Exploring the experiences and conceptions of good teaching in higher education : Development of a questionnaire for assessing students' approaches to learning and experiences of the teaching-learning environment

The aim of this dissertation was to adapt a questionnaire for assessing students’ approaches to learning and their experiences of the teaching-learning environment. The aim was to explore the validity of the modified Experiences of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (ETLQ) by examining how the instruments measure the underlying dimensions of student experiences and their learning. The focus was on the relation between students’ experiences of their teaching-learning environment and their approaches to learning. Moreover, the relation between students’ experiences and students’ and teachers’ conceptions of good teaching was examined. In Study I the focus was on the use of the ETLQ in two different contexts: Finnish and British. The study aimed to explore the similarities and differences between the factor structures that emerged from both data sets. The results showed that the factor structures concerning students’ experiences of their teaching-learning environment and their approaches to learning were highly similar in the two contexts. Study I also examined how students’ experiences of the teaching-learning environment are related to their approaches to learning in the two contexts. The results showed that students’ positive experiences of their teaching-learning environment were positively related to their deep approach to learning and negatively to the surface approach to learning in both the Finnish and British data sets. This result was replicated in Study II, which examined the relation between approaches to learning and experiences of the teaching-learning environment on a group level. Furthermore, Study II aimed to explore students’ approaches to learning and their experiences of the teaching-learning environment in different disciplines. The results showed that the deep approach to learning was more common in the soft sciences than in the hard sciences. In Study III, students’ conceptions of good teaching were explored by using qualitative methods, more precisely, by open-ended questions. The aim was to examine students’ conceptions, disciplinary differences and their relation to students’ approaches to learning. The focus was on three disciplines, which differed in terms of students’ experiences of their teaching-learning environment. The results showed that students’ conceptions of good teaching were in line with the theory of good teaching and there were disciplinary differences in their conceptions. Study IV examined university teachers’ conceptions of good teaching, which corresponded to the learning-focused approach to teaching. Furthermore, another aim in this doctoral dissertation was to compare the students’ and teachers’ conceptions of good teaching, the results of which showed that these conceptions appear to have similarities. The four studies indicated that the ETLQ appears to be a sufficiently robust measurement instrument in different contexts. Moreover, its strength is its ability to be at the same time a valid research instrument and a practical tool for enhancing the quality of students’ learning. In addition, the four studies emphasise that in order to enhance teaching and learning in higher education, various perspectives have to be taken into account. This study sheds light on the interaction between students’ approaches to learning, their conceptions of good teaching, their experiences of the teaching-learning environment, and finally, the disciplinary culture.

Managing teams: Comparing organizational and sport psychological approaches to teamwork

This paper examines how teams and teamwork research have been conceptualised in the fields of sport psychology and organizational psychology. Specifically, it provides a close inspection of the general theoretical assumptions that inhere in the two disciplines. The results of a discursive analysis of research literature suggest that the fields have significantly different ways of conceptualising teams and teamwork and that conceptual borrowing may prove fruitful. A key argument is however, that in order for meaningful cross-fertilisation to take place a sound understanding of these differences is necessary. Working from this premise, the essential differences between sport and organizational approaches to teams are outlined. The paper is concluded with a discussion of contributions that organizational psychology can make to understandings of sport-oriented teams.

Global and EU governance for sustainable forest management with special reference to capacity building in Ethiopia and Southern Sudan

