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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Practices of description'

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Published: 8 February 2025

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1

Bailey, Cathy. "Negotiating household shopping practices : beyond empirical description." Thesis, Northumbria University, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.367486.

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2

Dixon, John A. "A Description of Instructional Practices in Inclusive Classroom Settings." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/29883.

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This study was designed to describe the experiences of general education students in elementary settings where the inclusion of students with disabilities was responsibly implemented. The research question investigated was: Do general education students have a meaningful opportunity to learn when sharing classrooms with students with disabilities? The participants in this study were assigned to two inclusion classrooms in an elementary school in northeastern North Carolina. The classrooms were observed during the months of January and February, 1999. Effective educational practices in inclusion classrooms were researched. Data were also collected and analyzed in four areas: (1) principal and teachers' definitions of inclusion, (2) principal and teachers' perceptions of how inclusion is implemented in the school, (3) effects of inclusion on teachers' instructional practices, and (4) effects of inclusion on the learning opportunities for general education students. There were no observable effects of inclusion on the learning opportunities for general education students.
Ed. D.
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3

Sinsollier, Pierre. "Description and analysis of wine processing practices. Professional Internship Report." Master's thesis, ISA, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/19584.

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Vinifera Euromaster European Master in Viticulture and Oenology - Instituto Superior de Agronomia / EMaVE
The Vinifera European Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology program offers the possibility to conduct a professional internship coupled with a scientific dissertation as a final thesis. In the frame of this professional thesis, I was offered to work at Clos Apalta, world renown winery located in the Colchagua valley in central Chile. My role of Assistant Enologist in charge of the night shift encompassed a large spectrum of activities which, besides a managerial dimension, covered various enological manipulations. Ensuring a permanent monitoring of the evolution of each vat and barrel is decisive, and along the course of fermentation, adjustments need to be made, starting by the preparation and inoculation of commercial yeasts. Nutrition additions are to be synchronized with cycles of cap management practices and in case of barrel fermentation, with cycles of micro-oxygenation. Regular tasting of the fermenting wines is also necessary, as it allows to detect eventual organoleptic deviation, such as the appearance of reductive aroma, volatile acidity, or volatile phenols in ageing wines. Along with the analysis of various wine-making processes employed at the winery, a few enological issues that were encountered, and their subsequent preventive or curative treatment, are also described in this report. Clos Apalta produces solely premium biodynamic wines, with a focus on extraction, from the cultivars Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Working there represented an exceptional opportunity to learn about the caution, precision and intensity involved in the production of premium red wines aiming for long ageing potential, with the extensive use of French oak, vats and barrels, throughout wine's production. This professional thesis is a report of the observations and analysis I have performed while working at Clos Apalta, along with scientific literature reviews in order to compare the winery practices to current scientific knowledge
N/A
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4

Calabrese, Giovanna. "Biotransenergetica : a transpersonal psychotherapy : a description of BTE practices from a therapist and client perspective." Thesis, Middlesex University, 2014. http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/15779/.

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In Biotransenergetica (BTE), a transpersonal psychotherapy model developed in the 1980s by Lattuada, the uniqueness of self-experience is pivotal. In the therapeutic process inner experiences and felt sense are essential. These are contained in the concept of Transe. During the psychotherapy session the psychotherapist favors the creation of the Transe, a field, using mindfulness techniques; the psychotherapist and the patient “indwell” together in this experience at a multilevel dimension (physical, emotional, energetic, mental and spiritual) to allow the psychotherapeutic process to happen. The present study was carried out to describe the psychotherapist and the patient lived experience of the Transe. The aim was to describe how this process actually works to the therapeutic effect and could relate to self-development. The study, involving 7 psychotherapists and 13 patients, for a total of 121 clinical sessions, comes within the field of qualitative research, using a heuristic methodology, to provide a conceptual and structural description of BTE practice based on its clinical application. The heuristic method described by Moustakas, has been adapted for this particular clinical setting. As it is described by the patients and the psychotherapists, the Transe, allows integration of the five levels, physical, emotional, mental, energetic and spiritual, to occur. At the same time a process of dis-identification from the mental and emotional contents might happen. Patients reported that the therapeutic process during the Transe would lead to a subjective state of well being, improving awareness about inner mechanisms, both on the mental and the emotional levels. The patients reported also an improved ability of self listening and also listening to others’ emotion, leading to more satisfying relationships. The Transe as a non ordinary state of consciousness will be discussed comparing it with other mindfulness practices applied in different therapeutic contexts, both for psychological support and for medical problems. Moreover, I will consider the Transe from the evidences coming from neuroscience studies about the effect of mindfulness practices on brain structure and functions. Results will also be discussed from BTE theoretical framework, contrasting BTE structural boundaries with other psychotherapy approaches, mainly Bioenergetic and Gestalt. A discussion about the heuristic method used, as a valid tool to study non ordinary state of consciousness in transpersonal psychotherapy research, will be also provided.
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Barker, Tina Marie. "A description of sleep patterns and sleep hygiene practices for adults in cardiac rehabilitation programs in Southern Montana." Thesis, Montana State University, 2009. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2009/barker/BarkerT0509.pdf.

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Despite the importance of coronary heart disease (CHD) as a major health problem and cardiac rehabilitation as a means of secondary prevention, no previous studies have been found which describe sleep patterns and sleep hygiene practices in this population. Sleep is essential for mental and physical well being and good sleep hygiene practices promote high quality sleep. Poor sleep quality can increase the risk of a myocardial infarction in persons with CHD. The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe sleep patterns and practices of adults diagnosed with CHD and participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program. Two survey tools, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Sleep Hygiene Index, were used to collect data on a convenience sample of 31 adults participating in cardiac rehabilitation programs located in southern Montana. The questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 69.3%. Study results indicate poor sleep quality in this sample population which was primarily due to poor sleep efficiency and sleep disturbance. Sleep hygiene practices of this sample were relatively good, with only a few areas of deficiencies observed. The findings from this study provide a basis for future research. Future research needs to approach the cardiac rehabilitation population on a larger scale and determine if specific sleep hygiene practices correlate with poor sleep quality. Nurse practitioners and other providers can incorporate this knowledge into interventions to promote sleep and sleep hygiene practices.
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6

Ndungu, Makengo. "A description of assessment practices in the teaching of English: grade 6 teachers in four Cape Town schools." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6866.

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The dissertation examined teachers' formal assessment practices in the teaching of English in Grade Six, in order to describe and document them, and to establish the match between assessment and the requirements of official policy documents. Three case studies involving six Grade Six teachers and four schools were investigated. The schools included a wellresourced and poorly-resourced school which both taught English as Home Language, and two poorly-resourced schools that taught English as First Additional Language. The question that guided the study was;; What are the intentions of and the methods used by Grade Six teachers in assessing English in the case study schools? Assessment scripts were the primary data collected, supplemented by teachers' interviews and schools assessment policy documents. The results showed that lack of adequate guidance and support and lack of assessment skills compromised the standard of the teachers' assessment. All the schools assessed comprehension and grammar by means of short answer response and objective items. Most of these items adhered to their construction principles. The assessment of comprehension, however, focused mainly on lower order cognitive competency and items failed to distinguish between the different reading purposes. In assessing grammar, emphasis was placed on analysed knowledge. Assessment of vocabulary was not done in both First Additional Language and the well-resourced schools, and was inadequately done in the poorly-resourced home language school. Extended writing and oral were found to be the most difficult aspects to assess. Extended writing was done in three of the four schools and oral work in only two schools. Teachers struggled to set adequate activities and to provide suitable rubrics and developmental feedback. Numerous, generic and unclear assessment standards and many ambiguous requirements impacted negatively on the implementation of assessment. No school conducted assessment that adhered well to official requirements, demonstrating both the difficulty of putting the curriculum into practice and the shortcomings of the teachers and schools.
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7

Matthews, Ryan. "A description of practices of analgesia administration by advanced life support paramedics in the City of Cape Town." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21187.

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Introduction: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are ideally placed to provide relief of acute pain and discomfort. EMS frequently follow locally prescribed guidelines and have a variety of qualifications each with differing capabilities and scopes of practice. The objectives of this study are to describe prehospital pain management practices by EMS in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: A retrospective descriptive survey was undertaken of analgesic drug administration by advanced life support (ALS) paramedics. Patient care records (PCRs) generated in t he City of Cape Town during an 11 month period containing administrations of Morphine, Ketamine, Nitrates and 50% Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen were randomly sampled. Variables studied were drug dose, dose frequency, and route of administration, patient age, gender, disorder and call type as well as qualification and experience level of the provider. Results: A total of 530 PCRs were included (N=530). Morphine was administered in 70% (95% CI 66 - 74, n=371) of cases, Nitrates in 37 %(95% CI 33 - 41, n=197) and Ketamine in 1.7% (95% CI 1 - 3, n=9) of cases. A total of 5mg or less of Morphine was administered in 75% (95% CI 70 - 79, n=278), with the mean dose being 4mg (IQR 3 - 6). Single doses were administered in 72.2% (95% CI, 67 - 77, n=268) of Morphine administrations, 56% (95% CI, 21 - 86, n=5) of Ketamine administrations and 82% (95% CI, 76 - 87, n=161) of Nitrate administrations. Chest pain was the reason for pain management in 43% (n=226) of cases. ALS providers have a median experience level of 2 years (IQR2 - 4). Conclusion: ALS providers in the Western Cape appear to use low doses of Morphine, with most analgesia administered as a single dose. Chest pain is an important reason for drug administration in acute prehospital pain. Paramedics do not appear to be using a weight based nor a titration based strategy.
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8

Duguet, Amélie. "Les pratiques pédagogiques en première année universitaire : description et analyse de leurs implications sur la scolarité des étudiants." Thesis, Dijon, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014DIJOL030/document.

