This qualitative study of an adult literacy program, Literacy for Liberation, operated by a non-governmental organization and serving a marginalized demographic in Haiti, considered the impact of a literacy program designed to enhance technical and critical literacy skills while promoting communal and individual change. Data, collected in five open-ended interviews and two observations, focused on the contextual, logistical, and beneficial aspects of the program. Results were analyzed using markers from Freire’s framework of critical pedagogy: humanization, situated literacy, dialogue and consciousness-raising, and transformation. Findings revealed limited economic, social, and communal benefits, and that replication of the program may be possible if certain steps are followed. Overall conclusions demonstrated that expanding literacy programs in this setting can facilitate social and economic progress for previously illiterate adults and future generations, particularly where structural inequality is evident. Final recommendations included comparison studies of other programs and longitudinal research of descending generations.

No description available.

Flexible employment patterns is a fast growing organisational policy. The enormous growth of temporary employment suggests that time spent in temporary employment may increasingly characterise typical career paths. For individuals building a career within a temporary employment environment may mean something very different from building a career in a world of permanent and stable employment relationships. It is anticipated that those on temporary or otherwise precarious contracts will conceivably display lower levels of commitment to the work organisation than those enjoying job security and career advancement within the ladder of hierarchy. Indeed, the combined promise of job security and career advancement within corporate hierarchies as linked with incremental increases in authority status and pay have constituted the major rewards through which organisations have been able to elicit organisational attachment and commitment from their employees. The popularity of the concept appears to stem from its linkage with several desirable employee behaviours contributing to organisational effectiveness and efficiency. However, the HRM goals of improved employee commitment will potentially be undermined by the introduction of flexible work and employment patterns. The purpose of this study was to identify the degree the nature and antecedents of organisational commitment for short term professionals. The main argument of the present research is that the new forms of job security rest on the base of employability security. Employability security comes from the chance to accumulate human capital - skills reputation that can be invested in new opportunities as they arise. Our findings supported this argument and explained significant amount of variance in commitment. Additionally our findings reveal the changing nature of commitment. The emergence of "reflective" commitment put forward a new type of commitment. According to "reflective" commitment individuals develop primarily "commitment to self' which is projected to the organisation and reflects the realisation of individual and organisational pursuits.

This dissertation used an original fable to explore how the humanities might be used to inform readers about educational issues and promote dialogue among groups of educational stakeholders. Along with the fable, The Foal and the Ranch, I have described tools with which to recognize and overcome policy fallacies. Additionally, I have provided evidence to support the events represented in the fable and to further enhance the conversation about justice, fairness, and equity in public education as purported in Saskatchewan public education documents. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of a fable as an instrument of the humanities towards creating personal transformation of understanding and meaningful dialogue on educational issues. For this study, 11 participants were divided into three relatively homogeneous discussion groups. The first group was comprised of three teacher candidates, the second group was made up of five experienced educators who were also doctoral candidates, and the third group consisted of three parents who each had children attending public schools. Participants read the fable individually, completed a pre-discussion survey, engaged in a group discussion, and then completed a post-discussion survey. The findings indicated that perceived individual transformation related to understanding as a result of reading and discussing the fable varied greatly and seemed to be inversely related to the amount of experience that the participants had had with educational systems. Those with vast experience (administrators/teachers) felt they had experienced minor transformation, those with moderate experience (teacher candidates) showed moderate transformation, and those with little experience (parents) indicated considerable transformation. The experienced teachers felt affirmed by the fable, the teacher candidates felt frustrated, and the parents said they simultaneously felt validated, outraged, and overwhelmed. All groups felt that the fable would be beneficial toward engaging stakeholders in productive dialogue concerning educational issues. The dialogue among participants was measured according to Bloom’s Taxonomy for affective learning and all three groups stayed primarily in the lower three levels of affective learning: receiving, responding, and valuing. Research findings corroborated existing theories advocating the usefulness of the humanities to function as both a mirror to see one`s self as well as window through which to view the world. The stakeholders that were included in this study indicated a belief that there is a disconnect between educational policies and practices, implying that informed dialogue is necessary and that constructs such as the fable used in this study may support understanding. Implications relate to the usefulness of the humanities as a tool in supporting change in Education. Further research is necessary in exploring what actual change might transpire as a result of humanities-inspired dialogue.

