There is a paucity of research about the uptake and utilisation of antenatal care by pregnant adolescents in New Zealand. Media coverage, public perceptions and societal values often presume that adolescents when compared to other women, generally initiate antenatal care if at all and have adverse outcomes related to pregnancy, such as low birth weight and preterm deliveries compared to other woman. This research aims to assess the variations that may exist in the utilisation of and outcomes from antenatal care maternity services for adolescents compared to the pregnant adult population in Christchurch, between 1st July 2004 and the 30th June 2005.

This study examines the concept of ‘difficulty and challenge’ in curriculum, teaching and learning of young learners. It draws its data from the inschool and out-of-school experiences and perspectives of high-attaining, ‘gifted and talented’ pupils, mainly of late primary-school and early secondary-school age, and from their educators. The study is based on a largely interpretative paradigm and draws from ideas of grounded theory. It treats with caution the notion that such a study will produce a ‘theory’, as advocated in much of the grounded-theory literature, setting out instead to produce a ‘persuasive perspective’ on its theme. Data are largely qualitative in nature, analysed through coding and grouping of principal concepts and sub-themes. Some quantitative data are used to substantiate the analysis. The investigation’s sources of data were decided upon as the study progressed in response to the growing conceptualisation of its theme. Its beginnings were with pupils in out-of-school ‘Advanced Learning Centres’ (ALCs) for gifted and talented pupils, progressing to gifted and talented pupils and their teachers in primary schools, then to summer schools organised for older pupils by the National Academy of Gifted and Talented Youth. Finally, specialist teachers and initial teacher-training tutors provided more in-depth consideration of the topic. Data came from a survey of ALC pupils across England, from observations of classroom practice using a specially designed observation framework, and from group and individual interviews. Using the data, a visual configuration of difficulty and challenge is constructed in the study, and a glossary of key terms and their definitions is built up in stages. The implications of these outcomes for educational practice are considered. The study contributes to pedagogical understanding and development of this important aspect of the teaching and learning of gifted and talented pupils and informs pedagogical thinking relating to all learners.

In recent years research on writing in academic contexts began to focus on the types and nature of writing tasks students encounter in the content subjects. Research has also examined particular rhetorical features like the use of interactional metadiscourse features that writers use to present their voice in writing and which might distinguish specific genres. These developments in academic writing have also considered the socio-cultural context in which specific genres are produced. The pedagogical motivation for researchers has been to better understand students' writing needs in their content subjects in order to prepare them for academic writing in their disciplines. Much of this research has focused on other fields of study like science and engineering and business students and in L1 contexts and I have found nothing that relates specifically to academic writing for Media Studies and Primary Education in the context of Botswana. Using mixed-methods approach to genre analysis, this thesis compares students' use of interactional metadiscourse features to present voice in three writing contexts, the EAP preparatory course and two undergraduate courses (Media Studies and Primary Education) at the University of Botswana. A sub-corpus of L1 (BAWE) undergraduate writers working on similar essays was also used to compare how the L2 writers and L1 writers in this study vary in the use of these features in essay writing. A total of 123 essays from these various contexts were analyzed. Interviews with students and tutors in the EAP department and Media Studies and Primary Education departments were also done to understand the socio-cultural context in which the essays were produced. The results indicate that writing tasks in the departments of Media Studies and Primary Education included both the general essay and discipline specific genres. The comparison of interactional metadiscourse features in the different sub-corpora indicated variations in the use of these features by the different groups of learners. Contextual information shows that such variations reflect the different values and beliefs about academic writing of the concrete discourse communities that students belong to. These values and beliefs can be problematic for EAP tutors who have to prepare students for writing in the various disciplines. The research has provided valuable insights into writing in Botswana context and may prove to have relevance for similar contexts. They have raised pedagogical implications for the design of the EAP writing course at the University of Botswana where a focus on a more contextual approach to teaching the academic writing would prove useful. The findings of this study are also potentially beneficial to the wider EAP community and the field of Applied Linguistics as an example of a mixed-method, contextual approach to genre analysis.

