Research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Johannesburg, June 2013 / The effectiveness of the Stetro pencil grip in 45 Grade 2 learners with handwriting difficulties was investigated. Monthly assessments considered descriptors including the position joints when writing, the position of the pencil in the hand, hand and arm movements, arm position and posture when writing as well as pencil grasp, the speed and quality of handwriting and tripod pinch strength. The experimental participants used a Stetro pencil grip for two months after which it was removed for one month. The control participants wrote without a pencil grip. Statistically significant improvement was found for the experimental group in the efficiency of their pencil grasps and their use of their fingers when writing. The quality and speed of writing and the pinch strength improved in both groups with the experimental group showing significant change in their index finger DIP position. The use of the Stetro pencil grip was effective in resolving inefficient pencil grasps in 70% of the experimental group.

Thesis advisor: Ellen Winner / Recent studies have shown differences between several structures in the brains of professional level musicians and non-musicians. Professional musicians form an ideal group to study changes in the human brain due to the unique abilities required of them. Since many musicians begin training at a young age, it is assumed that these differences are attributable to intense, early experience brought on by the cognitive and motor demands of music training. However, it remains to be seen whether these structural differences are due to changes brought on by experience or preexisting ones which draw children to music lessons. Using magnetic resonance images, I compared the size of the corpus callosums in two groups of children who ranged between the ages of five and seven, one just beginning music lessons and another not beginning music lessons. I also compared the groups in terms of their performance on a finger tapping test for differences in speed and accuracy. A second set of comparisons of callosal size was conducted between nine-to-eleven-year-olds who had been taking music lessons for at least a year and those who had not. Differences in the five-to-seven-year-olds were seen in the anterior corpus callosum corrected for brain volume between the musician and non-musician groups. Differences in accuracy of finger tapping were seen between the musicians and non musicians, as well as between those in the musician group who had received less than sixteen or twenty-five weeks of training versus those who had received less. These findings indicate that while musicians start out with at least one slightly larger measure of corpus callosum size, differences in finger skill tend to develop slowly. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2004. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Man-Chi Leung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 34-39.

In 2008, a severe economic crisis hit economies around the world. Its effects included a significant loss of GDP and employment which led to several social ills associated with recessions. However, the crisis did not impact all places with the same severity. This thesis investigates the crisis impact across GB Local Authority Districts during 2008-2014 within a framework that utilises the concept of economic resilience. However, this concept does not have a universally accepted definition or methodology of investigation. Hence, the study adopts an operational definition, comparing the conditions in local labour markets before and after the start of the recession. Using this method, a wide variation in resilience performance is identified across spatial areas. To identify the determinants of these differences, the study critically examines existing empirical studies and relevant theories. The factors identified range from past labour market performance to industrial structure, skills, demographics and other variables. The thesis then adopts an empirical method of investigation utilising a cross-sectional model. The results indicate that places which performed well before the start of the crisis have suffered deeper crisis impacts. However, the share of younger aged population and degree level qualification holders has mitigated the impact. The results are confirmed by robustness checks concerning the influence of outliers, migration and exploring the use of a composite indicator of resilience. It is the first time that a study of the crisis has focused on GB Local Authority Districts and comprehensively examined local labour markets. Moreover, the study makes a contribution by providing an operational definition and methodology for measuring resilience and empirically testing the impact of a range of determinants of resilience performance. The policy implications suggest a greater focus on skills and the attraction of younger aged workers through increased embeddedness of anchor institutions such as universities, as well as the inclusion of resilience as a core element of place-based policies.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University

