Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Training infrastructure'

Thesis (M.S. in Information Technology Management) Naval Postgraduate School, September 2001.
Thesis advisors(s): Irvine, Cynthia E.; Warren, Daniel F. "September 2001". Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-94). Also available online.

This thesis pivots around the fulcrum of surgical, educational and technological factors. Whilst there is no single conclusion drawn, it is a multidisciplinary thesis exploring the juxtaposition of different academic domains that have a significant influence upon each other. The relationship centres on the engineering and computer science factors in learning technologies for surgery. Following a brief introduction to previous efforts developing surgical simulation, this thesis considers education and learning in orthopaedics, the design and building of a simulator for shoulder surgery. The thesis considers the assessment of such tools and embedding into a virtual learning environment. It explains how the performed experiments clarified issues and their actual significance. This leads to discussion of the work and conclusions are drawn regarding the progress of integration of distributed simulation within the healthcare environment, suggesting how future work can proceed.

Sustainable infrastructure that is used and maintained by communities over time, and resilient to hazards, is sorely needed in developing countries where natural disasters cause disproportionate damages and mortality as well as impede development efforts. Shelter is universally recognized as a foundational element of disaster recovery; and while its ability to provide protection from the elements is a core function, it also affords broader social and economic benefits. Unfortunately, conventional approaches in post-disaster shelter reconstruction focus primarily on rapid and recognizable results over long-term outcomes, perpetuating pre-existing vulnerabilities and failing to provide acceptable standards of service. There exists a need to better understand how shelter recovery processes employed by stakeholders lead to eventual infrastructure system outcomes. This research longitudinally analyzed 19 humanitarian shelter projects following Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the Philippines over a three-year period, seeking to answer the overarching research question of what combinations of coordination, stakeholder participation and training across project delivery phases lead to resilient and sustainable community infrastructure systems? A multi-method approach consisting of case study methods and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed to analyze the impact of combinations of project processes in leading to infrastructure outcomes. This research (1) identified key factors influencing inter-organizational coordination in post-disaster contexts; (2) identified types of household participation that arise in shelter projects and analyzed their impact on project outcomes; (3) identified methods of construction training used in shelter projects and their impact on household knowledge acquisition; and (4) analyzed combinations of coordination, participation, and training across the planning, design, and construction phases of shelter projects that led to infrastructure resilience and sustainability, in isolation and combination. The results contribute to understanding of shelter processes and organizing structures necessary for resilient and sustainable systems, building theory of reconstruction process pathways. Practically, findings can aid practitioners identify more effective modalities of delivering shelter assistance in post-disaster humanitarian response.

When administrators make decisions about the infrastructure support needs of a current or planned online teaching program, these decisions are often based on external expert advice rather than on the advice of experienced ground level faculty who are living with the dynamic nature of the technology and support needed to develop and maintain an effective online teaching program. Online teaching faculty are the best source of advice and information on what works and what does not. Faculty at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) were surveyed to find out what elements are important to the development of an effective online teaching program. Faculty were also asked to validate the Online Teaching Infrastructure Matrix designed to help campus administration evaluate the current administrative support they provide to online teaching programs. Many of the MCG faculty have 20 or more years teaching experience, but less than that teaching online. Data were collected through the use of a survey titled "Online Faculty Support Survey," which was developed by the researcher. The survey served to identify: a) faculty perceptions of what elements are important to the development of a successful online teaching program; b) which of those elements were in use at their specific institution; c) factors serving to enhance faculty participation in an online teaching program, and which factors impede their involvement; and d) faculty perceptions of the clarity and expected effectiveness of the Matrix. The survey has been evaluated by a panel of experts consisting of a statistician, an instructional designer, a program support specialist, a multimedia support specialist, an academic services professional, an information technology network support professional, and two faculty online program directors. Careful analysis of the data received from the responses to the survey reveals specific areas that faculty deem important to an online teaching program, and whether their specific institution actively provides those important elements. The data were coded and further analyzed to identify areas where there may be significant differences between what faculty deem to be important elements of infrastructure support and what is actively provided by their institution. The validated Matrix is a useful tool that administrative decision makers at MCG can rely on to help them maintain SACS accreditation standards, and other institutions can use it to develop an online teaching program or enhance an existing program. It can be modified to meet specific needs of the institution, or updated to reflect changing technology.

