The aim of the study was to investigate classroom discourse among high school natural science students in Swaziland. The research problem was: Can student interactions tell us something about the negotiation of understanding during natural science teaching? A qualitative approach was used, specifically, the observational case study style. The population comprised three Form 4 students and their natural science teacher, purposely selected. Data was collected using the non-participant observation and the standardised open-ended interview methods. The collected data was analysed using the discourse analysis approach. The analysed data indicated that prevailing discourse patterns were teacher and student talk, as well as written work. A conclusion was that student classroom discourse in the natural sciences should be encouraged among all students for improved understanding and meaning making. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Depuis le début des années 2000 se développe une littérature enjoignant les professionnels au contact des malades d'Alzheimer à "personnaliser" leur prise en charge. Derrière ce terme se cache en réalité une véritable injonction à l'humanisation dans le cadre d'une relation où cette dimension semble faire défaut. Ce qui est demandé au personnel médical et paramédical, c'est un engagement véritable et authentique auprès de cette population. Ce qui est visé, c'est un contrôle des émotions et de leur manifestation.Cette thèse interroge la mise en pratique de la "personnalisation" au sein des unités Alzheimer en EHPAD. S'appuyant sur une démarche qui s'inspire des enquêtes interactionnistes, cette recherche montre non seulement la banalité de l'"engagement" dans ce type d'univers, mais également la complexité de sa mise en oeuvre.Dans la perspective des études sur le care, un travail souterrain, qui reste le souvent invisible, consiste à faire en sorte que la vie de l'étage soit possible pour l'ensemble des individus en présence. C'est cette intelligence de la situation qui conduit, d'un côté, à éloigner le risque de la réification et, de l'autre, à prévenir l'épuisement professionnel.Bien loin de la rhétorique de la "bonne distance professionnelle", l'enquête montre que l'activité des soignants s'articule autour d'un subtil dosage entre engagement et distanciation, pour reprendre la proposition d'Elias (1956). Les émotions sont tout à la fois une nécessité dans le cadre de la réalisation des tâches qui incombent aux professionnels, et une source de danger qu'il faut parfois savoir mettre à distance.L'univers des unités Alzheimer est marqué par un poids relativement important de la régulation autonome par rapport à la régulation de contrôle, pour reprendre la terminologie de Reynaud (2004). Les velléités de formalisation achoppent face au caractère fondamentalement insaisissable et local du care. / In France, since early 2000s spreads a literature inviting professionals in contact with people suffering from Alzheimer disease to "personalize" the way they take care of them. This term refers to a humanization that seems to fade away in this particular context. What is asked to medical and paramedical staff, is a true and authentic commitment toward these patients. What is aimed, is a control of emotions and the way they are expressed.This Ph.D explores the way in which "personalization" is practically accomplished in the context of Alzheimer’s Special Care Units. Based on interviews and observations, it shows the banality of "commitment", and also the complexity of it’s execution. From the ethics of care perspective, an invisible work makes life possible for every protagonist living in that kind of environment. This cleverness of the situation drives away the danger of reification, and prevents burnout.Far from the chimerical "professional distance", this field work shows an articulation between commitment and detachment (Elias, 1956). Emotions appears to be a necessity in order to carry out the tasks, but also a danger that requires to be put away. Thus, Alzheimer’s units are characterized by the relative importance of autonomous regulation, in comparison with control regulation (Reynaud, 2004) : formalization process struggle due to the elusive and local nature of the ethics of care.

<p>How does collective action operate in digital space, particularly for those social movements at the cutting edge of technologically innovative contentious politics? This dissertation analyzes activist (and hacktivist) groups engaged in what I call <i>digital contention</i> with state and corporate institutions over the future of Internet policy and governance, or what they see as “the freedom of the Internet.” Based on case studies of the Digital Rights movement and the Anonymous hacktivist collective, I use a combination of computational and qualitative analyses of online texts, along with participant-observation at meetings and protest events, to explore how certain collective action dynamics are changing in digital space. Specifically, these include how movements internally perceive political opportunities and threats, as well as how they construct frames to communicate to external audiences. I find that: 1) Political opportunity is less important than threat for activists in digital contention, which is likely due to the lower costs of collective action; and 2) The digital divide and technological knowledge gap create a barrier to frame resonance which digital activists address either through “strategic inclusiveness” or “communities of anonymity,” both of which encourage diversity among participants while also reifying other inequalities in different ways. These findings have significance for the study of social movements, communication and technology studies, and Internet policy. I argue that they portend changing dynamics that may ultimately affect all forms of collective action, and indeed the balance of power in whole societies, in the future as digital technology continues to spread into every facet of our lives.</p>

