Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Engagement models'

This thesis presents cutter swept volume generation, in-process workpiece modeling and Cutter Workpiece Engagement (CWE) algorithms for finding the instantaneous intersections between cutter and workpiece in milling. One of the steps in simulating machining operations is the accurate extraction of the intersection geometry between cutter and workpiece. This geometry is a key input to force calculations and feed rate scheduling in milling. Given that industrial machined components can have highly complex geometries, extracting intersections accurately and efficiently is challenging. Three main steps are needed to obtain the intersection geometry between cutter and workpiece. These are the Swept volume generation, in-process workpiece modeling and CWE extraction respectively. In this thesis an analytical methodology for determining the shapes of the cutter swept envelopes is developed. In this methodology, cutter surfaces performing 5-axis tool motions are decomposed into a set of characteristic circles. For obtaining these circles a concept of two-parameter-family of spheres is introduced. Considering relationships among the circles the swept envelopes are defined analytically. The implementation of methodology is simple, especially when the cutter geometries are represented by pipe surfaces. During the machining simulation the workpiece update is required to keep track of the material removal process. Several choices for workpiece updates exist. These are the solid, facetted and vector model based methodologies. For updating the workpiece surfaces represented by the solid or faceted models third party software can be used. In this thesis multi-axis milling update methodologies are developed for workpieces defined by discrete vectors with different orientations. For simplifying the intersection calculations between discrete vectors and the tool envelope the properties of canal surfaces are utilized. A typical NC cutter has different surfaces with varying geometries and during the material removal process restricted regions of these surfaces are eligible to contact the in-process workpiece. In this thesis these regions are analyzed with respect to different tool motions. Later using the results from these analyses the solid, polyhedral and vector based CWE methodologies are developed for a range of different types of cutters and multi-axis tool motions. The workpiece surfaces cover a wide range of surface geometries including sculptured surfaces.

Thesis (M.S. in Systems Engineering) Naval Postgraduate School, Sept. 2000.<br>Thesis advisor(s): Powell, James R.; Buettner, Raymond R. "September 2000." Includes bibliographical references (p. 139-141). Also available in print.

Doctor of Philosophy<br>Department of Psychological Sciences<br>Patrick A. Knight<br>A significant body of academic work has amassed supporting the importance of employee engagement in the workplace and its ability to influence business outcomes. However, much of this research has been concentrated in high-contact occupations in which the relationship between the employee and the customer is prolonged and involved (e.g., financial consulting, nursing, etc.). The current study utilized movie theatre environments to determine if the ability of employee engagement to influence service delivery and business outcomes persists in low-contact service environments. This research found that even in settings characterized by brief and perfunctory employee-customer interactions, employee engagement at the business unit level significantly influenced service delivery as measured by the resulting overall guest satisfaction. Furthermore, this relationship was fully mediated by guest satisfaction with friendliness of employees, speed of service and cleanliness of the environment which previous research has found to be the primary drivers of overall guest satisfaction within this environment. Partial support was found for the ability of employee engagement to significantly predict reductions in employee turnover as well as reductions in operational inefficiency and negligence. No support was found linking employee engagement to the productivity/profitability of the business unit. Given these research findings which provide additional support for the importance of having an engaged workforce, we examined how employee satisfaction with various aspects of the company and occupational environment correlate to the employee’s level of engagement. We further segment these correlations by demographic groups to better understand the relationships and more effectively target future initiatives geared toward the improvement of employee engagement.

In the last fifty years, scholars have widely studied Deliberative Democracy and Deliberative Systems and proposed them as an alternative or integration to Rep- resentative and Participatory Democracy. The latter can on one side deal with communication challenges of diverse and pluralist modern Societies by opening Democratic procedures to Citizens and engaging them in Democratic decision- making procedures. On the other side, as like as Representative Democracies, Participatory Democracies do not promote deliberations to foster Citizens to reach a consensus on Societal issues. Indeed, Participatory Democracies are based on intrinsic mechanisms of aggregation of votes, not optimized to fulfil the diverse cog- nitive characteristics of Citizens, and are usually stand-alone processes that can not be interconnected. Gamified Online Deliberative Systems can fill these gaps. The first research goal of this work is to analyze Democracies, expose different models of them, and investigate from different perspectives the causes of the current crisis of Representative Democracies and the lack of Participatory Democracies models. The second research goal is to analyze the literature on Deliberative Democracies and Deliberative Systems in order to delineate a framework of requirements to im- plement the features needed for legitimated Deliberative Systems. The framework is then used to analyze a set of online tools for deliberation and cover the third research question: understand if these tools implement legitimacy features of on- line deliberation and can be connected to Deliberative Systems. The last research goal of this work is to investigate the cognitive characteristics of Citizens involved in deliberations and the motivations that may keep them continuously engaged in Deliberative Systems. After having exposed Gamification theories, this work proposes a fully gamified model for Online Deliberative Systems and describes a practical implementation of the model.

This is a multi-article format dissertation that explores emotional and cognitive engagement in higher education classrooms. Student engagement in higher education classrooms has been associated with desired outcomes such as academic achievement, retention, and graduation. Student engagement is a multi-faceted concept, consisting of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components. A deeper understanding of how these components interact would allow instructors and course designers to facilitate more engaging learning experiences for students. The first article is an extended literature review that investigates the extant empirical research on the relationship between emotional and cognitive engagement, and between emotional engagement and academic outcomes in post-secondary classrooms. I find that this topic has been scantily researched in the past 16 years and conclude that the relationship between emotional and cognitive engagement is cyclical, rather than linear, and is influenced by student control appraisals, value appraisals, achievement goals, and the classroom environment. The second article investigates the longitudinal relationship between emotional and cognitive engagement in university blended learning courses across 2 institutions, with 68 students. Using intensive longitudinal data collection and structural equation modeling, I find that course design and student perception variables have a greater influence on engagement than individual student characteristics and that student multitasking has a strong negative influence on engagement. Students' perceptions of the importance of the activity has a strong positive influence on both cognitive and emotional engagement. An important outcome of engagement is the students' perceptions that they were learning and improving. While emotional and cognitive engagement are highly correlated, the results do not indicate that emotional engagement leads to higher levels of cognitive engagement.

This practice-based research examines ceramics collections and artistic practice. It explicitly focuses on the exploration of object engagement beyond the historic models of clay practice and the uses of clay as a medium through which to examine cultural and museological challenges. It is centred on five artworks by the author made between 2006 and 2015 (Trophy, 2006, Forever, 2010, Exchange, 2012, Piece by Piece, 2013, Manifest: 10,000 hours, 2015). These employ advances in curatorial practice and theory that have informed the curation of ceramic artefacts held by museums seeking to reframe the relationship between material culture and clay culture, and the modes and devices of how ceramics are displayed. These five exhibition works have interrogated traditional understandings of ceramic collections in museums and their boundaries. These exhibitions, together with this commentary, constitute this PhD by publication. Ceramics, clay practice and craft are the context of these developmental works that have expanded thinking within the field. The thesis discusses the long-term development of ceramic and craft practices of immersive works that can be used as a tool to access our understanding of ceramic collections and trajectories. The research recognizes shifts in the contextual development of craft practice and in the literature developing alongside practice during a period from the 1960s onwards. In the contextual review the museum and the collections in focus are addressed in the contexts of audience engagement, participation and live works, and issues are raised in relation to time-based works and shared authorships. The critical developments of clay practice are also addressed within the timeframe of each section. Each of the five artworks is outlined in terms of context, research and development. These works have addressed the main question of how ceramic collections may be animated and explored through the audience's participation. Through ten years of research, experimentation and close investigation, these questions have been slowly and carefully developed to test the boundaries of knowledge regarding arts and museum practices, encouraging a continued relationship with these concerns.

Thesis (M. S.)--Building Construction, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009.<br>Committee Chair: Kangari, Roozbeh; Committee Co-Chair: Roper, Kathy; Committee Member: Castro, Daniel; Committee Member: Cummings, William; Committee Member: Thomas-Mobley, Linda.

Building on research that has focused on understanding how peers contribute to students' engagement, this dissertation explores the extent to which peer group influences on students' engagement may add to and be contextualized by qualities of the relationships they maintain with their teachers and their parents. To focus on how each of these adult contexts work in concert with peer groups to jointly contribute to changes in students' engagement, the two studies used data on 366 sixth graders which were collected at two time points during their first year of middle school: Peer groups were identified using socio-cognitive mapping; students reported on teacher and parent involvement; and teachers reported on each students' engagement. In both studies, models of cumulative and contextualized joint effects were examined. Consistent with models of cumulative effects, peer group engagement, parent involvement, and teacher involvement each uniquely predicted changes in students' engagement. Consistent with contextualized models suggesting differential susceptibility, peer group engagement was a more pronounced predictor of changes in engagement for students who experienced relatively low involvement from teachers. Similarly, peer group influences on changes in students' engagement were stronger for students who experienced relatively low involvement from their parents. In both cases, these peer effects were positive or negative depending on the engagement versus disaffection of each student's peer group. Both studies also used person-centered analyses to reveal cumulative and contextualized effects. Most engaged were students who experienced support from either both teachers and peers, or both parents and peers; the lowest levels of engagement were found among those students who affiliated with disaffected peers who also experienced either their teachers or parents as relatively uninvolved. Both high teacher and high parent involvement partially protected students from the motivational costs of affiliating with disaffected peers. Similarly, belonging to engaged peer groups partially buffered students' engagement from the ill effects of low teacher and parent involvement. These findings suggest that, although peer groups and teachers and parents are each important individually, a complete understanding of their contributions to students' engagement requires the examination of their joint effects.

