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1
Fukuda, Kyoko. "Computer-Enhanced Knowledge Discovery in Environmental Science". Thesis, University of Canterbury. Mathematics and Statistics, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2140.
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Encouraging the use of computer algorithms by developing new algorithms and introducing uncommonly known algorithms for use on environmental science problems is a significant contribution, as it provides knowledge discovery tools to extract new aspects of results and draw new insights, additional to those from general statistical methods. Conducting analysis with appropriately chosen methods, in terms of quality of performance and results, computation time, flexibility and applicability to data of various natures, will help decision making in the policy development and management process for environmental studies. This thesis has three fundamental aims and motivations. Firstly, to develop a flexibly applicable attribute selection method, Tree Node Selection (TNS), and a decision tree assessment tool, Tree Node Selection for assessing decision tree structure (TNS-A), both of which use decision trees pre-generated by the widely used C4.5 decision tree algorithm as their information source, to identify important attributes from data. TNS helps the cost effective and efficient data collection and policy making process by selecting fewer, but important, attributes, and TNS-A provides a tool to assess the decision tree structure to extract information on the relationship of attributes and decisions. Secondly, to introduce the use of new, theoretical or unknown computer algorithms, such as the K-Maximum Subarray Algorithm (K-MSA) and Ant-Miner, by adjusting and maximizing their applicability and practicality to assess environmental science problems to bring new insights. Additionally, the unique advanced statistical and mathematical method, Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), is demonstrated as a data pre-processing method to help improve C4.5 results on noisy measurements. Thirdly, to promote, encourage and motivate environmental scientists to use ideas and methods developed in this thesis. The methods were tested with benchmark data and various real environmental science problems: sea container contamination, the Weed Risk Assessment model and weed spatial analysis for New Zealand Biosecurity, air pollution, climate and health, and defoliation imagery. The outcome of this thesis will be to introduce the concept and technique of data mining, a process of knowledge discovery from databases, to environmental science researchers in New Zealand and overseas by collaborating on future research to achieve, together with future policy and management, to maintain and sustain a healthy environment to live in.
2
Tuncay, Busra. "Moral Reasoning Of Pre-service Science Teacherstoward Local And Non-local Environmental Problems". Master's thesis, METU, 2010. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/3/12611595/index.pdf.
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Based on the importance of environmental ethics in both causing and solving many of the environmental problems, the present study aimed to (1) Examine moral reasoning patterns (i.e. ecocentric, anthropocentric, non-environmental) of pre-service science teachers toward local and non-local environmental problems, (2) Investigate the effects of gender and grade level on moral reasoning patterns, and (3) Explain the factors that may have led to the observed differences in participants&rsquomoral reasoning patterns. Throughout 2008-2009 Fall and Spring semesters, environmental cases regarding local and non-local environmental problems were distributed to a convenience sample of 120 pre-service science teachers who were enrolled in Middle East Technical University and moral decision-making interviews (MDMIs) were carried out with a sub-sample of 16 pre-service science teachers. In accordance with the purpose of the study, descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) tests as well as qualitative analysis of the interviews were utilized. Analyses demonstrated that participants of the study mostly exhibited ecocentric moral reasoning for both local and non-local environmental problems, and their ecocentric and anthropocentric concerns showed statistically significant difference with regard to problems&rsquo
locality. Moreover, while gender did not have a statistically significant effect on participants&rsquo
moral reasoning patterns, grade level did have a statistically significant effect. Finally, analysis of the interviews revealed sixteen factors effective in participants&rsquo
environmental concerns and their moral reasoning regarding environmental issues.
3
Schroeder, Carolyn M. "Expert-novice interaction in problematizing a complex environmental science issue using web-based information and analysis tools". Texas A&M University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/3733.
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Solving complex problems is integral to science. Despite the importance of this
type of problem solving, little research has been done on how collaborative teams of
expert scientists and teams of informed novices solve problems in environmental science
and how experiences of this type affect the novices understandings of the nature of
science (NOS) and the novices teaching. This study addresses these questions: (1) how
do collaborative teams of scientists with distributed expertise and teams of informed
novices with various levels of distributed expertise solve complex environmental science
issues using web-based information and information technology (IT) analysis tools? and,
(2) how does working in a collaborative scientific team improve informed novicesÂ
understandings of the nature of authentic scientific inquiry and impact their classroom
inquiry products?
This study was conducted during Cohort II of the Information Technology in
Science project within the Sustainable Coastal Margins scientific group. Over two
summers, four environmental scientists from various disciplines led ten science teacher
and graduate student participants in learning how each discipline approaches and solves
environmental problems. Participants were also instructed about NOS by science
educators and designed an inquiry project for use in their classroom. After performing a pilot study of the project, they revised it during the second summer and the entire
experience culminated with diverse teams problematizing and solving environmental
issues.
Data were analyzed using statistical and qualitative techniques. Analysis
included evaluation of participants responses to a NOS pre- and posttest, their inquiry
projects, interviews, and final projects. Results indicate that scientists with distributed
expertise approach solving environmental problems differently depending on their
backgrounds, but that informed novice and expert teams used similar problem-solving
processes and had similar difficulties. As a result of the project, I developed a model of
distributed group problem solving for environmental science. ParticipantsÂ
understandings of NOS improved and matured after instruction and experience working
with scientists. The level of most instructional products was Âguided inquiry. The
implications are that working with scientists along with direct NOS instruction is
beneficial for teachers and science graduate students for their understanding of scientific
problem solving, but that much more work needs to be done to achieve authentic inquiry
in science classrooms at both secondary and post-secondary levels.
4
Ghimire, Himamshu. "An Assessment of the Environmental Problems in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal". Miami University / OhioLINK, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1221252415.
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DeSa, Colin Joseph. "Distributed problem solving environments for scientific computing". Thesis, This resource online, 1991. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08042009-040307/.
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6
Yang, Zhaoqing. "Variational inverse methods for transport problems". W&M ScholarWorks, 1996. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539616917.
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Variational inverse data assimilation schemes are developed for three types of parameter identification problems in transport models: (1) the tracer inverse for the Lagrangian mean transport velocity in a long-term advection-diffusion transport model; (2) determination of inflow salinity open boundary condition in an intra-tidal salinity transport model; and (3) determination of settling velocity and resuspension rate for a cohesive sediment transport model. The gradient of the cost function with respect to the control variables is obtained by the adjoint model. A series of twin experiments are conducted to test the inverse models for the three types of problems. Results show that variational data assimilation can successfully retrieve poorly known parameters in transport models. The first problem is associated with the long-term advective transport, represented by the Lagrangian mean transport velocity which can be decomposed into two parts: the Eulerian transport velocity and the curl of a 3-D vector potential A. The optimal long-term advective transport field is obtained through adjusting the vector potential using a variational data assimilation method. Experiments are performed in an idealized estuary. Results show that the variational data assimilation method can successfully retrieve the effective Lagrangian mean transport velocity in a long-term transport model. Results also show that the smooth best fit model state can still be retrieved using a penalty method when observations are too sparse or contain noisy signals. A variational inverse model for optimally determining open boundary condition is developed and tested in a 3-D intra-tidal salinity transport model. The maximum inflow salinity open boundary value and its recovery time from outflow condition are treated as control variables. Effects of scaling, preconditioning, and penalty are investigated. It is shown that proper scaling and preconditioning can greatly speed up the convergence rate of the minimization process. The spatial oscillations in the recovery time of the inflow boundary condition can be effectively eliminated by an penalty technique. A variational inverse model is developed to estimate the settling velocity and resuspension constant. The settling velocity &w\sb{lcub}s{rcub}& and resuspension constant &M\sb{lcub}o{rcub}& are assumed to be constant in the whole model domain. The inverse model is tested in an idealized 3-D estuary and the James River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Experimental results demonstrate that the variational inverse model can be used to identify the poorly known parameters in cohesive sediment transport modeling.
7
Gorry, Thomas. "Navigation problems for autonomous robots in distributed environments". Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2015. http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/2013959/.