Ett nytt informationssystem är ofta ett kostsamt projekt. Utformning och kravspecifikation av ett nytt system kan vara svårt ur flera aspekter och ledning samt personal kan ibland motsätta sig sådana förändringar. Dåligt definierade krav och dålig kommunikation mellan användare, utvecklare och andra intressenter kan bidra till att lansering av mjukvaror misslyckas. Genom att förstå användarnas behov, kunskaper och insikter om verksamheten kan man nå framgång med implementering och utveckling av ett nytt informationssystem. Intervjuer och deltagande observation har i den här studien använts för att dels undersöka hur användarna upplever det nuvarande systemet och dels vilka önskemål och behov som finns. Empirin är insamlad från ett medelstort företag där en fallstudie genomfördes med inriktning på deras lagerhanteringssystem och dess användare. Intervjuer och deltagande undersökningar gjordes på plats i Göteborg och Stockholm. Den teoretiska referensramen är hämtad från Information System Success Modell (ISSM) som visar på vilka kvalitéer som är viktiga för att nå framgång med ett informationssystem och vilka faktorer som finns för dessa. ISSM har kompletterats med Parasuraman, Zeithaml och Berrys faktorer för god servicekvalité och Wang, Reddy och Kons faktorer för god informationskvalité. Genom en fallstudie identifierades kriterier för dessa faktorer. Kriterierna har i tillägg setts ur ett användbarhetsperspektiv för att fördjupa förståelsen för användarnas behov. Den kvalitativa datainsamlingen har analyserats genom ett affinitetsdiagram och har kategoriserats efter de faktorer som teorin föreslår. Fokus i studien ligger på system- och informationskvalitéerna men det gick inte att utesluta servicekvalité helt. De kriterier som identifierades hade till största delen med hur information hittades och hur komplett denna var. Stabiliteten i systemet i dag var god då informationen var säkrad på flera olika sätt, däremot var inte informationen alltid rätt eller komplett. Användarvänligheten i systemet har stor förbättringspotential om systemet blir mer flexibelt. En begränsning i systemet idag är att det är textbaserat och vilket gör informationen svårtillgänglig och mindre överskådlig för användarna. Bristfälliga hjälpfunktioner och tydliga felmeddelanden framkom också som ett problem enligt användarna. Idag behöver användarna använda andra system för kommunikation och egna anteckningar vilket användarna hade velat undvika för ett sömlöst användande. Det framkom också att den hierarkiska databasstruktur som används idag gör att informationssystemet låser sig för andra användare. / A new information system is not seldom a costly project. Designing and specifying requirements for a new system can be difficult from several aspects and management and staff can sometimes resist such changes. Poorly defined requirements and poor communication between users, developers and other stakeholders can contribute to software launch failure. By understanding the users' needs, knowledge and insights about the business, one can achieve success with the implementation and development of a new information system. Interviews and observations of participants have been used in this study to investigate how users perceive the current system and what needs and wishes the users have. The empirical data is collected from a medium-sized company where a case study was conducted focusing on their inventory management system and its users. Interviews and participatory surveys were conducted on site in Gothenburg and Stockholm, Sweden. The theoretical frame of reference is taken from the Information System Success Model (ISSM) which shows which qualities are important for the success of an information system and what factors exists for them. ISSM has been supplemented with Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry's factors for good quality of service and Wang, Reddy and Kon's factors for good information quality. Through a case study, criteria for these factors were identified. In addition, the criteria have been viewed from a usability perspective in order to deepen the understanding of the users' needs. The qualitative data collection has been analyzed through an affinity chart and categorized according to the factors proposed by the theory. The focus of the study is on the system and information qualities, but it was not possible to exclude service quality completely. The criteria that were identified largely had to do with how information was found and how complete it was. The stability of the system today was sufficient as the information was secured in several different ways, however the information was not always correct or complete. The user-friendliness of the system has great potential for improvement if the system becomes more flexible. One limitation in the system today is that it is text-based and which makes the information difficult to access and less clear to users. Inadequate help features and clear error messages also emerged as a problem according to the users. Today, the users need to use other systems for communication and personal notes, which users would have liked to avoid for seamless use. It also emerged that the hierarchical database structure used today makes the information system lock down for other users.

