No description available.

The purpose of the study was to conduct a qualitative inquiry into the teacher-child caring relationship in order to portray a picture of caring possibilities by describing interactions in one public school classroom. Participant observation, interviews, a dialogic journal and artifact analysis was conducted with a public school preschool class. Through qualitative inquiry, thematic analysis, and interpretation of the data gathered, along with my reflections, review of the literature, and based on my experiences as a teacher for 10 years, I have gained a deeper understanding of the caring teacher-child relationship. It is my desire that as I relate this understanding it may inform other teachers about the caring aspect of teaching. The following question helped guide the study. How is the teacher-child caring relationship manifested through actions, words, thoughts, and feelings? In keeping with the philosophy, caring engenders care, it is thought that the caring teacher will help children become caring members of their classroom. It can be assumed that when a teacher makes moral decisions in the context of teaching and learning, regarding the child, she creates a culture of care in the classroom in which the child may learn how to be a caring member (Garrison, 1997). The teacher's daily moral decisions, made in the classroom, are "hands on" lessons in caring for children (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Noddings, 1984, 1992). As children engage in caring interactions with their teacher they may in turn learn to care for their fellow classmates and their teachers. "The teacher and student interaction can be reciprocally transformative" (Garrison, 1997, p. 45) renewing the caring teacher's sense of hope and feeling of success in the possibility of creating a community in her classroom (Noddings, 1984). The study of Sidney's classroom was an inquiry into the process of how, what, why and when Sidney made teaching decisions within the context of her caring relationship with the children in her classroom. Through examining a particular instance (Sidney's classroom), the whole (all classrooms), are illuminated. This study will present Sidney's caring through an examination of her classroom environment, "atmosphere," relationships, teacher practice, advocacy, professional development, and teachers and children saying good-bye at the end of the year. / Ph. D.

Les phases topologiques sont des phases qui existent au delà du paradigme de Ginzburg-Landau qui dominait jusqu’à présent la compréhension des phases et transitions de phases qui apparaissent dans les systèmes de matière condensée. Des exemples paradigmatiques ont été créés pour établir un nouveau socle théorique qui rend compte de cet aspect topologique. La phase de Haldane de spin 1 est l’exemple souvent retenu pour les systèmes unidimensionnels.La présente thèse propose d’étudier cette phase et de lui trouver des généralisations en se concentrant sur l’étude d’un moyen de l’implémenter expérimentalement à l’aide d’atomes alcalino-terreux fermioniques ultra-froids qui présentent la symétrie SU(N). Le modèle qui explique cette expérience, dit de double-puits car il décrit un réseau de deux chaînes en interactions, est analysé dans son régime de couplage faible, de couplage fort et par l’outil numérique. Au demi-remplissage, et dans le régime où les répulsions entre particules au sein d’un même puits, et entre puits qui se font face, sont importantes, une phase topologiqueprotégée par la symétrie de type Haldane est systématiquement attendue pour tout N, dont la phase "chirale" Haldane. Le modèle effectif obtenu lorsque N Æ 3, l’échelle de spin 3-3bar (à deux chaînes de spins, l’une dans la représentation fondamentale de SU(3), l’autre dans sa représentation conjuguée), y est détaillée. / Topological phases exist beyond the standard Ginzburg-Landau paradigmthat dominated the understanding of phases and phase transitions in condensed matter systems. Paradigmatic examples have been derived to establish a new theoretical basis that takes into consideration these topological aspects. The spin 1 Haldane phase is one of them for the unidimensional case. The present thesis aims to study this phase as well as its suggested generalizations by focusing on a way to implement them experimentally using ultracold fermionic alkaline-earth atoms, that involve an internal SU(N) symmetry. The model describing the experiment is called the double-well model and depicts a lattice of two interacting chains. The model is analysed at weak coupling, strong coupling and using a numerical tool. At half-filling and inthe regime of srong repulsions between particles in the same well as well as two facing wells, a Haldane-like symmetry-protected topological phase is systematically expected for all N, including the "chiral" Haldane phase. The effective model obtained when N Æ 3 is the 3-3bar ladder model (describing two spin chains, one in the fondamental representation of SU(N), and the other in its conjuguate) and is particulary explored.

No description available.