No description available.

Errata & addenda tipped in behind back end paper. / Copies of author's previously published articles in pocket on back end-paper. / Bibliography: leaves 147-194. / xi, 194, [69] leaves, [68] leaves of plates : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Explores the hypothesis that structures similar to lymphocyte-filled villi in rats and mice are present in the small human intestine. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, 1999

The aim of this study was to develop a genetic transformation system for the plant pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani (teliomorph, Thanatephprus cucumeris Frank [Donk]). The availability of a transformation system would allow us to study gene exchange, epidemiology, and to use techniques such as gene disruption or gene silencing to investigate the role of fungal enzymes in pathogenesis. The approach adopted was to use Agrobacterium tumefaciens to transform the fungus as reports in the literature suggested that this was the most efficient and easiest method to use. As a preliminary test, Fusarium oxysporum was transformed using a binary vector (pBINAN) containing a hygromycin resistance gene under control of an ascomycete promoter and terminator. Hygromycin resistant transformants were obtained after co-incubation of fungal conidia with the bacterium. The presence of the transgene was confirmed by analysis of DNA. The number of transformants depended on the genetic background of the A tumefaciens. Strains AGLO or AGRO gave higher numbers of transformants compared to LBA4404. No transformants were obtained when the hygromycin gene was under control of a basidiomycete (pBINHL1), or a plant (CaMV35S) promoter. Since the basidiomycete promoter used in pBINHL1 originates from Ustilago maydis, the vector was tested by transformation of Ustilago cynodontis. Stable transformants of U cynodontis were obtained with this vector. A series of experiments were carried out on transformation of R. solani mycelium. Both the protoplast and the Agrobacterium transformation methods were tested. Parameters affecting protoplast production and regeneration were examined. Protoplast production varied with the age of the mycelium, with the osmotic stabilizer used, and with time of treatment with protoplasting enzymes. Regeneration of protoplasts was also affected by the osmotic stabilizer and the growth medium. Transformation of several isolates from different anastomosis groups (AG) was attempted by inducing protoplasts to take up DNA using polyethyleneglycol. Two plasmids were used; (1) pAN7-1 containing the resistance gene under control of an ascomycete promoter, and (2) pHL-1 in which the resistance gene is under control of a basidiomycete promoter. No transformants were obtained. Attempts were then made to transform mycelium and protoplasts using A tumefaciens. The experiments used both mycelium and protoplasts as the recipient. A number of small resistant colonies were obtained using binary plasmid (pBINHL1) in which mycelium was transformed with the resistance gene was driven by the basidiomycete promoter. On transfer to fresh medium these colonies would grow to about 2cm diameter, and then stop growing. On a second transfer to fresh medium they failed to show any growth. No resistant colonies were obtained from A. tumefaciens transformation of protoplasts. To improve transformation efficiency, a vector was constructed in which the hygromycin resistance gene was fused to an R solani laccase promoter sequence. No resistant colonies were obtained using this vector. Further experiments were carried out using a hygromycin resistance gene specially modified for expression in basidiomycetes by the insertion of artificial introns in the 5’ and 3’ untranslated regions, and a number of AT to CG conversions in the coding region. Most of the recipient isolates gave transformants with the unstable resistance phenotype. However, one AG 6 isolate gave transformants with a stable resistance phenotype. Of six transformants recovered from this isolate, five were shown by PCR and southern blotting to contain the transgene. In four of these transformants the resistance phenotype was stable in the absence of selection.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Biology, 2007. / "December, 2007." Title from electronic thesis title page (viewed 02/27/2008) Advisor, Bruce Cushing; Co-Advisor, Ronald Salisbury; Faculty reader, Monte Turner; Department Chair, Bruce Cushing; Dean of the College, Ronald F. Levant; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2003

Zugl.: Giessen, University, Diss., 2005.