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En France, les travaux portant sur la pédagogie universitaire et se focalisant plus particulièrement sur les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants sont peu nombreux. Aussi ce travail se propose-t-il d’approfondir ce concept sous deux aspects. Le premier axe s’articule autour de la description des pratiques mises en œuvre par les enseignants lors des cours magistraux en première année universitaire. A l’appui de l’observation in situ des pratiques de 49 enseignants issus de cinq filières, il est montré que celles-ci reposent en grande majorité sur les méthodes « traditionnelles ». Néanmoins, les résultats permettent également de mettre en lumière une variété des pratiques. Le second axe a trait à la mise au jour des implications de ces pratiques sur la scolarité des étudiants. Pour cela, ont été interrogés par questionnaires 734 étudiants de première année issus de ces mêmes filières. Il est d’abord montré que les « pratiques déclarées » par les étudiants, autrement dit l’opinion qu’ils portent à l’égard des pratiques des enseignants, influent particulièrement sur leur motivation, tandis que l’effet sur les manières d’étudier est toutes choses égales par ailleurs non significatif. Elles exercent de surcroît un impact modéré sur la réussite. La motivation apparaît néanmoins comme une variable médiatrice de l’effet des pratiques « déclarées » sur les manières d’étudier et la réussite. Parallèlement à ces analyses, est examiné l’effet des pratiques « observées » sur la scolarité des étudiants. Celles-ci jouent un rôle direct significatif dans l’explication des manières d’étudier et de la réussite des étudiants, tandis qu’aucun effet significatif sur la motivation n’est mis au jour
In France, there is little research on university teaching and focusing specifically on teaching practices. This present research aims to explore this concept in two different ways. The first part focuses on the description of the practices implemented by teachers during first-year university lectures. Using in situ observation of lecture practices of 49 teachers from five programmes, we first show that teachers’ practices mostly rely on traditional methods as defined by Bru (2006). However, we show a variety of practices among teachers. The second part of this research updates our knowledge of the implications of these practices on student studies. 734 freshmen from these sectors were interviewed by questionnaire. We see first that the " declared practices " by the students, or in other words the opinion that they have of teaching practices, particularly affect their motivation, while the effect on ways of studying is nonexistent all things being equal. In comparison to other variables, such as those related to educational background of the individual, they have in addition a relatively moderate impact on the average score of the exam first and second semester and the likelihood of passing the year. However, the motivation appears to be a mediator of the effect of "declared" on study practices and success. In addition, we look at the effect of "observed" practices, ie effectively implemented by teachers on student studies. These play a significant direct role in explaining study practices and student success, but they have no effect on motivation
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9

Rodgers, Michael Charles. "Wittgenstein and Nietzsche on the Role of Philosophy: Description, Creativity, Naturalism, and Possibility." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2012. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/62.

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This dissertation places Wittgenstein and Nietzsche alongside one another in an attempt to deal with the question: "what is the role of the philosophy?" On the one hand Wittgenstein promotes a descriptive approach to philosophy, which insists that the philosopher should not meddle with practices but rather seek clarity and understanding as ends in themselves. On the other hand Nietzsche promotes a destructive and creative approach to philosophy, where the philosopher both dismantles values and offers a revaluation of values in their place. This work begins with a survey of remarks by the two philosophers and prominent interpretations of them on how best to conceive of and understand the philosopher and philosophy. In addition, the recent view of Nietzsche as a naturalist is responded to at length. If Nietzsche turns out to be offering substantive, naturalistic positions on human morality, the origins of religion, and so on, then he cannot be advocating a creative, spontaneous orientation towards perspectives. This work argues that while Nietzsche offers naturalized accounts of human practices, he does not mean these to be considered scientific hypothesis. After responding to this position, Nietzsche and Wittgenstein are looked at together, and what emerges is a shared goal: the creating and/or revealing of missed possibilities of human life. These existential possibilities are on the one hand always right in front of us, and yet they are seemingly out of reach and all too often passed over. Wittgenstein and Nietzsche, in their various ways, (re)open these possibilities. Finally, given this "hermeneutics of possibility," the final chapter argues that the way Wittgenstein and Nietzsche differ with respect to Christianity and religion is not primarily about their style of philosophy nor even about Wittgenstein's descriptive approach, but about the existential possibility that each has in mind to promote.
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10

Nekkar, François. "L'action ludique dans les pratiques d'enseignement ? : le cas de la description d'images en cours de français au collège." Thesis, Aix-Marseille, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018AIXM0446.

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Le jeu fait partie de l’éducation de l’enfant depuis toujours, et bien que les activités ludique et d’apprentissage aient des fins éloignées (le plaisir pour l’un, le savoir pour l’autre), nous montrons des conditions de possibilités pour qu’une activité d’apprentissage scolaire rencontre une activité ludique. Pour ce faire, notre méthodologie, fondée sur l’action didactique conjointe, met en perspective l’apprentissage pendant le jeu : un élève de 5e décrit une image cachée aux autres élèves qui la dessinent pour la deviner ; c’est le but du jeu et le but de l’enseignement-apprentissage. À partir de ce double enjeu ludique/apprentissage, nous modélisons des conditions de possibilités pour qu’une activité d’enseignement-apprentissage de savoirs soit ludique, ce qui abonde dans le sens d’un espace potentiel de développement-apprentissage du jeu en contexte scolaire
Play has always been part of the education of the child, and although play and learning activities have far-reaching aims (pleasure for one, knowledge for the other), we show possibilities for a school learning activity to be playful. To do this, our methodology, based on the didactic joint action concept, put in perspective the learning during the game : a pupil of 5th class describes a hidden image to the other pupils who draw it to guess it ; that is the goal of the game and the purpose of teaching-learning. Starting from this double play / learning issue, we model some conditions of possibilities for a teaching-learning knowledge activity to be playful, which abounds in the sense of a potential space of development-learning of the game in school context
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Le, Boulba Pauline. "les bords de l’œuvre : réceptions performées & critiques affectées en danse." Thesis, Paris 8, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019PA080011.

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Cette recherche-création s’est déployée autour d’une réflexion sur la réception en danse et sur les modes de partage de celle-ci. Prenant à rebrousse-poil une histoire de la critique de danse qui juge et évalue, j’ai tenté de privilégier des démarches qui viennent perturber, troubler et brouiller les frontières entre création et réception. La première partie de ce travail consiste à trois analyses d’œuvres chorégraphiques : Une hypothèse de réinterprétation de Rita Quaglia (2009), histoire(s) d’Olga de Soto (2004) et enfin Admiring la Argentina de Kazuo Ôno (1977). Ces trois pièces révèlent trois manières de regarder des œuvres, trois manières de parler des/aux œuvres, trois manières de répondre à une danse en dansant. Les trois œuvres analysées en première partie se distinguent par l’importance qu’elles accordent à la subjectivité comme vectrice de savoirs (perceptifs et cognitifs). Ainsi, à la « réception performée » s’ajoute le terme de « critique affectée » pour compléter ma réflexion. Celle-ci désigne autant le caractère subjectif au sein des objets étudiés, que ma manière d’être à mon tour touchée et prise par les objets et personnes que j’ai observé·e·s ces dernières années. La critique affectée concerne également les parcours de deux critiques de danse — Laurence Louppe (1938-2012) et Jill Johnston (1929-2010) — qui constituent le centre d’attention de ma deuxième partie. À travers leurs pratiques critiques distinctes, il m’importe de questionner un héritage dont je souhaite me défaire ou au contraire que je désire faire mien. Cette recherche a été une progressive mise en abyme de mon regard de spectatrice et de différents modes de travail en tant qu’artiste-chercheure. Elle rend compte d’une multiplicité de formats — journal de bord, fragments critiques, analyses d’œuvres et analyses de pratiques, matériaux de performance — comme autant de points de vue sur une œuvre. À ce travail écrit, s’ajoute un temps performatif lors de la soutenance
This practice-based research developed from questioning reception of dance and manners of sharing this experience. In venturing countercurrent to a history of dance criticism which bears judgment and makes assessments, I attempted to favor initiatives which disrupt, disturb and blur the borderlines that settle between creativity and reception. The first chapter of this research focuses on the analysis of three choreographic works: Une hypothèse de réinterprétation by Rita Quaglia (2009), histoire(s) by Olga de Soto (2004) and Admiring La Argentina by Kazuo Ohno (1977). Each of these pieces offer three different perceptions of artworks, three ways of speaking about/with artworks, three ways of answering to dance by dancing. The three works analyzed in the first chapter are characterized by the importance they grant to subjectivity as a vector of (perceptive and cognitive) knowledge. Thus, introducing the term “affected critique” to the term “performed reception” implemented the scope of my analysis. This term elects both the subjective dimension within these objects and my personal relationship to the works and people which have moved and “possessed” me over the course of my observations these past years. “Affected criticism” also arises from research on the careers of two dance critics – Laurence Louppe (1938-2012) and Jill Johnston (1929-2010) – which form the core of my second chapter. Through the particularities of their critical practices, I cared to question a heritage from which I wished either to differentiate myself or on the contrary to adopt and develop as my own. This research consequently developed as a progressive mise en abyme of my personal gaze as spectator and of the different ways of working as an artist and researcher. This dissertation therefore tries to embrace and account for the multiple shapes – journal entries, fragments of critical writing, analysis of artworks and artistic practices, performance material – that form as many standpoints from which to observe a body of work. A performative moment will prolong the written work of this research during the submission
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12

Klinov, Pavel. "Practical reasoning in probabilistic description logic." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2011. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/practical-reasoning-in-probabilistic-description-logic(6aff2ad0-dc76-44cf-909b-2134f580f29b).html.