Paradigms in rehabilitation and disability service delivery in economically developed countries are currently being challenged and reviewed. An analysis of rehabilitation and disability literature arising from these countries, identified a number of issues of concern. Utilising a systems framework, adapted from the work of Urie Bronfenbrenner, the analysis indicated that certain aspects of current paradigms, may have adverse impacts on people with disabilities. It was determined that new paradigms should be explored. An analysis of current trends of relevance to the disability sector, identified a number of important directions, particularly the significance of the community paradigm. Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), a disability service delivery approach which has arisen in developing countries, was proposed as an approach which was consistent with the identified trends and the community paradigm, and which constituted a constructive response to the identified concerns. It was noted however, that CBR lacked a strong research base and that fundamental principles had not been clearly elucidated. Based on the current literature, a detailed description and analysis of CBR was undertaken, and strategies, benefits and limitations of the approach were documented. The description of the parameters of CBR resulted in the elucidation of an evolutionary process, and the identification of key principles. It was proposed that the defining concept of CBR is ‘engagement’ between people with disabilities and their local communities. This concept was seen as having greater import, beyond the traditional contexts in which CBR has traditionally been employed. The possible application of CBR to economically developed countries was considered at a theoretical level. In order to explore the potential of the notion of engagement, two multi-phase, qualitative studies were devised and conducted in South East Queensland. The inductive phase of the research, which involved both studies, resulted in the development of a model consisting of five bipolar axes. This ‘model for enhancing engagement’, described the process by which engagement between users of human services (specifically people with disabilities) and their local communities might be maximised. The subsequent deductive phase of the research consisted of an exploration of the potential utility of this model through the two studies. Within the limitations of the qualitative design, the research indicated that the model had practical utility in the current context. In order to confirm concepts within the model, and consider its congruence with the field of CBR, a final verificatory phase was employed. This phase drew data from other sources to provide a degree of confirmation of the concepts within the model. The primary outcome of the research was the development of the ‘model for enhancing engagement’ between people with disabilities and their local communities. This model was described and its potential application was considered at a conceptual level. Three subsidiary outcomes were also seen as contributions of the research. First, a descriptive and conceptual framework, based on the work of Urie Bronfenbrenner, developed and applied in the current studies may have further utility. Second, a detailed analysis of the CBR literature resulted in the documentation of an evolutionary process in CBR, the identification of key principles, and the proposal of the notion of engagement. Third, a comprehensive, multi-phase, qualitative research process devised for the research which meets requirements for rigour and effective data presentation.<br>Thesis (PhD Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>School of Applied Psychology (Health)<br>Griffith Health<br>Full Text

This thesis examines three prevalent models of community engagement in the black churches in the United States of America since the year 2000. It will contribute to existing scholarship by identifying theological motivations for community engagement by the black churches, and assessing the extent to which the black churches address and fulfill criteria for advancing liberation delineated from three generations of scholarship in Black Theology. This shall provide theological insight into the continued social relevance of the black churches. Existing scholarship has shown that the black churches historically have engaged the oppressed communities they have served by addressing their secular and social needs in addition to their spiritual ones, with a sense of mission to affirm human dignity and advance social justice. This praxis of liberation through community engagement was necessitated by the oppressive contexts in which the black churches were founded, and has continued in varied ways in tandem with shifts in social location of black people in America. Black church community initiatives have also been marked among three generations of scholars in Black Theology, who have delineated imperatives for which the black churches might engage their communities to fully continue the praxis of liberation in the present. The interrelated aims of this thesis are to discover the theological motivations of black church community engagement agents, and, to consider the extent to which the community engagement initiatives of the black churches of the twenty-first century address critical theological criteria from Black Theology for advancing liberation; each of which will help to illuminate theological implications for the continued social relevance of the black churches. This project requires an examination of contemporary models of black church community engagement in their own social reality. The models of community engagement that are researched are grass-roots movements where black churchpersons use non-violent direct action to advance particular social justice causes, community development corporations where churches filter grant money from the government to create economic opportunities for their local communities, and megachurch initiatives where congregations use the revenue of their large memberships to effect positive change in their communities. Local examples of each model are examined from a grounded theory approach through interviews with clergy and community workers, observations of worship and program activities, and textual analysis of bulletins, websites, and brochures.

<p> Multiple campaigns geared towards reducing public and self-stigma associated with depression, and increasing help-seeking behaviors have been launched in the past two decades. There has been an increase in promoting psychoeducation on the biological bases of mental illness. Recent international studies have documented that this increase in public knowledge has not reduced stigma. Indeed, growing evidence suggests that biological models, in comparison to other causal models of mental illness, decrease people&rsquo;s sense of self-efficacy and self-control, and decrease positive expectancies of treatments and prognosis&ndash;among those with and without mental illness. Individuals who have come in contact with health services, however, hold more positive and realistic expectancies of treatments than those who have not. Therefore, adequate education about mental illness and its treatment by providers is key at improving treatment expectancies and engagement. Results documented that biological explanations increased biological causes and reduced endorsement of social and psychological causes, led to decreases in endorsement of non-professional help, and increased endorsement of positive outcome expectancies for attending psychotherapy. Second, psychosocial explanations increased endorsement of social causes, increased likelihood in engaging in psychotherapy, and increased endorsement of positive outcome expectancies for attending psychotherapy and taking psychiatric medications. Third, biopsychosocial conditions produced increases in endorsement of taking psychiatric medications and increased endorsement of positive outcome expectancies for attending psychotherapy. Fourth, control condition increased endorsement of taking psychiatric medications and increased endorsement of positive outcome expectancies for attending psychotherapy. There was no interaction effect of self-stigma for attending psychotherapy or taking psychiatric medications; however, main effects of time suggest that self-stigma for attending psychotherapy and taking psychiatric medication reduced across time. Moreover, after treatment education there were no interactions between time and condition. However, main effects of time showed increased likelihood taking psychiatric medications and decreased likelihood seeking non-professional help, increases positive outcome expectancies of treatment, and decrease in self-stigma for seeking treatment. The findings of the current study suggest that biologically based psychoeducation of depression may hinder patients. It is most optimal to include and highlight the effect of psychosocial factors of depression through psychoeducation campaigns.</p>

Thesis advisor: Lauren Saenz<br>Stakeholder involvement is widely acknowledged to be an important aspect of program evaluation (Mertens, 2007; Greene, 2005a; Brandon, 1998). However, limited work has been done to empirically study evaluators’ practices of stakeholder involvement and ways in which stakeholder involvement is affected or guided by various factors. As evaluators interact with and place value on the input of stakeholders, social, cultural, and historical backgrounds will always be infused into the context (Mertens &amp; Wilson, 2012; MacNeil, 2005). The field of evaluation has done little to critically examine how such contexts impact evaluators’ perceptions of stakeholders and their involvement. The present study attempts to fill these gaps, focusing specifically on the relationships among evaluator identities and characteristics, evaluation models, and stakeholder involvement. Using the frameworks of critical evaluation theory (Freeman &amp; Vasconcelos, 2010) and a theory of capital (Bourdieu, 1986), the present study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. A sample of 272 practicing program evaluators from the United States and Canada provided quantitative survey data, while a sample of nine evaluators provided focus group and interview data. Regression analyses and thematic content analyses were conducted. Findings from the quantitative strand included relationships between: (1) measures of individualism-collectivism and stakeholder involvement outcomes, (2) contextual evaluation variables and stakeholder involvement outcomes, (3) use of use, values or social justice branch evaluation models and stakeholder involvement outcomes, and (4) whether the evaluator identified as a person of color and the diversity of involved stakeholders. Findings from the qualitative strand demonstrated the role of dominant frameworks of evaluation serving to perpetuate systems of power. Participating evaluators revealed ways in which they feel and experience systems of power acting on them, including participation in, recognition of, and responses to oppression. The qualitative strand showed that evaluation models may be used to help recognize power dynamics, but that they are also used to reinforce existing power dynamics. Implications and recommended directions for future research are discussed<br>Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015<br>Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education<br>Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation

<p> This study examines the impact adult supervision, role models, and civic engagement has on the health status of adolescents. The dependent variable was health status of adolescents. The independent variables were adult supervision, role models, and civic engagement. The results revealed that adult supervision is related to the health status among adolescents. Specifically, adolescents whose parents were married are more likely to report excellent to very good health. Adolescents who do not live with both parents are more likely to report that they feel hopeless and restless. One of the most consistent predictors of adolescent health status in the area of adult supervision was frequency of an adult around after school hours. Another consistent predictor of health status among this population was gender. Being female was related to worse health status among adolescents. Role model was also a predictor of excellent to very good health status among adolescents.</p>

Non-profits that do community-led food justice work with lower income communities face particular constraints and opportunities. This study examined those constraints and opportunities through participant observation of one such organization and interviews with four other organizations. Findings include the diversity of definitions for “community-led,” assets that can help or constrain the organization, and diversity in defining “scaling up” their organization models and missions. The organizations that heavily focused on lower income consumers noted tensions with the board of the non- profit and lack of engagement of consumers. I conclude by critiquing using language such as “models,” “scaling up,” or “replicating” when doing community-led food justice with lower income communities. I propose using the “scaling deep” framework (Moore, Riddell & Vocisano, 2015) and using Social Network Analysis as a tool for community development and developing alternative food initiatives with lower income individuals and communities.

