Construção das capacidades organizacionais de tecnologia da informação no contexto dos sistemas institucionais integrados de gestão da UFRN

The IT capability is a organizational ability to perform activities of this role more effectively and an important mechanism in creating value. Its building process (stages of creation and development) occurs through management initiatives for improvement in the performance of their activities, using human resources and IT assets complementary responsible for the evolution of their organizational routines. This research deals with the IT capabilities related to SIG (integrated institutional management systems), built and deployed in UFRN (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte) to realization and control of administrative, academic and human resources activities. Since 2009, through cooperative agreements with federal and educational institutions of direct administration, UFRN has supported the implementation of these systems, currently involving more than 30 institutions. The present study aims to understand how IT capabilities, relevant in the design, implementation and dissemination of SIG, were built over time. This is a single case study of qualitative and longitudinal nature, performed by capturing, coding and analysis from secondary data and from semi-structured interviews conducted primarily with members of Superintenência de Informática, organizational unit responsible for SIG systems in UFRN. As a result, the technical, of internal relationship and external cooperation capabilities were identified as relevant in the successful trajectory of SIG systems, which have evolved in different ways. The technical capacity, initiated in 2004, toured the stages of creation and development until it reached the stage of stability in 2013, due to technological limits. Regarding the internal relationship capability, begun in 2006, it toured the stages of creation and development, having extended its scope of activities in 2009, being in development since then. Unlike the standard life cycle observed in the literature, the external cooperation capability was initiated by an intensity of initiatives and developments in the routines in 2009, which were decreasing to cease in 2013 in order to stabilize the technological infrastructure already created for cooperative institutions. It was still identified the start of cooperation in 2009 as an important event selection, responsible for changing or creating trajectories of evolution in all three capacities. The most frequent improvements initiatives were of organizational nature and the internal planning activity has been transformed over the routines of the three capabilities. Important resources and complementary assets have been identified as important for the realization of initiatives, such as human resources technical knowledge to the technical capabilities and external cooperation, and business knowledge, for all of them, as well as IT assets: the iproject application for control of development processes, and the document repository wiki. All these resources and complementary assets grew along the capacities, demonstrating its strategic value to SINFO/UFRN

Cultivating Collaborative Relationships: A Case Study of Teacher Collaboration and Professional Development

Students often receive instruction from specialists, professionals other than their general educators, such as special educators, reading specialists, and ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine how general educators and specialists develop collaborative relationships over time within the context of receiving professional development. While collaboration is considered essential to increasing student achievement, improving teachers’ practice, and creating comprehensive school reform, collaborative partnerships take time to develop and require multiple sources of support. Additionally, both practitioners and researchers often conflate collaboration with structural reforms such as co-teaching. This study used a retrospective single case study with a grounded theory approach to analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with thirteen teachers and an administrator after three workshops were conducted throughout the school year. The theory, Cultivating Interprofessional Collaboration, describes how interprofessional relationships grow as teachers engage in a cycle of learning, constructing partnership, and reflecting. As relationships deepen some partners experience a seamless dimension to their work. A variety of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and external factors work in concert to promote this growth, which is strengthened through professional development. In this theory, professional development provides a common ground for strengthening relationships, knowledge about the collaborative process, and a reflective space to create new collaborative practices. Effective collaborative practice can lead to aligned instruction and teachers’ own professional growth. This study has implications for school interventions, professional development, and future research on collaboration in schools.

