Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Maturity and Readiness”

This paper tries to measure the level of digital transformation among Swedish organizations. This is done through utilizing a maturity model and collecting data through an online questionnaire from 21 different organizations and measuring their digital readiness. The result seem to indicate that Swedish organizations have a been affected by digital transformation and have a slightly lower level of digitalization than foreign organizations.
I denna uppsats försöks den digitala transformationen mätas bland svenska organisationer. Detta gjordes genom att använda sig av en maturity/mongnadsmodell och samla data om 21 olika organisationer genom ett frågeformulär som publicerades online. Denna data användes sedan för att mäta organisationernas digitala mognad. Resultat indikerar att Svenska organisationer har blivit påverkade av den digitala transformerinen, dock är nivån av digital mognad något lägre än hos utländska organisationer.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the e-readiness of warehouse workers in a supply chain management environment. Organisations increasingly contemplate e-learning as a training option to develop their employees. Globalisation of commercial ventures increasingly demands that organisations become more competitive by introducing Information Technology (IT). e-Learning is seen as a stepping stone for empowering employees. Supply-chain management organisations use unskilled warehouse workers to perform manual duties such as registering, storing and quick location of stock for distribution. IT supports these logistic procedures – emphasising the need to introduce e-learning to warehouse workers. Questionnaires confirmed that the unit of analysis was multi-racial, mostly black, between eighteen and sixty years old and of both genders. Their limited educational qualifications are representative of many similar developing communities of work across Africa. e-Learning requires access to technology, computer literacy, self-discipline, the drive to develop and the confidence to use technology to achieve objectives. Warehouse workers as developing communities are trapped by the digital divide amidst calls to bridge the divide by introducing IT to such communities. Questions are raised whether they have the discipline, motivation, and skills to learn from such a complex learning strategy. Interviewed corporate learning experts cautioned that specific infrastructures and personal attributes are crucial. Insufficient computer experience, anxiety and technophobia, may cause warehouse workers to become unlikely candidates for e-learning. My inquiry was an interpretive, qualitative case study, intent on understanding emotional, technical, and social aspects influencing e-readiness. I collected my data in four phases. Phase one was a questionnaire to collect biographical information of the warehouse workers. During phase two, by means of a Delphi technique, I established consensus from a group of e-learning experts of what ereadiness encompasses. Phase three consisted of interviews with and observations of workers performing their daily tasks and also while completing a computer-based tutorial. In phase four I conducted interviews with warehouse managers on their perceptions of the e-readiness of their workers. From the literature I extracted Reeves’ (1999) three learner inputs, as well as six fundamental categories of e-readiness. With these nine theory codes, I followed an inductive-deductive grounded theory approach to analyse the data. I constructed six sub-questions as basis for the enquiry. I tallied the frequencies of the conceptual codes of e-readiness and created an inventory of applicable conceptual codes according to the theory codes. Patterns of technical and affective experience, aptitude, origins of motivation, access to computer infrastructure and organisation culture culminated as my seven main findings on the e-readiness of warehouse workers. I determined inter alia that warehouse workers do not suffer from technophobia, nor are they really intimidated by technology. However, they need guidance and expert facilitation to become successful e-learners. They are aware that they are dependent on the organisation’s infrastructure to develop their skills and capabilities. Therefore, the e-maturity of an organisation can greatly benefit from warehouse workers’ involvement in e-learning.
Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Curriculum Studies
unrestricted

