Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Visitors' programme'

Includes abstract.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 67-72).
The training and supervision of home visitors for the Parent Centre's Parent-Infant Home Visitation Programme (PIHVP) was evaluated. The evaluation aimed to determine whether training and supervision prepared the home visitors to deliver the PIHVP as intended. The supervision questionnaire measured home visitors' views on the extent to which group and individual supervision fulfil their educative, supportive and administrative functions, and the extent to which they felt supervision prepared them for visits. The training questionnaire asked them to rate the extent of their home visiting skills and knowledge a) before training and b) immediately after training. Interviews were also conducted with 27 past programme recipients, during which they were asked a) in which areas their home visitor assisted them, b) which assistance they found most useful and c) if there were any other areas in which they would like to have been assisted.

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationships between participation in park interpretive programs and attitudes, norms and behavior about theft of petrified wood at Petrified Forest National Park (PFNP). The Theory of Reasoned Action guided the research. Data collection included observation of theft behavior, on-site interviews and mailback questionnaires. Findings indicated that more time spent at interpretive centers and programs did not result in visitors; attitudes and norms about individual acts of wood theft being more negative. Also, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not vary by type of interpretive programs judged most helpful in learning the park;s story and in learning the park;s rules and regulations. Tentative evidence suggests that the norm against taking a handful of wood was stronger among individuals who cited visitor centers as their most helpful source than it was for respondents who said the same about other national park interpretive programs. Similarly, the attitude variable that it is all right to take a piece of petrified wood as long as it is a small piece did vary for two categories of interpretive programs (other national park programs and all ranger programs). Ranger programs measured significantly higher than other national park programs. The rate of theft of petrified wood was not inversely related to the amount of interpretive programs participated in and did not vary by type of interpretation judged most helpful. Finally, attitudes and norms about petrified wood theft did not shape theft behavior. However, knowing visitors; attitudes helped to predict who would be a non-thief.
Master of Science

With visitation to natural areas increasing, the appropriate management of these areas is important. There are a number of management tools available which endeavour to minimise environmental impacts of visitors. One such management tool is interpretation. Interpretation is widely used as a management tool because: it is perceived to be the most cost effective method; it is a light-handed approach and allows visitors the freedom of choice; and it enhances visitor experiences and satisfaction. However, the ability of interpretation to bring about a reduction in the impacts of visitors to natural areas, has rarely been quantified. This study was designed to determine the extent to which an interpretive program reduced the environmental impacts of visitors to national parks. Fieldwork was undertaken in Lamington National Park, where 41 guided walks were examined. To measure the actual behaviour or resulting impacts of visitors in a national park, three appropriate environmental indicators were chosen: shortcutting of corners, picking up litter already on the track, and noise levels. Five interpretive programs were created, each with a different combination of environmental interpretation, role modelling and verbal appeals. For the shortcutting results, the interpretive program with the combination of environmental interpretation, role modelling by the guide and verbal appeals from the guide, was always the most effective in reducing shortcutting. Visitors in this interpretive program were always, statistically, less likely to shortcut than visitors on all the other interpretive programs. The programs with only environmental interpretation or no environmental interpretation, were always least effective in reducing shortcutting. The interpretive programs with environment interpretation plus role modelling, or verbal appeals, were always in the middle of these extremes. They were more effective than having neither role modelling or verbal appeals, but less effective than having both. Results for the amount of litter picked up found that the inclusion of verbal appeals in an interpretive program was the only factor that influenced whether visitors picked up litter. In addition, there was no difference in the amount of litter picked up, by the interpretive program with environmental interpretation only, and the program with no environmental interpretation. Results for the noise levels of visitors, found that no interpretive program reduced the amount of shouting and talking loudly of visitors. Although not statistically significant, it did appear that there were lower proportions of shouting and talking loudly, following a verbal appeal and/or role modelling. Additionally, there was no influence of the interpretive program on the proportion of time visitors were talking, or quiet, during their walk. Overall, this research found that interpretation can be an effective management tool in reducing visitor impacts. Interpretation is most effective in reducing impacts when those impacts are specifically addressed through verbal appeals, combined with positive role modelling of appropriate behaviours. However, interpretation did not reduce all the impacts studied and therefore is not the solution to all problems. Implications of this study are that those using interpretation as a means of reducing visitor impacts, must ensure that they have a high standard of interpretation, which specifically addresses the impacts that need to be reduced. It also highlights the importance of the role of the guide, and that those employed should be well trained and competent in their position.