Resilience and the cultural landscape : the case of the Lower Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina

Le but de cette recherche est d’évaluer l’importance du paysage culturel dans la résilience des communautés urbaines post-catastrophes. Ce travail se concentre sur le quartier du Lower Ninth Ward dans la ville de La Nouvelle-Orléans (États-Unis) après le passage de l’ouragan Katrina en 2005. Les catastrophes naturelles prennent une envergure et causent des dommages considérables lorsqu’elles touchent des villes. La reconstruction post -désastre est donc très dispendieuse pour les villes et les gouvernements, d’autant que certaines régions sont dévastées au point qu’elles doivent être reconstruites au complet. Cependant, le coût le plus lourd à assumer reste celui en vies humaines et si rebâtir les éléments concrets d’une ville est une tâche difficile à entreprendre, reconstruire une communauté est considérablement plus complexe. Dans le but de comprendre une telle démarche, cette recherche se concentre sur les éléments intangibles, comme l’attachement au lieu et les réseaux sociaux, dont une communauté a besoin pour se reconstituer de façon durable et résiliente. Le concept de résilience est très contesté dans la littérature et plusieurs chercheurs se sont essayés à le mesurer. Cette recherche adopte une perspective critique sur le concept et le revisite d’un point de vue holistique pour mettre en lumière sa complexité. Cette démarche permet de remettre en question l’importance de mesurer un concept finalement en perpétuelle redéfinition dans le temps et selon les échelles géographiques. De plus, en établissant une relation entre résilience et paysage culturel, il a été possible de mieux comprendre la complexité de la résilience. Touchant à plusieurs disciplines (architecture de paysage, urbanisme et sociologie), cette recherche utilise une méthodologie qui reflète son aspect multidisciplinaire : les méthodes mixtes. Ces dernières permettent la collecte de données quantitatives et qualitatives qui produisent une vue globale de la situation post-Katrina à travers le regroupement de recensions statistiques, d’observations de terrain et d’articles de journaux. Parallèlement, des entretiens ont été réalisés avec des résidents du quartier ainsi qu’avec des professionnels pour mieux comprendre les différents points de vue. Cette méthodologie a permis de produire des résultats au niveau du cas d’étude autant qu’au niveau théorique. La recherche valide l’importance de prendre en compte le paysage culturel dans les situations post-catastrophes, (en particulier) dans la mesure où il s’agit d’un élément souvent négligé par les urbanistes et les acteurs locaux. En effet, les éléments constitutifs du paysage culturel tels que l’attachement au lieu et les réseaux sociaux, participent d’un sentiment d'appartenance (« home ») et d’une volonté, pour les résidents, de reconstruire leurs habitations, leur communauté ainsi que leur quartier. Toutefois, il faut reconnaître que ces éléments ne suffisent pas à retrouver ce qu’ils ont perdu. Ainsi, l’étude du paysage culturel permet non seulement de mieux comprendre la complexité de la résilience, mais démontre également que cette dernière est une construction sociale.

Um estudo de caso sobre as organizações que aprendem

Perante a actual envolvente, as organizações, para se tornarem competitivas, necessitam de recorrer a procedimentos, técnicas e instrumentos de gestão que assentem num processo de aprendizagem contínua. O objectivo deste artigo é, precisamente, conhecer e compreender melhor os procedimentos e mecanismos que a uma organização deve adoptar para se direccionar para o novo paradigma de gestão – as organizações que aprendem. Neste estudo propõe-se um modelo conceptual da “organização que aprende”, que assenta em quatro dimensões: (1) Cultura Organizacional, (2) Desenho Organizacional, (3) Partilha de Informação e (4) Liderança. Para validar este modelo, foi adoptada uma abordagem de investigação qualitativa que se aproximou de uma investigação-acção. Para o estudo, foi seleccionado um único caso – empresa YDream – e como métodos de recolha de dados adoptou-se: entrevistas, observação participante e análise documental. Neste estudo concluiu-se que uma organização, para alcançar o novo paradigma – organização que aprende, necessita de introduzir mudanças na sua política de gestão. A própria liderança deve entender e concordar colectivamente com a lógica de reestruturação organizacional proposta e que este novo desenho e cultura organizacional, bem como todas as implicações que possam advir, sejam explicadas e partilhadas claramente à totalidade dos colaboradores que fazem parte da organização. Para futuras investigações, nesta área do conhecimento sugere-se a realização de outros casos de estudo adoptando, em maior nível de profundidade, a metodologia investigação-acção. Trata-se de uma modalidade de investigação cujo objectivo é promover a mudança, invocada aqui, no campo organizacional.

