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This case study investigates the language policies and planning (LPP) implemented in Palau since the occupation by Japan before and during World War II, and by the United States of America under the United Nation's Trusteeship after the war. Palau is an island country in the Pacific with a population of 17,500, including 4,600 foreign-born citizens. The society is multilingual as a result of a 150-year occupation by other countries, including Japan and the United States, before its independence in 1994. In this study I also explore the effects of LPP during that time, including the policy regarding a standard writing system, practices at pedagogical institutions, and Palauans' opinions about languages, especially the two official languages, Palauan and English. Data were gathered through interviews, historical document study, observations of classes, and a questionnaire administered in Palau, by visiting the country more than 20 times, for one- to two-week stays beginning in 2001. Hornberger (2006) stated that the terms language policy and language planning have been used interchangeably or as a single concept in many previous studies. Her suggestion was to use the two terms as a set, as the relationship between them has been ambiguous in the past (p. 25). I agree with Hornberger that the two terms fundamentally form a single concept, and therefore, they are used as a set in this study. The theoretical framework proposed by Taylor (2002) is used to analyze the current LPP in Palau: that is, (1) language planning composed of (1.1) status planning, (1.2) corpus planning, and (1.3) acquisition planning; (2) language-in-education policy; and (3) aspects of language-in-education implementation program that consist of (3.1) curriculum policies, (3.2) personnel policies, (3.3) material policies (methods, content), (3.4) community policies, and (3.5) evaluation policies (p. 318). He stated, "[t]he process of devising a new national language policy" affects "language-in-education implementation programs" (p. 318). Major LPP studies were reviewed chronologically based on three phases suggested by Ricento (2000, pp. 10-22). It was helpful to consider the history of LPP "as a dynamic interplay between academic concerns... and political/bureaucratic interests" (Wee, 2011, p. 11). Also, some previous researchers have noted that localized studies of language goals, language use, and language change are needed. According to Kaplan and Baldauf (2003), who studied languages and language-in-education planning in the Pacific Basin, it is rare for Pacific Basin countries to have a language policy: "... [L]anguage planning is frequently undertaken by the education sector in the absence of any such higher-level policy or in the light of such a policy so vaguely articulated as to be quite incapable of implementation" (p. 6). Although their study provided a great deal of valuable information, they did not investigate the language policies of Palau. In this study I describe the government's policies, and real life situation of the policies. To describe the real life situation of the policies, interviews, and a questionnaire survey were used. I interviewed Palauans, such as those who had experienced the occupation(s) and postwar period to better understand the historical background of the current LPP. I also interviewed incumbent teachers after observing their classes. Most of them described various problems in teaching the compulsory Palauan Studies Course, on Palauan language, history, tradition, and culture. I also interviewed officials of the Ministry of Education, who provided a great deal of information about the educational system in Palau and the curriculum of the Palauan Studies Course. The 62-item questionnaire provided data concerning people's language use in various social contexts, as well as the effects of language policies and planning on people's opinions about languages. The 137 respondents were divided into five groups according to their year of birth, considering the years when important transitions had occurred in the LPP. Their responses were compared, and some of the respondents were interviewed to illuminate the questionnaire results. I interviewed eight Palauans in March and September 2012 and asked why they had selected certain responses to the questionnaire items. The questionnaire results indicated that there is a tendency for the younger generation to use English more than the older generations in various contexts, and that the efforts Palauans have made, such as making the new writing system a compulsory part of the school curriculum, have yielded positive effects on the opinions of the younger generation, who learned the Palauan writing system at school. Overall, the results showed that Palauan is not in danger of extinction at present, but it might lose its status as the primary language in the future. I suggest strategies for preserving Palauan as the primary language. / Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this study was: (1) to investigate Kuwait University (KU) students' attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help; and (2) to investigate if family, friends, and societal support played a role in the student's decision to seek professional psychological help as measured by the Family, Friends, and Societal Support Scale (FFSS), which was developed by the author. Other assessment tools used in the study included: (1) Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) as developed by Fischer and Turner (1970); (2) Orientation Toward Utilization of Social Resources (OTUSR) as developed by Vaux, Burda, and Stewart (1986); (3) a modified Life Stress Events Scale (LSE) based on 18 items selected from the 43 items Social Readjustment Scale published by Holmes and Rahe (1967); and (4) Demographic Data Sheet (DDS). A total of 529 participants completed all five assessment tools. The results indicated that KU students have less favorable attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help than groups studied by other researchers. The results also supported previous research, which found females, in general, to have more favorable attitudes toward seeking professional help than males. Individuals who received previous counseling were more likely to have favorable attitudes toward seeking professional help than those who did not receive such help. Students who majored or minored in psychology had more favorable attitudes toward counseling than those who were not psychology majors or minors. The newly developed scale, FFSS, was an effective predictor of KU students' attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help and explained more variance in ATSPPHS scores than any other predictors used in the study. / Ph. D.

