Consultation on Personal and Public Involvement strategy

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) is an integral element of effective commissioning and is underpinned by a core set of values and principles - involving and listening to people in order to help us make services better.It brings about a number of recognised benefits if fully embraced into our culture and practice, these include:Use of service user knowledge and expertise;Better priority setting and decision making;More responsive, appropriate, efficient and tailored services;Transformation and reduction of complaints;Increased levels of service satisfaction;Increased dignity and self worth.The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) have now developed a joint Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) Strategy after extensive engagement and discussion. The Strategy has been approved by both organisations and is now being formally consulted on during the period 23rd June 2011 to 15th September 2011.The Strategy is now available for your consideration. We have developed the following documents (please see attachments below):Valuing People, Valuing Their Participation. Involving You and Listening to You Consultation Document.Valuing People, Valuing Their Participation, Involving You and Listening to You. [An Easy Read version of the Personal and Public Involvement Strategy].Valuing People, Valuing Their Participation. [An Equality and Human Rights Screening of the Strategy].Key Questions to guide consideration of the Personal and Public Involvement Strategy.People are encouraged to read the Strategy and to let us have your views.� There is a set of Key Questions, but any comments, ideas and or suggestions that you may have, that could support us in our efforts to embed Personal and Public Involvement into our culture and practice, would be most welcome.Responses should be returned by 4.00pm on Thursday 15th September 2011 to:By post:Martin QuinnRegional PPI LeadPublic Health AgencyGransha Park House15 Gransha ParkLondonderryBT47 6FNBy email: siobhan.carlin@hscni.net By telephone: (028) 7186 0086A more detailed version of the consultation document is avalable by clicking here or contacting Siobhan Carlin, email: siobhan.carlin@hscni.net, Tel: (028) 7186 0086.If you require any of these documents in an alternative format such as Braille, larger print or in another language if you are not fluent in English, please do not hesitate to contact us.A report of feedback received as part of this consultation can be made available upon request.Please be aware that the PHA and HSCB are also currently consulting on the Community Development Strategy.You are invited to consider responding to this consultation as well if appropriate.

Construcción y validación de un cuestionario para medir conductas, conocimientos y actitudes sobre la higiene de las manos en personal sanitario en formacion.

Background: Hand hygiene in the health context is a complex behaviour. There have been rarely given the role of the knowledge and attitudes as predictors of hand hygiene behaviour. The main objective of this work is the description of the development of a questionnaire on hand hygiene and the analysis of their measurement properties. Method: An instrument which was designed and validated a questionnaire. It was held in January 2009. It finally has had 50 items that assess risk behaviour intention before and after contact with the patient, declarative knowledge and attitudes about hand hygiene. It has been applied to 431 students of health sciences at the University of Granada. Results: There were three factor analysis, ultimately obtaining a general convergence value that explains 46.01% of the total variance and high reliability (a=0,843). There is correlation between knowledge and behavior intentions before and after patient contact (p <0.01).In turn, the attitude correlates only with behavioral intention before (p <0.05). The hand hygiene behavior refers to a higher mean after the completion of various health activities before the same (4.26 and 3.96 respectively). Both declarative knowledge and attitudes significantly predict behavioral intention, in particular the conduct before the contact with the patient (R2 = 0.100, standardized Beta 0.256 for knowledge and 0.145 for attitudes). Conclusions: The questionnaire shows high internal consistency. We have obtained a valid tool for assessing risk behavior, knowledge and attitudes about students’ hand hygiene in health sciences. The tool detects deficiencies in basic skills in students.