The City of Cape Town's (CoCT) wastewater management system discharges effluent from households, industries and other sources into the Atlantic Ocean through deep-water marine outfalls in Green Point, Camps Bay and Hout Bay. At total capacity, these three outfalls discharge 55.3 megalitres (Ml) into marine receiving environments daily. With minimal pre-treatment that amounts to screening and sieving, this results in microbial and chemical pollution of the sea (including chemicals of emerging concern), marine organisms, recreational beaches, and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This research focuses on contestations over evidence of that pollution in Hout Bay. The study documents the work of independent scientists seeking to provide evidence of coastal pollution obtained via microbial and chemical analyses of water (coastal and inland) and marine organisms (Mytilus galloprovincialis) samples. It also presents accounts of pollution obtained via ethnographic research with local residents, fishers, frequent water users and river activists who have observed and experienced poor coastal water quality. However, the form of evidence that is considered and informs decision-making processes by the CoCT has consistently sought to invalidate these forms of evidence, from both independent scientists and the public. Debates around knowledge of water and contests over evidence that highlight the entanglements of science, politics, and ways of knowing make visible a consistent pattern in coastal water-quality governance by the City, which results in inaction regarding the ever-growing issue of coastal pollution in Cape Town.

This essay is subject to explore the everyday life of people with disabilities [PWD] in DaNang, Vietnam. Previous research suggests that PWD are facing difficulties in most aspectsof their life, however, few studies provide the perspective of the PWD of their situation. Bydoing participant observation this essay explores the everyday life of PWD in Da Nang byliving in the same context as the respondents and meeting with key informants. The theory ofsocial model, stigma, and socioecological theory has been used to analyze the results. Theanalysis shows that the situation for PWD in Da Nang has improved, but they are still facing difficulties in everyday life that are, to some extent, created by societal conditions and attitudes. This study hopes to contribute to the perspective of PWD on their own situation, inaddition to a wider understanding of how social inclusion or exclusion in Da Nang can beexplained. With a greater understanding of the current situation, one can understand whetherthere is a need for new social policies or changes in social work practices. / Den här uppsatsen utforskar vardagen för personer med funktionsnedsättning [PWD] i DaNang, Vietnam. Tidigare forskning visar att PWD möter svårigheter i de flesta delarna av sitt liv, men få studier återger PWDs situation ur deras perspektiv. Genom att genomföra endeltagande observation utforskar denna uppsats vardagen för PWD i Da Nang genom att levai samma sammanhang som respondenterna och träffa nyckelinformanter. Teorin om densociala modellen, stigma och den socialekologiska teorin har använts för att analysera resultaten. Analysen visar att situationen för PWD i Da Nang har förbättras, men att de fortfarande möter svårigheter i vardagen som till viss del är skapade av samhälleliga förhållanden och attityder. Denna studie ämnar att bidra med PWDs egna perspektiv på deras situation, samt att skapa en djupare förståelse av hur social inkludering eller exkludering i DaNang kan förklaras. Med en bredare förståelse för den nuvarande situationen kan det förståsom det finns ett behov av nya riktlinjer, policies eller förändringar i det dagliga sociala arbetet.