Cette thèse a pour objectifs d'étudier les réactions des groupes majoritaires et minoritaires face au site web marchand congruent à leur pays d'origine et au site web incongruent (site congruent au pays hôte/étranger), de mieux comprendre les effets de la congruence culturelle des sites marchands et d'évaluer les conditions d'efficacité du site culturellement incongruent. Nous avons élaboré un plan expérimental comportant trois variables à manipuler : la congruence culturelle du site web (faible versus forte), la fréquence d'exposition (1 exposition versus 2 expositions) et la population (minoritaire versus majoritaire). Deux sites web expérimentaux ont été conçus (le premier site est congruent à la population majoritaire et le second est congruent à la population minoritaire). Grâce à une analyse de contenu réalisée sur les sites locaux de la population minoritaire, nous avons identifié et sélectionné les marqueurs culturels dominants (tels que les couleurs, les polices, les images et les symboles) que nous avons manipulés pour concevoir les sites web expérimentaux. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le site culturellement congruent par rapport au site incongruent améliore l'attitude vis-à-vis du site, la confiance envers le site et l'intention de recommander. Toutefois, les effets positifs de la congruence culturelle du site web sur l'attitude et la confiance vis-à-vis du site sont plus forts pour la population majoritaire que pour la population minoritaire / This thesis aims to study the reactions of the majority and minority groups towards commercial website congruent with their country of origin and culturally incongruent website (site congruent with host country / abroad), to better understand the effects of commercial websites cultural congruity and to assess the conditions of culturally incongruent website effectiveness. We developed an experimental design with three variables to manipulate: website cultural congruity (low versus high), exposure frequency (1 exposure versus 2 exposures) and population (majority versus minority). Two experimental websites were designed (the first site is congruent with the majority population and the second is congruent with the minority population). Through a content analysis performed on the local sites of the minority population, we identified and selected the dominant cultural markers (such as colors, fonts, images and symbols) handled in designing experimental websites. The results show that culturally congruent site compared to incongruent site improves attitude, trust toward the site and intention to recommend. However, the positive effects of website cultural congruity on attitude and trust toward the site are stronger for the majority than the minority population. The results also indicate that repeated exposure to incongruent website improves attitude and trust toward the site, but it should be noted that repeated exposure has a stronger influence on attitude toward the incongruent site

Motivation beskrivs som ett tillstånd som förklarar vilken benägenhet individen har att handla i en specifik situation. För att en individ ska ta ett beslut att studera på universitet eller högskola krävs det att denne är motiverad att göra detta. Motivation kan delas in i typerna, inre och yttre motivation. En ytterligare indelning kan göras i sex motivationsfaktorer; to know, toward accomplishment, to experience stimulation samt identified, introjected och external regulation. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka motivationsfaktorer som påverkar en individs val att studera på universitetet, och om motivationsfaktorerna i sin tur påverkar prestationen. Även eventuella skillnader mellan könen och mellan filosofisk och teknisk fakultet undersöktes. Data samlades in via en webbenkät, baserad på Academic Motivation Scale (Vallerand et al., 1992), där deltagarna fick skatta till vilken grad de ansåg sig ha motiverats av respektive påstående, i sitt val att studera. Resultatet visade att yttre motivationsfaktorer hade störst påverkan på valet att studera, där introjected regulation var den mest betydande motivationsfaktorn. För motivationsfaktorer och prestation noterades inget samband, förutom för faktorn to know. Ingen interaktion noterades mellan motivation och biologiskt kön eller fakultet. Kvinnor var dock mer motiverade än männen. / Motivation is described as a state that explains the propensity of the individual to act in a specific situation. In order for an individual to make a decision to study at university, he or she must be motivated to do so. Motivation can be divided into two types, internal and external motivation. An additional division can be made into six motivational factors; to know, towards achievement, to experience stimulation, identified, introjected and external regulation. The purpose of this study was to investigate wich motivational factors that influence an individual's choice to study at the university, and if this in turn affects performance. Possible differences between the sexes and between the Faculty of Philosophy and Engineering were also investigated. Data was collected via a web-based survey based on the Academic Motivation Scale (Vallerand et al.,1992), where the participants were asked to estimate to what extent they considered themselves motivated by each claim, in their choice to study. The result showed that external motivational factors had the greatest impact on the decision to study, where introjected regulation was the most significant motivational factor. For motivational factors and performance no relation was noted, except for the factor to know. No interaction was noted between motivation and biological gender or the faculties. However, women were more motivated than men.

