Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Research methods and theory'
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Bwanika, Daniel. "Realistic Theory as Methods for Scientific Research." Thesis, Örebro University, School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, 2002. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-6327.
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Chiu, Jing-Er. "Applications of bayesian methods to arthritis research /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2001. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3036813.
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Al-Adeem, Khalid Rasheed. "Accounting Theory: A Neglected Topic in Academic Accounting Research." Cleveland, Ohio : Case Western Reserve University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1256045265.
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Thesis(Ph.D.)--Case Western Reserve University, 2010Title from PDF (viewed on 2009-11-23) Department of Accounting Includes abstract Includes bibliographical references and appendices Available online via the OhioLINK ETD Center
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White, Beth. "Interdisciplinary Research Experiences For Undergraduates: Two Mixed-Methods Studies." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2017. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/675.
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Despite the demand for a diverse STEM-educated population and workforce, college students have consistently turned away from these disciplines in large numbers, creating a persistent problem that many are trying to address. The aim of the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is to inspire, attract, and retain STEM majors. Funding supports undergraduate STEM students' engagement in real-world research alongside STEM mentors. As colleges and universities compete for funding for REUs, it is important to understand the mechanisms within summer research programs that resonate most deeply with undergraduate STEM researchers. While many studies reveal strong correlations between research experiences and STEM aspirations, less is known about the mechanisms within REU programs that support these gains. My research used quantitative and qualitative self-reported data from 20 REU students, 18 of whom were underrepresented minorities in STEM. Over two summers, these students, in cohorts of ten, came to the University of Vermont to participate in a team-oriented, 10-week REU: Interdisciplinary Research on Human Impacts in the Lake Champlain Ecosystem.
Two mixed-methods studies, guided by the frameworks of the theory of possible selves, theory of self-efficacy for research, and social cognitive career theory, revealed four important program mechanisms that gave rise to gains in research skills, confidence and self-efficacy for research, and STEM career aspirations, particularly for individuals from underrepresented minority groups in STEM. Findings suggest that the program fostered student capacity building within a safe, inclusive, and positive setting where students experienced what it feels like to be an active participant in the world of research. Within this context, critical mechanisms that gave rise to gains in research skills, confidence and self-efficacy for research, and STEM career aspirations included: (1) experiential education through interdisciplinary research experiences, (2) student independence and ownership balanced with expert researcher guidance and support, (3) formal and informal mentoring networks where students were mentored and where they mentored others, and (4) the establishment of an intentional learning community that advanced leadership, research skill building, perseverance, and reflection.
Results from this research cannot be generalized beyond the context of the Lake Champlain REU, however, findings are in alignment with the body of literature that highlights the positive effects of REUs on STEM majors' research skills, confidence and self-efficacy for research, and STEM career aspirations. Using mixed methods to identify and understand the within-program mechanisms that support student gains is a valuable new research approach for this field. Recognizing programmatic mechanisms across REU programs can lead to expansion, replication, and application of these models beyond one institution, resulting in more positive gains for more undergraduate STEM researchers.
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Hoshaw-Woodard, Stacy. "Large sample methods for analyzing longitudinal data in rehabilitation research /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9946263.
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Chalmers, Dominic. "Extending social entrepreneurship research : integrating theory and method." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2016. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.731655.
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Sėrikovienė, Silvija. "Research on application of learning objects reusability and quality evaluation methods." Doctoral thesis, Lithuanian Academic Libraries Network (LABT), 2013. http://vddb.laba.lt/obj/LT-eLABa-0001:E.02~2013~D_20130220_160734-35867.
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Qualitative learning material (or Learning Objects – LOs) is one of the main factors of learning quality. Therefore, evaluation of LOs quality is one of the most relevant education problems. The problem is relevant for all participants of the educational sector – for educational institutions (e.g. schools) that have to select qualitative learning material for their needs, for education policy makers who need clear quality criteria while implementing LOs tenders, for authors of learning material (e.g. publishers) who need to know quality requirements to create LOs etc. The research work is aimed to propose and pilot LOs reusability and quality evaluation methodology, i.e., quality model, and simple and effective expert evaluation methods, thus improving solution of educational tasks using informatics engineering methods. To reach this aim, we have to analyse the notions of LOs reusability and expert evaluation of quality, principles of creating LOs reusability and quality model, and possible simple and effective methods for the expert evaluation of LOs quality and reusability. Both LO quality and reusability model and evaluation method are presented in the work. LO quality model created consists of 9 quality criteria divided into 3 groups i.e. technological, pedagogical, and IPR criteria. This model is comprehensive and matches scientific principles of creating a model. The following methods are selected and consecutively applied in the research while evaluating LOs quality... [to full text]Kokybiška mokomoji medžiaga yra viena svarbiausių mokymo(-si) kokybės veiksnių, todėl mokomųjų objektų (toliau – MO) daugkartinio panaudojamumo kokybės vertinimas yra viena opiausių švietimo problemų. Problema yra aktuali visiems švietimo dalyviams – švietimo įstaigoms (pvz., mokykloms), kurios turi išrinkti kokybišką mokomąją medžiagą (MO) savo tikslams pasiekti, švietimo politikams, kuriems reikia aiškių kokybės kriterijų vykdant MO viešuosius pirkimus, mokomosios medžiagos autoriams (pvz., leidykloms), kurie turi žinoti kokybės reikalavimus, remdamiesi kuriais jie kurs MO, ir pan. Disertacinis darbas skirtas pasiūlyti ir išbandyti MO daugkartinio panaudojamumo kokybės vertinimo metodiką: kokybės modelį ir paprastus bei efektyvius ekspertinio kokybės vertinimo metodus (t.y., pagerinti edukologinių uždavinių sprendimo galimybes naudojant informatikos inžinerijos metodus). Tam analizuojamos MO daugkartinio panaudojamumo ir ekspertinio kokybės vertinimo sąvokos, kokybės modelio sudarymo principai, galimi paprasti ir efektyvūs kokybės ekspertinio vertinimo metodai. Darbe yra pateiktas sukurtas mokomųjų objektų daugkartinio panaudojamumo kokybės modelis ir vertinimo metodas. Mokomųjų objektų kokybės modelį sudaro devyni trijų grupių (technologiniai, pedagoginiai, intelektinių teisių) kokybės kriterijai, kurie atspindi visapusišką kokybės kriterijų sistemą, kurioje yra svarbūs ne tik patys kriterijai, bet ir jų tarpusavio sąryšiai. Mokomųjų objektų daugkartinio panaudojamumo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
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Christensen, Maribeth. "An Interdisciplinary Theoretical Framework for the Mailed Questionnaire Process and the Development of a Theory on Immediacy and Salience as Significant Variables of Response Rates." DigitalCommons@USU, 1996. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4689.