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SA) set out its Vision 2030 of itself as a significant Knowledge Economy to position itself competitively in the world and in the Gulf region. The Government charged the education sector to prepare young people and build the creativity, innovation and technical skills for the country’s future. The Ministry of Education (MOE) selected TQM and has made strategic investments to achieve this strategic transformation in education. Despite this substantial investment in the infrastructure, teaching skills, information technology and advancement programmes for women to enter the workplace, the implementation of TQM has not so far delivered the outcomes expected in secondary schools (Bank, 2008; Chapman and Miric, 2009; TIMSS, 2011). This research proposes that a programme that primarily focuses on the hard aspects of change, without participatory leadership and without integrating the people concerned (as a soft programme would), cannot achieve sustainable transformation. An empirical study was designed to investigate staff perception of TQM implementation in girls’ secondary schools in the Kingdom. The 525 respondents from 61 schools in five districts of Riyadh suggest that the most pivotal critical success factors (CSFs) limiting the development of TQM culture were Top Management Commitment; Training; Tools and Techniques; and Reward and Recognition. The perception results were then used as the baseline to design a model that integrates the hard and soft CSFs of TQM in five stages of maturity. This assessment model could be used to support the schools and the MOE in objectively assessing the readiness of schools to implement TQM and identify the next major obstacles to reaching the next stage. The design approach of a maturity model is innovative in using context perception data as the baseline for designing the stages of maturity and the success factors the progress of change, making its use appropriate for the girls’ schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Förbränning av fossila bränslen är den största orsaken till ökade växthusgasutsläpp i atmosfären som i sin tur ligger till grund för klimatförändringarna. Europeiska Unionen uttrycker klimatförändringarna som ett existentiellt hot och har som mål att Europa ska bli en klimatneutral kontinent till år 2050. Arbetsmaskiner, som vanligtvis drivs på diesel, är ett energikrävande fordonsslag vid användning som år 2016 stod för 6 % av Sveriges totala växthusgasutsläpp. Vätgas kan vara ett alternativt drivmedel till diesel eller andra fossila drivmedel för att minska de utsläpp som arbetsmaskiner ger upphov till. Syftet med studien är att uppmärksamma arbetsmaskiners roll i en omställning till vätgasdrift samt sprida kunskap om vad en omställning skulle innebära för dagens användare av arbetsmaskiner. Detta görs genom att belysa möjlig etablering i nutid av fem utvalda vätgasdrivna arbetsmaskiner samt gestalta dem i ett framtida vätgassamhälle. De arbetsmaskiner som inkluderas i studien är hjullastare, pistmaskin, sopmaskin, traktor och motviktstruck. Metoden består av en förenklad litteraturöversyn i kombination med personlig kommunikation samt en anpassning av verktyget Technology Readiness Level (TRL) i syfte att bedöma den tekniska mognaden. Resultatet visar att det i dagsläget finns etableringsmöjligheter i olika former för samtliga arbetsmaskiner i regionen baserat på TRL. Vätgasdrivna motviktstruckar och sopmaskiner är båda tillräckligt mogna tekniker för att etableras direkt på marknaden genom inköp. Vätgasdrivna hjullastare, traktorer och pistmaskiner är fortfarande under utveckling och kan därför etableras i regionen genom forskning och ytterligare utveckling eller först efter produktlansering på marknaden. De utvalda vätgasdrivna arbetsmaskinerna kan verka i ett framtida vätgassamhälle på liknande vis som motsvarande fossildrivna arbetsmaskiner gör idag med fördelar som mindre miljöpåverkan, vibrationer och buller som i sin tur medför mindre underhållsbehov med tillhörande kostnader. Resultatet visar att det finns möjligheter redan idag att påskynda en förändring, inte bara i Gävleborg utan i hela Sverige. De utvalda arbetsmaskinerna är verksamma inom branscher som motsvarar stora delar av det svenska näringslivet, en omställning till vätgasdrift kan därför ha en stor betydelse för en nationell reducering av växthusgasutsläpp. Det finns stor potential, särskilt för aktörer inom industrin, att upprätta egen vätgasproduktion och därmed bli självförsörjande på vätgas som drivmedel till arbetsmaskiner. Detta kan bli en av de radikala förändringar som enligt EU behövs för att uppnå målet om att åstadkomma klimatneutralitet år 2050.
Burning of fossil fuels is the biggest cause of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere, which in turn leads to climate change. The European Union expresses climate change as an existential threat and aims to make Europe a climate-neutral continent by 2050. Non-road machinery vehicles (NMV), which are usually powered by diesel, are an energy-intensive type of vehicle during usage that in 2016 accounted for 6% of Sweden's total GHG emissions. Hydrogen can be an alternative fuel to diesel or other fossil fuels in order to reduce the emissions that originate from NMVs. The aim of this study is to draw attention to the role of NMVs in a conversion to hydrogen operation and to spread knowledge about what a conversion would mean for today's users of work machines. This is done by highlighting possible establishment in the present of five selected hydrogen powered NMVs and illustrate them in a future hydrogen society. The NMVs included in the study are wheel loaders, snow groomers, street sweepers, tractors and counterbalanced forklifts. The method consists of a simplified literature review in combination with personal communication and an adaptation of the tool Technology Readiness Level (TRL) in order to assess technical maturity. The results show that there are establishment opportunities in the present in various forms for all NMVs in Gävleborg based on TRL. Hydrogen powered counterbalanced forklifts and street sweepers are both sufficiently mature technologies to be established directly in the market through purchasing. Hydrogen powered wheel loaders, tractors and snow groomers are still under development and can therefore be established in the region through research and further development or after product launch. The selected hydrogen powered NMVs can operate in a future hydrogen society similarly to fossil-fueled NMVs but with benefits such as less environmental impact, vibrations and noise which in turn entails less maintenance needs with associated costs. There are opportunities already today to accelerate a change, not only in Gävleborg but throughout Sweden. The selected NMVs are active in industries that correspond to large parts of the Swedish business community, a transition to hydrogen operation can therefore be of great importance for a national reduction of GHG emissions. There is great potential, especially for players in the industry, to establish their own hydrogen production and thereby become self-sufficient in hydrogen intended for NMVs. This could be one of the radical changes that, according to the EU, are needed to achieve the goal of accomplishing climate-neutrality by 2050.