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on March 25, 2010). Thesis advisor: Dr. Jerry W. Valentine. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The primary purpose of this research project was to explain how Korean immigrants develop acculturation attitudes toward Korean and American culture and how these attitudes are related to their experiences within their community in America. In order to achieve this goal, this project consisted of two empirical studies. In Study 1, the model of community capacity and acculturation was tested using structural equation modeling and the model fit the data very well. The results of the hypotheses tests in Study 1 were as follows: Sense of Community, Community Provisions, and Community Engagement were positively correlated with each other. Sense of Community and Community Provisions directly influenced acculturation attitudes toward American culture. Community Capacity directly influenced acculturation attitudes toward Korean culture. Sense of community and Community Provisions had significant indirect effects on acculturation attitudes toward Korean culture. In Study 2, using structural equation modeling, the model of community adjustment was tested across three groups (INTEGRATION, ASSIMILATION, and SEPARATION) who had developed different acculturation attitudes and the model fit the data well except for ASSIMILATION. The results of the tests of the hypotheses in Study 2 were as follows: Sense of Community and Community Capacity were positively correlated with each other in all groups. Only INTEGRATION did Sense of Community directly influence Community Provisions. However, Community Capacity directly influenced community provisions in all three groups. In INTEGRATION and SEPARATION, Community Engagement directly influenced Community Provisions. Community Capacity indirectly influenced Community Provisions in both INTEGRATION and SEPARATION. Finally, I concluded that Korean immigrants experienced the process of community adjustment differently regarding acculturation attitudes. Results from these investigations explicitly reveal that the application of community capacity in research on acculturation was valuable for explaining some individual and contextual variations in acculturation. Acculturation was a complex, multi-dimensional process. Korean immigrants developed different attitudes and their attitudes impacted differently on their lives within their larger community. The theoretical concept of community capacity has much promise as a guide for future theory and research on acculturation.<br>Ph. D.

Thesis advisor: Henry I. Braun<br>Addressing the call to provide hard evidence on undergraduate student outcomes and make comparisons across higher education institutions for accountability purposes, this study extends current efforts in measuring higher education outcomes and explores the differences in three value-added methodologies. Using the CIRP freshman and senior survey data from 2002 and 2006, this study examines noncognitive higher education outcomes with a focus on civic engagement. The three value-added methodologies examined are: an OLS-based cross-sectional method, an HLM-based cross-sectional method, and an HLM-based longitudinal method. Rather than seek to establish which methodology is superior, this study intends to provide empirical evidence concerning the similarities and differences in estimating institutional effectiveness with regard to civic engagement. First, several student-level and institution-level covariates were found to be associated with a measure of civic engagement in the senior year after adjusting for their level of civic engagement as freshmen. The model comparison further revealed some advantages in the HLM-based longitudinal method over the other two methods, such as providing a more accurate institutional value-added estimate and the ability to account for a relatively large percent of the total variance in the civic engagement measure when using the same covariates. Next, among all pairs of model comparisons, results from the two HLM-based methods agreed the most (r=.80). However, institutional rankings fluctuate dramatically, even when comparing institutions within small peer groups. Finally, the findings highlighted great divergences among different value-added methodologies in identifying institutions that perform significantly differently from the average for accountability purposes<br>Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2012<br>Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education<br>Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation

The purpose of this action research project was to investigate the efficacy of the use of hands on manipulative models in order to teach abstract biochemical processes. Students utilized enactive, hands-on modeling of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, cell division, DNA replication, and protein synthesis in order to advance to symbolic understanding of these subjects. In these activities, students acted out these processes with Students were assessed in order to see if confidence, engagement and understanding were improved. When monitored by a passive observer, increases in student engagement were observed.. Students reported that they were more confident in their ability to learn science material. Students also performed better on exams and showed longitudinal retention of material from the treatment lessons.

This dissertation has two primary research threads. The first is a case study analysis of three community scale energy planning engagement processes in British Columbia, including community energy and greenhouse gas emissions workshops conducted in the City of Vancouver as part of the Greenest City Conversations Project (GCCP), stakeholder workshops as part of the City of Victoria’s Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP), and public workshops conducted in the City of Revelstoke that investigated the relationships between urban form, energy, and climate change. The second research thread investigates the use of a mental models methodology for evaluating the impacts of engagement on the workshop participants. The research first examines the literature on public engagement in sustainability planning, and the literature on mental models methodologies, developing the rationale for a mental models approach to evaluating engagement in community scale energy planning. The research then turns to the development and conduct of the mental models methodology, starting with initial practitioner interviews to describe the community scale energy domain. These interviews revealed key themes about energy and related subjects that contributed to both the GCCP workshop development, and the construction of the dissertation’s primary research instrument, the pre and post workshop questionnaires. Workshop participants existing mental models of energy are then analyzed based on the results of the pre-workshop questionnaires, using a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and hierarchical clustering procedure. This analysis revealed the presence of six primary clusters of energy mental models amongst participants that were used to organize and interpret subsequent research results. The final phase of the research combines a case study and mental models evaluation of the three community energy engagement processes, beginning with the dissertation’s primary research vehicle (the GCCP workshops) and then comparing the three engagement processes for their impacts on participants’ mental models, and for the constituent case study components that defined the workshops. The final chapter then turns to a discussion of the implications of the research for future mental models, energy planning, and public engagement research and practice.<br>Science, Faculty of<br>Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for<br>Graduate

The recent financial-crisis that Greece (Hellas) suffers has restricted and reduced the budgets of many organizations. Among those, the Hellenic ministry of defense has begun examining ways to reduce costs while maintaining operational readiness. Retirement legislation is the first area the Hellenic ministry of defense is examining. Variables such as years of service required to receive a pension, years of service by pay grade, and the skills officers should possess for promotion were examined and recorded in ordinances (directives) issued by the president of the Hellenic Republic. However, these ordinances are expected to expand the number of officers in the middle pay grades. In an attempt to deal with potential increases in middle and higher pay grades of officer inventory the Hellenic Ministry of Defense is examining an alternative plan of two parallel officer force structures war and auxiliary. The primary structure will consist of war officers. These officers are considered top performers whose careers stop at the pay grade of flag officer. The auxiliary inventory includes those officers exhibiting lower performance with the terminal pay grade of captain. The purpose of these parallel paths is to ensure all officers serve 35 years in order to receive full pensions. This thesis analyzed job performance from the perspective of experience, ability, motivation, and accomplishment of advanced degrees. It concluded that experience should be combined with education level as a reliable evaluation field. Through the use of weighting priorities, the Hellenic navy should establish job performance as a single number, or officer ranking. Thus, top performers are distinguished from officers with lower performance on periodic evaluations. Using Markov-chain models and officer scores on job performance, the war and auxiliary inventories were examined. The war inventory was then adjusted to corresponding billets at every pay grade during a five-year period. The auxiliary officers were examined for future vacancies in the war inventory.

Fueled by ubiquitous access to mobile phones, and a massive population of nearly 3 billion unbanked people around the globe, mobile commerce is evolving as a disruptive technology. Simultaneously, mobile payments are surfacing as a killer application within the mobile commerce context (Hu et al. 2008). Undeniably, the proliferation of wireless mobile technology provides much-needed access to vital information, and financial services for disenfranchised, unbanked populations. In addition, technological innovations offer first-time opportunities for suppliers of goods and services in a market context to gain competitive advantages while enhancing their economic viability. According to Portio Research, the volume of mobile payments rose significantly from $68.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2009, with predictions of $633.4 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2014 (mobithinking.com 2012). Despite exponential growth in the number of mobile subscribers globally, and widespread adoption of mobile commerce, acceptance rates for mobile payment applications have lagged (Dahlberg et al. 2007, Ondrus et al 2009, Ondrus and Lyytinen 2011). Yet examinations of factors inhibiting the widespread acceptance of mobile payments are relatively sparse. Using Social Network theory, this research examines factors affecting engagement in mobile payments. The researcher posits that four primary elements influence mobile payment engagement: 1) the relationships between and amongst inter-organizational alliance members; 2) the prevailing regulatory environment; 3) the state of existing banking and technology infrastructures, and 4) an assessment of economic opportunity. The research outcomes from this exploratory examination led to the development of a comprehensive model for mobile payment engagement, and strongly suggest that ties between and amongst firms in inter-organizational alliances help ensure the success of mobile payment engagement. Support was found for the following suppositions: 1) similarities and relations (continuous ties) help establish a framework and understanding amongst alliance members as to each party’s goals and objectives; and 2) interactions and flows (discrete ties) between and amongst inter-organizational alliance members strengthen the overall ties between alliance members while solidifying a viable working relationship amongst the alliance members. This study employs a qualitative approach to obtain real world insight into the dynamism of the mobile payment arena. A model is then proposed to practically examine mobile payment engagement opportunities. From a theoretical perspective, the research contributes to the extant scholarly knowledgebase pertaining to engagement in mobile payments.