This project focuses on the installation, teaching, and developing Information Technology in a self-maintained collective organisation: the Montessori Training Centre, Lushoto, Tanzania. Our practical endeavour consists in implementing modern technology in this environment. We have organised teachings for the staff of this organisation based on basic knowledge in computer use. We also studied how Information Technology may be implemented and its impact on their schooling system, their administrative tasks as well as their business activities (such as hostel and small scale manufacturing). The expected result of our work is to provide the Montessori personnel with independent means of computer management with built-in facilities for extensions, as well as technical means to maintain their technical equipment.
Ett försök att introducera modern teknologi i en skola för montessori förskolelärare.
Kristoffer Sakaria, 0708-284551

The scarcity of skills is a global phenomenon, affecting the capacity building, economic growth and development components of all nations. The African continent has been affected by skills shortages, emanating from certain socio-economic factors. This resulted in the ‘brain drain’, emigration and absorption of skilled talent to developed countries, in search of a better standard of living and employment opportunities. The issue of scarce skills in South Africa was identified by the Government in 2006, due to an identified shortage of expertise and proficiencies, required to fill numerous vacant positions within the local government to meet service delivery needs. The identification of skills shortages led to the formulation of macro-economic policies to address the issue of scarce skills and the identification of the most affected professions, which included, inter alia, engineers; technicians; project managers; and architects. Despite the implementation of these policies, underlying factors compound the issue, complicating and limiting remedial efforts. The South African Government is faced with the challenge of providing quality basic services for the public, especially at the local level. The country has since 2010 experienced multiple incidents of service delivery protests, predominantly in the under-developed communities. The Eastern Cape is no exception, as the Nelson Mandela Bay area has experienced protests, concerning poor service delivery, primarily in Walmer Township. The provision of basic services, are of dire necessity to the communities, as the Eastern Cape is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. The educational system at primary and secondary levels is faced with challenges in the Eastern Cape province. These challenges are the shortage of teachers; poor infrastructure; and teacher absenteeism. This compounds the issue of scarce skills acquisition and development; the volume of skilled, expert and proficient talent available to the municipality, to fill in vacancies, gaps and areas with shortfalls and deficits within the entity, is reduced and minimal, underscoring the depth of the entrenchment of this scarcity of skills issue. The primary focus of the study is to expose the factors contributing to skills shortages and the implications, apropos service delivery, from the municipal workers’ perceptions. The study highlights and describes the factors affecting scarce skills acquisition and development in South Africa, along with providing a background of the Eastern Cape and demonstrating that the shortage of skills, within the Infrastructure and Engineering Department of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, has an impact on the production, efficacy and efficiency of services for communities. The study also emphasises the essentiality of quality leadership and management within the organisation, a pivotal aspect in ensuring the municipality performs at optimal level, meeting organisational goals. This is a critical issue, as the study revealed that sound management and leadership is lacking within the municipality, affecting quality of the service delivery output. The findings of this study further revealed that adequate training and development is lacking in the municipality. This is hampering skills development, outstandingly with regard to technical skills talents, as their training needs are not met.

The use of physical systems and Virtual Machines has become inefficient and expensive for creating tailored, hands-on exercises for providing cyber security training. The main purpose of this project is to directly address these issues faced in cyber security education with the help of Docker containers. Using Docker, a lightweight and automated platform was developed for creating, sharing, and managing hands-on exercises. With the help of orchestration tools, this platform provides a centralized point to monitor and control the systems and exercises with a high degree of automation. In a classroom/lab environment, this infrastructure enables instructors and students not only to share exercises but also helps create and deploy exercises more easily. By streamlining the end to end delivery and deployment of the exercises, instructors can now efficiently make use of the class/lab hours in educating the students rather than performing system administration tasks.