The challenges of backlogs experienced amongst Grade R-learners, results in learners not being school and learning ready when entering Grade 1. Obstacles for example are insufficient stimulation, under developed perception, and poor gross and fine motor skills, require early intervention and ought to receive attention in Grade R. From the socialecological perspective and taking into consideration the great amount of learners in South Africa originating from deprived environments, the study is focused in the domain of the Social Deprivation Theory. The bio-ecological context within which learners find themselves, influence the cognitive and perceptual development of every learner. Epistemologically the study focuses on the similarity between Critical Theory and Interpretivism. Critical Theory highlights the meaning of experience as manifested in relation to social circumstances and developmental background. Interpretivism in this study focuses on the meaning which individuals attach to their experiences in the spotlight and results in greater understanding and insight of the researched phenomenon. Circumstances of deprivation occur worldwide, even in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and England. Already for decades in USA young children gain in their development through intervention in early childhood (Ludwig & Phillips, 2007). Duncan and Brooks-Gunn (2000) identified a relation between child poverty/deprivation and poor school performance in the USA. Research in England (Thompson, 2000) shows that the impact of social neglect of children have serious consequences. The National Education Policy Act (Pandor, 2008; SA DvO, 1997:2) uses Early Childhood Development (ECD) as an umbrella term which refers to the development processes whereby children physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, morally and socially grow and develop from birth to the age of nine years (SA, DoE, 1995, White paper 5,). The kind of education learners receive in Grade R is crucial to their further development in the education system (Van Zyl, Le Roux & Janse van Rensburg 2011, DvO, 1997:2). Learners lacking an adequate foundation may experience difficulties throughout their school career. In South Africa there is concern as to the standard of education and training, manifesting in a low pass rate on Grade 12-level. This study is undertaken to determine the current shortages in the South African educational system which may hinder the learning potential of Grade R-learners. An attempt is made to determine which handicaps/backlogs Grade R-learners experience, which fits the framework of the deprivation theory, which can undermine learner readiness. This study determine whether intervention by means of a perceptual-motor skills programme can enhance the school readiness of pre-school learners. Finally to determine which shortages/ backlogs exists in the perceptual-motor skills of Grade R nlearners from deprived backgrounds in South Africa. Guidelines for a perceptual-motor intervention program was developed through this study. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data-analysis is used in this study (Onwuegbuzie, Johnson en Collins, 2009). The dissertation is compiled in article format. In the first article of the study, the issues of teacher development and support mechanisms and equipment at primary schools and kindergartens are explored. Qualitative and phenomenological research was undertaken and information was gathered by means of questionnaires directed at teachers. In the following article the school readiness of 48 Grade R-learners from deprived backgrounds were tested. The research participants came from similar sosio-economic background, from quintile one and two schools. Seeing that those were the only primary schools with Grade R classes in that area, they were identified on behalf of their availability. In this study the data was analysed and descriptive statistics (means, averages, standard deviations, minimum and maximum values, percentages) and t-tests were used to determine variations in terms of perceptual motor skill development and learning readiness. An experimental group of 21 Grade R learners followed a 10 week long perceptual-motor skills intervention programme. In the follow-up school readiness test (article 3), results indicated that the intervention showed a positive response with regards to the school readiness of the Grade R learners. Drawing to a conclusion (article 4), the intervention programme is critically discussed and recommendations were made to all those concerned with Grade R teaching (teachers, principals, Departments of Education). The conclusion according to the results of the research shows that the intervention had a positive effect on the school and learning readiness of this group of Grade R learners.
Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Les études longitudinales en milieu scolaire débutant en maternelle permettent une analyse des facteurs propres à l'enfant et à son environnement impliqués dans le développement de la lecture et de la réussite scolaire. Cependant, les études visant à analyser l'influence longitudinale de ces facteurs dès l'école maternelle restent exceptionnelles en France. Une étude épidémiologique initiée en 2001 dans la Communauté Urbaine de Creusot Montceau (Saône-et-Loire, France) avait comme objectif l'examen des contributions des facteurs propres à l'enfant et des variables environnementales dans l'acquisition de la lecture et la réussite scolaire dès la maternelle (3-6 ans) jusqu'au milieu de l'école élémentaire (CE2, 8-9 ans). Le travail de thèse présenté a permis le prolongement de la période de recueil de donnés jusqu'à la fin du collège (3ème, 14-15 ans) représentant une période de suivi de 10 ans dans la population générale. L'objectif principal de ce travail est d'identifier les facteurs propres à l'enfant (cognitifs, académiques et comportementaux) et des variables environnementales (facteurs sociodémographiques et caractéristiques familiales) dans le développement de la lecture à la fin de l'école primaire (CM2) et la réussite scolaire à la fin du collège (3ème). Les échantillons comprenaient 829 enfant inscrits en Grande Section de Maternelle pendant l'année scolaire 2001-2001 (Cohorte 1, 90% de l'échantillon initial) suivis jusqu'à la fin du collège (année scolaire 2010-2011) et 812 enfants de Grande Section de Maternelle durant l'année 2003-2004 (Cohorte 3) suivis jusqu'à la fin de l'école élémentaire (Cours Moyen 2, année scolaire 2008-2009). En Grande Section de Maternelle, le recueil de données a compris l'évaluation des compétences cognitives, académiques et comportementales des enfants, ainsi que le recueil des informations concernant le contexte familial. Les mesures de réussite scolaire ont compris les résultats des enfants dans les évaluations nationales réalisées à la fin du collège pour la Cohorte 1, (Diplôme National du Brevet) et les performances des enfants dans une mesure standardisée de lecture de mots à la fin de l'école élémentaire pour la Cohorte 3 (ODEDYS, Jacquier-Roux, Valdois & Zorman, 2002). Les compétences de traitement phonologique, la connaissance de lettres et le comportement attentif étaient les prédicteurs le plus significatifs de la lecture de mots au Cours Moyen 2. Le signalement par les parents d'antécédents familiaux de difficultés de lecture était associé simultanément avec des difficultés de lecture et le comportement inattentif à la fin de l'école élémentaire. En 3ème année du collège, les compétences de langage oral, la connaissance de lettres, la mémoire verbal à court terme, le raisonnement perceptif (facteur non-verbal) et le comportement attentif des enfants en maternelle, ainsi que le niveau d'éducation des parents et le type de famille, ont prédit significativement la mesure de réussite scolaire générale à la fin du collège. En outre, les résultats ont montré l'influence de plusieurs caractéristiques familiales dont la nationalité du père, le mode de garde avant la scolarisation, les rituels d'endormissement et les antécédents familiaux de difficultés de lecture. Ces caractéristiques renvoient à des facteurs qui mettent un enfant en risque d'échec scolaire à la fin du collège. Ce travail contribue à la littérature scientifique existante concernant les facteurs propres à l'enfant et à son environnent familial liés à l'acquisition de la lecture et à la réussite scolaire. Les résultats permettent l'identification des facteurs familiaux mettant un enfant à risque d'échec scolaire. Il ont des importantes implications pour repérer le plus précocement possible les enfants à risque de développer des difficultés de lecture et d'échec scolaire et pour mettre en place des programmes d'intervention adéquats à ses difficultés dès le début des trajectoires académiques de l'enfant
Longitudinal studies starting during kindergarten provide an appropriate method to investigate the child- and environmental-level factors that account for children's reading and academic achievement later in their educational trajectories. In France, studies designed to follow-up children longitudinally from kindergarten onwards remain scarce. An epidemiological study started in 2001 in the Urban Community of Creusot Montceau (Saône-et-Loire, France) sought initially to identify the factors associated with children's reading acquisition and academic achievement from preschool (3-6 years) to the middle of elementary school (Grade 3, 8-9 years). The PhD project reported here aimed to extend the original design of data collection to the end of middle school (Grade 9, 14-15 years) spanning a 10-year follow-up period in the general population. This work aimed to investigate the specific contributions of child-level factors (cognitive-academic skills, behavior problems) and environment-level factors (sociodemographic and family characteristics) for children's subsequent reading acquisition at the end of elementary school (Grade 5), as well as academic achievement at the end of middle school (Grade 9). The samples of analysis comprised 829 kindergarteners in the 2001-2002 school year (Cohort 1, 90% of the initial sample) followed through the end of middle school (Cohort 1, 2010-2011 school year) and 812 kindergarteners in the 2003-2004 school year (Cohort 3), from which a sub-sample of 154 participants was followed through the end of elementary school (2008-2009 school year). At kindergarten, assessment included measures of children's cognitive-academic and behavioral skills, as well as family background characteristics. Outcome measures were composed of children's results in the national evaluations performed at the end of middle school for Cohort 1 ("Diplôme National du Brevet") and of children's scores in standardized measures of word reading achievement at the end of elementary school for Cohort 3 (ODEDYS, Jacquier-Roux, Valdois & Zorman, 2002). The results indicated that children's phonological processing skills, letter knowledge and attentive behavior were the most robust predictors of word reading achievement at Grade 5. In addition, parental reports of familial antecedents of reading difficulties also contributed to predict word reading at Grade 5 and were specifically associated with both reading difficulties and inattention behavior at this grade level. At Grade 9, children's oral language skills, letter knowledge, short-term verbal memory, perceptual reasoning (non-verbal cognitive ability) and attentive behavior at kindergarten predicted significantly the outcome measure of general academic achievement at Grade 9, together with parental educational level and family structure. Moreover, results indicated the influence of several family characteristics referring to father's nationality, type of early childcare, language-based bedtime routines and familial antecedents of reading difficulties as risk factors for children's subsequent academic underachievement. The present work contributes to the extant literature regarding the child- and family-level factors associated with subsequent reading acquisition and academic achievement from kindergarten to elementary and middle school. Importantly, these results allowed the identification of novel familial risk factors that influence negatively children's subsequent academic trajectories. These findings have important implications regarding the child and family factors that should be targeted during kindergarten in order to prevent children's subsequent reading and academic difficulties and to promote adequate intervention strategies early in children's educational trajectories

