This interior design practicum explores alternative options for itinerant living in the twenty-first century with concern as to how unoccupied space is used more efficiently through questioning the way an individual identifies, inhabits and transforms unoccupied space into meaningful place. The designed solution emerges through case study research, photographic analysis and supportive space and place related theories as the guerrilla intervention of an adaptable, mobile interior unit. This micro dwelling challenges typical urban lifestyles and demonstrates that for individuals to form genuine connection and dependence on place, place must continuously reflect its occupant. This understanding of place and its subcomponents leads to a greater knowledge of user needs when designing alternative housing options within an increasingly itinerant society. Utilizing mixed methodologies and studying a 1:1 prototype, this practicum reveals an extended understanding of the potential unoccupied urban infrastructure has in providing rich environments to house temporal, versatile places to dwell and call home.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This thesis addresses why a comprehensive art education curriculum needs to merge with visual culture in order to better serve current elementary students today. The review of literature supports this theory and proves that the two approaches work together to make learning relevant and effective. The units of study provided make up a guideline that show teachers how to include visual culture into the current comprehensive art education structure. This allows students to bring their own ideas and experiences into the classroom, and results in making the visual arts more personal. Following this curriculum will help students own their education and ultimately gain higher level thinking and learning in the visual arts as well as other subject areas.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Persons 65 years or older are the fastest growing demographic in Canada (Government of Canada, 2011) and the need for 24-hour care and LTC support will continue to rise. An association is typically drawn between death and dying and the movement into LTC homes. Leisure can alternatively be important for promoting “living” and supporting wellness in residents. The notion of “living” in LTC shifts emphasis away from illness and death to placing value on wellness. This participatory action research (PAR) study aims to understand wellness from residents’ perspectives and the role leisure plays in their wellness. PAR stakeholders (family/care partners, staff, and residents) collaboratively discuss how to best attain, interpret, and disseminate resident perspectives on wellness and required supports. The PAR process highlights the necessity for academics and practitioners to involve residents in decisions about their care experience. Guiding questions include: (1) What does wellness mean to residents living in LTC? (2) What does a ‘well’ LTC home look like to residents? (3) What is the nature of the relationship between leisure and wellness from a resident perspective? (4) How can those involved in LTC support resident wellness? From the perspectives of residents living in LTC homes, findings inform a resident wellness model and provide insights into how wellness and “well” LTC homes can be better supported. Thus, filling a gap in the literature and shifting focus to living ‘well’ in LTC.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of authentic materials on the development of grammar knowledge, retention and opinions of ninth grade students as an English language learner, in comparison with traditional materials and textbooks or coursebooks. To compare experimental and control groups in terms of achievement, retention and perceptions about the implementation units, a pretest-posttest control group design was carried out. For the purpose of this study, two authentic material-based grammar units were designed and developed and implemented to experimental group students. Three instruments / tests, opinionnaires and unit feedback forms were used. Seventeen (15 and two) teachers and 54 students at TED Ankara College Foundation High School participated in the study. As for the data analysis, the quantifiable data in the pre, post and retention tests were analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. To indicate the differences between the experimental and control groups in consideration with achievement and retention, independent samples t-test was conducted. Additionally, opinionnaires and unit feedback forms were analysed to obtain information about the students&amp / #8217 / and teachers&amp / #8217 / opinions about grammar teaching in general and according to the treatment. The results indicated that most of the students were more successful in developing and retaining grammar knowledge while using authentic materials in class.

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2008. / Title from screen (viewed on August 27, 2009). Department of English, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Ulla Connor, Aye Nu E. Duerksen, Honnor Orlando. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-70).