Information Communication Technologies (ICT) are taking pace with rapid development,with the strive to impart education among learners in a way that they become highly satisfied.With a help of different electronic tools in educational technology using media and makingright environments to enhance learning, develop creativity, stimulate communication, createchannels for collaboration, and hence, engaging in the continued development and applicationto knowledge and skills. Usage of technology spans across all academic areas with theincreasing popularity of information technology that is evolving rapidly towards bettermentwith increased capabilities every day. Educationalists are interested in knowing howtechnology would create a variation for the students in the classroom. The purpose of using ELearningis to create a learning platform with combination of the existing knowledge andInformation Communication Technologies (ICT). High growth in Information Technology thatis user friendly, accessible, and reliable at the same time providing improved ways incollaborating in a new approach possible. Students from different units would be able tocollaborate forming cross-unit teams and working on common or multiple assignmentshelping each other in different ways. Internet, video conferencing, and emails are wellestablished collaborative tools for exchange of information. Investigating that why there is aneed of technology in the education and which technologies would help in improving learningprocesses is the main purpose of this research. And also to find that what would be thenecessary infrastructure required to get facilitated by this technology. The research revolvesaround the theory of Computer Based Training (CBT) which refers to particular part of theinstructional development or educational media.
Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik

Traffic collisions cost Uganda millions of dollars each year. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to describe the strategies and processes needed to implement a road management system. Such a system would significantly reduce the fatalities and accidents in Uganda, improve the transportation within Kampala's business district, and increase business profitability. Three conceptual theories framed the research study: management theory, strategic management theory, and criminology theory. Using a snowball sampling strategy, data were collected from open-ended interviews, questionnaires, observations, and archived documents from 20 administrative participants in the government and organizational leaders involved in the transport operations and transport services in the Kampala business district in Uganda. Data were analyzed using 3 phases: (a) interpretational analysis, coding, and grouping segments; (b) structural analysis, consistency, and quality; and (c) reflective analysis, consequences, what, when, where, and how. Five themes or action requirements emerged from the data analysis: to improve transport operations and transport services profitability, reduce traffic jams and fatalities, provide sufficient driving training, maintain road infrastructure, and maintain traffic law enforcement. The findings and recommendations from this study may improve the profitability of businesses, reduce the traffic jams and fatalities, and improve the gross domestic product of Uganda, thereby contributing to positive social change.