The purpose of this study was to produce information on and practical recommendations for informed decision-making on and capacity building for sustainable forest management (SFM) and good forest governance. This was done within the overall global framework for sustainable development with special emphasis on the EU and African frameworks and on Southern Sudan and Ethiopia in particular. The case studies on Southern Sudan and Ethiopia focused on local, national and regional issues. Moreover, this study attempted to provide both theoretical and practical new insight. The aim was to build an overall theoretical framework and to study its key contents and main implications for SFM and good forest governance at all administration levels, for providing new tools for capacity building in natural resources management. The theoretical framework and research approach were based on the original research problem and the general and specific aims of the study. The key elements of the framework encompass sustainable development, global and EU governance, sustainable forest management (SFM), good forest governance, as well as international and EU law. The selected research approach comprised matrix-based assessment of international, regional (EU and Africa) and national (Southern Sudan and Ethiopia) policy and legal documents. The specific case study on Southern Sudan also involved interviews and group discussions with local community members and government officials. As a whole, this study attempted to link the global, regional, national and local levels in forest-sector development and especially to analyse how the international policy development in environmental and forestry issues is reflected in field-level progress towards SFM and good forest governance, for the specific cases of Southern Sudan and Ethiopia. The results on Southern Sudan focused on the existing situation and perceived needs in capacity building for SFM and good forest governance at all administration levels. Specifically, the results of the case study on Southern Sudan presented the current situation in selected villages in the northern parts of Renk County in Upper Nile State, and the implications of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and of the new forest policy framework for capacity building actions. The results on Ethiopia focused on training, extension, research, education and new curriculum development within higher education institutions and particularly at the Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources (WGCF-NR), which administratively lies under Hawassa University. The results suggest that, for both cases studies, informed decision-making on and capacity building for SFM and good forest governance require comprehensive, long-term, cross-sectoral, coherent and consistent approaches within the dynamic and evolving overall global framework, including its multiple inter-linked levels. The specific priority development and focus areas comprised the establishment of SFM and good forest governance in accordance with the overall sustainable development priorities and with more focus on the international trade in forest products that are derived from sustainable and legal sources with an emphasis on effective forest law enforcement and governance at all levels. In Upper Nile State in Southern Sudan there were positive development signals such as the will of the local people to plant more multipurpose trees on farmlands and range lands as well as the recognition of the importance of forests and trees for sustainable rural development where food security is a key element. In addition, it was evident that the local communities studied in Southern Sudan also wanted to establish good governance systems through partnerships with all actors and through increased local responsibilities. The results also suggest that the implementation of MEAs at the local level in Southern Sudan requires mutually supportive and coherent approaches within the agreements as well as significantly more resources and financial and technical assistance for capacity building, training and extension. Finally, the findings confirm the importance of full utilization of the existing local governance and management systems and their traditional and customary knowledge and practices, and of new development partnerships with full participation of all stakeholders. The planned new forest law for Southern Sudan, based on an already existing new forest policy, is expected to recognize the roles of local-level actors, and it would thus obviously facilitate the achieving of sustainable forest management.

Approaches and frameworks for management and research in small-scale fisheries in the developing world

Commonly adopted approaches to managing small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in developing countries do not ensure sustainability. Progress is impeded by a gap between innovative SSF research and slower-moving SSF management. The paper aims to bridge the gap by showing that the three primary bases of SSF management--ecosystem, stakeholders’ rights and resilience--are mutually consistent and complementary. It nominates the ecosystem approach as an appropriate starting point because it is established in national and international law and policy. Within this approach, the emerging resilience perspective and associated concepts of adaptive management and institutional learning can move management beyond traditional control and resource-use optimization, which largely ignore the different expectations of stakeholders; the complexity of ecosystem dynamics; and how ecological, social, political and economic subsystems are linked. Integrating a rights-based perspective helps balance the ecological bias of ecosystem-based and resilience approaches. The paper introduces three management implementation frameworks that can lend structure and order to research and management regardless of the management approach chosen. Finally, it outlines possible research approaches to overcome the heretofore limited capacity of fishery research to integrate across ecological, social and economic dimensions and so better serve the management objective of avoiding fishery failure by nurturing and preserving the ecological, social and institutional attributes that enable it to renew and reorganize itself. (PDF contains 29 pages)

Marine spatial planning approaches at the state level: Similarities and differences between MSP efforts across the country

Competing uses, sensitive and valuable marine resources, and overlapping jurisdictions complicate management decision making in the marine environment. States are developing marine spatial planning capacity to help make better decisions, particularly as demand for ocean space and resources is growing because of emerging human uses (renewable energy, aquaculture) and traditional human uses (commercial fishing, commerce). This paper offers perspectives on marine spatial planning efforts being carried out in four states across the US, and demonstrates similarities and differences between them. The approach to marine spatial planning in each state is discussed with specific attention given to issues such as what is driving the effort, data availability, maturity of the effort, and level of resources devoted to it. Highlighting the similarities and differences illustrates state and region specific challenges and the approaches being used to meet them. (PDF contains 4 pages)

A Comparative Picture of Corporate Social Responsibility Approaches by Leading Companies in the United Kingdom and Brazil

Purpose - This paper compares CSR strategy, stakeholder engagement and overseas approaches of six leading companies which have large potential environmental and social impacts, influential stakeholders and notable CSR actions. Design/methodology/approach - It is an exploratory survey based on interviews of senior executives from British and Brazilian companies operating in the steel, petroleum and retail sectors and makes comparisons between and within them. Findings - British companies interviewed are more rule-based, adopt an implicit CSR approach; react to stakeholder’s demands based on moral motives and focus on environmental issues. The Brazilian companies, reviewed in this study, adopt an explicit CSR approach, have relational motives to engage with stakeholders and are more concerned with building a responsible image and narrowing social gaps. Research limitations/implications - The survey is based on perceptions of senior executives interviewed which may or may not correspond to actual practices. The sample size restricts generalization of results and specific firms interviewed may not represent the prevailing CSR business strategy in their respective countries. Practical implications - British companies can learn from the Brazilian experience how to become more innovative in a broader approach to CSR. Brazil should reinforce its legal framework to provide a more systematic and rule-based approach to CSR close to the UK experience. Originality/value - The way CSR is conceived and implemented depends on the ethical, socioeconomic, legal and institutional environment of the country in which the firm operates