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The mailed questionnaire research process developed historically as part of the survey research movement, with guidelines and models drawn from an array of scientific research methods and disciplines. Although the mailed questionnaire has become one of the most popular research instruments for obtaining data beyond the reach of the observer, the response bias generated from the generally low return rate of the mailed questionnaire survey has remained a problem. For over three decades researchers have generated a plethora of research on the effectiveness of the various aspects of the mailed questionnaire process and the resultant impact of various constructs on survey return . But despite these efforts, researchers have not succeeded collectively in producing a clear, compelling, or consistent set of principles that, if followed, will produce high response rates in mailed questionnaire research . With the certainty that more knowledge and constructs will be generated in all areas of the mailed questionnaire process, scholars have issued a call for a viable theory to direct future research efforts on response rates . Therefore, the purpose of this study was to address that need . The dissertation research reported in this paper accomplished five major objectives. It (a) developed an interdisciplinary theoretical framework for the mailed questionnaire process; (b) identified 13 determinants of response costs in the mailed questionnaire process; (c) proposed immediacy and salience as the most significant determinant variables of response rates, from a synthesis of the research literature with the theoretical framework; (d) proposed a theory and theoretical model that explain and illustrate the interaction of immediacy and salience in determining response rate levels; and (e) recommended a method for testing the proposed theory and for utilizing the proposed theory to achieve high response rates in future mailed questionnaire studies.
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Chau, Ka-ki, and 周嘉琪. "Informative drop-out models for longitudinal binary data." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B2962714X.
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Catterall, Miriam. "Focus groups in market research : theory, method and practice." Thesis, University of Ulster, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369987.
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Brist, Todd L. "Not just a rite of passage| An action research project on bullying prevention." Thesis, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3686634.
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Using action research design and methodology, the goal of this project was to reduce and prevent bullying at a rural middle school in South Dakota through the implementation of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP). This project was rooted in replication of Dr. Dan Olweus' seminal work on bullying prevention, the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. N = 521 students participated in the project. The OBPP Implementation Flowchart and OBPP Scope and Sequence guided implementation. Despite a high degree of fidelity of implementation on the OBPP Readiness Assessment, OBPP Classroom Implementation Checklist, and OBPP First Year Checklist, the results on the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire (OBQ) were mixed with some key indicators showing an increase in bullying behaviors. However, the results are limited due to the OBPP's propensity to bring about increased recognition and reporting of bullying behaviors in the first year as a result of skills and strategies learned through class meetings. Additional time and study are recommended in order to draw definitive conclusions regarding the overall effectiveness of the OBPP. Other recommendations for further study include: improved fidelity of implementation and the addition of a prosocial skills/character education component to support the tenets of the OBPP.
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Morgan, Caitlin Bradley. "Expanding Food Agency: Exploring the Theory and Its Scale in Philadelphia, PA." ScholarWorks @ UVM, 2016. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/graddis/661.
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Our contemporary American food system has created complex environments for decisions and actions around food, and those decisions have implications for culture, health, natural resources, social relations, and the economy. And yet, as scholars, we do not understand the particulars of how people actually cook for themselves and their families. This study explores how race and socioeconomic class interact with individual experience of "food agency," or personal capacity to plan and prepare meals within one's food environment. It is one stage in a multiphase project developing a comprehensive theory of food agency, applicable in any context; a scale for measuring that agency; and a cooking pedagogy for increasing it.
This research was based on an explanatory sequential mixed methods design: a qualitative follow-up to quantitative research (see Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). It is an in-depth qualitative investigation with low-income participants of color, a population that had previously not been included in the development of food agency theory. The study's population was a mix of Drexel University students and community residents of Mantua, in Philadelphia, PA, and was recruited from Drexel's Healthy Cooking Techniques summer course. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and survey administration, and also utilized food agency scale survey responses. Analysis and results are divided into two papers, one narrative, and one a comparison between quantitative components of the food agency scale and corresponding qualitative data.
Narrative analysis reinforces the notion that food agency is incredibly complex and self-referential. People with high self-efficacy around food may feel like they have a high level of agency, even if they can identify ways that societal structures impede them. Mixed-methods analysis reveals aspects of food agency that are not reflected by the scale: specifically, strategies for procuring food; environmental and financial impediments to that procurement; and aspiration for greater self-sufficiency and healthfulness in preparing food.
Participants are intentional and skillful in resisting economic and environmental obstacles to feeding themselves. They want to be supported in building skills for that daily endeavor. The food agency scale does not gauge many of the strategies with which they resist obstacles, and therefore might be better cast as a cooking action scale, rather than a measure of comprehensive food agency.
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Liang, Yiheng. "Computational Methods for Discovering and Analyzing Causal Relationships in Health Data." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2015. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc804966/.
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Publicly available datasets in health science are often large and observational, in contrast to experimental datasets where a small number of data are collected in controlled experiments. Variables' causal relationships in the observational dataset are yet to be determined. However, there is a significant interest in health science to discover and analyze causal relationships from health data since identified causal relationships will greatly facilitate medical professionals to prevent diseases or to mitigate the negative effects of the disease. Recent advances in Computer Science, particularly in Bayesian networks, has initiated a renewed interest for causality research. Causal relationships can be possibly discovered through learning the network structures from data. However, the number of candidate graphs grows in a more than exponential rate with the increase of variables. Exact learning for obtaining the optimal structure is thus computationally infeasible in practice. As a result, heuristic approaches are imperative to alleviate the difficulty of computations. This research provides effective and efficient learning tools for local causal discoveries and novel methods of learning causal structures with a combination of background knowledge. Specifically in the direction of constraint based structural learning, polynomial-time algorithms for constructing causal structures are designed with first-order conditional independence. Algorithms of efficiently discovering non-causal factors are developed and proved. In addition, when the background knowledge is partially known, methods of graph decomposition are provided so as to reduce the number of conditioned variables. Experiments on both synthetic data and real epidemiological data indicate the provided methods are applicable to large-scale datasets and scalable for causal analysis in health data. Followed by the research methods and experiments, this dissertation gives thoughtful discussions on the reliability of causal discoveries computational health science research, complexity, and implications in health science research.