L' Aula de Teatre de la Universitat de Vic (ATUV) : una aproximació a la seva trajectòria

El present treball de recerca explora i descriu alguns dels aspectes més rellevants del que ha estat la trajectòria de l’Aula de Teatre de la UVic (ATUV) al llarg dels anys. Consta de dues parts diferenciades. En la primera, presento de forma breu alguns dels elements bàsics de caràcter històric que configuren la relació del teatre amb l’educació, fent una especial referència al teatre universitari a l’estat espanyol i a Catalunya. La segona part del treball es desdobla, a la vegada, en dues perspectives. En una, dono compte de l’evolució realitzada per l’Aula de Teatre de la Universitat de Vic, des del punt de vista de la seva organització, característiques i funcionament, i produccions. S’ha fet una memòria descriptiva dels 18 anys de trajectòria de l’ATUV. La segona perspectiva aporta la visió del conjunt de persones (estudiants i exestudiants) que han passat per l’ATUV i que fan, a partir d’un qüestionari tramès prèviament, una valoració dels objectius de dinamització cultural de la Universitat que es proposa l’aula, així com dels aspectes de formació humanística que comprenen el treball de valors, d’habilitats i d’actituds com a procés de creixement personal que han viscut en la seva experiència a l’ATUV..

Partial melting of basic dykes in the contact aureoles of two shallow-level, gabbro-pyroxenite intrusions, Fuerteventura