Dans son programme Qmentum, Agrément Canada utilise la méthodologie des traceurs pour procéder à l’évaluation des établissements de santé au Canada. Adaptée à partir du modèle du Joint Commission aux États-Unis, cette méthode est utilisée depuis 2008. En se basant sur le Modèle synergique des qualités évolutives de Plante et Bouchard (2002), cette enquête a permis d’interroger les visiteurs d’Agrément Canada afin de déterminer quelle est, selon leur perception, la qualité de la méthodologie des traceurs sous l’angle de cinq qualités transversales et de déterminer quelles sont ses forces et ses faiblesses. La cohérence ainsi que la synergie s’avèrent être les deux qualités transversales dont les indicateurs ont un effet significatif sur la qualité de l’information obtenue. La contrainte du temps quant à elle est la plus grande faiblesse dans l’application de la méthodologie des traceurs et ce, à plusieurs niveaux.
As part of the Qmentum program, Accreditation Canada uses the tracer methodology to evaluate the quality of services in Canada’s health care institutions. Based on the model used by the Joint Commission in the United States of America, the tracer methodology is in place since 2008. Based on the MSQE from Plante et Bouchard (2002), this study allowed to question Accreditation Canada’s surveyors to determine, according to their perception, the tracer methodology’s quality in terms of five transversal qualities and to determine what are its strengths and weaknesses. Consistency and synergy are the two transversal qualities that significantly affect the tracer methodology’s effectiveness. Meanwhile, the time constraint is its biggest weakness, affecting various aspects of it.