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This thesis studies algorithms for Distributed Computing. More specifically however the project aimed to carry out research on the performance analysis of mobile robots in a variety of different settings. In a range of different network and geometric settings we investigate efficient algorithms for the robots to perform given tasks. We looked at a variety of different models when completing this work but focused mainly on cases where the robots have limited communication mechanisms. Within this framework we investigated cases where the robots were numerous to cases where they were few in number. Also we looked at scenarios where the robots involved had different limitations on the maximal speeds they could travel. When conducting this work we explored two main tasks carried out by the robots that became the primary theme of the study. These two main tasks are Robot Location Discovery and Robot Evacuation. To accomplish these tasks we constructed algorithms that made use of both randomised and deterministic approaches in their solutions.
8
Briscoe, Scott F. "Tributyltin : molecular approaches to an environmental problem". Thesis, McGill University, 2004. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=85133.
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Tributyltin compounds have been used on a global scale for many decades now, and thus have become global environmental contaminants. These compounds are highly toxic, and deleterious effects on numerous organisms have been demonstrated. Yet, little is known of the molecular mechanisms of tributyltin's extreme toxicity. To obtain a better understanding of such mechanisms, a luxAB gene-fusion library of Escherichia coli was screened for changes in gene expression upon cellular exposure to tributyltin. Two clones, designated TBT1 and TBT3, were thus found, both showing an increased light emission in the presence of added tributyltin. Northern blotting analyses confirmed a marked increase in the transcription of the tributyltin-responsive gene identified from each clone. These genes appear to play a protective role when cells are exposed to tributyltin at concentrations ≧ 10 mug/ml, with minimal-dose responses of 0.1 mug/l when grown on LB media. Speciation studies indicated TBT+ as the active chemical species in eliciting these responses. Mapping and sequencing of these tributyltin-responsive genes revealed that the luxAB reporter element had inserted within the uhpT gene in the TBT1 clone. This gene encodes a sugar-phosphate transporter protein, which has been shown to be up-regulated by external glucose-6-phosphate and 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate. On a kinetic level, the increased expression of uhpT by tributyltin closely mirrors that produced by 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate. In addition to tributyltin, TBT1 also responds to dibutyltin, monobutyltin, trimethyltin, triethyltin, tripropyltin, trifluoroacetic acid, and vanadium. Similar mapping and sequencing experiments revealed the luxAB reporter genes within the stpA gene in the TBT3 clone, but in an antisense orientation, such that they were not under the regulatory control of stpA. The lack of an appropriate open reading frame for this 140-nucleotide transcript (identified by Northern blo
9
Auvil, Loretta Sue. "Problem specific environments for parallel scientific computing". Thesis, This resource online, 1992. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-12042009-020030/.
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Lundqvist, Anastasia. "Contemprorary Russian Environmental policy: problems, players and priorities. The case of Pskov Region and environmental agenda-setting process". Thesis, Linköping University, Department of Management and Economics, 2003. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-1870.
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From the beginning of nineties, when significant changes took place, Russia began to elaborate new environmental policy and designed new patterns for responding the environmental problems. The paper tried to make a contribution to our understanding of environmental policy and policy processes within the Russia in general terms and to the nature of environmental agenda setting in Pskov region in more specific terms. This thesis is therefore explores environmental agenda setting process in Russia taking into consideration contemporary trends in the analysis of policy- making, such as inclusion of non-state actors as well as role of ideas shaping actors attitudes and behaviour. The purpose of the thesis is to study the relationship between transnational forces and interactions, national policy and local political developments and the role of various agents and institutions in agenda setting of the regional environmental policy-making. The frame of reference is constituted by a theoretical combination of the agenda-setting model with constructivist approach in order to broaden our investigation of the implications of environmental policy-making, impact of political culture upon construction of environmental issues, and transformations in the public policy. By focusing on Pskov region case, the paper identifies and discusses a number of reasons why environmental issues are found on the margins of the political agenda. A central argument is that in the absence of effective governance in the Pskov region, international agents together with regional interest groups formulate environmental agenda. The paper concludes that, even though, the mentality of environmentalism is set through the foreign assistance, the processes of learning from international cooperation may contribute to attainment of regional environmental objectives.
11
Koker, Mark Hampton. "Students' decisions about environmental issues and problems : an evaluation study of the Science Education for Public Understanding (SEPUP) Programme". Thesis, University of Southampton, 1996. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.362538.
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McDaniel, Colleen Marie. "The effects of problem-based learning on student understanding of Advanced Placement® environmental science topics". Montana State University, 2012. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2012/mcdaniel/McDanielC0812.pdf.
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Often during second semester, I lose the attention of my students due to their preoccupation with being second semester seniors and with college acceptances. This project used student-centered, problem-based learning to regain their attention and make them more accountable for their learning in my AP ® Environmental Science course. I also looked at the affect it had on their study strategies, motivation, and metacognition in class, along with my own attitude about teaching. This project investigated the effect that problem-based learning had on understanding of AP ® Environmental Science topics when compared to a traditional teacher-centered lecture based unit. Students understanding of material was assessed using pre and postunit assessments, along with formative assessments, and concept map interviews. Other methods of data collection were used to understand changes in student's attitudes, study methods, and metacognition in all units. The attitude of students was determined through using attitude surveys and individual interviews. Student surveys along with interviews helped understand the changes in study habits and metacognition. Observations made throughout the units also supplied data to analyze these areas. Results indicated a mixed effect on each of the areas addressed. In the first treatment unit there was a positive trend, with improvement in attitude, attainment of knowledge of concepts, and metacognition, but in the second treatment the trend was opposite. The same observation can be made with my attitude toward teaching that in the first unit it was more positive while in the second unit it was more negative.
13
Ollander, Sandra. "Fler ekobyar, färre miljöproblem? : More ecovillages, less environmental problems?" Thesis, Malmö universitet, Malmö högskola, Institutionen för Urbana Studier (US), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-18441.
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För att lösa hållbarhetsproblem krävs fokus på mer självförsörjande samhällen som kräver ett lägre behov av konsumtion, energi och transporter då människans nuvarande livsstil och samhällsmål inte går att kombinera med hållbart, klimatvänligt och rättvist. Vår livsstil är dock inte bara orsaken utan även lösningen på hållbarhetsutmaningar. Forskare och medlemmar av gemenskaper menar på att den miljömässigt fördelaktiga livsstil som förknippas med ekobyar och kollektivboenden kan bidra till att uppnå hållbarhetsmål, samt att gemenskaps-baserade initiativ har potential att utgöra en mer hållbar livsstil i jämförelse med konventionella samhällen. En litteraturöversikt och tre intervjuer genomfördes med syftet att undersöka hur ekobyar, som en avsiktlig gemenskap, kan hjälpa oss att leva innanför planetens gränser och vilka sociala utmaningar som ekobyar möter. Resultaten analyserades med hjälp av planetära gränser, donut-ekonomi och nerväxt som en del av emergent normteorin. Studien visar att ekobyar som en avsiktlig gemenskap kan hjälpa oss att leva innanför planetens gränser och bidra till en miljömässigt hållbar utveckling inom sex kategorier: ekologiska system, ekologisk arkitektur, energisystem, transportsystem, matsystem och miljövänligt beteende Sociala utmaningar som upptäcktes i ekobyar är otydliga normer och regler, brist på deltagande och egenemang, ledarskap, beslutsfattande, kommunikation, odelade visioner och mål, ojämn maktbalans, etiska frågor, arbetslöshet, organisering och olika bakgrunder.To solve sustainability problems we need to pay more attention to self sustainable societies with demand for less consumption, energy and transport as our lifestyle can not be combined with sustainability, climate-friendly and fair. Researchers and members of communities believe that the environmentally beneficial lifestyle that is associated with ecovillages and collective housing can contribute to reaching sustainable development goals and a sustainable lifestyle. A literature review and interviews were carried out with the purpose to investigate how ecovillages can help us live within the planetary boundaries and which social challenges ecovillages face. The results showed that ecovillages can help us to live within the planetary boundaries within six categories: ecological systems, ecological architecture, energy systems, transport systems, food systems and environmental friendly behaviour. Social challenges in ecovillages were leadership, decision making, undivided visions and goals, uneven balance of power, ethical questions, unemployment, organisation and different backgrounds.