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Midthjell, Sverre Bugge. "Deliberating or quarrelling? : An enquiry into theory and research methods for the relationship between political parties and deliberation." Thesis, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Institutt for sosiologi og statsvitenskap, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:no:ntnu:diva-11964.
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Thomas, Clifford S. "From 'tree' based Bayesian networks to mutual information classifiers : deriving a singly connected network classifier using an information theory based technique." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/2623.
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For reasoning under uncertainty the Bayesian network has become the representation of choice. However, except where models are considered 'simple' the task of construction and inference are provably NP-hard. For modelling larger 'real' world problems this computational complexity has been addressed by methods that approximate the model. The Naive Bayes classifier, which has strong assumptions of independence among features, is a common approach, whilst the class of trees is another less extreme example. In this thesis we propose the use of an information theory based technique as a mechanism for inference in Singly Connected Networks. We call this a Mutual Information Measure classifier, as it corresponds to the restricted class of trees built from mutual information. We show that the new approach provides for both an efficient and localised method of classification, with performance accuracies comparable with the less restricted general Bayesian networks. To improve the performance of the classifier, we additionally investigate the possibility of expanding the class Markov blanket by use of a Wrapper approach and further show that the performance can be improved by focusing on the class Markov blanket and that the improvement is not at the expense of increased complexity. Finally, the two methods are applied to the task of diagnosing the 'real' world medical domain, Acute Abdominal Pain. Known to be both a different and challenging domain to classify, the objective was to investigate the optiniality claims, in respect of the Naive Bayes classifier, that some researchers have argued, for classifying in this domain. Despite some loss of representation capabilities we show that the Mutual Information Measure classifier can be effectively applied to the domain and also provides a recognisable qualitative structure without violating 'real' world assertions. In respect of its 'selective' variant we further show that the improvement achieves a comparable predictive accuracy to the Naive Bayes classifier and that the Naive Bayes classifier's 'overall' performance is largely due the contribution of the majority group Non-Specific Abdominal Pain, a group of exclusion.
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Newhart, Daniel W. "“Smart” Mixed Methods: The Interaction of Philosophy and Research Design in Higher Education Inquiry." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306863023.
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Warren, Scott Joseph. "A Multi-Methodology Study of the Historic Impact of Soft Systems Methodology and Its Associated Data Visualization Approach in the Context of Operations and Business Strategy." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1404615/.
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The purpose of this three-essay dissertation was to expand knowledge and theory regarding soft systems methodologies (SSMs) and data visualization approaches in business, engineering, and other social sciences. The first essay depicts a bibliometric analysis study of the historic impacts of SSM from 1980-2018 on business, engineering, and other social sciences fields. This study found 285 articles that described or employed SSM for research and included outcomes such as top SSM authors, author citation impacts, common dissemination outlets, time-bound distribution of publications, and other relevant findings. This study provided a picture of who, what, why, when, and where SSM has had the greatest impact on academic thought and practice. The second essay presents research on the academic impact of Systemigrams, an associated data visualization approach, finding examples of conceptual or research development that employed Systemigrams to depict complex problem situations. Recommendations for improvement of designing these data visualizations to increase their field use resulted from this study. The final essay leverages a selection of the articles as use cases to produce a grounded theory study to identify phenomena that arose from the use of SSM for operations and firm strategy research. This study identified two broad themes including (i) scope, structure, and process challenges and (ii) performance and evaluation limitations. These themes were explained by six patterns that emerged from the publications. Each produced change recommendations for SSM process, practice, and reporting to support its continued viability and adoption in business and operations research.
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Bloch, Joan R., Maureen R. Courtney, and Myra L. Clark. "Practice-based Clinical Inquiry in Nursing for DNP and PhD Research: Looking Beyond Traditional Methods." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://www.amzn.com/0826126944.
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Meticulously compiled to serve the specific needs of APRNs and nurse executives engaged in doctoral-level research, this text provides evidence-based and practice-based scholarly methods not traditionally taught in PhD or DNP programs. Building on and expanding traditional nursing research methods, the bookfocuses on both existing and evolving methods of clinical inquiry, some of which incorporate technology and knowledge from other disciplines. These are approaches that can be translated into clinical practice, providing the nursing profession with unprecedented opportunities for collaboration in improvinghealth and health care systems. Methods include quality improvement, implementation science, logic models, program planning and evaluation, patient-engaged and community participatory research, dissemination research, big data, comparative effectiveness research, secondary analysis, and systematic reviews.
Chapters provide clear guidance on why and how to use a particular method, and are consistently organized to enable a comparison and contrast of different approaches in order to select the one that best fits a particular research need. The text highlights the importance of each approach, and discusses why touse a particular method for doctoral nursing work. Chapters describe how to apply the method along with how to interpret findings and disseminate them. Thedescription of each method concludes with examples from the published literature. Practical tips for impact and success in research and program proposals increase the text value.
Key Features: Presents research methods specifically for doctoral-level evidence-based and practice-based clinical research Describes interdisciplinary health care methodologies focused on evidence-based improvement in health care Offers practical information on benefits and use of each method Provides examples of each method from published literature Written by experienced academic and practice scholars from across the United Stateshttps://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1137/thumbnail.jpg
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Henchy, Alexandra Marie. "REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF RELIABILITY GENERALIZATION RESEARCH." UKnowledge, 2013. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/edp_etds/5.