Guest author visits are popular events in schools across the United States. Little has been written, however, on a single author doing a single presentation in a school. This study addressed that situation. The study utilized two authors visiting four schools in a large North Central Texas school district.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as características das visitas domiciliares nos programas Agentes Comunitários de Saúde e Saúde da Família e sua possível contribuição para o alcance da integralidade. Em ambos os programas, a visita domiciliar apresenta-se como uma ação emblemática, como evidenciado pela designação de um profissional específico para essa atividade (o agente comunitário de saúde), embora se recomende que seja realizada por todos os profissionais de saúde. A integralidade foi buscada como representando um norte para a atenção primária, através de características do processo de trabalho em saúde. A metodologia adotada foi a pesquisa de tipo qualitativo, sendo os dados empíricos obtidos por meio de entrevistas com profissionais e usuários e pela observação do cotidiano de três equipes de agentes comunitários de saúde e três equipes de Saúde da Família em Campo Grande, MS, de novembro de 2005 a julho de 2006. A análise dos dados aponta que as coordenações estadual e municipal dos programas incentivam as visitas, mas consideram serem necessários critérios para as solicitações de visitas, definição do profissional que as realizará e mecanismos de avaliação, especialmente no que se refere às visitas feitas por profissionais com formação universitária. Na dinâmica de trabalho das equipes pesquisadas, as formas de organização do trabalho são diversas, podendo favorecer ou dificultar a realização das visitas domiciliares. As visitas são solicitadas majoritariamente por agentes comunitários de saúde, respondendo a demandas de usuários, ou decorrem de demandas internas dos serviços, com variados enfoques quanto às finalidades, conteúdos e prioridades. Os profissionais apontam como aspectos positivos das visitas uma leitura ampliada da realidade, das dinâmicas familiares, das condições de vida e das necessidades dos usuários, permitindo implementação de medidas preventivas e assistenciais e o fortalecimento do vínculo entre usuários e equipe de saúde. No entanto, evidenciam-se tensões relacionadas com o tipo de solicitações dos usuários, predominantemente de caráter clínico, muitas vezes requerendo referências secundárias e terciárias, nem sempre presentes. Por outro lado, a pobreza e as precárias condições de vida dos usuários, características das populações cobertas pelos programas, geram demandas de ações de assistência social, moradia, educação e trabalho, entre outras, que muitas vezes também permanecem sem resposta ou são tratadas de forma caritativa. Além disso, existem dificuldades relacionadas a horários, percursos, transporte e abordagem dos moradores durante as visitas, além de situações de resistência, de recusa e de contato com famílias em precárias condições de vida. Constatou-se que para atingir sua potencialidade de estimular a integralidade, a visita requer trabalho em equipe e respeito e singularização dos usuários. As visitas domiciliares constituem uma prática com potencial integrador, favorecendo o desenvolvimento de ações no domicílio, a ampliação do acesso à unidade de saúde, a adoção de medidas preventivas, a adesão ao tratamento, o apoio aos cuidadores e a longitudinalidade. No entanto, apesar de potencialmente aumentarem a visibilidade de problemas de difícil abordagem, como alcoolismo, violência doméstica ou sexualidade, as visitas domiciliares não os tomam como objetos de trabalho, geralmente evitando essas situações nos domicílios. As visitas podem colaborar com a integração com os níveis secundário e terciário, com a abordagem familiar e com o desenvolvimento de ações intersetoriais, sempre que houver incentivo e condições para isso. A atividade é, porém, permeada de tensões, por seu caráter por vezes autoritário e de intromissão na vida privada, pelas frágeis condições de trabalho e por sua utilização como atenuante de deficiências no atendimento nas unidades de saúde e na ação do poder público em problemas estruturais.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the profile of home visits in the Brazilian health care programs \'Community Health Agents\' and \'Family Health\' with regard to their potential contribution toward integrality in health services. In both programs home visits occupy a prominent position, as shown by the assignment of a specific professional to carry out this activity--the community health agent--although performance of the visit is recommended for all health professionals. Integrality was the guiding principle intended for primary care, configuring the features of the work process in the health area. The methodology adopted was that of qualitative research. Empirical data were collected by interviewing health professionals and users and by observing the daily activities of three teams of community health agents and three teams of the Family Health Program in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, from November 2005 to July 2006. The activity is encouraged by program coordinators at the state and county level, who recognize the need for developing criteria for defining which newly detected cases should warrant the performance of home visits and which professionals should be assigned to perform them, in addition to mechanisms for evaluation of the activity, particularly in the case of home visits performed by health professionals holding higher education degrees. With regard to the operative dynamics of the teams investigated, workflow was found to be organized in various ways, which may facilitate or hinder the performance of visits. Most home visits are requested by community health agents in response to demands of users, but they can also be requested by the service itself, in response to internal demands, and the focus of the activity may vary in terms of purpose, content, and level of priority. According to the professionals interviewed, home visits have a number of positive aspects, as they provide a broader perception of reality, family dynamics, living conditions, and needs of users, in addition to facilitating the implementation of preventive and assistance measures and strengthening the connection between users and health care team. Nonetheless, the activity has inherent tensions, as those related to the type of requests placed by users, mostly of clinical nature, which may require secondary and tertiary care approaches, not always available. On the other hand, poverty and unfavorable living conditions, typical of the population assisted by the programs, generate demands for actions related to social assistance, housing, education and work, among many others, which often are not dealt with at all or are managed with a charitable focus. Additional difficulties involve schedules, transects, transportation, manner of establishing first contact and relating to residents during the visits, situations of resistance or refusal by residents, and the very contact with families living in dire conditions. It was found that in order to exert its potential for promotion of integrality, home visits require not only teamwork, by also respect for users and recognition of their singularity. Home visits have an integrative potential, facilitating the performance of health-related actions in the home setting, promoting broader access to health care units, encouraging adoption of preventive measures, adherence to treatment, and support to caretakers, and fostering the development of longitudinality. However, in spite of their potential for facilitating the perception of issues requiring a more sensitive approach, such as alcohol consumption, domestic violence, or sexuality, home visits do not take these occurrences as their object of action, but usually avoid direct contact with such situations. Visits also aid in the integration with secondary and tertiary levels, are valuable in the establishment of a family-focused approach, and are advantageous to the development of intersectoral actions whenever favorable conditions and incentive are available. The activity, however, is not without tensions. In some instances, its focus is authoritarian and intrusive into private life; working conditions are fragile; and visits play the extra role of lessening deficiencies in services and in the governmental ability to tackle structural issues.

