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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves[247]-281).

Although graduation rates are increasing in Georgia and in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade. This study is about school administrators’ perceptions of drop-out factors in three urban high schools. The research design lies within the qualitative spectrum. Data were gathered from semi-structured, open-ended interviews conducted with selected participants. Results showed there were no significant differences in the perception of high school principals as to the importance of specific intervention factors affecting student dropout rates. The participants agreed that instructional coaches, after-school and Saturday school programs and the use of data to target content needs of specific students were the common themes of support to students at-risk of not completing high school requirements.

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2 pp. / Warm temperatures increase the risk for food-borne illness which can spoil cook-outs and picnics. This article provides information about the necessary precautions to take in order to assure the food you serve is safe to eat.

This doctoral thesis is focused on the most progressive part of alternative financing for small business nowadays, on Private Equity and Venture Capital. Despite its undeniable importance, compared to the more traditional ways of collecting financial resources for further business development, only very little research has been done in this area from the point of view of economics sciences. The recent world financial crisis has only served to highlight the importance of Private Equity. However, the theory is still unable to provide answers to many questions raised by practice. In view of that, the main aim of the thesis is to provide detailed description of the field, examine the current trends in Private Equity investment and introduce Private Equity as one of the most perspective systems of business activity financing. The thesis is divided into three main parts. The definition of financial market, its functioning as well as the main agents are included in the first part of the dissertation. The second part deals with the comparison between the EU and its new member states represented by the region of Central and Eastern Europe, and also examines the factors that have been influencing Private Equity development in the last four years and their mutual interdependencies. In the third part, the original valuation model measuring total returns of Private Equity investments is developed. In his dissertation, the author tests the following hypotheses: 1. Private Equity can be considered as one of the most risky investments among all. Total return from PE is well above the average of any other forms of investment. 2. The total amount of Private Equity investments in CEE region is growing steadily. The largest part of this investment is constituted by Buy-outs. Both tested hypotheses are confirmed. This doctoral thesis of Patrik Cupak provides a detailed analysis of Private Equity investments development. The main contribution of the dissertation is the fact that it represents the first analysis comparing the actual situation in Private Equity investments in European and CEE region of this type. The thesis also has significant theoretical and practical contributions due to its wide content and original analysis in this field. Its findings can be thus used in both, practice as well as the academic field.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka hur skolledare, lärare och elever på en gymnasieskola i södra Sverige resonerar om bedömning och betygsättning samt att ta reda på hur betygsfördelningen ser ut vid antagning till och avgång från gymnasiet för årskullen 2008-2011 på den aktuella skolan. Genom insamling av listor med jämförelsetal för de elever som antagits 2008 och över jämförelsetal vid avgång 2011 har diagram över procentuell fördelning av jämförelsetal skapats. Intervjuer med en skolledare, tre gymnasielärare samt tre elever i årskurs tre har gjorts. Min studie visar att det inte finns någon nedskriven bedömningspolicy på den aktuella gymnasieskolan samt att det i relativt stor utsträckning är upp till varje enskild lärare att hitta sätt att förklara bedömning och betygssättning för eleverna. De intervjuade lärarna hade olika strategier för att nå förståelse hos elever för bedömning och betygssättning. Resultaten av studien indikerar bland annat en fortsatt trend på det estetiska programmet av att höja sina betyg under de tre åren samtidigt som 17,3 % av eleverna på detta program ut med samlat betygsdokument 2011, ej behöriga att söka vidare till universitet eller högskola. 7,75 % av eleverna på naturvetenskapligt program går ut med samlat betygsdokument 2011 vilket är en liten bättring från 2003 då 12,9 % gick ut ej behöriga att söka vidare. Motsvarande resultat för eleverna på samhällsprogrammet är 6,84 % ej behöriga att söka vidare från årskullen 2011 jämfört med 8,84 % ej behöriga året 2003. En slutsats som kan dras av studien är att en betydande andel elever hoppar av gymnasiet eller går ut med samlat betygsdokument 2011 samt att bilden skolledare, lärare och elever har av bedömning i allmänhet och vilken bedömning som sker på den aktuella skolan i synnerhet skiljer sig åt.

