Learning in formal and informal contexts : conceptions and strategies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students

Research suggests that students' approaches to learning and hence learning outcomes are closely related to their conceptions of learning. This paper describes an investigation into conceptions of formal learning held by 22 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from three Australian universities in Queensland; categories of informal learning, reasons for studying and strategies used to learn were also investigated. The attrition rate for these students in tertiary education is higher than that of any other group of students. The main aim of this study was to determine their conceptions of learning in order to provide information that might facilitate instruction more suited to their needs in order to address the high attrition rate. Results showed that these students view and approach university learning in much the same way as other university students. It was also apparent that, for the most part, the strategies these students used did not match the conceptions of learning they held. An interesting result was the difference between the conceptions of formal learning and perceptions of informal learning.

Informal Sectors and New Industries: The Complexities of Regulating Occupational Health and Safety in Developing Countries

Focusing on paid work that blurs traditional legal boundaries and the challenge this poses to traditional forms of labour regulation, this collection of original case studies illustrates the wide range of different forms of regulation designed to provide decent work. The original case studies cover a diversity of workers from across developed and developing countries, the formal and informal economies and public and private work spaces. Each deals with the failings of traditional labour law, and several explore the capacity of different forms of regulatory techniques, such as commercial law, corporate codes of conduct, or supply chain regulation, to protect workers.

Informal caring networks for people at end of life: Building social capital in Australian communities

The care of a person living at home near the end of their life is predominantly provided by family carers with the support of health services such as palliative care. In addition, informal caring networks also contribute at times to the support to the dying person and their carer. In this way, these networks can promote social capital in the communities from which they are drawn. This social approach to end of life care enhances community capacity to provide support to those dying at home and their carers. This article examines relevant published literature to explore the conceptual foundations of informal caring networks, examining the place of social capital and community development in the provision of end of life care at home, particularly in the Australian context.

Audit committee effectiveness : informal processes and behavioural effects

Purpose This paper seeks to investigate the conditions and processes affecting the operation and potential effectiveness of audit committees (ACs), with particular focus on the interaction between the AC, individuals from financial reporting and internal audit functions and the external auditors. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach is employed, based on direct engagement with participants in AC activities, including the AC chair, external auditors, internal auditors, and senior management. Findings The authors find that informal networks between AC participants condition the impact of the AC and that the most significant effects of the AC on governance outcomes occur outside the formal structures and processes. An AC has pervasive behavioural effects within the organization and may be used as a threat, an ally and an arbiter in bringing solutions to issues and conflicts. ACs are used in organizational politics, communication processes and power plays and also affect interpretations of events and cultural values. Research limitations/implications Further research on AC and governance processes is needed to develop better understanding of effectiveness. Longitudinal studies, focusing on the organizational and institutional context of AC operations, can examine how historical events in an organization and significant changes in the regulatory environment affect current structures and processes. Originality/value The case analysis highlights a number of significant factors which are not fully recognised either in theorizing the governance role of ACs or in the development of policy and regulations concerning ACs but which impinge on their governance contribution. They include the importance of informal processes around the AC; its influence on power relations between organizational participants; the relevance of the historical development of governance in an organization; and the possibility that the AC’s impact on governance may be greatest in non-routine situations.

A study of the informal interactions between audit committees and internal auditors in Australia

This paper finds evidence for the growing importance of informal interactions between the internal audit function and the audit committee (AC) in Australia – a relatively unexplored topic in the literature – using a survey of Chief Audit Executives (CAEs). It also describes the nature of these informal interactions. The most innovative elements of this paper are the findings that certain personal characteristics of CAEs, the specific knowledge and expertise of the AC chair, as well as some of the AC chair’s personal characteristics are associated with the existence (and increase) of informal interactions.

Informal interactions between audit committees and internal audit functions : exploratory evidence and directions for future research

Purpose – This paper aims to recognise the importance of informal processes within corporate governance and complement existing research in this area by investigating factors associated with the existence of informal interactions between audit committees and internal audit functions and in providing directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach – To examine the existence and drivers of informal interactions between audit committees and internal audit functions, this paper relies on a questionnaire survey of chief audit executives (CAEs) in the UK from listed and non-listed, as well as financial and non-financial, companies. While prior qualitative research suggests that informal interactions do take place, most of the evidence is based on particular organisational setting or on a very small range of interviews. The use of a questionnaire enabled the examination of the existence of internal interactions across a relatively larger number of entities. Findings – The paper finds evidence of audit committees and internal audit functions engaging in informal interactions in addition to formal pre-scheduled regular meetings. Informal interactions complement formal meetings with the audit committee and as such represent additional opportunities for the audit committees to monitor internal audit functions. Audit committees’ informal interactions are significantly and positively associated with audit committee independence, audit chair’s knowledge and experience, and internal audit quality. Originality/value – The results demonstrate the importance of the background of the audit committee chair for the effectiveness of the governance process. This is possibly the first paper to examine the relationship between audit committee quality and internal audit, on the existence and driver of informal interactions. Policy makers should recognize that in addition to formal mechanisms, informal processes, such as communication outside of formal pre-scheduled meetings, play a significant role in corporate governance.