This qualitative research project reconceptualizes conventional and prescriptive views of family literacy as literacies in the context of family relationships, experimenting with data from the home visitor participants of one international family literacy intervention program (FLIP): Home Instruction for the Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY). Participants of the HIPPY program in Canada primarily include newcomer families. While the program targets conventional forms of literacy and education relating to children’s school readiness, in practice their work with these families goes far beyond this initial focus further engaging with issues related to settlement. For example, after completing HIPPY’s two-year program successfully with their own children, parents can be hired to become home visitors, receive professional development and guide newcomer families through the HIPPY materials they will use with their children. Using the theoretical and practical lens of Multiple Literacy Theory (Masny, 2006, 2009, 2013) this project asks what literacy practices home visitors engage in with newcomer parents, how these practices function in the relationship, and what these practices produce in these interactions. Lombard (1981) recognized the need for further research on home visitor experiences after program coordinators noted the “highly visible changes in home visitors’ level of understanding and performance” (p. 89). Since then, however, parents and children continued to be the main focus of research. This project seeks to to illuminate the under-researched experiences of HIPPY home visitors. Using the theoretical and practical lens of Multiple Literacy Theory (Masny, 2006, 2009, 2013) and the philosophy of Deleuze and Guattari (1987), qualitative observation and interview data were collected and analyzed through the process of rhizoanalysis, creating four mappings. The first mapping experiments with HIPPY not as an isolated program, but as part of a much larger assemblage of programs and services focused on newcomers in a Canadian community. The second mapping looks closely at HIPPY and English language acquisition. Mapping three experiments with conceptualizations of HIPPY home visitors as instructors of “Canadian culture”, and the fourth and final mapping delves into a more specific cultural focus on home and school connections. The final chapter of the dissertation is not a conclusion, but a look forward. This chapter introduces the concept of literacies in the context of family relationships as an integral part of not only early learning, but public and community health.

Publicación a texto completo no autorizada por el autor
El documento digital no refiere asesor
Presenta un método para construir una solución que optimice el recorrido de rutas del servicio de visitas turísticas en Lima Metropolitana y alrededores, mediante un modelo de programación lineal implementado en el software LINGO. El modelo debe calcular la planificación de rutas de vehículos dentro de las limitaciones del problema y minimizar el costo de la planificación. Asimismo, se expone algunas técnicas para casos de mayor complejidad, heurísticas y metaheurísticas.
Trabajo de suficiencia profesional

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:56:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcela Pasqualucci Ronca.pdf: 641200 bytes, checksum: 7d904049a6e85729cff82a763e91c2e1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-07
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
The aim of this research was: (i) to identify how teachers describe and analyze their involvement in a students' home visiting program; and (ii) to collect their suggestions to improve the program and to overcome its problems. The investigation was guided by the well documented fact that schools and families should cooperate between them in a joint effort to improve the quality of education offered to children and adolescents. The expectative was that home visiting could modify, in a positive direction, teachers' knowledge about their students, their families and their way of life, leading to the construction of new and more adequate teaching strategies. The research adopted a qualitative approach. The data was collected in one of the Great São Paulo s county (SP-BR) using semi-structured questionnaires (applied to 13 teachers) and in-depth interviews (conducted with those who agreed in conceding them).The results showed that, according to the participants, this program has brought results for the pedagogical practice, as they were acquainted with the reality of their students and their families. The reflection of this participation occurred in the construction of new teaching strategies through which they could serve better and more precise the individual needs of students. This knowledge, however, was not enough to positively change the perception of teachers about families. It was concluded that to achieve the expected results, the specific program of home visits needs to rethink their actions, incorporating into their planning teacher's view, expanding to other professionals and providing space for discussion and improvement
O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi: (i) identificar como professoras descrevem e analisam seu envolvimento em um programa de visitas domiciliares a seus alunos; e (ii) coletar suas sugestões acerca de como aprimorar o programa e superar seus eventuais problemas. A investigação foi guiada pelo fato bem documentado de que escolas e famílias devem cooperar entre si em um esforço conjunto voltado para aperfeiçoar a qualidade da educação oferecida a crianças e adolescentes. A expectativa era a de que as visitas domiciliares pudessem modificar positivamente o conhecimento das professoras sobre seus alunos, suas famílias e seu modo de vida, levando-as à construção de novas e mais adequadas estratégias de ensino. A pesquisa seguiu uma abordagem qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados em um município da Grande São Paulo que tinha adotado um Programa de Visitas Domiciliares em suas escolas. As informações necessárias foram obtidas por meio de questionários semi-estruturados aplicados a 13 professoras e de entrevistas em profundidade conduzida junto às duas delas, que concordaram em concedê-las. Os resultados da análise empreendida mostraram que, para as professoras, participar deste programa trouxe resultados para a prática pedagógica, pois puderam conhecer melhor a realidade de seus alunos e suas famílias. O reflexo desta participação se deu na construção de novas estratégias pedagógicas, por meio das quais puderam atender melhor e de forma mais precisa e individualizada as necessidades dos discentes. Esse conhecimento, entretanto, não foi suficiente para alterar positivamente a percepção das professoras a respeito das famílias. Concluiu-se que para atingir os resultados esperados, esse programa específico de visitas domiciliares precisa repensar suas ações, incorporando em seu planejamento a visão das professoras, ampliando seu campo de ação para outros profissionais da escola e oferecendo espaço para discussão e aperfeiçoamento do programa