Um estudo de caso sobre as organizações que aprendem

Perante a actual envolvente, as organizações, para se tornarem competitivas, necessitam de recorrer a procedimentos, técnicas e instrumentos de gestão que assentem num processo de aprendizagem contínua. O objectivo deste artigo é, precisamente, conhecer e compreender melhor os procedimentos e mecanismos que a uma organização deve adoptar para se direccionar para o novo paradigma de gestão – as organizações que aprendem. Neste estudo propõe-se um modelo conceptual da “organização que aprende”, que assenta em quatro dimensões: (1) Cultura Organizacional, (2) Desenho Organizacional, (3) Partilha de Informação e (4) Liderança. Para validar este modelo, foi adoptada uma abordagem de investigação qualitativa que se aproximou de uma investigação-acção. Para o estudo, foi seleccionado um único caso – empresa YDream – e como métodos de recolha de dados adoptou-se: entrevistas, observação participante e análise documental. Neste estudo concluiu-se que uma organização, para alcançar o novo paradigma – organização que aprende, necessita de introduzir mudanças na sua política de gestão. A própria liderança deve entender e concordar colectivamente com a lógica de reestruturação organizacional proposta e que este novo desenho e cultura organizacional, bem como todas as implicações que possam advir, sejam explicadas e partilhadas claramente à totalidade dos colaboradores que fazem parte da organização. Para futuras investigações, nesta área do conhecimento sugere-se a realização de outros casos de estudo adoptando, em maior nível de profundidade, a metodologia investigação-acção. Trata-se de uma modalidade de investigação cujo objectivo é promover a mudança, invocada aqui, no campo organizacional.

Design of evacuation plans for densely urbanised city centres

The high population density and tightly packed nature of some city centres make emergency planning for these urban spaces especially important, given the potential for human loss in case of disaster. Historic and recent events have made emergency service planners particularly conscious of the need for preparing evacuation plans in advance. This paper discusses a methodological approach for assisting decision-makers in designing urban evacuation plans. The approach aims at quickly and safely moving the population away from the danger zone into shelters. The plans include determining the number and location of rescue facilities, as well as the paths that people should take from their building to their assigned shelter in case of an occurrence requiring evacuation. The approach is thus of the location–allocation–routing type, through the existing streets network, and takes into account the trade-offs among different aspects of evacuation actions that inevitably come up during the planning stage. All the steps of the procedure are discussed and systematised, along with computational and practical implementation issues, in the context of a case study – the design of evacuation plans for the historical centre of an old European city.

INCORPORATING STIMULATING QUICK-WRITE PROMPTS WITHIN A SECONDARY SCIENCE CLASSROOM: A CASE STUDY IN LESOTHO

The use of intriguing open-ended quick-write prompts within the Basotho science classroom could potentially provide a way for secondary teachers in Lesotho to have a time-efficient alternative to stimulate student thinking and increase critical thinking or application of scientific principles. Writing can be used as a powerful means to improve the achievement of students across many subject areas, including the sciences (Moore, 1993; Rivard, 1994; Rillero, Zambo, Cleland, and Ryan, 1996; Greenstein, 2013). This study focuses on the use of a non-traditional nor extensively studied writing method that could potentially support learning in science. A quasi-experimental research design, with a control and experimental group, was applied. The study was conducted at two schools, with one experimental classroom in one school and a second control group classroom in the second school for a period of 4 weeks. 51 Form B (US Grade 9 equivalent) students participated as the experimental group and 43 Form B students as the control group. In an effort to assess learning achievement, a 1 hour (35 mark) pre-test evaluation was made by and given to students by Basotho teachers at the beginning of this study to have an idea of student’s previous knowledge. Topics covered were Static Electricity, Current Electricity, Electromagnetic Waves, and Chemistry of Water. After the experimental trial period, an almost completely identical post-test evaluation was given to students in the same fashion to observe and compare gains in achievement. Test data was analyzed using an inferential statistics procedure that compared means and gains in knowledge made by the experimental and control groups. Difference between the gains of mean pre-test and post-test scores were statistically significant within each group, but were not statistically significant when the control and experimental groups were compared. Therefore, there was no clear practical effect. Qualitative data from teachers’ journals and students’ written feedback provides insight on the assessments, incorporation of the teaching method, and the development of participating students. Both mid and post-study student feedback shows that students had an overall positive and beneficial experience participating in this activity. Assessments and teacher journals showed areas of strength and weaknesses in student learning and on differences in teaching styles. They also helped support some feedback claims made by students. Areas of further research and improvement of the incorporation of this teaching method in the Basotho secondary science classroom are explored.