The manufacturing sector is the economic backbone of a country and has traditionally played a key role in the growth of almost every country in the world. In India, the manufacturing sector contributes 17 percent to the country's GDP and is expected to increase to 25 percent by 2025. Of late, the manufacturing sector is entering into a dynamic phase due to the emergence of new technologies leading to the fourth industrial revolution or Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 market is projected to reach US dollar 214 billion by 2023. As a result, manufacturing organizations are adopting new technologies, hardware as well as software, to improve the operational efficiency and productivity. In this regard, it has become imperative for organizations to assess their status as well as capability to transition towards Industry 4.0. However, the literature review suggests a lack of comprehensive approaches and their empirical validations in assessing the Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness levels. The literature mostly focuses on descriptive assessment of Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness. Further, there is a dearth of research studies and empirical validations exploring aspects of Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness assessment from a developing country perspective. Hence, we tried to address these gaps in three phases of research. The first phase was aimed at developing a multi-dimensional conceptual framework to assess Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness. While the second phase was devoted to developing and prioritizing indicators for assessing Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness. We obtained six dimensions and 32 indicators from the literature. The third phase included empirical validation of the conceptual framework and its indicators in the context of India's steel manufacturing organization. These indicators were operationalized, and an online and offline survey was conducted among managers in a steel manufacturing organization. 341 responses were selected for further analysis. At the indicator level, a weighted average method was used to determine the organization's Industry 4.0 status. Further, the Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness conceptual framework was validated using the confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) technique in PLS-SEM. The results revealed that the supply chain dimension has a dominant influence on Industry 4.0 maturity and readiness while the production technology dimension has the lowest influence. Finally, based on results and findings, we derived managerial and practical implications for the case study organization.

Magister Commercii (Information Management) - MCom(IM)
The purpose of the study described in this thesis was to investigate the structure required to implement and manage digital forensic readiness within an enterprise. A comparative analysis of different digital forensic readiness frameworks was performed and, based on the findings of the analysis, the digital forensic readiness commonalities framework (DFRCF) was extended. The resultant structure was used to design a digital forensic readiness maturity assessment model (DFRMAM) that will enable organisations to assess their forensic readiness. In conclusion, both the extended DFRCF and the DFRMAM are shown to be validated by forensic practitioners, using semi-structured interviews. A qualitative research design and methodology was used to perform a comparative analysis of the various digital forensic readiness frameworks, to comprehend the underlying structures. All the participant responses were recorded and transcribed. Analysis of the findings resulting from the study showed that participants mostly agreed with the structure of the extended DFRCF; however, key changes were introduced to the extended DFRCF. The participants also validated the DFRMAM, and the majority of respondents opted for a checklist-type MAM. Digital forensic readiness is a very sensitive topic since organisations fear that their information might be made public and, as a result, increase their exposure to forensic incidents and reputational risk. Because of this, it was difficult to find participants who have a forensic footprint and are willing, able, and knowledgeable about digital forensic readiness. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge by presenting an original, validated DFRCF and DFRMAM. Practitioners and organisations now have access to non-proprietary DFRMAM.

This study assessed the digital preservation capability maturity readiness within the context of e-government in Botswana Public Service with a view to developing a strategic framework that ensures digital continuity. There some studies that have been conducted in Botswana regarding digital preservation but they did not provide a framework which could be used as an assessment to check their capability in digital preservation as e-government progresses so that digital information is continuously being used for decision making over time. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and embedded mixed method approach; whereby a cross sectional survey and case study were deployed in each of the 6 selected ministries as a unit of analysis. The target study respondents comprises of 5 Senior Managers, 4 Managers - Human Resources and Administration, 6 ICT Managers, 40 Records Management Officers,12 Information Technology Officers, 1 Performance Improvement Coordinator, 1 Project Manager, 8 Archivists, 1 Assistant Deputy Manager and 1 Deputy Managers- Management Services. The data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, personal observations, and documents analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected sequentially and simultaneously where one form of data supported or complemented each other so as to have one form of data play a supportive role to the other. Data analysis was achieved through the triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative data in order to yield a single interpretation and conclusion drawn. The findings of the study showed that the Botswana Public Service has no unified national information systems used to manage public sector records leading to some ministries adopting their own electronic records management systems. Currently few ministries have implemented the electronic records management system and majority of the digital records are not preserved due to lack of preservation guidelines and strategies. The study further established the lack of preservation policies and skills in managing and preserving digital records in Botswana Public Service. In that regard, the study developed a strategic framework for digital preservation capability maturity readiness in the context of e-government in the Botswana Public Sector. The ultimate aim of the framework is to ensure digital continuity and make sure that e-government is sustained for the benefit of an open government and increased participatory citizenry.
Information Science
D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