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Reliability Generalization (RG) is a meta-analytic method that examines the sources of measurement error variance for scores for multiple studies that use a certain instrument or group of instruments that measure the same construct (Vacha-Haase, Henson, & Caruso, 2002). Researchers have been conducting RG studies for over 10 years since it was first discussed by Vacha-Haase (1998). Henson and Thompson (2002) noted that, as RG is not a monolithic technique; researchers can conduct RG studies in a variety of ways and include diverse variables in their analyses. Differing recommendations exist in regards to how researchers should retrieve, code, and analyze information when conducting RG studies and these differences can affect the conclusions drawn from meta-analytic studies (Schmidt, Oh, & Hayes, 2009) like RG. The present study is the first comprehensive review of both current RG practices and RG recommendations. Based upon the prior research findings of other meta-analytic review papers (e.g., Dieckmann, Malle, & Bodner 2009), the overarching hypothesis was that there would be differences between current RG practices and best practice recommendations made for RG studies.
Data consisted of 64 applied RG studies and recommendation papers, book chapters, and unpublished papers/conference papers. The characteristics that were examined included how RG researchers: (a) collected studies, (b) organized studies, (c) coded studies, (d) analyzed their data, and (e) reported their results.
The results showed that although applied RG researchers followed some of the recommendations (e.g., RG researchers examined sample characteristics that influenced reliability estimates), there were some recommendations that RG researchers did not follow (e.g., the majority of researchers did not conduct an a priori power analysis). The results can draw RG researchers’ attentions to areas where there is a disconnect between practice and recommendations as well as provide a benchmark for assessing future improvement in RG implementation.
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Levi, Altstaedter Laura. "Writing Instruction in Foreign Language Courses: Multiple Perspectives on the Impact of Peer Feedback on Students’ Writing Proficiency." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/28384.
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Grounded in sociocultural theory, peer feedback can help students engage in interaction and negotiation of meaning, which serve as a basis for the construction of knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978). It can also contribute to the development of self-regulation, as well as of reflection on one's own learning (Doolittle & Hicks, 2003). Its strategic incorporation into foreign language instruction can help students use the language they are in the process of acquiring to mediate language acquisition (Shrum & Glisan, 2005).
Research shows that peer feedback can help students develop and advance their Zone of Proximal Development through their engagement in collaborative interaction with their peers (De Guerrero & Villamil, 1994, 2000; Donato, 2004; Lantolf, 2004; Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Liu & Hansen, 2005). Peer feedback can also help students improve their writing proficiency, including organization of their texts and awareness of the mechanics of the language necessary for successful communication of the intended message (Kinsler, 1990; Hu, 2005; Williams, 2005).
Framed within a sociocultural perspective on foreign language learning and development, and following a manuscript approach, this dissertation consists of a series of studies that aim to explore: (a) whether participation in a peer feedback experience has a positive impact on students’ foreign language writing proficiency; (b) whether guidelines plus training in how to provide meaningful feedback have a different impact on students’ foreign language writing proficiency than guidelines alone; (c) around what themes students focus the feedback they provide to their peers; and (d) what students’ perceptions of the peer feedback experience are.
The results of the first the study, which consisted of a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design, showed that students significantly improved their writing proficiency after participating in a peer feedback experience, regardless of training. Further the results of this study indicated that, on average, trained and untrained students provided written peer feedback focused mainly on global aspects rather than local aspects. The results of the second study, which consisted of a mixed methods approach, showed that, on average, students had high perceptions of the peer feedback experience and that they perceived that their partner's feedback had helped them improve the global aspects of their composition more than the local aspects. Students expressed that what they liked the most about the experience was getting a different perspective on their writing, and what they liked the least was that they felt they were not proficient enough in the foreign language to provide meaningful feedback to their peers.Ph. D.
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Zhang, Meng. "Systems thinking in the construction of information systems theory: A set of methodological inquiries." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2016. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/92275/1/Meng_Zhang_Thesis.pdf.
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This thesis examines the nature of research methods and explores novel approaches to developing richer and more realistic theory concerned with information systems. The conceptual analysis offers a solid basis for flexibly configuring research methods and for systematically constructing complex theory. The frameworks provided can help researchers better deal with increasing complexities arising from the interaction between human and technological systems.
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Wood-Barcalow, Nichole Lynn. "Understanding the construct of body image to include positive components a mixed-methods study /." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1148048556.
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Perkins, Jessica M. "Conducting Social Network and Social Norm Research in Low-Resource Settings: Food Insecurity, Depression, and HIV Testing in Rural Uganda." Thesis, Harvard University, 2015. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:17467207.
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This dissertation examines the role of social networks and social norms in health outcomes and behaviors among low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), with a particular focus on Uganda. Paper 1 presents a systematic review of sociocentric network studies conducted in LMICs on health-related outcomes and other development topics. I first discuss the sociocentric network study designs employed in 36 selected papers, and provide a catalog of 105 name generator questions used to measure social ties. Second, I show that network composition, individual network centrality, and network structure are associated with health behaviors and health and development outcomes in different contexts across multiple levels of analysis and across distinct network types. Lastly, I highlight opportunities for health researchers and practitioners in LMICs to 1) design effective studies and interventions that account for the sociocentric network positions of certain individuals and overall network structure, 2) measure the spread of outcomes or intervention externalities, and 3) enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of aid based on knowledge of social structure.
Papers 2 and 3 exploit a population-based dataset on eight villages from rural Southwest Uganda, arising from a pilot study which myself and colleagues designed to collect sociocentric network data. There were a total of 1,669 adults interviewed representing a response rate of 96%. Paper 2 assesses the relationship between food insecurity and depression symptom severity in the general adult population, and the potential confounding or moderating roles of social network position, structure, and composition in that relationship. I find that severe and moderate food insecurity was associated with greater depression symptom severity among both men and women, and that none of the social network characteristics were directly associated with the outcome. Moreover, there were no interactions between food insecurity and network characteristics among women. For severely food insecure men, however, personal network centrality was positively associated with symptoms and personal network poverty composition was negatively associated with symptoms. Findings reveal that nutrition interventions aimed at improving food security in rural areas may have significant beneficial effects in terms of mental health outcomes for the whole population. I discuss the possible role of shame in affecting depression among severely food insecure men with wealthier networks and in more central network locations.