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The relationship between global and local should be seen in a dialectical perspective, in which neither the whole can be decomposed or divided into parts, neither the sum of its parts reconstitutes the whole, and therefore they are not divided or self organized. In this perspective the theoretical conceptions and experiences focused on planning, isolated regions. The processes of globalization and technological and structural changes have changed the nature and conditions of local development. The locales should be seen as active spaces with culture, history, human and material resources. In this perspective the innovation and institutional stand formats as central elements, both for understanding as for local development policies. To this end we use mainly the references from Sandra Lencioni, Clério Campolina, Eduardo Gonçalves and Ester Limonad among others we search for a thorough interviewing owners and/or managers of industrial units of industrial park "Eduardo Dágios s" employees etc., to information and data about the thematic studied. This dissertation have reviewed: 1) industrial diversity in the State of Paraná, analyzing the formations of industrial parks and because of this a new territorialization of industry in the State and finally a study on the industry in the region of southwestern Paraná; 2) we see the historical formation of industry in Pato Branco until the formation of the industrial park "Eduardo Dágios"; 3) observe the importance that the bairro Planalto has for some people while dwelling place, leisure entertainment and everyday relations; 4) we see the process of industrialization and local development, having as consequence of the increased quality of life promoted by government agencies and industries, by the way the General infrastructure of the bairro Planalto from the creation of the industrial park "Eduardo Dágios".
A relação entre global e o local devem ser vistas em uma perspectiva dialética, na qual nem o todo pode ser fracionado ou dividido em partes, nem a soma das partes reconstitui o todo, pois são auto-organizativos e, portanto, não desmembráveis. Nesta perspectiva, as concepções teóricas e as experiências de planejamento, não estão voltadas para regiões isoladas. O processo de globalização e as mudanças tecnológicas e estruturais mudaram a natureza e as condições do desenvolvimento local. As localidades devem ser vistas como espaços ativos dotados de cultura, história, recursos humanos e materiais diferenciados. Dessa forma, a inovação e os formatos institucionais se sobressaem como elementos centrais, tanto para o entendimento quanto para as políticas de desenvolvimento local. Para tanto, foram utilizados principalmente os referenciais de Sandra Lencioni, Clério Campolina, Eduardo Gonçalves e Ester Limonad entre outros. A partir desses conceitos foi possível ter embasamento suficiente para realizar uma pesquisa minuciosa entrevistando proprietários, administradores e trabalhadores assalariados de unidades industriais do Parque Industrial ―Eduardo Dágios‖, visando obter informações e dados acerca da temática estudada. Nesta dissertação foram analisados: 1) a diversidade industrial no Estado do Paraná e como ocorrem as formações dos parques industriais e como isso influencia a formação de uma nova territorialização da indústria no Estado e também um estudo sobre a indústria na região do Sudoeste do Paraná; 2) verificou-se a formação histórica da indústria em Pato Branco até a formação do Parque Industrial ―Eduardo Dágios‖; 3) observou-se a importância que o bairro Planalto tem para algumas pessoas enquanto lugar de moradia, lazer entretenimento e relações cotidianas; 4) foi verificado o processo de industrialização e o desenvolvimento local, tendo como consequência o aumento da qualidade de vida promovido pelos órgãos públicos e as indústrias, contribuindo significativamente para a melhoria geral de infra-estrutura do bairro Planalto a partir da criação do Parque Industrial ―Eduardo Dágios‖.

The literature is convincing that the revolving door presently occurring in schools as new teachers prematurely leave the profession is difficult not only on children and families, but also school staff and school-wide improvement efforts. However, there is also adequate literature that supports new teacher induction coupled with a qualified mentor as a means for reducing new teacher attrition. While mentoring has been found to be an effective approach for retaining new teachers in the profession, there has been little attention on the supports needed to implement and sustain such programs. The primary purpose of this study is to identify those components of infrastructure necessary to support the implementation and sustainability of a developmental mentoring program. Using literature from the areas of Improving Workplace Conditions and Educational Systemic Change along with Project CREATE and the national standards for mentoring programs a model for infrastructure is proposed. These components along with implications for including or deleting infrastructure from program design are considered. The outcomes from this study will be useful for those in the midst of creating and improving district level mentoring programs. The findings offer the potential to identify the root causes of instability reducing the possibility of program ineffectiveness in planning, implementing, sustaining and improving developmental mentoring programs.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Engineering, 11 August 2015
This research set out to investigate two relationships; the relationship between technical qualifications and emerging contractor project performance, and the relationship between experience and emerging contractor project performance. The focus was on emerging contractors in the public sector. This study was motivated by the notion that emerging contractors generally fail and have poor project performance. The objective of the report was to determine the general factors that affect emerging contractor performance and demonstrate the relationship between competence and project performance. Information pertaining to progress and performance for thirty projects from a government institution in Mpumalanga Province was collected. This information included contact details of the contractors who conducted the 30 government infrastructure projects. The contact details were used to collect contractors’ curriculum vitaes and company profiles in order to extract information on qualifications and experience. Literature has shown that the most prevalent issues facing emerging contractors in South Africa can be attributed to the contractors’ competencies. These competencies include skills, experience, qualifications and project management knowledge. Other factors that affect emerging contractor performance include project delays caused by late payments by clients, shortage of labour and lack of financial resources and equipment. The results of this study showed that contractors with technical qualifications and experience generally perform better than those with no technical background. It was also found that where there is no technical background, the level of education also affects the level of project performance. This study demonstrated the importance of the number of technical or construction related projects conducted by an emerging contractor company as compared to the number of years that the company has been in operation. The number of projects conducted, regardless of timeline, is more beneficial to project performance than the number of years in operation in the construction industry. This study recommends that focus should be drawn to the definite need to develop emerging contractor competence through skills development, training, collaborations and knowledge sharing. Competence development should focus on transferring technical knowledge and experience through policy formulation, collaboration of government and educational or training institutes. Focus should also be drawn to developing project management competence of emerging contractors in the South African public sector.