THESIS ABSTRACT Low-pressure anatexis of basic dykes gave rise to unusual, zebra-like migmatites, in the contact metamorphic aureoles of two layered gabbro-pyroxenite intrusions, PXl and PX2, in the root zone of an ocean island, Fuerteventura Basal Complex (Canary Islands). This thesis focuses on the understanding of processes attributing to the partial melting and formation of these migmatites, characterised by a dense network of closely spaced, millimetre-wide leucocratic segregations with perfectly preserved igneous textures. The presence of fluids are required to decrease the solidus of basic igneous lithologies, to allow partial melting in such aloes-pressure (1-2 kb) environment. An oxygen isotope study was thus carried out on dykes inside and beyond the PX2 aureole, in order to decipher the nature and origin of such fluids. Low or negative δ18O values were obtained for whole rocks and mineral-separates, decreasing towards the contact, with the intrusion itself retaining fairly high values. This trend has been attributed to the advection of meteoric water during magma emplacement, with increasing fluid/rock ratios (higher dyke intensities towards the intrusion acting as fluid-pathways) and higher temperatures promoting increasing exchange during recrystallisation. A comparison of whole rock and mineral major- and trace- element data allowed the redistribution of elements .between different mineral phases and generations, during contact metamorphism and partial melting to be assessed. Certain trace-elements, e.g. Zr, Hf, Y, and REEs, were internally redistributed during contact metamorphic recrystallisation, causing- the enrichment of neocrystallised diopsides compared to relict phenocrysts. This has been assigned to the liberation of trace elements on the breakdown of primary minerals, kaersutite and sphene, on entering the thermal aureole. Major and trace element compositions of minerals in migmatite melanosomes and leucosomes are almost identical, pointing to a syn- or post- solidus reequilibration on cooling of the migmatite terrain. The mineralogical, textural and geochemical evolution of dykes in a contact metamorphic aureole, is recorded around an apophysis of the PX1 intrusion, where there is evidence of incipient partial melting. Hydrothermal mineral pseudomorphs in the outer parts of the aureole are progressively replaced by dry mineral assemblages, with increasingly recrystallised diopside and evidence of partial melting -the extent of which varies from one lithology to another. The appearance of more mafic lithologies towards the intrusion, with lower whole rock SiO2 and mobile element abundances, e.g. Rb, Cs, K, has been explained by the migration and accumulation of feldspathic material into leucosomes outside the samples. A micro-structural study of leucosomes and leucocratic pods, with the aid of high-resolution X-ray computed micro-tomography (HRXµCT), allowing the visualization and quantification of shapes and orientations, was carried out in order to better understand the processes of melt segregation in the PX1 aureole. Leucocratic pods, representing former amygdales, are considered as natural strain ellipsoids. Their short axes are oriented perpendicular to leucosome planes, which sub-parallel the intrusive contact. Leucosomes thus effectively represent foliation planes. This implies that the direction of maximum shortening, during migmatisation, was perpendicular to the orientation of leucosomes, contradicting earlier models that suggest leucosomes represent tension veins. RESUME DE LA THESE Un phénomène rare de fusion partielle de filons basiques à basse pression a été étudié dans les auréoles de contact de deux intrusions litées de gabbro-pyroxénite, PX1 et PX2, localisées dans le soubassement de l'île volcanique de Fuerteventura aux Canaries. Cette anatexie a engendré des migmatites finement zébrées d'aspect très inhabituel, dont les processus de formation ont été étudiés dans le présent travail. Ces roches sont caractérisées par un réseau dense de veinules leucocrates d'épaisseur millimétrique, dont les textures ignées sont parfaitement préservées. La fusion partielle de roches basiques à basse pression (1-2 kbar) requiert la présence d'eau afin d'abaisser le solidus du système à des températures géologiquement réalistes. Une étude comparative des isotopes de l'oxygène a ainsi été menée sur des filons respectivement affectés et non affectés par le métamorphisme de contact, afin de confirmer la présence de ces fluides, de déterminer l'importance de leur interaction avec les roches et leur origine. Des valeurs de δ180 basses ou négatives ont été mesurées sur roche totale et minéraux séparés, décroissantes en direction du contact, alors que l'intrusion elle-même a conservé des valeurs élevées. Ce gradient a été attribué à l'advection d'eau météorique durant la mise en place du magma, les températures les plus élevées favorisant d'autant plus la circulation des fluides et les échanges isotopiques durant la recristallisation des roches. Cette recristallisation engendré une redistribution chimique complète des éléments entre les différentes générations de minéraux résultant du métamorphisme de contact et de l'anatexie, mise en évidence par microanalyse. Certains éléments traces comme Zr, Hf, Y et les REE ont été concentrés dans le diopside néoformé consécutivement à la déstabilisation de minéraux primaires riches en ces éléments comme la kaersutite ou le sphène. Les compositions en éléments majeurs et traces des minéraux des mélanosomes et leucosomes des migmatites sont pratiquement identiques, indiquant une rééquilibration syn- à postsolidus lors du refroidissement de l'auréole de contact. La transformation progressive des filons basiques au niveau de leur minéralogie, textures et composition chimique a pu être observée en détail à l'approche du contact d'une apophyse de l'intrusion PX1. La paragenèse magmatique initiale n'est jamais préservée, les faciès les plus distants du contact étant constitués d'un assemblage pseudomorphique hydrothermal. Ce