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Articles 14191 - 14220 of 14367

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Sociotechnical Politics Of Focused Factories: Establishing A Cross Functional Project Team, Andrew J. Sense Jan 1998

The Sociotechnical Politics Of Focused Factories: Establishing A Cross Functional Project Team, Andrew J. Sense

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This extract of a larger case study is written to provide real and relevant information to stimulate discussion on the importance of deliberately and vigorously managing the politics associated with the various aspects of Sociotechnical projects. It offers a reflective insight into one company's change initiative with a particular focus on the political issues associated with establishing a cross functional management project team to manage the design and implementation of an Sociotechnical change program.

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A Metaphorical Study Of Information Seeking Using Q Methodology, Joseph A. Meloche, Kate Crawford Jan 1998

A Metaphorical Study Of Information Seeking Using Q Methodology, Joseph A. Meloche, Kate Crawford

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This brief paper examines a metaphorical perspective for information science. Metaphorical understanding, like learning itself, is a fundamental component in the movement from the known to the unknown. Adopting this perspective has the potential to inform and further advance the study of characteristics ofinformation and.how it relates to emerging knowledge. This will be demonstrated by an examination ofthe metaphors used by theorists to describe how users approach information.

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Effective Urban Landslide Hazard Assessment, Robin N. Chowdhury, Phillip N. Flentje Jan 1998

Effective Urban Landslide Hazard Assessment, Robin N. Chowdhury, Phillip N. Flentje

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Landslide hazard assessment is a vitally important component of any strategy for the management of risk of instability in hilly areas. Within many urban areas, reactivation of landslides is an important component of risk. Yet, most qualitative approaches do not differentiate between the hazard of individual landslides. Two quantitative approaches are introduced in this paper both of which utilise GISbased accurate maps of geology and landslip as well as a landslide database. The first method is based on historical recurrence of individual landslides. The second method is based on monitoring of subsurface shear movements, and their relationships to rainfall. Both …

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Neural Network Classification And Prior Class Probabilities, Steve Lawrence, Ian Burns, Andrew Back, Ah Chung Tsoi, C Lee Giles Jan 1998

Neural Network Classification And Prior Class Probabilities, Steve Lawrence, Ian Burns, Andrew Back, Ah Chung Tsoi, C Lee Giles

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A commonly encountered problem in MLP (multi-layer perceptron) classification problems is related to the prior probabilities of the individual classes - if the number of training examples that correspond to each class varies significantly between the classes, then it may be harder for the network to learn the rarer classes in some cases. Such practical experience does not match theoretical results which show that MLPs approximate Bayesian a posteriori probabilities (independent of the prior class probabilities). Our investigation of the problem shows that the difference between the theoretical and practical results lies with the assumptions made in the theory (accurate …

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The Accessing Of Geometry Schemas By High School Students, Mohan Chinnappan Jan 1998

The Accessing Of Geometry Schemas By High School Students, Mohan Chinnappan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In this study I examine the question, what is the nature of prior mathematical knowledge that facilitates the construction of useful problem representations in the domain of geometry? The quality of prior knowledge is analysed in terms ofschemas that provide a measure of the degree of organisation of prior knowledge. Problem-solving performance and schema activation of a group of high- and low-achieving students were compared. As expected, the high achievers produced more correct answers than the low achievers. More significantly, schema comparison indicated that the high achievers accessed more problem-relevant schemas than the low achievers. In a related task which …

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Investigating Hiv/Aids In Southern Africa, Catherine L. Mac Phail Jan 1998

Investigating Hiv/Aids In Southern Africa, Catherine L. Mac Phail

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Book Review Webb, D (1997) HIV and AIDS in Africa. Cape Town: David Philip. ISBN 0 86486 341 1

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Adolescents And Hiv In Developing Countries: New Research Directions, Catherine L. Mac Phail Jan 1998

Adolescents And Hiv In Developing Countries: New Research Directions, Catherine L. Mac Phail

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Adolescents are of interest in HIV/STD studies as they are a group whose behaviour places them at increased risk of HIV infection (Hein, 1992). Adolescence is a period characterised by the development and formation of sexuality, a process which frequently involves a high turn-over of sexual partners (Krahe and Reiss, 1995; Lear, 1995). Teenage experimentation with drugs and alcohol frequently leads to the adoption of high risk behaviours or engagement in unplanned episodes of casual sex (Weatherburn and Project SIGMA, 1992). In addition, adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the normative social influences of their peers (DiClemente, 1990). These influences among …

