This study aims to investigate the domestic and work organization at the mansions located in the south of Västmanlands county years 1705-1849. The study takes into account the manors' size, ownership, owners' status and social changes. The study includes both large manors with noble owners and smaller manors with bourgeois owners.  The study examines how the households were formed, how they changed over time and how thet may have links to the Manor's ownership and size. The organization of labour is studied on the basis of how it changed over time and what it may have links to the owners ' status and the manors size. The focus is to answer how the connection was between household size, its composition, organization of labour and the owner’s status in the society.  Also if a difference can be seen between the strategies of the noble owners compared to the bourgeois owners.

The recent increase in the number of reported incidents of political, domestic and criminal violence in the media, attests to the escalating violence in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), one of the nine provinces in South Africa. This situation highlights the desperate and urgent need for some sort of peace educational intervention which exposes people to alternative ways and methods of dealing with conflict, in socially acceptable, non-violent ways in an attempt to curb this cycle of violence. The training and development of peace educators is now more critical than ever. However, a review of relevant literature reveals that the field of peace education and peace educator development in the KZN and the broader South African context is marginal and seriously under-researched. This study focuses on the learning and development of peace educators, with a specific interest in how their participation in a network contributes to their learning and development as peace educators. This study is framed by Lave and Wenger's theory of Communities of Practice. It involves different data collection methods, namely document analysis, observation of network activities and in-depth interviews with six facilitators from the Alternatives to Violence Project-KwaZulu-Natal (AVP-KZN). The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) network, which is the unit of analysis for this study, emerged as a space which facilitated opportunities for collaborative social learning where facilitators were able to share information, best practices, experiences, resources as well as the AVP's "organisational culture‟. This research explores the underlying motivations for participation in the AVP-KZN network, experiences encountered through participation in the network and the role of the network in terms of the learning and development of peace educators. In this study, the AVP-KZN network emerges as a rich site for the learning and development of both novice and experienced facilitators and a major contributor to acquisition of effective facilitation skills and techniques. The informal learning in the network appears to have concentrated on the pedagogy (facilitation styles, planning, flexibility, teamwork), self-development and identity development of the peace educator. The findings reveal the network as being a conducive environment for informal, social, experiential and transformative learning which involves the acquisition of increased knowledge and skills, changed practices, opportunities to observe, to be observed, plan, implement, review and write reports. The extent to which the peace educators were actively involved in their learning through their increased participation in a variety of network activities, was also evident in this study. Six distinct components of learning emerged from the analysis of the data: 1) learning from diversity; 2) learning through changes in community; 3) learning through changes in meaning; 4) learning through practice; 5) developing an identity as a peace educator; and 6) learning through the development of self. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the existing knowledge of peace education with a focus on the learning and development of peace educators in a community of practice.

The research study regarding learning strategies of nursing students incorporated a descriptive correlational action research design. This study examined the differences between associate and baccalaureate degree nursing students regarding each of the learning strategies of metacognition, metamotivation, metamemory, critical thinking, and resource management.Data were collected from 34 associate degree and 19 baccalaureate degree nursing students on a regional campus of a large Midwestern University in the United States. The demographic variables of age, gender, previous college degree, health care experience, other work experience, marital status, type of residence, location of residence, and grade point average were gathered. The demographic data of GPA and age were correlated with the learning strategies of metacognition, metamotivation, metamemory, critical thinking, and resource management as measured by the SKILLS (Self-Knowledge Inventory of Lifelong Learning Strategies) instrument modified with nursing contexts. Finally, an analysis of variance was used among the learning strategies and among the associate and baccalaureate degree student nurses' utilization of the learning strategies.Findings demonstrated that the associate degree students used metamotivation learning strategies more than the baccalaureate degree students did. Those pursuing an associate degree in nursing used the metacognition strategy more than they used either resource management or critical thinking. Finally, baccalaureate degree students used metacognition more than metamotivation, critical thinking, or resource management and memory more than they used the motivation learning strategy.Conclusions regarding less metamotivation of the baccalaureate students versus associate degree students' supported the literature equating intrinsic values with motivation. Another conclusion might be that associate degree students were pursuing a nursing degree to solve an acute problem in their life. The finding that metacognition was used more than the other strategies by the participants supports previous literature regarding the central role metacognition plays in education.Recommendations based on the findings included media campaigns and K- 12 programs addressing altruistic values. Other recommendations included methods that could be utilized by nursing instructors to promote each of the learning strategies. Recommendations for further research included the use of larger samples, longitudinal studies, and a comprehensive qualitative component. / Department of Educational Leadership