Paper 3 examines the extent to which individuals underestimate the prevalence of HIV testing in their village and misperceive the norm, and also assesses the relationship between perception of the HIV testing norm in one’s village with personally never having been tested. I find that although a majority of people had been tested in each of the villages, a majority of people underestimated the actual prevalence and thought that testing was not normative. Men who perceived testing as not normative were much more likely to never have been tested, and both men and women who felt they didn’t know anything about the norm were also more likely to never have been tested. Results suggest that interventions promoting true HIV testing norms may help increase uptake of testing.Health Policy
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Matta, Corrado. "A Field of Veiled Continuities : Studies in the Methodology and Theory of Educational Research." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-140475.
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Empirical educational research enjoys a methodological and theoretical debate that is characterized by a number of unresolved and lively debated controversies. This compilation thesis is an attempt to contribute to this debate using the toolbox of philosophy of science. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four essays. In the introductory chapter I identify three methodological and theoretical controversies that are discussed within the field of educational research. These are: 1) the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational research; 2) the controversy between cognitive and sociocultural theories of learning; and, 3) the controversy between realist and constructionist interpretations of theories of learning. I provide in the essays a critical assessment of the claims behind each of these controversies, and argue for an alternative reconstruction of these issues. In Essay I, I criticize a view about the interpretation of human action, labeled in the text as interpretivism. This view posits a sharp separation between the natural and social sciences, to the effect that the methods of the latter cannot be applied to the former. The first controversy seems to rest on this position. As I argue, the arguments in support of interpretivism are contradicted by actual research practice. I conclude that the interpretivistic claims lack support and that the general separation claim appears as problematic. A further debate has fueled the first controversy, that is, the supposed distinction between qualitative and quantitative methods. In Essay II, I argue against this distinction. More specifically, I discuss the concept of empirical support in the context of qualitative methods (for short, qualitative support). I provide arguments that although there are two specific and non-trivial properties of qualitative support, there is no methodological separation between quantitative and qualitative methods concerning empirical support. Considered together, the first two essays indicate two points of methodological continuity between educational research and other scientific practices (such as the natural sciences). I therefore conclude that the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational research rests in large part on unjustified claims. Essay III focuses on the second controversy. In this article I argue that Suárez’ inferential approach to the concept of scientific representation can be used as an account of scientific representation in learning, regardless of whether learning is understood as a cognitive or social phenomenon. The third controversy is discussed in Essay IV. Here, I discuss some ontological aspects of the framework of the actor-network theory. Reflecting on the use of this framework in the research field of Networked Learning, I argue that the assumption of an ontology of relations provides the solution for two puzzles about the ontology of networks. The relevance of my argument for the third controversy is that it suggests a point of connection between constructionist and realist interpretations of the ontology of learning. The last two essays suggest two points of continuities between theoretical frameworks that have been and still are argued to be incompatible.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript.
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Gross, Don Paul. "Theological method and the research programme of Imre Lakatos." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1992. http://www.tren.com.
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Gantt, Bernard J. "Academic Advising Methods and First-Year Full-Time Community College Student Achievement." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7797.
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Poor student achievement at some community colleges results in low retention and graduation rates. Addressing the problem of unpreparedness for college with good academic advising may help to improve student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in the academic achievement of 1st year full-time (FYFT) community college students, based on having received 1 semester of any of 4 different academic advising methods (prescriptive, developmental, intrusive, proactive) while controlling for high school grade point average (GPA). Bandura's social learning theory was used as the theoretical framework. A quantitative research method, deploying 1 research question and 5 hypotheses, was used to guide the examination of a sample of 349 archived data records of Fall 2016 FYFT students at a community college in the northeastern United States. The study included a categorical (factor) and a metric (covariate) measures of variables; therefore, a 1-way ANCOVA was used to estimate the effect of the academic advising method on student achievement. The findings showed no significant difference in FYFT student GPA, based on having received academic advising in general or any method of academic advising, during the 1st semester of enrollment. Despite these findings, the literature supports academic advising as critical for improving GPA, implying that further research is needed to adequately determine trends in student achievement related to advising over more than 1 semester at the college studied. By understanding the difference in the academic achievement of FYFT students based on having received academic advising consistently, academic advisors will have information that can potentially enhance student achievement and increase students' chances of graduating, thus promoting positive social change.
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Quiedeville, Sylvain. "Ex-post assessment of impacts of research on innovations for organic farming : issues, methods, tools and instruments." Thesis, Montpellier, SupAgro, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017NSAM0038/document.
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Cette thèse a pour objet d’évaluer, de développer et de tester différentes méthodes qualitatives et manières d’évaluer ex-post les impacts et la contribution de la recherche sur les processus d’innovations et la société, par rapport à la transition à l’agriculture biologique.Nous avons réalisé deux cas d’études traitant de la transition à l’agriculture biologique. Le premier est le cas camarguais (en France) englobant un ensemble d’innovations techniques. Le second concerne le développement du produit biologique Ecostop pour protéger les abeilles contre la maladie de la varroatose en Bulgarie.Nous évaluons le potentiel d’une approche globale basée sur l’analyse participative du chemin de l’impact (PIPA) mais adaptée et complémentée par de nombreuses autres méthodes (premier article, partie 4), ainsi que le potentiel de l’analyse du réseau social (SNA) (deuxième article, partie 5) et de la théorie de l’acteur réseau (ANT) (troisième article, partie 6) pour l’évaluation ex-post des impacts et de la contribution de la recherche. Nous étudions les impacts de la recherche en Camargue et la manière dont ils ont été générés. Le cas Bulgare est seulement utilisé pour évaluer le potentiel d’ANT (avec le cas camarguais).L’approche basée sur PIPA permet d’évaluer avec succès les impacts et la contribution de la recherche. Nous avons pu mettre en évidence que la recherche a contribué au changement en Camargue à travers le développement d’interactions de co-apprentissage avec les producteurs bien que cela ne se soit pas avéré crucial pour le succès de l’innovation dans son ensemble. Les politiques agricoles, facteurs économiques, tests conduits indépendamment par les agriculteurs, et le cadre institutionnel, ont été les facteurs les plus importants et ayant eu le plus d’effets. En ce qui