Doctoral thesis Specifics of Consumer Behavior on Cultural Heritage Market is a market research based analysis of visitors of museums and galleries. The main goal of the work is to describe and segment the audiences, find out stimuli influencing visitor behavior, visitor motivation and lifestyle in order to suggest new marketing strategies attracting either new visitors or to turn occasional visitors into clients. The first part uses the theoretical microeconomic approach for analyzing the demand for cultural heritage; the price policy and price strategies of museums and galleries, and results in socially justified price of merit goods. The second part compares the Czech "consumer" of cultural heritage with an average consumer behavior in the same markets within the European Union and the U.S.A. The main part of the thesis consists of the research project based on quantitative descriptive research among museum and gallery visitors. The sample size is 543 respondents. Respondents were interviewed from September 2008 to March 2009 (personal intercept interview) in 25 organizations (from large and important institutions to small and regional organizations). The research project uses the nonprobability (convenience) sample of those who came to a museum, gallery or exhibition. The thesis results in the recommendation of marketing strategies for museums and galleries.

A research report submitted to the Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Clinical Psychology Johannesburg, South Africa December 2015
Extensive literature emphasises that good quality maternal care is crucial for infants to develop secure attachments which positively shapes their future mental health. In a developing society such as South Africa where many mothers are raising children in contexts of multiple adversities, interventions which focus on improving the quality of maternal care are vital. Home visiting programmes are an effective way to support mother-baby dyads. In South Africa, it has been found that lay women from local communities trained to work as home visitors can make a significant difference to these mother-infant relationships. Ongoing supportive supervision has been found to be particularly important for lay home visitors. The evaluation and improvement of these intervention programmes is recommended. One aspect of programme evaluation is the investigation of the programme staff experiences. Currently, there is a dearth of research focusing on the experiences and supervision of lay community health care workers, internationally as well as in South Africa. The Ububele Mother Baby Home Visiting Project, run in the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg, is one such intervention and no evaluation of this intervention from the perspective of the staff has, as yet, been conducted. It was felt that research into the experiences of the home visitors and their supervisors would be beneficial in gaining clarity regarding which aspects of the project they perceive to have been effective and those that have been challenging, as well as to assist the team in developing their intervention further. The current research aimed to gain insight into these experiences and to gain an understanding of the main concerns. The form of data included 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews with the staff of the programme: the home visitors, the supervising psychologists and the director of the project. An interpretive thematic analysis was used to interpret the results. The findings indicated that the staff’s experience included a mixture of positive and challenging experiences. The staff all agreed on their passion for the project and their belief in the effectiveness of their work in improving the bonds between mothers and babies in the community. The challenges included working in a community faced with multiple adversities, as well working in a team divided by education level, race, culture and socioeconomic class. Suggestions for the Ububele Mother Baby Home Visiting Project team are also provided.