14
Fairman, Matthew J. "Service-oriented grids and problem solving environments". Thesis, University of Southampton, 2004. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/72101/.
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The Internet’s continued rapid growth is creating an untapped environment containing a large quantity of highly competent computing resources suitable for exploitation in existing capacity-constrained and new innovative capability-driven distributed applications. The Grid is a new computing model that has emerged to harness these resources in a manner that fits the problem solving process needs of the computational engineering design community. Their unique requirements have created specific challenges for Grid technologies to bring interoperability, stability, scalability and flexibility, in addition to, transparent integration and generic access to disparate computing resources within and across institutional boundaries. The emergence of maturing open standards based service-oriented (SO) technologies has fulfilled the fundamental requirements of interoperability, leaves a flexible framework onto which sophisticated system architectures may be built, and provides a suitable base for the development of future Grid technologies. The work presented in this thesis is motivated by the desire to identify, understand, and resolve important challenges involved in the construction of Grid-enabled Problem Solving Environments (PSE) using SO technologies. The work explains why they are appropriate for Grid computing and successfully demonstrates the application and benefits of applying SO technologies in the scenarios of Computational Micromagnetics and Grid-enabled Engineering Optimisation and Design Search (Geodise) systems. Experiences achieved through the work can also be of referential value to future application of Grid computing in different areas.
15
Heeren, Alexander Heeren. "Identifying the Problem or Identifying with the Solution?The Role of Motivated Reasoning and Identity Politics in Environmental Science". The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1468073451.
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Palmer, James Robert. "Science and politics in European energy and environmental policy : the wicked problem of biofuels and indirect land-use change (ILUC)". Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.608217.
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Lai, Yee-ping. "An analysis of the possible differences in environmental perspective in solving environmental problems among students aged 15 and 17 in a Hong Kong school". Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B21184641.
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Dawson, Kathryn S. "Designing a Relational Data Base for a Problem Solving Environment". VCU Scholars Compass, 1985. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/4508.
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When choosing a system design in which to solve a recurring problem which depends on interrelated data a relational data base environment should be considered. The original problem can be solved through this design and by allowing users to view the data in the relational constructs the data can be easily used in numerous other applications. Theoretical support insures the design is sound avoiding inaccurate results. Independence between the logical and physical views of the data enables the data base administrator to adjust the physical data structures in order to optimize system performance without affecting existing user applications.
19
Weinronk, Eileen. "An investigation into the factors constraining the resolution of urban environmental problems at local authority level in South Africa". Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15961.
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Bibliography: p. 105-107.The imminent promulgation of the Environment Conservation Act, No. 73 of 1989, which made provision for the devolution of responsibility for environmental matters to the third tier of government authority, was the primary motivation for this research, conducted throughout South Africa between 1988 and 1990. Local authority officials were concerned that they did not have the knowledge, manpower and infrastructural resources to accept this responsibility. This concern was reinforced by the rapid urbanization of predominantly disadvantaged communities for whom little provision had been made. A stratified selection for study purposes of urban areas from the whole of South Africa and all its population groups ensured a reasonable sample of metropolitan regions, regional centres, principle towns and smaller outlying urban areas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of government authorities, Non-Government and Community Organizations and practitioners, either implementing or interacting with environmentally related legislation at the local level. With the permission of all participants, the interviews were recorded on audio-cassettes and later transcribed by the interviewers using a word processing programme. Out of these transcriptions, approximately 1000 problem-and-solution groupings were identified and classified. The most widely held perceptions of factors constraining the resolution of urban environmental problems at local authority level were subsequently compared to the provisions of the Environment Conservation Act. It was found that these perceptions of factors requiring attention for the resolution of urban environmental problems are strongly linked to the establishment, maintenance and improvement of environments which contribute to a generally acceptable quality of life. This accords with only one of the four explicit provisions of the Environment Conservation Act. There is a widespread perception that until human needs (Maslow, 1968) are either satisfied or at least addressed, and the whole population incorporated into a more equitable legal framework, the successful implementation of environmental conservation in South Africa will be severely impaired. Furthermore, that the South African ' Government's adherence to the political ideology of separate development constitutes an abuse and exploitation of scarce resources. Recommendations are that the human needs of the whole population of South Africa must be addressed and environmentally destructive legislation repealed in order to truly resolve urban environmental problems, that the participation of the public in matters relating to the effective protection and controlled utilization of the environment be required, that administrative, natural and functional boundaries need to be aligned, and that the structure and responsibilities of bureaucratic hierarchies responsible for environmental management in urban areas need to be set out clearly.
20
Bothwell, Heather MacGregor. "Gaining State Response on Global Environmental Problem-Solving: Developing A State-centric Approach". PDXScholar, 1995. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/4978.
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This study focuses on identifying the conditions which encourage or discourage international cooperation with regard to environmental problem-solving. In particular, the divergence between two key international relations theories, Environmentalism and Realism, will be examined in hopes of forging a rapprochement and stimulating research for a comprehensive theoretical approach to global environmental problem-solving. It is hypothesized that a state-centric political system is both a reality and an effective structure for environmental problem-solving, therefore an examination of state participation and the motivators and inhibitors affecting state response on certain environmental issues is conducted. In particular, this study hypothesizes that uncertainty can act as an inhibitor, and without the introduction of motivators can prevent states from participating in environmental problem-solving. A conceptual model of state courses of action is utilized to illustrate the potential of state participation and the development of a state-centric approach.
21
Rutherford, Paul, i prpdsr@mail usyd edu au. "The Problem of Nature in Contemporary Social Theory". The Australian National University. Research School of Social Sciences, 2000. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20011217.114840.
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This work examines the ways in which the relationship between society and nature is problematic for social theory. The Frankfurt Schools notion of the dialectic of enlightenment is considered, as are the attempts by Jurgen Habermas to defend an emancipatory theory of modernity against this. The marginalising effect Habermas defence of reason has had on the place of nature in his critical social theory is examined, as is the work of theorists such as Ulrich Beck and Klaus Eder. For these latter authors, unlike Habermas, the social relation to nature is at the centre of contemporary society, giving rise to new forms of modernisation and politics.
¶
Michel Foucaults work on biopolitics and governmentality is examined against the background of his philosophical debate with Habermas on power and rationality. The growth of scientific ecology is shown to have both problematised the social relation to nature and provided the political technology for new forms of regulatory intervention in the management of the population and resources. These new forms of intervention constitute a form of ecological governmentality along the lines discussed by Foucault and others in relation to the human sciences.
¶
However, Foucaults work is not sufficiently critical of the relationship between the natural sciences and power. Extending Foucaults biopolitics to environmental discourse is consistent with his general approach to power, but his incomplete critique of political sovereignty meant that for him agency remained tied to an idealised notion of the autonomy of the human subject. He therefore made too strong a distinction between the human and natural sciences and between power and the capacities of non-human entities, and continued to view the natural sciences as separating themselves from power in a way that was not possible in the human sciences.
¶
A more general critique of epistemic sovereignty reveals that the natural sciences (including ecology) are subject to disciplinary and normalising practices similar to those of the human sciences. Foucaults key inadequacy is that he linked agency to human autonomy and sovereignty. The work of Bruno Latour and other actor network theorists show that an unambiguous ontological distinction between nature, material technologies and active human subjects is highly problematic. In the place of a separate society and nature, this thesis argues that it is preferable to see these as a single socio-nature populated by the hybrid products of translation networks.
¶
By drawing together the insights of recent governmentality studies and the approach of actor network theory to agency and translation, Foucaults concept of biopolitics can be adapted to provide a theoretical framework for understanding the ecological programs of government that have emerged around the problem of nature in second half of the twentieth century.
22
Lai, Yee-ping, i 黎綺萍. "An analysis of the possible differences in environmental perspective in solving environmental problems among students aged 15 and 17 in aHong Kong school". Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31960996.