UNDERSTANDING ESSAY RATING AS A SOCIALLY MEDIATED ACTIVITY: THE CASE OF A HIGH-STAKES ENGLISH TEST IN CHINA

Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-22 22:05:24.246

Average-case analysis of power consumption in embedded systems

Power efficiency is one of the most important constraints in the design of embedded systems since such systems are generally driven by batteries with limited energy budget or restricted power supply. In every embedded system, there are one or more processor cores to run the software and interact with the other hardware components of the system. The power consumption of the processor core(s) has an important impact on the total power dissipated in the system. Hence, the processor power optimization is crucial in satisfying the power consumption constraints, and developing low-power embedded systems. A key aspect of research in processor power optimization and management is “power estimation”. Having a fast and accurate method for processor power estimation at design time helps the designer to explore a large space of design possibilities, to make the optimal choices for developing a power efficient processor. Likewise, understanding the processor power dissipation behaviour of a specific software/application is the key for choosing appropriate algorithms in order to write power efficient software. Simulation-based methods for measuring the processor power achieve very high accuracy, but are available only late in the design process, and are often quite slow. Therefore, the need has arisen for faster, higher-level power prediction methods that allow the system designer to explore many alternatives for developing powerefficient hardware and software. The aim of this thesis is to present fast and high-level power models for the prediction of processor power consumption. Power predictability in this work is achieved in two ways: first, using a design method to develop power predictable circuits; second, analysing the power of the functions in the code which repeat during execution, then building the power model based on average number of repetitions. In the first case, a design method called Asynchronous Charge Sharing Logic (ACSL) is used to implement the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for the 8051 microcontroller. The ACSL circuits are power predictable due to the independency of their power consumption to the input data. Based on this property, a fast prediction method is presented to estimate the power of ALU by analysing the software program, and extracting the number of ALU-related instructions. This method achieves less than 1% error in power estimation and more than 100 times speedup in comparison to conventional simulation-based methods. In the second case, an average-case processor energy model is developed for the Insertion sort algorithm based on the number of comparisons that take place in the execution of the algorithm. The average number of comparisons is calculated using a high level methodology called MOdular Quantitative Analysis (MOQA). The parameters of the energy model are measured for the LEON3 processor core, but the model is general and can be used for any processor. The model has been validated through the power measurement experiments, and offers high accuracy and orders of magnitude speedup over the simulation-based method.

Une comparaison des journaux non structurés et des journaux structurés rédigés par les étudiants en hygiène dentaire