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Causality Between Exports And Economic Growth: The Empirical Evidence From Shanghai, Jordan Shan, Gary Gang Tian Jan 1998

Causality Between Exports And Economic Growth: The Empirical Evidence From Shanghai, Jordan Shan, Gary Gang Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The export-led growth hypothesis is tested using monthly time series data for Shanghai (one of the major exporting provinces in China) using the Granger no-causality procedure developed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) in a vector autoregresion (VAR) model. This paper builds on the existing literature in three distinct ways. This is the first study of the export-led growth hypothesis which employs a regional dataset (Shanghai). Second, the paper follows Riezman et al. (1996) in controlling for the growth of imports to avoid a spurious causality result; and finally, the use of the methodology by Toda and Yamamoto is expected to …

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Introduction To Benchmarking: Industrial Tourism Or A Tool For Continuuos Improvement, Lorraine Denny, Margie H. Jantti, Tracie Rice Jan 1998

Introduction To Benchmarking: Industrial Tourism Or A Tool For Continuuos Improvement, Lorraine Denny, Margie H. Jantti, Tracie Rice

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

The University of Wollongong library Acquisitions Team has established an ideal model for best practice in relation to the acquisition and provision of prescribed texts and recommended readings for library clients through benchmarking with three other Australian academic libraries. The approaches integral to our focus on texts and recommended readings were examined in detail, with opportunities for our own continuous improvement defined. Our major aim was improvement of collection relevance and development concerning acquisition of University of Wollongong curriculum texts and recommended readings through benchmarking. In practical terms this meant redesigning the texts and recommended readings process from selection to …

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The Ideall Approach To Learning Development: A Model For Fostering Improved Literacy And Learning Outcomes For Students, Jan Skillen, Margaret Merten, Neil Trivett, Alisa Percy Jan 1998

The Ideall Approach To Learning Development: A Model For Fostering Improved Literacy And Learning Outcomes For Students, Jan Skillen, Margaret Merten, Neil Trivett, Alisa Percy

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

An increasingly accepted viewpoint in tertiary education today is that the diverse student population entering university at first year level requires support with the transition process from previous education contexts to that of tertiary education. While Learning Centres were initially developed to assist that transition, the support they offered was limited: it was remedial in the sense of 'fixing-up' the students who were diagnosed (either by themselves or their lecturers) as needing 'help'; it was inequitable, assisting only a very small proportion of the students population; and it was generic in that the learning support was offered outside of the …

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Micronutrient Status Of Older Coloured South Africans, K E. Charlton, Petro Wolmarans, Marita Kruger, Demetre L. Labadarios, Ingrid Aronson, Carl J. Lombard Jan 1998

Micronutrient Status Of Older Coloured South Africans, K E. Charlton, Petro Wolmarans, Marita Kruger, Demetre L. Labadarios, Ingrid Aronson, Carl J. Lombard

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objective. To investigate the dietary intake and nutritional status of older coloured South Africans in the Cape Peninsula with regard to their micronutrient status. Design. Cross-sectional analytical study. Methods. A random sample of 200 non-institutionalised subjects in Cape Town aged ^ 65 years was drawn using a two-stage cluster design. Trained fieldworkers interviewed subjects to obtain demographic, dietary and lifestyle data, to draw fasting blood samples for biochemical, haematological, iron status and vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)), serum vitamin B12 and red blood cell folate analyses. Nutrient intake was assessed with a validated quantified food frequency questionnaire. Results. The …

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La Politique De La Defense De La Langue Francaise Et Ses Contradictions, Henri A. Jeanjean Jan 1998

La Politique De La Defense De La Langue Francaise Et Ses Contradictions, Henri A. Jeanjean

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

linguistic and cultural issues have always been at the heart of the concerns ofFrench Governments. When he was the head of French diplomacy, Alain Juppe noted:"cultural diplomacy is an essential dimension of our foreign policy, and a"in some ways, is the trademark of its uniqueness".[1] Jacques Chirac at the Summit of la Francophoniewhich was held in Cotonou in 1995, said that "the language is the expression of a people, need todo everything to preserve the language."[2] All those who, in France, in recent years have raisedthe voice to denounce the growing place of English in the fora onInternet or in …

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Travelling In The Slow Lane Of The Information Highway, Heather Yeatman, Ray Stace Dec 1997

Travelling In The Slow Lane Of The Information Highway, Heather Yeatman, Ray Stace