Understanding Formal and Informal Governance on Infrastructure Projects - Literature Review [industry report]

In Australia, collaborative contracts have been increasingly used to govern infrastructure projects. These contracts combine formal and informal mechanisms to manage project delivery. Formal mechanisms (e.g. financial risk sharing) are specified in the contract, while informal mechanisms (e.g. integrated team) are not. The paper reports on a literature review to operationalise the concepts of formal and informal governance, as the literature contains a multiplicity of, often un-testable, definitions. This work is the first phase of a study that will examine the optimal balance of formal and informal governance structures. Desk-top review of leading journals in the areas of construction management and business management, as well as recent government documents and industry guidelines, was undertaken to to conceptualise and operatinalise formal and informal governance mechanisms. The study primarily draws on transaction-cost economics (e.g. Williamson 1979; 1991), relational contract theory (Feinman 2000; Macneil 2000) and social psychology theory (e.g. Gulati 1995). Content analysis of the literature was undertaken to identify key governance mechanisms. Content analysis is a commonly used methodology in the social sciences area. It provides rich data through the systematic and objective review of literature (Krippendorff 2004). NVivo 9, a qualitative data analysis software package, was used to assist in this process. Formal governance mechanisms were found to be usefully broken down into four measurable categories: (1) target cost arrangement (2) financial risk and reward sharing regime (3) transparent financials and (4) collaborative multi-party agreement Informal governance mechanisms were found to be usefully broken down into three measurable categories: (1) leadership structure (2) integrated team (3) joint management system We expect these categories to effectively capture the key governance drivers of outcomes on infrastructure projects. These categories will be further refined and broken down into individual governance mechanisms for assessment through a large-scale Australian survey planned for late 2012. These individual mechanisms will feature in the questionnaire that QUT will deliver to AAA in October 2012.

Designing informal learning experiences for early career academics using a knowledge ecosystem model

This article presents a ‘knowledge ecosystem’ model of how early career academics experience using information to learn while building their social networks for developmental purposes. Developed using grounded theory methodology, the model offers a way of conceptualising how to empower early career academics through 1) agency (individual and relational) and 2) facilitation of personalised informal learning (design of physical and virtual systems and environments) in spaces where developmental relationships are formed including programs, courses, events, community, home and social media. It is suggested that the knowledge ecosystem model is suitable for use in designing informal learning experiences for early career academics.

Sharing social space with strangers: Setting, signalling and policing informal rules of driving etiquette

Recent research suggests that aggressive driving may be influenced by driver perceptions of their interactions with other drivers in terms of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ behaviour. Drivers appear to take a moral standpoint on ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ driving behaviour. However, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in the context of road use is not defined solely by legislation, but includes informal rules that are sometimes termed ‘driving etiquette’. Driving etiquette has implications for road safety and public safety since breaches of both formal and informal rules may result in moral judgement of others and subsequent behaviours designed to punish the ‘offender’ or ‘teach them a lesson’. This paper outlines qualitative research that was undertaken with drivers to explore their understanding of driving etiquette and how they reacted to other drivers’ observance or violation of their understanding. The aim was to develop an explanatory framework within which the relationships between driving etiquette and aggressive driving could be understood, specifically moral judgement of other drivers and punishment of their transgression of driving etiquette. Thematic analysis of focus groups (n=10) generated three main themes: (1) courtesy and reciprocity, and the notion of two-way responsibility, with examples of how expectations of courteous behaviour vary according to the traffic interaction; (2) acknowledgement and shared social experience: ‘giving the wave’; and (3) responses to breaches of the expectations/informal rules. The themes are discussed in terms of their roles in an explanatory framework of the informal rules of etiquette and how interactions between drivers can reinforce or weaken a driver’s understanding of driver etiquette and potentially lead to driving aggression.

Human mating in the informal market for sperm donation: Preferences and decision making

Choosing a mate is one of the largest (economic) decisions humans make. This thesis investigates this large scale decision and how the process is changing with the advent of the internet and the growing market for online informal sperm donation. This research identifies individual factors that influence female mating preferences. It explores the roles of behavioural traits and physical appearance, preferences for homogamy and hypergamy, and personality, and how these impact the decision to choose a donor. Overall, this thesis makes contributions to both the literature on human behaviour, and that on decision-making in extreme and highly important situations.