This thesis makes three original claims: two substantive and one methodological. It locates the thesis in the subject of philosophy of education and uses Richard Rorty’s metaphilosophical work to justify a claim to knowledge. This claim takes the form of a redescription of an established concept, judgement, to increase its usefulness in education. Usefulness is evaluated with regard to new developments in pragmatism that emphasise transitionalism and meliorism. To the best of the writer's knowledge Rorty has not been used in this way. The major substantive claim to knowledge is a redescription of judgement in the educational context of philosophy for children. This thesis argues that understanding judgement as a form of transition is educationally and philosophically useful. In order to make the argument it advances a minor substantive claim by offering a critique of Aristotle, Kant and Dewey that draws attention to a common factor in their philosophy, that of judgement being a property solely attributed to individuals. In outline the thesis consists of five chapters. First, it outlines why judgement might be regarded as a problematic concept before justifying my use of Rorty; second, it advances the major premise that judgement in the works of Aristotle, Kant and Dewey is a figurative account. Next it offers the minor premise that figurative accounts of judgement in philosophy of education are not always useful. In the penultimate chapter it concludes by offering an alternative account of judgement as transition and elaborate upon the emphasis on relationality made possible by the redescription. Finally it shows the implications of this redescription in the context of an educational movement: Philosophy for Children. It argues that Philosophy for Children as a pedagogical movement can exemplify education practices that draw upon my re-conceptualised understanding of judgement. In addition it offers a pathway for future development.

The study examined whether institution-driven programs improve persistence among Black male student participants. Using modified versions of Tintos Student Integration Model (SIM) as the theoretical framework, the researcher hypothesized that participants involved in institution-driven programs would be more connected to the academic and social spaces of the university. In turn, this would lead to improved persistence at the postsecondary level and ultimately degree completion. Using a questionnaire to assess measures of student persistence, an electronic survey was administered to 475 students at a predominantly White institution in the southeast region of the U.S. For the quasi-experimental research design, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used as the primary statistical procedure to determine group differences in academic integration, social integration, perception of campus climate, institutional commitment, and goal commitment between program participants (treatment group) and non-participants (control group). Certain background variables (academic major, family socioeconomic status, and high school demographic type) were also used in the analysis to provide greater depth of insight into the educational experiences of Black male students compared to Black female students, White male students, and White female students. Further, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) was used to explore the relationship between the level of engagement and the measures of persistence (i.e., academic integrations, social integration, etc.) among the designated study groups. The findings showed no statistically significant differences between Black male students involved in institution-driven programs and other Black male students, however, differences between Black male institution-driven program participants and the additional comparison groups were found among the various persistence measures. Statistically significant differences in the persistence measures were also found when examining the influence of academic major, socioeconomic status, and high school within the Black male student group, and among the aforementioned comparison groups. Moreover, level of engagement revealed positive correlations for the majority of persistence measures for White male students. However, for Black male students, there was no significant relationship for the majority of measures except social integration. The results of this investigation could aid university administrators and student affairs professionals in better understanding the degree to which these programs empirically impact persistence among Black male students and their collegiate experiences.

Belief(s) and attitude(s) about education, moreover reading, can shape the way in which we respond to pressures to initiate instructional changes in schools and society. Recently, an enormous reform effort, known as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is underway in the nation. The implementation plays a critical role in how the CCSS will be received. In light of being received, how will they impact teachers, parents, and administrators belief(s) and/or attitude(s) related to reading? According to research, there is a need to consider teachers, parents, and administrators belief(s) and/or attitude(s) about reading, which may play a role in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in reading. It is by looking at the belief(s) and/or attitude(s) held about reading that a picture of the implementation process concerning the CCSS in reading can emerge. This study was conducted at two elementary public schools. The purpose of the study was to explore teachers, parents, and administrators belief(s) and/or attitude(s) related to the implementation of CCSS in the elementary setting and how those belief(s) and/or attitude(s) were similar and different. All names and settings are pseudonyms. A qualitative approach using Spradleys (1980) Developmental Research Sequence was used to explore the implementation of the CCSS. The studied included: five elementary teachers (one from each grade level 1-5 chosen voluntarily), five parents (one from each grade level from the selected teachers classroom), and two administrators (one from each school, K-3 and 4-6). The ethnographic case study provided a glimpse into teachers, parents, and administrators belief(s) and/or attitude(s) held about reading and the impact these belief(s) and/or attitude(s) had related to the implementation process of the CCSS in reading.