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Description Logics (DLs) form a family of languages which correspond to decidable fragments of First-Order Logic (FOL). They have been overwhelmingly successful for constructing ontologies - conceptual structures describing domain knowledge. Ontologies proved to be valuable in a range of areas, most notably, bioinformatics, chemistry, Health Care and Life Sciences, and the Semantic Web.One limitation of DLs, as fragments of FOL, is their restricted ability to cope with various forms of uncertainty. For example, medical knowledge often includes statistical relationships, e.g., findings or results of clinical trials. Currently it is maintained separately, e.g., in Bayesian networks or statistical models. This often hinders knowledge integration and reuse, leads to duplication and, consequently, inconsistencies.One answer to this issue is probabilistic logics which allow for smooth integration of classical, i.e., expressible in standard FOL or its sub-languages, and uncertain knowledge. However, probabilistic logics have long been considered impractical because of discouraging computational properties. Those are mostly due to the lack of simplifying assumptions, e.g., independence assumptions which are central to Bayesian networks.In this thesis we demonstrate that deductive reasoning in a particular probabilistic DL, called P-SROIQ, can be computationally practical. We present a range of novel algorithms, in particular, the probabilistic satisfiability procedure (PSAT) which is, to our knowledge, the first scalable PSAT algorithm for a non-propositional probabilistic logic. We perform an extensive performance and scalability evaluation on different synthetic and natural data sets to justify practicality.In addition, we study theoretical properties of P-SROIQ by formally translating it into a fragment of first-order logic of probability. That allows us to gain a better insight into certain important limitations of P-SROIQ. Finally, we investigate its applicability from the practical perspective, for instance, use it to extract all inconsistencies from a real rule-based medical expert system.We believe the thesis will be of interest to developers of probabilistic reasoners. Some of the algorithms, e.g., PSAT, could also be valuable to the Operations Research community since they are heavily based on mathematical programming. Finally, the theoretical analysis could be helpful for designers of future probabilistic logics.
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Koopmann, Patrick. "Practical uniform interpolation for expressive description logics." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2015. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/practical-uniform-interpolation-for-expressive-description-logics(b04c6bc6-0877-488b-86d7-fa37ae99eeb6).html.

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The thesis investigates methods for uniform interpolation in expressive description logics. Description logics are formalisms commonly used to model ontologies. Ontologies store terminological information and are used in a wide range of applications, such as the semantic web, medicine, bio-informatics, software development, data bases and language processing. Uniform interpolation eliminates terms from an ontology such that logical entailments in the remaining language are preserved. The result, the uniform interpolant, is a restricted view of the ontology that can be used for a variety of tasks such as ontology analysis, ontology reuse, ontology evolution and information hiding. Uniform interpolation for description logics has only gained an interest in the research community in the last years, and theoretical results show that it is a hard problem requiring specialised reasoning approaches. We present a range of uniform interpolation methods that can deal with expressive description logics such as ALC and many of its extensions. For all these logics, these are the first methods that are able to compute uniform interpolants for all inputs. The methods are based a new family of saturation-based reasoning methods, which make it possible to eliminate symbols in a goal-oriented manner. The practicality of this approach is shown by an evaluation on realistic ontologies.
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Powers, Keith L. "Academic advising assessment practices: a descriptive study." Diss., Kansas State University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/14945.

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Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs
Kenneth F. Hughey
In academic courses, assessment is used to evaluate the effect of teaching on student learning. Academic advising has been viewed as a form of teaching (Crookston, 1972); therefore, it is necessary to assess the effect of academic advising on student learning. The best practices of assessment of academic achievement involve three key steps: the identification of student learning outcomes (i.e., what is assessed), the development and use of good measures of student learning (i.e., how assessment is conducted), and the use of sound professional judgment to understand the information gathered and to make changes to improve student learning (i.e., how assessment results are used). However, the assessment of academic advising is often minimal, narrow, and inconsistent. Further, when assessment of academic advising is conducted, it is most commonly a survey of student satisfaction of their advising experience (Carlstrom, 2012; Habley, 2004; Macaruso, 2007; Robbins, 2009). The purpose of this study was to learn about the assessment practices in the profession by surveying those who conducted or were responsible for assessment of academic advising. The study found that 80% of participants had identified academic advising student learning outcomes in their situation. The most frequently reported outcome was that students would know degree requirements. A little over half of the participants who identified student learning outcomes assessed the achievement of those outcomes and student surveys were the most frequently reported measure used. Seven percent of participants reported to use three or more measures to assess student learning outcomes. Multiple measures are needed in assessing outcomes to gather comprehensive evidence of outcomes achievement. Sixty percent of participants reported they used assessment information to make decisions regarding improvement of services and student learning. The most frequently reported use of information was making revisions to the advising process/delivery outcomes. The results of the survey indicated that participants viewed advisors’ belief in assessment as important to facilitating assessment of academic advising. They also viewed administrators’ use of information in making decisions and changes to improve advising practices and increase student learning as important.
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Rushmer, Rosemary K. "Reading newspapers : a theoretical description of a practical activity." Thesis, Durham University, 1992. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5797/.

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A simple observation about the nature of reading initiated this project. The observation was that in reading we are able to use ink on paper as an equivalence of the real world event it details. Attempts to account for this by examining reading as it progresses did not give rise to clarification of this phenomenon, but solely to reading itself. Encounters with the text always resulting in 'ending-up-just-reading'. This is identifiable as a central characteristic of the material and the reader's attitude towards it. As this difficulty with the nature of the undertaking threatened to stop any theoretical progress, various methodologies, including Ethnomethodology, were applied to the material in order to produce a way forward. However, these theoretical approaches did not solve the phenomenon of reading but merely multiplied its problematic features. Their terms displacing the focus of attention away from reading, to the internal expression of the approach itself. Elsewhere within the project a more reflexive approach was adopted. Examining the roles of reader, theorist and author that were variously adopted. The recognition that the author in detailing experiences as a reader of texts succeeds only in creating another text. There is an examination of levels of access available to the project reader and the constraints this places on any reading that can be made. Otherwise expressed, it is the reading of one text through the confines of another, we are always trapped within the medium. From this recognition that 'viewing from within' is an intrinsic, inescapable feature of reading, a solution to 'ending-up-just reading' offers itself. Aspects of reading are made obvious by getting the reader to activate them, as they read of them. The solution is an ethnographical account of the reading of a newspaper story, an interpretive account. Its success may be gauged by the familiarity of its description and its expression of shared reading experiences and common reading practices.
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Smith, Christine L. "A descriptive study of current practices in Canadian vocational evaluation." Online version, 1999. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/1999/1999smithc.pdf.

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Hargrave, Dina. "School-Based Mental Health Practices in Utah: A Descriptive Study." DigitalCommons@USU, 2015. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4474.

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As psychological well-being, or mental health, is a key factor to academic performance, schools are in a pivotal position to provide needed services to improve the well-being of individual students, parents, and teachers, as well as school-wide wellness. Research has shown positive outcomes related to psychological symptom reduction, but academic outcomes are less prevalent. Due to the increasing need for services, schoolbased mental health (SBMH) programs are being developed to combine the resources and expertise of SBMH professionals and community agency mental health professionals to serve these needs. In an effort toward developing a statewide Communities of Practice Model for the state of Utah, an internet survey was developed to identify the current practices that are being implemented with schools in Utah. This study explored the current and possible types of school based and community services within a multi-tier service system approach at each tier level (universal, at-risk, and intensive) delivered to elementary and secondary students, the outcomes expected to be impacted by these partnerships, and the barriers and key factors associated with effective program iv implementation. The sample included 32 school district respondents from 21 districts and 19 community agency respondents from 18 agencies throughout the state. Results revealed that 18 of the 21 districts are involved in a SBMH partnership implementing a broad range of collaborative activities, assessments and interventions that vary between tier levels. Specific practices, barriers, and implications for SBMH services and future research are discussed.
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Stolzenberger, Kathleen M. "Nursing practice in a magnet hospital : a descriptive study /." View online ; access limited to URI View online ; access limited to URI, 2004. http://0-wwwlib.umi.com.helin.uri.edu/dissertations/dlnow/.