dernier est progressivement remplacé par des assemblages anhydres incluant du diopside néoformé, puis apparaissent les premiers signes de fusion partielle, dont l'importance varie fortement d'une lithologie à l'autre. L'apparition de faciès plus basiques en direction du contact, avec des teneurs réduites en SiO2 et en éléments incompatibles tels Rb, Cs, K, a été attribuée à l'échappement de leucosomes feldspathiques hors du système. Une étude microstructurale de la distribution spatiale du matériel leucocrate au sein des migmatites par microtomographie X de haute résolution (HRXµCT) a été menée pour mieux comprendre les processus de ségrégation des liquides dans l'auréole de PX1. De petites entités ovoïdes, représentant d'anciennes structures amygdalaires au sein des filons, ont été considérées comme des ellipsoïdes marqueurs de la déformation finie. Leur petit axe est orienté perpendiculairement aux plans définis par les leucosomes, eux-mêmes subparallèles au contact intrusif. Les leucosomes matérialisent donc des plans de clivage. Ainsi, la direction de raccourcissement maximum durant la fusion partielle était perpendiculaire à l'orientation des leucosomes, contrairement à ce qui a été dit dans de précédentes publications, qui suggéraient que les leucosomes représentaient des veines de tension. RESUME DE LA THESE (POUR LE GRAND PUBLIC) L'observation directe du soubassement d'une île volcanique est une occasion rare, accessible dans le «complexe de base » de l'île canarienne de Fuerteventura. Ce dernier a enregistré divers phénomènes magmatiques, métamorphiques et de fusion partielle induits par l'intrusion répétée de magmas alimentant des appareils volcaniques sus jacents, sous forme de petits plutons, essaims de filons et complexes annulaires de gabbros alcalins, pyroxénites, syénites et carbonatites. Dans ce contexte de flux de chaleur élevé, des filons basiques ont subi une fusion partielle au contact de deux intrusions de gabbro-pyroxénite, un phénomène extrêmement rare à une profondeur aussi réduite, estimée à quelque 3-6 km. Les produits de cette fusion partielle sont des liquides très riches en feldspath, concentrés en un réseau dense de veinules blanches (leucosomes) au sein du matériau résiduel sombre non fondu (mélanosome) pour former ce qu'on appelle des migmatites. Outre les aspects pétrologiques liés à la formation de ces migmatites, l'intérêt majeur du phénomène réside dans le fait qu'il puisse représenter la source des magmas évolués parfois observés sur les îles océaniques. A des pressions aussi faibles que dans le soubassement de Fuerteventura (1-2 Kbar), la présence de fluides abondants est nécessaire pour abaisser la température de début de fusion des roches (solidus) à des valeurs géologiquement réalistes. Des expériences ont montré que même en présence de plusieurs %-poids d'eau, une température de 1000°C était encore nécessaire pour obtenir une proportion de liquide équivalente à celle observée sur le terrain, soit 25%. Or les magmas alcalins des îles océaniques, bien qu'hydratés, n'en contiennent de loin pas autant, ce qui implique une source d'eau externe. Une étude isotopique de l'oxygène a été entreprise afin de tester cette hypothèse. Les valeurs obtenues en 5180 sont basses ou négatives et indiquent l'influence d'eau d'origine météorique. Cette eau de pluie se serait infiltrée le long des filons depuis la surface du volcan et les aurait complètement hydrothermalisés en profondeur (situation encore visible à l'extérieur de l'auréole de contact), leur permettant ainsi de stocker l'eau nécessaire à leur fusion partielle ultérieure. L'interaction entre eau de pluie et filons a été d'autant plus importante que ces derniers étaient proches du contact avec l'intrusion, ce qui suggère que la circulation de ces eaux et leur interaction avec les roches a été favorisée par la chaleur fournie par l'intrusion elle-même. Un autre aspect de ce travail s'est focalisé sur la redistribution des éléments traces au sein des minéraux des filons basiques durant le métamorphisme de contact et la fusion partielle. Ainsi, le pyroxène de seconde génération est-il sensiblement enrichi en traces telles Zr, Hf, Y et les terres rares, par rapport au pyroxène magmatique originel, en relation avec la déstabilisation de minéraux primaires riches en ces éléments tels le sphène et la kaersutite. Cependant, les compositions en éléments majeurs et traces des minéraux recristallisés des migmatites sont pratiquement les mêmes dans les leucosomes et les mélanosomes, suggérant une rééquilibration chimique complète durant le refroidissement de ces lithologies. Si certaines migmatites se sont comportées en système chimiquement fermé (hormis l'eau météorique), d'autres filons ont manifestement perdu une partie de leurs leucosomes, ainsi qu'en témoigne leur composition progressivement appauvrie en silice et autres éléments incompatibles mobiles, tels K et Rb à l'approche du contact de l'intrusion. Parallèlement à cette évolution chimique, les paragenèses hydrothermales distantes du contact sont progressivement remplacées par des paragenèses anhydres, puis par l'apparition des premiers leucosomes, tandis que les textures magmatiques initiales sont complètement effacées au profit d'une combinaison de textures magmatique dans les leucosomes et en mosaïque dans les mélanosomes. Enfin, la distribution spatiale des liquides de fusion partielle a été étudiée par microtomographie X de haute résolution, dans des filons contenant des entités ovoïdes leucocrates, sans doute d'anciennes amygdales à zéolites. Ces dernières ont été considérées comme des ellipsoïdes de la déformation finie. L'orientation de leur petit axe, perpendiculaire au plan défini par les veinules de leucosomes, indique que ces derniers représentent des plans de clivage perpendiculaires à la direction de raccourcissement maximum. Ainsi, la ségrégation des liquides de fusion partielle se serait faite dans les plans de compression et non dans des plans de dilatation, contrairement à ce que laisserait penser le sens commun.