Pirmojoje darbo dalyje, remiantis įvairių autorių nuomone, yra pateikiama mokslinė medžiaga apie konkurencines strategijas, jų ypatumus ir taikymą. Antrojoje dalyje apžvelgiami tyrimai, susiję su konkurencinių strategijų naudojimu nekilnojamojo turto rinkoje, atlikti užsienyje ir Lietuvoje. Trečiojoje darbo dalyje pristatomi Kauno nekilnojamojo turto įmonių konkurencinių strategijų tyrimo metodai ir tyrimo rezultatai. / Practical and theoretical knowledge gained during studies period are used to write this work, which is called “Competitive Strategies of Real-Estate Companies’ ”. The purpose of work is to find out what competitive strategies are used by the real estate companies’. The first part of the work presents theoretical aspects of competitive strategies, including corporate competitive strategies, also other competitive strategies of companies’ such as competitive strategies of companies‘ by the part of market they take. In the second part of the work there is represented results of previous research, where variuos authors analyse competition and competitive strategies in real estate market. The third section shows the way, how the research was organised, presents methods of research and also there you can find practical information (findings of research) about the competition and competitive strategies, that are used of real estate companies operating in the market of Kaunas. The last section represents conclusions of the work, which shows that diferentiation strategy is the most dominating competitive strategy in the market of real estate in Kaunas. The size of the work is 60 leaves, there are represented 3 tables and 16 pictures. Key words: Real-Estate, competitive strategies.

The aim of the study was to analyse the survival strategies of the poor households in Boitumelo township. The research methodology used herein was two fold: Firstly, a literature research based on economic journals, previous research projects, books and internet was done in order to develop a better understanding of poverty. Secondly, an empirical research survey using questionnaires was undertaken. Over the years there have been competing theories which provide an understanding of poverty. Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses. Poverty captures a wide range of meanings, depending on who is defining it. Although various technical solutions have been suggested for differentiating the poor and non-poor using the monetary approach, there is no theory of poverty that clearly differentiate the poor from the non-poor. The survey results showed that 41% of all households in Boitumelo are poor and on average have an income shortage of 63% to the poverty line. Poverty within the area has a gender bias as 76% of the poor are females. The large number of households below the poverty line provided ample opportunity for further analysis to find out about the activities that they use to sustain themselves. Being unemployed in government or manufacturing industries, the urban poor are compelled to create some sort of jobs for themselves. Street vending, odd jobs, gambling, seeking credit on exploitative terms, income from state welfare, begging for survival are just a few of the activities urban poor adopt to survive / Thesis (MCom (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Low-literate consumers display distinctive behaviour in the marketplace, and in the first phase of a mixed method study, the aim was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of low-literate clothing consumers. Due to fairly high levels of low-literacy in South Africa and limited research, this research was undertaken to better understand the behaviour of low-literate clothing consumers in the marketplace. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, and through inductive, interpretative data analysis three broad themes were identified, namely personal (cognitive, social, financial and affective), product (types and format of product information, evaluative criteria) and store-related (store assistants’ behaviour, store selection and in-store information) challenges and associated coping strategies. The results of this study can be used to advise marketers regarding the needs of these consumers, and were also used to develop a quantitative measuring instrument to investigate low-literate consumers’ use of clothing labels in the retail setting. In the second quantitative phase of the study, the use of clothing label information amidst low-literate respondents’ personal- (reading and numeracy skills, concrete and pictographic thinking) and product-related challenges (the format of labels, care-label knowledge and evaluating clothing products’ quality) were investigated. The study sample consisted of 450 black female consumers with literacy levels between Grades 5 and 8, residing in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area, in the southern part of Gauteng, South Africa. Interviewer administered questionnaires were filled out, and it was examined for validity and reliability. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlations were drawn between reliable factors, and practical significant correlations were reported. ANOVA’s indicated statistically significant differences with mostly medium effect sizes between the occupation of respondents and selected factors. Respondents indicated that they do read and understand clothing labels, but results revealed that they did experience problems when using information on labels. Their numeracy skills were average, and abstract thinking related to numeracy, were fair. Pictographic thinking was evident in their preference for symbolic and graphic presentation of size format, but not when they were presented altered store logos. Care label knowledge was poor, and clothing products were evaluated concretely. Some of the respondents, especially the older respondents were inclined to follow the peripheral route of elaboration when reading clothing label information. / Thesis (PhD (Consumer Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

