The purpose of the study was to establish the counselling needs of secondary and preparatory school (Grades 9-12) adolescent students and to develop a comprehensive counselling model mainly from the perspectives of students and significant others. This study is born of concerns about the social, emotional, academic difficulties adolescents face and career concerns of learners without access to support services to assist them. The samples of the study were 256 students for quantitative data; for FGD-48 participants – (16 students, 18 teachers including counsellors, and 12 AdGs including 4 parents and 2 principals) were selected. The samples were selected by employing multi stage methods. Questionnaires, interviews and record analysis were used as instruments. The study used Sequential Mixed Method research design: The quantitative data was collected first and followed by qualitative data. Then, the data were analysed by employing statistical data analyses for quantitative data (Descriptive and inferential), including T-test and one-way ANOVA was tested for significance. In connection with this, percentage and mean were employed. For qualitative data, content analyses of transcripts of the qualitative information (in-depth interview of Focus Group interview results) were carried out to generate concepts, patterns and key themes. The study targeted to assess in what areas students need counselling assistances, and then assessed whether these needs vary according to school background, by gender, age group and across grade level. In line with this, the study attempted to examine the existing counselling practices whether it has been properly addressing the students’ needs or not; and also assessed to what extent it addressed the students’ needs, the barriers of addressing their needs and the way to improve the counselling needs of students with intension to develop the comprehensive counselling model. Accordingly, the study revealed the counselling needs areas like academic, relational, emotional, behavioural and career supports. Then, they were requested to prioritize their needs and they reported that counselling services, placement and information services in descending order. The study also revealed that students have great personal, school and comprehensive needs (Academic, personal-social and career needs in sub scale/theme categories) that call for the attention of concerned others. These research outcomes ascertained that the existing counselling services have not been properly and effectively addressing the needs of students. Barriers to address needs of students, awareness problems, absence of mandatory counselling policy and lack of emphasis due to understanding problems were considered as major challenges not to address the needs of students. Finally, the study concluded that the counselling programme/services are highly valued by students and teachers as well as by key informant groups that participated in focus group discussions. The study explored the possible alternative framework that can better enhance the comprehensive counselling procedure and tried to assess the need differences across gender, age group, grade level and school names, and came up with that there were similarities and need differences across these variables. Finally, possible interpretation and implication of the study including the recommendations were provided. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Educational Psychology)

<p>In this dissertation, I investigate the authentic learning experiences of students participating in the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program at Purdue University within the framework of authentic education. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the study assesses the performance of new and returning students across five key outcomes that measure authentic learning during a single semester. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant main effects for time of assessment and type of student on performance, with an overall improvement in all outcomes observed from mid-term to final evaluations and returning students typically outperforming new students. Interaction effects between time and type were also examined, revealing subtle yet complex dynamics in students’ learning trajectories. The findings hold implications for enhancing authentic learning, especially in engineering design contexts, and offer insights to guide future implementation of and improvements to authentic education initiatives, particularly the EPICS program. Despite certain limitations, the research opens avenues for future investigations into diverse aspects of authentic education in STEM and beyond.  </p>

This thesis enhances our undertanding of the intricate relationship between communication, change management, and organizational change, offering practical insights and theoretical advancements for the field. This thesis investigates the role of communication and change management during organizational change through a comprehensive case study conducted in an Indonesian telecommunication company. The research aims to explore the facilitative function of change management in driving organizational change and to identify the critical success factors associated with the change. The research adopts a quantitative research approach supplemented by secondary data analysis. A structured survey questionnaire employing a 5-point Likert scale is employed to collect primary quantitative data. The findings of the study reveal that communication plays a pivotal role in fostering the readiness forchange, commitment, and essential behavioral aspects required for successful organizational change. Specifically, communication exhibits a direct correlation with the desired behavioral outcomes encompassing compliance, cooperation, and championing. The contributions of this research are twofold. Firstly, it offers valuable recommendations for strategic interventions and decision-making aimed at enabling the successful implementation of organizational change within the telecommunication company under study. Secondly, it presents an innovative conceptual framework that elucidates the direct impact of communication on the requisite change-oriented behaviors. This thesis significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge by advancing our understanding ofthe intricate interplay between communication, change management, and organizational change. The insights derived from this study hold practical implications for practitioners and offer theoretical advancements for the academic field. / Denna uppsats undersöker rollen för kommunikation och förändringshantering under organisationsförändring genom en omfattande fallstudie genomförd i ett indonesiskt telekommunikationsföretag. Syftet med forskningen är att utforska den facilitativa funktionen hos förändringshanteringen vid genomförandet av en organisatorisk förändring samt att identifiera de kritiska framgångsfaktorerna för förändringen. Arbetet använder sig av en kvantitativ forskningsansats kompletterad med sekundärdataanalys. En strukturerad enkätundersökning som använder en 5-gradig Likert-skala används för att samla in primär kvantitativ data. Studiens resultat avslöjar att kommunikation spelar en avgörande roll för att främja beredskap förförändring, engagemang och de väsentliga beteendemässiga aspekterna som krävs för en framgångsrik organisatorisk förändring. Specifikt visar kommunikationen en direkt koppling till de önskade beteendemässiga utfallen som omfattar efterlevnad, samarbete och förespråkande. Bidragen från denna forskning är tvåfaldiga. För det första erbjuder den värdefulla rekommendationer för strategiska interventioner och beslutsfattande som syftar till att möjliggöra ett framgångsrikt genomförande av organisationsförändring inom det undersökta telekommunikationsföretaget. För det andra presenterar den en innovativ konceptuell ram som belyser den direkta påverkan av kommunikation på de nödvändiga förändringsinriktade beteendena. Denna uppsats bidrar betydligt till den befintliga kunskapsbasen genom att främja vår förståelse för det komplexa samspelet mellan kommunikation, förändringshantering och organisationsförändring. Insikterna från denna studie har praktiska implikationer för yrkesverksamma och erbjuder teoretiska framsteg inom det akademiska fältet.