O cuidador informal tem nos últimos anos ganho visibilidade em inúmeras investigações. No entanto, não foram encontrados registos em Portugal relativamente às competências do cuidador informal e a forma como a exposição a um programa de informação o pode influenciar. Desta forma, foi desenvolvido o presente estudo no âmbito do desenvolvimento de competências no cuidador informal, recorrendo à metodologia de investigação ação. A estratégia metodológica utilizada na componente da ação (característica basilar na metodologia selecionada) consistiu na realização de um conjunto de sessões em contexto de domicílio com os cuidadores informais. Pretendeu-se com esta estratégia expor os cuidadores a um conjunto de informações e intervenções planeadas de acordo com as suas necessidades. Durante o estudo foram utilizados instrumentos de recolha de dados de natureza quantitativa e qualitativa. Salientamos ainda que em contexto de domicílio, foram também utilizadas outras estratégias e técnicas de desenvolvimento de competências sociais que permitiram complementar a informação a que os cuidadores foram expostos. Os instrumentos referidos anteriormente foram utilizados numa população de seis cuidadores provenientes do distrito de Portalegre. Após a realização do estudo foi possível verificar que as visitas domiciliárias são uma estratégia de ação que influenciam o desenvolvimento de competências sociais no cuidador informal, a informação adequada ao cuidador influencia o conhecimento dos cuidadores informais relativamente ao ato de cuidar, os cuidadores informais que têm redes familiares apresentam uma maior resiliência, o desenvolvimento de competências sociais influencia a sobrecarga no cuidador informal, que o aumento da resiliência influencia os níveis de sobrecarga nos cuidadores informais e que os cuidadores informais que identificam e gerem as emoções apresentam menor sobrecarga.
The informal caregiver has in recent years gained visibility in numerous investigations. However, records were not found in Portugal towards the skills of the informal caregiver and how exposure to an information program can influence him. So the present study was developed within the framework of skills development in the informal caregiver, using action research methodology. The methodological strategy used in the action component (basic feature of the selected methodology) consisted of a set of sessions at home context with informal caregivers. It is intended with this strategy to expose caregivers to a planned set of information and interventions according to their needs. During the study we used instruments of quantitative data collection quantitative and qualitative. We point out that in home context, were also used other strategies and social skills development techniques that allowed to add the information that caregivers were exposed. The instruments mentioned above were used in a population of six caregivers from the Portalegre district. After the study we found that home visits are an action strategy that influence the development of social skills in the informal caregiver, adequate information to the caregiver influences the knowledge of informal carers regarding the act of caring, informal caregivers who have family networks have increased resilience , the development of social skills influences the overload on informal caregiver which influences the overload levels in informal caregivers and informal caregivers who identify and manage emotions have lower overhead.

Quando a temática se centra nas visitas de Estado, os principais aspetos que são realçados passam sempre pela política e pela a economia. Mas por detrás de todas as reuniões de âmbito diplomático acerca desses assuntos, a cultura acaba sempre por desempenhar um papel embora menos central e evidente. Nas visitas de Estado a Portugal é invariavelmente cumprido um programa cultural, com visitas a organizações ou instituições de carater cultural, ou até mesmo com a apresentação de individualidades do campo da cultura que pensa poderem servir de embaixadores da cultura portuguesa no Mundo. Esta dissertação toma como objeto de análise o conjunto das visitas de Estado realizadas a Portugal no período compreendido entre 2001 e 2011, correspondendo ao segundo mandato do Presidente Jorge Sampaio e ao primeiro mandato do Presidente Aníbal Cavaco Silva. O objetivo é definir as principais características dos programas culturais que integraram estas visitas, procurando salientar os elementos que aí são privilegiados e, desta forma, determinar a imagem que se procura transmitir do país do ponto de vista cultural. Sendo o Presidente da República a mais alta individualidade do país e o seu principal representante, os aspetos culturais que integram as visitas de Estado a Portugal podem ser considerados como aqueles que espelham a representação cultural que se procura transmitir do país. Pretende-se com esta dissertação mostrar a importância atribuída à transmissão da cultura portuguesa nos momentos em que dois Chefes de Estado se encontram frente a frente, que constituem também momentos privilegiados de afirmação do que é construído como a cultura portuguesa.
When the theme focuses on state visits, the main aspects that are highlighted always pass by politics and the economy. But behind all the diplomatic level meetings on these issues, culture always ends up playing a role although less central and obvious. In state visits to Portugal is invariably complete a cultural program with visits to organizations or cultural character institutions, or even the presentation of individualities in the cultural field who think they can serve as ambassadors of Portuguese culture in the world. This paper takes as its object of analysis the set of state visits to Portugal in the period between 2001 and 2011, corresponding to the second term of President Jorge Sampaio and the first term of President Aníbal Cavaco Silva. The main goal is to define the characteristics of cultural programs that have integrated these visits, trying to highlight the elements that there are privileged and thus determine the image that seeks to convey the country from a cultural point of view. Being the President of the Republic the highest individuality of the country and its main representative, the cultural aspects that are part of the state visits to Portugal can be considered as those that reflect the cultural representation that seeks to convey the country. The aim with this thesis is show the importance attached to the transmission of Portuguese culture in moments when which two heads of state meet face to face, which also constitute privileged moments of affirmation of what is built as the Portuguese culture.