Doctor Educationis<br>The overarching purpose of this research study was to ascertain the deliberations preservice mathematics teachers engage with when they construct alternative mathematical models for social phenomena. The study is situated within the mathematical competencies and, in particular, on the evaluation competency with the possibility of developing alternative models flowing from the evaluation. Twenty fourth-year pre-service mathematics teachers participated in the completion of three different mathematical modelling tasks on which the analysis was based. The data collected was analysed qualitatively. The researcher exploited a thematic analysis design to investigate how pre-service mathematics teachers build alternative models.

Objective: Evaluate The Ottawa Hospital Viral Hepatitis Program (TOHVHP) telemedicine (TM) program for patient retention, treatment initiation and sustained virologic response (SVR) rates. Methods: Retrospective analysis of TOHVHP cohort data for patients entering HCV care between 2012 and 2016. Logistic regression modeling was used to assess characteristics associated with patient retention, treatment initiation, and achieving SVR. TM outcomes were compared to the standard outpatient clinic and mixed delivery outcomes. Results: Treatment initiation rates were comparable between TM and the outpatient clinic. TM delivered Direct Acting Antiviral treatments achieved high SVR outcomes across all patient populations. Patient retention was lower among TM patients. Conclusion: TOHVHP TM program engaged patients facing barriers to traditional HCV care models. Efforts to improve TM retention are needed.

There is a large demand for the use of e-learning tools to support student learning, in the form of distance or blended learning. The need for e-learning environment that encourages learners to learn independently or in groups in virtual settings is crucial. Some e-learning environments provide repositories of `resources¿. They neither facilitate a strategy for learning or teaching, nor they guide students through the resources, and tutors in constructing their courses. E-learning environments need to incorporate pedagogical practices which support and allow students to learn by removing any barriers that might inhibit their learning. Therefore, one of the most important aspects in developing e-learning environments is defining appropriate models where technology and pedagogy are integrated. This thesis provides such a framework for developing e-learning applications; it aims to make it easier for tutors to implement their lesson content and engage learners to achieve the course objectives. The proposed model incorporates constructive alignment, assessment and feedback and unlike other e-learning environments guides the tutor to construct lessons and help learners to use effective learning environment. Furthermore, the thesis investigates on how supported learning can help students adapt to the different approaches to learning. The empirical work undertaken investigates the role of constructing a well designed self-assessment and feedback unit within a learning environment.

There is a large demand for the use of e-learning tools to support student learning, in the form of distance or blended learning. The need for e-learning environment that encourages learners to learn independently or in groups in virtual settings is crucial. Some e-learning environments provide repositories of 'resources'. They neither facilitate a strategy for learning or teaching, nor they guide students through the resources, and tutors in constructing their courses. E-learning environments need to incorporate pedagogical practices which support and allow students to learn by removing any barriers that might inhibit their learning. Therefore, one of the most important aspects in developing e-learning environments is defining appropriate models where technology and pedagogy are integrated. This thesis provides such a framework for developing e-learning applications; it aims to make it easier for tutors to implement their lesson content and engage learners to achieve the course objectives. The proposed model incorporates constructive alignment, assessment and feedback and unlike other e-learning environments guides the tutor to construct lessons and help learners to use effective learning environment. Furthermore, the thesis investigates on how supported learning can help students adapt to the different approaches to learning. The empirical work undertaken investigates the role of constructing a well designed self-assessment and feedback unit within a learning environment.

Novel techniques have been developed for the automatic recognition of human behaviour in challenging environments using information from visual and infra-red camera feeds. The techniques have been applied to two interesting scenarios: Recognise drivers' speech using lip movements and recognising audience behaviour, while watching a movie, using facial features and body movements. Outcome of the research in these two areas will be useful in the improving the performance of voice recognition in automobiles for voice based control and for obtaining accurate movie interest ratings based on live audience response analysis.

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att komma underfund med hur introduktionen kan förbättras för nyanställda arbetsledare utan tidigare erfarenheter från arbetsområdet. Examensarbetet är en respons på Peabs interna enkät som under ett antal år belyst hur medarbetarna bland annat ser på trivseln och arbetsmiljön på sin arbetsplats. Denna enkät är till för att finna förbättringsområden. Flera anger att de anser att introduktionen är otillräcklig och behöver förbättras. Denna rapport använder sig av en kvalitativ metod med intervjuer av tio personer med koppling till yrkesrollen arbetsledare samt ytterligare tio kompletterande intervjuer. De huvudsakliga slutsatser och förbättringsförslag som dragits från intervjuerna är att nyanställda arbetsledare ska få tillgång till bättre arbetsbeskrivningar om hur Peabs arbetsmetoder och vad dess kärnvärden är och dessutom få klart för sig vad företaget har för förväntningar på de nyanställda. Större delen av intervjupersonerna ansåg att någon form av strukturerad utvecklingsplan var att föredra. Under rapportskrivandet upprättades följaktligen en sådan, som anger vilka moment och fördjupande kurser som är lämpliga för en nyanställd arbetsledare. Fokus riktas på både de praktiska och teoretiska avsnitten och innefattar samtliga arbetsmoment från grundläggning till färdigt hus.<br>The purpose of this graduate thesis is to figure out how to improve the introduction for newly employed work managers with no earlier experience within this field. This thesis came as a response to Peabs’ internal survey which for a couple of years has illuminated the coworkers´ view on their well-being and working environment at the workplace. The survey has been used for finding improvement areas and several respondents have reported that the introduction is inadequate and is in need of improvement, which thus has led to this thesis for the division Peab Bostad in Solna. This report uses a qualitative interview method of ten persons with connection to the work manager role and additional ten complementing interviews. The main conclusions and suggestions for improvement which were brought up from the interviews (for this thesis) are that all the interviewed believe that the newly employed work managers should be assigned with a significantly enhanced description of Peabs’ work methods, core values and the company’s expectations of the newly employed. The majority of the interviewed regarded some form of a structured development plan was to be obtained. Consequently a plan intended for a newly employed work manager was established, including phases and corresponding courses to be taken prior to each phase. The focus is on both the practical and the theoretical parts which include all the work phases from the start to the completed building. This report illuminates the importance of an increased co-operation between the experienced staff and the newly employed inexperience work managers. Accordingly they will receive support from several individuals and thus increase the feedback.

This study measures the effect of a model of explicit instruction (EMIT) on the: 1) physics graduate teaching assistants’ adherence to reformed teaching methods, 2) impact of the instructional model on GTAs’ beliefs about the nature of physics and physics problem solving and 3) undergraduate physics students’ understanding and performance in an introductory calculus-based physics course. Methods included explicit modeling for the treatment group GTAs of the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) and assessment of treatment and control GTAs and their students throughout the semester. Students’ understanding was measured using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and Flash-mediated Force and Motion Concept Inventory (FM2CA). Students were surveyed about performance of GTAs using the Student Survey (SS). Results indicated changes were tied to individual GTAs’ beliefs about the nature of physics. Student conceptual understanding reflected a two-fold Hake gain compared to the control group. General application of the EMIT model presupposes explicit instruction of the model for GTAs.

This research aims to chart four modes of engagement in post-verite documentary films, devoted to an exclusive examination of theatrical formats, that being those documentaries which are originally intended for a cinema audience. As these theatrical documentaries provide a means for spectators to see through the cinema screen and into the real world, it is important to understand how this 'seeing through' is constructed by the documentary production itself. This thesis acknowledges that the 'learning' of documentary stories and subjects has broadened for the global audience of today. After exploring various separate critiques of documentary voice theory, the definition of documentary and film semiotics, I have devised eight paradigms for creating this 'learning' or 'documentary consciousness' in these theatrical or cinema documentaries. I have explored how these eight paradigms can be observed to function in four different modes. These modes contribute to an evolving understanding of viewer comprehension; that thing called documentary consciousness. This is demonstrated through the audio-visual appendix of clips taken from the proto-typical theatrical documentaries I have chosen to analyse, which are: 'Bowling For Columbine' by Michael Moore (2003), which is illustrative of what I have dubbed the 'Outcome Mode'; 'Etre et Avoir' ('To Be And To Have') by Nicholas Philibert (2004), which exemplifies what I call the 'Participant Mode'; 'My Architect' by Nathaniel Kahn (2005), an example of the 'Journey Mode'; 'Baraka' by Magidson Films (1996), a model of the 'Mandala Mode'.