The primary objective of this study was to explore the relationship between personality and employability using a sample of 100 employees at a meat producing company in South Africa. A secondary objective was to determine if personality could be used to predict employability, and whether individuals from different demographic groups differed regarding their employability. The instruments used were the sixteen personality factor inventory (16PF) and the Van Der Heidje employability measure. The research findings indicated that the personality factors of submissiveness and seriousness correlated to the employability dimensions of anticipation/ optimization and occupational expertise respectively. Openness and corporate sense were also correlated, with anxiety in particular correlating with the overall employability measure. Differences between the race groups and employability were also noted. Particular interventions aimed at improving individual career decision making and employability practices within the organisation concluded the study. / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

No description available.

The interest in one dimensional (1D) magnetism has been strongly renewed with the synthesis of many magnetic compounds which exhibit a quasi one dimensional magnetic behaviour. One of the peculiarities of this 1D system is the absence of a long range magnetic ordered phase at any finite temperature for the ideal 1D system with short range interaction. Tetramethylammonium manganese chloride (CH3)4NMnCl3(TMMC) exhibits the properties of an ideal one dimensional antiferromagnets for temperature above 1 K, the transition to a three dimensional (3D) long range ordered state only occurs at 0.84K. In addition to its magnetic transition, TMMC exhibits structural phase transition due to the ordering of the tetramethylammonium (TMA) ions which makes also this compound very attractive from a lattice dynamical point of view. Structural phase transitions of tetramethylammonium manganese chloride (TMMC), tetramethylammonium manganese bromide (TMMB) and tetramethylammonium manganese chloride doped with 8% Cu (TMMC:Cu) of the hexagonal type compounds are investigated using the Brillouin scattering method. These crystals show pronounced acoustic anomalies in the region of the structural phase transition. The acoustic anomalies were observed by measuring sound velocity and hence the elastic constant can be deduced. The phase transition temperatures were observed at 129.6K and 388.6K (TMMC), 114.6K and 377.6K (TMMB) and at 108.6K and 359.6K (TMMC:Cu). The elastic constant at room temperature were C11 = 2.10 (TMMC) and C11 = 1.59 (TMMB) in units of 1010 Nm-2. The phase transition of these compounds were further investigated macroscopically using the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) method. Activation energies of TMMC, TMMC:Cu, TMMB and deuterated TMMB at the phase transition were determined using this method. The values are 70.612 kJ/mol (TMMC), 49.224 kJ/mol (TMMC:Cu), 51.747 kJ/mol (TMMB) and 69.909 kJ/mol (d12-TMMB). The elastic constant of the linear chain antiferromagnet CsNiCl3 and RbNiCl3 was also determined using the Brillouin scattering method. The room temperature measurements give C11 = 3.77 (3.71) and C33 = 5.62 (5.42) in units of 1010 Nm·2 for CsNiCl3 and RbNiCl3 respectively. The phonon dispersion curves at room temperature in the hexagonal CsFeBr3 have been studied using the inelastic neutron scattering technique. From the initial slope of the dispersion curve, the sound velocity was deduced which enable us to calculate the elastic constant of CsFeBr3 at room temperature. The values obtained are C11 = 7.33, C66 = 1.01, C33 = 2.58 and C44 = 0.56 in units of 1010 Nm·2.

Over the past two decades, transitions metals have been extensively employed towards the construction (using coordination driven assembly) and operation (using reversible metal-ligand switching motifs) of supramolecular architectures. This Thesis details the investigation of an array of dynamic platinum(II)-based metallosupramolecular architectures and includes a series of model studies on switchable platinum(II) coordination modes. Chapter Two describes the synthesis and study of a series of prototype noninterlocked molecular machines. The inherent dynamics of intramolecular metalligand substitution reactions (metallotrophic shifts) are exploited to drive a d8 platinum(II-)-phenanthroline component along different ligating architectures to achieve translational (and in one case rotary) motion of the sub-molecular components. Variable temperature NMR studies of these complexes have established the kinetic parameters for the observed shuttling processes. In Chapter Three, the switchable behaviour of a metal-ligand coordination motif is reported in which a proton input is employed to modify the overall thermodynamic bias and light is orthogonally utilized to selectively lower the energetic barrier for the binding event to re-equilibration. A discussion of the light-promoted ligand exchange reaction is presented, supported by a combination of TD-DFT calculations and kinetic studies. Chapter Four describes the exploitation of this discovered pH-switchable metalligand motif for the stimuli-responsive reversible assembly of two dimensional and three dimensional metallosupramolecular architectures. Whilst Chapter Five details how this reversible motif can be exploited to induce controlled exchange between “3+1” and “2+2” square planar platinum donor sets in response to the application of acid-base stimuli.