1. AIM - The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between metacognition and reading comprehension and also the relationship between metacognition, age and reading comprehension. 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE STUDY - In chapter 2 the cognitive approach to learning and reading, according to which the learner/reader plays an active role in the processing of information, is discussed. The human information processing system is discussed and the chapter is concluded with a discussion of how reading comprehension failures occur due to problems associated with the information processing system. In chapter 3 metacognition is defined and discussed based on the views of John Flavell, Ann Brown and Scott Paris and his co-workers. Certain factors affecting metacognition are also discussed. In chapter 4 the teaching of metacognition and reading strategies are discussed. Text processing strategies and text reorganising strategies are discussed which enable readers to regulate the level of their reading comprehension when comprehension failures occur. 3. EXPERIMENTAL REVIEW - An ex post facto research was undertaken involving all the standard 1 and standard 3 pupils of the largest of three primary schools in a specific town in the PI/IN region. Two questionnaires were used. One questionnaire, which was completed by both groups, tested metacognitive knowledge and skills such as evaluation, planning, regulation and conditional knowledge. Another questionnaire tested reading comprehension by means of a cloze test, an error detection test and a conventional comprehension test. Two different questionnaires were used for the two groups. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed on the data to determine the contribution of each independent variable (planning, evaluation, regulation and conditional knowledge) on the dependent variables (cloze test, error detection test and comprehension test). 3.1 Results - The following metacognitive variables influenced performance in the reading comprehension tests: * Error detection test : planning and conditional knowledge at std. 1 level and evaluation and regulation at std. 3-level. * Cloze test : only planning at std. 1 level and planning, regulation and conditional knowledge at std. 3 level. * Comprehension test : only conditional knowledge at std. 3 level. The results seem to indicate that metacognitive variables do affect performance in reading comprehension tests and that metacognition is related to age, considering the fact that the more "advanced" components of metacognition namely conditional knowledge and regulation affect performance mainly at std. 3 level. The number of metacognitive variables affecting performance in the three comprehension tests, three at std. 1 level and six at standerd three level, also indicates that metacognition develops with age. Due to the small population sample used in the study, however, no general conclusion can be drawn from these results. / Skripsie (MEd (Psigo-opvoedkunde)--PU vir CHO, 1995

Low-literate consumers display distinctive behaviour in the marketplace, and in the first phase of a mixed method study, the aim was to explore the challenges and coping strategies of low-literate clothing consumers. Due to fairly high levels of low-literacy in South Africa and limited research, this research was undertaken to better understand the behaviour of low-literate clothing consumers in the marketplace. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data, and through inductive, interpretative data analysis three broad themes were identified, namely personal (cognitive, social, financial and affective), product (types and format of product information, evaluative criteria) and store-related (store assistants’ behaviour, store selection and in-store information) challenges and associated coping strategies. The results of this study can be used to advise marketers regarding the needs of these consumers, and were also used to develop a quantitative measuring instrument to investigate low-literate consumers’ use of clothing labels in the retail setting. In the second quantitative phase of the study, the use of clothing label information amidst low-literate respondents’ personal- (reading and numeracy skills, concrete and pictographic thinking) and product-related challenges (the format of labels, care-label knowledge and evaluating clothing products’ quality) were investigated. The study sample consisted of 450 black female consumers with literacy levels between Grades 5 and 8, residing in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area, in the southern part of Gauteng, South Africa. Interviewer administered questionnaires were filled out, and it was examined for validity and reliability. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and correlations were drawn between reliable factors, and practical significant correlations were reported. ANOVA’s indicated statistically significant differences with mostly medium effect sizes between the occupation of respondents and selected factors. Respondents indicated that they do read and understand clothing labels, but results revealed that they did experience problems when using information on labels. Their numeracy skills were average, and abstract thinking related to numeracy, were fair. Pictographic thinking was evident in their preference for symbolic and graphic presentation of size format, but not when they were presented altered store logos. Care label knowledge was poor, and clothing products were evaluated concretely. Some of the respondents, especially the older respondents were inclined to follow the peripheral route of elaboration when reading clothing label information. / Thesis (PhD (Consumer Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

