Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2001. / Typescript. Bibliographical references: leaf 287-297.

The aim of this study was to investigate what empathy means to Swedish social workers and to discover in which ways empathy may be used within social work practice in Sweden. The phenomenon of empathy has already been investigated in several areas such as; social science, psychology and neuroscience and it remains as a growing subject in academic research. In this study, the subject of empathy was investigated within the context of Swedish social work practice. A qualitative study was conducted by using the methodology of a phenomenological approach. The research questions were formed to obtain substantial information about the description of empathy, as well as to discover how empathy has been used by a sample of Swedish social workers when working with people from vulnerable groups. The chosen theory in this study was symbolic interactionism and it was employed in the analysis along with different previous research. The results in this study indicated that the respondents found it important to show empathy towards the clients as a part of being a professional social worker. Empathy still appeared to be a contextually dependent phenomenon and the positive outcomes of showing empathy may be affected negatively due to distressful factors.    Key words: social work, empathy, symbolic interactionism

Every so often, education is marked by critical events that invoke profound changes in both teachers and students. This study proposes that the “Boscars” -Brockton Oscars- a local presentation of student film and dance is a critical event for those involved. In contrast to conventional routine processes and accumulation of learning, these events represent a flashpoint in our educational lives. Critical events pertain to deep personal meaning and agency. This research investigates the Boscars. This retrospective study is one of interactive ethnography which has strong affinity with symbolic interactionism using a range of qualitative techniques on an event in the recent past. The work was collaborative. Teachers, pupils and other critical agents worked with the researcher to reconstruct and analyse the event with the general purpose of informing and improving local educational practice. It is a celebratory account focused on expressive outcomes, drawing in large measure on teacher and pupil articulations. Respondent validation was important within the context of other tests of validity. One of these tests is the ability of the research to strengthen the participants in their work and to influence other practitioners – in other words for the research to share the criticality of the event. These criteria apply to the extent to which the account facilitates the drawing of inferences that may have application in other contexts or situations. For the student and teacher authors in this research it is an exercise in writing historical memory.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Peter Sawchuk.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Toronto, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-06, Section: A, page: 2350. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-151).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Acadia University, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-136). Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

abstract: An understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS) remains a fundamental goal of science education in the Unites States. A developed understanding of NOS provides a framework in which to situate science knowledge. Secondary science teachers play a critical role in providing students with an introduction to understanding NOS. Unfortunately, due to the high turnover rates of secondary science teachers in the United States, this critical role is often filled by relatively novice teachers. These beginning secondary science teachers make instructional decisions regarding science that are drawn from their emerging knowledge base, including a tentative understanding of NOS. This tentative knowledge can be affected by environment and culture of the classroom, school, and district in which beginning teachers find themselves. When examining NOS among preservice and beginning teachers the background and demographics of the teachers are often ignored. These teachers are treated as a homogenous block in terms of their initial understanding of NOS. This oversight potentially ignores interactions that may happen over time as teachers cross the border from college students, preservice teachers, and scientists into the classroom environment. Through Symbolic Interactionism we can explain how teachers change in order to adapt to their new surroundings and how this adaptation may be detrimental to their understanding of NOS and ultimately to their practice. 63 teachers drawn from a larger National Science Foundation (NSF) funded study were interviewed about their understanding of NOS over three years. Several demographic factors including college major, preservice program, number of History and Philosophy of Science classes, and highest academic degree achieve were shown to have an affect on the understanding of NOS over time. In addition, over time, the teachers tended to 'converge' in their understanding of NOS regardless of preservice experiences or induction support. Both the affect of different demographics amongst teachers and the 'converging' aspect of their understanding of NOS provide much needed insight for teacher trainers, mentors, and researchers. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Curriculum and Instruction 2011

Magister Social Work -MSW / Heroin usage is on the increase in the Western Cape province of South Africa owing to globalization and to increased access to the drug in this province. The goal of this study is to explore the experiences of coloured heroin users in the Metro South area of Cape Town, which stretches from Simons Town and Muizenberg to Retreat, Lavender Hill, Grassy Park, Parkwood and Wynberg. These individuals have been found to congregate in the Wynberg CBD. The overarching theoretical framework for the purpose of this research is social constructionism and symbolic interactionism, using a qualitative means of inquiry. Snowball sampling was used to recruit prospective participants and data was collected by means of in-depth interviews, with a semi structures interviewing schedule. The questions informed the subsequent themes and categories that arise from the data collection process. Snowball sampling was employed in this case, a non-probability sample, in which participants were recruited via key informants. The sample distribution included 13 participants, 10 of which were heroin users (5 female, 5 male) and the remaining 3 were key informants which contributed to triangulation of the data.

