Different opinions exist about the use of phonetic alphabet symbols in teaching English pronunciation to second language learners. Some authors and researchers believe phonetic symbols can benefit students in many ways; others consider this tool hardly recommendable. However, little empirical research has been done to find out what ESL teachers think about the use of this linguistic tool. Thus, via an online survey this study sought to identify ESL teachers' attitudes towards the use of phonetic symbols in teaching ESL pronunciation. A total of 120 teachers took the survey and most of them were experienced in teaching pronunciation to adult ESL students. The analyses of qualitative data identified a contradiction between experienced teachers' opinions and what they practiced in class. On the one side, the teachers had predominantly positive attitudes towards the use of phonetic symbols, and about 80% of them agreed that it was a valuable use of class time. Despite this, many teachers (n=40) did not report using phonetic symbols in their teaching. In addition, though the teachers pointed out enabling student independent learning as the main reason to teach phonetic symbols, only three participants reported that they used phonetic symbols for this purpose. The results of the study suggest that ESL teachers' lack of training in teaching phonetic symbols to ESL students can be one of the main factors causing this contradiction.

1 Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the numbers, severity and causes of accidents, occurring in the households due to the cleaning products. Among the groups of potentially dangerous cleaning products, the highest proportion of accidents was caused by cleaning products containing sodium hypochloride (37 %), descalers containing acids (29 %) and dishwasher tablets (25 %). A lower percentage of inquiries appeared due to hydroxides containing drain cleaning products (7 %). In the year 2009, there were 251 inquiries to the Toxicological Information Centre due to cleaning products in defined categories studied. Among them, there were 133 children and 118 adult patients, who ingested cleaning product accidentally (86%) or for suicidal purposes (3%); inhaled (9%) or had an eye contact with the product (2%). There were 23% children and 27% adults hospitalized; the children most frequently due to accidental ingestion of hydroxides (92%), the adults due to the inhalation of irritant vapors (64%). Among them 14% children (86% due to the ingestion of cleaning products containing hydroxides) have been examined using the endoscopy (in the total anesthesia), in addition to 5% adults. The study has shown that the most common cause of the accidents in children is the distraction of the adults; nevertheless, the...

By examining the results of an iterative design process, specifically a tabletop roleplaying game, Oceania 2084, this thesis aims to formulate a generalizable design process applicable when translating a work of fiction into a ruleset. The object that was translated into a ruleset was the book Nineteen Eighty-Four written by George Orwell in 1949. The iterative game development process spanned over 2.5 years and the author provides documents from 2phases of playtesting and discusses how the playtest results influenced design choices. In addition to the analysis of the effects of playtest results, the author also explores various game design decisions by means of auto-ethnographic analysis, and semiotic analysis. / Genom att undersöka resultatet av en iterativ designprocess för ett bordsrollspel, Oceania2084, så syftar denna uppsats till att formulera en generaliserbar designprocess för översättningen av ett skönlitterärt verk till ett regelsystem. Objektet som översatts till ett regelsystem är boken 1984 skriven av George Orwell år 1949. Den iterativa utvecklingsprocessen sträckte sig över en 3 års period, och författaren inkluderar dokumentation från 2 speltestningsfaser och analyserar hur dessa resultat påverkade de tagna designbesluten. Utöver att analysera speltesternas resultat så utforskas en mängd designbeslut genom autoetnografisk analys, och semiotisk analys.

Throughout his career Augustine wrote often about the attainment of the vision of God, in which God would be seen face-to-face without the need of signs and symbols. He understood this vision to be the ultimate goal of Christianity, for in this contemplation of the divine believers attain true happiness through the enjoyment ofGod. Given the centrality ofthe vision of God in Augustine's writings, one would expect the secondary literature to be replete with references to this facet of his thought. However, this is not the case. While minor studies have been produced on the vision of God and Augustine, no major study exists. This thesis is an attempt to address, at least in some measure, this scholarly lacuna. In this thesis I attempt to examine Augustine's conception of the attainment of the vision of God as formulated at different points of his career in order to analyse the evolution of his thought. To accomplish this task I chose three principal writings from his corpus in which the vision of God plays an especially prominent role, each of which provides a window into the mindset of Augustine at a particular period of his life; they are De Quantitate Animae (The Greatness ofthe Soul), written c. 387; Confessiones, completed between 397 and 401; and De Trinitate (On the Trinity), completed c. 420. Through an analysis of Augustine's conception ofthe vision of God in each of these writings, I argue that his understanding ofthe means by which the vision is attained evolves as his career progresses. For example, in De Quantitate Animae Augustine posits that the soul can attain the vision of God in this life through a Plotinian-style interior withdrawal, and while he suggests that the church and the incarnate Son of God play a role in the soul's ascent to God, precisely what role they play is ambiguously formulated. Later writings, however, indicate that Augustine's conception of the vision of God evolved and I argue that the development of Augustine's conception of the attainment of the vision of God is a development which sees him moving steadily away from a positive understanding ofhuman potentiality toward a conception ofthe drastic consequences of human fallenness which is directly related to wrongly-ordered love, and away from an emphasis on interiority as a means of purification and toward an understanding of God as purifier in and through the Holy Spirit, whereby the individual is purified through the collective purification of the community manifesting the love that is the Holy Spirit. A more pronounced and nuanced conception ofthe role of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and ofthe community ofthe church in the attainment ofthe vision of God eschatologically thus characterises the evolution of Augustine's conception of humanity's ascent to the divine. This development also finds Augustine placing progressively less emphasis on the attainment of the vision of God in this life. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

This study aims to explore the perceived value and effect of symbols worn in the military. Since uniforms create uniformity, symbols are one of the few ways individuals can distinguish themselves. These symbols hold more value than just a piece of fabric which serves a practical purpose. Within the Swedish armed forces, this has given rise not only to debates but also incidents regarding the trials in which these symbols are earnt. However, contemporary research on the topic remains limited. Through an interpretive applied-theory approach, using Anthony King's theory as a framework for analyzing empirical data collected from interviews with officers and cadets within the French foreign legion, army, special forces, and infantry several discoveries were made.  Symbols used beyond organizational necessity could be linked to both positive effects such as cohesion, trust, motivation, and pride, as well as negative effects such as shame, exclusion, and prejudice. The study indicates that symbols are often valued based on two concepts: distinction and difficulty in obtaining it. By better understanding the case in the French army, the study contributes to existing research by providing an outline of the area for continued research and a clearer way forward for practical applications of symbols in the military.

This thesis supports the Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Adjusted Tools, at the Tipton Gallery, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, from August 3rd thru August 29th, 2012. The exhibition is comprised of eight sculptures, which are presented on pedestals and wall mounted. The artist references her own investigation of social patterns associated with preconceived roles of gender and how those patterns relate to housework. The artist experiments with an array of different materials including wood, stone, steel, and bronze that are fashioned into forms such as irons, ironing boards, and clothes pins. Topics addressed include influences, techniques, and methods directly pertaining to the artist's design and construction of sculpture. Included are images of work procedures as well as documentation of the exhibition.

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