concerne SNA, il est apparu utile pour valider les dires des parties prenantes sur les relations entre acteurs ainsi que leurs implications sur la transition à l’agriculture biologique. Par exemple, le rôle grandissant joué par l’INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) au sein du réseau d’acteurs a été confirmé de même que sa contribution à la transition vers l’agriculture biologique. Quant à l’approche ANT, elle permet de mettre en avant les relations interpersonnelles d’acteurs et leurs effets sur le développement de l’innovation. Nous soulignons en particulier l’importance des leaders d’opinion au cours des phases d’implémentation et de diffusion ; et montrons également l’importance de problématiser les questions devant être traitées afin d’améliorer le succès des programmes de rechercheThis thesis intends to evaluate, develop and test different qualitative methods and ways of ex-post assessing the impacts and contribution of the research on innovation processes and the society, in relation to the transition to organic agriculture.We have conducted two case studies focusing on the transition to organic farming. First is the Camargue case (in France) that encompasses a broad range of technical innovations. Second is on the development of the organic product Ecostop to protect bees against the varroatosis disease in Bulgaria.We evaluate the potential of a broad approach based on the Participatory Impact Pathway Analysis (PIPA) and adapted & complemented by several other methods (first article, part 4), as well as the potential of the Social Network Analysis (SNA) (second paper, part 5) and of the Actor Network Theory (ANT) (third paper, part 6), in evaluating ex-post the impacts and contribution of the research. We study the impacts of the research in the Camargue and how they were generated. The Bulgarian case is only used to evaluate the potential of ANT (together with the Camargue case).The approach based on PIPA allows assessing successfully the impacts and contribution of the research. We could show that the research contributed to change in the Camargue by developing co-learning interactions with farmers although this was not critical to the success of the innovation as a whole. The agricultural policies, economic factors, the testing conducted independently by farmers, and the institutional framework, were the most important and influential factors. With respect to SNA, it was of interest to validate stakeholders’ views on actors’ relationships and their implications on the transition to organic farming. For example, the growing role played by INRA (National Research Agronomic Institute) within the actor network was confirmed as well as its contribution to the transition. As to ANT, it allows highlighting interpersonal actors’ relationships and their effects on the innovation development. We particularly underline the importance of opinion leaders in the phases of implementation and diffusion; and also show the importance of problematizing the issues to be tackled in order to increase the success of research programs
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Heinz, Adrian. "Algorithms and software systems for learning and research." CardinalScholar 1.0, 2009. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1536758.
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Software systems have experienced an impressive growth in the last few decades
and have impacted a wide variety of areas. In this respect, two elds bene t greatly.
Learning and research. In this work, we present several software systems that we
have created to assist in the process of learning and to help researchers by performing
complex computations and generating data. We demonstrate three web-based educational
video games that we developed to teach science to middle school students. We
also describe several software systems that we created for research in graph theory and
model checking. Finally, we discuss our results, contributions and future directions.Educational perspectives -- Graph algorithms and their applications -- E-learning -- Model checking.
Educational perspectives -- Graph algorithms and their applications -- E-learning -- Model checking.
Department of Computer Science
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Espinosa, Jennifer Anne. "Understanding the Complexity of Product Returns Management: A Complex Adaptive Systems Theory Perspective." Scholar Commons, 2016. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6233.
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The core essence of a marketing transaction is the exchange of value between two parties. Quite often, the exchange of value describes a customer purchasing a product from a company. When purchasing products, the exchange of value can often fail due to product defects or customer dissatisfaction. When the marketing exchange fails, customers often desire an avenue for recourse to right the exchange imbalance. Accepting and quickly processing product returns represents a strategic tool companies can leverage to maintain healthy relationships with customers, despite an exchange failure. Effectively managing product returns also benefits companies financially, by reducing inventory levels, costs, and the risk of product obsolescence. Despite providing both relationship management and financial benefits, numerous companies struggle to manage product returns effectively. In a time when companies are facing a growing number of product returns due to omni-channel retailing and online shopping, implementing an effective system to manage product returns has become a vital strategic tool necessary to maintain competitiveness.
First, the current research answers the question of why do companies struggle with product returns? by identifying the important components of an effective product returns system. Informed by complex adaptive systems theory and based on a qualitative, grounded theory analysis, the current research finds that the hidden complex nature of managing product returns prevents numerous companies from implementing an effective system to mange returns. Managing product returns requires five important components (firm capabilities, employees, the returns management information system, organizational climate, and the customer service boundary), which interact with each other multiple times to process a product return. After identifying the important components and interactions within a product returns system, Essay I integrates the information together to form a substantive theory of the complexity of product returns management. The substantive theory implies that companies looking to improve their management of product returns need to understand and invest in multiple components within the product returns system.
Second, the current research answers the question of how do the employees, returns management information system, and climate for creativity components of a product returns system relate to a firm’s flexibility, adaptability, and performance? To answer this research question, this dissertation empirically evaluates the role these three components play in shaping a firm’s flexibility, adaptability, subjective performance and relationship quality by analyzing data collected through an online survey with 102 US managers with experience in product returns. The empirical analysis indicates that employee decision-making resources show a statistically significant negative relationship with firm adaptability, while the firm’s climate for creativity and flexibility show a statistically significant positive relationship with firm adaptability. Firm adaptability shows statistically significant positive relationships with subjective performance and relationship quality. Firm adaptability acts as a partial or full mediator in all of these relationships.
The combined findings of Essay I and Essay II point to the importance of product returns as a strategic relationship management tool. Firms that can effectively manage product returns give employees more flexibility to respond to problems, are better able to make structural changes, have higher subjective performance ratings, and better quality relationships with customers.
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McMahon, Eileen Marie. "Professionalism in teaching an individual level measure for a structural theory /." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1194645789.
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Bergman, Christine. "Becoming Undisciplined: Interdisciplinary Issues and Methods in Dance Studies Dissertations from 2007-2009." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2012. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/178527.
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DancePh.D.