A temática “tatuagens” tem sido explorada em diferentes campos do conhecimento, a partir de diferentes quadros teóricos e metodológicos, porém deixando a atividade “tatuar”, seja como ofício, ocupação ou profissão, aparentemente negligenciada. Nesse sentido, a partir de uma imersão de 19 meses em um estúdio de tatuagens em Porto Alegre, sul do Brasil, o trabalho de quem tatua emergiu como um campo empírico rico para observar e analisar atividades aparentemente desviantes, já que, apesar de uma parcela da sociedade não perceber o “tatuar” como profissão, as pessoas que tatuam têm clareza sobre seu status profissional. Nesse cenário as fronteiras da Administração e da Gestão de Pessoas emergiram e salientaram a importância em compreender, mais especificamente, como essas pessoas desempenham e desenvolvem suas vivências nessa atividade, orientadas, ou não, por uma vontade em serem reconhecidas pelos(as) outros(as) como profissionais. Por isso, o conceito central observado não foi o de Profissão, mas sim o de Carreira. Entendendo-a como uma ponte analítica entre indivíduo e instituição, a partir de Everett Hughes, sociólogo da Escola de Chicago, é através da compreensão da carreira das pessoas que tatuam que foi possível compreender como elas vivem, entendem e lidam com uma profissão, aparentemente, em formação. Assim, o problema de pesquisa apontado é o seguinte: como a pessoa que tatua vivencia sua carreira? Esse problema contempla a busca por compreender como a pessoa vive e narra sua carreira, focando nos elementos de sua ocupação, compreendida como ainda não objetivamente institucionalizada, mas subjetivamente estabelecida, explorando os status e papeis sociais que elas vivem, os pontos de inflexão que negociam e os elementos que as fazem entender sua ocupação como profissão. Assim, a carreira, ainda que contemple todos aspectos da vida, será enfocada analiticamente no aspecto profissional, pois a especificidade analítica é voltada à atividade laboral de quem fala. Isto se deve à inserção deste trabalho na área de Gestão de Pessoas da Administração, apontando como interesse a compreensão de carreiras e profissões aparentemente diferentes do status quo, de modo que possa gerar reflexões e inspirações para a área. Para responde-la, realizei uma pesquisa de caráter qualitativo e exploratório, orientada pelo método de História de Vida, contemplando Narrativas, as quais foram utilizadas tanto para a coleta como para a análise e apresentação da trajetória. Além delas, também foram utilizadas como fontes de informação as visitas a campo, convenções, pesquisas bibliográficas específicas e redes sociais e de notícias na internet. Como resultados, parece que a pessoa que tatua vivencia sua carreira entendendo sua ocupação como profissão, determinando elementos, ao longo do percurso de vida, que comprovam a sua atividade como profissional; que há etapas pelas quais deve passar, bem como status, papeis e instituições; que passa por conflitos e dilemas frequentes durante a carreira e por um mercado de trabalho característico, que podem influenciar, também, na forma em zig zag que ela acaba se delineando. Em suma, parece formar-se uma “carreira padrão”, devido à repetição de algumas faixas temporais e vivências. Por fim, são apresentadas perspectivas de pesquisa futuras. / The topic “tattoo” have been explored in different fields of knowledge, from different theoretical and methodological frameworks, yet the activity of “tattooing”, either as craft, occupation or profession, have been, apparently, neglected. In this sense, from a immersion of 19 months at a tattoo studio in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, the work of “tattooists” emerged as a rich empirical field to observe and analyze apparently deviant activities, since, although a portion of society realize the “tattooing” as a profession, the “tattooists” or “tattoo artists” have clarity about their professional status. In this scenario, the borders of Administration and Human Resources Management emerged and stressed the importance in understanding, more specifically, how these people play and develop their experience in this activity, oriented or not by a desire to be recognized by others as professionals. Therefore, the central concept is not Professions, but Careers. Understanding it as an analytical bridge between individual and institution, by Everett Hughes, a sociologist at the Chicago School, is through understanding the career of “tattooists” that is possible to understand they live, comprehend and deal with a profession, apparently, not established. Thus, the research problem identified is the following: how the people who tattoos experiences their career? This issue includes the search for understanding how a person lives and narrates his/her career, focusing on elements of the occupation, understood as not yet institutionalized objectively, but subjectively established, exploring the status and social roles which he/she lives, the turning points that are negotiated and the elements that make them understand their occupation as a profession. Thus, career, still covering all aspects of life, is analytically focused on professional aspects. This is due to the inclusion of this work in the field of Management and Personnel Management, pointing to interest the understanding of seemingly different careers and occupations of the status quo, so that it can generate ideas and inspirations for the area. To answer it, I conducted a qualitative and exploratory research, guided by the method of Life History, contemplating Narratives, which were used both for the collection and for the analysis and presentation of the path. Besides them, were also used as sources of information visits to the field, conventions, specific literature searches, readings and social networking and news on the Internet. As a result, it seems that the person who experiences the Tattoo Career understands the occupation as a profession, determining elements along the path of life, proving the activity as a professional one; that there are steps that must pass as well as status, roles and institutions; that passing by conflicts and dilemmas during the career and in a characteristic labor market, which may influence, too, in the form of zig zag the path ends up outlining. In short, it seems to form a “standard career” due to repetition of some temporal tracks and experiences. Finally, future research perspectives are presented.

Magister Social Work -MSW / Heroin usage is on the increase in the Western Cape province of South Africa owing to globalization and to increased access to the drug in this province. The goal of this study is to explore the experiences of coloured heroin users in the Metro South area of Cape Town, which stretches from Simons Town and Muizenberg to Retreat, Lavender Hill, Grassy Park, Parkwood and Wynberg. These individuals have been found to congregate in the Wynberg CBD. The overarching theoretical framework for the purpose of this research is social constructionism and symbolic interactionism, using a qualitative means of inquiry. Snowball sampling was used to recruit prospective participants and data was collected by means of in-depth interviews, with a semi structures interviewing schedule. The questions informed the subsequent themes and categories that arise from the data collection process.