The goal of this project is to involve adolescents in the design of their own social robots, and to explore their concerns and opinions about social robots during the design process. To support their design efforts, I have developed a digital toolkit that includes features for customizing the appearance, personality, and reactive behaviors of the robots. In addition, this paper presents some of the adolescents’ views on gender and robots that were elicited during the project. The insights and feedback from the participants can inform the design of future outreach robots and improve their social interactions with adolescents. / Målet med detta projekt är att involvera ungdomar i designen av sina egna sociala robotar, och att utforska deras oro och åsikter om sociala robotar under designprocessen. För att stödja deras designinsatser har jag utvecklat en digital verktygslåda som innehåller funktioner för att anpassa robotarnas utseende, personlighet och reaktiva beteenden. Dessutom presenterar denna artikel några av ungdomarnas syn på genus och robotar som framkallades under projektet. Insikterna och feedbacken från deltagarna kan informera om utformningen av framtida uppsökande robotar och förbättra deras sociala interaktion med ungdomar.

For the past decade, Sweden has been reinforced as a multicultural society, and immigrant integration policy has been a hotly debated topic. During the election campaigns in 2022, preschool was an important political issue, the government arguing that early interventions can be the key to the successful integration of immigrants. Subsequent amendments to the Education Act, which entered into force on 1 July 2023, require all municipalities to actively promote increased participation in preschool by means of different methods. The municipalities must provide information to parents and legal guardians and offer preschool enrollment to children who need learning Swedish, without the parents or legal guardians applying for it. The outreach activities are aimed at children who are not currently enrolled in preschool but who are entitled to be. The purpose of the present thesis is to investigate the experiences among preschool staff of the requirement to take active measures to offer preschool enrollment to the children of foreign-born parents. Through a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews and a street level bureaucrats theoretical perspective, the study has focused on two municipalities which have charged preschool staff with the aforementioned task. With the analytical terms street level bureaucrats and discretion, it has been possible to investigate how the policy is implemented and how the preschool staff feels about being a fellow human being as well as an agent for a government authority. The results of the study indicate a consensus among preschool staff that they understand the purpose of, and need for, active measures, and their good intentions and ambitions are visible, despite being insufficiently prepared for the task by their employers.

In Fall 2022, Auburn University Libraries faculty and staff hosted an orientation event for newly arrived international graduate students. Highlights of the event included tours of major library service points, a shared meal, and a meet and greet for graduate students and subject librarians. A key takeaway for both groups was an increased awareness of the differences that exist between U.S. academic libraries and those in other countries. The authors discuss elements of the library orientation that worked well, and address lessons learned that will be used to improve future events.

Juvenile delinquency is a currently existing problem in particularly vulnerableareas in Malmo, Sweden. By applying social fieldwork to delinquent geographicareas, a preventive purpose is also achieved. Thus, the purpose of this study is toexamine fieldworkers' working methods towards youths in those required areas.The following domains are Rosengard, Sofielund and Nydala / Hermodsdal /Lindangen in Malmo City. Furthermore, the purpose is to investigate thefieldworkers' perceived effect of their methods. To fulfill the purpose of the study,a qualitative approach has been applied with theoretical foundations. Thesetheories are the social bond theory and differential association theory. Four field workers from three different field operations in Malmo, have participated in semi-structured interviews. To further analyze the collected information, a thematic analysis has been implemented. Results obtained in the analysis show that thefields' tasks are mostly based on three central methods. These methods conclude:mapping out which areas to visit, communing with the youth to strengthenrelationships and increase their motivation and lastly referring them to furtheractors for extended support, if necessary. The field workers experience that theirimplementations encourage the adolescents to develop in a favourable direction.This is due to the methods being based on voluntary participation and tostrengthen relationships and social ties during the social interactions. / Ungdomsbrottslighet är idag ett aktuellt problem i Malmö, Sverige i de områdensom vi benämner som särskilt utsatta områden. Genom att tillämpa socialtfältarbete på utsatta geografiska områden uppnås ett förebyggandeförhållningssätt. Syftet med denna studie är således att undersöka fältarbetaresarbetsmetoder gentemot ungdomar inom Malmös särskilt utsatta områden.Följande områden är Rosengård, Sofielund och Nydala / Hermodsdal / Lindängeni Malmö stad. Vidare är syftet att undersöka fältarbetarnas upplevda effekt av sinametoder. För att uppfylla studiens syfte, har ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätttillämpats med teoretiska grunder. Dessa teorier är kontrollteorin och teorin omdifferentiella associationer. Fyra fältarbetare från tre olika fältverksamheter iMalmö har deltagit i semistrukturerade intervjuer. För att ytterligare analysera detinsamlade materialet har en tematisk analys genomförts. Resultat från analysenvisar att fältarbetares arbetsuppgifter mestadels består av tre centrala metoder.Dessa metoder är att kartlägga vilka områden som ska besökas, kommunicera medungdomar för att stärka relationer och öka deras motivation och slutligen,vidarebefordra dem till ytterligare aktörer för utökat stöd, om det behövs.Fältarbetarna upplever att deras implementeringar uppmuntrar ungdomarna attutvecklas i en positiv riktning. Detta beror på att deras metoder bygger på frivilligtdeltagande och för att stärka relationer samt sociala band under de socialainteraktionerna.