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Linden, Sara Jo. "Connecting to Nature, Community, and Self: A Conservation Corps Approach to Re-engaging At-Risk Youth in Science Education". PDXScholar, 2016. http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/3036.
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The social and environmental challenges of the coming decades will require that individuals possess environmental literacy: the understanding of natural systems combined with a sense of care for the earth, and the confidence and competency to act on its behalf. At the same time, disengaged youth need education environments that foster belonging and promote affective outcomes. The youth conservation corps model provides a natural context for engaging academically at-risk youth in environmental science education, while fostering connection to nature and student self-efficacy in ways that are experiential, relevant, and relationship-based. The focus of this study was a conservation corps program that integrates habitat restoration fieldwork and environmental science curriculum. The participants of this study were eight high school seniors who participated in the program for credit toward their high school diplomas. Data were collected through both quantitative and qualitative measures. Students completed a pre-test to assess their understanding and application of conceptual knowledge in ecosystem relationships and biodiversity. Upon completion of a six-week curriculum, they completed a post-test assessing knowledge in the same areas, two retrospective pre-post surveys measuring connection to nature and self-efficacy, and a post-evaluation measuring affective outcomes. Individual interviews were conducted in order to provide further insights and to identify elements of the program that contributed to positive outcomes. Results showed statistically significant increases in all outcome areas as well as positive student evaluation of affective outcomes. The outdoor and experiential components of the program were found to contribute most significantly to the positive outcomes.
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Gazeaux, Julien. "Méthodes probabilistes d'extraction de signaux cachés appliquées à des problèmes de sciences de l'atmosphère". Phd thesis, Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris VI, 2011. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00747464.
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Ce travail de thèse est consacré à la problématique de l'extraction de signaux dans le domaine des sciences de l'atmosphère. Le point commun des problèmes considérés est la notion de détection et d'estimation de signaux cachés. L'approche par la modélisation probabiliste s'est avérée y être bien adaptée. Nous nous sommes attachés à répondre à différentes questions telles que : quel type d'information s'attend-on à trouver dans un jeu de données ? Le signal supposé caché se trouve-t-il réellement dans les données d'étude ? Comment détecter l'instant d'occurrence d'un phénomène, comment le caractériser (timing, amplitude ...) ? Si un tel signal est détecté, quelle (in)certitude est associée à cette détection ? Nous répondons à ces différentes questions au travers du développement de différents modèles probabilistes de détection d'évènements cachés. Nous nous sommes intéressés à différents modèles non stationnaires, dont deux sont notamment présentés dans un cadre multivarié. Au travers de trois modèles probabilistes décrivant des signaux cachés divers (rupture de variance, signaux éruptifs et changement de moyenne), nous avons aussi développé des méthodes associées de détection. Le premier modèle est appliqué à la détection de nuages stratosphériques polaires dans des profils lidar, le deuxième à des éruptions volcaniques dans des séries chronologiques de sulfate et enfin le troisième est appliqué à la détection de la date de l'onset de la mousson Africaine dans des données géophysiques liées à la dynamique atmosphérique et aux précipitations. Les différentes méthodes mises en place font appel à une variété de techniques de modélisation probabiliste allant de la maximisation de rapport de vraisemblance associée à des tests d'hypothèses à la résolution de filtres de Kalman dans un cadre non stationnaire et non linéaire pour la décomposition de séries multivariées couplée à la détection des signaux cachés. Les difficultés techniques liées à l'extraction de signaux cachés sont analysées et les performances des différents algorithmes sont évaluées. Les résultats obtenus confirment l'intérêt des méthodes probabilistes appliquées à ces problématiques de signaux cachés en sciences de l'atmosphère.
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Anderson, Richard L. "Functional Ontology Construction: A Pragmatic Approach to Addressing Problems Concerning the Individual and the Informing Environment". Thesis, University of North Texas, 2006. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5299/.
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Functional ontology construction (FOC) is an approach for modeling the relationships between a user and the informing environment by means of analysis of the user's behavior and the elements of the environment that have behavioral function. The FOC approach is an application of behavior analytic techniques and concepts to problems within information science. The FOC approach is both an alternative and a compliment to the cognitive viewpoint commonly found in models of behavior in information science. The basis for the synthesis of behavior analysis and information science is a shared tradition of pragmatism between the fields. The application of behavior analytic concepts brings with it the notion of selection by consequence. Selection is examined on the biological, behavioral, and cultural levels. Two perspicuous examples of the application of the FOC modeling approach are included. The first example looks at the document functioning as a reinforcer in a human operant experimental setting. The second example is an examination of the verbal behavior of expert film analyst, Raymond Bellour, the structure of a film he analyzed, and the elements of the film's structure that had behavioral function for Bellour. The FOC approach is examined within the ontological space of information science.
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Towns, Felicity. "Volunteering and place-belonging : the case of historical and environmental interest groups in the National Forest". Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2014. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28242/.
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This thesis investigates volunteering and place-belonging amongst historical and environmental interest groups in The National Forest. With the main focus on the nature of environmental and local historical interest groups, the volunteers who are involved with these groups and their senses of belonging and relationships with place. Based on a review of 59 environmental and historical interest groups, 41 interviews, seven ethnographic participations and consideration of various group documents this study investigates the composition of these environmental groups, the volunteers who choose to be involved with these groups and their senses of belonging and relationships with the changing places they are active within. The geographical study area focuses on a specific place which has recently undergone significant landscape changes in relation to the designation of the area as The National Forest. Within The National Forest there are a number of voluntary environmental and historical interest groups operating, which have, through the nature of their interests, developed particular relationships with places. This thesis is based within the wider context of environmental and historical interest volunteering. The groups considered are centred round often interrelated local historical and environmental interests, involving active volunteering in and around the area designated as The National Forest. The scene is set for this research with a critical review of literature relating to volunteering, relationships with place and the development of voluntary environmental and historical interests.
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Richards, Karen A. "Development of an Instructional Design Model for Problem-Based Online Learning Environments in Continuing Medical Education". NSUWorks, 2004. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/802.
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Traditional methods that emphasize didactics and rote learning seem deficient to some medical educators. These approaches typically emphasize knowledge acquisition and retention of little relevance to practice. To improve problem solving, knowledge retention, and transfer, the educational strategy and philosophy of problem-based learning (PBL) is being used in medical education on-ground, face-to-face settings. The information age and advances in information technology now provide exciting new online education alternatives for physicians wanting to use this method to meet lifelong learning needs. The challenge for the instructional designer is how to migrate established face-to-face instructional methods to the online environment.
The goal of this dissertation was to provide a unique instructional design model that details criteria to guide the development of online PBL environments in continuing medical education (CME). The work addresses the following research questions: What influence should learning theory have on the instructional architecture of online PBL used to educate professionals in medical practice? How can computer technologies used in online instruction delivery incorporate relevant learning theories and cognitive principles to deliver effective online learning environments (OLEs) using the PBL method? What are the necessary elements in the development and implementation of a validated instructional design model for delivering online PBL in CME? This developmental research project also described how an OLE could be developed for physician continuing education in pain management along framework guidelines in order to illustrate concepts in the model and how it could be adapted to accommodate the course content of a particular medical specialty. Lessons learned in the process and implications for instructional design practice were discussed.
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The, Stephanie, i Anton Blomqvist. "The Atoyac River : A study about its problems and possible futuresolutions from a sustainable perspective". Thesis, KTH, Hållbar utveckling, miljövetenskap och teknik, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-219427.