Technology has been an integral part of human life since the 19th century’s Industrial Revolution, and the advancement of technologies has continued into the 21st century. Of all new emerging technologies, the computer has been identified as the most important, most complex and fastest emerging technology. In order for businesses to compete and survive within the business world, they are compelled to adopt new computer technologies. However, computers alone cannot improve organisational performance. Computers need to be accepted, optimally used and utilised by employees in order for an organisation to succeed. One such technology is SAP AG’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system which is a real-time, fully integrated business system used by more than 170 000 organisations in 120 countries. Measuring information system success has been a concern since its inception due to its complexity and difficulty to appraise. Researchers traditionally attempted to measure success by the delivering of a functional information system product within certain monetary and time constraints. Subsequently, evidence suggested that a more accurate measure of success lies within the field of system use. One model of assessing and predicting user acceptance and which has gained popularity in recent years is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Apart from accepting the SAP ERP system, users should also be of the intention to continuously use it as a job requirement. The model for measuring user commitment is psychological attachment which determines whether the commitment is insincere and temporary, or long-lasting. Further, not only do users need to accept and continuously use an information technology like SAP ERP; they also need to be able to cope while using it. If not, psychological stress known as techno stress develops and prevents the optimal use of this system. With these three possible explanations for computer technology avoidance as a premise of departure, this study aims to determine the congruence, if any, between the sub-constructs of the TAM (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using, behavioural intention to use and actual system use), psychological attachment (compliance, identification and internalisation), and techno stress (negative computer thoughts) within a South African SAP ERP user environment. A cross-sectional survey design was used rendering a convenience sample of N = 241 from among the SAP ERP user fraternity at a South African steel manufacturer. The measuring instruments used were the 23-item Technology Acceptance Questionnaire (TAM), the 10-item Psychological Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ) and the 20-item Computer Thoughts Survey (CTS-C). Study 1 which was a literature review confirmed conceptual congruence in that although the technology acceptance model was the most parsimonious, powerful and widely applied theoretical model, it was constrained due to the omission of social influence (psychological attachment) as a contributing factor in the processes of behavioural change towards technology acceptance. Furthermore, it was found that techno stress lowers employee efficiency and creates dissonance in the work environment, resulting in acceptance, hesitance or resistance towards the technology in question. Congruence was established between the system itself (technology acceptance), social relationships (psychological acceptance), and inherent psychological stress (techno stress). The aim of study 2 was to test the technology acceptance model within a South African SAP ERP user environment. Structural equation modelling confirmed that positive inter-construct relationships exist between all TAM constructs. Actual system use, which is the measurement for technology acceptance, was directly affected by behavioural intention to use and indirectly by perceived usefulness. In turn, behavioural intention to use was directly affected by perceived usefulness, attitude toward using and indirectly by perceived ease of use. Attitude toward using was directly affected by perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness was directly affected by perceived ease of use. Study 3 revealed that internalisation had a direct positive effect on behavioural intention to use and an indirect effect on actual system use via behavioural intention to use. Furthermore, in this study identification had direct positive effects on internalisation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and actual system use. Indirect effects emerged between identification and behavioural intention to use via internalisation as well as behavioural intention to use via perceived usefulness. Compliance, on the other hand, had negligible, negative direct effects on all TAM constructs of which the most prominent was that on attitude toward using. Results acquired from structural equation modelling in study four confirmed that weak negative relationships existed between techno stress and all TAM constructs. This finding is contrary to other studies and can be attributed to the fact that participants in this study were at large, proficient around SAP ERP and therefore experienced low levels of techno stress. Furthermore, aspects such as effective training, clear deadlines, effective teamwork, recurrent performance evaluations, job security, career development and realistic job load are all antidotes for techno stress which is believed to be current within the participant fraternity. In a concluding chapter the conclusions derived from the literature review, as well as the empirical research were presented and recommendations flowing from this research study were made. / PhD (Psychology), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