The thesis empirically examined the implications of microfinance scaling up or sustainability on outreach in Nigeria. Basically, two methodologies were used namely, panel data econometric and survey methods. The panel dataset of 752 microfinance banks in Nigeria was used during the period 2011-2014, while the survey was conducted on some selected microfinance banks in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in 2014. The findings from the thesis showed that, at the national level, yield, labour cost, orientation, efficiency, gender and size of loans are the major drivers of microfinance banks‟ sustainability in Nigeria. While at the state level, microfinance banks sustainability is driven by orientation and loan size. Findings also showed that sustainable MFBs tend to be more focused on the poor clients. The thesis showed that lending to female clients improves repayment rate of MFBs in Nigeria. Corroborating the regression result, the survey findings also suggest that lending to women had improved and enhanced repayment rate. In view of these findings, the thesis recommends that sustainability and outreach are not necessarily incompatible. However in pursuing sustainability greater attention should be on female clients, as greater lending to women would improve the repayment rate of MFBs and further engendered the industry sustainability.

Accelerating rates of urbanization create novel compilations of species in urban ecosystems which experience unprecedented proximity to large human populations. Although an integral part of these urban ecosystems, mammals are difficult to study in urbanized areas. However, questions regarding urban mammalian ecology, such as the maintenance or disruption of predator-prey relationships, are vital to understanding what impacts anthropogenic factors may exert on the functions of urban ecosystems. We show that non-trapping hair equipment can effectively collect hair samples from two mammal groups – small mammals and mesopredators – in urban areas for the purpose of addressing ecological questions. We deployed non-trapping hair collection equipment at 16 different parks, preserves, and nature areas along the urbanization gradient of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We collected a total of 354 small mammal and 41 mesopredator hair samples. Of these samples, 58 small mammal samples and 14 mesopredator samples were of adequate weight for stable isotope analysis. We analyzed relationships between δ15N and δ13C values from each species and percent impervious surface (our proxy for urbanization) to explore potential shifts in mammal diets. Our results indicated a decoupling of predator-prey relationships between mesopredators and small mammals, particularly in urban spaces and suggested that mesopredators may be relying upon anthropogenic food subsidies. Our methodology was not only effective in addressing an ecological question, but it also provided a unique opportunity to connect with community members through QR code labels attached to our field equipment. Non-trapping hair collection methods offer a viable way to collect useful samples in urban areas while also fostering connections between community members and field research occurring in their neighborhoods. / Biology

No description available.

No description available.

