<p>Background: In Namibia, studies showed that HIV/AIDS affects youth, especially the under 24 years age group. At the same time the pregnancy rate is also high by age 19. Interestingly, in&nbsp / Andara district several reports from staff working in the reproductive services have indicated that adolescent girls, who would seem to be taking responsibility in one sphere of their sexual lives&nbsp / by protecting themselves against unwanted pregnancy, were however not using condoms to protect themselves from HIV infection. Study Aim and Objectives: To describe the knowledge, attitude and behaviour related to HIV/AIDS amongst female adolescents who are accessing the primary health care (PHC) services for contraception. Specific objectives were to describe the&nbsp / knowledge of female adolescents who are accessing the PHC services for contraception about the modes of transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS, to assess their attitude with regards to&nbsp / condom use, abstinence and being faithful to one uninfected partner, also to determine the significance of association between age and knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, between their&nbsp / education level and knowledge, attitudes and behaviour and the significance of association between knowledge of HIV prevention strategies and&nbsp / behaviour of female adolescents accessing&nbsp / &nbsp / PHC services for contraception in the district. Setting: The study was conducted in Andara district, North East of Namibia. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional KAB study. Sample: All female&nbsp / adolescents who are accessing PHC services for contraception selected from multistage simple random sampling in 5 facilities and systematic sampling at facility level in Andara. All married&nbsp / women within this age range were excluded in the study. Data collection tool: An interviewer-administered standardised questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data analysis and&nbsp / Interpretations: Epi Info software 2002 was used for data analysis. The results were presented using descriptive statistics including means, 95% confidence intervals and percentages and&nbsp / this information was shown in tables, bar and pie charts. Cross-tabulations of knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores against demographic variables were performed. P-values &lt / 0.05 were&nbsp / &nbsp / considered statistically significant. Results: 76.5% knew that unprotected sexual intercourse was the main way of getting HIV/AIDS, 77.3% knew that people could protect themselves by&nbsp / abstaining from sexual intercourse and 64.5% knew that people could protect themselves by having one uninfected faithful sexual partner. Out of 192 respondents who stated that unprotected&nbsp / sexual intercourse was the main way of HIV/AIDS transmission, 25.5% used condom every time they had sexual intercourse, 10.9% used condom almost every time they had sex, 41.1% used&nbsp / condom sometimes and 22.4% never used condom. Older girls and those who were in higher grades at school had more knowledge that could protect them from HIV infection. Later sexual&nbsp / debut is associated with increased&nbsp / condom usage at sexual debut. Conclusions: The general HIV knowledge of respondents and their knowledge of how to&nbsp / protect themselves from HIV infection were disappointing given that this&nbsp / study was conducted in health facilities. In this study we also see that knowledge does not always translate into the appropriate behaviour. The health services need to evaluate the targeting and&nbsp / effectiveness of their HIV educational messages and develop skills that will support behaviour change.&nbsp / </p>

Problem solving is one of the central activities performed by computer scientists as well as by computer science learners. Whereas the teaching of algorithms and programming languages is usually well structured within a curriculum, the development of learners’ problem-solving skills is largely implicit and less structured. Students at all levels often face difficulties in problem analysis and solution construction. The basic assumption of the workshop is that without some formal instruction on effective strategies, even the most inventive learner may resort to unproductive trial-and-error problemsolving processes. Hence, it is important to teach problem-solving strategies and to guide teachers on how to teach their pupils this cognitive tool. Computer science educators should be aware of the difficulties and acquire appropriate pedagogical tools to help their learners gain and experience problem-solving skills.