The strategic environment of companies is divided in four domains. These domains are the known, knowable, complex and chaos domains. The known and knowable domains are characterised by order while the chaos and complex domains are characterised by unorder. The factors present in the chaos and complex domains are emergent in nature and are regarded as un-ordered. Executives and managers need to be prepared to manage in all four these domains in order to ensure the long-term competitiveness of companies. This implies that the training needs of executives and managers need to be identified and addressed in order to prepare them to manage in the four domains in the strategic environment of companies. Executives and managers are trained by means of traditional and/or strategic training. Traditional training prepares executives and managers to manage in the ordered domains while strategic training prepare executives and managers to manage in the domains characterised by un-order which are emergent in nature. Strategic training is “based on predictions of future job requirements” (Rothwell&Kazanas, 1994:425). Traditional training addresses the training needs of executives and managers as it flows from the current strategic orientation of the company while strategic training addresses the training needs of executives and managers as it flows from the emergent strategic orientation of the company. Knowledge management entails the establishment of an environment within which knowledge processes (creation, codification, sharing, organisation and use of knowledge) are performed through a variety of tools and techniques to the benefit of the company. Knowledge processes regarding the emergent strategic orientation of companies are performed during a strategic training process and therefore strategic training is regarded as a knowledge management technique. Strategic training enables executives and managers to learn as regards the emergent strategic orientation of the company. Ahmed, Kok and Loh (2002:23) state: “The objective of organizational learning and knowledge management is to create a motivated and energized work environment that supports the continuous creation, collection, use and reuse of both personal and organization knowledge in the pursuit of business success.” Furthermore, Ahmed, Kok and Loh (2002:23) explain that the ability of companies to capitalise on their knowledge assets defines their competitiveness. Knowledge management techniques such as strategic training should be used to ensure that the knowledge assets of companies contribute to the long-term competitiveness of companies. The literature on strategic training was studied and empirical research was conducted in a selection of 24 large South African companies in order to ascertain the nature and scope of training offered to executives and managers. The nature and scope of training in large South African companies were studied to ascertain whether these companies use a strategic training process to identify and address the strategic training needs of executives and managers and thus if companies perform knowledge processes regarding their emergent strategic orientation. It was ascertained that only a few of the 24 large South African companies which participated in the study use a strategic training process to identify and address the strategic training needs of executives and managers. A framework for the implementation of a cyclical strategic training process is therefore proposed as a guideline for companies that want to use a strategic training process.
Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008.
Information Science
unrestricted