Introduktion: Under den tionde terminen av tandläkarprogrammet på Malmö högskola genomgår studenterna verksamhetsförlagd utbildning (VFU) sedan 2004. Detta sker i samarbete med Folktandvården Skåne och under 15 veckor arbetar studenterna en dag i veckan under handledning på folktandvårdens kliniker i närliggande område.Syfte: Att utvärdera erfarenheter efter genomgången VFU ur deltagarnas perspektiv.Metod: Alla tandläkarstudenter och handledare som genomgått VFU 2006 och 2015 tillfrågades om att besvara en utvärderingsenkät med numerisk bedömningsskala och utrymme för tillhörande kommentarer. Sex studenter och fem handledare som genomgått VFU år 2015 intervjuades även med en semistrukturerad intervjumetodik som sammanfördes genom en tematiserad innehållsanalys. Resultat: Enkät: Poängsättningen var genomgående hög för både 2006 och 2015. Studenterna poängsatte påstående 6 ”Det nuvarande upplägget med 15 veckor och en dags tjänstgöring i veckan är tillfredställande.” signifikant högre 2015 än 2006. Påstående 8 ”Det finns en samsyn avseende metoder och behandlingsval mellan skola och folktandvård.” poängsatte studenterna signifikant lägre än handledarna 2015. 2006 poängsatte studenterna påstående tre ”Sammansättningen av patienter var bra.” signifikant lägre än vad handledarna gjorde. Intervju: Studenter och handledare ansåg att VFU är fördelaktigt i utbildningssyfte och ger studenterna självsäkerhet och trygghet i ansvarstagande. Förslag på förbättringar förekom även under intervjuerna.Slutsats: Verksamhetsförlagd utbildning ger fördelaktigheter både för studenter och deras handledare. Studenter och handledare uttrycker uppskattning och är generellt nöjda efter VFU. / Introduction: The tenth semester of the dentistry program at Malmö university students undergoes an outreach program (internship) since 2004 and this is in collaboration with Folktandvården Skåne. During 15 weeks the students work at their assigned clinics one day a week under supervision from their tutors.Objective: To evaluate experiences after placement from the participants' perspective.Method: All dental students and tutors who have completed internship in 2006 and 2015 were asked to answer an evaluation questionnaire with numeric rating scale and scope for comments. Six students and five mentors who have completed internship in 2015 were interviewed with a semi-structured interview methodology, later analysed by content analysis method.Results: Questionnaire: rating was consistently high for both 2006 and 2015. The students scored significantly higher on question six “The set-up of one day of clinical work over 15 weeks were satisfying.” 2015 than in 2006. Students scored question eight“There is a consensus regarding methods and treatment options between the dental school and Folktandvården Skåne” significantly lower than their supervisors in 2015. In 2006 students scored question three “The composition of patients was good” significantly lower than the supervisors did. Interview: Students and tutors felt that the internship had been beneficial for training purposes, giving the students more self-esteem and confidence in taking responsibility. Improvements for the outreach program where proposed. Conclusion: The clinical training program is favourable, both for the students and their tutors. In general terms, the students and the supervisors were satisfied with the cooperation.

HIV/AIDS infection is a serious threat to the health and welfare of India. HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STI) are primarily propagated through heterosexual intercourse in India. Sex workers having multiple partners are considered to be conduits of virus transmission. Hence interventions targeting sex workers form a significant part of India's effort to curb the HIV/AIDS pandemic within its borders. The Sonagachi Project is a HIV/AIDS intervention program in India that targets sex workers. The initiative is being undertaken in a red light district of Calcutta, India. The district, which houses more than 50,000 sex workers, is the largest of its kind in South and South-East Asia. The project is spearheaded by the sex workers themselves, who act as peer outreach workers, and there are no external organizations involved. Statistics from UNAIDS show a significant drop in HIV/AIDS prevalence rate and significant increase in condom usage in Sonagachi after the project was implemented. The project achieved results like unionization of the sex workers, and formation of micro-credit societies and vocational training centers. The different facets of the Sonagachi Project were examined in the current dissertation. The articulation of trafficking and sex work in the formulation of global HIV/AIDS policy documents was assessed to understand the relationship between trafficking and sex work. The Sonagachi Project's stance on redefining sex work, legalization of sex work and rejection of rehabilitation propositions was explored. Environmental and structural barriers to health were analyzed and the impact of the contextualization of sexual health behavior on HIV/AIDS intervention initiatives studied by examining the case of the Sonagachi Project. The application of community mobilization as a strategic intervention method in HIV/AIDS harm reduction and awareness was explored by assessing the strategies of the Sonagachi Project. Finally the participatory framing of health discourse and practice in the Sonagachi Project was analyzed. For my dissertation I performed in-depth interviews of 37 sex workers and 5 project workers in Sonagachi. I reviewed policy documents of global aid organizations and project documentation from the Sonagachi Project such as research papers, internal project reports and unpublished manuscripts produced by the sex workers' union, and results of surveys performed by the sex workers' union and non-governmental organizations. The implications of the dissertation findings will extend beyond the red light district of Calcutta and provide a useful paradigm of sustainable intervention among historically marginalized populations. / Mass Media and Communication