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

A study was undertaken of the effectiveness of incorporating e-mail contact and access to the world wide web within a graduate subject. Students were surveyed at the commencement of the subject to determine their access to and perceived competence in using computers, and at the end of the subject to elicit their views of the effectiveness of the subject materials. Strategies identified to improve student access and use of electronic media, included: very basic, hands-on tutorials; availability of and access to computers; incorporating use of electronic media into assessments; and availability of technical support. Advantages of using electronic media cited …

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In At The Deep End: Conducting Processual Research On Organisational Change, Patrick M. Dawson Dec 1997

In At The Deep End: Conducting Processual Research On Organisational Change, Patrick M. Dawson

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This article provides a series of reflections on the practice of carrying out processual research on organisational change. At a broad level, some of the main tasks associated with conducting company case studies are described and the benefits of this approach for dealing with complex change data are outlined. At a more specific level, the article addresses three main areas tied to the actual ‘doing’ of processual research. First, the notion of tacit knowledge and ‘getting your hands dirty’ by engaging in ongoing in-depth fieldwork. Second, the design and implementation of a longitudinal case study research programme. Third, the advantages …

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'Netrification': Internet Infiltration Of A University Library, Michael K. Organ Oct 1997

'Netrification': Internet Infiltration Of A University Library, Michael K. Organ

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

[Extract] The netrification of libraries across the board is obviously occurring to varying degrees, whether it be within the biggest government departmental library or the smallest school facility. However, as the current decade moves to a close, and Internet excitement waxes and wanes, the Web is almost certain to continue this process of infiltration. The jury is still out as to whether it is a case of ‘Librarians leading the way’, to quote ALIA’s Library Week slogan, or the profession being led by the technological changes. It is probably a bit of both.

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Academic Library Seating: A Survey Of Usage, With Implications For Space Utilisation, Michael K. Organ, Margie H. Jantti Sep 1997

Academic Library Seating: A Survey Of Usage, With Implications For Space Utilisation, Michael K. Organ, Margie H. Jantti

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Between June and October 1996 the University of Wollongong Library conducted a survey of patron seating usage with the aim of a) quantifying such use; and b) identifying areas where seats could be removed to accommodate the growth of the collection. The survey indicated that maximum usage of the 648 seats available for study was 66%. This supported a conservative reduction of seating numbers by 12%, resulting in minimal impact on patron usage. The removal of seats enabled the installation of additional shelving and a compactus. The findings have facilitated collection expansion for a further five year period.

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Strategy And Information Technology, Sandra Wills, P. Yetton Apr 1997

Strategy And Information Technology, Sandra Wills, P. Yetton

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Our research on twenty Australian universities charts a substantial shift in the importance of IT in teaching and administration, and in how they therefore play the strategy game.

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Uncovering Carrington, Hilary Winchester, Kevin M. Dunn, Pauline M. Mcguirk Jan 1997

Uncovering Carrington, Hilary Winchester, Kevin M. Dunn, Pauline M. Mcguirk

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The first part of this chapter examines Carrington's place within Newcastle, its separation from the rest of the city, its reputation, and its internal differentiation. The second part of this chapter considers the collective memory of Carrington as a stigmatised and dangerous industrial and maritime space with its own internal social and spatial divisions.

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Graptolite Zonation In The Late Wenlock (Early Silurian), With A New Graptolite-Brachiopod Fauna From New South Wales, R B. Rickards, Anthony J. Wright Jan 1997

Graptolite Zonation In The Late Wenlock (Early Silurian), With A New Graptolite-Brachiopod Fauna From New South Wales, R B. Rickards, Anthony J. Wright

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The Panuara Formation at Cobblers Creek near Orange, New South Wales, Australia has yielded a graptolite-brachiopod fauna assigned to the sherrardae sub-Biozone (late Wenlock: Early Silurian). The sherrardae sub-Biozone as defined here is equivalent to the praedeubeli subBiozone, and is the lowest part of the ludensis Biozone. The ludensis Biozone is reappraised following restudy of the type specimens of Monograptus ludensis, which are shown to exhibit growth stages from the deubeli to the gerhardi condition. The graptolite fauna consists of Gothograptus chainos Lenz, G. marsupium Lenz, Pristiograptus jaegeri Holland, Rickards & Warren, Pristiograptus dubius (Suess), Monograptus ludensis (Murchison), Monograptus moorsi …