Thesis (MComm (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was rooted in the emerging positive psychology paradigm of a positive approach to organisational behaviour. The assumption of this study was that certain variables influence work engagement, and it was therefore important to gain an understanding of these antecedents of work engagement. The aim of the study was to investigate the respective relationships that exist between the positive organisational psychological constructs, namely authentic leadership, optimism, self-efficacy and the influence of these variables on work engagement. A study to obtain more clarity about these aspects was therefore planned and executed. Based on the literature, a model depicting a sequential process of interrelationships amongst the constructs was proposed in the study. Both survey and statistical modeling methodologies were employed to guide the investigation. In order to conduct this survey research, an electronic web-based questionnaire was used as the method of data gathering. The questionnaire was programmed and posted for a period of three weeks on the portal of the company where the survey was conducted. A total of 781 e-questionnaires were sent out to the employees working in the particular organisation (a large liquor producing company). A total of 407 (n=407) respondents who work in this company and participated in the study completed four questionnaires – comprising of one composite questionnaire they had to respond to electronically. The four questionnaires constituting the composite questionnaire to obtain the responses from the 407 employees, were the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the proposed theoretical structure of each of the constructs. Exploratory factor analysis was only conducted to investigate the reasons where a poor fit was obtained from the confirmatory factor analysis. The results of a Pearson correlation analysis, stepwise multiple regression analysis, and the soft approach to structural equation modeling (SEM), indicated significant relationships between authentic leadership and work engagement, authentic leadership and optimism, optimism and self-efficacy, and self-efficacy and work engagement. Relationships between the constructs authentic leadership and self-efficacy, and optimism and work engagement, were found to be not significant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige studie is gebaseer op die nuwe positiewe sielkunde paradigma, meer spesifiek positiewe organisasiegedrag. Die aanname van die studie was dat sekere veranderlikes werkstoewyding be nvloed. Dit was dus belangrik om insig te verwerf rakende die invloed van sekere voorspellers van werkstoewyding. Die huidige studie het ten doel gehad om die verwantskappe tussen veranderlikes binne positiewe organisasiegedrag, naamlik outentieke leierskap, optimisme, selfbekwaamheid, en die invloed van hierdie veranderlikes op werkstoewyding te ondersoek. ‘n Studie om meer duidelikheid oor hierdie aspekte te verkry is dus beplan en uitgevoer. Op grond van die literatuur is ‘n model voorgestel wat ‘n logiese en opeenvolgende volgorde daarstel van hoe die verskillende konstrukte aan mekaar verwant is. Sowel opname- asook statistiese modelleringsmetodiek is in hierdie studie gebruik. Data vir hierdie opnamenavorsing is versamel deur middel van ‘n elektroniese webgebaseerde-vraelys. Die vraelys is geprogrammeer en vir ‘n tydperk van drie weke op die portaal van die organisasie geplaas waar die opname gedoen is. ‘n Totaal van 781 evraelyste is uitgestuur na die werknemers wat in hierdie spesifieke organisasie werk (‘n groot drankvervaardigingsmaatskappy). ‘n Totaal van 407 (n=407) respondente wat in die betrokke organisasie werk en aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, moes vier vraelyste – wat deel uitgemaak het van een saamgestelde vraelys – elektronies voltooi. Die vier vraelyste wat deel uitgemaak het van die saamgestelde vraelys en gedien het om die 407 werknemers se menings mee te verkry, het bestaan uit die Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), en die Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Bevestigende faktorontleding was gebruik om die onderliggende teoretiese struktuur van al die konstrukte te evalueer. Waar ‘n swak passing verkry was gedurende bevestigende faktorontleding, is verkennende faktorontleding gebruik om die oorsaak te identifiseer. Die resultate van die Pearson-korrelasie analise, stapsgewyse meervoudige regressie analise, en die sagte benadering tot struktuurvergelykings-modellering (SVM), het aangedui dat daar beduidende verwantskappe tussen outentieke leierskap en werkstoewyding, outentieke leierkap en optimisme, optimisme en selfbekwaamheid, en selfbekwaamheid en werkstoewyding bestaan.