Basic density and pulp yield relationship with some chemical parameters in eucalyptus trees

The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of basic density and pulp yield correlations with some chemical parameters, in order to differentiate an homogeneous eucalyptus tree population, in terms of its potential for pulp production or some other technological applications. Basic density and kraft pulp yield were determined for 120 Eucalyptus globulus trees, and the values were plotted as frequency distributions. Homogenized samples from the first and fourth density quartiles and first and fourth yield quartiles were submitted to total phenols, total sugars and methoxyl group analysis. Syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) and syringaldehyde/vanillin (S/V) ratios were determined on the kraft lignins from wood of the same quartiles. The results show the similarity between samples from high density and low yield quartiles, both with lower S/G (3.88-4.12) and S/V (3.99-4.09) ratios and higher total phenols (13.3-14.3 g gallic acid kg-1 ). Woods from the high yield quartile are statistically distinguished from all the others because of their higher S/G (5.15) and S/V (4.98) ratios and lower total phenols (8.7 g gallic acid kg-1 ). Methoxyl group and total sugars parameters are more adequate to distinguish wood samples with lower density.

Industrial nanoparticle application : representative survey among Swiss companies shows low usage and basic protection means

Manufactured nanoparticles are introduced into industrial processes, but they are suspected to cause similar negative health effects as ambient particles. The poor knowledge about the scale of this introduction did not allow global risk analysis so far. In 2006 a targeted telephone survey among Swiss companies (1) showed the usage of nanoparticles in a few selected companies but did not provide data to extrapolate on the totality of the Swiss workforce. To gain this kind of information a layered representative questionnaire survey among 1'626 Swiss companies was conducted in 2007. Data was collected about the number of potentially exposed persons in the companies and their protection strategy. The response rate was 58.3%. An expected number of 586 companies (95%−confidence interval 145 to 1'027) was shown by this study to use nanoparticles in Switzerland. Estimated 1'309 (1'073 to 1'545) workers do their job in the same room as a nanoparticle application. Personal protection was shown to be the predominant type of protection means. Companies starting productions with nanomaterials need to consider incorporating protection measures into the plans. This will not only benefit the workers' health, but will also likely increase the competitiveness of the companies. Technical and organisational protection means are not only more cost−effective on the long term, but are also easier to control. Guidelines may have to be designed specifically for different industrial applications, including fields outside nanotechnology, and adapted to all sizes of companies.

From institutional repositories to personal collections of learning resources

Institutional digital repositories are a basic piece to provide preservation and reutilization of learning resources. However, their creation and maintenance is usually performed following a top-down approach, causing limitations in the search and reutilization of learning resources. In order to avoid this problem we propose to use web 2.0 functionalities. In this paper we present how tagging can be used to enhance the search and reusability functionalities of institutional learning repositories as well as promoting their usage. The paper also describes the evaluation process that was performed in a pilot experience involving open educational resources.

Satisfaction with pregnancy and delivery services: The quality of maternity care services as experienced by women

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the opinions of women regarding the satisfaction about the quality of maternity care received. We hope to establish whether health care technology increases satisfaction or whether it actually interferes with the construction of personal satisfaction in the process of care. Design and setting: Information was gathered using the focus group technique. The area of study comprised the post-natal groups run as part of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme of the Catalan Health Authority. (Spain) Participants: Five focus groups were held between May 2006 and July 2007. Findings: Quality of care is a complex concept in which a number of independent core features can be identified. We have grouped these core features into three basic categories. Safety: the hospital and its technological facilities, and the technical expertise of health professionals. The other two main pillars of quality of care are the human dimension of the relationship between the carers and the patient, and finally the structural aspects that determine the context in which the heath care is provided. Key conclusions and implications for practice: The mothers of our study feel satisfied with healthcare technology and view it as a source of security; technology become indispensable features in order to reduce the anxiety provoked by the perceived lack of confidence in their ability as mothers. In this study, women, both during pregnancy and especially when giving birth, believe their feelings and values should be understood by professionals, from whom they seek empathy and a personal commitment, and not just information.