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Laidlaw, Nicola Ann. "International practicums and nursing students' understanding of culture : an interpretive description." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/50359.

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Canadian nurses and nursing students are required daily to interact with and care for individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds in a manner that assures high quality, respectful care. While international practicums are being employed by some nursing schools to prepare nursing students for this challenge, there is a scarcity of literature examining the success of such programs. This qualitative study explores nursing students' accounts of culture before, during, and after an international practicum, to explore how the notion of 'culture' is developed in nursing students taking part in an international practicum. This study was designed using a critical cultural framework, the premise of which is that we see individuals not as simply belonging to a particular cultural group, a cultural “other”, but that they be recognized as residing within a unique historical, social, economic and political context that is unlikely to be identical to that of any other member of their cultural group. The research was conducted using interpretive description as the research methodology. Purposive criterion sampling was employed to select participants. This research emphasized the complexity of the notion of culture. It has been suggested that these practicums can be problematic in terms of the cultural understanding they instill in students, perhaps even reinforcing the essentialist notions of culture that we are attempting to replace. The importance of self-reflection to reveal personal biases, values and assumptions, as well as the recognition of the sociopolitical influences on the lives of individuals emerged as key factors in facilitating a critical cultural understanding of culture. This research highlighted the need that nurse educators be supported in their own journey toward an understanding of the concepts of `culture` and `cultural safety`. The findings of this research support the idea that nursing students, for the most part, retain their essentialist views of culture, even during and after participation in an international practicum. It emphasizes the need to rethink how nursing students are prepared pre-departure to approach their practicum with a critical cultural eye, and the importance of daily reflection and guided discussions during the practicum.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Nursing, School of
Graduate
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Bombly, Sarah Mirlenbrink. "Reading Assessment Practices of Elementary General Education Teachers| A Descriptive Study." Thesis, University of South Florida, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3604341.

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In this descriptive study, I researched five elementary general education teachers’ reading assessment practices as they worked within the context of IDEA (2004), NCLB (2002) and Response to Intervention (RTI). My own connection to the classroom and reading assessment practices brought me to this research. I presented my personal and professional connection through vignettes about my own classroom assessment practices. Relevant literature on both the context and culture of assessment were pertinent to this research.

I used a qualitative design, specifically, Colaizzi’s (1978) method of phenomenological analysis. Data were three in-depth phenomenological interviews, relevant documents and artifacts, and use of a researcher reflective blog. I summarized the initial findings of this research through 10 clustered themes; shift of focus, ever changing accountability, independent efforts with data, collaborative efforts with data, working environment, interventions and reading assessment practices in action, authenticity in practice, lack of decision making power, teacher emotion, and teacher needs and wants and a composite narrative in order to describe the lived experience of these teachers reading assessment practices.

Implications from my research with regard to policy include a perceived incongruence between an RTI framework and the teacher evaluation system with regard to active collaboration. Those toward practice include difficulty with the day-to-day implementation of an RTI framework and the perception of a singular focus of RTI as disability determination. My recommendations for future research include an action research agenda designed to explore increased involvement of stakeholders such as students, parents and other school personnel.

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Bombly, Sarah Mirlenbrink. "Reading Assessment Practices of Elementary General Education Teachers: A Descriptive Study." Scholar Commons, 2013. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/4866.

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In this descriptive study, I researched five elementary general education teachers' reading assessment practices as they worked within the context of IDEA (2004), NCLB (2002) and Response to Intervention (RTI). My own connection to the classroom and reading assessment practices brought me to this research. I presented my personal and professional connection through vignettes about my own classroom assessment practices. Relevant literature on both the context and culture of assessment were pertinent to this research. I used a qualitative design, specifically, Colaizzi's (1978) method of phenomenological analysis. Data were three in-depth phenomenological interviews, relevant documents and artifacts, and use of a researcher reflective blog. I summarized the initial findings of this research through 10 clustered themes; shift of focus, ever changing accountability, independent efforts with data, collaborative efforts with data, working environment, interventions and reading assessment practices in action, authenticity in practice, lack of decision making power, teacher emotion, and teacher needs and wants and a composite narrative in order to describe the lived experience of these teachers reading assessment practices. Implications from my research with regard to policy include a perceived incongruence between an RTI framework and the teacher evaluation system with regard to active collaboration. Those toward practice include difficulty with the day-to-day implementation of an RTI framework and the perception of a singular focus of RTI as disability determination. My recommendations for future research include an action research agenda designed to explore increased involvement of stakeholders such as students, parents and other school personnel.
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Igo, Simon. "The essential structure of practising evidence based practice : a phenomenological description of the experiences of physiotherapists." Thesis, University of Bath, 2015. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.646146.

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Evidence based practice (EBP) is an educational paradigm that espouses that clinical decision making should be made through the judicious and conscientious use of best evidence. EBP is predicated on a fundamental principle that therapeutic knowledge is appraised and applied into practice with the ethical imperative to use such knowledge for the good of patient care. Despite the ubiquitous nature of EBP in health care little is known about how physiotherapists use this clinical decision making process and it is not clear as to which theoretical frameworks of practice and knowledge paradigms underpin physiotherapists application of EBP. Phenomenology seeks to uncover the internal consciousness of phenomena by describing and exploring the lived experience and explores the relationship between what exists in one’s consciousness and what exists in the objective world. Descriptive phenomenology was used in this thesis to gain an in depth understanding of how twelve physiotherapists applied EBP in the real and complex world of clinical practice with the objective to explore their experiences and to understand the essence of its practice. The findings in this study revealed a complex picture comprising of three separate but interrelated themes. Physiotherapists had developed a personal theory of EBP (Theme 1) that guided their behaviour and comprised of an ontological, epistemological and methodological structure. This theoretical and practice framework was uniquely individual and required a complex set of cognitive processes that included knowledge identification, transformation, translation and implementation in specific client situations and practice contexts (Theme 2: translation into practice). To add to this complexity this framework took place within intrapersonal, social and cultural milieus which influenced behaviour (Theme 3). The study concludes by conceptualising the findings and experiences of physiotherapists into models that could be used to assist educationalists, practitioners and researchers to promote evidence based practice in a pragmatic way.
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Haworth, Navine. "Developing chiropractic students clinical practice skills - elements of best practice : a qualitative exploratory descriptive study." Thesis, Federation University Australia, 2021. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/176916.

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Background Although chiropractic has 125 years as an established profession, scrutiny of the literature proves that few studies have examined the clinical education of chiropractic students with a call for research from academics. This thesis is significant as it develops knowledge that can inform chiropractic bodies and help them improve an essential component of chiropractic education: clinical skill development. Research Purpose and Aims The purpose of this study was to identify elements of best practices in clinical education by critically examining, exploring and describing the aspects of an exemplar chiropractic clinical program that develops students’ clinical practice skills for transition into practice. This study explored the innovative clinical program of a reputable American chiropractic institution providing a scaffolded clinical program across varied clinical settings, patient populations and amongst other health disciplines. Research Design A six-phase exploratory descriptive qualitative design (EDQD) study was conducted to explore and describe the phenomenon being examined (Flick, 2014). This design enabled the collection of information about perceptions and lived experiences of three stakeholder cohorts: clinical faculty members, students and new graduates. Methods Purposive sampling (of students and clinical faculty members) and snowball sampling techniques (of new graduates) were used to derive the sample. Data were collected in three cycles across a two-year period using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted with 15 clinical faculty members and eight new graduates, and semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 20 students. All data were audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using an inductive approach. Findings Chiropractic clinical education programs ought to be developed within a framework that incorporates adult learner principles; situated, social and experiential learning theories. Valued was a student-centred learning experience that includes authentic and diverse clinical placements, supervision and mentoring from multiple clinical educators which enhances students’ access to varied perspectives of clinical practices that contributes to developing clinical skills and professional identity. Business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills was an area of deficiency, which is problematic when the objective is to build graduates’ independence in clinical practice and professional prospects are predominantly private practice (NBCE, 2020). Embedding evidence-based practice within curricula and clinical training for educators and students are necessary to ensure this becomes a part of clinical practice. Conclusion This thesis posits best practice in chiropractic clinical education consists of the following: (a) using a scaffolded longitudinal clinical program, (b) varying clinical placements and case mix, (c) supervision and mentoring from multiple clinical educators, (d) educating the clinical educator, (e) curricula designed around industry standards and desired graduate attributes and capabilities, (f) an evidence-based practice approach in the curricula and clinical context, (g) aligning business skills, knowledge and practices with the professional context and (h) interprofessional learning and practice opportunities. Although this study has made a contribution to scholarly discourse, there remain many gaps in our knowledge where further studies are needed.
Doctor of Philosophy
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Ferguson, Julia L. "A Behaviorally Planned Community of Practice: A Description and Evaluation of One Area of Staff Development." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2016. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc849686/.