For several decades, reading strategies have aroused many researchers’ interest.Readingis a very important language skill for English learners; however, many English majors feel that their reading proficiency is far from satisfying though they have studied English for more than ten years. Therefore, the current situation of using reading strategies among Chinese sophomore English majors is studied in this paper. The research aims to study the relationship between the use of reading strategies and the students’ reading achievements. The reading comprehension part of TEM 4 (2006) and two questionnaires are adopted in this study to collect data from the investigated students. The participants are 54 English major sophomores from a university in China. The major findings of this study are: English majors use reading strategies in medium level when doing reading comprehension tests. Both metacognitive and cognitive reading strategies significantly correlate with reading achievements and both of them play important roles in reading comprehension. There are differences in the application of reading strategies between high-proficiency readers and low-proficiency readers. Teachers do not pay high attention to instructing reading strategies in the classroom, so some pedagogical implications on the teaching of reading strategies are suggested.

For several decades, reading strategies have aroused many researchers’ interest.Readingis a very important language skill for English learners; however, many English majors feel that their reading proficiency is far from satisfying though they have studied English for more than ten years. Therefore, the current situation of using reading strategies among Chinese sophomore English majors is studied in this paper. The research aims to study the relationship between the use of reading strategies and the students’ reading achievements. The reading comprehension part of TEM 4 (2006) and two questionnaires are adopted in this study to collect data from the investigated students. The participants are 54 English major sophomores from a university in China. The major findings of this study are: English majors use reading strategies in medium level when doing reading comprehension tests. Both metacognitive and cognitive reading strategies significantly correlate with reading achievements and both of them play important roles in reading comprehension. There are differences in the application of reading strategies between high-proficiency readers and low-proficiency readers. Teachers do not pay high attention to instructing reading strategies in the classroom, so some pedagogical implications on the teaching of reading strategies are suggested.

The primary purpose of this Delphi study was to determine which of the research-identified differentiated instructional elements are the most effective for improving student performance as perceived by secondary principals in 2A to 5A 2009 ―Exemplary‖ public high schools in Texas. A secondary purpose for this study was to determine what additional differentiated instructional elements are perceived by this study‘s targeted principals as being critical for student success. The researcher obtained feedback during three Delphi survey rounds from the twenty-four member expert panel regarding which of the research-identified differentiated instructional elements they perceived to be the most effective for improving student performance. The differentiated instructional elements presented in the survey were based upon a sound theoretical framework resulting from a review of existing research on differentiated instruction. After Round Three, consensus was reached, and the data collection period ended. Each of the surveys for the study, as well as the statistical analysis, can be found in the appendices of this dissertation. The findings of this study determined that using a variety of resources, as well as a variety of strategies, were the top-ranked research-identified differentiated instructional elements that the expert panel perceived to be the most effective for improving student performance. In addition, panelists agreed that the differentiated instructional elements already identified in existing research, as presented in this study, are comprehensive and sufficient for improving student performance. Without a doubt, the conclusions and recommendations of this study could extend the current knowledge base by promoting the use of the most effective research-identified differentiated instructional elements to improve student performance. Furthermore, the implications of the study will be invaluable for ongoing professional development, principal and teacher preparation programs, and for those in the field seeking to improve their daily educational practices for student impact.

The medicare system within the Taiwanese government has been cutting public hospitals' purchasing budget on antibiotic drugs year after year, making antibiotic suppliers less profitable. This essay takes a close look at how the medicare is minimizing aitibiotic supplier's profit, and the right sales strategies needed for suppliers to survive in this hostile environment.