This research aims to chart four modes of engagement in post-verite documentary films, devoted to an exclusive examination of theatrical formats, that being those documentaries which are originally intended for a cinema audience. As these theatrical documentaries provide a means for spectators to see through the cinema screen and into the real world, it is important to understand how this 'seeing through' is constructed by the documentary production itself. This thesis acknowledges that the 'learning' of documentary stories and subjects has broadened for the global audience of today. After exploring various separate critiques of documentary voice theory, the definition of documentary and film semiotics, I have devised eight paradigms for creating this 'learning' or 'documentary consciousness' in these theatrical or cinema documentaries. I have explored how these eight paradigms can be observed to function in four different modes. These modes contribute to an evolving understanding of viewer comprehension; that thing called documentary consciousness. This is demonstrated through the audio-visual appendix of clips taken from the proto-typical theatrical documentaries I have chosen to analyse, which are: 'Bowling For Columbine' by Michael Moore (2003), which is illustrative of what I have dubbed the 'Outcome Mode'; 'Etre et Avoir' ('To Be And To Have') by Nicholas Philibert (2004), which exemplifies what I call the 'Participant Mode'; 'My Architect' by Nathaniel Kahn (2005), an example of the 'Journey Mode'; 'Baraka' by Magidson Films (1996), a model of the 'Mandala Mode'.

Increasing student engagement remains a challenge for educators: although there is large volume of research studies and published articles, the choice of successful pedagogical interventions with the aim of increasing student engagement remains difficult. The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of student engagement and the factors that activate and prompt students to put effort into their studies. An online Student Satisfaction Survey was administered in which 4,992 or 24.4% of the total student population at Avans University of Applied Sciences returned useable responses. These led to the identification of engagement types and specific engagement triggers. Significantly different engagement types , and engagement triggers were found among full-time and part-time students, first-year and upper-level students, as well as students from differing faculties. These findings hold a number of implications. Administrators need to take into account student engagement as one of the possible strategic focal points in the palette of university initiatives in attempting to increase student retention. Durkheim' s work on suicide and Bourdieu' s theory of social capital are explored to broaden the understanding student retention: Durkheim's four types of suicide as possible analogues and Bourdieu's theory of social capital as a possible variable for students' academic success. Therefore, university policies surrounding student engagement should not focus solely on the student's behaviour, but also on the interaction between students and the university. Furthermore, educational policies regarding the pedagogical climate within the university need to support student engagement.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; and, (M.B.A.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management; in conjunction with the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, 2013.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-77).<br>Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) is home to Circuit Card Assembly, the department responsible for the production of circuit card assemblies from across all of Raytheon's businesses. Circuit Card Assembly includes manufacturing, test, quality, finance and other groups, functioning as its own business within Raytheon IDS. Circuit Card Assembly competes with external vendors for contracts from Raytheon businesses outside of IDS, thus the pursuit of competitive advantage in the form of technology, quality and throughput is a continuous activity. Circuit Card Assembly spends upwards of a million dollars each year on troubleshooting circuit card assemblies that fail first pass testing, in labor alone, with additional costs associated with reprocessing and material replacement. This thesis describes the creation of a design tool that improves electrical design for test, reducing wasteful troubleshooting on hundreds of products each year, saving tens of thousands of dollars on high cost programs, with incremental yearly savings totaling in the hundreds of thousands, and a net present value of over 2.5 million in labor savings. The tool provides designers with real time feedback regarding the impact their design decisions have on expected troubleshooting activity, and provides guidance to improve troubleshoot ability. The tool reduces spending on non-value added activity buy an average of 50%, while at the same time helping fulfill Circuit Card Assembly's mission to engage design teams at the earliest stages of product development, before potentially costly decisions are finalized and beyond Circuit Card Assembly's ability to influence. The subject of interaction between groups in different functional silos, between independent Raytheon businesses and with seemingly disparate incentives is investigated as it pertains to the development of the design for test tool. The method of action of the design tool at a personal or organizational level is to raise awareness of total product cost and allow disparate teams to communicate in the same language with a more complete understanding of how to achieve corporate level goals. Communicating effectively across business and functional barriers is the greatest achievement of the new tool, but also the greatest roll out and developmental challenge. The tool is part of a suite of similar activities driving towards operational excellence within CCA.<br>by Glenn Bergevin.<br>M.B.A.<br>S.M.

Doctor Legum - LLD<br>The research problem of this study is the jurisprudential inconsistency in the application of the right in section 26(3) of the South African Constitution's Bill of Rights. The inconsistency is due to inadequate conceptualisation of the substantive requirements of meaningful engagement (ME) by the South African Constitutional Court (ConCourt). The central argument is that the development of a community engagement model based on the substantive requirements of ME will enhance the application of section 26(3). This study commences by illustrating the disempowering nature to the squatters of the apartheid evictions in South Africa. To tighten influx control, the apartheid regime introduced a battery of laws that disempowered the squatters. The apartheid-induced disempowerment of the squatters penetrated into the democratic dispensation. In the examination of the normative context of evictions post-1994, this study identifies six primary drivers for substantive involvement of the occupiers during evictions. The six primary drivers seek to address the disempowering trajectory during evictions.

Facilitating individual engagement in the rehabilitation process is vital if our investment in interventions is to achieve the desired outcomes. Studies of engagement in the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) context are limited, in that they lack a comprehensive and detailed basis for understanding and monitoring the whole process of engagement. The Model of Therapeutic Engagement (MTE) (Lequerica & Kortte, 2010) is the most comprehensive theoretical framework yet proposed to explain CR engagement, however, in the ten years since its first proposal, no research has investigated this multi-layered model empirically to determine its utility in the context of CR. The MTE defines the process of engagement by theorising a series of sub-models that focus on: 1) individual intention to engage in CR programs; 2) initiation of CR (i.e. actual attendance); and 3) maintenance of participation in CR programs over time (i.e. completion). Although the MTE is likely to be useful in understanding engagement in CR, it has been derived from a psychological orientation. Consequently, it gives little consideration to the role of socio-environmental factors which are considered vital in the fields of rehabilitation and health promotion. The overall aim of this empirical study was to evaluate the way in which the components of the MTE contribute to engagement outcomes and interact with each other, and also to examine the role of socio-environmental barriers in the MTE. This empirical study aims to evaluate the theory underlying the MTE by implementing it empirically, and thus develop a better understanding of the process of CR engagement. Through this approach, useful predictors that may act as management ‘levers’ can be identified, which if manipulated, can lead to better engagement. In turn, this could inform planning and design of future programs. The research began with a synthesis of the existing evidence for each of the proposed relationships among variables at each of the three stages of the MTE within a CR setting (see Chapter Three). A model-centric systematic review was used to explicitly structure the evidence, according to each stage of the MTE. This review identified eight studies which focused on aspects of stage one of the MTE, four additional studies which were relevant to stage two of the MTE, and six studies which considered aspects of stage three of the MTE. The results showed that the propositions of the first stage of the MTE have been well supported in the literature. However, there has been limited research investigating the proposed relationships among the variables that define the second and third stages of the MTE. Importantly, the literature review revealed that research to date has failed to provide a holistic approach to the understanding of individual engagement in CR programs. Hence, this literature review provided a strong basis for designing a substantial empirical study that aimed, for the first time, to comprehensively consider all stages of the MTE. However, due to its complexity, the analysis of the whole MTE was broken into several components, as explained below. Implementing a complex multi-component model such as the MTE, in an empirical study, raises significant analytical challenges. The MTE reflects the process that individuals follow during CR as this process unfolds over time. As would be expected, some individuals drop out. Changes in the sample during investigation of each stage of the MTE reflect the construct of interest (i.e., engagement) and, therefore, cannot be ignored by treating this as missing data or attrition. For example, not all those who are referred to CR will wish to attend; not all those who intend to engage in the CR program will initiate contact; attendance will fluctuate during CR; not all those who remain in the program will sustain their engagement. These attrition issues make it difficult for empirical modelling to make use of a single model to reflect the whole process of CR. For that reason, a modular approach to analysis was chosen, where each module focuses on a different key stage of the MTE process: 1) individual intention to engage in CR programs; 2) initiation of CR (i.e. actual attendance); and 3) maintenance of participation in CR programs over time. Due to the emphasis on modelling relationship ‘pathways’ amongst variables, and the limited amount of data available, structural equation modelling (SEM) was determined to be suitable to provide an explanation of engagement, and therefore was applied to each of the three stages of the MTE. In the initial empirical study, the first stage of the MTE was evaluated in a sample of 217 participants at one hospital in metropolitan Australia who were referred to CR following a cardiac event that required hospitalisation. The results (Chapter Seven) revealed that perceived self-efficacy and perceived need for rehabilitation positively impacted on intention to engage in CR, with moderate to large effect sizes. Perceived need and outcome expectancies were also strongly and significantly associated with each other. Contrary to the MTE, there were no significant relationships detected between outcome expectancies and intention to engage in the CR program, and between perceived self-efficacy and outcome expectancies. However, more detailed inspection (by supplementing SEM with bootstrap resampling) revealed that willingness to consider treatment acted as a mediator of the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and intention to engage in the CR program, through a small indirect effect that was significant and negative. The inclusion of this mediator doubled the variance explained by the relationship pathways. A prospective study was then conducted to test the entire MTE in the subset of 101 participants who enrolled in, and commenced, the CR program. The subsequent findings (Chapter Eight) mirrored the effects found in the initial cross-sectional study (Chapter Seven). The effects remained the same in both direction and size in most cases. The main exception was the small significant negative relationship between perceived self-efficacy and outcome expectancies, which was much smaller and non-significant in the total sample. Another exception was the effect of perceived need on intention to engage which was found to be positive and significant in both studies, but larger in the cross-sectional analysis (Chapter Seven) compared to the prospective analysis (Chapter Eight). In this prospective study, the findings were consistent with all relationships proposed within the second and third stages of the MTE. Finally, in Chapter Nine, the SEM was expanded to a multi-group analysis in order to examine the role of socio-environmental barriers. Despite being omitted from the original MTE, these barriers were found to be important in this first exploratory empirical analysis. The findings indicated that experiencing high-level socio-environmental barriers appeared to have a substantial moderating impact on the majority of the relationships proposed at the second and third stages of the MTE, with barriers tending to reduce engagement as would be expected. Significant differences were found between participants with high-level barriers and those with low-level barriers when comparing the effects, as shown by the beta estimate of the statistical model. Several relationships in the model were significantly weakened for participants with high levels of barriers compared to participants with low levels of barriers. Specifically, the strength of the relationship between intention to engage and actual involvement in preparation for the program was five times lower as was the relationship between their analysis of the CR experience and engagement. The strength of the relationship between CR initiation and engagement in the CR program was ten times lower and the relationship between CR maintenance and engagement was three times lower. These findings suggest that people with high levels of barriers are less likely to translate their intention to engage into actual engagement or involvement in preparing for CR. Even for those who initiated CR, or maintained CR over time, this was less likely to translate into deep levels of engagement. Importantly, their engagement over time was less likely to be influenced by their experience of rehabilitation, presumably reflecting the greater influence of barriers on their engagement. Thus, overall, a high level of socio-environmental barriers substantially diluted the relationships between variables in subsequent phases of CR, with the relationships being three to ten times stronger for individuals who had a low level of barriers. In summary, this study showed that perceived self-efficacy and perceived need for rehabilitation positively impacted on intention to engage in CR in the total population of eligible participants. Willingness to consider treatment was a strong mediator that doubled the likelihood of self-efficacy influencing intention to engage in CR. Perceived need was associated with outcome expectancies, however, these expectancies did not directly impact on intention to engage in CR program. Perceived need reduced in importance for people who did engage in CR, as might be expected. For those who did engage in CR, sustained engagement was associated with individual analysis of experience. Barriers in the social and physical environment reduced the strength of the MTE relationships, so must be included in future articulations of the model. Addressing barriers would significantly enhance engagement in CR. This study has indicated that the MTE can improve our understanding of the process of engagement in CR programs. Further, a deeper acknowledgment and understanding of socio-environmental barriers can improve the utility of the MTE. Based on this more holistic view of CR, as provided by the extended MTE, it is now possible to identify potential management levers that could be manipulated in order to enhance engagement. In particular, these results highlight that more attention is needed for raising the perceived need for CR and supporting the involvement of participants in preparation for their rehabilitation. These changes could significantly increase intention to engage in CR and actual initiation. Most importantly, the current study has confirmed the need to carefully review socio-environmental barriers that affect sustained engagement in CR. Prospective studies with larger samples than used in this first exploratory study, are required to determine whether these findings can be replicated, and are generally applicable to different populations of CR patients. Such a quantitative analysis could perhaps be supplemented by a qualitative study, to allow a deeper examination of the mechanisms underlying the apparent relationships among these variables. In addition, future studies must focus directly on exploring the role of other elements of engagement in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the engagement process. Specifically, greater consideration needs to be provided to CR barriers and facilitators, such as health professional-related factors (e.g. clinicians’ communicative and relational skills); factors associated with family caregivers of individuals; and mental distress factors to expand the MTE.<br>Thesis (PhD Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>School of Human Serv & Soc Wrk<br>Griffith Health<br>Full Text