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Because of extensive industrial and domestic wastewater discharge, the Atoyac river has become one of Mexico's most polluted rivers. The aim of the paper is to investigate the contaminations of the river due to the different polluters and what impacts it has on the environment and society. Further the paper aims to identify necessary solutions in order to restore the river to its natural state, within a sustainable point of view, by using the model of sustainable development proposed by Peter Glavič and Rebeka Lukman (2007). The study is based on literature reviews, where it was concluded that the Atoyac river is polluted by different contaminations such as BOD, coliforms, metals, heavy metals and toxic chemicals, which has affected the environment, ecosystem services, people's health and agriculture in a negative way. There is an understanding that violating social and environmental aspects will also have an impact on the economy in the long run in form of sick work force, loss of necessary ecosystem services and the cost for repairing the environmental damages. It was investigated that if change and effective actions are to be achieved within a sustainable development approach, methods/tools such as Purification, Polluters Pays Principle, Pollution Control, Waste Minimization, Cleaner Production, Environmental Legislation and Environmental Engineering, suggested by Glavič and Lukman(2007) need to be assimilated. These tools were connected to an earlier stage of suggested potential solutions of big variety. The paper also concludes that the progress towards sustainability in the case of the Atoyac river and Mexico in general lies on a very fundamental level and still has a long way to go.På grund av omfattande utsläpp av industriellt och privat avloppsvatten har floden Atoyac blivit en av Mexikos mest förorenade floder. Syftet med denna rapport är att utvärdera flodens många föroreningar och se vilka konsekvenser dessa har för miljön och samhället. Utöver detta identifieras nödvändiga lösningar för att återställa floden till dess naturliga skick inom ett hållbarhetsperspektiv, genom att använda modellen för hållbar utveckling som föreslagits av Peter Glavič och Rebeka Lukman (2007). Rapporten är baserad på litteraturstudier, och detta ledde till slutsatsen att Atoyac är förorenat av olika föroreningar som BOD, koliforma bakterier, metaller, tungmetaller och giftiga kemikalier, vilka har påverkat miljön, ekosystemtjänster, människors hälsa och jordbruket på ett negativt sätt. Det är även tydligt att den negativa effekten på samhället och miljön även kommer att påverka ekonomin på lång sikt i form av sjukskrivningar, förlust av ekosystemtjänster samt kostnader för att reparera miljöskador. Om en förändring ska uppnås inom ramen för en hållbar utvecklingsstrategi, föreslås metoder/verktygså som Purification, Polluters Pays Principle, Pollution Control, Waste Minimization, Cleaner Production, Environmental Legislation and Environmental Engineering som Glavič och Lukman föreslagit (2007). I denna studie drar man även slutsatsen att Atoyac, och även Mexiko i allmänhet, har en lång väg kvar att gå för att uppnå en hållbar situation.
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Zhang, Yiding. "Exploring Problems in Water and Health by Text Mining of Online Information". The Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1561976152513536.
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Moy, Sina. "The importance of incorporating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the secondary curriculum in order to minimise the problems of waste on South Tarawa : a thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geography /". ResearchArchive@Victoria e-Thesis, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1017.
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Zhen, Yongjian. "Improving students' math problem-solving skills in a computer-assisted learning environment". CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1999. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1797.
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Caye, Michea. "Formative Research and Community Resilience: A Case of Under Addressed Youth Problem Gambling". Antioch University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1323893906.
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Osorio, Bretti Cristian, i Anton Stagge. "Using a knowledge base to solve the Multi-Agent Pathfinding problem in a warehouse environment". Thesis, KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-229892.
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E-commerce services is becoming more and more popular, and thus more pressure is being put on the warehouses which handles the orders. One prominent way to increase said warehouses efficiencies is to apply the Amazon Robotics approach of having hundreds of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) deliver the storage shelfs to the workers, instead of having the workers walk around. Controlling such a system is a challenge containing multiple problems; one is the MultiAgent Pathfinding problem (MAPF) which includes the path planning and the collision avoidance of the AGVs. This report studies a new approach to solve the MAPF problem: the Dynamic Knowledge Based Routing algorithm (DKBR), a local repair algorithm that chooses a collision solving rule using machine learning. The DKBR algorithm is compared to a baseline algorithm called Windowed Hierarchical Cooperative A* (WHCA*) in terms of the collective number of steps each AGV takes. The result showed that the DKBR algorithm is a valid algorithms for the MAPF problem. However, its performance is essentially identical to an algorithm that choses a random rule instead of utilizing machine learning. This could be explained by the poor accuracy of the decision tree due to the curse of dimensionality or the lack of data. Further research is recommended to investigate if the accuracy of the decision tree can be improved and if that leads to better performance for the DKBR algorithm.E-handelstjänster blir allt populärare, och därmed läggs mer tryck på de lager som hanterar beställningarna. Ett framstående sätt att öka effektiviteten i dessa varuhus är att tillämpa Amazon Robotics tillvägagångssätt att ha hundratals Automatiserade Guidade Fordon (AGV:er) leverera lagringshyllorna till arbetarna, istället för att arbetarna går runt. Att kontrollera ett sådant system är en utmaning som innehåller flera problem, ett är Multi-Agent Pathfinding-problemet (MAPF) som innefattar vägplanering och kollisionsundvikande av AGV: erna. Denna rapport studerar ett nytt tillvägagångssätt för att lösa MAPF problemet: den dynamiska kunskapsbaserade routing-algoritmen (DKBR), en lokal reparationsalgoritm som väljer en kollisionslösningsregel med maskininlärning. DKBR-algoritmen jämförs med en baslinjealgoritm som heter Windowed Hierarchical Cooperative A* (WHCA*) med hänsyn till det kollektiva antalet steg som varje AGV tar. Resultatet visade att DKBR-algoritmen är en fungerande algoritm till MAPF-problemet. Dess prestanda är däremot väsentligen identisk med en algoritm som väljer en slumpmässig regel istället för att använda maskininlärning. Detta kan förklaras av beslutsträdets dåliga noggrannhet på grund av dimensionaliteten eller bristen av data. Ytterligare forskning rekommenderas för att undersöka om beslutsträdets noggrannhet kan förbättras och om det leder till bättre prestanda för DKBR-algoritmen.
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Demir, Emrah. "Models and algorithms for the pollution-routing problem and its variations". Thesis, University of Southampton, 2012. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/343584/.
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This thesis is positioned within the field of green logistics with respect to CO2 emissions in road freight transportation. In order to examine the different aspects of CO2 emissions of freight transportation, three related, but different research questions are studied. Because CO2 emissions are proportional to the amount of the fuel consumed by vehicles, the first goal of the thesis is to review and compare several available fuel emission models. The results of extensive computational experiments show that all emission models tested are sensitive to changes in load, speed and acceleration. Second, the dissertation studies the Pollution-Routing Problem (PRP), an extension of the classical Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW). The PRP consists of routing a number of vehicles to serve a set of customers within preset time windows, and determining their speed on each route segment, so as to minimise a function comprising fuel, emission and driver costs. A mathematical formulation of this problem cannot be solved to optimality for medium to large scale instances. For this reason, the thesis describes an adaptive large neighbourhood search (ALNS) based algorithm to solve the PRP. The algorithm iterates between a VRPTW and a speed optimisation problem, where the former is solved through an enhanced ALNS and the latter is solved using a polynomial time speed optimisation algorithm (SOA). The third question relates to the PRP and the two important objectives that should be taken into account, namely minimisation of fuel consumption and total driving time. Computational results on a large set of PRP instances show that the algorithm is both effective and efficient in solving instances of up to 200 nodes. The thesis therefore studies the bi-objective PRP where one of the objectives is related to the environment, namely fuel consumption (hence CO2 emissions), and the other to driving time. An enhanced ALNS algorithm is described to solve the bi-objective PRP. The algorithm integrates the classical ALNS scheme with a specialized SOA. The results show that one need not compromise greatly in terms of driving time in order to achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
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Ek, Andreas, i Ingelsson Erik Engström. "Out of sight – out of mind The shipbreaking industry in Chittagong, Bangladesh". Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22961.