The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA) has indicated that there is a need for research in education in the field of dental hygiene. It seems that when compared to the nursing profession, the profession of dental hygiene is only in the earliest stages of investigating ways of teaching critical thinking. The faculty of the dental hygiene program at John Abbott College has always valued the skill of self-assessment in the students, yet there are few specific learning activities provided whereby the students can learn how to perfect and work on this invaluable skill of self-reflection in order to better self-assess. Although self-assessment is required of the students upon the completion of each clinical experience in Clinic 1, 2 and 3, a modest amount of clinical time is allotted to reflect upon this most important skill. It appears that more could be done to prepare our students to assess their learning and clinical practice. Self-reflection as an essential element of practice has a valid place in professional education. The purpose of conducting this study was to find out whether unstructured or structured self-reflective journal writing is a sound pedagogical technique to encourage dental hygiene students’ self-assessment through self-reflection. The research design for the project was a single case study. The paradigm for the study was chosen with a purposeful selection of participants, involving twenty-seven, third-year dental hygiene students at John Abbott College. The students were arbitrarily enrolled in two sections, which for the purpose of this study were referred to as Group A and Group B. Three duplicated coded anonymous journal entries from each student were collected over a ten-week period during the Fall 2009 semester. To examine the students’ level of self-reflection, two methods were used. First a content analysis of reflective journals was used to ascertain the level and substance of the reflections from their clinical experiences with the intent of looking more specifically at the students’ self-assessment. The journal entries were coded and analyzed after the grades were submitted at the end of the school term. This was followed by the distribution of an anonymous questionnaire to the students in both sections. The responses of the questionnaire were tabulated and analyzed. An analysis was done on the data collected in order to determine whether age, education and or mother tongue of the students in both Groups A and B had an influence on their perceptions of journal writing, as well as the student’s opinions about the value of journal writing. This questionnaire included two open-ended questions to assist in gathering additional data on the student’s thoughts on writing journals. A content analysis of the qualitative data collected from the open-ended questions in the questionnaire was also analyzed. Results indicated there were very few differences in the level of self-reflection leading to self-assessment. However, students in Group B who were assigned structured journals showed more evidence of deeper learning. Taken as a whole, the journal entries clearly showed the students were involved in ‘reflection-on-action’ of their clinical experiences (Schon 1987, as cited in Asadoorian & Batty, 2005). The quality of the responses for the most part indicated the students took the time and effort to record their perceptions of their clinical experiences. It is important to note that the results do indicate that students did show a need to self-reflect and assess. The students did in fact validate the importance of reflection through journal writing, even though they did not particularly like it as an added assignment. The journals were found to be very helpful to the research in getting to know what the issues were that held the students’ attention. They explained how and to what extent the students developed relationships with their clients. It was obvious that clinicians have an impact and influence on student learning. The students value the help, role modeling, patience, encouraging words and or gestures, positive reinforcement, and understanding provided by their clinicians. This research provides some evidence that students do believe that self-reflection through structured journal writing helped them better prepare for future clinical sessions with their clients. Our goal as educators should be to encourage dental hygiene students to self-assess through written self-reflection as an established practice for deeper learning.

Urban Identity and tourism:different looks, one single place

‘Urban identity’ is high on the policy agenda and pervades the discourse of the planning community on the value of historical city centres. Unfortunately, there seems to be, until today, no proposal in scholarly literature of any unified conceptual framework or any tools to make identity operational. ‘Tourism’ takes advantage of this process, by seeking the qualities of the place, its authenticity and its perceived uniqueness that is grounded on the physical features as well as on the presence of local communities – their way of living and investing in the place. The interdependence between identity as perceived by tourists (external observer) and the identity of the residents rooted in the relationship with the place (in-group) are key to addressing the identity of historic urban areas. These issues are addressed in the context of the growing attractiveness of Lisbon, Portugal, using a historic neighbourhood as a case study. The findings, which are on a set of interviews with different groups of users, showed the points of convergence and divergence between the different groups’ views of the neighbourhood’s identity. This actor-oriented approach is pivotal to understanding the process and to produce knowledge for informed action.

Management Perspectives on Industrial Heritage: an Exploratory Research

The current research project focuses on the analysis of the critical issues of industrial heritage management in Italy and the preservation of organizational history within the reuse projects of former industrial sites. The organizational and managerial perspective is crucial on two levels. Firstly, it is important in the analysis of the original significance of the site, and in particular its organizational history, and its conservation within the new regeneration strategy. Secondly, it is crucial at the phase of management of reuse projects and its feasibility and sustainability analysis. Based on the analysis of the literature, a unique classification of the reuse strategies that can be implemented in order to regenerate former industrial sites has been formulated. The exploratory research thus adapts a multiple case study design. Eight Italian case studies have been chosen, one for each type of regeneration strategy. Each case study is explored as a stand-alone entity through the analysis of the local differences and idiosyncrasies of the specific context, the factors that stood behind the choice of the reuse strategy and the way the reuse project evolved through the years. Then, the current management of each reuse project is analysed. The narration and musealization of the organizational history is investigated through the spatial dimension, the level of content and the level of expression. Secondly, the case studies are compared through a cross-case analysis from three different perspectives: issues on the phase of preparation and implementation of the reuse projects, critical issues behind the current management of new projects and issues on the ways of preservation and narration of organizational history within the new project. The research shows that all regeneration strategies are affected by the conflict between preservation and change, by the issue of materiality and selectivity.