Context: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a training programme for enhancing the social skills of children in Libya who have autism. This study takes into account the fact that there are similar services in Libya that are addressing the social and educational needs of children with autism however these remain in the early stages of development and are making little progress, largely because of the lack of robust knowledge and understanding that exists around autism by policy makers, the general public and organisations. Consequently, this study is intended to act as a basis for gaining a greater understanding about how such services could be more effectively developed in Libya. This study is particularly unique in that it gives considerable attention to the cultural specifications to see if such programmes can be implemented and adapted to fit the needs of families in Libya. Libya has been chosen as the site for this research for three main reasons: first of all because it is my country of origin and therefore holds a special place in my heart; second because it is an interesting context manifesting the various barriers and challenges to social change due to myths and misunderstandings; and third because I know many children whose life chances and opportunities have been reduced only because their guardians, carers and other professionals did not understand their conditions and did not see their abilities. As a Libyan, I want to contribute to this field of knowledge and practice to ensure that children will have access to equal opportunities to their non-autistic counterparts. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the training programme, which was designed by the researcher, is effective in improving the social skills in children with autism in Libya. Method: Data was collected from two questionnaires and programme evaluation sheets (SST). The sample comprised of thirty-four children with autism, aged between ten and fifteen years of age. The children were divided into two groups of thirteen; one as the experimental group and the other as the control group. The programme ran for eighteen weeks. The researcher assessed the children’s social skills before, during and after it was completed. During the first twelve weeks (or the implementation stage), the researcher met the children for 30 minutes three times a day. Results: At the start of the training programme (pre-test stage), there were no statistically significant differences in the mean scores of social skills between the experimental and the control groups in the pre-test stage. As the training went on, the mean scores increased and showed statistical significance (post-test stage) between the experimental and the control group in the direction of the experimental group. After 8 weeks of terminating the training and in the follow up measurement of the experimental group’s social skills, there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and the control group in their respective social skills in the direction of the experimental group. Conclusion: It was concluded, therefore, that the training programme had significantly improved the social skills of children with autism in Libya and it should be implemented on a wider basis. Training programmes from other parts of the world can be made culturally relevant and effective with appropriate adaptations. Key Limitations: This study was conducted on a small sample group (34 children in total) in only one part of Libya (Benghazi). Further, the sample group was of a particular age group (under 15 years).

Introduction: Newly qualified doctors are frequently first to the scene in managing acutely unwell in-patients. Failures in clinical assessment, basic management and early escalation of care lead to avoidable patient morbidity and mortality. Analyses of adverse events have highlighted the importance of non-technical skills training to improve patient safety. These are a combination of cognitive (such as decision making) and social skills (such as team working), which complement knowledge and technical ability, and contribute to safe and effective care. In order to train and assess junior doctors in these skills, we must first have an accurate understanding of what they involve. This research project was designed to identify the critical non-technical skills required by junior doctors to manage acutely unwell patients safely and effectively. It aimed to develop a tool to observe these skills that could be used in training, assessment and research. Method: A literature review was used to develop an initial framework to categorise the non-technical skills required in this domain. Twenty-nine in depth semi-structured interviews were then completed with junior doctors. A critical incident technique was utilised: Junior doctors were asked to recall a challenging case in which they managed an acute medical emergency. Interviews were transcribed and coded using template analysis. A panel of subject matter experts were then consulted in order to refine this framework and develop an assessment tool for observing these skills. This involved two focus groups and an iterative process, returning to the original data to verify any changes. Results: Four categories of critical non-technical skills were identified: Situation awareness, decision-making, task management and teamwork. Each of these had between three and four sub-categories. Descriptors, exemplar behaviours and an assessment scale were developed to allow these non-technical skills to be observed and rated using a behavioural marker system. During the development of this tool, exploration of the data revealed the influence of factors such as hierarchy and culture on the behaviour of junior doctors. Conclusions: The performance of newly qualified doctors in acute care is influenced by the complex clinical environments in which they work. This can have profound implications for patient outcomes. The framework developed by this research allows us to be explicit about the types of behaviours that are required to keep patients safe. If this tool can be integrated into clinical training, then it could be used by clinicians to support the development of safe and effective skills and reduce the current level of avoidable patient harm.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This research investigates the Corporate Schools' programme in Thailand. It aims to examine its implementation and progress from inception, evaluate its current status, and propose ways to enhance its future effectiveness. The programme was initiated through collaboration between the Government and the private sector in the belief that business can play an important role in developing public sector ability to improve educational accessibility and learning quality. The programme is expected to provide young people - particularly school-leavers - with opportunities for education and training. It is also intended to equip them with the knowledge and skills to match labour market requirements. A qualitative approach was employed throughout - governing research design, data collection and data analysis. Three participating companies: CP All Public Company Limited, S&P Syndicate Public Company Limited and the V-ChEPC programme, were selected as case studies. Data were collected through documentary research, semi-structured interviews and observation. The findings, which are based on thematic analysis, show two of the three case study companies were satisfied with the programme's outcomes. These two cases have been focused on their needs and they were aware of the importance of basic skills which young people required. This tends to confirm that the recruitment process has been conducted with due attention. This process, which is aimed at recruiting prospective candidates who hold basic knowledge and skills, could be further developed into one where technical and transferable skills best fit companies' needs. This thesis identifies the current challenges and suggests potential opportunities for three cases. Its outcome should provide a systematic insight to help increase understanding of the Corporate Schools' programme in Thailand with a view to assessing whether or not it has sufficient impact to merit its continuation.

This investigation was concerned with assessing the knowledge acquired in an employability skills training program. The method for determination of the knowledge was presented as subjects' responses to the Employability Inventory (EI). As an antecedent to this, the EI was subjected to validation procedures. The methods used to validate the EI were the point-biserial correlation coefficient and rating devices.