There is a growing problem with male under-achievement in public education. Boys who are unsuccessful in elementary and middle school are likely to drop out in high school. Engaging at-risk boys could alleviate school dropouts and the resulting consequences. The purpose of this study was to explore at-risk boys' engagement in a middle school model employing collaborative learning, problem-based learning, and technology. The study was framed on the self-determination theory and the idea that competence, autonomy, and relatedness are vital for engagement. A qualitative case study approach was used to explore teachers' views of at-risk boys' engagement. Eleven teachers who implemented the middle school model in a southeastern school district were interviewed individually and then participated in focus group discussions. Interviews and discussion data were coded to identify words and phrases describing engagement and disaffection. Results indicated that collaborative learning was a factor for at-risk boys' disaffection. Problem-based learning and technology use were factors for engagement when implemented with appropriate strategies. These results and the participants' recommendations suggest that individual instruction and coaching during preliminary research are effective supports to put in place before addressing a final project in a problem-based learning project. This study contributed to positive social change in middle school education, benefiting at risk-boys, their families, and communities, by informing current teaching methods and learning environments that are best suited to engage at-risk boys, help them succeed in school, and give them the opportunity to reach their innate potential.

This study proposes a practitioner-oriented model for fostering student academic, social, emotional, and cognitive (ASEC) engagement in learning activities, and it assesses its potential to achieve such aims. The rationale underpinning this research is that the UK currently faces a social problem of negative attitudes towards foreign language learning. This is manifested by the steep decline in the number of schoolchildren that take up Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in upper secondary education. In light of this, research has consistently demonstrated that attitudes towards learning languages can be transformed if we regularly provide students with engaging experiences in the classroom. Unfortunately, pedagogical solutions that guide secondary schoolteachers on how to engineer engaging classrooms on a daily basis are scarce in educational research. This study uses an action research approach to assess the potential of the proposed pedagogical model to stimulate student ASEC engagement in MFL contexts. This entails two consecutive implementations of the model among a group of 19 Year 9 (difficult and male-dominated) students of Spanish by means of two long-term learning activities. The results from both implementations seem to confirm that the proposed practitioner-oriented model can contribute to promoting student engagement in learning activities at academic, social, emotional, and cognitive levels when it is fully deployed. The study contributes to the field of MFL primarily by offering an assessed pedagogical model that can stimulate regular student ASEC engagement in the MFL classroom, which, in turn, may contribute to the positive transformation of student attitudes towards foreign language learning.

The role of clients' emotional engagement has progressively played a central role in psychotherapy. This project inserts itself in this debate by seeking to validate the Client Modes of Engagement (CME) theoretical model (Elliott 2006; 2013a). While Elliott's CME framework—a process-diagnostic map based on clients' experiential content—was grounded on decades of research and clinical practice, it had yet to be made amenable to empirical investigation. This project responds to this absence by offering the Client Modes of Engagement Observational Coding System (CME-OCS) and the Client Modes of Engagement Questionnaire (CMEQ-R2). These instruments measure the construct from both the perspective of external observers (CME-OCS) and therapists (CMEQ-R2). This dissertation explores the application and validation process for both the CME-OCS and the CMEQ-R2. The results confirmed that the CME-OCS is a reliable coding system for identifying CMEs during EFT psychotherapy. Additionally, the findings suggest that there are interactions between CMEs, phases of therapy, and outcome groups. Moreover, I established that there are differences in the ways outcome groups' transition between CMEs at particular stages of therapy. I applied both classical psychometric properties methods and Rasch modelling with the purpose of examining the CMEQ-R2's psychometrics, refining the instrument, and later applying it in a process outcome study. The results suggest that levels of CME early in therapy and changes in levels of CME over therapy-as measured by the CMEQ-R2-”are significantly associated with client pre-post therapeutic improvement. I also found firm ground for arguing that therapists can distinguish between levels of CMEs and that their perspective can be systematically analysed. Together, both instruments pose important implications for research and clinical practice. Overall, this study validates the contention that researchers and therapists should be particularly attentive to clients' manner of engagement and focus of attention on specific levels of their emotion scheme.

The purpose of this research is to investigate if Google Cloud Vision API combined with Random Forest Machine Learning algorithm is advanced enough in order to make a software that would evaluate how much an Instagram photo contributes to the image of a brand. The data set contains images scraped from the public Instagram feed filtered by #Nike, together with the meta data of the post. Each image was processed by the Google Cloud Vision API in order to obtain a set of descriptive labels for the content of the image. The data set was sent to the Random Forest algorithm in order to train the predictor. The results of the research shows that the predictor can only guess the correct score in about 4% of cases. The results are not very accurate, which is mostly because of the limiting factors of the Google Cloud Vision API. The conclusion that was drawn is that it is not possible to create a software that can accurately predict the engagement rate of an image with the technology that is publicly available today.<br>Syftet med denna forskning är att undersöka om Google Cloud Vision API kombinerat med Random Forest Machine Learning algoritmer är tillräckligt avancerade för att skapa en mjukvara som tillförlitligt kan evaluera hur mycket ett Instagram-inlägg kan bidra till bilden av ett varumärke. Datamängden innehåller bilder hämtade från Instagrams publika flöde filtrerat av #Nike, tillsammans med metadatan för inlägget. Varje bild var bearbetad av Google Cloud Vision API för att få tag på en mängd deskriptiva etiketter för innehållet av en bild. Datamängden skickades till Random Forest-algoritmen för att träna dess model. Undersökningens resultat är inte särskilt exakta, vilket främst beror på de begränsade faktorerna från Google Cloud Vision API. Slutsatsen som dras är att det inte är möjligt att tillförlitligt förutspå en bilds kvalitet med tekniken som finns allmänt tillgänglig idag.