Ces travaux portent sur l'étude des jeux concurrents et temporisés. Ces deux types de jeux sont des modèles très utilisés en synthèse de contrôleur. Dans des situations où plusieurs agents interagissent, les notions de stratégies gagnantes utilisés jusqu'ici ne suffisent plus et il est nécessaires de s'inspirer de notions issus de la théorie des jeux. Le principal concept étudié dans ce domaine est celui d'équilibre de Nash. Nous proposons une transformation qui permet de calculer les équilibres dans les jeux concurrents en se ramenant à un calcul de stratégies gagnantes. Beaucoup de travaux ont déjà porté sur les calculs des stratégies gagnantes, et nous pouvons tirer parti des algorithmes à notre disposition. Pour le calcul des équilibres dans les jeux temporisés, nous montrons qu'il est possible de se ramener au cas des jeux concurrents. Nous proposons des algorithmes pour le calcul des équilibres, d'abord avec des objectifs classiques, puis nous proposons un cadre plus général qui permet de décrire des préférences plus quantitatives. Nous étudions également la complexité théorique des problèmes de décisions associés. Enfin, nous présentons un outil implémentant l'un des algorithmes que nous avons développé. / This work focuses on the study of concurrent and timed games. These two classes of games have been useful models in controller synthesis. In situations where several agents interact, the notion of winning strategies used so far is not adapted and it is necessary to adopt concepts from game theory. The main concept considered in this area is that of Nash equilibrium. For concurrent games, we propose a transformation which draw a parallel between equilibria and winning strategies. Many works have focused on the computation of winning strategies and we can take advantage of the available algorithms. To compute equilibria in timed games we show that it is possible to reduce them to concurrent games. We propose algorithms for the computation of equilibria, first with classical objectives. Then, we propose a more general framework, in which more quantitative preferences can be described. We also study the theoretical complexity of the associated decision problems. Finally, we present a tool that implements one of the algorithms that we developed.

This study explores the longitudinal changes among a sample of early adolescent girls in China throughout their transition from primary to junior high school. Early adolescence is a time of multiple transitions and is associated with a range of mental health outcomes in Western literature. This study will be the first to examine developmental changes in early adolescence among Chinese girls. A sample of 425 Chinese girls completed a self‐report questionnaire at three time points: the end of primary school, the start of the first year of junior high, and the end of the first year of junior high. The questionnaire comprised a range of measures relating to bodily changes, puberty, and gender issues, social changes in family, peers and school, and a series of standardised measures of mental health including: life satisfaction, self‐esteem, psychosomatic symptoms, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and coping. Results were analysed using ANOVA to examine longitudinal changes in measures. Following an overview of the interrelations between all the variables in this study using One‐way ANOVA, longitudinal results were reported in three chapters: physical changes, social changes, and mental health. Findings relating to physical growth highlighted the co‐occurrence of pubertal development and school transition. Significant increases in body dissatisfaction and social comparisons of physical appearance were identified, indicating girls’ growing self‐consciousness about their physical changes. Specifically, apart from weight concerns, an interesting finding of this study was that girls in this study reported consistently higher and significantly growing concerns about their height stature. A significant decline in positive feelings of gender typing was also identified. In terms of social development, there were no longitudinal changes in the overall quality of attachment with parents or peers, as well as peer norms, suggesting that although variance exists across individuals, these constructs remained longitudinally stable in this sample. On the other hand, a significant decline was found in parental involvement. In contrast to the negative outcomes reported widely in Western literature following the primary to middle school transition, this study revealed an overall positive school transition experience. To be specific, overall school climate was reported to be more positive in junior high school, girls’ personal goals and school behaviours were improved longitudinally, and school transition problems were significantly smaller than expected prior to the transition. Analysis of developmental changes in mental health revealed no changes in global life satisfaction and depression. However, self‐esteem in general significantly reduced over time; simultaneously and interestingly, psychosomatic health, loneliness, and overall anxiety significantly improved after the transition. Furthermore, longitudinally girls adopted a wider range of coping strategies to deal with stressful events, although both the selection and efficacy evaluation varied across coping strategies among individuals. This study is the first to explore Chinese girls’ development during early adolescence. Developmental trends are established in Chinese adolescent girls’ physical, social, and psychological domains. Despite evidence consistent with the universalities of this life stage as established in Western literature, this study also highlights cultural differences in the developmental experiences of Chinese adolescents. Taken together, the findings reveal a positive developmental phase with little evidence of increases in adaptation difficulties or mental health outcomes. These empirical findings are in contrast to Western research, which often highlights early adolescence as a time of adaptation difficulties. Overall, this study contributes to the literature on adolescent development. The role of culture and implications for future research and practice are also discussed.