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Im heutigen globalisierten Ernährungssystem sind Produktion und Konsum von Lebensmitteln weitgehend entkoppelt, was negative Auswirkungen auf Landwirt*innen und Verbraucher*innen haben kann. Alternative Ernährungsnetzwerke (AFNs) haben das Potenzial, diese Verbindung wiederherzustellen. Es fehlt jedoch an Forschung zu den Wiederverbindungsprozessen in AFNs. Die übergeordnete Forschungsfrage dieser Dissertation ist daher, ob und wie AFNs Produktion und Konsum von Lebensmitteln wieder verbinden. Zur Beantwortung wurden (a) Motivationen für die AFN-Teilnahme erforscht, (b) transformative Prozesse in AFNs untersucht, (c) die relevantesten Interaktionen zwischen Konsument*innen und Produzent*innen für die wirtschaftliche Stabilität von solidarischen Landwirtschaftsbetrieben identifiziert und (d) Faktoren für das Vertrauen in solidarische Landwirtschaft ermittelt. Ein Mixed-Method-Ansatz wurde gewählt, um die Forschungsziele zu erreichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass AFNs zu sechs Arten von Wiederverbindung beitragen: 1. Wiederverbindung von Produzent*innen und Konsument*innen 2. Wiederverbindung von Konsument*innen und Konsument*innen 3. Wiederverbindung von Konsument*innen und Lebensmitteln/ deren Produktion 4. Wiederverbindung von AFNs mit anderen (ernährungsbezogenen) Initiativen 5. Wiederverbindung von AFN-Produzent*inen und -Konsument*innen mit der Ernährungswirtschaft 6. Wiederverbindung von AFN-Produzent*innen und -Konsument*innen mit der Ernährungspolitik Wiederverbindungsprozesse in AFNs fördern das Empowerment von Produzent*innen und Konsument*innen und bieten lokale Lösungen für Probleme des Ernährungssystems. Eine stärkere Vernetzung und Verbreitung von AFNs wäre positiv für einen über die AFN-Nische hinausgehenden Einfluss auf das Ernährungssystem. Als Teil einer gesellschaftlichen Bewegung können AFNs zu einem wertebasierten Ernährungssystem beitragen und im Kleinen ein Beispiel für einen nachhaltigeren Umgang mit Lebensmitteln bieten. / In today’s global food system, food production and consumption are mostly disconnected which has negative implications for producers and consumers. Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) can potentially re-establish links between production and consumption. For a comprehensive understanding of AFNs, more research is needed on how exactly they contribute to reconnection processes. The overarching research objective of this dissertation is, therefore, if and how AFNs reconnect production and consumption. To answer this research question, this dissertation (a) explores what motivates consumers to participate in AFNs, (b) investigates which drivers of transformation occur in AFNs, (c) assesses which consumer-producer-interactions are most relevant for the economic stability of community-supported agriculture farms, and (d) examines which factors determine members’ trust in community-supported agriculture and its farmers. A mixed-method approach is applied to answer these research objectives taking both a producer and consumer perspective into account. The results show that AFNs contribute to six different types of reconnection, namely: 1. Reconnection of producers and consumers 2. Reconnection of consumers and consumers 3. Reconnection of consumers and food (production) 4. Reconnection of AFN with other (food) initiatives 5. Reconnection of AFN participants with the food economy 6. Reconnection of AFN participants with food politics By providing these different types of reconnection, AFNs foster empowerment of producers and consumers and offer spaces to create local-level solutions to existing problems of the dominant food system. For a stronger impact beyond the individual AFN initiative, networking and replication are recommended. As a part of a broader societal movement, AFNs could contribute to creating a value-based food system and be small scale examples of a more sustainable way of food production and consumption.