Researchers have addressed many clinician and client attributes in relation to the accuracy of judgments made by mental health professionals. One such moderator addressed clinicians’ judgment accuracy in relation to experience. Contrary to what many clinicians expect, a number of studies have failed to demonstrate a positive correlation between judgment accuracy and experience (e.g., Berman & Berman, 1984; Ruscio & Stern, 2005; Schinka & Sines, 1974). In Spengler et al. (2009), the relationship between judgment accuracy and experience was assessed via a largescale meta-analysis that examined studies of clinical judgment and experience from 1970 to 1996. The result was a small but reliable, homogeneous effect demonstrating a positive correlation between judgment accuracy and experience. The Spengler et al. meta-analysis found relatively few significant moderator effects influencing the experience-accuracy effect, namely the type of judgment made by clinicians, the criterion validity of accuracy measures used, and publication source. In the present study, results from clinical judgment and experience studies from 1997 to 2010 were combined in a meta-analysis. An update and extension allowed for cross-validation of the Spengler et al. meta-analysis with more recent research as well as an exploration of additional moderator variables, such as profession type and inclusion of non-mental health participants. The overall effect was .16, with a 95 percent confidence interval that was above zero (CI = .05 to .26). This overall effect indicated experience significantly impacted judgment accuracy, consistent with expectations. The overall effect was shown to be heterogeneous, indicating the Q statistic was sufficiently large to reject the null hypothesis regarding homogeneity of the effect size distribution. Exploratory analyses revealed the presence of two significant moderator variables, namely judgment type and publication source. Limitations included lack of variability of judgment type and difficulty with or complete inability to assess other potential moderators of interest, such as feedback and utilization of test protocols for the stimulus measure. Other limitations included utilization of a less exhaustive search strategy, in which some relevant studies may have been missed. Despite limitations, the results of the present metaanalysis largely replicated those of the Spengler et al. meta-analysis. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study explored the implementation process of five teachers and two administrators of the Common Core State Standards in Reading. This ethnographic case study investigates one groups attitudes and instructional practices. The researcher focused on three questions in order to provide an in-depth analysis of the data collected. These questions include: How do educators implement and develop reading curriculum from the Common Core State Standards? How does the mandated requirements of the CCSS impact the attitudes of reading teachers? How do primary grade teachers approach the CCSS in comparison to upper elementary teachers? The study followed an ethnographic analysis method detailed by James P. Spradley (1980) in his book, The Participant Observer. Data collection included interviews, observations, and documents gathered by the researcher. While this was a qualitative research study and not generalizable, the researcher sought to provide a detailed analysis of the data collected and suggests conclusions that can be inferred from the study.

Medarbetarnas kunskap och kompetens är företagens viktigaste resurs för att hålla sig konkurrenskraftiga. Det är därför av största vikt att denna resurs bevaras och utvecklas inom organisationen genom kunskapsöverföring mellan anställda. Företags ledningsgrupper består av individer som anses ha hög kunskap och kompetens och som tillsammans ansvarar för hela verksamheten. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar möjligheterna för medlemmarna i två ledningsgrupper med hög respektive låg omsättning av personal att dela med sig och ta del av kunskapen inom gruppen. Genom intervjuer av halvstrukturerad karaktär med fyra medlemmar ur respektive ledningsgrupp kunde åtta olika faktorer urskiljas. Dessa var relationer inom gruppen, förändrade spelregler, social interaktion, en trygg konstellation, inställning till förändring, öppenhet för nya idéer, den förväntade följden av kunskapsdelningen samt frånvaro av konkurrens. De åtta faktorerna påverkar kunskapsdelningen i de två ledningsgrupperna på olika sätt som en följd av deras personalomsättning, vissa positivt och andra negativt. Av medlemmarna i ledningsgrupperna ansågs kunskap vara underordnat personliga egenskaper, vilka även är svåra att överföra och ersätta. Studien visade att en hög personalomsättning ger bättre förutsättningar för kunskapsdelning än vad en låg personalomsättning gör.

Collaboration is neither the ethos, nor the experience, of most professionals in health care. Nevertheless, the concept of collaboration has become increasingly popular in recent years, promising to enhance all aspects of work, academic, and political life. And while collaboration is a significant and complex phenomenon, it has not been clearly understood for its impact on health care professionals and their work, or for the factors that influence its success or failure. The purpose of the study was to explore the meaning of collaboration, as conveyed by the lived experience of health care professionals, as well as the interpersonal and interactional determinants and their impact on the outcomes of their collaboration. The conceptual paradigm of phenomenology and hermeneutic phenomenological methods guided the research. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 health care professionals engaged in interprofessional practice in a novel community-based geriatric care program. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Ricoeur’s procedural steps were used to analyze the transcripts. Acquiring the ‘real world’ experiences of health care professionals enabled the emergence of six themes: engaging in collective thinking and action to produce best outcomes and optimize clients’ health; responding to collaboration for self and other members as a continued work in progress; experiencing the personal and professional rewards as markers of success with collaboration; existing challenges create barriers that impede collaboration; experiencing the interactional dynamics of collaboration and their influences requires the interpersonal attributes of quality communication, openness, trust, and respect; and forming a common vision is necessary for collaboration but difficult to achieve. The findings of this study suggest that collaboration is a genuinely experiential phenomenon: it is a human process that requires leadership on the part of all health care professionals to negotiate and agree upon the processes that will enhance their relationships and are necessary for collaboration to unfold. This study produced a number of recommendations that can be offered to multiple stakeholders in the geriatric care setting, as well as extended to those in the other domains of health care.