Astrology played an important part in the propaganda wars which accompanied the mid-seventeenth-century English Civil Wars, and it remained both influential and controversial in the decades following. At present, the dissemination of astrological ideas in seventeenth-century English publications is better understood than their audience's reception of those ideas. The discrepancy is due partly to the fact that the former is better documented than the latter. It is exacerbated by the controversy surrounding seventeenth-century English astrology, as a result of which much of the commentary on its public reception has likely been skewed to fit the commentator's argument. This thesis will investigate some of the letters which well-known seventeenth-century astrologers received from correspondents with varying levels of interest and expertise in astrology. In context, the letters present an opportunity to examine the flow of communication into the core astrological community from those outside or on the periphery.

The 21st century offers technology advancement and engagement with the passive, static information of print and website media as well as interactive social networking media on the Internet. Children born into this era quickly learn the language, join the digital community, and engage with these technologies. However, older adults who were not born into this dynamic technological era grapple with the constant changes that are explained by Moore's law. This has resulted in a digital skills and knowledge divide that sees older adults excluded from full inVol.vement in dynamic communities that included digital engagement. In order to reduce this digital divide, we need first to understand why some older adults engage with computer and internet technologies therefore, this thesis explores the engagement modes of older adults using computer and internet technologies. The research questions of this thesis are ‘Do older adults’ engagement modes influence their perception about computer and internet technology use?’ and ‘Can understanding these engagement modes help address digital divide issues facing older adults?’ A multi-method approach was undertaken as this enabled the researcher to explore the phenomena using both qualitative and quantitative methods providing rigorous and robust results. This was achieved through two studies that were conducted over a period of five years. The first study explored whether there is a difference between older adult and younger adult engagement modes, as well as any relationship between older adults’ perceived usefulness of the technology and their engagement modes. The second study was confirmatory analysis of the results of study one, which incorporated participant observation to test whether the engagement modes were observable and how these observations, could be explained.<br>Thesis (PhD Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>Griffith Business School<br>Griffith Business School<br>Full Text

The changing nature of organisation life becomes more and more intense as organisations are constantly striving to adjust to serve the needs of an ever-changing environment. At the same time, the importance of keeping employees engaged is essential to organisations. The aim of this thesis was to contribute with a deeper understanding of employee engagement during an organisational change process. A deeper insight of how individuals perceive a changing work environment on an emotional level will help managers to go through the process while they are ensuring engagement of their employees. Our fundamental research questions were: How do employees describe their own state of engagement during an organisational change process? Which factors are important, according to employees, in order for them to stay engaged during the process? The existing literature is reviewed with special attention to state engagement, including job satisfaction, job involvement, organisational commitment and empowerment. The theoretical framework consists of the Job demand-resources model and attitudinal organisational commitment, which have been used as the analytical tools. Our empirical data was collected through a qualitative research design with semi-structured interviews at an insurance company in the middle of Sweden. The conclusion from this study was that the state engagement differed a lot according to dimensions as satisfaction, involvement and commitment, while most of the interviewees agreed that the empowerment and energy level decreased. We also discovered a special kind of engagement, frustration engagement, which was distinguished from the commonly positive view of engagement. The most important factors to continue being engaged were expressed by the employees as social support, managerial support as well as organisational support and communication.

Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that affects cognition, producing a reduction in thinking, problem-solving, and mnemonic abilities, functioning, preventing affected people to care for themselves and carry out activities of daily living (e.g., self-feeding, dress oneself), and psychosocial well-being, causing the appearance of disorders of thought content, mood, and behavior (e.g., depression, apathy, anxiety). The reduction of cognition, the disorientation in space and time, and the inability to complete basic tasks and function independently are the major causes of institutionalization in dementia. Care facilities are extremely efficient in meeting the physical and environmental needs of persons with dementia (e.g., food, self-care, drugs). However, they often fail in addressing mental and social needs. Several studies show that people with dementia living in institutionalized contexts spend most of their time inactive and isolated. Just as many studies demonstrate that engagement in playful activities is crucial to ensure quality of life and psychosocial well-being in dementia. On the one hand, the centrality of the medical aspects of dementia is due to the legacy of the biomedical approach to care. On the other hand, it is caused by the objective difficulty of understanding the needs of somebody who struggles to communicate. As a matter of fact, we are in great need of models enabling us to make meaning of how people with dementia express their psychological states. According to the literature, engagement is the psychological state of proactive involvement with an object (e.g., a game, an interactive system) or an agent (e.g., a person, a social robot) that has a positive affective nuance. In healthy adults, engagement can be measured on three different levels, according to three distinct response systems: experiential/subjective (i.e., self-reports), behavioral/expressive (i.e. overt behavior), and peripheral-physiological (i.e., human bodily reactions). In adults with dementia, the experiential/subjective level is rarely accessible due to cognitive impairment, the behavioral/expressive level might be blunted by motivational disorders like apathy and depression, and the peripheralphysiological level might p rovide insightful r esults, but is often overlooked. As the three response systems are not always equally accessible, it becomes crucial to combine them to achieve the most exhaustive possible measurement of engagement in people with dementia. The objective of this dissertation is twofold. First, it aims at exploring new techniques to assess engagement in dementia with the help of unobtrusive physiological sensors and systematic behavior observation. Second, it focuses on the development of a model of engagement of people with dementia that could formalize the relationships among these assessment techniques and outline their relative meaning in the economy of the overall engagement state. In order to pursue these two goals, the doctoral research was organized in three studies. First, we carried out an extensive ethnographic study to understand people with dementia in their context of living and get acquainted with the activities proposed by nursing homes. Second, we conducted an exploratory study to investigate the reactivity of people with dementia to an experimental setting and deploy a sensible research protocol for data collection. Third, we performed an experimental study and collected a database of multimodal data (e.g., video recordings, electrodermal activity signals, accelerometer signals) while people with dementia were involved in two types of activities: a game-based cognitive stimulation (i.e., jigsaw puzzles, shape puzzles, and a match with dominoes) and a robot-based free play (with the dinosaur robot Pleo). As a first result, we came up with three techniques to measure different aspects of engagement in people with dementia: electrodermal activity (EDA), the Ethographic and Laban-Inspired Coding System of Engagement (ELICSE), and quantity of movement. EDA – which is the variation in the skin conductance derived from the activation of the sympathetic nervous system – accounts for the arousal of the person with dementia during the activity. The ELICSE – which is a coding system of engagement based on nonverbal behavior – permits the measurement of different body configurations that account for different levels of engagement. Quantity of movement – which is the amount of movement on the non-dominant wrist gauged with a triaxial accelerometer – captures the proactive engagement of the person with dementia during the activity (i.e., holding and manipulating objects, reaching out others).<br>Según la literatura, la involucración o el compromiso es el estado psicológico de la participación proactiva con un objeto (por ejemplo, un juego, un libro) o un agente (por ejemplo, una persona, un robot social) que tiene un matiz afectivo positivo. En adultos sanos, el compromiso puede medirse en tres niveles: experiencial / subjetivo (es decir, mediante autoinformes), conductual / expresivo (es decir, por el análisis del comportamiento manifiesto) y periférico-fisiológico (es decir, a través de las medidas de reacciones corporales humanas). En adultos con demencia, el nivel experiencial / subjetivo rara vez es accesible debido a un deterioro cognitivo, el nivel conductual / expresivo puede verse afectado por trastornos motivacionales como la apatía y la depresión, y el nivel fisiológico periférico puede proporcionar resultados interesantes, pero a menudo no se contempla. Dado que los tres sistemas de respuesta no son siempre accesibles, resulta crucial combinarlos para lograr la medición más exhaustiva posible del compromiso en personas con demencia. El objetivo de esta disertación es doble. Primero, su objetivo es explorar nuevas técnicas para evaluar la participación en actividades en personas con demencia con sensores fisiológicos discretos y la observación sistemática de su comportamiento. En segundo lugar, se centra en el desarrollo de un modelo de compromiso de las personas con demencia que podría formalizar las relaciones entre los componentes del compromiso y sus medidas. Como primer resultado, desarrollamos tres técnicas para medir diferentes aspectos del compromiso en personas con demencia: actividad electrodérmica (EDA), el Sistema de Compromiso de Codificación Etográfico e Inspirado en Laban (ELICSE) y la cantidad de movimiento. La EDA, la variación en la conductividad de la piel derivada de la activación del sistema nervioso simpático, explica la excitación de la persona con demencia durante la actividad. El ELICSE, un sistema de codificación de compromiso basado en el comportamiento no verbal, permite la medición de diferentes configuraciones corporales que responden a diferentes niveles de compromiso. La cantidad de movimiento en la muñeca no dominante medida con un acelerómetro triaxial, captura el compromiso proactivo de la persona con demencia durante la actividad (por ejemplo, sujetar y manipular objetos). Como segundo resultado, construimos un modelo de compromiso, el ENGAGE-DEM, que especifica los componentes del compromiso, cómo se miden a través de las técnicas de medición implementadas y qué relaciones mantienen. El ENGAGE-DEM es el resultado de un proceso de prueba y refinamiento progresivo de un modelo de compromiso extraído de la literatura. Este proceso llevó a refutar la definición ampliamente aceptada de compromiso como un compuesto de afecto positivo y compromiso proactivo y a la promoción de una definición de compromiso más coherente con los datos. Según ENGAGE-DEM, el compromiso es el grado de participación proactiva de la persona con demencia en una actividad que puede tomar diferentes tonos hedónicos y lograr diferentes niveles de movilización de energía. El ENGAGE-DEM podría contribuir en varios dominios de conocimiento. Podría ser útil en el campo de la investigación en enfermería, ya que podría promover una mejor comprensión de la persona con demencia y permitir una elección más informada de actividades significativas. También podría ser una ayuda para los diseñadores que buscan crear tecnologías atractivas y divertidas para las personas con demencia. Por último, se podría usar para permitir que los robots socialmente interactivos y las tecnologías interactivas detecten el estado de compromiso de la persona con demencia en el mismo momento que se produce la actividad y reaccionar en consecuencia.