The purpose of this study is to begin to articulate the theoretical identity of the field of dance studies as an academic discipline and to produce a feminist intervention into the phenomena of disembodied scholarship, while asking questions about disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity within dance studies historically and today. My primary research questions are: What are dance studies research methods? And, which research methods, if any, are inherent to dance as an academic discipline? In order to answer these seemingly direct and simple questions, I also question the assumption that we know what dance studies research methods are. In Chapter 1 I first introduce and qualify myself as a dance artist and scholar, connecting my own experiences to my research; I narrate my research questions in detail and describe the significance, limitations, and scope of this project. In Chapters 2 and 3 I provide a history of the disciplinary and interdisciplinary origins of dance studies in higher education and situate that history within contemporary conversations in dance studies on disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity. In Chapter 4 I offer an analysis of the National Dance Education Organization's (NDEO) Research Priorities for Dance Education: A Report to the Nation and The Dance Education Literature and Research descriptive index (DELRdi), an online searchable database that aims to document all literature and research in dance education (not dance studies) from 1926 to the present, as it relates to issues and methods in my own research. In Chapter 5 I identify and describe current research methods found in all dance studies dissertations granted from the 4 doctoral programs in Dance in the United States over a three-year period. This chapter begins to articulate the current theoretical identity of the field. I examine and report on current trends in dance studies research methods and draw comparisons across dance studies doctoral programs, setting the foundation for future discussion of dance studies research methods. In Chapter 6 I summarize the project and make suggestions for the future. A feminist lens is used throughout as a way of providing a feminist intervention into the phenomena of disembodied scholarship by asking questions about research methods (particularly the use of critical theory as a method for research and writing about dance) and if or how particular research methods lead to the production of embodied or disembodied scholarship.
Temple University--Theses
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McGladrey, Margaret Louise. "BECOMING BODIES: HOW PREADOLESCENT GIRLS CONSUME AND PRODUCE MEDIA IN 21st CENTURY AMERICA." UKnowledge, 2011. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/102.
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This study investigates preadolescent girls’ interpretations of images of and messages about women’s bodies presented in both traditional and online media in the American cultural context. Using qualitative methods including in-depth interviews, email diaries, and digital photo collages, this study gives voice to girls aged nine to eleven from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds so that they might tell their stories about interacting with media that is relevant to their relationships with their bodies. Employing objectification theory as well as concepts from the cultural studies tradition, the findings suggest that the process of becoming a female body in the 21st-century American media environment is far more complex than a simple linear, cause-effect equation can express. Differences among girls in terms of media use, degree of media criticism, age, and interpersonal discursive environments moderate their relationships to mediated imagery and to their bodies. The findings also describe the mediated bodily ideal that is most relevant to preadolescent girls, the celebrity girls who embody this ideal, the ways in which girls experience self-objectification and body surveillance, and the nature of girls’ conversations with friends and family members about body-related topics. The study concludes by providing recommendations to concerned researchers, educators, and parents.
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So, Moon-tong, and 蘇滿堂. "Applications of Bayesian statistical model selection in social scienceresearch." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2007. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B39312951.
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Keeler, Rebecca L. "A Career of Research in Public Administration." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/652.
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Harley, Amy E. "Physical activity evolution a grounded theory study with African American women /." Connect to resource, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1117131933.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio State University, 2005.Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 235 p.; also includes graphics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 192-203). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center
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Kuang, Fuyang. "Elderly and Internet: An Exploratory Research." Thesis, Högskolan i Gävle, Avdelningen för socialt arbete och psykologi, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-17537.
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The purpose of this study was to explore how elderly people in Gävle cope with their life by using of Internet and what are their perceived benefits and barriers of the use of Internet. Qualitative methods were used with face-to-face interviews and email correspondence to gather the data. Six elderly people participated in this study. Coping theory was used to analyse the results. The results were divided into three parts. They were describing the use of Internet, benefits and barriers of using the Internet and reasons behind using the Internet and coping. Benefits include connectedness, gratification, usefulness, and active learning experience. Barriers include limitation, distrust and frustration. This paper used the coping theory to try to describe how these persons adjust the way of thinking and the way of behaving and how they use these strategies to cope with the daily life. It was found that Internet for elderly people is becoming more important nowadays and also it is significant to know how they think about the Internet.
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Bollou, Felix Afri. "Interrogating the impact of ICT infrastructure expansion in Francophone West Africa 1993-2005 : a critical theory study using archival data and non-parametric research methods." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10110.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-209).This thesis critically investigates the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure expansion on Development in Six West African Countries. While recent research has shown that ICT has contributed significantly to economic and social transformation in Western developed countries, the same is not necessarily true for less developed countries. After over a decade of heavy investment in ICT infrastructure expansion in Africa, little empirical research on the contribution of ICT to development has been conducted to assess the impact of these investments on the development of these countries. This work is a groundbreaking effort to advance a much needed research program to measure the impact of ICT infrastructure expansion on development in Africa.
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Bailey, Bernard C. "Decision Making in the Corporate Boardroom: Designing the Conditions for Effectiveness." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1333570218.
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Putka, Dan J. "The Variance Architecture Approach to the Study of Constructs in Organizational Contexts." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1018372521.
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Aldrich, Carrie. "Working together: two qualitative approaches to researching writing support for doctoral students." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6358.
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This dissertation addresses two problems with advanced academic writing pedagogy. First, doctoral students must participate in academic discourse communities, yet they report being underprepared to do so (Boquet et al., 2015; Caplan & Cox, 2016). Second, studies (e.g., Curry & Lillis, 2004; Matsuda & Tardy, 2007; Tardy & Matsuda, 2009) suggest that L1 and L2 voices are not well integrated in the institution and that this lack of integration systemically privileges the dominant culture.
The purpose of this research is to investigate the role relationships play in helping culturally and linguistically diverse doctoral students negotiate and acquire advanced academic discourse. I pose the overarching research question: Given a discipline-specific writing center for graduate students in a College of Education, what role does interaction play in helping students to participate in academic conversations? The two papers in this collection employ qualitative classification and discourse analysis to investigate writing-related interactions among peers. Data include audio-recorded writing consultations and interviews, post-session reports, field notes, and artifacts.
Taken together, findings from this research highlight the role interaction can play in writing support, development, and research. This research has implications for developing writing pedagogy and support programs to facilitate productive academic socialization. In response, the researcher calls for more robust academic writing support in order to improve access and resources for diverse student populations and decrease attrition and time to degree for all students.
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Ngo, Thu Huong. "An investigation into students' motivation to learn English in higher education in Vietnam." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2015. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/84470/1/Thu%20Huong_Ngo_Thesis.pdf.
