This thesis examines the reconstruction of Lebanon following the war with Israel in the summer of 2006. Based on Stehr’s notion of the contemporary global economy (1994), the thesis offers a comprehensive account of how Lebanon used a global network to rebuild its infrastructure following the war and questions if the country is able to integrate fundamental elements of a knowledge-based society to participate in a worldwide economy and ensure future prosperity. Drawing on Luhmann’s social system’s theory (2002), the importance of shared objectives in collaborative projects and the recent importance of sustainable development theory in international relations, the thesis explores the communication practices used to organize this large-scale project. The study utilizes a qualitative research design with a macroscopic conceptual approach to offer a general understanding of the different systems that cooperate to aid in the reconstruction efforts. In-depth interviews are conducted with ten key informants, combined with the analysis of governmental reports, to identify significant investments offered by the international community and the different objectives of those involved in the project. A model illustrates the dynamics of these interactions, and helps to identify the areas most important to the country’s knowledge society. The protection of the country’s democratic system is identified as the overarching and shared objective of all those who contributed to the reconstruction of Lebanon, a value that is of great significance to a knowledge-based society.

Despite the establishment of heart transplantation as a life-saving therapy for children and adolescents, little research has focused on the biopsychosocial impact of the transplant process. Few studies have captured the subjective experiences of young heart transplant recipients. This program of research examined how pediatric heart transplant recipients construct their worlds and the meanings they ascribe to their transplant experience. A grounded theory approach was implemented which guided data collection and analysis. A total of twenty-seven adolescents participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Findings illuminate pediatric heart transplantation to be a pervasive experience, with consequent impact on physical, psychological and social well-being. Participants described various biopsychosocial processes and experiences that occurred over the course of their transplant journey. Data analysis yielded themes of quality of life reflecting notions of temporality including: 1) the pre-transplant experience – a struggle to survive, 2) the transplant surgery and hospitalization – a difficult transition and 3) the post-transplant experience – an awakening and transformation. This research identifies that heart transplantation, which may contain elements of suffering and loss, may ultimately enhance young recipients’ overall quality of life. Results reveal the possibility that adolescent heart transplant recipients not only adapt to transplantation, but also potentially experience associated growth-enhancing experiences. An emergent theoretical model is presented, with implications for practice and research.

Mindfulness researchers have predominantly used quantitative methods. Post positivist researchers have developed operational definitions and measures of mindfulness to understand and capture what mindfulness is. However, the act of operationalizing and measuring mindfulness ignores the works of some teachers/students of mindfulness that describe mindfulness as the immeasurable or indefinable. This is not to say that we cannot use descriptions to spark learning into mindfulness, only to understand that the description is not the described when discussing mindfulness, as Krishnamurti has highlighted. The common tools utilized by mindfulness teachers to help spark students learning into mindfulness are such things as yoga, questions, stories, and breath awareness. <p>Post positivist researchers, and mindfulness teachers and their students, are exploring the question: What is mindfulness? with different methods. To be able to utilize story to spark learning into mindfulness/represent the results of this study, I have completed a qualitative study exploring the question: How do the participants in this studys mindfulness program inquire? <p>Eight middle-aged women Hatha yoga students consented to participate in this studys six-and-half week mindfulness program. The program had experiential, discussion/story, and movement based learning. As the mindfulness teacher, I continuously posed questions to and discussed questions with the students, to help spark learning into mindfulness. The women, myself, and the works of mindfulness authors highlighted that mindful inquiry was about the oneness of learning, listening, and compassion; as well as, the importance of stories, friendship, and trust. These themes were communicated through the fictional story.

The forensic focus has been a popular career choice and area of study for many of the health science disciplines. Forensic nursing education recently appeared in the curriculum at many colleges and universities. Now more than a decade from when some of the first forensic nursing courses were established, it was timely to explore rather than evaluate this unique specialty that has programs existing at every post-secondary educational level from certificate to doctoral programs. <p>The purpose of the study was to explore forensic nursing knowledge as a specialty area of study, and factors influencing educational development, as perceived by educators who were instrumental in establishing some of the earliest forensic nursing courses or programs. This predominantly qualitative study involved interviewing a purposive sample of nurse educators from Canada and the United States. Data collection involved an email survey to collect demographic information about the educators and course statistics about the programs they created, in addition to a qualitative, semi-structured telephone interview. <p>I utilized a thematic analysis to compare the data to literature relevant to the study, which included the historical evolution of forensic nursing along a sequential pattern of specialty development. I drew on my constructivist worldview to understand and interpret the responses. Although exploring forensic nursing provided a starting place for inquiry, the purpose of the research question was not only to describe what is but to consider the larger socio-technical, media, and economic forces influencing the educational development of this forensic specialty and then to link particular experiences into wider generalized and generalizing social relations. <p>One result of this study was a definition of forensic nursing constructed from the data and compared to earlier definitions in the literature. A further differentiation of forensic nursing determined knowledge that was different from nursing in general, and different from other forensic disciplines, a distinction that has significance for interprofessional education. In addition, it was determined that the unique knowledge content of forensic nursing may be the dual knowledge or dual roles of care and concepts specific to each subspecialty, for example: care and custody, care and collection of evidence, care and chain of custody, care and court room testimony, or care and crisis intervention. <p>In the early years of forensic nursing education development, it became evident that more than one positive factor was needed to create and maintain new specialty programs that were not then recognized as future mainstay programs. Therefore, from the constructivist worldview, multiple perspectives exist, and multiple and alternative factors are recognized to have influenced practice, education, and research in any discipline. From a constructivist interpretation to the findings of this study, all factors have relevance as all are needed for specialty programs to be developed and sustained.