High precision C-14 dating of Holocene peat deposits: A comparison of Bayesian calibration and wiggle-matching approaches

The chronologies of five northern European ombrotrophic peat bogs subjected to a large ANIS C-14 dating effort (32-44 dates/site) are presented here. The results of Bayesian calibration (BCal) of dates with a prior assumption of chronological ordering were compared with a Bayesian wiggle-match approach (Bpeat) which assumes constant linear accumulation over sections of the peat profile. Interpolation of BCal age estimates of dense sequences of C-14 dates showed variable patterns of peat accumulation with time, with changes in accumulation occurring at intervals ranging from 20 to 50 cm. Within these intervals, peat accumulation appeared to be relatively linear. Close analysis suggests that some of the inferred variations in accumulation rate were related to the plant macrofossil composition of the peat. The wiggle-matched age-depth models had relatively high chronological uncertainty within intervals of closely spaced 14 C dates, suggesting that the premise of constant linear accumulation over large sections of the peat profile is unrealistic. Age models based on the assumption of linear accumulation over large parts of a peat core (and therefore only effective over millennial timescales), are not compatible with studies examining environmental change during the Holocene, where variability often occurs at decadal to centennial time-scales. Ideally, future wiggle-match age models should be constrained, with boundaries between sections based on the plant macrofossil composition of the peat and physical-chemical parameters such as the degree of decomposition. Strategies for the selection of material for dating should be designed so that there should be enough C-14 dates to accurately reconstruct the peat accumulation rate of each homogeneous stratigraphic unit. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison of gold nanoparticle surface co-functionalization approaches using Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) and the effect on stability, non-specific protein adsorption and internalization

To create clinically useful gold nanoparticle (AuNP) based cancer therapeutics it is necessary to co-functionalize the AuNP surface with a range of moieties; e.g. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), peptides and drugs. AuNPs can be functionalized by creating either a mixed monolayer by attaching all the moieties directly to the surface using thiol chemistry, or by binding groups to the surface by means of a bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker. The linker methodology has the potential to enhance bioavailability and the amount of functional agent that can be attached. While there is a large body of published work using both surface arrangements independently, the impact of attachment methodology on stability, non-specific protein adsorption and cellular uptake is not well understood, with no published studies directly comparing the two most frequently employed approaches. This paper compares the two methodologies by synthesizing and characterizing PEG and Receptor Mediated Endocytosis (RME) peptide co-functionalized AuNPs prepared using both the mixed monolayer and linker approaches. Successful attachment of both PEG and RME peptide using the two methods was confirmed using Dynamic Light Scattering, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis. It was observed that while the 'as synthesized' citrate capped AuNPs agglomerated under physiological salt conditions, all the mixed monolayer and PEG linker capped samples remained stable at 1M NaCl, and were stable in PBS over extended periods. While it was noted that both functionalization methods inhibited non-specific protein attachment, the mixed monolayer samples did show some changes in gel electrophoresis migration profile after incubation with fetal calf serum. PEG renders the AuNP stable in-vivo however, studies with MDA-MB-231 and MCF 10A cell lines indicated that functionalization with PEG, blocks cellular uptake. It was observed that co-functionalization with RME peptide using both the mixed monolayer and PEG linker methods greatly enhanced cellular internalization compared to PEG capped AuNPs.

Can Future Managers and Business Executives be Influenced to Behave more Ethically in the Workplace? The Impact of Approaches to Learning on Business Students’ Cheating Behavior

This study considers the potential for influencing business students to become ethical managers by directing their undergraduate learning environment. In particular, the relationship between business students’ academic cheating, as a predictor of workplace ethical behavior, and their approaches to learning is explored. The three approaches to learning identified from the students’ approaches to learning literature are deep approach, represented by an intrinsic interest in and a desire to understand the subject, surface approach, characterized by rote learning and memorization without understanding, and strategic approach, associated with competitive students whose motivation is the achievement of good grades by adopting either a surface or deep approach. Consistent with the hypothesized theoretical model, structural equation modeling revealed that the surface approach is associated with higher levels of cheating, while the deep approach is related to lower levels. The strategic approach was also associated with less cheating and had a statistically stronger influence than the deep approach. Further, a significantly positive relationship reported between deep and strategic approaches suggests that cheating is reduced when deep and strategic approaches are paired. These findings suggest that future managers and business executives can be influenced to behave more ethically in the workplace by directing their learning approaches. It is hoped that the evidence presented may encourage those involved in the design of business programs to implement educational strategies which optimize students’ approaches to learning towards deep and strategic characteristics, thereby equipping tomorrow’s managers and business executives with skills to recognize and respond appropriately to workplace ethical dilemmas.