本研究主要目的在瞭解透過動態評量回饋系統輔助教學對提升國中數學學習成效及數學學習態度的影響。本研究針對新北市某國中八年級兩班學生共38人，每週進行五節，總計為六週之數學教學實驗。本研究採準實驗研究設計，自變項為教學模式，在實驗組以動態評量回饋系統融入學習之數學教學課程而在對照組使用一般傳統教學方法進行數學評量及回饋課程。依變項為「數學學習成效測驗」、「數學學習態度量表」，共變項為八上三次段考平均。以單因子共變數分析與二因子重複量數混合設計變異數分析進行統計分析，研究結果如下: 一、在數學科學習成效方面：以動態評量回饋系統輔助數學教學，能提升數學科學習成效。 二、在數學學習態度方面：在數學學習態度分向度之「外在動機」向度上，實驗組與對照組有顯著差異，證實以動態評量回饋系統輔助數學教學，能提升數學學習態度之外在動機。在數學學習態度整體面向並未有顯著差異，證實以動態評量回饋系統輔助教學並未能提升數學整體學習態度。 三、學生對動態評量回饋系統輔助教學的回饋： 1、學生普遍具有正向、積極的反應。 2、學生願意多花時間來加強數學的學習。 綜上所述，本研究針對結果提出具體建議，以提供教學設計、數學教學及未來相關研究之參考。 / The purpose of this study was to investigate junior high school students’ mathematics learning achievement by using a Dynamic Assessment and Feedback (DAF) system. The overall investigation process is designed as a quasi-experiment, where two classes of eighth-grade junior high school students in New Taipei County were randomly assigned to either the experimental(n=18) or the control groups(n=20). It took totally six weeks, and there were five classes per week to perform the instructional experiments. In the experiments, the independent variables were instructional strategies and the dependent variables were Mathematics Achievement Test and Mathematics Learning Attitude. The measurement instruments include Questionnaire for Mathematics Learning Attitude, Mathematics Achievement Test, and Questionnaire for Students’ Perception of Mathematics Instruction with DAF system. According to the students’ Mathematics Achievement Test, the statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANCOVA. By conducting t-test for the scores of the math learning attitude measurement, the analysis of math learning attitude was carried out by the two-way Mixed ANOVA. After analyzing the data, the findings of this study are summarized below: 1.Mathematics Achievement: The experimental group scored higher in the Mathematics achievement test than the control group did. 2.Mathematics Learning Attitude: No significant interaction between the teaching methods was found in attitude for learning Mathematics. A significant difference was found between the experimental group and the control group in their extrinsic motivation for Mathematics Learning Attitude. 3.The students’ feedback after the (DAF) system mode: I.Most students in the experimental group did enjoy the DAF system. II.Most students were willing to spend more time using the DAF system to practice Mathematics. Finally, based on these findings, this study proposes several suggestions for school administrators, teachers in junior high school math curriculum and future research are also discussed.

Les programmes de formation et d’apprentissage sont devenus des éléments parmi les plus essentiels pour les compagnies et la question se pose de savoir ce qui influence l’efficacité d’une formation. Récemment, la motivation pour la formation a été considérée comme le facteur déterminant. Ainsi, les objectifs de cette étude étaient d’examiner si la motivation pour la formation corrèle bien avec les antécédents et les réactions des employés formés, ainsi que d’analyser si la motivation joue un rôle de médiateur dans la prédiction des résultats d’une formation. Trois variables de « pré-formation » ont été choisies pour cette étude : l’attitude générale envers la formation, le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle en formation, et la planification de carrière. Les réactions immédiates des employés formés ont été choisies comme variable de « post-formation ». Un total de 152 employés d’une large compagnie québécoise a participé à cette étude en remplissant un questionnaire en début de formation et un autre à la fin. Les résultats de cette étude ont mis en évidence que la motivation pour la formation peut être prédite par l’attitude générale envers la formation, le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle en formation et la planification de carrière. De plus, la motivation pour la formation s’est révélée être le meilleur facteur de prédiction des réactions des employés formés. Les résultats ont également montré que la motivation pour la formation agit pleinement comme médiateur dans la relation entre le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle et la réaction des employés formés, et comme médiateur partiel entre l’attitude générale envers la formation et les réactions. Pour finir, cette étude a permis de découvrir que les employés nouvellement arrivés diffèrent des employés permanents dans leurs attitudes pré-formation et leurs réactions post-formation. Les résultats de cette étude sont discutés, des implications théoriques sont commentées et des implications pratiques pour les compagnies sont suggérées. / As training and development programs have become one of the most essential elements for organizations, the question rises of what influences training effectiveness. Recently training motivation has been considered as the key determinant. Thus, the objectives of this particular study were to examine if training motivation correlates well with its antecedents and its outcomes as well as to see if training motivation plays a mediator role in predicting the outcomes of training. Three pre-training variables were chosen for this study: general attitude toward training, training self-efficacy, and career planning. Immediate trainees’ reactions were chosen as a post-training variable. A total of 152 employees from a large Quebecois company participated in the present study by filling out one questionnaire before training and one after. The results of this study evidenced that training motivation can be predicted from general attitude toward training, training self-efficacy and career planning. Moreover, training motivation was shown to be the best predictor of trainees’ reactions. Our results also showed that training motivation fully mediates the relationship between training self-efficacy and trainees’ reactions and partially mediates the relationship between general attitude toward training and trainees’ reactions, but only partially. Mediation effect of training motivation was not found between career planning and trainees’ reactions. Additionally, this study discovered that new employees differ from permanent staff in their pre-training attitudes and post-training reactions. The outcomes of the present study are discussed, some theoretical implications are commented and practical implications for the companies are suggested.