This study focuses on the extent to which the various elements of corporate brand identity as identified in the literature are perceived to contribute to corporate brand image formation. In doing so, a theoretical perspective is adopted for this study that borrows from both marketing communication and corporate communication theories. Three data collection techniques – Q methodology, an online questionnaire and computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) – were used to determine to what extent these elements are perceived significant in corporate brand image formation among participants from 106 South African organisations across various business sectors. Four categories were identified to be perceived as significant for corporate brand image formation, namely transformational leadership and management, positioning and differentiation strategy, brand equity and employee orientation and mentorship. To date, a comprehensive measuring instrument that theoretically includes all the corporate brand identity elements perceived to be significant in corporate brand image formation has not been developed. Based on the research findings, the study aims to propose a theoretical framework for establishing a measuring instrument that includes all the corporate brand identity elements deemed significant in corporate brand image formation as perceived by South African organisations. The objective of providing a theoretical framework for establishing a measuring instrument is to enable organisations to assess the role of their corporate brand identity in corporate brand image formation among their stakeholder groups. The theoretical framework includes the four identified categories perceived as significant in corporate brand image formation. It indicates which of the corporate brand identity elements included in the four categories are perceived to be more significant in corporate brand image formation by South African organisations. In addition, it provides assumptions on how these corporate brand identity elements are perceived to work in synergy to enhance corporate brand image formation based on the research results. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

This thesis examined diverse students' experiences completing Ontario's community involvement requirement. An analysis of quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups among 50 current and recently graduated secondary school students from widely contrasting socio-economic settings showed ways in which diverse participants perceived their community involvement activities, the support for community involvement in their schools, and their associated opportunities to develop capacity to make changes toward a more socially just world. Results indicated that low-income participants reported dissimilar experiences from high-income participants, in relation to the support for community involvement provided by school staffs, participants' direct or distant relationships with service recipients, and their sense of individual and collective agency to effect change. Thus, this study challenges the assumption that all students in Ontario have equal access to the citizenship education learning opportunities embedded in meaningful community involvement activities.

This thesis examined diverse students' experiences completing Ontario's community involvement requirement. An analysis of quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups among 50 current and recently graduated secondary school students from widely contrasting socio-economic settings showed ways in which diverse participants perceived their community involvement activities, the support for community involvement in their schools, and their associated opportunities to develop capacity to make changes toward a more socially just world. Results indicated that low-income participants reported dissimilar experiences from high-income participants, in relation to the support for community involvement provided by school staffs, participants' direct or distant relationships with service recipients, and their sense of individual and collective agency to effect change. Thus, this study challenges the assumption that all students in Ontario have equal access to the citizenship education learning opportunities embedded in meaningful community involvement activities.

This study focuses on the extent to which the various elements of corporate brand identity as identified in the literature are perceived to contribute to corporate brand image formation. In doing so, a theoretical perspective is adopted for this study that borrows from both marketing communication and corporate communication theories. Three data collection techniques – Q methodology, an online questionnaire and computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) – were used to determine to what extent these elements are perceived significant in corporate brand image formation among participants from 106 South African organisations across various business sectors. Four categories were identified to be perceived as significant for corporate brand image formation, namely transformational leadership and management, positioning and differentiation strategy, brand equity and employee orientation and mentorship. To date, a comprehensive measuring instrument that theoretically includes all the corporate brand identity elements perceived to be significant in corporate brand image formation has not been developed. Based on the research findings, the study aims to propose a theoretical framework for establishing a measuring instrument that includes all the corporate brand identity elements deemed significant in corporate brand image formation as perceived by South African organisations. The objective of providing a theoretical framework for establishing a measuring instrument is to enable organisations to assess the role of their corporate brand identity in corporate brand image formation among their stakeholder groups. The theoretical framework includes the four identified categories perceived as significant in corporate brand image formation. It indicates which of the corporate brand identity elements included in the four categories are perceived to be more significant in corporate brand image formation by South African organisations. In addition, it provides assumptions on how these corporate brand identity elements are perceived to work in synergy to enhance corporate brand image formation based on the research results. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

The theme of the diploma thesis is the policy-making process, specifically the process of making of the National Action Plan for Positive Ageing for the Period 2013 - 2017. It's about exploring its creation from the viewpoint of active members of the Government Council for Seniors and Population Ageing, who was discussing it at meetings. The theoretical framework - Multiple Streams Framework deals with the aspect of policy entrepreneurs. Using qualitative, semi-structured interviews and then analysis of qualitative data, it was possible to explore the means, used by policy entrepreneurs to promote their ideas at meetings. This diploma thesis does not only study the creation of an action plan, but also the identification of policy entrepreneurs, through document analysis. After that were analysed primary data from interviews with members of the Government Council for Seniors and Population Ageing, who had been appointed by The Ministry of labour and social affairs. The studied, strategic document is the answer to the demographic ageing phenomenon the population of the Czech Republic.