Digitized Theses and Dissertations

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/1828/20823

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 199

Social constructionism in psychology: the road to solipsism and an alternative
(2000) Kenwood, Christine Jessica; Tolman, Charles W.; Bavelas, Janet Beavin
Theories of social construction ism developed in psychology bear little resemblance to the original theory of construction ism proposed by Berger and Luckmann (1967). Some differences, most importantly those concerning how language is conceived, are at the root of problems suffered by the theories proposed by psychologists Kenneth J. Gergen and John Shotter. The critical literature suggests that psychological constructionism suffers from problems associated with relativism. It is argued, however, that the problem is more serious in that the theories of language proposed by Gergen and Shott er lead to solipsistic rather than relativistic consequences. The solution to the problematic aspects of their theories lies in returning to the use of action rather than language as a starting point for theory development. Berger and Luckmann (1967) avoid the problems suffered by their psychological counterparts by beginning with action. How problems are avoided by the use of action and how a viable theory becomes possible are discussed.
The value sieve: a decision system for complex environments
(2000) Corbett, John Christopher; Protti, D. J.; Cutt, Jim
The Value Sieve is a framework for making resource allocation decisions in complex environments. The theory and research methodologies employed in its development are founded in the social sciences. Given the social psychological nature of organizational problems, an open systems approach is taken. This approach requires that the target system be considered in the context of its operating environment and that the design includes the ways in which each subsystem interacts with others through inputs and outputs. This approach is intended to avoid the problems created when analysts treat organizations as closed systems and so invest their efforts in determining a detailed internal structure without considering the external environmental forces and the --natural'' features demonstrated by open systems. The Value Sieve is an optimization methodology and gets its name from the perspective that optimization in a complex environment requires accountable decision-makers to accept that there will be a series of tradeoffs that are ultimately determined by which outputs and outcomes they value most. This decision framework assists decision-makers in distilling their choices to achieve maximum expected utility for the scarce resources available for allocation. The framework is particularly useful where choices must be made among alternatives with incommensurable output or outcome performance measures. The Value Sieve framework is developed theoretically and conceptually in the first half of the thesis. In the second half. the framework is applied to a set of complex decisions in health and childcare in the public sector and human services in the private non-profit sector.
An analysis of recent Japanese economic involvement in three Southeast Asian countries: Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
(1976) Thompson, David George; Edgell, Michael C. R.
This thesis is concerned with Japanese economic involvement during the 1970' s in three Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The forms of economic involvement examined are aid, trade, and, most importantly, investment. The basic conclusion of the thesis is that, while Japan's economic presence has caused some degree of discontent in these countries, the problems are not insurmountable, and the Japanese presence can continue if certain measures are taken to improve the situation. The first two chapters look at Japan's historical involvement in Southeast Asia, with emphasis on the three countries concerned, dating from the fourteenth century to the present decade. Chapter three examines Japan's position in the 1970's regarding its economy, aid, trade, and foreign investment policies. Chapters four to six investigate Japan's economic involvement in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia respectively during the 1970's, and also try to give the reactions to this involvement in each country. The final chapter looks at some of the measures that Japan is taking to improve its image in Southeast Asia, and, in addition, offers some recommendations to further improve the situation.
Sustainable trade: the case of coffee in North America
(2002) Waridel, Laure; M'Gonigle, R. Michael
This thesis investigates the potential of "sustainable coffee" initiatives to counter the negative impacts of conventional practices in the current context of global trade and neo-liberal policies. The analysis focuses on the situation in Canada, Mexico and the USA. Existing barriers to the penetration of fair-trade, organic and shade-grown coffees into the North American market are identified based upon participatory research. Recommendations for the further development of sustainable coffee are also provided. The relationship between government policies and community-based efforts are also explored. The latter provide the basis for the elaboration of a North American framework of actions. Ultimately, this thesis recognizes the contribution organic, fair-trade and shade-grown coffee initiatives make in concretely addressing the negative impacts of conventional practices. It also argues that major barriers must be overcome before sustainability can become a norm for the mainstream industry.
Farmer's markets: connecting citizen's with local agriculture in B.C.
(2003) Neumann, Jenyfer L.; M'Gonigle, R. Michael
A spatial analysis within a political ecology framework is used to assess policies associated with farmers' markets in British Columbia. In this light, I examine farmers' markets with two objectives in mind: decreasing energy throughput and dispersing institutional power. I develop four categories of policy recommendations for supporting farmers' markets as a component of alternative food systems: 1) support for the development and management of farmers' markets, 2) support for local agriculture, 3) support for civil society initiatives bolstering food security, and 4) provision of educational opportunities. Within each category, I provide specific recommendations for both provincial and local/regional policy implementation. These need to be implemented with respect to an overall framework that ensures that all farmers' markets lead to reduced and circular throughput and power. Farmers' markets are an example of a component of alternative food systems that should be supported by provincial, regional and local policy.