Approximately 47,700 pedestrians were killed between the years of 2000 - 2009. School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2004). However, the Central Florida school district eliminated bus transportation within the 2-mile radius from schools just last year. Children must prepare for an alternative mode of transportation; walking and biking. The purpose of this research was two-fold. First to develop an online safety training program for elementary school children; and second, a self-report questionnaire was constructed and piloted to measure how safety training and school infrastructure affects students' pedestrian risk-taking attitudes and risk perceptions to avoid the dangers of walking and biking to and from school. A 2x2 Factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to test two categorical independent variables (safety awareness training, school infrastructure) for each of the two continuous dependent variables (pedestrian risk-taking attitudes and risk perceptions of pedestrian behavior). Using data from the pilot study, the researcher developed, self-reported questionnaires demonstrated that there was a significant difference between schools. Those receiving the training had lower mean scores in risk-taking attitudes than those who did not receive the training. Regardless of intervention, School 2 (complete infrastructure) takes fewer risks than School 1(incomplete infrastructure). The mean difference between groups was not statistically significant.
M.A.
Masters
Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Education and Human Performance
Applied Learning and Instruction

The Clean Community System (CCS) is a method of waste management education widely used in the USA by the Keep America Beautiful organization. The CCS has been applied by the eThekwini Municipality since 1981. The training of staff and volunteers in the CCS has to date been limited and based on the American model. The aim of this study is to provide guidelines for the training of participants in the Clean Community System in the South African context. This will be achieved by a study of two community groups that have successfully applied the CCS. The results of the research will be compared with the principles of the CCS and relevant literature. The conclusions drawn from the study will provide guidelines for the training of participants in the CCS.
Further Teacher Education
M. Ed. (Didactics)

Die Dissertation mit dem Titel “Battle and Beating, Water and Waste: Micro-Level Impact Evaluation in Developing and Emerging Economies” beinhaltet die Ergebnisse ökonometrischer Wirkungsevaluierungen, die innerhalb zwei verschiedener Themengebieten des täglichen Lebens in Entwicklungs- und Schwellenländern durchgeführt wurden: Gewalt und Wasser. Im ersten dieser Themengebiete konzentriert sich die Analyse auf die Verhaltens-Reaktionen der Bevölkerung, die in räumlicher Nähe zu gewaltsamem Konflikt lebt. Detailliert die Wirkung solcher Exponierung auf das Auftreten häuslicher Gewalt untersuchend, trägt das erste Kapitel – gemeinsam verfasst mit Dominik Noe – dazu bei, die gesellschaftlichen Kosten kriegsähnlicher Auseinandersetzungen abzuschätzen. Insbesondere die Nachwirkungen auf zwischenmenschliche Beziehungen und