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Staff training packages combining instructions, modeling, practice, and feedback have been shown to be effective in demonstrating skills to work in early intensive behavioral intervention, but maintenance and generalization of the skills trained are often not addressed. Establishing a community of practice, in which staff members continue to learn and develop new skill sets from one another through shared experiences and information, may lead to the endurance and maintenance of desired staff behavior over time. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the effects of a behaviorally designed community of practice on staff use of socially embedded consequences. The effects of the training procedure were evaluated using a concurrent multiple baseline design across two sites (7 staff members). The results suggest that the behaviorally planned community of practice was effective in reinforcing and maintaining staff use of socially embedded consequences for at least 5 to 9 weeks. Additionally, the number of learning opportunities provided by the staff and social engagement between staff and child increased.
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Al, Hashdi Manal M. N. "BPR initiatives : the impacts of IT and organisational customs and practices." Thesis, Brunel University, 2002. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/5014.

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This research is designed to investigate the relationship between IT and Organisational customs and practices in Business Process Reengineering (BPR) projects based on a research framework, which consists of organisational culture, IT and the outcome of BPR initiatives together with the inextricable interdependence between them. The focus is on developing a process oriented, context-based description and explanation of the BPR phenomenon in Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) countries. The study strives to describe and explain the process of adopting and implementing BPR initiatives in petrochemical and utilities industries in AGCC countries in terms of interaction of contextual conditions, actions and consequences. The research methodology of this thesis focuses on the pragmatics of conducting case studies as a rigorous and effective method of research. The study emphasises on conducting positivist inquiry of three case studies' data to deductively test the researcher's understanding on BPR and her assumptions of 'Blueprints' for successful BPR in AGCC countries. Two of the case studies organisations are sister companies operating in the oil and gas industry, whereas the third case study organisation is a utility company operating in the field of water and electricity generation and supply. This study resulted in a framework that could serve as a prescription to achieve a successful BPR initiative. It has identified a number of organisational elements that emphasised the necessity to pay attention to cultural and IT issues prior to undertaking BPR projects. These include the development of strategy and sound stimuli for the project, the availability of leadership, top management vision, availability of required skills and expertise and the maturity of the IT infrastructure. In addition, the study has empirically emphasised a number of BPR project implementation elements that should be in place to ensure successful implementation and management of the project including: the availability of an appropriately composed project team, continuous communication, users' involvement and usage of communication technologies.
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Hunt, Sally Grace. "Producing single homelessness : descriptive practice in community mental health casework." Thesis, Goldsmiths College (University of London), 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.425790.

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This is a case study of a community-based interdisciplinary team of Mental Health professionals who work with homeless people in a large English city. Its aim is to 'unpack' the team's decision-making processes. Such processes construct the client as vulnerable in terms of mental health and/or homelessness. The analysis shows the ways in which client description is an organised social accomplishment and is contexted in related research in the sociology of mental illness. Following Goffman (1974) and Gubrium (1989), data are analysed against a background of changing and laminated frames and local cultures. A charge of deviancy is brought and then debated (McHugh 1970). The relation of this analysis to ethical and policy issues is discussed
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McLean, Linda S. "Descriptions of successful teachers' perspectives and practices for integration at the junior high level." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/tape17/PQDD_0011/MQ32939.pdf.

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Sherwin, C. "Innovative ecodesign : an exploratory and descriptive study of Industrial Design practice." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2000. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/3543.

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This research provides a study of practices of Innovative Ecodesign. The literature has extensively highlighted the need for more radical innovations and more innovative approaches to ecodesign, to fall in line with sustainability targets. However, both theory and practice (and the resultant tools and methods) describe and present a more incremental approach, as prevalent and most suitable. Using a single case study methodology within the Industrial Design department of a major Electrical and Electronics manufacturer, this exploratory and descriptive study contributes to the theoretical framework and practical understanding of more innovative practices of ecodesign. Earlier work suggested that integrating ecodesign at the early stages of product development was critical to its environmental effectiveness and ability to innovate. This study therefore aimed to investigate Innovative Ecodesign by considering two key factors: - Its integration into the early stages of the product design and development process - Industrial Design practices of ecodesign. The research concluded on Industrial Design practice as well as on the characteristics of Innovative Ecodesign. Industrial designers conduct ecodesign in there own unique way, not fully represented in existing theory or accounted for in existing methods. They require specific types of information usually general and visually presented as well as substantiated with case studies and examples. The potential to innovate is seen as the greatest motivator for designers to conduct ecodesign, while their design processes use environmental priorities and 'the product' in an ambiguous way. Designer s key role and most significant contribution is in creative and strategic thinking (new ideas), and the proposal of new concepts which have a strong emphasis on increasing the desirability of these 'eco-products' or new behaviours. This demand-side orientation in the design considerations is particularly unique to Industrial Design. The practices of Innovative Ecodesign undertaken here can be characterised as follows. It is an exploratory form of designing with an emphasis on openness and design freedom. Such design activities are perhaps best not immediately answerable to product development or aimed directly at the launch of new products. Among its aims are in embodying and expressing ecodesign principles and communicating these to others. Such design activities are strategic in their nature and requiring greater levels of participation across the production and consumption chain in future. They are systems based and holistic and prioritise environmental issues within the design brief. An important early aspect is the identification of either/or core business and consumer needs, which broadens the design considerations. The study relates these findings back to existing ecodesign theory, and conclude that both ecodesign (its theory, descriptions, definitions and practice) and design itself (its profile, uses and practice) need to change and mature.
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Schwarzkopf, Nancy Denise. "A descriptive study of childhood obesity monitoring practices used by Montana pediatric providers." Thesis, Montana State University, 2008. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2008/schwarzkopf/SchwarzkopfN0508.pdf.

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INTRODUCTION: The global prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. Overweight children face risks of compromised physical and mental well being, increased incidence of disease processes, and increased risk of adult obesity. Pediatric providers play a unique role in reversing the prevalence of obesity, yet there is little understanding of what practices are utilized to monitor children\'s weight. PROBLEM: Identifying children who are obese or are at risk for becoming obese may rely on evidence based weight monitoring practices. For many providers there may be a gap in knowledge regarding recommended practices for measuring growth in children. The purpose of this study was to describe current practices for monitoring obesity of children used by Montana primary pediatric providers. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a mailed pencil and paper survey, sent to 300 primary pediatric providers in Montana selected from 900 Child Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) providers. Eighty-five surveys were returned for a response rate of 28%. Data analysis utilized SAS software; results were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. RESULTS: A total of 85.7% of respondents offered care in family practice settings; 17.6% are pediatric specialists, 31.8% are practicing rurally and 57.6% of providers saw 5 or fewer children/per day. Over 95% of providers measured height and weight, 61.2% calculated body mass index (BMI). Just 55.8% of those who measure BMI accurately plotted it on age/gender specific chart, or 34% of total respondents. All respondents perceived childhood obesity as a concern, with patient/parent resistance cited as the most common barrier to treatment. CONCLUSION: Health disparities in Montana associated with rural populations include fewer pediatric specialists, fewer child healthcare visits, and barriers of access, education level and money for patient and their families. In Montana, height and weight measurements are used predominately to monitor children\'s growth; BMI was accurately used by one third of respondents which may interfere with the provider\'s ability to accurately identify adiposity. These findings suggest a focus area for provider education, promoting BMI guidelines for children. Perceptions of barriers: patient/parent resistance, time constraints, and reimbursement; suggest treatment protocols could improve outcomes for childhood obesity.
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Brehmer, Denise Marie. "A descriptive corelational study of lifestyle practices and stress among baccalaureate nursing students." Virtual Press, 1999. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1136699.

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Nursing students have perceived stress associated with nursing education.The purpose of this descriptive correlational research was to determine if there is a relationship between lifestyle practices and stress among baccalaureate nursing students. The sample consisted of 72 junior and senior level baccalaureate nursing students, which was 69.9% of the 102 questionnaires distributed from three schools of nursing of mid-size universities in the midwest. The procedures for protection of human subjects were followed.Pender's Health Promotion Model (1996) served as the theoretical framework for this study. Healthy lifestyle was examined using Pender's Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile (HPLP). Perceived stress was measured by Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).Findings included student's perceived stress some of the time. The mean for the PSS was 2.14. A healthy lifestyle was determined by a mean of 2.6 on the HPLP. The relationship between healthy lifestyle and perceived stress was significantly negatively correlated at a significant level (r=.4949, p=.001).The HPLP consisted of 6 subscales which measured specific components of a healthy lifestyle. Health responsibility was the first subscale. Overall, students reported never to sometimes seeking a healthcare professional to discuss health concerns or reporting unusual symptoms. Physical activity was subscale number two. Overall, one-fourth to one-third followed a planned exercise program with the same percentage reporting regular exercise. Nutrition was the third subscale. The majority of nursing students sometimes ate a healthy diet with an even larger amount never to sometimes limiting use of foods containing sugar. The fourth subscale was spiritual growth with over 40% feeling connected to some force greater than self Sub scale five was interpersonal relations. Responses to the interpersonal relations subscale indicated that students had support systems in place 80% of the time often to routinely. Stress Management was the sixth subscale of the HPLP. Almost 75% of the nursing students experienced stress and rarely participated in activities to reduce stress.Conclusions were that stress was obvious in nursing education. Stress can be reduced by components of a healthy lifestyle. Lifestyle is a controllable factor in life. Since nursing students are students of health., a healthy lifestyle should be practiced by nursing students. Eating a balanced diet, exercising, and participating in activities to reduce stress are some of the components of a healthy lifestyle.This study was significant because findings provided information about lifestyle and the relationship to perceived stress levels. Since high stress levels may reduce academic performance, and unhealthy lifestyles may increase stress, educational programs could be initiated to reduce stress and improve lifestyle behaviors. Support groups could be instituted to provide a way to support healthy lifestyle and ways to reduce stress.The study has implications for nursing students and nursing faculty. Implications include stress assessment of students and stress management education for students. Nursing faculty must educate students about possible causes of stress and provide ample ways to reduce stress by leading a healthier lifestyle. Nursing students and nursing faculty should lead a life of a health practitioner.
School of Nursing
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Norris, Brandetta P. "Descriptions and experiences of communications within a private dental practice| A case study." Thesis, Capella University, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3613481.

