This study focuses on the identification of the broad and complex factors influencing primary science program delivery within the New Zealand context. The study is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the factors influencing science program delivery are identified through (1) a questionnaire survey of 122 teachers in the Central Districts of New Zealand; (2) a questionnaire survey of 155 pre-service teachers at a New Zealand College of Education; (3) a case study of a large intermediate school in the Central Districts; and (4) a review of the research literature pertaining to curriculum, in particular primary science, delivery. Factors influencing science program delivery are identified as being both personal (intrinsic) and environmental (extrinsic). Intrinsic factors identified include teacher professional self-efficacy; interest and motivation; and multidimensional aspects of knowledge. Extrinsic factors influencing science program delivery include multidimensional aspects of time availability and resource adequacy; the availability and adequacy of professional support and leadership; and the priority placed on science as a curriculum area by the school, especially by the administration. The second phase of the study built on this initial phase by focusing on the development of an instrument, the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire, which assists schools in identifying factors influencing science program delivery. The development of the SC1Q initially involved the use of a Focus Group to identify and prioritise items to include in the instrument. Statistical validation involved trialling of the SCIQ amongst 293 teachers representing 43 schools in the Central Districts of New Zealand. Using statistical procedures involving ANOVA, alpha reliability and discriminant validity, a seven-scale, 49-item instrument was developed. On the basis of the ++ / strong overlap amongst the intrinsic factors influencing science delivery, a further, shorter five scale, 35-item instrument was developed. The seven-scale SCIQ was further applied at the case study school. Quantitative data collected from the application of the instrument confirmed that several psychosocial and physical aspects of Intermediate School identified in the case study are influencing science program delivery. Implications of this study and the practical applications of the Science Curriculum Implementation Questionnaire are also presented in the context of primary science delivery both within New Zealand and internationally.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Guang R. Gao, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Secondary schools have for decades debated whether they promote social reproduction which is considered to generate the homogeneous student compositions. The gap between the academic programs and vocational education programs is considered to increase. What in recent years has appeared in research is that the gap is increasing most tend to be in the specific academic program, particularly in science. This paper's intention is to describe the science program at a local level and the pupils who were admitted to the science program autumn 2009 on the basis of an educational sociological perspective. The survey consisted of a census in which all students were given the opportunity to answer a questionnaire. The survey was compiled by the analytical program SPSS for capturing a multidimensional perspective of students' reasoning. The survey shows that students possess a lot of educational capital which had been examined from three aspects, however, in hierarchical order. Students who attend the scientific program, the municipality believes that the program is the program that gives students the best possible education in several respects. In particular, it appears that students think that the program prepares them for future higher studies paving the way for a future career.

Uppsatsen syftar till att studera hur gymnasieskolor marknadsför sig själva genomspråkbruket på deras hemsidor. Detta tillämpas genom en text- och diskursanalytisk studie avtre gymnasieskolor som tillgodoser Samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet i Täby kommun. Urvalethar begränsats till respektive skolas hemsida och programsida. Resultatet visar på att det finnsskillnader i hur skolorna använder språket för att marknadsföra skolan och detsamhällsvetenskapliga programmet. Åva gymnasium använder sig av direkta frågor tillläsaren, Täby Enskilda har ett direkt tilltal till läsaren i formen du och Tibble gymnasiumlyfter fram lärarnas kunnighet. / This essay aims to study how secondary schools’ market themselves through the use oflanguage on their websites. This is applied through a text and discourse analytical study ofthree secondary schools, all of which meet the Social Sciences program, located in Täby. Theselection has been limited to each school's website and program page. The results show thatthere are differences in how the schools use the language to market the school and the socialscience program. Åva gymnasium uses direct questions to the reader, Täby Enskilda have adirect address to the reader in the form you and Tibble gymnasium highlight the teachers'knowledge.