School readiness is a stage in a child's development when he learns easily and effectively. A child who is not yet ready for school on school entry is already at a disadvantage in the formal learning situation. This in itself can affect his school performance in the later years. The researcher, being a primary school teacher noticed that the children from the informal settlements that had no pre-school intervention arrived at school unready to learn. This investigation set out to evaluate the school readiness of children from an informal settlement without a pre-school programme. The school readiness of these children were compared against children from an informal settlement with a pre-school programme. Test and questionnaires were used to determine the five year olds' school readiness. The researcher used the idiographic method of research. The findings of the research were based on the interpretations of the tests and questionnaires.
Educational Studies
M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Dynamic assessment constitutes an alternative diagnostic approach, focused on revelation of the tested person's learning potential, which is reached and observed via the emphasis on the process of the achievement. It aims at meaningful connection with the intervention that immediately makes use of diagnostic findings to support the development of an individual's abilities. This work summarizes essential information about the mentioned diagnostic trend - its characteristic, a definition compared to conventional ways of testing and historical development. It investigates some possibilities of its utilization, especially in the area of preschool diagnostic and education, and creates a basis for an instrument of the effective prevention of educational and behavioural difficulties during the first years of the school attendance.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the benefits and the challenges in implementing the manufacturing technology maturity assessment matrix from the US Department of Defence (US DoD) which is the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) matrix, in automotive manufacturing industry. MRL matrix is created for maturity assessment in the defence acquisition process of the US DoD. This matrix is considered as an efficient and effective way of maturity assessment of manufacturing technologies and the resource allocation in the portfolio management. The thesis is based on a case study at an automotive manufacturing firm, taking its steps towards the MRL matrix from a stage-gate model in its portfolio management.  A Qualitative method study is carried out in this research and interviews were taken from six different personnel from an automotive manufacturing firm. These interviews gave a better understanding of the expectations and level of details needed in the MRL matrix.  From the data collected from this case study, six findings were found, which are a manufacturing technology should be implemented on the factory floor only when it is completely mature, the MRL framework by US DoD is complicated and the language used is difficult to understand, and four other findings. These findings clearly show the benefits and challenges of implementing the MRL matrix by the US DoD in the automotive manufacturing industry.

Dissertação de mestrado em Psicologia, especialização em Avaliação Psicológica, apresentada à Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra
Analisou-se a maturidade e prontidão para a leitura numa amostra de crianças que iniciavam a sua escolarização numa escola da periferia de Lisboa. Em simultâneo, foi nossa intenção estudar alguns dos principais precursores da aprendizagem da leitura e a validade preditiva de um teste de maturidade para a leitura. Na prossecução desses objectivos, adoptou-se uma metodologia de cariz longitudinal. Num primeiro tempo aplicámos o Teste ABC de Lourenço Filho, as Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven e um questionário aos professores. Num segundo tempo, após oito meses de ensino da leitura, aplicámos o Teste de Avaliação da Precisão e Fluência de Leitura: O REI (Carvalho, 2007) e um segundo questionário preenchido pelos professores. Os resultados revelam que existe uma relação positiva e estatisticamente significativa tanto entre os resultados do teste ABC alcançados no início do ano lectivo e os resultados do teste O REI no final do ano escolar, como entre os Testes ABC e O REI e as MPCR; existe uma baixa percentagem de alunos (4%) que obteve bons resultados no teste ABC e baixos desempenhos no teste O REI (falsos positivos) e 0,7% dos alunos obtiveram bons resultados no teste O REI, apesar de terem obtido baixos resultados no teste ABC (falsos negativos).
Abstract The reading and maturity readiness were analysed trough the application of the Teste ABC de Lourenço Filho in a sample of children who were starting their first grade in the suburbs of Lisbon. The predictive validity of the mentioned test was also assessed. In the pursuit of these objectives, a longitudinal methodology was adopted. In a first phase, the Teste de ABC de Lourenço Filho and Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices were applied. In a second phase, after eight months of reading teaching, the Teste de Avaliação da Precisão e Fluência de Leitura: O REI (Carvalho, 2008) was applied, as well as a questionnaire was filled by children's teachers. Results revealed that a positive and statistically significant relationship exists between as the ABC test's results applied in the beginning of the school year and the results of the test O REI, applied in the end of the same school year as between the Teste ABC and O REI, and the MPCR. 4% of the students obtained good results in the ABC test and low results in the test O REI (false positives) and 0.7% obtained good results in the O REI test, despite their low results in the ABC test (false negatives).
On analyse la maturité et promptitude pour la lecture un échantillon d’enfants qui sont en train de commencer leur scolarisation dans une école aux environs de Lisbonne. En simultanéité, on a étudié quelques-uns des principaux précurseurs de l´apprentissage de la lecture et la validité preditive d´un test de maturité de la lecture. Dans la reprise de ces objectifs, on a adopté une méthodologie longitudinale. Dans un premier temps on a appliqué le Test ABC de Lourenço Filho et les Matrices Progressive Colorés de Raven et un questionnaire aux professeurs. Dans un deuxième temps, après huit mois de enseignement de la lecture, on a appliqué le Teste de Avaliação da Precisão e Fluência de Leitura: O REI (Carvalho, 2008) et un deuxième questionnaire remplit par les professeurs. Les résultats démontrent qu’il existe une relation statistiquement significative nom seulement entre les résultats du teste ABC atteints au début de l’année scolaire et les résultats du test O REI à la fin de la même année, aussi entre les Testes ABC et O REI e les MPCR. Il existe une baisse pourcentage d´ élèves (4%) qui on obtenu des bons résultats au test ABC e faibles résultas dans le test O REI (de faux positives) et 0.7% des élèves a obtenu de bons résultats dans Test O REI, malgré l’obtention de faibles résultats dans le Test ABC (de faux négatives).

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the topic of school-matureness diagnostics.Through theoretical background it presents, at which level a child should be developed enough in terms of his/her character and knowledge, before entering the compulsory school attendance. Terms such as school knowledge and school readiness are tightly connected to the topic and explained in this research. Recent and former legislative requirements concerning the beginning of one's compulsory school attendance, school enrollment, and postponement of compulsory school attendance are mentioned. Following the theoretical part, the practical part of this thesis diagnoses school maturity. The Preliminary test of school maturity by Jaroslav Jirasek is described in detail, other often used diagnostically materials and publicly available publications with content being well usable for the diagnoses are also shortly introduced. Base don those publications a test for the diagnosis of school maturity was developed, and it was together with Jirasek's Preliminary test of school maturity used for testing school maturity with a research sample. The results were analyzed and compared. The research focus was oriented on the applicability of Preliminary test of school maturity by Jaroslav Jirasek. Its results were compared with...