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"Healthcare organizations rely heavily on communications to deliver services and certify quality treatment outcomes. Specifically, communication and communication processes are critical determinants in whether a dental practice succeeds or fails. There has been a substantial amount of research on communication and its influence on patient satisfaction, employee morale, and work productivity within various organizations. However, limited existing qualitative research examines communication processes and their impact on health institutions. This research study explored the communication process and its influence on employee work performance within a dental practice. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews to obtain descriptive, information-rich responses from a purposeful sample of 10 participants regarding their perception of the communication process. Utilizing an embedded, exploratory, case study research design, descriptions and experiences from leaders and employees revealed four major gaps within the organization's communication process. Consequently, six themes emerged that identified the four intricacies of an effective communication process within a private dental practice. The following complexities, lack of comprehension, lack of employee awareness, lack of precision and clarification of instruction, and inconsistent exchange of information, are crucial facets of the communication process. From the perspective of study participants, improvement in these areas would foster employee engagement, produce desirable outcomes, and enhance employee work performance"

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Gueye, Seyni. ""Visiter la terre" : droits, savoirs et territoires dans la colonisation hispanique du nord des Andes (province de Popayán, XVIe-XVIIe siècles)." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris, EHESS, 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024EHES0153.

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Au croisement de l’histoire de l’administration de la justice en situation coloniale et de l’histoire des savoirs, cette thèse analyse des inspections itinérantes sous forme de procès, déployées auprès des communautés d’habitants de la province de Popayán (sud-ouest de la Colombie actuelle), entre le milieu du XVIe et le début du XVIIe siècle. L’étude vise à restituer les contextes et les acteurs de ces inspections appelées "visitas de la tierra", les modalités concrètes des déplacements et les rencontres occasionnées par la procédure, ainsi que son dispositif de production d’information, par observation et collecte de témoignages enregistrés in situ. D’autre part, la recherche questionne les usages judiciaires et savants de la documentation produite lors des "visitas de la tierra", au sein des collectivités soumises à leurs enquêtes (villes et paroisses coloniales, sites d’extraction d’or, communautés indiennes d’encomienda), comme dans les centres gouvernementaux de l’empire, auxquels sont envoyées des formes variées de comptes-rendus des inspections. Il s’agit de comprendre la manière dont ces procès agissent à la fois comme des rituels de négociation de l’ordre colonial à l’échelle des corps politiques espagnols et indiens de la province, mais aussi comme des instruments de connaissance de leurs territoires, dont les usages s’exercent à différents niveaux du gouvernement impérial
This PhD dissertation participates in historiographical trends that have been underway for several decades at the crossroads of imperial and colonial European expansion in the early modern period, the history of justice, and the history of knowledge production. It analyses inspections of royal justice and taxation-system in the form of itinerant trials, carried out among the communities of inhabitants in the province of Popayán (southwestern Colombia), between the years 1550s and 1630s. The study aims to reconstruct the contexts and actors involved in these procedures, called "visitas de la tierra", the concrete modalities of travel and social encounters they occasioned, and their practices of information-gathering, by observing and collecting testimonies.On the other hand, it questions the multiple uses of the visitas’ oral and written enactments, within the communities subjected to the trials (colonial towns and parishes, gold-mining districts, Indian encomiendas), as well as in the empire's governmental centers, to which various forms of reports were sent.The aim of the research is to understand better how the "visitas de la tierra" acted both as rituals of negotiation of the colonial order at the local scale of the political bodies established in the northern Andes, and as instruments of knowledge about their territories, the uses of which were exercised at different levels of imperial government
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Zubala, Ania. "Description and evaluation of arts therapies practice with adults suffering from depression in the UK." Thesis, Queen Margaret University, 2013. https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7400.

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This thesis contributes new knowledge to the field of arts therapies and their relevance in the treatment of depression in adults. The global burden of depression means that available treatments do not address all areas within the complexity of the condition and arts therapies may potentially present a relevant alternative by offering opportunities for non-verbal expression and exploration of creativity. Literature up to date does not offer comprehensive enough description of arts therapies practice and therefore establishing of credible evidence has not been possible. This thesis addresses the gap by exploring the nature of arts therapies practice and its value in the treatment of depression. The research consists of two phases: phase 1 provides a description of arts therapies practice with depression in the UK based on data collected from 395 survey respondents, while phase 2 evaluates group brief art therapy for adults experiencing mild to moderate depression. The project employs mixed methodologies within a creative research design incorporating surveys, interviews, arts-based inquiry and a pilot clinical study to examine multiple perspectives and offer findings meaningful to diverse audience. This project establishes that depression is a common condition among arts therapists’ clients while some of the practitioners consider work with depression their main area of professional interest. It further finds that the therapists address depression through the use of humanistic, psychodynamic and integrative approaches and discovers that certain areas of the therapy process have particular relevance in the treatment of depression (e.g. time, group work, motivation, reconnecting). The pilot clinical study concludes with decrease of depression levels and increase of subjectively perceived wellbeing in all participants immediately after nine sessions of art therapy and in the follow-up. Participants’ experiences, researcher’s observations and arts-based reflections on the therapy process highlight the potential value of arts therapies in areas relating to, among others: connection and sharing, awareness of others and self, sense of achievement, self-expression and regain of meaning. The findings are integrated in the final discussion, which proposes a set of concepts particularly relevant to the treatment of adult depression through arts therapies. This research provides the first comprehensive description of arts therapists’ work with depression in the UK and confirms the potential of this practice to be effective, which is relevant to health professionals and may lead to increased involvement of arts therapies in mainstream healthcare. The particular value of this project lies in shaping the basis for further explorations in the form of larger RCTs as well as demonstrating relevance and superiority of creative research designs in evaluating arts therapies.
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Yin, Jun. "Practical issues in theoretical descriptions of experimental quantum state and entanglement estimation." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11579.

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xii, 133 p. : ill. (some col.)
We study entanglement estimation and verification in realistic situations, taking into account experimental imperfections and statistical fluctuations due to finite data. We consider both photonic and spin-1/2 systems. We study how entanglement created with mixed photon wave packets is degraded. We apply statistical analysis to and propose criteria for reliable entanglement verification and estimation. Finally we devote some effort to making quantum state estimation efficient by applying information criteria. This dissertation includes previously published co-authored material.
Committee in charge: Michael G. Raymer, Chair; Steven J. van Enk, Advisor; Stephen Hs,u Member; Jens U. Noeckel, Member; Je rey A. Cina, Outside Member;
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Broussard, Mary R. "Corporal Punishment in the State of Louisiana| A Descriptive Study of Policies and Practices." Thesis, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3622926.

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Louisiana is currently one of the 19 states in the United States that still allow the use of corporal punishment in public schools. The research questions that drove this study explored Louisiana-published court cases involving corporal punishment in public schools, district policies regarding the use of corporal punishment, reported instances of corporal punishment in public schools, and potential relationships between whether or not a district allows corporal punishment and its enrollment size.

As a result of this study, it was discovered that Louisiana has an unusually large body of published court cases involving corporal punishment in public schools. Of those cases, three categories were defined including: cases filed by an employee, cases filed by a parent on behalf of a student, and criminal cases regarding excessive amounts of corporal punishment. It was concluded that the courts will generally uphold a School Board's decision in regards to disciplining teachers for excessive corporal punishment. Furthermore, School Boards and teachers also won a majority of the cases that were filed by a parent on behalf of a student.

After examining Louisiana district's policy regarding the use of corporal punishment in public schools, it was concluded that the majority of Louisiana's public school students attend schools that allow the use of corporal punishment. From the number of instances recorded it was discovered that the majority of Louisiana districts that still use corporal punishment are experiencing a decline in the number of instances recorded. Finally, corporal punishment is still being practiced is some of the largest districts according to student enrollment. A chi-square test was performed and a statistical significance between a district's policy regarding corporal punishment and its size was not found.

