all medical areas in a hospital, from implementation point of view, we have considered only Cardiology area in detail. The potential users of quality registry are medical staff, county council staff and Pharmaceutical staff. In this report we have also used different classifications of education, occupational fields and diseases. A user can get information about the patient and specific disease with treatment tips by using various organizational resources: i.e. quality registries, electronic medical reports, and online journals. Our model also provides a support of information filtering which filters the information according to the need and the competencies of the users.</p>

Ontology development is a systematic technique to represent the existing and new knowledge about a specific domain by using some models to present the system in which conceptualization is involved. This thesis presents the use of ontologies to formally represent ontology-based competence model for potential users of quality registry report in a healthcare organization. The model describes the professional and occupational interests and needs of the users through structuring and describing their skills and qualifications. There are individual competences model having two main parts: general competence and occupational competence. The model is implemented in an ontology editor. Although our competence model gives the general view about all medical areas in a hospital, from implementation point of view, we have considered only Cardiology area in detail. The potential users of quality registry are medical staff, county council staff and Pharmaceutical staff. In this report we have also used different classifications of education, occupational fields and diseases. A user can get information about the patient and specific disease with treatment tips by using various organizational resources: i.e. quality registries, electronic medical reports, and online journals. Our model also provides a support of information filtering which filters the information according to the need and the competencies of the users.

While human capital is repeatedly recognized as the most critical source of organizational capabilities, transformational changes to business environments are causing challenges related to human resource development. Against the backdrop of this, the emerging European Lithium-ion battery industry is facing headwinds in supplying critical engineering talent with the right skill set to enable the significant predicted growth of the industry. To bridge skill gaps, and reduce such bottleneck, studies suggest that mapping competencies is critical. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the definition of competence, and few empirical studies providing concrete meaning to it. Hence, the purpose of this qualitative case study is to identify competencies and perceived skill gaps in the context of a leading European battery player, catering to the need of both the industry and the researched field. The secondary data of the study includes a literature review consolidating existing literature on occupational competence and approaches to competence in a conceptual framework. The framework consists of twenty-two competence components and five competence dimensions: cognitive competence, functional competence, methods-and process competence, meta competence, and social competence. The primary data consists of interviews with managers and recruiters at the case company. Collected data was analyzed along the dimensions of the conceptual framework. The study reveals common competency requirements and skill gaps across multiple roles. Competencies include, but are not limited to structured problem solving, electrochemistry, Lithium-ion battery knowledge, and autonomy, while skill gaps include serial manufacturing and quality standards. The theoretical implication of the study encompasses accuracies and challenges related to the number of dimensions used for defining derived competencies. The practical implications relate to synergies in competence development efforts. / Humankapital har ständigt erkänts som den mest kritiska resursen hos organisationer. Samtidigt orsakar omvälvande förändringar i affärsmiljöer utmaningar relaterade till säkerställandet av dessa resurser. Givet detta, möter den framväxande Europeiska Litium-jon batteri-industrin motvind gällande identifiering och rekrytering av talanger med rätt kompetens, vilket krävs för att möjliggöra den stora tillväxten industrin står inför. För att lyckas överkomma denna flaskhals och utveckla de kompetenser som krävs, tyder studier på att kartläggning av kompetens är avgörande. Det råder dock brist på samförstånd kring definitionen av kompetens, med få empiriska studier som konkretiserar ämnet. Därav är syftet med denna kvalitativa fallstudie att identifiera kompetens och kompetensgap hos en ledande Europeisk batteri-spelare, vilket avser att tillgodose behoven hos både industrin samt det undersökta forskningsområdet. Studiens sekundära data inkluderar en litteraturöversikt som sammanställer befintlig litteratur kring definitionen av yrkeskompetens och kompetensramverk i ett konceptuellt ramverk. Ramverket består av tjugotvå kompetenskomponenter och fem kompetensdimensioner: kognitivkompetens, funktionell kompetens, metod- och processkompetens, metakompetens och socialkompetens. Primär data består av intervjuer med chefer och rekryterare hos uppdragsgivaren. Insamlad data analyserades i relation till dimensionerna i det konceptuella ramverket. Studien påvisar gemensamma kompetenser och kompetensgap hos flera roller. Kompetenserna inkluderar exempelvis strukturerad problemlösning, elektrokemi, kunskap om litium-jon batterier och autonomi, medan kompetensluckor inkluderar serietillverkning och kvalitetsstandarder. Det teoretiska bidraget av studien är en analys av det presenterade konceptuella ramverket. Analysen påvisar både möjligheter och utmaningar relaterat till antalet dimensioner som används för att definiera kompetenser. Det praktiska bidraget av studien avser synergier i kompetensutvecklingsinsatser.

This study provides a historical-educational evaluation of the teaching of vocational subjects at the Indian secondary school. The Indian secondary school curriculum is examined and evaluated and recommendations are made based on these findings for the vocational Africa. education future development of in contemporary South The study is structured in the following manner: * Chapter One Examines the concept of vocational education. * Chapter Two Traces the development of Indian education since 1860. * Chapter Three Retrospective look at the development of vocational education in the Indian education system. * Chapter Four Provides an exposition of the vocational education curriculum at the Indian secondary school. * Chapter Five Evaluates the vocational education curriculum. * Chapter Six Recommendations for the future of vocational education in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

This study provides a historical-educational evaluation of the teaching of vocational subjects at the Indian secondary school. The Indian secondary school curriculum is examined and evaluated and recommendations are made based on these findings for the vocational Africa. education future development of in contemporary South The study is structured in the following manner: * Chapter One Examines the concept of vocational education. * Chapter Two Traces the development of Indian education since 1860. * Chapter Three Retrospective look at the development of vocational education in the Indian education system. * Chapter Four Provides an exposition of the vocational education curriculum at the Indian secondary school. * Chapter Five Evaluates the vocational education curriculum. * Chapter Six Recommendations for the future of vocational education in South Africa. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)