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During the 2000s, the former UK Government introduced the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) in an attempt to increase the relevance of qualifications and the qualification level of the UK labour force (HMSO 2006). However views about the value of the QCF and qualifications generally are contested. Through longitudinal case study research, the thesis finds a vocational purpose for qualifications that supports a culture of continuous improvement. This results in models that contribute to thinking about vocational learning and the role of qualifications, and provide a conceptional bridge between paradigms of workplace learning and concepts of organisational excellence. The thesis explores common understanding of learning and skills to explain issues relating to National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and the QCF. In particular the thesis identifies significant implementation problems for the QCF due to differing ontological and epistemological understanding of the meaning of skills and their measurement, and requirements for different delivery and assessment models. In addition, the study identifies that rapidly changing organisational arrangements and regulation hinder the establishment of a more diverse and inclusive QCF. The thesis concludes that the QCF best fits Hager’s (2002) concept of learning that encompasses learning of many different kinds. Also the QCF is valuable as a flexible framework that establishes a degree of order in complex, rapidly changing learning environments. However the qualifications require broadly specified assessment criteria, and links to external communities of practice and associated learning packages.

It has been acknowledged for some time that personal experience, relationship and emotional factors are important aspects of difficulties in learning to read and write; however there is still little research carried out in this area. This thesis explores the way in which eight adults make sense of their difficulties with reading and writing and identification of dyslexia; and their process of developing more positive self-perceptions and coping strategies. The study is guided by standpoint theory, with priority given to participants’ perceptions about difficulties in reading and writing rather than to academic and/or practitioner perspectives. Analysis of interviews is carried out through a life history methodology that identifies discourses of dyslexia in order to situate the way difficulties are understood and addressed. The discourses include four identified by Pollak (2005) and identification of six additional discourses of dyslexia that were present in both the literature review and at least half of the participant interviews. In the analysis, use of these discourses is mapped alongside the life story of each participant using the Model of Vocational Success (MVS) (Gerber et al. 1992) as a framework for classifying the development of positive self-perceptions and coping mechanisms. The participants’ life histories reveal that, without identification of dyslexia, difficulties with reading and writing are most often attributed by others such as teachers, peers and/or parents to low intelligence and/or lack of effort. Some participants rejected this understanding and others internalised it. Experience of ‘niche’ where the participant found themselves to be successful in a specific context best supported the development of positive self-perceptions and coping strategies before identification of dyslexia. Identification of dyslexia provided a means of making sense of difficulties, bolstered self-belief in intelligence, and initiated changes in support and personal motivation which, for the majority of participants, were notably beneficial. This PhD makes a number of unique contributions to knowledge about dyslexia, particularly through its prioritization of the voice of dyslexic people over professional voices. The identification of six additional discourses of dyslexia contributes to knowledge about the way difficulties with reading and writing can be understood and talked about, and exploration of how these discourses link to the MVS contributes knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of these discourses to dyslexic people. The discourse ‘Hemispherist’ (Pollak 2005) was found to offer the most opportunity for dyslexic adults to develop positive self-perceptions and take constructive action to compensate for difficulties.

Objective: To assess the impact of North American transition programs for youth emerging to adulthood on education, housing, relationship, identity formation, youth engagement, life skills, mental health, and financial outcomes. Methods: Electronic databases, grey literature sites, and research articles were searched to identify randomized control trials and quasi-experimental designed studies examining the effectiveness of transition programs for foster youth. Cochrane Collaboration criteria were used to conduct, identify and assess potential studies. Whenever possible data was extracted and synthesized with random effect, inverse variance meta-analyses. Results: A total of eight studies including 1560 participants were included in this review. Data suggests that interventions focusing on teaching independent living skills are no more effective at improving outcomes for youth when compared with services “as usual.” Youth who participated in school-based self-determination programs showed improved outcomes in transition planning, quality of life, and self-determination. Conclusion: These results are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution. The studies examined here had small sample sizes, and may not have had enough power to detect a real difference. More research is needed. / Graduate

This study was undertaken for the following purposes: 1. To determine whether or not the department attempts to find or evaluate the students' level of proficiency in physical activities, and, if so, what method is used. 2. To learn methods employed by the institutions of the study to determine the skills which should be required of men physical education majors. 3. To determine provisions made in the curriculum for the major student to acquire these skills.

This thesis compares reading verses listening comprehension in third grade students. The problem under consideration is to determine whether it is easier for a third-grade child to understand a given meaning when that meaning is presented to him in spoken words than it is when the meaning is presented in printed words,

RESUMÉ The dissertation aims to create an overview of the topic of communication education and a composition in many ways. It comes from a style of teaching of communication education and composition in the past to a characteristics of currant style of teaching of composition. There are some model assistant sheets for Czech language and composition lessosns as a certain manual included. To find out an up- to-date state of the communication education a questionaire has been analysed. The final chapter is dedicated to changes and developmental tendencies of the textbooks for Czech language and composition on a basis of a comparative analyse.

Keywords: musical skills, song This thesis deals with the selection of songs that lead to the development of musical skills in elementary school. The aim is to find the songs that match the child's age and at the same time developing its musical skills. We need to evaluate the difficulty of the song intonation, rhythmic peculiarities of the songs and key, in which it sings the song. Finally, we consider the optimal and versatile selection from both the folk and the artificial music.

RESUMÉ The dissertation aims to create an overview of the topic of communication education and a composition in many ways. It comes from a style of teaching of communication education and composition in the past to a characteristics of currant style of teaching of composition. There are some model assistant sheets for Czech language and composition lessosns as a certain manual included. To find out an up- to-date state of the communication education a questionaire has been analysed. The final chapter is dedicated to changes and developmental tendencies of the textbooks for Czech language and composition on a basis of a comparative analyse

The goal of this thesis is to compare and map the level of kinetic skills between fifth graders in elementary schools in Prague and in smaller towns. The initial part of this thesis consists of a definition of general skills and detailed information about kinetic skills. Furthermore there is a description and classification, development and progress of these kinetic skills during the elementary school age. The final results of the research done at different elementary schools in Prague and in smaller towns are described in full, which leads to the constructive conclusion.