In conclusion, this study revealed that Louisiana is still one of the 19 predominately Southern states that still allow corporal punishment in public schools. In order for Louisiana to join the other states in abolishing corporal punishment, it is important that Louisiana School Board members and others who are involved in deciding whether or not corporal punishment is allowed know where Louisiana currently stands on this issue.

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Nicholson, Helain D. "Middle School Educators' Best Practices for Integrating Technology in Education| A Descriptive Case Study." Thesis, University of Phoenix, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10928856.

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Effectively integrating technology into the educational system is paramount to the continued success of the U.S. educational system. Not meeting the needs of students can be detrimental to the continued growth and competitiveness of the United States. Educational systems must reflect the rapid changes in society and the way students communicate, socialize, and think. K-12 educational leaders have an increasing interest in understanding how to equip students with 21st-century skills designed to enhance their ability and willingness to become productive and knowledgeable citizens. This qualitative descriptive case study examined the perceptions of a purposive sample of middle school educators to determine what skills and competencies influenced their use and promotion of technology in education. The following three research questions guided this study: How do rural Virginia middle school educators describe the use of technology in middle school education? What challenges do rural Virginia middle school educators face when attempting to integrate technology in education? How do rural Virginia middle school educators prepare for and view effective integration of technology in education? The theory of constructivism provided the conceptual framework for examining how the participants in this study used and promoted technology in their educational settings. Data were collected by conducting in-depth interviews of 10 rural Virginia middle school educators. The anecdotal responses of the participants provided insight into their perceptions and practices. Four major themes emerged in this study: motivations for using technology, obstacles, training, and technology perceptions.

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Benke, Maria D. "A Descriptive Study of Leadership Behaviors and Coaching Practices Among Federal Public Health Leaders." Thesis, Argosy University/Washington DC, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10626713.

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Public health leaders lead a diverse workforce and organizations that are comprehensive in their breadth and scope of services. The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to describe the transformational and transactional leadership behaviors of federal public health leaders, their coaching practices, and the relationship between those leadership and coaching behaviors. Researcher recruited a convenience sample of 91 U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) officers from training events between March-July 2014. Participants self-selected to voluntarily complete an internet-based survey comprising a researcher-designed questionnaire, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5X Form, and Get Fit for Coaching self-assessment. The first two research questions related to leadership and coaching behaviors were analyzed in SPSS 22 using Kruskal-Wallis H, Yates’ correction, and Monte Carlo significance tests. The Pearson’s product-moment correlation analyzed the third research question examining the relationship between leadership and coaching behaviors. No difference was found in the leadership or coaching behaviors of junior and senior officers when examined by actual rank or seniority. The data revealed several relationships between leadership and coaching behaviors, with significant correlations found for 24 dichotomous pairs, indicating transformational and constructive transactional leadership and coaching behaviors as similar, complementary, and interrelated. The findings showed the act of providing feedback improved performance, while failure to take action or implement change stifles learning and growth. Recommendations for future research included: examining these behaviors among non-uniformed and non-federal public health leaders; exploring their leadership outcomes; and the inclusion of the 360-assessment to validate the self-reported leader data.

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Zbainos, Demetris. "What is behind a grade? : Greek primary school teachers' descriptions of their grading criteria and practices." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1999. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10022661/.

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Historically, research on grading, ie the allocation of marks by teachers to pupils has shown that it represents an assessment of both the academic and non academic characteristics of pupils. Recent research examining teacher grading criteria and practices, shows that little has changed. The present study investigates the grading criteria and practices of Greek primary school teachers . Interviews with 17 teachers investigated the extent to which the legislation regarding grading is implemented by teachers, and the possible criteria that they believe they use in grading. The analysis of the interviews showed that teachers' grading was affected not only by the academic attainment of pupils, but also by non academic factors including the overall picture of pupils' academic attainment assessed by tests, classroom participation and homework, pupils' families, linguistic level, intelligence and motivation, pupils' behaviour, teachers' personal likes of some pupils, pupils' differential attainment in different subjects, pupils self perception of attainment, and local school factors. Different teachers' grading was influenced to a different degree by these factors. On the basis of the interviews a questionnaire was devised to enable a larger sample to be studied. 472 primary teachers of both genders, working in different geographical areas of Greece, with different levels of experience and education completed the questionnaire. Its analysis showed the extent to which they were influenced by the criteria elicited in the interviews, and the differences between them. Factor analysis of the questionnaire confirmed the interview findings, and enabled the development of a possible model of the factors influencing grading, which may be used as the basis for explaining teachers' actual grading practices as opposed to their beliefs about them.
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Litke, Erica G. "The State of the Gate: A Description of Instructional Practice in Algebra in Five Urban Districts." Thesis, Harvard University, 2015. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:16461050.

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Algebra is considered a linchpin for success in secondary mathematics, serving as a gatekeeper to higher-level courses. Access to algebra is also considered an important lever for educational equity. Yet despite its prominence, large-scale examinations of algebra instruction are rare. In my dissertation, I endeavor to better understand what contemporary algebra instruction looks like. I explore instructional practices across a large sample of video recorded algebra lessons from 5 urban districts. To do this, I draw on video and other data from the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project. In the first study, I utilize grounded analysis to describe the format and features of instruction in lessons in the sample. I find that most lessons are teacher-centered with some opportunity for student engagement in mathematical thinking; however, very few lessons provide significant opportunities for student exploration or discovery of mathematical concepts. Looking beneath the surface, I find specific instructional practices teachers employ in algebra lessons and argue that improving these practices may be a promising lever for instructional improvement. Next, I describe the development and validation of an observational instrument oriented toward algebra and designed to measure the nature and quality of these practices. Finally, in the third paper, I use the observational instrument to describe the frequency and quality of these practices in algebra lessons in the sample. I present both descriptive results and qualitative cases of algebra lessons to illustrate these instructional features.
Education Policy, Leadership, and Instructional Practice
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40

Johnson-Martin, Pearl. "The effect of training on teacher's computer self-efficacy and technology practices| A descriptive study." Thesis, University of Phoenix, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3538844.

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The purpose of this quantitative descriptive survey research was to assess and describe the effect of technology training on career and technical education (CTE) teachers’ perceptions of computer self-efficacy and technology practices in a vocational school district in New Jersey. CTE schools prepare future citizens and workers for the challenges of a global technological society. Technology training is crucial to the success of CTE teachers who have the daunting task of better educating students and developing the highly technical skills and problem-solving abilities of workers to compete in the global marketplace. A purposive sample of 84 teachers who attended technology training in the district completed technology-based surveys and six teachers agreed to participate in an interview and classroom observation. Triangulation of the findings of the surveys, interviews, and classroom observations helped to validate the methods and lend important insights to CTE leaders on the effectiveness of technology training. Findings indicated that CTE teachers are using technology in the classroom, but not implementing at levels consistent with developing the higher order thinking and problem-solving skills of students. A practical suggestion for technology training designs included the use of adult learning theories and constructivism for improving the levels of technology implementation among CTE teachers. Recommendations of the study targeted annual technology assessments, post-secondary collaborative partnerships, and supportive leadership to address the needs and concerns of teachers.

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Johnson, Henry Robert. "High School Transition Practices for Ninth Graders: A Descriptive Study of Maryland Public High School." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37510.

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Research shows that there exists a tremendous need for programs and practices that help rising ninth grade students successfully transition from middle to high school. Various studies depict these transition programs which are related to demographics such as race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, programs that center on rural, urban and suburban education as well as programs that are related to school size. This dissertation is a descriptive analysis of the transition practices for ninth grade students found in Maryland's public high schools. Using quantitative methodology with an emphasis on survey design, the study describes the relationship between the practices and the aforementioned factors that influence those practices. Secondary to the description is a determination by school staff regarding the effectiveness of these practices. Results from this study support the theory that transition practices are needed to address the many issues facing ninth grade students. The success of ninth grade students is dependent upon the use of these practices by high schools. This goal assists students to make a successful transition to high school leading to a successful educational experience.
Ed. D.
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Erwin, Alexander. "A descriptive study of tasks performed by exemplary secondary principals which facilitate effective instructional practices." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50014.

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This study investigated the tasks performed by secondary principals. The study was to determine what effect principals have on the teaching practices of classroom teachers. The tasks chosen for this study were categorized into five areas: Administrative, Evaluative, Public Relations, Interpersonal and Organizational. The tasks are indicative of criteria most commonly used for the appraisal of principals in North Carolina. A questionnaire was developed from the North Carolina Appraisal Instrument for Principals. The population was 8 principals and 435 teachers from a total slate population of 301 secondary principals and teachers. The questionnaire utilized functions on the Performance Appraisal instrument and altered the items to specifically address the tasks of principals. The statistical analyses used were frequency distributions and percentages which displayed the data. The findings indicated a discernible pattern in the tasks that teachers perceived as important to their instructional practices. From the 34 items, the following tasks were shown to be most important: developing an annual plan for the school, praising and recognizing students with positive feedback, communicating the purpose of observations and classroom visitations, praising outstanding academic achievement, and allocating time for planning, preparation and evaluation. The findings further suggest the need for principals to involve students and teachers in developing rules, to participate in community programs, to counsel teachers regarding observable strengths and weaknesses, to participate in the promotion of teachers who demonstrate effective instructional practices, and to balance expenditures for instructional materials.
Ed. D.
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Craighead, Andrea, and Andrea Craighead. "A Descriptive Survey of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' Preparedness for Treating Geriatric Depression." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/626693.