Satisfaction with pregnancy and delivery services: The quality of maternity care services as experienced by women

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the opinions of women regarding the satisfaction about the quality of maternity care received. We hope to establish whether health care technology increases satisfaction or whether it actually interferes with the construction of personal satisfaction in the process of care. Design and setting: Information was gathered using the focus group technique. The area of study comprised the post-natal groups run as part of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme of the Catalan Health Authority. (Spain) Participants: Five focus groups were held between May 2006 and July 2007. Findings: Quality of care is a complex concept in which a number of independent core features can be identified. We have grouped these core features into three basic categories. Safety: the hospital and its technological facilities, and the technical expertise of health professionals. The other two main pillars of quality of care are the human dimension of the relationship between the carers and the patient, and finally the structural aspects that determine the context in which the heath care is provided. Key conclusions and implications for practice: The mothers of our study feel satisfied with healthcare technology and view it as a source of security; technology become indispensable features in order to reduce the anxiety provoked by the perceived lack of confidence in their ability as mothers. In this study, women, both during pregnancy and especially when giving birth, believe their feelings and values should be understood by professionals, from whom they seek empathy and a personal commitment, and not just information.

Adaptación del Índice de Bienestar Personal para adolescentes en lengua española y portuguesa

The psychometric properties of the Personal Wellbeing Index are analyzed on a Spanish and Portuguese adolescent sample. We test the reliability of the scale using Cronbach’s alpha. And complementarily we analyze the item-total correlations in the different wellbeing domains included. We execute an exploratory factor analysis (principal components) and a multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The results show that Cronbach’s alpha is 0.79 for the Chilean version and in the Brazilian version is 0.78 confirming adequate levels of reliability found in previous studies. Correlations between fields of well-being shows values ranging between 0.224 and 0.496 for Chile and from 0.24 to 0.46 for Brazil. The results are similar to those obtained in other countries. The monofactorial structure of the scale is cinfirmed, also the adjustment to the scale structure to the data of the two samples and the comparability of means of global indices. The results suggest the existence of other well-being domains that had not been considered in the original proposal of the scale

El canto coral y las orquestas infantiles, una educación en valores = Choir singing and children’s orchestras, an education in values

This article looks at the musical activity carried out at Palafrugell Music School as a musical education centre over the past forty years. After giving a brief description of the work carried out there by vocal and instrumental groups, the article analyses and offers examples and tangible motives that use activities to show that forming part of a coral or instrumental group helps personal development and promotes the acquisition of habits, alongside musical training and learning. In short, an education in values

Salesperson's customer orientation in the personal selling process and in the use of personal selling techniques in the business-to-business setting

Selling is much maligned, often under-valued subject whose inadequate showing in business schools is in inverse proportion to the many job opportunities it offers and the importance of salespeople bringing incomes to companies. The purpose of this research is to increase the understanding of customer-oriented selling and examine the influence of customer-oriented philosophy on selling process, the applicability of selling techniques to this philosophy and the importance of them to salespeople. The empirical section of the study is two-fold. Firstly, the data of qualitative part was collected by conducting five thematic interviews among sales consultants and case company representatives. The findings of the study indicate that customer-oriented selling requires the activity of salespeople. In the customer-oriented personal selling process, salespeople invest time in the preplanning, the need analysis and the benefit demonstration stages. However, the findings propose that salespeople today must also have the basic capabilities for executing the traditional sales process, and the balance between traditional and consultative selling process will change as the duration of the relationship between the salesperson and customer increases. The study also proposes that selling techniques still belong to the customer-oriented selling process, although their roles might be modest. This thesis mapped 75 selling techniques and the quantitative part of the study explored what selling techniques are considered to be important by salespeople in direct selling industry when they make sales with new and existing customers. Response rate of the survey was 69.5%.

The cultural dimension in focus : promoting awareness of diversity and respect for difference in a Finland-Swedish EFL classroom