Cette recherche est une tentative de mener un processus de création artistique, à la fois théorique et pratique, qui puisse contribuer à penser de nouvelles modalités d'images dans le champ de l'art et propose des pistes alternatives à la représentation. Ces images, fluides, autopoïétiques, sont davantage pensées ici comme translations continues que comme formes déterminées. Vivantes, elles se constituent sur leur bordure, à la limite d'une prise de consistance ou d'une dissolution. Nous partons du mouvant, de la durée bergsonienne, nous plaçant en son sein afin d'épouser le flux continuel des nos corps et des choses. Nous investissons un processus ouvert, celui d'une base d'expérimentation somatique fluide impliquant à la fois un corps sans images, en amont de celles produites par le système nerveux, et une multiplicité d'images poétiques engendrées par l'expérience. À ces pratiques, nous couplons celle d'une philosophie vécue en acte, engageant des concepts dans le processus créatif, le mouvement et la danse. Nous sommes portés à vivre, à penser, un seuil de tremblement sur lequel la perception ordinaire vacille, et à élaborer des modalités de regard qui tentent d'ouvrir les corps et les espaces les libérant d'images fixes ou d'identités trop définies. Il s'agit non seulement de voir avec la peau, les liquides, les os, mais d'épouser le vide au cœur des choses et de tenter de voir avec « les yeux du vide » afin que les images se transmutent continuellement en leur anagramme : magies. Nous pouvons alors nous connecter aux dimensions fluidiques de la vie afin que coule une nouvelle douceur entre les corps et les catégories. / This research is an attempt to establish a process of artistic creation, simultaneously theoretical and practical, contributing to the conception of new image modalities in the art field and offering alternatives to representation. Images –fluid, autopoietic– are considered here more as continuous translations than fixed shapes. They are living entities, constituting themselves at their limits, always on the verge of attaining consistency or dissolving. We start with movement, Bergsonian duration, putting ourselves inside it in order to embrace the continual flux of our bodies and of things. We enter into an open process based upon a groundwork of fluid somatic experimentation involving both (1) explorations without images (explorations antecedent to the images produced by the nervous system) and (2) a multiplicity of poetic images engendered by the process itself. We join to these practices that of a philosophy experienced in action, involving concepts in the creative process, movement, and dance. We come to experience and conceive a threshold of trembling on which ordinary perception flickers. We develop modalities of the gaze that attempt to open bodies/spaces, liberating them from set images or too-fixed identities. At issue is not merely seeing with skin, liquids, bones, but espousing the void at the heart of things and attempting to see with "the eyes of the void" in order that images be transmuted continually into their anagram: magies [spells]. We may then connect to the fluidic aspects of life and a new gentleness may flow between bodies and categories.

The aim of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between authentic leadership (AL) and organisational commitment (OC) in a State hospital in South Africa. In this study AL was measured by means of the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) while OC was measured by the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ). The self-report paper-and-pencil questionnaires were administered to a convenience sample of 222 participants in a State hospital in South Africa. The ALQ produced a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.815, while the OCQ produced a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.891, both of which were considered adequate for the purpose of the current study. Results indicated that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between Overall AL and Overall OC (r = 0.19, p ≤ 0.05). Results also indicated a statistical significant positive correlation between Overall AL and the three OC dimensions, namely Affective Commitment (r = 0.12, p ≤ .05), Continuance Commitment (r = 0.13, p ≤ .05) and Normative Commitment (r = 0.20; p ≤ .05). All the correlation coefficients obtained, although statistically significant at the 0.05 level, were of small practical effect, ranging from a low of 0.12 to a high of 0.20. These small correlations indicate that the relationships between the variables were weak, despite being statistically significant. The results of the regression analysis conducted indicated that AL accounted for a statistically significant amount of variance of Overall OC (adjusted r2 = 0.03, F (1.218) = 8.38, p ≤ 0.05), and of one of its three dimensions, namely Normative Commitment (adjusted r2 = 0.04, F (1.218) = 9.52, ρ ≤ 0.05). However, AL was unable to significantly predict the two dimensions of Continuance Commitment and Affective Commitment. Although two of the regression scores obtained in this study were statistically significant, the amount of variance they explained was extremely small, ranging from a low of 3% to a high of 4%. These results indicate that AL can predict the Overall OC and the Normative Commitment of a sample of participants in a State Hospital in South Africa. Limitations of the empirical study were the small sample size that was used in this study (n = 222), and the fact that the study was conducted in a single State Hospital, making the generalisation of results to other State or Private Hospitals in South Africa problematic. It was also recommended that due to the importance of AL as a contemporary approach to leadership, it should be studied further to determine its relationship with other organisational variables besides OC. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)