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Shipbreaking industrin i Chittagong, Bangladesh är i huvudsak en fråga om miljöorättvisa på grund av exporten av miljöproblem och risk. Föreliggande examensuppsats syftar till att fylla bristen på kvalitativ forskning kring ämnet. För närvarande har en av de viktigaste rösterna inte varit en del av den akademiska diskursen – rösten från individer som bor i områdena kring industrin. Det empiriska materialet samlades in med hjälp av semi-strukturerade intervjuer under en två månader mindre fältstudie i samhällena som ligger kring industrin. Resultatet synliggör respondenternas syn på industrin och visar hur de är påverkade av den. Ett tydligt mönster framträder ur materialet och förkroppsligar teorierna som visar hur risk och miljöproblem exporteras från center, dessa absorberas sen av individerna i periferin. Export av miljöproblem, fattigdom och ökade risker utgör en kausalitet och skapar miljöorättvisa.The shipbreaking industry in Chittagong, Bangladesh is a matter of environmental injustice due to the export of environmental problems and risks. This thesis fills the current gap in research regarding qualitative material concerning the shipbreaking industry. Currently, one of the most important voice has not entered the academic discourse – the voice of the individuals living in the communities surrounding the industry. The empirical material was gathered by conducting semi-structured interviews during a two months field study in smaller communities around the shipbreaking yards. The result displays the respondent’s views on the industry, and show how they are affected by it. A clear pattern emerges and embodies the theories showing how risk and environmental problems are exported, these are then absorbed by individuals in the periphery. Export of environmental problems, poverty and increasing risks constitutes a causality and creates environmental injustice.
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Meng, Qi. "School’s social environment in relation to participation and well-being of young adolescents with self-rated neurodevelopmental problems". Thesis, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation, Högskolan i Jönköping, Specialpedagogik, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-40841.
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Young adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities tend to have lower levels of participation and poorer well-being compare to their typically developing peers. School is a key setting for adolescents to participate. School’s social environment is found to be influential to both participation and well-being for young adolescents. This paper investigates the relations between school’s social environment and participation, well-being of young adolescents with self-rated neurodevelopmental problems (SNP) and whether participation is associated with well-being of this population. Data of this study was retrieved from wave three of the longitudinal research programme LoRDIA. Study participants were 175 adolescents aged 14-15 years old with SNP. Linear regression was conducted to test the hypothesis. Results show that bullying is the strongest (negative) predictor to both participation and well-being for young adolescents with SNP, which means students within this group who have been bullied are more likely to have low level participation and poor well-being. Relation to teachers is also a strong positive predictor to participation of this population. Class atmosphere is less predictive compare to the other two predictors but still have moderate positive correlation with both participation and well-being. Adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities or problems are a vulnerable group, school’s environment is essential to their development. Experience of bullying has a profound and long-term negative effect on children’s participation and well-being. Therefore, more longitudinal data will be needed to further understand this issue. Relation to teachers brings up that the focus and attention should not only been put on students but also on fulfilling teacher’s needs, so they could provide higher quality of teacher-student relationships.
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Trigg, Kate. "Quantifying Urban Inequality: An Investigation of the Wicked Problems of Gentrification". Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-323606.
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Gentrification, a process conceived to result in displacement of lower-income urban residents, is difficult to measure quantitatively due to its qualitative, social impacts. Additionally, the phenomenon is a wicked problem, with no decisive definition or a set list of causes. Whereas researchers have instigated attempts to numerically measure gentrification, there is a lack of a systematic and universal approach to evaluate the concept. To investigate this issue, an iterative process took place using gentrification theory and explorative work. A test index was created using the inner boroughs of the UK’s capital, London, aiming to use data which should be available within all cities. Indicators for the index based on the two main theories of gentrification were attained for three different time periods from governmental and census records, creating a longitudinal study to establish how an area has changed, and whether gentrification has occurred. The technique presents evidence of increasing socio-economic status within many of London’s inner boroughs, with evidence of rising employment rates, house prices and managerial role residents. The highest scoring boroughs were areas considered to be undergoing super-gentrification. From the index, the next borough to super-gentrify will be Hammersmith & Fulham. For first time gentrifying boroughs, their index changes sit within the middle of the borough rankings. It is believed that further analysis and advancements are required on the index to ensure prevention of data misuse, conclusive results, and further consideration of cultural, political or social changes, however new contributions have been made within this topic from considering gentrification from a wicked problem viewpoint.
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Bergman, James Henry. "Climates on the Move: Climatology and the Problem of Economic and Environmental Stability in the Career of C.W. Thornthwaite, 1933-1963". Thesis, Harvard University, 2014. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:11640.
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This dissertation examines the role of climate science in ensuring environmental stability. It traces the career of the climatologist Charles Warren Thornthwaite, beginning with his work as a population geographer for the Social Science Research Council in the early 1930s and ending in the early 1960s with his work as an independent consultant for the military, agribusiness firms, and international organizations. I argue that Thornthwaite's approach to environmental stability began as an effort to create "holistic" stability, one characterized by a relative continuity of the relationships of people to the land they inhabited, and evolved into approach that favored "mechanistic" stability, one characterized by the interaction and exchange discrete environmental factors--energy, water, crops, etc.History of Science
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Kolbeinsson, Ari. "Mind the gap : Extending the body into 3d environments using 2d tools for interaction". Thesis, Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för kommunikation och information, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-5279.
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This thesis is a literature study on how existing research on embodied tool use may support the use of the use of the computer mouse within three dimensional environments, followed by an analysis of a typical scenario in the use of three dimensional environment. Problems with interaction in this domain are well known to designers of 3d programs but not well understood, which results in programs in which mouse controllers are used to control three dimensional objects being more difficult to learn and less efficient to use than would be possible if the interaction was better understood. The problems are often identified by their symptoms, such as the drag-threshold problem, picking problem, and the object rotation/viewpoint management problem, but this thesis will explore what the cause of those problems is, and identifies them all as a single cognitive problem which is found to be caused by a rift between the functioning of the two dimensional tool in use (the mouse and cursor) and the simulated three dimensional environment with which the cursor is interacting. Analyses are performed on a scenario, and result in a pinpointing of the problem and possible solutions to the interaction part of the problem (with design guidelines emerging), as well as finding the possibility that the cognitive roots of the problem result from an incompatibility between body-schema frames of reference for movement between the two dimensional parts of the action and the three dimensional part of the action.
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Elgert, Laureen. "The politics of evidence : towards critical deliberative governance in sustainable development". Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2011. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/146/.
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Recent debates about environmental governance emphasize the roles of participation, evidence and deliberation. Authors have discussed how deliberative theory can deepen commitments to public participation in policy debates. Evidence, however, is often presented as neutral and objective fact, and on this basis is privileged in policy debates, preemptively defining environmental problems and solutions. Under this circumstance, how can policy processes take deliberation seriously? How can the politics of evidence be identified and openly addressed by participants in policy processes? These research questions are addressed by analyzing three cases of environmental governance mechanisms, in the developing country context of Paraguay. The cases were selected for their emphasis on evidence and participation in decision-making. Also, each brings into question the politics of evidence, as their policy implications have raised debate and contention. The specific governance mechanisms explored in this study are: 1) land classification for conservation and rural development; 2) land use planning scenarios generated with a computer modeling program; and, 3) the development of global certification standards for soy production within the ‘Roundtable on Responsible Soy’. Each is seen as a means of addressing what is widely seen as rapid and extensive environmental degradation in Paraguay, and also the historic and continued exclusion of much of the public in environmental decision-making. The principal findings of my analysis are that i) public participation in environmental governance is often constrained by what is considered evidence; and ii) evidence is considered such because it is assumedly based on fact, but evidence-based arguments are influenced by social and political factors. As a result of these findings, I argue for a new approach to environmental governance – critical deliberative governance. A reflexive, non-essentialist approach to knowledge strengthens deliberation, by making explicit the social basis for authority and credibility, and opening up its tenets to debate. This critical approach to knowledge is vital for a democracy in which normative arguments are not effectively closed off by formal and authoritative expertise.
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Thomas, Gareth. "Constructing the hydrogen fuel cell community : a case study of networked innovation governance". Thesis, University of Birmingham, 2016. http://etheses.bham.ac.uk//id/eprint/6630/.