Власенко В. В. Формування готовності дітей старшого дошкільного віку до навчання у школі : кваліфікаційна робота магістра спеціальності 231 "Соціальна робота: соціальна педагогіка" / наук. керівник О. І. Гура. Запоріжжя : ЗНУ, 2020. 72 с.
UA : Кваліфікаційна робота: 72 с., 3 таблиці, 4 рисунка, 60 джерел, 3 додатки. Мета дослідження – теоретично обґрунтувати і експериментально перевірити соціально-педагогічні умови забезпечення підготовки дітей старшого дошкільного віку до навчання у школі. Об’єктом дослідження є процес підготовки дітей старшого дошкільного віку. Предмет дослідження – соціально-педагогічні умови процесу підготовки дітей старшого дошкільного віку до навчання у школі. Наукове значення роботи: визначити можливості використання вітчизняного і закордонного досвіду, вирішення ряду наукових питань соціалізації дітей дошкільного віку з вадами зору. Практична значущість дослідження полягає у розкритті системи роботи вчителя щодо реалізації підготовки дітей старшого дошкільного віку до навчання у школі.
EN : The qualifying work consists of introduction, 2 parts, findings, list of literature (60 items), 3 addendums on 4 pages. The qualifying work volume is 81 pages long, 72 of them – body text. There are 3 tables and 4 illustrations. The qualifying work gives disclosure of the teacher's work system to implement the training of older preschool children to school. The research object: The process of preparing children. The research subject: Socio-pedagogical conditions of the process of preparation of preschool children to study at school. The research purpose: Theoretically justify and experimentally check the socio-pedagogical conditions for the preparation of preschool age children to study at school. The research tasks are: 1) uncover the essence and structure of the readiness of older preschool children to school learning; 2) unleash the psychological features of older preschool children; 3) to highlight and justify the socio-pedagogical conditions for the preparation of preschool children prior to studying at school.

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of school maturity and readiness of pupils in the preparatory class. In the theoretical part the basic terminology from the field of pre-school education and problems of entering the elementary school is defined. There are also the principles of the preliminary test of school maturity described in detail. They are subsequently applied in practical research. The research part focuses on the comparison of the level of school maturity and readiness of pupils in the preparatory class and children in kindergarten. The survey was mainly conducted using qualitative methods, specifically through interviews, questionnaires and anamnesis. However, one quantitative method was also included - the standardized preliminary test of school maturity. This test focuses on fine motor skills and visuo-motor coordination ability. The research was carried out in preparatory classes and kindergartens in Mladá Boleslav and its surroundings. The goal of this diploma thesis was to find out whether education in a certain kind of preschool facility can affect children's readiness for school. Research results showed, that preparatory classes have better conditions for the development of a preschool pupil with postponement of school attendance than kindergartens. KEY WORDS Preschool...

My thesis is focused on the theme "Gypsy child at the beginning of school attendace". The main aim of my thesis is to find out how gypsy pupils are able to adapt to an inclusive school. The purpose is complemented by research questions which are divided into two areas according to influencing factors. The first of the factors are internal factors, that means the ones that deal with the individual of a children in the educational process himself, then external factors which influence and participate in education of Roma pupils in primary school. Theoretical part is formed to make consistent unit with the practical part. First chapter is focused on Romas and their ethnic history. In second and third chapter we can find out more about the gypsy pupils in the beginning of school attendance. Second chapter is divided into several subchapters according to the determinants of school maturity. Fourth chapter is the basis of the whole thesis, because it is mainly focused on the gypsy pupils in the context of Czech education. This chapter is also divided into several subchapters depending on the different influences on the education of gypsy pupils. In the fifth chapter attention is paid to the work of a teacher with a gypsy pupil. In other chapters there is a summary of my knowledge from the whole of the...

This diploma work Use of educational stimulation groups program is focused on prevention of children failure in the beginning of school attendance by their participation in stimulation program together with their parents. Aim of the diploma work was to find out whether and how the selected program influenced development of weakend partial areas of children who attended this program and opinions of parents on this program. The diploma work is divided into theoretical and practical part. Theoretical part contains three chapters. First chapter characterizes preschool age and all fields of child 's development. Second chapter focuses on particularity of preschool education, legislation, binding documents, educational influence of the family, clarifies terms of school maturity and readiness and introduces some of the stimulation programs. Third chapter is theoretical solution of the stimulation program examined in the practical part, introduces individual areas important for successful start at school and practical activities developing weakend partial areas of the children. There are aims and survey used methods described in practical part ie. input and output diagnostics, attended observations, questionnaires for the parents and analysis of the survey results. In this chapter there are analyses and...

This Diploma Thesis is designed as a case study based on qualitative research focusing on searching the options of support on pre-school children development in the environment of shelters for mothers or families with children. In the theoretical part starting points are presented regarding the issues of family, shelter, school maturity and readiness as well as an issue of constituent functions, possibilities of their diagnostics and development. The initial part of the empiric part describes methodological processes and a research plan is presented. Followed by research report regarding the study in twelve shelters in Prague. One of the research goals was to design a simple manual of development for children aged 3-6 which might have been used as a support for social workers in those shelters. The research tools included questionnaires and interviews among social workers. The questionnaires helped to map the size of shelters, length of stay and characteristic of their clients, approach of institutions to the development of pre-school and school age children as well as the attitudes of social workers towards such development of pre-school children. Interviews with social workers assisted with orientation in the issue of families in shelter, semi-structured interview allowed a feedback from the...

This thesis defines social-emotional skills that need to be refined among pre-school children within the context of the beginning of schooling. The work also verifies the possibilities and limits of artefiletics in the development of social and emotional skills of pre-school children. The thesis is of a theoretical- empirical character and is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. The chapters of the theoretical part deal with social and emotional development of pre-school children, the meaning of a play in social-emotional development and also with social-emotional constituent part of school maturity. The last chapter is devoted to artefiletics as an innovative approach towards the development of social- emotional skills of pre-school children. The practical part of this thesis consists of two parts - action research and questionnaire survey. The action research focuses on verifying the possibilities and limits of artefiletics when developing and refining social-emotional skills of pre-school children in kindergarten.The action research aimed at increasing the quality of complex maturity preparation for entering primary school, respectively adaptation to school environment. The second part of the practical part consists of questionnaire survey, the aim of which was above all to discover...