Introduction: Health service organizations and their partners are increasingly under pressure to collaborate to deliver integrated patient care. The Collective Impact framework aligns well with respectful engagement and decision making between an organization and its partners, ensuring long-term change at the systems level. Shared vision, mutually reinforcing activities, and continuous communication are key components of a collective impact effort. Communication, in particular, plays an important role in all aspects of an organization, both internally and externally. Thoughtful feedback from partners and collaborative efforts can achieve collective impact and improved patient and population outcomes. Choose Well (CW), a statewide contraceptive access initiative in South Carolina, was developed using Collective Impact principles. CW launched in 2017 and continued through 2022. CW aimed to implement best practices for contraceptive access and provision. This study examined the perceptions of CW staff towards shared vision for contraceptive access, mutually reinforced activities, and communication strategies between CW and its partners. Methods: Data were collected in 2022 via exit key-informant interviews with CW staff to reflect across-all-years of their involvement with the initiative. A semi-structured interview guide was used, and the interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. A codebook was developed based on the interview guide. Data from questions related to 1) shared vision, 2) communication, and 3) mutually reinforcing activities between CW staff and partners were analyzed for this study. Coding was conducted with NVivo software version 1.7. Results: A total of eight CW staff participated in the interviews. Findings indicate that participants were very satisfied with the shared vision for contraceptive access between CW and its partners. The most prevalent facilitators for shared vision were constant and ongoing communication, collaboration with partners, and CW changes in framing for the initiative. Regarding communication, most participants perceived that the level of communication and coordination among various CW partners was consistent and streamlined. Integration of communication into daily processes, open communication with partners, and use of an online communication tool were mentioned as strategies that facilitated communication. Lack of administrative and partner buy-in among some partners, staff turnover, and pandemic-related challenges were commonly mentioned by participants as barriers to communication. Most participants perceived mutually reinforcing activities to be adaptability to partner needs, funding for the full range of contraceptive methods, collaboration efforts, and feedback from the partners. Conclusion: While lack of buy-in among some partners and the pandemic posed challenges, most participants perceived that constant and consistent communication facilitated a shared vision among the CW partners. Through adaptability, collaboration, and open communication with partners, CW adjusted its work to align with their partners’ goals. The findings of this study indicate that CW has coordinated their efforts around a common goal that aligns with their partners. CW maintained effective and consistent communication and integrated partner feedback as a Collective Impact approach towards improving contraceptive access and provision in SC. Shared vision and understanding of the health issue between the organization and partners can lead to a collective impact towards solving community health problems such as contraceptive access.

Uppsatsen syftar till att studera hur gymnasieskolor profilerar sig genom marknadsföring. Detta tillämpas genom en diskursanalytisk studie av sex gymnasieskolor, som alla tillgodoser det Samhällsvetenskapliga programmet, belägna i Uppsala kommun. Av den marknadsföring som funnits tillgänglig har urvalet begränsats till respektive skolas hemsida. Resultatet visar på ett samband mellan hur skolorna talar om utbildning och elev. Det centrala för detta samband är hur eleven, genom skolornas marknadsföring, konstrueras som en konsument av utbildning. I denna konstruktion av utbildningsalternativ framträder olika profileringskategorier som skolorna tyr sig till genom marknadsföring. Den gemensamma profileringskategorin är den marknadsorienterade som visar hur skolorna presenterar sitt utbildningsalternativ genom att negativt särskilja sig från konkurrerande skolor. I detta finns en förskjutning från information om utbildning till marknadsföring av utbildning. I sin tur innebär detta att den information eleven tar del av inför sitt gymnasieval, också innehåller inslag av erbjudanden och reklam. I och med att eleven konstrueras som konsument har det skapats en kunskaps- och maktrelation mellan elev och skola. Denna relation konstruerar sedermera en situation där skolorna är beroende av att marknadsorientera sig för att utmärka sig i konkurrenssituationen som uppstått av det fria skolvalet. / The essay aims to study how secondary schools are profiled by marketing. This is applied through a discourse analytic study of six secondary schools, all of which meet the Social Science program, located in Uppsala. Of the marketing that has been available, the selection is limited to each school's website. The results show a correlation between how schools are talking about education and students. The key to this correlation is that the student through the schools marketing is designed as a consumer of education. This construction of educational options shows different profiling categories that schools cling to through marketing. The common profiling category is the market orientated that shows how schools will present their educational options by negative differentiate itself from rival schools. This is a shift from information on education for the promotion of education. In turn, this means that the information students take part in before secondary school also contains elements of promotions and advertising. As the student is constructed as a consumer, a knowledge and power relationship between student and school has been created. This knowledge and power relations construct later a situation where schools are dependent on market orientation to excel in the competitive environment created by the free school choice.