This study mainly investgates the investment performance of momentum strategies and contrarian strategies in Taiwan stock market. There are three purposes in this paper. First, we examine whether the momentum strategies and contrarian strategies can create significant profits under different formulation horizons and holding horizons, then we discuss the reasons for the profits of significant profits strategies, including risk, seasonality, industrial momentum, time series predictability of stock returns and cross-sectional variation in the mean returns, and stock underreation, overreaction, and random walk. Second, we derive the mix strategies from the combination of momentum strategies and contrarian strategies for the same holding horizons and test the investment performance of mix strategies empirically. Finally, we study whether the investment strategies of stock mutual funds in Taiwan are industrial momentum strategies or industrial contrarian strategies, and which strategies can create better industrial investment performance. The main conclusions and suggestions are as follows: First, we find the momentum strategies are more successful in Taiwan as a whole, especially from 1991/1/1 to 2000/12/31. There are only three significant profits strategies in 147 strategies totally for three different test periods, including the (24,24) strategy and (36,24) strategy from 1991/1/1 to 2000/12/31, and (1,12) strategy from 1981/1/1 to 1990/12/31. For the reasons of the profits of the three strategies, we find the negative alphas in the F&F three factors model and underreation from the decreasing returns in the post holding horizons, so we should use the momentum strategies very carefully in Taiwan stock market. Second, we find the success of mix strategies theoretically and empirically. Nevertheless, we can¡¦t increase the profits for considering more different sub-strategies if there are no successful sub-strategies with different formulation horizons. Finally, we find the investment strategies of stock mutual funds almost are industrial momentum strategies, which realized significantly better industrial performance then the industrial contrarian strategies. It suggests that the industrial momentum strategies are not irrational and can increase the speed of adjustment of industrial index to its intrinsic value. On the other hand, stock mutual funds can perform well by the momentum strategies without superior information collection and analysis.

<p><strong>Background: </strong>It is important to develop and execute human resource practices that generate employee competencies and behaviours the company needs to achieve its strategic goals. SHRM is about how to align HR strategies with corporate strategies, and implemented in a correct way SHRM can be an efficient tool to use for enhancing organisational performance.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of the thesis is to evaluate the alignment between EWES Stålfjäder AB´s corporate strategies and its HR strategies.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>To study this we believe it was accurate to use a qualitative method approach. The empirical study consists of semi-structured interviews as well as written documents.</p><p><strong>Analysis: </strong>The structure of the analysis follows the theoretical framework. We have used the model developed by Dessler (2008, p. 95), “How to Align HR Strategy and Actions with Business Strategy”.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong> We found that EWES Stålfjäder AB need to clarify their corporate strategies throughout the whole organisation. This will help them to identify and implement HR strategies that are in line with them. Working in this manner, we believe it will help EWES to conceptualize and execute accurate changes the organisation needs to accomplish their corporate strategies. Furthermore, we found that most of EWES’ HR practices become more like add-ons than strategic activities that are aligned with their corporate strategies.</p>