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Physical Activity, Change In Blood Pressure And Predictors Of Mortality In Older South Africans - A 2-Year Follow-Up Study, Karen E. Charlton, Estelle V. Lambert, Judith Kreft Jan 1997

Physical Activity, Change In Blood Pressure And Predictors Of Mortality In Older South Africans - A 2-Year Follow-Up Study, Karen E. Charlton, Estelle V. Lambert, Judith Kreft

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objective. A 2-year follow-up study of a cohort of 200 historically disadvantaged older South Africans was conducted to: (i) characterise current levels of habitual physical activity; (ii) relate physical activity to current risk factors for chronic disease; and (iii) identify risk factors associated with 2-year mortaJity. The baseline sample, drawn in 1993, was found to have a high prevalence of hypertension (71.7%). Research design. Retrospective cohort study. Methods. A baseline sample of 200 persons aged ;:;.. 65 years, resident in the Cape Peninsula, was randomly drawn by means of a two-stage cluster design. Baseline measurements included: anthropometry, waist/hip ratio, systolic …

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The Prevalence Of Diabetes Mellitus And Associated Risk Factors In Elderly Coloured South Africans, Karen E. Charlton, Naomi S. Levitt, Carl J. Lombard Jan 1997

The Prevalence Of Diabetes Mellitus And Associated Risk Factors In Elderly Coloured South Africans, Karen E. Charlton, Naomi S. Levitt, Carl J. Lombard

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Objective. To determine the prevalence of diabetes and its associated risk factors in elderly coloured South Africans. Research design. Cross-sectional analytical study. Methods. A random sample of 200 non-institutionalised coloured (mixed ancestry) subjects aged 65 years of age, resident in urban Cape Town, was drawn by means of a two-stage cluster design. The survey procedure included an oral glucose tolerance test, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity and alcohol intake assessments. Results. The prevalence of diabetes was 28.7% (95% Cl 21.7 - 35.7%), 25.7% in men and 30.3% in women. The prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance was 15% (95% Cl 9.2 …

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A Sociology Of Educating, Roland Meighan, Iram Siraj-Blatchford Jan 1997

A Sociology Of Educating, Roland Meighan, Iram Siraj-Blatchford

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Since it was first published in 1981, Sociology of Educating has become a firmly established text in its field. This third edition retains much of the structure and content of its predecessors, whilst benefiting from significant changes which take account of educational issues that have arisen and developed in recent years. The text covers a wide range of topics clearly, and in depth. They include further education, home-based teaching, educational research, and grading and examining. In line with current thinking, this edition places increased emphasis on educating outside and beyond the school, and pre-school. Every chapter ends with 'signposts' which …

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De Filtration To Remove Cryptosporidium, Jerry E. Ongerth, Primrose E. Hutton Jan 1997

De Filtration To Remove Cryptosporidium, Jerry E. Ongerth, Primrose E. Hutton

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Laboratory-scale testing investigated the degree of Cryptosporidium oocyst reduction provided by diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration. Three grades of DE from two manufacturers were used in the tests. Reduction was measured using seeded river water applied to Walton test filters. Tests were run for filtration rates of 1 and 2 gpm/sq ft (2.4 and 4.9 m/h). Each run was replicated three times, and quality control was rigorous. Approximately 6 logs of reduction in the concentration of Cryptosporidium oocysts can be expected under routine operating conditions using DE grades having permeability of <1.2 Darcy. Log reductions varied predictably according to the permeability of the DE grade and the filtration rate; they were significantly higher at the higher filtration rate. Agreement was excellent between runs, enabling researchers to distinguish with consistent statistical significance the differences in performance.

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Risk Assessment Of Sloping Land Using Gis-Based Mapping, Phil N. Flentje, Robin N. Chowdhury Jan 1997

Risk Assessment Of Sloping Land Using Gis-Based Mapping, Phil N. Flentje, Robin N. Chowdhury

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this paper, attention is drawn to GIS-based techniques for mapping and risk assessment for slopes and landslides. The authors focus on an approach developed recently for mapping of geology and slope stability in the Northern Illawarra (or the Northern Suburbs of Greater Wollongong Area) in New South Wales, Australia. The use of databases of geology and land instability and use of other GIS-based information relevant to sloping land for the development of a valid hazard and risk assessment procedure is explored. The developed approach will be applicable to other sloping areas and, in particular, urban areas both nationally and …