This dissertation describes the decision-making process of parents in the field of postponing the compulsory school attendance or starting it on schedule. The qualitative research is based on an aggregate of 41 semi-structured interviews with parents and two focus groups, completed by subsequent observations and interviews with parents and teachers. The research goal consisted in illuminating the background of the high number of postponements in the Czech Republic, where every year about 20 % of children start in the first class a year later. The dissertation also provides insight on this topic in a comparative perspective and analyzes the initiation of compulsory education in selected European countries. The research results presented in the form of an established theory document that parents' decisions are based primarily on the needs of the family and especially of the need to be a good parent. The decision making is influenced also by the parents' attitude to the delay which has also impact on the weight being attached to other factors of the decision-making process, such as school maturity and individual areas of school readiness as well as the month of birth. During the decision-making process the experience of parents with enrolment in the first grade plays an important role as well. The...

This thesis deals with diagnosing school readiness at enrollment for compulsory school attendance. The paper defines the terms of school readiness, school maturity, enrollment for compulsory school attendance, school attendance postponement and acceptance of the child younger than six years. Another part describes the enrolment process for compulsory education in primary schools in Českobudějovicko. Three goals have been set: how teachers of selected primary schools in Českobudějovicko diagnose school readiness during enrollment for compulsory school attendance, what is their experience with school start postponement and early school starts (before 6 years), and to see if elementary schools cooperate with kindergartens in enrollment for compulsory school attendance. To achieve the goals was used qualitative research, an interrogation method, semi-structured interview technique. Through interviews with selected teachers coming from nine primary schools these objectives have been met. Elementary schools use different methods for diagnosing school maturity, but in most cases they diagnose the child in the fields recommended by literature. They also cooperate with kindergartens in the enrolment process. Experience of their teachers with an additional postponement in enrolment, or with early enrolment...

The purpose of this thesis was to identify the most common causes of school suspension within a regional survey in comparison with the views of parents, elementary and kindergarten teachers. In connection with this theme the author dealt with pre-school child characteristics focusing on school maturity diagnosis and school suspension problematics. The main reasearch was realised i Pedagogical-psychological advice centre in Kladno in 3 selected years ranging from 1999 to 2010. The method of analysis has been used to collect the data. A survey in a form of an anonymous questionnaire clearified opinions of selected respondents. On the basis of this observation a casuistry of a school suspended child with specific needs has been made. This casuistry demonstrates further development of a child after starting it's school attendence. Submitted results of the thesis confirmed the opinions of experts in this field as well as conclusions of researches focusing on school suspension issues. It has been found out, that the most common causes of school suspension in the examined lokality are the issues of speech, visual and hearing perception, graphmotorics and school work maturity. This finding was identical with the views of respondents of the survey. The respondents marked psychological area of school...

This diploma thesis deals with an admission procedure to the first form of primary education, school readiness, beginning of the school attendance and a formation of initial literacy in the first form of primary school. The theoretical part focuses on the ontogeny of a child in the pre-school and young school age, school readiness, the beginning of school attendance and the initial reading and writing skills. The research focuses on the preparation of children in kindergartens for school. It also describes three processes of admission procedure to the first form of primary school at three different schools. The author also analyses results of these admission procedures in 2018. She also analyses the human body drawings in connection with the school readiness. Last but not least she analyses the formation of hygiene habits of pupils in the first forms. The findings of this research are compared with the information in the theoretical part. There are also many appendices that document the research. At the end of the thesis there is the interpretation of the research and a description of contemporary school readiness issues.

The diploma thesis deals with the issue of school maturity in the field of visual and auditory perception and its diagnostics in children in the last year of pre-school education. The theoretical part contains the characteristics of the development of the pre-school child and the conception of pre-primary education, the concepts of school maturity and readiness, risk factors of school failure, deferment of compulsory school attendance, partial functions and deficits of partial functions. Furthermore, the possibilities of diagnostics of phonological and visual perception and other methods of evaluation of the functions, which make the acquisition of school skills successful, are described. Also mentioned is the enrollment of a child into the first grade of elementary school. The objective of the empirical part is to find out whether it is possible to contribute to their maturation by regular stimulation of the partial functions in the field of visual and auditory perception in preschool children, thus improving the readiness of children to enter primary school. The research was carried out in two kindergartens through diagnostic and stimulating material. We predict learning disabilities (Sindelarová, 2016). Methods and tools of primarily quantitative character were used for the survey, incl....

This thesis deals with the issue of genetic method to reading in the first grade of an elementary school. The theoretical part is focused on the child's entry to school, their school maturity and further education. Other methods to read are presented, analysed and compared with the genetic method as well. Furthermore, the methods and ways how to put the genetic method in practice are pursued in detail along with didactical games and examples of teaching procedures. The practical part looks into the experience the teachers have gained with this method, the school success of the children and the opinion the family members have.

This dissertation adresses the issue of preparation and readiness of a preschool child before his/her entrance to elementary school. The theoretical part is divided into four chapters. The first chapter is concerned with the definitions of basic terms, such as school maturity and school readiness. The second chapter is dedicated to developmental psychology of a preschool child. The third chapter is concerned with diagnosis of a preschool child from the position preschool education, and the last chapter is centered on a child at risk in elementary school. The practical part is dedicated to qualitative experimental investigation which obser- ves the advancement of teak parts in selected sample of children from normal and spe- cial class of kindergarten school and it is supported by an intervention program.

The diploma thesis deals with the adaptation 1st class primary school pupils, to the school environment in social area. It is divided into theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part is focused on the process of adaptation pupil to the school environment, it explains the concept of socialization, analyzing school maturity, the readiness and the terms of school education. The practical part is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative research. The method of questionnaire, interview and observation provides the identified data to deal with the issue of adaptation pupil at the 1st class primary school in the social field and analyzes the attitude of parents and first class teachers to the adaptation pupils to the school environment in the social sphere. The aim of the diploma thesis is analyzing the opinion to that issue by parents and first class primary school teachers.