This study addresses the role of EFL education, its potential and shortcomings, and the challenges the future of EFL education will bring. It is argued that new societal demands and the limited time we have at our disposal in the classroom make it necessary to rethink goals and content and move away from the transmissionof limited sets of facts and information to helping students develop awareness and competences that can be applied in many different situations, also in a perspective of lifelong learning. The overall aim of the current study is to problematize and increase understanding of the implementation of cultural aspects in the language classroom by addressing the interrelated what, why and how of the cultural dimension within EFL education. This has been conducted by means of theoretical explorations into the area, alongside an attempt at promoting intercultural competence (IC) in a more systematic and insightful manner within my own educational praxis. The focus of the intercultural work in the classroom was on the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity, as well as respect for such difference through the ability to decenter from cultural norms and behavior that previously have been taken for granted. These are two elements that have been suggested as fundamental for other work with IC in the classroom and for the realization of important aspects of the underlying values of basic education. In the context of this study, IC comprises several interconnected components supportingeach other in a variety of ways, with the further aim being interaction with and respect for difference in general, not only concerning e.g. representatives ofcertain English-speaking communities. The methodology was informed by action research, with myself in the role of the teacher-researcher or the reflective practitioner. For the purpose of the project I was authorized to take on the EFL education for the three years of upper comprehensive school of one random class of students originally assigned to one of the language teachers of the selected Finland-Swedish school. Thus, the class of 17 students was not specifically chosen for the project, and the aims and contents chosen for the development project were placed within the framework of the ordinary curriculum. By exploring the students¿ insights concerning different English-speaking cultural groups, mainly through a set of questionnaires, it was possible to outline the work with the cultural dimension in the classroom for the following three years. Work progress was evaluated at specific stages, and the final project evaluations were conducted through individual student interviews in grade 9. The interviews were focused on possible development of students¿ insights concerning different aspects of the cultural dimension. In particular this concerned awareness of difference and diversity, including modification of stereotypes, as well as the ability to decenterin order to be better able to respect such difference. I also explored students¿ awareness and views of the activities and approaches used in class, as well asaffordances both inside and outside the EFL classroom in relation to these intended insights. A further focus area was the perceived relevance to students of different aspects of the cultural dimension. The frameworks and approaches adopted for the work in the classroom all have in common that they are based on a constructivist framework, where knowledge is constructed and reconstructed through interaction with one¿s social and cultural environment, including interaction with others. Reflective processes precede or are simultaneous with the learning of basic factual knowledge. This entails a view of learning as a progression from simple to more complex models rather than as a progression from facts to understanding and analysis. Here, the development of intercultural competence is seen asa cyclical process, or along a spiral curriculum, from simple to more complex levels through a combination of cognitive, affective and behavioral elements within a framework of experiential learning. This project has shown one possible wayforward concerning the development of intercultural competence within EFL education through a more systematic and comprehensive approach regarding linguistic and cultural aspects. The evaluation of the educational process explored in the study suggests the possibilities for work with the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity concerning some specific context that, based on students¿ prior knowledge and preconceptions, would benefit from further work. In this case, the specific context primarily concerned different aspects of both cultural and linguistic conditions in the UK. It is also suggested that many students developed the ability to decenter, described in the study as integral to being able to respect otherness. What still remains to be explored are more individualized approaches considering students¿ different levels of departure. Further work alsoneeds to be put into how to apply insights gained in these specific situations to more general contexts. It is also necessary to explore the use of the suggested approaches in a wider range of different contexts.

Dialogue in the crisis of representation : realism and antirealism in the context of the conversation between theologians and quantum physicists in Göttingen 1949-1961