Turnover intentions of employees with informal eldercare responsibilities: The role of core self-evaluations and supervisor support

As longevity increases, so does the need for care of older relatives by working family members. This research examined the interactive effect of core self-evaluations and supervisor support on turnover intentions in two samples of employees with informal caregiving responsibilities. Data were obtained from 57 employees from Australia (Study 1) and 66 employees from the United States and India (Study 2). Results of Study 1 revealed a resource compensation effect, that is, an inverse relationship between core self-evaluations and turnover intentions when supervisor care support was low. Results of Study 2 extended these findings by demonstrating resource boosting effects. Specifically, there was an inverse relationship between core self-evaluations and subsequent turnover intentions for those with high supervisor work and care support. In addition, employees' satisfaction and emotional exhaustion from their work mediated the inverse relationship between core self-evaluations and subsequent turnover intentions when supervisor work support and care support were high. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of employee- and supervisor-focused intervention strategies in organizations to support informal caregivers.

Evaluación de diferentes niveles de ofrecimiento de concentrado comercial adicionando forraje verde ad libitum en conejos durante el período de ceba

El ensayo estudió el efecto de cuatro niveles de ofrecimiento de concentrado comercial, adicionando forraje verde ad libitum en conejos durante el período de ceba. El forraje verde suministrado, consistió en una mezcla pi­cada, que contenía en base a peso fresco el 75% de hojas de musa. sp (plátano), 15% de hojas cajanus cajan (gandul) y 15% de hojas de pennisetum purpureum (taiwán). En el tratamiento utilizado como testigo T1, se suministró pienso comercial en cantidades en gramos por día por gazapo de 96, 129, 145, 158 y 162 para las semanas uno, dos, tres y cuatro respectivamente, para el tratamiento T2, se suministró el 75% del concentrado comercial ofrecido en T1, para el trata­ miento T3, se suministró el 50% del concentrado comercial ofre­cido en T1 y para el tratamiento T4, se suministró el 25% del concentrado comercial ofrecido en T1. Se utilizó un D C A (Diseño completamente aleatorio), incluyendo la covariable peso inicial. El período de evaluación fue de 35 días, con un tiempo de adaptación al alimento de 5 días. Las unidades experimentales fueron 22 gazapos al destete de 34 y 35 días de edad, nacidos en la granja, presentado caracteristicas entre las razas: Neozelandis, California, Pardo, Mariposa y Chinchilla. Se encontró efecto significativo al 0.05 para los tratamientos y no significativo al 0.05 para la covariable peso inicial, siendo las variables respuestas: Consumo de concentrado, consumo de forraje, ganancia media diaria, relación consumo de concentrado entre incremento de peso y relación consumo de forraje entre incremento de peso. Se obtuvieron ganancias medias promedios en gramos por día de 32.2, 28.57, 25.03 y 12.82. Los costos de alimentación en córdobas por gazapo en los 35 días de evaluación fueron 8.23, 6.29, 4.33 y 2.39, que se determinaron en base al análisis de presupuestos parciales, obteniendo un beneficio neto en córdobas de 32.95, 31.66, 30.28 y 21.619 para los tratamientos T1, T2, T3 y T4 respectivamente, a una taza de cambio de C$8.05: US$ 1.

Evaluación de dos grupos de cerdos alimentados con dos tipos de raciones, concentrado comercial y desperdicios de cocina