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The purpose of this DNP project was to identify family and psychiatric mental health advanced practice registered nurses’ (APRNs) self-rated competence, confidence, experience, and training in the treatment of geriatric depression. The population of older adults in the United States is growing rapidly, and it is becoming increasingly important for health care providers to have a thorough understanding of common mental health disorders. Depression is a commonly misdiagnosed and undertreated mental illness in older adults, and can result in increased morbidity, mortality, and suicide. Diagnosis and treatment of geriatric depression is complicated by polypharmacy, age-related physical changes, and comorbidities. Due to the complexities of this older population, it is critical to have well-trained APRN providers to provide high quality care. This study used a newly developed survey that was distributed to practicing APRN members of the Southern Arizona Advanced Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner Society (SAZAPN/NPS). Clinical experts (n=6) reviewed the survey questions for content validity before it was distributed. The participants (n=32) answered 16 questions about their competence, confidence, experience, and training with geriatric depression. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed to describe APRN’s responses in each of these four domains. The findings from this study show that the majority of the participants (82%) agree and strongly agree that they are competent in assessing geriatric depression. Over three-fourths (76%) report feeling confident in their ability to accurately diagnose and treat geriatric patients with depression. While just over 70% of the APRNs in this study report they feel confident prescribing antidepressants for geriatric patients, and 65% report feeling confident in psychiatric assessments, only 51% of the respondents agreed that they had adequate training to care for geriatric patients. Organization-offered trainings in geriatric depression were available to 21% of the participants, and 78% agreed they could have used more education and training to help them understand the link between physical and mental health in older adults. While most participants in this survey feel confident and competent, there is still a need to enhance education and training opportunities to better prepare them to provide high quality care for a complex population.
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Hodulik, George M. "Graph Summarization: Algorithms, Trained Heuristics, and Practical Storage Application." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1482143946391013.

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45

Pugach, Meghan R. "Low-income women's experiences in outpatient psychotherapy: A qualitative descriptive analysis." Thesis, Boston College, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/3811.

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Thesis advisor: Lisa A. Goodman
As poverty rates in the United States increase, women continue to be disproportionately represented among individuals in poverty. As a result of their poverty, low-income women experience a range of acute stressors and chronic life conditions, within a sociopolitical climate that is highly stigmatizing. Not surprisingly, low-income women experience mental health issues at substantially higher rates than their higher-income counterparts. Despite the clear need for mental health services for this population, rates of access to treatment are low and attrition rates are high. The minimal research examining treatment outcomes for low-income women reveals mixed findings. Further, there is little research on low-income women's qualitative experiences of therapy; the role of their poverty and what they perceive to be meaningful and effective. The present study attempted to fill the gap in our understanding of low-income women's psychotherapy needs and experiences, in an effort to offer new insights about directions for research, training, and practice that can improve mental health services for this high-risk population. This study employed a qualitative descriptive methodology to explore low-income women's (n=10) experiences in traditional outpatient psychotherapy, with a particular focus on how poverty shaped their experiences and what they perceived to be most effective and meaningful. Six clusters emerged from data analysis: Awareness, Instrumental support and flexibility, Building strengths, Respect and dignity, Shared power, and Authenticity. These clusters, in turn, coalesced into three overarching themes: Awareness, Practices, and Relational Quality. Awareness pertains to participants' sense that their therapist understood the nature of poverty and was sensitive to the role of poverty-related stressors in their clients' lives. Practices reflects therapists' willingness to respond directly and actively to participants' poverty-related needs, as these are inextricably intertwined with their mental health. Relational quality refers to the participants' view of how therapists approached relational dynamics; in particular, how they negotiated issues such as power and transparency. Findings are discussed in the context of feminist theory and current research. Limitations are also presented along with recommendations for future research, training, and practice
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology
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46

Grimes, Tameshia V. "Interpreting the meaning of grades: A descriptive analysis of middle school teachers' assessment and grading practices." VCU Scholars Compass, 2010. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/2076.

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This descriptive, non-experimental, quantitative study was designed to answer the broad question, “What do grades mean?” Core academic subject middle school teachers from one large, suburban school district in Virginia were administered an electronic survey that asked them to report on aspects of their grading practices and assessment methods for one class taught during the 2008-2009 school year. The survey addressed the following topics: 1) primary purposes for grades, 2) attitudes toward grading, 3) assessment method, and 4) grading practices. Additionally, the study examined the relationship between teachers’ reported assessment and grading methods and student achievement. Overall results and results disaggregated by subject area, grade level, and student ability level suggest that teachers are consistent in what they consider the primary purposes for grades. The vast majority indicated that grades should communicate student levels of mastery of content and skills. However, sizable percentages of teachers reported that they also considered non-academic indicators such as effort, attendance, and paying attention in class when determining student grades, suggesting a lack of alignment between their reported beliefs and practice. The study examined the extent to which teachers’ reported grading and assessment practices were consistent with those recommended in the literature on measurement and assessment. The study findings are consistent with those of findings from previous studies suggesting that teachers engage in “hodgepodge grading,” a practice which incorporates non-academic factors into student grades. The results also show that teachers use a variety of assessment methods and types of questions when measuring student achievement. The results indicate that projects, student exhibits, essays, inclusion of zeros, and extra credit were associated with higher levels of student achievement. Conversely, norm-referencing, classwork, participation, and matching were negatively correlated with student grades and test scores.
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Dirring, John William. "The organization and practice of banking in Cornwall, 1771-1922 : motivations and objectives of Cornish bankers." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10871/21368.

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The subject of this study is the period of independent banking in Cornwall, from the formation of the Miners’ Bank in Truro in 1771 to the absorption of Dingley’s Launceston Bank by the National Provincial in 1922. Undertaken within the perspectives of the `New’ Cornish Studies, it aims to provide an assessment of the objectives, strategies, and operational decision-making of banking institutions in Cornwall. A comprehensive analytical narrative of their development forms the core of the study, building on the existing literature and augmented from a range of fragmentary primary and secondary sources, much of it from family archival papers. The nature of this material, and the general lack of quantitative financial data relating to individual institutions, has made a qualitative sociological approach the most appropriate. With the careers of individual bankers predominant, the narrative is also strongly biographical in content and emphasis. An analytical technique based on thick description has been used to enlarge upon the possibilities contained in the often meagre evidence. Both the historical narrative and the subsequent theoretical analysis are conducted from a standpoint situated within a Cornish bank; established in Geertzian fashion from the author’s own long commercial experience in a traditionally-minded business. This experience is aligned with that of contemporaneous writers on nineteenth-century banking practice. In similar manner, a theoretical standpoint within the contemporaneous sociological thought of Tönnies and Weber has been adopted, as being the most appropriate to the consideration of the forms of organization under investigation. From this standpoint, the analysis is projected forwards into the growing corporatism and branch expansion of the amalgamation era. This is undertaken through a game-theoretic evolutionary assessment of decision processes; and a consideration of the roles of path creation and path dependency in institutional development.
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Smith, Elaine Kelly. "A descriptive analysis of high school choral teachers? inclusion of popular music in current teaching practices." Thesis, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10123639.

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The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of high school choral teachers’ inclusion of popular music in current teaching practices by (a) determining the frequency of inclusion, (b) developing a profile of teachers, schools, and choral programs that include popular music in the curriculum, (c) determining which demographic characteristics affected the amount of popular music included, and (d) developing a profile of popular music implementation details. The Popular Music Survey, a researcher designed online survey, was developed to collect demographic data and information concerning the participants’ inclusion of popular music in their high school choral classrooms. Participants were high school choral teachers in the Commonwealth of Virginia (n = 104). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Macintosh, Version 22.0.

Results of the study revealed that 100% of participants include popular music in the choral curriculum as performance literature and/or instructional materials. Descriptive statistics of demographic data of the teacher, school, choral program, and ensemble were used to develop a profile to describe the typical high school choral teacher who includes popular music. Descriptive statistics were also used to develop a profile to describe how high school choral teachers included popular music in the choral classroom.

The majority of participants (n = 91, 87.4%) responded that the percentage of popular music performed was 30% or less of their total performance literature. Pearson Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance were used to determine the extent to which popular music was included in the high school choral curriculum. The achievement of a master’s degree was the only teacher characteristic that significantly affected the amount of popular music included in the high school choral curriculum (p = .028). Participants with a master’s degree included more popular music than participants who did not have a master’s degree.

Implications for music education were discussed in relation to the findings of the current study. Recommendations were made for future research regarding the inclusion of popular music in choral classrooms, as well as in other areas of music education.

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Cheung, Yip-ling Maria. "Working with triad affiliated youths a descriptive study of the outreaching workers' practice experience /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1985. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31974363.

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50

Cheung, Yip-ling Maria, and 張葉玲. "Working with triad affiliated youths: a descriptive study of the outreaching workers' practice experience." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1985. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31974363.

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