1. AIM - The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between metacognition and reading comprehension and also the relationship between metacognition, age and reading comprehension. 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE STUDY - In chapter 2 the cognitive approach to learning and reading, according to which the learner/reader plays an active role in the processing of information, is discussed. The human information processing system is discussed and the chapter is concluded with a discussion of how reading comprehension failures occur due to problems associated with the information processing system. In chapter 3 metacognition is defined and discussed based on the views of John Flavell, Ann Brown and Scott Paris and his co-workers. Certain factors affecting metacognition are also discussed. In chapter 4 the teaching of metacognition and reading strategies are discussed. Text processing strategies and text reorganising strategies are discussed which enable readers to regulate the level of their reading comprehension when comprehension failures occur. 3. EXPERIMENTAL REVIEW - An ex post facto research was undertaken involving all the standard 1 and standard 3 pupils of the largest of three primary schools in a specific town in the PI/IN region. Two questionnaires were used. One questionnaire, which was completed by both groups, tested metacognitive knowledge and skills such as evaluation, planning, regulation and conditional knowledge. Another questionnaire tested reading comprehension by means of a cloze test, an error detection test and a conventional comprehension test. Two different questionnaires were used for the two groups. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed on the data to determine the contribution of each independent variable (planning, evaluation, regulation and conditional knowledge) on the dependent variables (cloze test, error detection test and comprehension test). 3.1 Results - The following metacognitive variables influenced performance in the reading comprehension tests: * Error detection test : planning and conditional knowledge at std. 1 level and evaluation and regulation at std. 3-level. * Cloze test : only planning at std. 1 level and planning, regulation and conditional knowledge at std. 3 level. * Comprehension test : only conditional knowledge at std. 3 level. The results seem to indicate that metacognitive variables do affect performance in reading comprehension tests and that metacognition is related to age, considering the fact that the more "advanced" components of metacognition namely conditional knowledge and regulation affect performance mainly at std. 3 level. The number of metacognitive variables affecting performance in the three comprehension tests, three at std. 1 level and six at standerd three level, also indicates that metacognition develops with age. Due to the small population sample used in the study, however, no general conclusion can be drawn from these results. / Skripsie (MEd (Psigo-opvoedkunde)--PU vir CHO, 1995

Key words: reading comprehension, primary school, reading strategies, instruction techniques, gender. Research indicated that the reading ability of Grade 3 to 7 learners is insufficient for them to successfully complete their grades. This is an issue which needs attention very seriously, because it is clear that many students who have problems with reading comprehension and don't use reading strategies optimally and strategically are unprepared for the academic literacy requirements that typically characterise all levels of education, and that may very well be a part of their upcoming job responsibilities. For students to become mindful, motivated strategy users, they need systematically orchestrated instruction. Good instruction is the most powerful means of developing proficient comprehenders and preventing reading comprehension problems. The purpose of the study was to determine whether: • Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners use reading comprehension strategies and, if they do, which strategies are they using during which phase (pre-reading phase, during reading phase and post-reading phase). • There is a difference in boys' and girls' use of reading-comprehension strategies. • There is a difference in the use of reading comprehension strategies and the reading comprehension between Grade 3,5 and 7 learners. • The teachers of Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners are teaching reading strategies and, if so, which reading strategies are they teaching and how are they teaching them. A single cross-section survey design was used in the study. A total of 240 Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners attending two primary schools in Pietersburg, as well as six teachers (one for each grade in each of the two schools), participated in this study. Results showed that Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners differ regarding their use of reading strategies during the before reading, during reading and after reading phases. Results further showed that girls, in their use of reading strategies, differed statistically from boys, but the difference only revealed a small effect size. Pearson product moment correlations indicated that there was a relationship between reading strategy use and reading comprehension of Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners. The results of the ANOVA and the post hoc Tukey test showed that there were statistically, as well as practically, significant differences in the use of reading strategies and reading comprehension between Grade 3, 5 and 7 learners. The results also indicated that, although teachers sometimes teach reading strategies, the teaching does not seem to be explicit. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007