L’engouement contemporain pour l’approche éducative instaurée par Maria Montessori est indéniable, tant dans les réseaux professionnels qu’au sein de la communauté scientifique, et ce, à travers le monde. La longévité de cette approche, sa large diffusion internationale et le fait qu’elle concerne désormais tant les soins aux bambin·es que le maintien de l’autonomie des personnes âgées en font un phénomène digne d’intérêt, comme en témoignent les nombreux ouvrages et articles scientifiques qui lui ont été dédiés au cours des dernières décennies. Une revue systématique du corpus scientifique relatif aux effets de l’approche Montessori sur les apprenant·es de différents ordres d’enseignement démontre que les études menées à ce jour obtiennent presque exclusivement des résultats favorables au groupe expérimental montessorien ou équivalents entre les groupes comparés, et ce, pour de nombreuses compétences. Cela dit, dans ce corpus prometteur, mais encore exploratoire, des limites méthodologiques importantes minent la validité et la fiabilité des résultats des études, comme le manque d’évaluation de la fidélité de l’implantation de l’approche Montessori dans les milieux scolaires desquels sont tirés les échantillons. En effet, le nom « Montessori » n’étant pas légalement protégé, toute école peut l’adopter, peu importe ses pratiques pédagogiques. La présente étude vise à dépasser ce problème de recherche. Ses objectifs sont les suivants : 1) déterminer les composantes essentielles du volet primaire (6 à 12 ans) du curriculum Montessori (VPCM), en portant une attention particulière à la façon dont les thèmes de l’éducation pour la paix et de la justice sociale y sont intégrés; 2) déterminer les facteurs contextuels influant sur la mise en œuvre du VPCM en milieu scolaire; 3) élaborer un modèle logique détaillé exposant les composantes essentielles du VPCM ainsi que les facteurs contextuels influant sur sa mise en œuvre. Pour répondre à ces objectifs, une étude de cas descriptive qui s’inscrit dans le courant de l’évaluation basée sur la théorie, associé à l’épistémologie du réalisme critique, a été réalisée. La collecte de données a consisté, d’une part, en l’observation participante d’une formation initiale des enseignant·es au VPCM accréditée par l’Association Montessori Internationale. D’autre part, des entretiens semi-dirigés portant sur les thèmes de l’éducation pour la paix et de la justice sociale ont été menés auprès de neuf formateur·rices et enseignant·es montessorien·nes. Enfin, un questionnaire en ligne relatif aux facteurs contextuels influant sur la mise en œuvre du VPCM a été rempli par 74 formateur·rices et enseignant·es certifié·es par l’AMI. Les résultats de recherche prennent la forme d’un texte descriptif exposant les composantes essentielles du VPCM en détail, suivi d’une synthèse des résultats relatifs aux composantes essentielles et aux facteurs contextuels influents, ainsi que d’une proposition de modèle logique du VPCM, qui constitue la représentation schématique et l’opérationnalisation des résultats de cette étude. Le tout pourra constituer les fondements de l’élaboration d’instruments pour l’évaluation de la fidélité de l’implantation du VPCM en milieu scolaire. Ainsi, cette étude contribue à dépasser la limite méthodologique majeure du corpus d’études menées sur les effets du curriculum Montessori que représente le manque d’évaluation de la fidélité de son implantation. / The contemporary enthusiasm for the educational approach introduced by Maria Montessori is undeniable, both in professional networks and within the scientific community, throughout the world. The longevity of this approach, its wide international diffusion, and the fact that it now concerns the care of toddlers as much as the maintenance of the autonomy of the elderly make it a phenomenon worthy of interest, as evidenced by the numerous scientific books and articles which have been dedicated to it over the past few decades. A systematic review of the scientific corpus relating to the effects of the Montessori approach on learners at different levels of education shows that the studies carried out to date almost exclusively obtain favourable results for the Montessori experimental group or equivalent results between the groups compared, and this, for many skills. That being said, in this promising but still exploratory corpus, significant methodological limitations undermine the validity and reliability of the results of the studies, such as the lack of evaluation of the fidelity of implementation of the Montessori approach in the schools where samples are drawn. Indeed, the name “Montessori” not being legally protected, any school can adopt it, regardless of its pedagogical practices. This study aims to overcome this research problem. Its objectives are as follows: 1) to determine the essential components of the elementary section (6 to 12 years) of the Montessori curriculum (ESMC), paying particular attention to the way the themes of education for peace and social justice are integrated into it; 2) to determine the contextual factors influencing the implementation of ESMC in schools; 3) to develop a detailed logic model outlining the essential components of the ESMC as well as the contextual factors influencing its implementation. To meet these objectives, a descriptive case study in line with the current of theory-based evaluation, associated with the epistemology of critical realism, was conducted. The data collection consisted, on the one hand, of participant observation of an initial teacher training in the ESMC accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale. On the other hand, semi-directed interviews related to education for peace and social justice were conducted with nine Montessori trainers and teachers. Finally, an online questionnaire on contextual factors influencing the implementation of ESMC was completed by 74 AMI-certified trainers and teachers. The results take the form of a descriptive text exposing the essential components of the ESMC in detail, followed by a summary of the results relating to the essential components and the influential contextual factors, and a proposition of a logic model of the ESMC, which constitutes the schematic representation and the operationalization of the results of this study. All of this could constitute the foundations for the development of evaluation instruments of the ESMC’s fidelity of implementation in schools. This study thus contributes to overcoming the major methodological limit of the corpus of studies carried out on the effects of the Montessori curriculum, which is the lack of evaluation of its fidelity of implementation.

No description available.

The research aimed to pro-activeiy embark in an internal transformation process, in order to improve efficiency of the Social Work Department of Gauteng Medical Command of the South African Military Health Service. Participatory action research as a qualitative research design was- used. The intervention identification process was implemented as a problem-solving technique to direct the process of transformation-change. The research was conducted by a research group often social workers from the South African National Defence Force. The results of the research were the implementation of interventions on identified systems, namely the service delivery system and the performance management system of the Social Work Department of Gauteng Medical Command. The use of particpatorv action research as a process to address problems in an organisation was confirmed. The contribution of the participatory action process to process outcomes, such as empowerment and learning, was also indicated in the findings. / Social Work / MA(SS) (Mental Health)

The purpose for this research journey was twofold: (1) to discover the power of certain discourses in the charismatic church context and (2) to challenge disrespectful discursive practices in order to co-operate respectful, ethical and caring ways of being. Seven leaders in charismatic churches committed themselves to this qualitative research project. The research process resulted in a confirmation by the participants that some charismatic discursive practices can be abusive and also to the acknowledgement that they too have at times fulfilled the role of abuser, even in unknowingly. This research journey ended in Hope. Hope for more transparency and trust between leaders and members, resulting in more respectful practices. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)