Location-routing problems of semi-obnoxious facilities: approaches and decision support

A presente tese resulta de um trabalho de investigação cujo objectivo se centrou no problema de localização-distribuição (PLD) que pretende abordar, de forma integrada, duas actividades logísticas intimamente relacionadas: a localização de equipamentos e a distribuição de produtos. O PLD, nomeadamente a sua modelação matemática, tem sido estudado na literatura, dando origem a diversas aproximações que resultam de diferentes cenários reais. Importa portanto agrupar as diferentes variantes por forma a facilitar e potenciar a sua investigação. Após fazer uma revisão e propor uma taxonomia dos modelos de localização-distribuição, este trabalho foca-se na resolução de alguns modelos considerados como mais representativos. É feita assim a análise de dois dos PLDs mais básicos (os problema capacitados com procura nos nós e nos arcos), sendo apresentadas, para ambos, propostas de resolução. Posteriormente, é abordada a localização-distribuição de serviços semiobnóxios. Este tipo de serviços, ainda que seja necessário e indispensável para o público em geral, dada a sua natureza, exerce um efeito desagradável sobre as comunidades contíguas. Assim, aos critérios tipicamente utilizados na tomada de decisão sobre a localização destes serviços (habitualmente a minimização de custo) é necessário adicionar preocupações que reflectem a manutenção da qualidade de vida das regiões que sofrem o impacto do resultado da referida decisão. A abordagem da localização-distribuição de serviços semiobnóxios requer portanto uma análise multi-objectivo. Esta análise pode ser feita com recurso a dois métodos distintos: não interactivos e interactivos. Ambos são abordados nesta tese, com novas propostas, sendo o método interactivo proposto aplicável a outros problemas de programação inteira mista multi-objectivo. Por último, é desenvolvida uma ferramenta de apoio à decisão para os problemas abordados nesta tese, sendo apresentada a metodologia adoptada e as suas principais funcionalidades. A ferramenta desenvolvida tem grandes preocupações com a interface de utilizador, visto ser direccionada para decisores que tipicamente não têm conhecimentos sobre os modelos matemáticos subjacentes a este tipo de problemas.

Sustainability Improvement of a composite materials’ industry through recycling and re-engineering process approaches

Recent Advances in Mechanics and Materials in Design

La communauté des consultants en marketing territorial et la diffusion internationale des politiques de branding des villes

Les villes de toutes tailles rivalisent aujourd'hui avec des endroits et des organisations situés sur tous les continents pour attirer les investisseurs, touristes, entreprises, travailleurs, étudiants et futurs résidants. Afin de faire face à cette concurrence mondiale, l’utilisation d’approches et de stratégies de marketing et de branding territorial par les autorités municipales dans leur démarche de planification et de gestion urbaine est de plus en plus fréquente. Ce mémoire se penche sur le caractère politique du branding des villes, qui a été jusqu’ici très peu exploré. Il expose l’engouement observé pour l’adoption de ce type de politiques dans un nombre croissant de villes et s’intéresse à l’influence de la communauté de consultants en marketing des villes dans le transfert de ce type de pratiques. Puisqu’il s’agit d’une approche nouvelle, ce mémoire se veut avant tout exploratoire. Il présente un portrait de la communauté d’acteurs œuvrant dans ce domaine d’activité et expose certains des éléments servant à illustrer l’influence que ces acteurs peuvent avoir sur la diffusion internationale de ce type de politiques et de pratiques.

The region: territorial organization of modernity

Region is a concept that has been used to describe, analyze and organize spaces. The concept has classical roots, and throughout history has been adapted to serve academic, governmental and planning purposes. This article analyzes the concept’s evolution, from social sciences in general, with an emphasis on a geographical focus. It also frames Latin American ideas in an international  discussion where the French, German and Anglo-Saxon school have been important. And in order  to understand the various theoretical and methodological approaches, it follows an historical overview. Finally, the text explores the way in which the concept was received and used in Latin  America, both by scholars and planners.

Policy ‘framing’ and evidence-based planning: ‘epistemic communities’ in the multi-jurisdictional environment of an enlarged Europe

The following paper builds on ongoing discussions over the spatial and territorial turns in planning, as it relates to the dynamics of evidence-based planning and knowledge production in the policy process. It brings this knowledge perspective to the organizational and institutional dynamics of transformational challenges implicit in the recent enlargement of the EU. Thus it explores the development of new spatial ideas and planning approaches, and their potential to shape or ‘frame’ spatial policy through the formulation of new institutional arrangements and the de-institutionalization of others. That is, how knowledge is created, contested, mobilized and controlled across governance architectures or territorial knowledge channels. In so doing, the paper elaborates and discusses a theoretical framework through which the interplay of knowledge and policymaking can be conceptualized and analyzed.