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This thesis presents the findings of an actor-centred constructivist case study into the policy community emerging around Hydrogen and Fuel Cell innovation. Emerging at the intersection between increasingly networked energy; climate and industrial policy, innovation has been the focal point of literatures advocating transitions towards more sustainable socio-technical systems. The thesis develops an interpretivist-constructivist methodology to sketch how actor interpretations of competency and context inform the interests and strategies in innovation policy processes. Drawing on interviews and extensive documentary research it argues that while innovation governance is, in part, a product of networked interactions between HFC community members, these interactions are circumscribed by prevailing policy paradigms. Expressed via a commercial logic and empowered by the resources of large industrial firms, such paradigms de-politicise governance practices and align innovation priorities around those compatible with the interests of large industrial interests. The thesis contributes to our understanding of interpretation as the means by which ideas and resources shape strategic interaction, and serves to remind us that networked governance can close down as well as open up spaces of participation in policy processes.
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Cutforth, Claire Louise. "Understanding waste minimisation practices at the individual and household level". Thesis, Cardiff University, 2014. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/69484/.
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Over recent years, the issue of how to manage waste sustainably has intensified for both researchers and policy makers. From a policy perspective, the reason for this intensification can be traced to European legislation and its transposition into UK policy. The Welsh Government in particular has set challenging statutory targets for Local Authorities. Such targets include increases in recycling and composting as well as waste reduction and reuse targets. From a research perspective there has been dissatisfaction with behavioural models and their willingness to explore alternative social science thinking (such as leading approaches to practice). Despite policy interest in sustainable waste practices, there remains little research which focuses specifically on waste minimisation at the individual or household level. What research exists focuses on pro-environmental or recycling behaviour, and tends to focus upon values, intention and behavioural change, rather than on what actual practices occur, and for what reasons. This research focuses on what practices take place in order to access a more complex range of reasons why such practices take place. The methodology adopts a qualitative approach to uncovering practices in a variety of contexts, and discovers a number of key insights which underpin waste minimisation practice. This thesis demonstrates that waste minimisation performances take place, but often do so ‘unwittingly’. Coupled to this, many witting or unwitting waste minimisation actions occur for reasons other than concern for the environment. Furthermore, this research suggests that practices (and their motivations) vary dependent upon the context in which they occur. In general, three key themes were found to be significant in influencing the take up and transfer of practice: cost, convenience, and community. As a waste practitioner, the researcher is able to engage with these themes in order to suggest future directions for waste minimisation policy as well as research.
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Abbasi, Sarwan. "Human-computer interaction in 3D object manipulation in virtual environments : a cognitive ergonomics contribution". Phd thesis, Université Paris Sud - Paris XI, 2010. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00603331.
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It is proposed to investigate the cognitive processes involved in assembly/disassembly tasks, and then to apply the findings to the design of 3D virtual environments (VEs). Virtual Environments are interactive systems that enable one or more users to interact with the simulation of objects and scenes usually in three dimensions, in a realistic fashion, by means of a set of computational techniques covering one or more sensory modalities (vision, touch, haptic, hearing, etc.). Often described as the ultimate direct manipulation interface, this technology seeks to make the interface eventually 'disappear' in order to provide users with a 'natural' mode of interaction. Virtual reality (VR) is the experience of being within a VE. One objective of the VR technology is indeed to exploit natural human behaviour without requiring any learning from their users [Fuchs2003], [Bowman2005]. Moreover, VEs are a stimulating field of research because they involve perceptually and cognitively novel situations [Burkhardt2003]. VEs also offer a large potential of innovative solutions to existing application problems. Among others, assembly tasks are a major focus for VEs [Boud2000], [Brooks1999], [Lok2003‐a], [Lok2003‐b], due to their numerous potential applications, such as assembly/disassembly of objects, scientific research (e.g., molecular docking [Ferey2009] etc.). The common feature in VEs is the use of representations and devices to support the users in handling and arranging several distinct elements in a three dimensional (3D) space under specific constraints. Most of the current devices and interaction techniques have focused on providing users with high‐fidelity sensory stimulations, rather than targeting real‐life or task‐centred functions associated with the corresponding interfaces. While many contributions have been made to the field of VR, there are only few empirical data that have been published. We believe that it is very unlikely that more adapted VEs and assistance to users' task - in the specific context of assembly tasks - will follow either just by chance [Brooks1999], by making repeated trials, by tuning what we already have at hand, or by more realistic sensory renderings, without any reference to the 'specific properties of the tasks' including its cognitive dimension. Consequently, a clear picture of the cognitive processes and constraints in real tasks involving spatial manipulation should lead to a significant enhancement of the users' interactions with VEs. This enhancement can be made by creating better or new guidance mechanisms (e.g., video feedback, object collision detection, or avoidance mechanisms) adapted to the users' goals and strategies. This project thus involves work both from the cognitive side and its implications on 3D interactions in industrial VEs. The objective of this doctoral work is to contribute to a better understanding of human factors (HF) - including performance and cognitive processes - related to assisting spatial 3D manipulation and problem‐solving in assembly/disassembly tasks in VEs. For that purpose, we compared performance and strategies of subjects while they solve a simplified spatial task requiring them to assemble pieces to form a specified shape in various conditions of interfacing actions in real and virtual environments. The assembly task chosen was neither very easy such as put peg‐in‐a‐hole type task, as in [Zhang2005], [Pettinaro1999], or [Unger2001], nor highly complex and specific, such as performing open heart or liver surgery [Torkington2001] (one whose results could be applied only to that specific kind of task). The chosen task was semi‐complex, in which the users were required to construct a 3D cube using seven rectangular blocks of different sizes and shapes. The methodology used had two tiers: real and virtual. For the chosen assembly task, a study was first conducted in real settings, which was to provide inspiration, input, and insight for the main experiment to follow. The main experiment that followed was similar in design, but the difference was that it was conducted in virtual settings. The experiment in virtual settings was conducted in three modalities - the classical keyboard‐mouse, the gestural modality, and the vocal modality.
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Donley, Kevin Scott. "Coding in the Curriculum: Learning Computational Practices and Concepts, Creative Problem Solving Skills, and Academic Content in Ten to Fourteen-Year-Old Children". Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2018. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/514678.
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Educational PsychologyPh.D.
The fundamentals of computer science are increasingly important to consider as critical educational and occupational competencies, as evidenced by the rapid growth of computing capabilities and the proliferation of the Internet in the 21st century, combined with reimagined national education standards. Despite this technological and social transformation, the general education environment has yet to embrace widespread incorporation of computational concepts within traditional curricular content and instruction. Researchers have posited that exercises in computational thinking can result in gains in other academic areas (Baytak & Land, 2011; Olive, 1991), but their studies aimed at identifying any measurable educational benefits of teaching computational concepts to school age children have often lacked both sufficient experimental control and inclusion of psychometrically sound measures of cognitive abilities and academic achievement (Calao, Moreno-León, Correa, & Robles, 2015). The current study attempted to shed new light on the question of whether using a graphically-based computer coding environment and semi-structured curriculum –the Creative Computing Course in the Scratch programming language –can lead to demonstrable and significant changes in problem solving, creative thinking, and knowledge of computer programming concepts. The study introduced 24 youth in a summer educational program in Philadelphia, PA to the Scratch programming environment through structured lessons and open-ended projects for approximately 25 hours over the course of two weeks. A delayed treatment, control trial design was utilized to measure problem solving ability with a modified version of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Fourth Edition (WJ-IV), Concept Formation subtest, and the Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-3) Math Concepts and Applications subtest. Creative problem solving was measured using a consensual assessment technique (Amabile, 1982). A pre-test and post-test of programming conceptual knowledge was used to understand how participants’ computational thinking skills influenced their learning. In addition, two questionnaires measuring computer use and the Type-T (Thrill) personality characteristic were given to participants to examine the relationship between risk-taking or differences in children’s usage of computing devices and their problem solving ability and creative thinking skills. There were no differences found among experimental and control groups on problem solving or creative thinking, although a substantial number of factors limited and qualified interpretation of the results. There was also no relationship between performance on a pre-test of computational thinking, and a post-test measuring specific computational thinking skills and curricular content. There were, however, significant, moderate to strong correlations among academic achievement as measured by state standardized test scores, the KTEA-3 Math Concepts and Applications subtest, and both the pre and post Creative Problem Solving test developed for the study. Also, higher levels of the Type T, or thrill-seeking, personality characteristic were associated with lower behavioral reinforcement token computer “chips," but there were no significant relationships among computer use and performance on assessments. The results of the current study supported retention of the null hypothesis, but were limited by small sample size, environmental and motivational issues, and problems with the implementation of the curriculum and selected measures. The results should, therefore, not be taken as conclusive evidence to support the notion that computer programming activities have no impact in other areas of cognitive functioning, mathematic conceptual knowledge, or creative thinking. Instead, the results may help future researchers to further refine their techniques to both deliver effective instruction in the Scratch programming environment, and also target assessments to more accurately measure learning.