soziales Verhalten gegenüber Familie und Freunden werden betrachtet. Wir formulieren die Theorie, dass das Leben in Haushalten in der Nähe zu Orten von extrem gewaltsamen Zwischenfällen die Wahrscheinlichkeit von Frauen in diesen Haushalten erhöht, Opfer häuslicher Gewalt zu werden. Diese Theorie überprüfen wir dann anhand von Daten aus Kolumbien; einem Land, in dem sowohl reichhaltige Daten zu Gefechten als auch zu häuslicher Gewalt vorliegen. Die Kernerkenntnis lautet, dass eine höhere Intensität der gewaltsamen Konflikte mutmaßlich die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Frauen, Opfer häuslicher Gewalt zu werden, deutlich erhöht. Das zweite und dritte Kapitel dieser Dissertation sind dem zweiten Themengebiet gewidmet, und hier insbesondere Aspekten des Anschlusses von Haushalten an Leitungswasser und moderne Abwasser-Entsorgung. Das zweite Kapitel – gemeinsam verfasst mit Stephan Klasen, Tobias Lechtenfeld und Kristina Meier – untersucht die Wirkung des Anschlusses von Haushalten an Leitungswasser und Abwasser-entsorgung auf Gesundheit sowie Schul- und Arbeitsplatz-Anwesenheit. Es trägt zu der derzeit noch überschaubaren Anzahl von Wirkungsevaluierungen im Wasser- und Abwasserbereich bei, und ist nach Kenntnis der Autoren die erste rigorose Wirkungsevaluierung im städtischen Umfeld. Quasi-experimentelle Methoden und Wasserqualitäts-Tests unter Berücksichtigung von ungleichmäßiger Infrastruktur-Ausbreitung erlauben es, die Wirkungen separat einerseits für Anschluss lediglich an Leitungswasser, als auch andererseits für zusätzlichen Anschluss an Abwasserentsorgung, zu schätzen. Die Kernerkenntnis lautet, dass Anschluss an Leitungswasser in jemenitischen Städten schädlich sein kann, wenn die Wasserversorgung unregelmäßig ist; und die Wirkung bei regelmäßiger Versorgung im Vergleich zu traditionellen und alternativen Wasserquellen sehr gering ist. Anschluss an Abwasserentsorgung scheint dagegen bei regelmäßiger Wasserversorgung zu gesundheitlichem Nutzen zu führen. Es ist regelmäßig zu beobachten, dass in Aufbereitungsanlagen entkeimtes Leitungswasser innerhalb des Haushaltes rekontaminiert wird. Wasserqualitäts-Tests an Testpunkten entlang der Versorgungskette innerhalb des Haushaltes erlaubt Rückschlüsse auf Ort und Quelle der Kontaminierung. Der Löwenanteil dieser Verschlechterung der Wasserqualität ist auf Verhalten im Zusammenhang mit Wasser-Handhabung und Hygiene zurückzuführen. Das in Alleinautorschaft verfasste dritte Kapitel baut auf dem zweiten auf und untersucht, welche treibenden Faktoren hinter Verhaltensaspekten stehen, die Rekontaminierung verhindern würden. Spezifisch die Determinanten von Wasserbehandlung und Hygiene werden untersucht, und vor dem Hintergrund der Erkenntnisse aus dem zweiten Kapitel interpretiert. Die Kernerkenntnis lautet, dass Hygiene-Training, Zugang zu Informations- und Kommunikations-Technologie sowie Schulbildung mutmaßlich zu den relevanten, beeinflussbaren Determinanten zählen. Anschluss an Leitungswasser und Abwasserentsorgung – welche üblicherweise bestenfalls mittelfristig ausgebaut werden können – haben scheinbar ebenfalls wünschenswerte Effekte, allerdings in geringerem Maße, und in höherem Maße bei Leitungswasser als bei zusätzlicher Abwasserentsorgung.