本研究的目的是在探討「明示閱讀策略教學」對於台灣國中生英文閱讀能力之效益，並研究此教學策略對國中生在閱讀測驗中不同題型的成效。此外，更深入研究國中生對閱讀策略的使用及對閱讀策略教學的回應。 研究對象是桃園市某國中76位八年級的學生，隨機分派為一實驗組，一控制組。實驗組學生在十五週中接受六種閱讀策略的訓練，包括預測、略讀找出大意、瀏覽找到特定資訊、推測、利用上下文猜生字意思、自我修正。訓練方式採「明示策略教學」，強調老師說明及示範、引導練習、自我練習及應用。研究的主要工具是前、後測（採自全民英檢閱讀測驗）、學生應用閱讀策略問卷、及學生對此教學策略的回饋問卷。 研究結果發現： (一) 教授閱讀策略技巧有助於學生的閱讀理解。接受閱讀策略教學的實驗組學生於後測階段，在閱讀理解測驗的表現明顯優於未接受閱讀策略的控制組學生。 (二) 閱讀策略教學有助於學生對各類型測驗題目（確認大意、文章細節、推論、猜測字意等）之掌握與理解。 (三) 明示閱讀策略教學有助於增強學生對閱讀策略的觀念及用法。大部分受 試者在實驗前不知道這些策略，但於教學後都了解並喜歡使用這些策略。 (四) 問卷結果顯示：大部分的實驗組學生對於「明示閱讀教學」在英語閱讀表現上的成效抱持肯定態度，尤其以利用瀏覽找特定資訊及略讀了解主旨為大多數學生認為是最實用的閱讀策略。 本研究者建議國中生應學習閱讀策略以提昇閱讀理解能力，而英文老師應於國一時即有系統地將閱讀策略教學融入英文課中，以幫助學生長期並廣泛地使用閱讀策略。此外，老師們應加強學生靈活運用由上而下及由下而上的閱讀策略，以達到有效的閱讀。再者，老師們應加強學生使用閱讀策略回答測驗問題的能力。最後，老師們應藉由策略教學及有趣的教材提高學生的閱讀興趣及動機。 / This study explores the effects of the explicit instruction of reading strategies on EFL junior high school students’ reading comprehension. The study further investigates if there are significant effects of reading strategies on reading comprehension for students in different types of questions. It also examines the students’ use of reading strategies and their responses to the strategy instruction. The participants of this study were 76 eighth-grade students from two classes at a junior high school in Taoyuan. Class 802 was the experimental group, and Class 825 was the control group. A fifteen-week explicit strategies instruction with its focus on six strategies (making predictions, skimming for the main idea, scanning for important information, making inferences, guessing the meanings of unfamiliar words from context, and self-monitoring) was given to all the participants in the experimental group. These strategies were taught explicitly, with their emphasis on modeling, guided practice, independent practice, and application. The reading comprehension test of GEPT－elementary level was used as the pretest and posttest to measure the participants’ reading comprehension ability before and after the instruction. A questionnaire was conducted to investigate the use of reading strategies both in the pretest and posttest. The major findings of the study are summarized as follows. 1. The strategies instruction was effective in promoting the participants’ reading comprehension. There is a significant difference in the reading performance between the experimental group and control group. When reading strategies are instructed to the experimental group, the group has the significant improvement in reading comprehension. 2. The strategies instruction helped the participants better comprehend main idea questions, detail questions, inference questions, and word-guessing questions. 3. The strategies instruction helped the participants build up knowledge and use the instructed strategies. Most of the participants did not have a clear idea of these strategies before the instruction, but they had learned to use these strategies and liked to use them after the instruction. 4. Most of the subjects had a positive response toward the strategies instruction. The strategies regarded by the participants as the most practical ones were “scanning for important information” and “skimming for the main idea”. The study provides several pedagogical implications. First, EFL junior high school students should learn reading strategies to improve their reading comprehension, and EFL teachers should provide them with explicit strategies instruction in a systematic way from the first year. Second, the strategy instruction should be incorporated into regular English class to help strengthen students’ long-term strategy use. Third, EFL teachers should help students use flexibly both top-down and bottom-up models to achieve effective and efficient reading. Fourth, in assessing students’ reading comprehension, EFL teachers should strengthen students’ use of strategies in answering comprehension questions. Last but not least, EFL teachers should arouse students’ interest and motivate them in English reading through strategy instruction and attractive text resources.

My goals for this study were to use Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) to: propose a conceptual model based on theoretical frameworks of student motivation variables, use of cognitive strategies, and use of self-regulation strategies affecting student academic performance; statistically examine each of the structural relationships among the above variables on student achievement; and, test for cultural differences between American and Korean community college students on the measurement model, factor means, and structure model. These SEM results provided support for four research hypotheses: (a) Students’ reported motivational variable scores had significantly positive effects on students’ reported use of self-regulation strategies for both the American and Korean community college students; (b) Students’ reported motivational variable scores had significantly positive effects on students’ reported use of cognitive strategies for both the American and Korean community college students; (c) Students’ reported motivational variable scores significantly positively predicted students’ academic achievement for both the American and Korean community college students; (d) Students’ reported use of cognitive strategies was positively related to students’ reported use of self-regulation strategies for both the American and Korean community college students. However, these results did not provide statistical support for the four research hypotheses; (e) Students’ reported use of cognitive strategies did not significantly predict students’ academic achievement in the overall model for both the American and Korean community college students; (f) Student’s reported use of learning skills strategies did not significantly predict students’ academic achievement in the overall model for both American and Korean community college students. Based on the results of the current study, many future studies can be suggested. First of all, future studies need to have various measurements to assess student academic achievement. GPA is only one measure for students’ academic achievement or success. Future research should consider alternative measurements such as peer or teacher evaluation, students’ satisfaction, problem-solving ability in the context of the course student are taking, ability to transfer and so on. If research includes more alternative measurements to measure student success, research may avoid the limitation of using only GPA as student success. / text