El presente trabajo se realizó en la granja "Santa Rosa" propiedad de la UNA, ubicada en Sabana Grande, Managua El objetivo general del estudio fue: evaluar comparativamente el concentrado comercial y los desperdicios de cocina, sobre los indicadores técnicos del cerdo en producción. Los objetivos específicos fueron: l. Evaluar el comportamiento de las variables ganancia media diaria, ganancia por periodo, peso inicial, peso final, consumo de alimento por animal y por periodo, conversión alimenticia por animal y por periodo de dos grupos de cerdos alimentados, uno con concentrado comercial y otro con desperdicios de cocina; 2. Comparar económicamente las dietas utilizadas. El experimento se analizó en tres etapas productivas (crecimiento, desarrollo y engorde) con dos grupos de cerdos alimentados con: Concentrado comercial (T1) y Desperdicios de cocina (T2). Se utilizaron 16 cerdos Híbridos divididos en dos grupos de 8 animales (4♀ y 4♂ castrados),con peso promedio de 27.5 kg., los animales se pesaron cada 30 días. Las variables evaluadas fueron: ganancia media diaria (GMD), ganancia media por periodo (GMPP), peso inicial, peso final, consumo animal (CA), consumo por periodo (CP), conversión de alimento por animal (Convan) y por periodo (convp). Las variables PI, PF, G.MD. y G.M.P.P. se analizaron como un BCA en arreglo bifactorial considerando los factores: A: Sexo y B: Dietas. Las variables CA, CP, Convan y ConvP se analizaron como un DCA. Se realizó el ANDEVA y pruebas de separaciones de medias para todas las variables. Para relacionar las variables peso inicial con el peso final, se realizó un análisis de regresión. Se realizó un análisis económico por presupuestos parciales. La variable GMD se vio afectada (0.05 %) por la interacción. sexo*dieta, no así por el tiempo, sexo y dieta La GMPP fue afectada (0.05%) dieta y no por el tiempo, sexo y la interacción. sexo*dieta. El peso inicial se vio afectado (0.05%) por el tiempo, la dieta y la interacción sexo*dieta, y no por el sexo. El peso final se vio afectado (0.05%) por el tiempo, sexo, dieta y la interacción sexo*dieta. La Convan, ConvP, CA y CP se observan diferencias significativa pan ambos tratamientos, observándose un mejor comportamiento con el T1. El peso final se ve afectado por el peso inicial en ambos tratamientos, con r2 de 0.99 y 0.97 respectivamente. El tratamiento que presentó mayor fue el T2. Se concluye que: Los desperdicios de cocina son una alternativa de alimentación no convencional viable para los productores; tanto T1 y T2 tuvieron estadísticamente igual comportamiento GMD y GMPP, no siendo así para el peso inicial y peso final que fueron mayores al el T1; El CA, CP, Convan y ConvP fueron inferiores al el T1.De igual forma en ambos tratamientos el peso final dependió del peso inicial en un 99 y 97% respectivamente. El tratamiento que mayor Utilidad Obtuvo fue el de desperdicios de cocina. Económicamente producir un kilogramo de carne de cerdo con desperdicios de cocina es más rentable que hacerlo a partir de alimentos concentrados.

Evaluación sobre crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento de catorce accesiones criollas de frijol común (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) y el testigo comercial revolución-84 en La Compañía, Carazo, Postrera 1993

I. INTRODUCCION II. MATERIALES Y METODOS 2.1 Descripción del lugar 2.2 Descripción del diseño experimental 2.3 Tratamientos en estudio 2.4 Variables a medir en los tratamientos. 2.4.1 Sobre crecimiento y desarrollo. 2.4.2 Sobre el rendimiento 2.4.3 Estudio de enfermedades. 2.5 Análisis estadístico 2.6 Métodos de fitotecnia. 2.6.1 Preparación del suelo. 2.6.2 Fertilización. 2.6.3 Siembra. 2.6.4 Manejo de malezas 2.6.5 Manejo de plagas y enfermedades. 2.6.6 Cosecha. III.- RESULTADOS Y DISCUSION. 3.1 Sobre crecimiento y desarrollo 3.1.1 Porcentaje de emergencia 3.1.2 Diámetro del tallo 3.1.3 Longitud del tallo. 3.1.4 Número de nudos por planta. 3.13 Días a la floración. 3.1.6 Días a la madurez fisiológica. 3.1.7 Días a la cosecha. 3.1.8 Hábito de crecimiento. 3.2 Sobre el rendimiento y sus componentes. 3.2.1 Número de plantas cosechadas por parcela útil 3.2.2 Número de vainas por planta 3.2.3 Numero de granos por vaina. 3.2.4 índice de cosed/a. 3.2.5 Peso de grano malo. 3.2.6 Peso de grano bueno. 3.2.7 Peso de mil granos. 3.2.8 Rendimiento de grano 3.3 Estudio de enfermedades. IV CONCLUSIONES V. RECOMEMACIONES. VI REFERENCIAS BIBLIOGRAFICAS VII. ANEXOS

El espacio memorial de los/as desaparecidos/as : algunas perspectivas epistemológicas

Resumen: La pregunta que guía este trabajo está referida a la posibilidad de extraer algunas perspectivas epistemológicas de la producción de un espacio memorial. Su tema está relacionado con los modos de reelaboración del trauma social. El tiempo histórico al que se refiere es el de la última dictadura cívico-militar (marzo 1976-diciembre 1983). El recorrido de este aporte tiene tres partes. En la primera, se consideran las nociones de cuerpo y narración; la segunda presenta esbozos de respuestas a la pregunta planteada y la tercera, está referida brevemente a dos mujeres europeas y cristianas: Alice Domon (Francia, 1937- Argentina, 1977) y Elisabeth Käsemann (Alemania, 1947- Argentina 1977). Ambas vivieron en América Latina y pueden ser consideradas verdaderos espacios humanitarios de paz.