Orientador: Sergio Luiz Monteiro Salles Filho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T23:08:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lemos_LucianoMaia_M.pdf: 4136416 bytes, checksum: 0948a05da333485a350a227691d771f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo é investigar o processo de desenvolvimento de spin-offs acadêmicos, enfatizando o papel que as universidades desempenham em seu fomento e em sua criação. Para atingir o objetivo, estudou-se 47 spin-offs da UNICAMP, identificando suas características gerais e caracterizando seus relacionamentos com a Universidade. A partir dessas informações, identificaram-se as principais ações e aspectos institucionais da Unicamp que contribuem para o desenvolvimento de spin-offs e para o suporte às empresas já estabelecidas. O estudo mostrou que as spin-offs da Unicamp estão concentradas em nove setores de atividade de intensa utilização de conhecimentos e tecnologias, 85% delas realizam P&D, geraram 3.265 empregos diretos e faturaram entre R$ 471 milhões e R$ 837 milhões, em 2007, e o faturamento conjunto é crescente. Seus fundadores, assim como a maior parte de seus colaboradores, têm elevado nível de formação acadêmica. Com relação aos aspectos institucionais, o estudo evidenciou a Unicamp como uma "universidade empreendedora", pois, dentre outros, possui estruturas dedicadas à interação e à formação de empresas, realiza transferência de tecnologia e relaciona-se com diversos atores do processo de inovação. Constatou-se que a maioria das relações com a Unicamp é informal e as empresas que estão ou estiveram em incubadoras são as que mais se relacionam com a Unicamp e mais formal é o relacionamento. A formação profissional é uma das principais colaborações que a Unicamp oferece às spin-offs. O estudo também mostrou que o relacionamento da Unicamp com suas spin-offs não possui políticas definidas e tem sido estimulado apenas recentemente. Com relação ao fomento à cultura empreendedora e à criação de empresas, destaca-se o papel das empresas juniores e da promoção de eventos como estimuladores do empreendedorismo, a carência na oferta de cursos no tema na Unicamp, a falta de sinergia entre as diferentes ações na universidade e a incipiência do programa de incubação e o baixo número de empresas que ele atende. / Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the development process of academic spin-offs, emphasizing the role played by universities in fostering and nurturing them. To attain the objective, the study was drawn on an analysis of 47 spin-offs from Campinas State University (UNICAMP) and identifies their main characteristics and aspects of their relations with the University. Building on these information, we identified the main actions and institutional aspects of UNICAMP that contributed to the development and nurturing of spin-offs companies. The analysis shows that UNICAMP's spin-offs are concentrated in nine technology and knowledge-intensive sectors, 85% realizes R&D activities, they have created 3.265 jobs and generated a total income between R$ 471million and R$ 837 million, in 2007, and their income is increasing. Their founders, as well as most of their collaborators, have a high level academic degree. Regarding the institutional aspects, the study evidenced UNICAMP as an "entrepreneurial university", because, among other factors, it has supportive structures to companies' creation, manages technology transfer and interacts with different actors of the innovation process. It was also evidenced that most of the relations with UNICAMP occurs on an informal basis and companies that are (or were) incubated have a more intensive and formal relation with the University. Education is one of the main contributions of UNICAMP to spin-offs companies. The study has also showed that there is no police at UNICAMP to manage its relations with spin-offs. These relations have been only recently stimulated. Concerning the fostering of entrepreneurial culture and development of companies, it emphasizes the role of Junior Companies and the organization of events as facilitators of entrepreneurialism. However, the study also shows a lack of entrepreneurial learning at UNICAMP, a lack of synergy between different actions within the University and an incipient incubation program and a low number of companies it supports. / Mestrado / Mestre em Política Científica e Tecnológica

Some students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with social reciprocity, or the ability to engage in chains of back-and-forth conversation, interfering with other students' ability to respond to a question that is posed by the teacher in classrooms. The participants were 11 fifth grade students with autism spectrum disorder. We used a simple differential reinforcement intervention within a token system in direct instruction sessions for math to help balance the participation in a class of children with ASD as well as lower the number of talk-outs made by all students. Using a single-subject design, data were analyzed for changes in level, trend, and variability. Secondary analysis consisted of descriptive data and effect size calculations, including analysis of three subgroupings of students according to participation levels at baseline. Results show that students who previously had excessively high rates of participation were able to better balance their participation to allow other students the opportunity to participate. The intervention also increased participation from students who previously showed minimal rates of participation. Students whose participation levels were already within one standard deviation of the class mean maintained their balanced participation levels, on average, throughout the intervention. Lastly, the intervention was very effective in lowering the number of talk-outs made overall during the direct instruction period. This is a simple intervention that showed good results in a classroom setting to help students with autism regulate their participation during instruction