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The Impact Of Ios-Enabled Business Process Change On Business Outcomes: Transformation Of The Value Chain Of Japan Airlines, Akemi Chatfield, Niels Bjorn-Andersen Jan 1997

The Impact Of Ios-Enabled Business Process Change On Business Outcomes: Transformation Of The Value Chain Of Japan Airlines, Akemi Chatfield, Niels Bjorn-Andersen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

We present a framework for evaluating the impact of IT-enabled radical process change on business outcomes at Japan Airlines. The framework presents a systemic view of factors that are shown to impact the firm's business outcomes. The framework identifies salient global environmental factors and business challenges the firm faces, strategic responses it makes, and management methodologies and strategic IT systems adopted to enable the firm's changes in business processes. We then discuss the radical transformation of the traditional keiretsu-based value chain at Japan Airlines, the world's third largest airline company. We apply the framework to evaluate the impact of the …

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The Contested Domain Of Pastoralism: Landscape, Work And Outsiders In Central Australia , N. J. Gill Jan 1997

The Contested Domain Of Pastoralism: Landscape, Work And Outsiders In Central Australia , N. J. Gill

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Extensive cattle grazing has long been the dominant land use in Central Australian rangelands. Today, however, the pastoral landscape is increasingly fractured and contested by indigenous and environmentalist claims on land. Pastoralists in Central Australia are responding to environmentalist claims by reasserting territory. Territory is being constructed with reference to to particular forms of social nature and social space. Identities of insider and outsider have developed. These identities commonly correspond to pastoralists and others, such as conservationists and government, but the place specific nature of pastoralists' environmental knowledge has the potential to render pastoralists as outsiders as well. Moreover, as …

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Quality Assessment - Combating Complacency, Felicity Mcgregor Jan 1997

Quality Assessment - Combating Complacency, Felicity Mcgregor

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

Quality management was formally adopted by the University of Wollongong Library in 1994 as a management framework compatible with established values and previous change programs. Despite considerable goal accomplishment in recent years, new strategies were needed to continue to build on strengths, and to assimilate continuous review and improvement as a means of managing future change. Application for the Achievement in Business Excellence Award was selected as an indicator to measure progress towards the goal: Incorporation of Total Quality Management principles into all aspects of Library management. The process is quite rigorous and the commitment of leaders and staff at …

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Chronology Of Holocene Tsunamis On The Southeastern Coast Of Australia, R. W. Young, Edward A. Bryant, David M. Price, S. Y. Dilek, D. J. Wheeler Jan 1997

Chronology Of Holocene Tsunamis On The Southeastern Coast Of Australia, R. W. Young, Edward A. Bryant, David M. Price, S. Y. Dilek, D. J. Wheeler

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Recent research has revealed much geomorphological evidence for major tsunamis on the southeastern coast of Australia prior to British settlement in 1788. This discovery is important because this tectonically very stable coast was believed to be safe from the hazard of tsunamis because no major tsunami has occurred here in the last 200 years. But high level marine deposits of Holocene age along the coast south of Sydney show that tsunamis ran up to heights of >30 m, and at one site to heights probably >100 m. Developing a chronology for these catastrophic events is of great importance to the …

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Practising Nursing Therapeutically Through Acting As A Skilled Companion On The Illness Journey, Alan Pearson, Sally Borbasi, Ken Walsh Jan 1997

Practising Nursing Therapeutically Through Acting As A Skilled Companion On The Illness Journey, Alan Pearson, Sally Borbasi, Ken Walsh

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article explores nursing's heritage as a healing, therapeutic activity. It examines the central characteristics of nursing as skilled companionship and links them with the foundational core of nursing-a therapeutic relationship based on an understanding of the illness experience. In addition, it discusses the role of literature and performance in developing knowledge to advance nursing as a therapeutic activity.

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The School Improvement Project Of The Aga Khan Education Service, Uganda, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Matthew Odada, Martin Omagor Jan 1997

The School Improvement Project Of The Aga Khan Education Service, Uganda, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Matthew Odada, Martin Omagor

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This evaluative study looks at the Kampala (Uganda) Schools' Improvement Project (SIP) . The purpose of the project, which lasted from 1994 to 1997, was to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Kampala primary schools by promoting and then institutionalizing the adoption of child-centered teaching methods and resources in project schools. Project strategies involved training teachers in workshop settings, providing instructional materials to support learning, and providing on-the-job training and follow-up support for teachers. Key questions of this project evaluation were: (1) how well did SIP activities lead to achievement of the objectives? (2) what were the strengths …

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