The Mark 0. Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) public education opportunities include interpretive programs offered along the Estuary Nature Trail. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of three informal education programs, interpretive signs, a self-guided trail brochure, and guided naturalist walks, in imparting information on the ecology of estuaries to visitors. A second objective was to determine visitors attitudes towards estuarine and wetland conservation issues. A questionnaire including knowledge and attitude statements and demographics was distributed to 901 participants. Results show that the three programs are effective in teaching visitors about estuarine ecology, with the naturalist walks being the most effective. Knowledge of estuarine ecology and attitudes towards estuarine and wetland conservation issues were associated with visitor characteristics such as level of education, membership in a conservation organization, residence proximity to wetlands, awareness of local wetland controversies, and previous visits to an estuary trail. Observations of visitor behavior along the estuary trail showed that visitor groups spent an average of 16 minutes on the trail. At each interpretive sign between 54 and 77% of the visitors were observed reading the information; those reading times ranged from 16 to 33 seconds per sign.
Graduation date: 1994

Parents play an integral role in the support of early learning. This study focuses on parent support of learning in an international reception class in Copenhagen, Denmark. This study includes a literature review of parent support of early learning and school facilitation of parent involvement in early learning. A qualitative investigation of parental support of early learning, within the context of global mobility and multi-culturalism, was undertaken in Rygaards School, in particular in its Reception Class. It was established that very little support exists on a global, social and local level, for the globally mobile families whose children attend this particular international school. Furthermore, the school itself does not fully meet the needs of its globally mobile families. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations for introducing comprehensive parent involvement were proposed, amongst others the introduction of an Induction Programme for newcomers to Rygaards, strategies for compensating for the absence of a middle management amongst its teaching staff and the extension of parent participation in curriculum provision.
Educational Studies
M.Ed.

I performed a secondary analysis of existing data and determined that when interacting with physicians during primary care visits for chronic illness treatment, patients using opioids are less likely to continue presenting concerns designed to reinforce their social and emotional uniqueness during the second half of primary care visits when physicians provide empathic support of their concerns in the first half of visits.

The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with the HIV transmission rate in 18 to 24 month-old children enrolled in the PMTCT programme at two selected City of Tshwane clinics. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV during labour and breastfeeding accounts for 40% of all HIV infection in children. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV programme is one effective strategy to reduce the rate of HIV infection in children. The HIV transmission rate was low at six weeks of age but increases at 18 to 24 months of age due to several factors. The researcher selected a descriptive retrospective correlational research design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 60 mothers of children aged 18 to 24 months on the PMTCT programme and a data-collection form to collect data from 152 clinic records of children of the same age on the programme. The study found that the PMTCT guidelines were not properly adhered to by the nurses and the respondents. Prophylactic treatment was not provided as required and mixed feeding was prominent. The uptake of HIV test at 18 to 24 months was low compared to at 6 weeks. The transmission rate was high at 18 to 24 months compared to at 6 weeks. No factors were associated with the transmission rate
Health Studies
M.A. (Public Health)

Outreach is a small, but significant component to modern research. Developing an exhibit for public display can be an effective way to communicate science to broad audiences, although it may be a less familiar method to scientists than writing papers or giving presentations. I outline the process of developing an interactive exhibit for outreach, and evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of a computer exhibit designed to communicate estuary currents and scientific modeling using Olympia Oyster restoration in the Yaquina Bay estuary as a theme. I summarize the results of this project in three primary recommendations: 1) exhibit developers should be deliberate in the decision to use a computer and only select this media if it is determined to be the best for communicating exhibit learning outcomes, 2) the design of visualizations to convey research results should be carefully modified from their scientific forms to best meet the exhibit learning outcomes and expectations of the exhibit audience, and 3) scientists should play an integral role in the development of scientific content-based exhibits, but their expertise, and the range of expertise from other members of the exhibit development team, should be strategically utilized.
Graduation date: 2012