Temple University--Theses
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Kurz, Sarah. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Governance – A Driver for Change towards Environmental Sustainability? : An Embedded-Case Study on the Sustainability Discourse in the Palm Oil Industry". Thesis, Malmö universitet, Institutionen för globala politiska studier (GPS), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-44518.
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The planet’s biodiversity is in a worrying state. Palm oil production significantly contributes to biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia. Unfortunately, the different forms of public and private regulation in place have had limited success in regulating the sector and protecting the environment. Three of the biggest palm oil traders – Cargill, Musim Mas, and Wilmar International – were chosen as subjects of an embedded case study to answer whether their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts have the potential to drive transformation in the palm oil sector towards more environmental sustainability. This thesis contributes to the debate around the role of business actors in Global Governance and their ability to tackle social and environmental problems caused by their business models with CSR. The thesis engages deductively with capitalism-critical theories on CSR. Carol Bacchi’s “What’s the Problem Represented to be?” (WPR) approach will guide a discourse analysis of the 2019 sustainability reports of the three companies regarding their efforts to improve sustainability in the palm oil sector. A comparison with research articles and NGO reports reaches the conclusion that the measures taken by Cargill, Musim Mas, and Wilmar are not enough to improve sustainability sufficiently.
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Ismail, Khadra. "”Människan är det farligaste djuret” : Elevers uppfattningar om miljöproblem och framtiden". Thesis, Högskolan i Jönköping, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-44560.
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Syftet med denna empiriska studie är att belysa hur 10 elever i årskurs fem uppfattar miljöproblem och framtiden. Studien har tillämpat den kvalitativa metoden fokusgrupper och klarlägger begreppet hållbar utveckling samt globala insatser inom hållbar utveckling. Vidare har hållbar utveckling i läroplanen speciellt framhävts samt tidigare forskning om elevers uppfattningar kring hållbar utveckling, miljöproblem och framtiden. Resultatet visar att elever har kunskaper om olika slags miljöproblem. Dock är nedskräpning det mest diskuterade miljöproblemet. Eleverna hade olika uppfattningar kring framtiden. Majoriteten av eleverna uppfattade en hemsk framtid med flertal olika skadliga konsekvenser. Ett fåtal elever hade bättre förväntningar kring framtiden och menade att världens länder kommer att samarbeta kring internationella lagar för en bättre framtid. Slutligen har eleverna diskuterat hur samhället borde arbeta för att skapa en hållbar planet.The purpose of this empirical study is to illustrate how 10 students in grade five perceive environmental problems and the future. The study has applied the qualitative method focus groups and clarifies the concept of sustainable development and global initiatives in sustainable development. The study has also highlighted sustainable development in the Swedish curriculum along with previous research on students' perceptions about sustainable development, environmental problems and the future. The result indicates that the students have knowledge of various kinds of environmental problems. However, littering was the most discussed environmental problem by the students. The students perceived contrarily about the future. The majority of students perceived a horrible future with destructive consequences. A few students had better expectations about the future and believed that nations would cooperate on international laws for a greater future. Lastly, the students discussed how the society should work to create a sustainable planet.
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Atallah, Nidal Walid. "An Investigation of the Origin of Rock City and Cause of Piping Problems at Mountain Lake, Giles County, Virginia". Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1382371064.
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Litz, Ilene R. "Student Adoption of a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning(CSCL) Mathematical Problem Solving Environment: The Case of The Math Forum's Virtual Math Teams (VMT) Chat Service". NSUWorks, 2007. http://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/677.
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Numerous studies suggest that collaborative learning enhances the knowledge-building discourse. Emerging literature suggests that students can learn and understand mathematical concepts in an enriched way when the subject is approached in a discursive, collaborative fashion.
In implementation to date, however, carefully designed online collaborative problem solving exercises have been insufficiently supported by student participation. This study examined the experience of one particular CSCL program, Virtual Math Teams (VMT) Project, which uses a collaborative problem-solving approach to mathematics. The intention of this program is to get students to work together online to solve mathematics problems. The distinctive feature of this exercise is a collaborative effort by a group of students to solve a problem.
The problem investigated in this study was why students showed resistance to using the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) chat service tools, and what methods may be used to motivate students to engage in these collaborative problem-solving exercises. The goals of this study were to examine The Math Forum's program experience to determine why the collaborative exercise VMT Chat is beset by student refusal to register and participate, and why the number of registrants and participants in the individually oriented Problems of the Week (POW) are substantially higher than those of the VMT Chat. This study helped determine what factors motivate students to register and participate in this program.
Four reasons for a lack of participation in the VMT Chat program were found: a lack of teacher encouragement, a lack of integration of the VMT Chat program in math classes, a potentially confusing and difficult to use computer environment for the VMT Chat program, and a lack of available information, advertising, and marketing for the program. The study contributes to the knowledge of online learning and collaboration by the determination of why participants are resistant to registering and participating in the VMT Chat; and factors that help to motivate users to shift from acting as individually oriented problem solving users to online problem solving collaborators.
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Larsson, Malin. "Indoor Environmental Factors and Chronic Diseases in Swedish Pre-School Children : Risk factors and methodological issues investigated in a longitudinal study on airway diseases and autism spectrum disorder". Doctoral thesis, Karlstads universitet, Avdelningen för hälsa och miljö, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-6485.
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Asthma and allergies have increased considerably during the past 40-50 years. Along with this increase, a heightened awareness regarding different neuro-developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder has occurred and it has been proposed that such disorders are also on the increase. It has been suggested that environmental factors, especially in the indoor environments, may be associated with the increase in these disorder, especially among children, who spend more than 90% of their time indoors. The aim of this thesis has been to investigate certain environmental factors in homes and their impact on children’s health, in terms of asthma, rhinitis, eczema as well as autism spectrum disorders, and to identify certain methodological difficulties in epidemiological investigations. We found that the mean incidence rate per year for doctor diagnosed asthma was in the range of 0.6-2.4% and for incidence of rhinitis 1.1-3.7%. The incidence rate of eczema ever was 2.7%. These results showed that when using a cohort established after birth the estimated incidence rates are strongly dependent of how the baseline population’s health and how the studied health outcome at follow up is defined. Our results showed that the associations between parental reported moisture problems in the home and asthma in children that were revealed in cross-sectional analyses decreased or disappeared when longitudinal data were used on the same data set. Our results therefore indicate that associations between parental reported moisture problems and asthma from cross-sectional questionnaire studies should be interpreted with caution due to the risk for reporting bias. Our results show that children who were living in homes with PVC-flooring in the bedroom in early childhood were more likely to develop asthma during the following 5-year period when compared with children living in homes without such flooring material. A similar association could be seen for children with autism spectrum disorder, where PVC-flooring in early childhood was associated with more reports of autism spectrum disorder five years later. These results indicate that building materials including suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals such as phthalates might be of importance for the development of these chronic diseases. Further studies are needed to explore the early life exposure and the mechanisms and contribution of phthalates for the development of chronic diseases.Appendix A (en undersökning) och Appendix B (en undersökning)finns i den tryckta versionen av avhandlingen
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Schneider, Christopher. "Public Participation: A Crucial Component in Solving Ohio’s Combined Sewer Overflow Problem". University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1250191069.
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