The aim of this study is to analyse the content of the interdisciplinary conversations in Göttingen between 1949 and 1961. The task is to compare models for describing reality presented by quantum physicists and theologians. Descriptions of reality indifferent disciplines are conditioned by the development of the concept of reality in philosophy, physics and theology. Our basic problem is stated in the question: How is it possible for the intramental image to match the external object?Cartesian knowledge presupposes clear and distinct ideas in the mind prior to observation resulting in a true correspondence between the observed object and the cogitative observing subject. The Kantian synthesis between rationalism and empiricism emphasises an extended character of representation. The human mind is not a passive receiver of external information, but is actively construing intramental representations of external reality in the epistemological process. Heidegger's aim was to reach a more primordial mode of understanding reality than what is possible in the Cartesian Subject-Object distinction. In Heidegger's philosophy, ontology as being-in-the-world is prior to knowledge concerning being. Ontology can be grasped only in the totality of being (Dasein), not only as an object of reflection and perception. According to Bohr, quantum mechanics introduces an irreducible loss in representation, which classically understood is a deficiency in knowledge. The conflicting aspects (particle and wave pictures) in our comprehension of physical reality, cannot be completely accommodated into an entire and coherent model of reality. What Bohr rejects is not realism, but the classical Einsteinian version of it. By the use of complementary descriptions, Bohr tries to save a fundamentally realistic position. The fundamental question in Barthian theology is the problem of God as an object of theological discourse. Dialectics is Barth¿s way to express knowledge of God avoiding a speculative theology and a human-centred religious self-consciousness. In Barthian theology, the human capacity for knowledge, independently of revelation, is insufficient to comprehend the being of God. Our knowledge of God is real knowledge in revelation and our words are made to correspond with the divine reality in an analogy of faith. The point of the Bultmannian demythologising programme was to claim the real existence of God beyond our faculties. We cannot simply define God as a human ideal of existence or a focus of values. The theological programme of Bultmann emphasised the notion that we can talk meaningfully of God only insofar as we have existential experience of his intervention. Common to all these twentieth century philosophical, physical and theological positions, is a form of anti-Cartesianism. Consequently, in regard to their epistemology, they can be labelled antirealist. This common insight also made it possible to find a common meeting point between the different disciplines. In this study, the different standpoints from all three areas and the conversations in Göttingen are analysed in the frameworkof realism/antirealism. One of the first tasks in the Göttingen conversations was to analyse the nature of the likeness between the complementary structures inquantum physics introduced by Niels Bohr and the dialectical forms in the Barthian doctrine of God. The reaction against epistemological Cartesianism, metaphysics of substance and deterministic description of reality was the common point of departure for theologians and physicists in the Göttingen discussions. In his complementarity, Bohr anticipated the crossing of traditional epistemic boundaries and the generalisation of epistemological strategies by introducing interpretative procedures across various disciplines.

Democracy begins at home : parenting, empathy, and adolescents' support for democratic values

Bakgrund Demokratiska samhällen är sårbara och historiskt sett sällsynta. Förutsättningarna för en fungerande demokrati innefattar mer än formella institutioner eller enbart frånvaron av diktatorer och extremgrupper. För att en regim skall fungera enligt demokratiska principer behövs medborgare som stöder demokratiska värden. Därför är det av vikt att förstå de processer som får individer att känna tilltro till demokratiska värden. Trots att man kan anta att stöd för sådana värderingar utvecklas som ett resultat av social inlärning är de konkreta omständigheterna som leder till ett dylikt lärande mindre uppenbara. Den klassiska litteraturen beträffande politisk socialisation lyfte fram föräldrarna som avgörande för de ungas medborgerliga fostran, men i moderna samhällen har föräldrarna sällan som en uttalad målsättning att försöka påverka sina barns nuvarande eller framtida politiska preferenser. Den föreliggande studiens mål var att fördjupa diskursen kring politisk socialisation gen om att analysera föräldraskapets betydelse för demokratiska värderingar hos ungdomar. Metod Den föreliggande studien utgick från två slumpmässiga urval. Det ena omfattade 1341 studerande, 17 år gamla, inom andra stadiets utbildning i tre regioner i Finland (södra, syd-västra och västra) och det andra 678 studerande, 16 år gamla vid studiens inledande, från den flamländska delen av Belgien. Studien innefattade frågeformulär som besvarades under skoltid. Resultat De centrala resultaten från studien kan sammanfattas i fyra punkter. För det första kunde empatiskt tänkande konstateras vara en god förklarande variabel för ungdomars demokratiska värderingar (Artikel 1). För det andra gav studien stöd för antagandet att stödjande föräldraskap är av betydelse för utvecklingen av empati under ungdomsåren (Artikel 2). För det tredje utvärderades empati, i relation till andra betydelsefulla variabler, som förklarande variabel för demokratiska värderingar (Artikel 3). För det fjärde gav den föreliggande studien bevis för att demokratiskt föräldraskap, både direkt och indirekt, är relaterat till demokratiska värderingar hos ungdomar. Sammanfattning Sammanfattningsvis visade den föreliggande studien hur föräldraskap både direkt och indirekt kan påverka demokratiska värderingar hos ungdomar och hur dessa resultat kunde användas för demokratisk samhällsfostran.