Exercise of essential competencies for midwifery care by nurses in Sao Paulo, Brazil

General objective: to analyse the exercise of essential competencies for midwifery care by nurses and/or midwives in the public health system of Sao Paulo (eastern zone), Brazil. Specific objectives: to develop a profile of the public health institutions and of the nurses and/or midwives who care for women before, during and following child birth; to identify the activities performed in providing such care, as well as their frequency; and to specify the possible obstacles or difficulties encountered by them when exercising their competencies. Design: a descriptive and exploratory research design , using a quantitative approach. Setting: the study was conducted in all public health services of Sao Paulo (eastern zone), Brazil, namely 59 basic health-care units and six hospitals, during the period of October 2006-December 2007. Participants: the study population consisted of 272 nurses and/or midwives who provide care for pregnant women and newborns at the primary health-care units and maternity hospitals of the public health system. Participants comprised 100% of hospital nurse coordinators (n = 6), 61% of hospital maternity nursing and/or midwifery staff (n = 62) and 64% (n = 204) of nursing and/or midwifery staff working at primary health-care units. Methods and findings: the data collection was based on a single form given to the coordinators and two questionnaires, one handed out to antenatal and postnatal nursing and/or midwifery staff and another handed out to labour and birth nursing and/or midwifery staff. The results showed that nurses and/or midwives providing care for women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period did not put the essential competencies for midwifery care into practice, because they encountered institutional barriers and personal resistance, and lacked protocols based on best practice and on the exercise of essential competencies needed for effective midwifery care. Key conclusions: the model of care in the public health services of Sao Paulo (eastern zone) is based much more on hierarchical positions than on professional competencies or on there commendations of the scientific community. As a result, health authorities need to review their midwifery policies to improve maternal-infant care by nurses and/or midwives in order to ensure the implementation of best midwifery practice. Practical implications: the results of this study support actions to improve the quality of care delivered to women and their families, while integrating nursing and midwifery care in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting health in families of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

This paper presents a study of families of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, emphasizing the identification of social supports and networks to strengthen interventions aimed at health promotion. The approach selected was a qualitative research, using a case study design. Four families of children with diabetes type 1 were studied, totalling seven participants. Data were collected between April and June 2007, through in-depth interviews and the construction of a genogram and an ecomap. The results presented the families` characterization and testimonies grouped in the following categories: social support, social networks and family roles. To promote care in practice, there is a need to identify the characteristics of each family and resources available that provide better living conditions. We concluded that identifying supports and social networks allows for more personalized care delivery to each family with a view to health promotion.

Optimal synthesis of Fenton reactor networks for phenol degradation

There is an increasing need to treat effluents contaminated with phenol with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to minimize their impact on the environment as well as on bacteriological populations of other wastewater treatment systems. One of the most promising AOPs is the Fenton process that relies on the Fenton reaction. Nevertheless, there are no systematic studies on Fenton reactor networks. The objective of this paper is to develop a strategy for the optimal synthesis of Fenton reactor networks. The strategy is based on a superstructure optimization approach that is represented as a mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model. Network superstructures with multiple Fenton reactors are optimized with the objective of minimizing the sum of capital, operation and depreciation costs of the effluent treatment system. The optimal solutions obtained provide the reactor volumes and network configuration, as well as the quantities of the reactants used in the Fenton process. Examples based on a case study show that multi-reactor networks yield decrease of up to 45% in overall costs for the treatment plant. (C) 2010 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.