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This mixed-methods research explored students' motivation to learn English in an attempt to enhance the quality of teaching and learning English in Vietnamese higher education. An intricate picture of students' motivation was revealed: motivation to learn English to gain pragmatic benefits, to satisfy internal aspirations, and in response to external pressures. Students expressed that feeling connected with significant people (lecturers, peers and parents) enhanced their motivation to learn English. This research has significance at both practical and theoretical levels as it provides important insights into the teaching and learning English in Vietnamese higher education and the literature of second language learning motivation.
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Müller-Bungart, Michael. "Revenue Management with flexible products : models and methods for the broadcasting industry ; 28 tab. /." Berlin : Springer-Verlag, 2007. http://opac.nebis.ch/cgi-bin/showAbstract.pl?u20=9783540723158.
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Krein, Jonathan L. "Replication and Knowledge Production in Empirical Software Engineering Research." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4296.
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Although replication is considered an indispensable part of the scientific method in software engineering, few replication studies are published each year. The rate of replication, however, is not surprising given that replication theory in software engineering is immature. Not only are replication taxonomies varied and difficult to reconcile, but opinions on the role of replication contradict. In general, we have no clear sense of how to build knowledge via replication, particularly given the practical realities of our research field. Consequently, most replications in software engineering yield little useful information. In particular, the vast majority of external replications (i.e., replications performed by researchers unaffiliated with the original study) not only fail to reproduce the original results, but defy explanation. The net effect is that, as a research field, we consistently fail to produce usable (i.e., transferable) knowledge, and thus, our research results have little if any impact on industry. In this dissertation, we dissect the problem of replication into four primary concerns: 1) rate and explicitness of replication; 2) theoretical foundations of replication; 3) tractability of methods for context analysis; and 4) effectiveness of inter-study communication. We address each of the four concerns via a two-part research strategy involving both a theoretical and a practical component. The theoretical component consists of a grounded theory study in which we integrate and then apply external replication theory to problems of replication in empirical software engineering. The theoretical component makes three key contributions to the literature: first, it clarifies the role of replication with respect to the overall process of science; second, it presents a flexible framework for reconciling disparate replication terminology; and third, it informs a broad range of practical replication concerns. The practical component involves a series of replication studies, through which we explore a variety of replication concepts and empirical methods, ultimately culminating in the development of a tractable method for context analysis (TCA). TCA enables the quantitative evaluation of context variables in greater detail, with greater statistical power, and via considerably smaller datasets than previously possible. As we show (via a complex, real-world example), the method ultimately enables the empirically and statistically-grounded reconciliation and generalization of otherwise contradictory results across dissimilar replications—which problem has previously remained unsolved in software engineering.
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Walker, Alice Jessica. "Procedural Rationality as a Means for Evidence-Based Management in Conflicted Decision-Making: A Mixed-Methods Study." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1427835243.
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Katre, Aparna. "Designing Successful Social Ventures: Hands-on Feedback-Seeking Engagement with Stakeholders to Unravel What To Do Next." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1363178034.
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Rigaki, Anastasia. "Teachers of Greek Model Experimental High : Schools and Lifelong Learning: a mixed methods approach." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för beteendevetenskap och lärande, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-113294.
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Lifelong Learning is a key concept in modern ‘knowledge-based’ society and it is viewed as a commodity, a personal drive or a social necessity. This thesis aims to unravel its many dimensions and the values that are ascribed to it by the teachers of Greek Model Experimental High Schools. A Model Experimental High School is a relatively new type of state school in Greece, which is highly differentiated from other schools in terms of curriculum, inter-school activities, staff and students and emerged in the Greek education system in 2011. For this reason, research on the effects of this differentiation in the aspects of Lifelong Learning is scarce. The mixed methods strategy was used in order to form a complete picture of the Lifelong Learning dimensions and the research was conducted in two parts. The first part was quantitative and aimed to categorize the elements that constitute Lifelong Learning for the teachers, the factors that encourage or discourage it and its positive and negative dimensions on a macro level as, through a questionnaire, and as a result responses were collected from the thirty-six Model Experimental High Schools in urban and semi-urban areas of Greece. The second part was qualitative and through semi-structured interviews, it explored more in-depth the issue of Lifelong Learning and the concept of vocational vitality which is related both to Lifelong Learning and a teacher’s professional life. Following the propositions of the Theory of Work Adjustment, the research revealed that through the various non-formal and informal activities that the demanding context of Model Experimental High Schools promotes, Lifelong Learning acts as a reinforcer and a means of sustaining the balance between the school and the teachers by increasing their satisfaction. Moreover, both the quantitative and the qualitative methods revealed that teachers consider Lifelong Learning firstly as a means of personal development and secondly as continuous professional development. Lifelong Learning as investment in the human capital was not found as important as the previous two. Furthermore, the vocational vitality of teachers was found to be thriving due to the importance that Lifelong Learning plays in their life a and despite the difficulties which arise from the work demands or the difficult socioeconomic context in Greece due to the economic crisis of the recent years.
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Bell-Robinson, Vicka D. "EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-EFFICACY AND DISSENT AMONG COLLEGE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS: A MIXED-METHODS STUDY." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1459983976.
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Gilbride, Timothy J. "Models for heterogeneous variable selection." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1083591017.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2004.Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 138 p.; also includes graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Greg M. Allenby, Dept. of Business Admnistration. Includes bibliographical references (p. 134-138).
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Morse, Brendan J. "Controlling Type 1 errors in moderated multiple regression an application of item response theory for applied psychological research /." Ohio : Ohio University, 2009. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?ohiou1247063796.
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Bartels, Jan-Hendrik. "Anwendung von Methoden der ressourcenbeschränkten Projektplanung mit multiplen Ausführungsmodi in der betriebswirtschaftlichen Praxis Rückbauplanung für Kernkraftwerke und Versuchsträgerplanung in Automobilentwicklungsprojekten /." Wiesbaden : Gabler, 2009. http://sfx.metabib.ch:9003/sfx_locater?sid=ALEPH:DSV01&genre=book&isbn=978-3-8349-8228-5&id=doi:10.1007/978-3-8349-8228-5.
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