A quantitative, descriptive, explorative design was applied to study the problems that hindered the Primary Health Care (PHC) nurses in rendering quality health care in the health facilities in Limpopo province South Africa. The sample consisted of 53 PHC nurses who completed a pre-tested questionnaire which covered various aspects related to the provision of quality PHC services. The data were analysed by computer using SPSS version 15 soft ware. The findings revealed that most of the problems could be attributed to financial constraints, poor budgeting, and shortage of staff to manage large number of patients, lack of enough support from other professional staff, unreliable referral systems and communication networks. PHC nurses work under difficult conditions and often have to improvise to care for patients, but unless more funds are allocated to rural health care facilities and these problems are addressed, more nurses will work under difficult circumstances.
Health Studies
M.A. (Health Studies)

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Educação (área de especialização em Desenvolvimento Curricular e Avaliação)
O presente trabalho pretende fazer a análise do perfil de professores de CFN na lecionação em regime de bidocência. Sabendo que o perfil de um professor é um elemento fulcral na autodeterminação da qualidade do ensino e da aprendizagem, o professor não é apenas um mero transmissor de conhecimentos académicos, mas também um formador de personalidades, que implica saberes específicos e competência pedagógica. O professor necessita de uma atualização constante e dinâmica através de formação, quer inicial ou contínua, para corresponder ao contexto da globalização atual. Portanto, sucesso ou insucesso escolar pode depender da atuação do professor na prática educativa. Esta investigação surgiu para identificar o atual perfil do professor em regime de bidocência para que garanta ou comprometa a qualidade do ensino/aprendizagem na disciplina de Ciências Físico-Naturais do 3.º ciclo do ensino básico em Timor-Leste. Para o efeito, envolveram-se seis diretores da escola do 3º ciclo do ensino básico e também participaram dezasseis professores que lecionam CFN no 3ºo ciclo do ensino básico, situadas nas escolas do distrito de Dili, Timor-Leste. Foi realizada uma investigação perspetivada por uma abordagem qualitativa, com recurso a entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados obtidos a partir dos diretores revelam que os professores da disciplina CFN ainda não têm perfil adequado para a ensinar, já que os professores não são especializados nestas áreas, mas nas áreas de Física e Química, quando de facto a disciplina referida se compõe por quatro domínios, ou seja, Física, Química, Biologia e Geologia; e também pela pouca formação direcionada para os professores. Entretanto, a maioria dos professores refere que eram obrigados a ensinar esta disciplina CFN, após a reforma curricular em 2011, uma vez que as disciplinas de Física e Biologia eram integradas na disciplina CFN, constituindo quatros domínios diferentes, como supramencionado. Para além disso, encontram muitas dificuldades na lecionação porque a escola carece de infraestruturas, tais como bibliotecas, laboratórios, materiais didáticos e laboratoriais e também a dificuldade no domínio e uso da língua portuguesa no ensino. A falta de recursos financeiros e de formação são os grandes entraves para a melhoria das condições de ensino da disciplina de CFN e da qualidade da aprendizagem.
The present work intends to analyze the profile of CFN teachers when teaching in bidocence regime. Knowing that the profile of a teacher is a key element in the self-determination of the quality of teaching and learning, the teacher is not only a mere transmitter of academic knowledge, but also a personality trainer, which implies a content and pedagogical competence. The teacher needs constant and dynamic updating through training, either initial or continuous, to match the context of current globalization. Therefore, success or failure in school may depend on the teacher's performance in the educational field. This research came to identify the current profile of the bidocence regime teacher in order to guarantee or compromise the quality of teaching/learning in the Physical Sciences course of the 3rd cycle of basic education in Timor-Leste. To this end, six primary school teachers were involved and sixteen CFN primary school teachers from the Dili district of Timor-Leste also participated. A qualitative investigation was conducted through surveys and semi-structured interviews. The results obtained by the principals reveal that the CFN teachers do not yet have an adequate profile to teach it, since the teachers are not specialized in these areas, but in the areas of Physics and Chemistry, when in fact the referred discipline comprises four domains: Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology; and also by the little training directed at teachers. However, most teachers report that they were required to teach this CFN subject after the curriculum reform in 2011, as the Physical and Biology subject were integrated into the CFN subject, which constituted four different domains as mentioned above. In addition, they encounter many difficulties in teaching because the school lacks infrastructure, libraries, laboratories, didactic and laboratory materials and also the difficulty in mastering and using the Portuguese language in teaching. Lack of financial and training resources are major obstacles to improving teaching conditions of the CFN subject and the quality of learning.

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.
In the Ethiopian rural region of Amhara, variable atmospheric conditions and climate change are affecting the agricultural productivity and the consequences might be irreversible. However, scientific and technological advances nowadays can be more and more helpful to improve the situation. The purpose of the present work is to build the effective strategies that permit the utilization and integration of GIS technologies in the institutional and humanitarian works that are being carried out in the region. Our challenge will be to raise the geographical awareness and optimize the use of resources and tools in the region, involving the farmer communities as key stakeholders in the whole process. The work explains the first steps taken regarding the necessity of building GIS capacity for risk mapping, the data collection related to food security and the use of GIS technologies, being the training of the local staff the key point that leads to further steps such as the implementation of the mechanisms to share spatial information known as Spatial Data Infrastructures. By using SDI, combined with GIS software to access and manage the information, we may improve the understanding and interoperable utilization of geo-spatial data, and therefore contribute to the development of such a needy nation. All that, developed under the umbrella of an Inter-University Cooperation Program.