This study explores the meaning of relevant science in two townships in Cape Town. Reform in science education, both nationally and internationally has placed much emphasis on the fact that science education should be relevant. The research conducted in this study attempts to interpret different dimensions of relevance. This study explores not only how learners make meaning of their everyday lives, but what 'science' they deem to be relevant and worth learning within this context. It acknowledges the important role of teachers in establishing what learners perceive to be relevant. The theory of social constructivism is suited to this investigation, in its recognition of the roles of children's knowledge, purposes, social groups and interactions in learning. The children in this study often have personal lives steeped in poverty, abuse and violence. The curriculum design is also guided by social constructivist theories. However, a second version of constructivism, critical constructivism, is used to frame the second phase of the study. A critical constructivist approach raises questions about the type of knowledge learners interact with. In critical constructivism, science and its methods, the curriculum and the classroom are opened up to critical inquiry. Teachers' knowledge of their learners is used to design science lessons that are more meaningful, relevant and personalised. The individual lessons, as well as the lesson series that are used in this study are designed as examples of relevant science, while the lesson series also serves as a tool to elicit deeper understandings of what learners in this particular context experience as relevant to their lives. Although the main focus of this research is the relevance of using everyday knowledge in the classroom, bringing everyday knowledge into the classroom allows for the inclusion of a number of dimensions of relevance. The different ways in which learners respond to the science lessons in both phases are discussed as five outcomes. The findings of the research show that the essence of a relevant science curriculum lies in a particular design. This design accommodates many dimensions of relevance, such as relevant content, context and purposes. Such as design helps learners to negotiate the difficult border between the formal school environment and the informal home environment. A relevant curriculum acknowledges that science education is more than only science, but also recognises the implications for science curriculum development. This study is part of a larger project which is a comprehensive evaluation of the Primary Science Programme (PSP). The PSP gave the research its full support as the investigation of relevance may have an influence on curriculum design. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Denna studie undersökte korrelationen mellan elevernas förståelse av matematikens syfte på samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet, deras inställning till ämnet och deras betyg i kursen Matematik 1b. Genom en blandad metod som inkluderade en enkätundersökning och intervjuer samlades både kvantitativ och kvalitativ data in från elever och lärare på samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet. Enkätundersökningen distribuerades till elever från tre olika skolor, och resulterade i 130 respondenter och en svarsfrekvens på 62%. Datan analyserades genom med hjälp av korrelationsanalys, specifikt Pearson's korrelationskoefficient för ett urval, för att undersöka samband. Resultaten visade på en måttlig korrelation mellan elevernas förståelse av matematikens syfte och deras inställning till ämnet. I enkätundersökningen var det även tydligt att majoriteten av eleverna hade ett lågt intresse för matematiken. Flera elever uttryckte i intervjuerna bristen på ett tydligt syfte med att studera matematik. Vidare observerades även en måttlig korrelation mellan elevernas inställning till ämnet och deras betyg i kursen. Enkätundersökningen indikerade även, förutom bristen på intresse för ämnet, att hälften av eleverna var underkända i kursen eller endast hade betyget E. Intervjuerna genomfördes med elever och lärare för att fördjupa förståelsen av elevernas uppfattningar om syftet med matematikämnet och deras inställning till ämnet. Dataanalysen inkluderade tematisk analys för att identifiera gemensamma teman och utmaningar. Resultatet av den kvalitativa analysen visade på bristen av ett tydligt syfte inom matematikundervisningen, vilket påverkade elevernas inställning negativt. Inom ramen för detta examensarbete utvecklades ett utbildningsmaterial för kursen Matematik 1b för samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet. Utbildningsmaterialet består av olika kapitel och projekt som syftar till att tydliggöra matematikens relevans och tillämpningar inom samhällsvetenskapliga områden. Design Thinking användes som metod för utvecklingsprocessen för utbildningsmaterialet. I metoden ingår det att förstå användarnas behov, generera idéer till potentiella lösningar, skapa prototyper och testa dessa. Det resulterande utbildningsmaterialet anpassades specifikt för samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet och kan vara en värdefull resurs för elever och lärare. Genom utbildningsmaterialet kommuniceras matematikens syfte på ett tydligt sätt vilket främjar en positiv inställning till ämnet och förbättrar elevernas prestationer och betyg i kursen. Sammanfattningsvis betonar denna studie vikten av att tydliggöra matematikens syfte för eleverna på samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet. Genom att kommunicera syftet på ett tydligt sätt, exempelvis med hjälp av det utvecklade utbildningsmaterialet, kan elevernas inställning förbättras, vilket i sin tur kan höja elevernas betygsnivå. / This study examined the correlation between students' understanding of the purpose of mathematics in the social science program, their attitudes towards the subject, and their grades in the Mathematics 1b course. A mixed-method approach was employed, involving a survey and interviews to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from students and teachers in the social science program.  The survey was distributed to students from three different schools, resulting in 130 respondents and a response rate of 62%. The data was analyzed using correlation analysis, specifically Pearson's correlation coefficient for a sample, to explore relationships. The results showed a moderate correlation between students' understanding of the purpose of mathematics and their attitude towards the subject. The survey also revealed that the majority of students had low interest in mathematics. Several students expressed in the interviews the lack of a clear purpose for studying mathematics. Furthermore, a moderate correlation was observed between students' attitude towards the subject and their grades in the course. The survey also indicated, in addition to the lack of interest, that half of the students were failing the course or had only achieved a grade of E. Interviews with students and teachers provided further insights into students' perceptions on the purpose of mathematics and their attitude towards the subject. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify common themes and challenges. The qualitative analysis revealed the absence of a clear purpose in mathematics education, which negativley influenced students' attitude towards the subject.  Within the scope of this thesis, an educational material was developed for the Mathematics 1b course in the social science program. The educational material consists of various chapters and projects aimed at highlighting the relevance and applications of mathematics in social science domains. Design Thinking was employed as the methodology for the development process of the educational material, involving understanding user needs, generating ideas for potential solutions, creating prototypes, and testing them. The resulting educational material was specifically tailored for the social science program and can be a valuable resource for students and teachers. By clearly communicating the purpose of mathematics, the educational material promotes a positive attitude towards the subject and improves students' performance and grades in the course. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of clarifying the purpose of mathematics for students in the social science program. By effectively communicating the purpose, such as through the developed educational material, students' attitudes can be enhanced, leading to improved academic results.