The establishment in business of concepts associated with the social bottom line (corporate social responsibility, corporate sustainability, community investment, stakeholder involvement, public participation and societal license amongst them) have focused the attention of communications academics and practitioners alike on the broad area of corporate social performance as a compelling element in the triple bottom line. Associated with this focus on corporate social performance, has been a burgeoning interest in stakeholder-related concepts of management, together with a drive to enhance the strategic value of corporate communications functions such as stakeholder engagement, community consultation and issues (social risk) management - primarily to improve corporate responsiveness.

O presente estudo busca identificar os fatores que influenciam o engajamento dos consumidores em relacionamentos com varejistas virtuais de modo a aprimorar o e-CRM. Para tanto, utiliza-se um modelo teórico (KIM et al., 2008) para analisar como as experiências dos consumidores, através do valor percebido (crença cognitiva), da satisfação (experiência afetiva) e da confiança (intenção conativa de relacionamento), influenciam seu comprometimento com livrarias virtuais. Procura mensurar ainda três variáveis exógenas que afetam a experiência de compra na internet, referentes à qualidade percebida de produto, de serviço e à equidade de preço percebida. O estudo analisa uma amostra de 303 consumidores de livrarias virtuais de domínio nacional para, através de equações estruturais, identificar as relações entre os construtos do modelo adotado. Ao final da análise, os resultados obtidos demonstram a dificuldade de construção de relacionamentos com o consumidor no segmento analisado.<br>This study aims to identify the factors influencing the engagement of consumers in virtual relationships with retailers in order to enhance the e-CRM. For this, a theoretical model (KIM et al., 2008) is used to analyze the consumer experiences through perceived value (cognitive beliefs), satisfaction (affective experience) and confidence (conative intention of relationship), influence their commitment to online booksellers. It also seeks to measure three exogenous variables that affect the shopping experience on the internet, the perceived product and service quality and the perceived fairness of price. The study analyzes a sample of 303 consumers of online booksellers national domain, by means of structural equations, identify the relationships between the constructs of the model adopted. After the analysis, the results demonstrate the difficulty of building relationships with the consumer segment analyzed.

This thesis explores the multifaceted concept of engagement within online learning environments. Key research aims are to suggest approaches and an extendable model for evaluating, monitoring and developing understanding of online learner engagement. The overall intention is to offer educators insight, practical guidance and tools for supporting timely intervention in fostering learner engagement. This thesis reviews the major theoretical perspectives on learning and highlights the role of student engagement in relation to the research literature. It discusses the limitations of the methods applied in current research and attempts to address this problem by crossing the disciplinary boundaries to draw together a range of perspectives and methodologies. A review of the literature provides a foundation for a learner engagement evaluation model that employs a variety of evaluation methods and accommodates the possible diversity of learning experiences. The proposed ‘Situated Engagement Evaluation Model’ (SEEM) is positioned to reflect the wide theoretical perspective of social learning. It constitutes a comprehensive system of intertwined components (Learning Content; Pedagogical Design Elements; Learning Profiles; and Dialogue and Communication) that learners may interact with, and integrates dynamically changing preferences and predispositions (e.g. cultural, emotional, cognitive) potentially informative in engagement studies. Prior to (and independently of) the development of SEEM, four empirical studies were conducted and reported here. These explored patterns of online engagement with respect to learning content, learning profiles, patterns of communication and elements of pedagogical design. Studies were then revisited to evaluate the usefulness of SEEM for monitoring and evaluating student engagement, and to discuss its potential for guiding intervention to improve learning experiences. The practical relevance for integrated and automated implementation of SEEM in online learning is considered further.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Work Engagement is one construct of many that forms part of the complex nomological network of constructs underlying the behaviour of working man2. Work Engagement is an important construct both from an individual as well as from an organisational perspective. Human resource management interventions aimed at enhancing Work Engagement aspire to contribute to the achievement of the organisation’s primary objective and the well-being of the organisation’s employees. Such interventions will most likely also be valued by individuals within the workplace, as individuals will be able to experience a sense of personal fulfilment through self-expression at work. It is therefore essential to gain a valid understanding of the Work Engagement construct and the psychological mechanism that underpins it, in order to design human resource interventions that will successfully enhance Work Engagement. The current study raises the question why variance in Work Engagement exists amongst different employees working in different organisational contexts. The research objective of the current study is to develop and empirically test an explanatory Work Engagement structural model that will provide a valid answer to this question. In this study, a comprehensive Work Engagement structural model was proposed. An ex post facto correlational design with structural equation modelling (SEM) as the statistical analysis technique was used to test the substantive research hypotheses as represented by the Work Engagement structural model. Furthermore, the current study tested two additional narrow-focus structural models describing the impact of value congruence on Work Engagement by using an ex post facto correlational design with polynomial regression as the statistical analysis technique. A convenience sample of 227 teachers working in public sector schools falling under the jurisdiction of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) participated in the study. The comprehensive Work Engagement model achieved reasonable close fit. Support was found for all of the hypothesised theoretical relationships in the Work Engagement structural model, except for the influence of the PsyCap*Job Characteristics interaction effect on Meaningfulness and for three of the five latent polynomial regression terms added in the model in an attempt to derive response surface test values. The response surface analyses findings were mixed. Based on the obtained results, meaningful practical recommendations were derived.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Werkverbintenis1 is een van ‘n groot verskeidenheid konstrukte wat deel vorm van die komplekse nomologiese netwerk van konstrukte wat die gedrag van die arbeidende mens onderlê. Werkverbintenis word as ‘n belangrike konstruk beskou vanuit ‘n individuele sowel as vanuit ‘n organisatoriese perspektief. Menslike hulpbronbestuurs-intervensies gerig op die bevordering van Werkverbintenis streef daarna om by te dra tot die bereiking van die organisasie se primêre doel sowel as tot die welstand van die organisasie se werknemers. Sodanige intervensies sal waarskynlik ook deur werknemers waardeer word, aangesien sodanige intervensies die kanse verhoog dat individue selfvervulling in hul werk sal ervaar omdat die werk hul die geleentheid bied om hulself in hul werk uit te leef. Dit is gevolglik noodsaaklik om ‘n geldige begrip te ontwikkel van die Werkverbintenis-konstruk en die sielkundige meganisme wat dit onderlê ten einde menslike hulpronbestuurs-intervensies te ontwerp wat suksesvol Werkverbintenis sal bevorder. Die huidige studie stel die vraag aan die orde waarom variansie in Werkverbintenis tussen verskillende werknemers bestaan wat in verskillende organisatoriese kontekste werk. Die navorsingsdoelstelling van die huidige studie is om ‘n verklarende Werkverbintenisstrukturele model te ontwikkel en te toets wat ‘n geldige antwoord op hierdie vraag sal bied. ‘n Omvattende Werkverbintenis strukturele model is in hierdie studie voorgestel. ‘n Ex post facto korrelatiewe ontwerp met strukturele vergelykingsmodellering (SVM) as die statistiese ontledingstegniek is gebruik om die substantiewe navorsingshipotese soos voorgestel deur die Werkverbintenis strukturele model te toets. Die huidige studie het voorts twee addisionele nouer-fokus strukturele modelle getoets wat die impak van waardekongruensie op Werkverbintenis beskryf deur middel van ‘n ex post facto korrelatiewe ontwerp met polinomiese regressie-ontleding as statistiese ontledingstegniek. ‘n Geriefsteekproef van 227 onderwysers wat in openbare skole werksaam is wat onder die beheer van die Wes Kaapse Department van Onderwys val (WKDO) het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die omvattende Werkverbintenis-model het redelik goeie pasgehalte getoon. Steun is gevind vir all die voorgestelde teoretiese verwantskappe in die Werkverbintenis strukturele model, behalwe vir die invloed van die Sielkundige kapitaal*Werk eienskappe-interaksie-effek op Betekenisvolheid en vir drie van die vyf polinomiese latente regressie-terme wat in die model ingesluit is in ‘n poging om responsoppervlakte-waardes af te lei. Gemengde resultate is verkry vir die responsoppervlakte-ontleding. Betekenisvolle praktiese aanbevelings is gemaak op grond van die navorsingsresultate.

Thesis (M.S. in Operations Research)--Naval Postgraduate School, September 2007.<br>Thesis Advisor(s): Lucas, Thomas W. ; Hughes, Wayne P. "September 2007." Description based on title screen as viewed on October 23, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79). Also available in print.