The Diploma thesis concerns with an issue of school attendance postponement. The theoretical part focuses on the issue of school maturity and readiness and analyses the period of child transition from a kindergarten to a primary school and the relatively high percentage of school attendance postponement. The practical part was carried out in form of a survey with three groups of respondents - parents, kindergarten teachers and primary school teachers. The aim of this part was to assess the position of parental public toward the school attendance postponement and possible children's preparation for future entry into the compulsory education. In case of the pedagogical public the central theme was a comparison of the kindergarten and primary school teachers' positions on the identical topic associated with a comparison of the most common reasons given in connection with school attendance postponement. This part was completed with a child case report of two preschool children for who the issue of granting the school attendance postponement was very current. The research carried out suggests that all groups of respondents agree with the compulsory school attendance postponement but only under the assumption that this postponement is justified. Otherwise, their positions were not as unambiguous. The...

In the diploma thesis I concentrated on an approach of preschool teachers to children whose school attendance was postponed. Thesis is divided in two parts. In theoretical part I deal with a definition of school maturity and readiness, which are the basics to find child's troubles with postponement of school attendance. Then I delineate present situation in the Czech Republic - I define contemporary concept of preschools, I deal with compulsory school education and possibility of postponement of school attendance. In the last chapter of the theoretical part I concentrate on the approach of teachers and in sub-chapters I define activities and impact which they have. In empirical part I used a snowball sampling to approach some preschool teachers. Eleven teachers from Prague and Plzeň region have participated the research. After filling in questionnaires focused on individual children whose school attendance will be postponed, questions were adapted to the main research method - interview. Using thematical analysis I discovered various approaches of teachers to organizing forms of work, cooperation with parents, cooperation with specialists, documents in preschools, contemporary perspective of postponement of school attendance in the Czech Republic.

Résumé This thesis deals with finding differences between homogeneously and heterogeneously assorted classes in nursery schools and their influence on the readiness of a child to enter the first class in elementary school. The theoretical part focuses on school maturity and readiness, general characterization of a pre-school child before entering the first class in elementary school, differences between heterogeneously and homogeneously assorted classes in nursery schools and finally on a child's preparedness for the compulsory education. The practical part shows the results of a research carried out by the means of an author's test of school maturity method and a questionnaire. The research sample consisted of children of pre-school age before entering elementary schools from heterogeneous and homogeneous nursery school classes and pedagogues from nursery and elementary schools. The main objective of this research was to find out which children are better prepared for entering elementary school, whether from homogeneous or heterogeneous classes in nursery schools. The results of the research showed that children from homogeneous classes are prepared for entering elementary schools on the same level as children from heterogeneous classes, which leads to the conclusion that age composition of classes in...

The diploma thesis concerns with the school readiness issue in region Cesky Brod. High number of children with compulsory school attendance postponement resists these days, which the government decided to solve with compulsory preprimary year implementation. When framework education programs came into force, schools drew up their own school education programs. The basis, with which they enter the school, diversified. The goal of the thesis is to determine the areas in which most children had problems during the first grade enrollments in Cesky Brod region. The readiness of children to enter school is studied also from the parents' and the teachers' point of view and their points of view are compared. The research combines three methods - observation, questionnaire and case history. For the research during the first grades enrollments the observation was chosen. On the basis of the theory the areas for observation were determined and assessed according to the chosen assessment criteria. The points of view of the parents and teachers were examined in the questionnaire. The areas in which the most children had difficulties during the first grades enrollments were graphomotory and speech development. The parents and the teachers also share this opinion. Weak attention span is mention, in addition, by...

Ce mémoire porte sur la perception des acteurs multisectoriels de la petite enfance concernant le développement langagier des tout-petits et les interventions qu’ils proposent pour le soutenir. L’origine de cette question vient de l’Enquête sur la maturité scolaire des enfants montréalais. En route pour l'école! (DSPM, 2008a) qui révélait que les tout-petits montréalais étaient plus vulnérables dans les domaines du développement cognitif et langagier et des habiletés de communication et connaissances générales que ceux de l’échantillon normatif canadien, jumelée à la préoccupation des acteurs eux-mêmes relativement à cette problématique. Les objectifs sont de décrire le portrait qu’ont ces acteurs du développement langagier des enfants de leur milieu et analyser ces représentations sur le plan de leur articulation problème – solution. Pour y répondre, un cadre conceptuel écologique mettant en relation quatre niveaux d’influence (enfant, famille, voisinage, environnement général) et cinq axes d’intervention a été conçu. La méthodologie adoptée fut une étude de cas qualitative à base d’analyses documentaires et d’entrevues (n=10) auprès des six secteurs engagés dans l’intervention intersectorielle en petite enfance dans un CSSS montréalais. Les résultats montrent que ces acteurs connaissent les facteurs influençant le développement langagier des tout-petits. Les interventions actuelles ou souhaitées sont cohérentes avec les écrits scientifiques et partiellement stratégiques par rapport aux facteurs de risques identifiés. Des actions doivent toutefois être posées pour soutenir davantage les jeunes familles, dont celles visant à hausser la qualité du voisinage ou encore, l’accès à des services publics de qualité.
This thesis examines perceptions of intersectoral stakeholders in early childhood regarding language development in young children, and the initiatives they suggest to support such development. The question originates from a survey on the school readiness of Montréal children, Enquête sur la maturité scolaire des enfants montréalais. En route pour l'école! (DSP, 2008a), which revealed that, with regard to language development and communication skills, young Montréal children were more vulnerable than the Canadian normative sample. It also stems from stakeholders’ concerns regarding this issue. The goals are to describe the representation of language development held by these stakeholders and to analyse their conceptualisation of the problem and the solution to language development. An ecological conceptual framework was developed, comprising four levels of influence (child, family, neighbourhood, overall environment) and five areas of intervention. The methodology was a qualitative case study based on a literature synthesis and interviews (n=10) carried out in six sectors involved in early childhood intersectoral initiatives in a Montréal Health and Social Services Centre (CSSS). Results show that stakeholders are aware of the factors influencing language development in young children. Current or desired initiatives correspond with the literature and are mostly strategic with respect to identified risk factors. However, actions must be taken to provide more support to young families, including actions designed to improve neighbourhoods and enhance access to quality public services.