Syftet: Vi har undersökt sambandet mellan teoretiskt och praktiskt lärande på det fyraåriga sjökaptensprogrammet vid Linnéuniversitetet. Vi inriktade oss på att undersöka huruvida teoretisk kunskap är en förutsättning för att förstaårsstudenterna skall kunna uppfylla förväntade studiemål för den första fartygsförlagda utbildningen. Metod: Vi gjorde en litteraturstudie som omfattade det fyraåriga sjökaptensprogrammet samt tre närbesläktade yrkesutbildningar. I vårt teorikapitel behandlade vi även tre olika typer av handledningsmodeller som samtliga på ett eller annat sätt är applicerbara på nämnda utbildningar.  För att kunna kritiskt granska vår litteraturstudie och för att ta reda på det faktiska förhållandet i frågan genomförde vi fem informantintervjuer. Resultat: Vi har kunnat se en rad likheter i utbildningarnas upplägg mellan teoretiskt och praktiskt lärande samt kunnat urskilja vilka handledningsmodeller som används. Slutsats: Den Grundläggande säkerhetsutbildningen är en förutsättning för studenten att få gå ut på den första fartygsförlagda utbildningen men är inte en förutsättning för att studenten skall kunna uppnå de förväntade studiemålen av densamma. Vi har kunnat konstatera att handledaren och handledarens kunskap och kompetens spelar en mycket central roll för vilka förutsättningar som studenten ges för att kunna uppnå studiemålen för den första fartygsförlagda utbildningen / The purpose: We have investigated the relationship between theoretical and practical learning of the Nautical Science Program(4years) at the Linnaeus University. We focused on examining whether the theoretical knowledge is a prerequisite for the students to meet the expected learning outcomes during the first ship based training. Method: We preformed a literature review covering four different educations. We did also look in to three different types of mentoring models which in one way or another are applicable to those courses. In order to critically examine our literature and to find out the actual condition, we conducted five interviews with informants. Result: Made it possible to see a number of similarities in educational programs approach between theoretical and practical learning and guidance models used. Conclusion: The Basic Safety Training is a prerequisite for students to go out on the ship based training but it is not a prerequisite for achieving the expected learning outcome. We have noted that the supervisor and the supervisor’s knowledge and skills plays a central role for the conditions in which the student is given in order to achieve the study objectives of the first ship based training.

The research presented in this thesis is based in the Humanities discipline of Ancient History and begins by attempting to understand the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents and how this process can be aided by computer systems such as Decision Support Systems (DSS). The thesis balances between the use of IT tools to aid Humanities research and the understanding that Humanities research must involve human beings. It does not attempt to develop a system that can automate the reading of ancient documents. Instead it seeks to demonstrate and develop tools that can support this process in the five areas: remembering complex reasoning, searching huge datasets, international collaboration, publishing editions, and image enhancement. This research contains a large practical element involving the development of a DSS prototype. The prototype is used to illustrate how a DSS, by remembering complex reasoning, can aid the process of interpretation that is reading ancient documents. It is based on the idea that the interpretation process goes through a network of interpretation. The network of interpretation illustrates a recursive process where scholars move between reading levels such as ‘these strokes look like the letter c’ or ‘these five letters must be the word primo’. Furthermore, the thesis demonstrates how technology such as Web Services and XML can be used to make a DSS even more powerful through the development of the APPELLO word search Web Service. Finally, the conclusion includes a suggestion for a future development of a working DSS that incorporates the idea of a layer-based system and focuses strongly on user interaction.