Spelling is often a lightning rod in discussions on literacy. The general public, as well as educators, often judge the state of literacy by the occurrence of accurate, conventional spelling (Templeton & Morris, 1999). The purpose of this study was to reveal how students employ strategies in their spelling and how spelling strategies were being taught in their classrooms. This study also sought to uncover teachers, parents, and students perspectives and knowledge regarding spelling.<p>Case studies of six elementary school students were conducted. Each student was interviewed, along with their teachers and one of their parents. Students also filled out a self-reflection form. Students and teachers were observed in their classroom setting.<p>Findings indicated that students used a variety of strategies. The primary strategy articulated was sounding out; the better spellers also used analogy and visualization. Students knew and often used the strategies encouraged by their teachers and parents. The literature linked the processes of reading, spelling and writing. Most of the participants mentioned the connection between reading and spelling, but failed to recognize the importance of writing for spelling. A third finding was that the teachers had adopted new methods for teaching spelling but had not altered their role to provide for increased learning.<p> Implications for practice include suggestions for combined methods for teaching spelling, explicit teaching of strategies for all students, and teacher education that includes reflection and action (Ritchie & Wilson, 2000, p. 88).

The qualitative behavior of solutions of differential equations mainly addresses the various questions arising in the study of the long run behavior of solutions. The contents of this thesis are related to three of the major problems of the qualitative theory, namely the stability, the boundedness and the periodicity of the solution. Learning the qualitative behavior of such solutions is crucial part of the theory of differential equations. It is important to know if a solution is bounded or unbounded or if a solution is stable. Moreover, the periodicity of a solution is also of great significance for practical purposes.

This article takes a closer look at interactions defined as domestic violence. The intension is to understand how using violence at home can be legitimized with the point of departure of the violent person. The article is therefore based on interviews with three people who have used violence towards a family member. Their stories illuminate processes divided into three phases; in the first phase, the informants perceived the situation which leads to violence as characterized by stress and a feeling of being inferior. In the second phase, the act of violent itself is a way of communicate a disagreement, the target being control over a chaotic situation and its actors. In the third phase, when explaining the events in a retro perspective, it is not referred to as violence, and it is not discussed within the home. The informant tends to normalize the use of aggressive behavior with a group acceptance. Their individual legitimization techniques are related to group and societal aspects in the discussion. To prevent further violence, I argue, the violent people need an established place within the healthcare system in Norway.

Despite the establishment of heart transplantation as a life-saving therapy for children and adolescents, little research has focused on the biopsychosocial impact of the transplant process. Few studies have captured the subjective experiences of young heart transplant recipients. This program of research examined how pediatric heart transplant recipients construct their worlds and the meanings they ascribe to their transplant experience. A grounded theory approach was implemented which guided data collection and analysis. A total of twenty-seven adolescents participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Findings illuminate pediatric heart transplantation to be a pervasive experience, with consequent impact on physical, psychological and social well-being. Participants described various biopsychosocial processes and experiences that occurred over the course of their transplant journey. Data analysis yielded themes of quality of life reflecting notions of temporality including: 1) the pre-transplant experience – a struggle to survive, 2) the transplant surgery and hospitalization – a difficult transition and 3) the post-transplant experience – an awakening and transformation. This research identifies that heart transplantation, which may contain elements of suffering and loss, may ultimately enhance young recipients’ overall quality of life. Results reveal the possibility that adolescent heart transplant recipients not only adapt to transplantation, but also potentially experience associated growth-enhancing experiences. An emergent theoretical model is presented, with implications for practice and research.

This thesis examines the reconstruction of Lebanon following the war with Israel in the summer of 2006. Based on Stehr’s notion of the contemporary global economy (1994), the thesis offers a comprehensive account of how Lebanon used a global network to rebuild its infrastructure following the war and questions if the country is able to integrate fundamental elements of a knowledge-based society to participate in a worldwide economy and ensure future prosperity. Drawing on Luhmann’s social system’s theory (2002), the importance of shared objectives in collaborative projects and the recent importance of sustainable development theory in international relations, the thesis explores the communication practices used to organize this large-scale project. The study utilizes a qualitative research design with a macroscopic conceptual approach to offer a general understanding of the different systems that cooperate to aid in the reconstruction efforts. In-depth interviews are conducted with ten key informants, combined with the analysis of governmental reports, to identify significant investments offered by the international community and the different objectives of those involved in the project. A model illustrates the dynamics of these interactions, and helps to identify the areas most important to the country’s knowledge society. The protection of the country’s democratic system is identified as the overarching and shared objective of all those who contributed to the reconstruction of Lebanon, a value that is of great significance to a knowledge-based society.

Studien är en kvalitativ undersökning med syfte att se hur ett träningsuppehåll av högintensivt tränande personer hanteras utifrån bemästringsstrategier. En bemästringsstrategi beskrivs av tidigare studier som en process, ett sätt att hantera stress. Den tidigare forskningen kring bemästringsstrategier kopplat till träningsuppehåll är begränsad. För en ökad förståelse kring träningsuppehåll har även träningsmotivation och känslan av ett påtvingat träningsuppehåll undersökts där hypotesen varit att träningsuppehåll upplevs som stressande. Nio personer, som tränar tre till fyra gånger i veckan, har intervjuats. Intervjuerna har genomgått en deduktiv innehållsanalys, men med induktiva inslag. Hypotesen stämde, träningsuppehåll upplevdes som stressande av deltagarna. Resultaten visade att deltagarna använde bemästringsstrategier för att hantera ett träningsuppehåll. Resultaten visade även att bemästringsstrategier kunde relatera till varandra, att de kombinerades eller övergick till andra strategier. Resultaten gav stöd för tidigare forskning, att det finns aktiva och passiva bemästringsstrategier, samt att det går att anta att det finns effektiva eller ineffektiva bemästringsstrategier.