Working-class suburbs in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Victoria, British Columbia
(2000) Jordan, David A.; McCann, L. D.
At the turn-of-the-twentieth-century, the combined forces of immigration, industrialization and advances in transportation technology were responsible for creating substantial changes - both physically and socially - on the fringe of Canadian cities. This thesis examines the changing social geography of four suburban areas in Victoria, British Columbia, by utilizing a wealth of data contained in the 1901 Census of Canada. The data reveal that the socio-economic and socio-cultural patterns of suburban households were remarkably varied, and that the working-class played a significant role in shaping the suburban landscape. An extensive electric street railway - that offered access to abundant, inexpensive land - and scattered job opportunities for blue-collar employees were important factors influencing where workers and their families lived. Families in working-class suburbs were likely to own their own home and a city lot. The consequences of homeownership, however, often meant going without municipal services. It also meant finding the most efficient use of space, both inside and outside the house. This thesis supports the argument that the social geography of Victoria's suburbs was shaped in large part by the decisions of many working-class families.
Conserving the cultural landscape in the city of Victoria: artist live-in studios ... or not?
(2003) Niwa, Louine; McCann, L. D.; Segger, Martin
City of Victoria municipal policies permitting artist live-in studio developments can potentially protect valuable cultural landscapes downtown early in the 21" century, but they do not. Pertinent policies include the heritage Tax Incentive Program (TIP), live-work and work-live zoning regulations. A Chinatown cultural landscape investigation and surveys (Dragon Alley, Shoal Point) show that gentrification threatens artists. Different styles of urban development in post-industrial Paris, London, and New York are analyzed using a political/planning framework subsequently applied to the City of Victoria. A case study doing institutional ethnography explicates the social relations of a typical low-income artist searching for a live-in studio downtown using a text-work sequencing map and textual analysis. Findings show artists are excluded from ruling relations dominating the policymaking process. Recommendations for policies that encourage development of appropriate, affordable artist live-in studio are transferable to other low-income groups with special architectural needs, such as the elderly and disabled.
Spontaneous communities: boarding and lodging in Victoria, British Columbia, 1881-1901
(2000) Mattys, Sean William; Sager, Eric William
This thesis is concerned with the great throng of individuals who lived, either by choice or circumstance, as boarders or lodgers during the late-nineteenth century. Although the presence of boarders and lodgers in North America's towns and cities is well known, the exact social and cultural organization of tenancy arrangements during this period is not completely understood. And although we know a great deal about tenancy arrangements with private families, there is little research that examines the full breadth of available tenancy living arrangements, including residency in hotels, rooming houses, and housekeeping rooms. This thesis provides a detailed case study based on patterns of boarding and lodging in a single city, Victoria, British Columbia, during a twenty-year period that spans three census years, 1881, 1891 and 1901. What this thesis intimates is that the practice of boarding and lodging was extremely selective. Both heads of households and prospective boarders engaged in a careful screening process in order to designate compatibility. Likewise, boarders and lodgers also took extreme interest in assuring compatibility with existing tenants as well. There were a number of ways in which compatibility could be assessed. Age, marital status, gender, occupation and birthplaces were important criteria used to designate compatibility with heads of households, as well as other tenants. However, it would appear that religious denomination, based on findings in this thesis, was the most important arbiter of household selection.
Age as a determinant of the spatial preference surface for high rise apartment locations in Victoria, B.C.
(1973) Derbyshire, Christine Mary; Murphy, Peter E.
In recent years the increasing number of high rise apartment developments have dominated the urban landscape and become the subject of considerable controversy in urban politics. Events in Victoria and elsewhere in Canada, over the last five years, have demonstrated that local citizens, both as individuals and community groups are frequently oppos e d to the proposed locations of high rise apartment developments. This thesis examined public preference for high rise location in Greater Victoria with the objective of providing a gauge of public opinion on questions of location and aesthetics. Past studies of high rise living indicate that socio- economic variables play a role in the selection of this housing type, particularly aspects of age such as life style and life cycle. Geography preference studies provide a methodology which can be used to measure public opinion. Through the analysis of individual preference surface maps a composite index of locational preference could be derived for the community. The study investigated the preference surface for high rise residential location in Victoria, B. C. and examined the relationship of the overall preference pattern to various socio-economic and spatial variables. Since age has been shown to be such an important factor in past studies, the sample was stratified according to the age structure of Greater Victoria and data were examined in terms of the whole sample and three age groups. The sample size was 101 with 27 in the 19-34 age group, 50 in the 35-64 age group, and 24 in the over 65 age group. The first step in the analysis was to construct preference surfaces for the whole sample and individual age groups. These showed that there were definite areas of preferred and objected location. Since age specific patterns of preference existed within the sample the next step was to examine relationships of these patterns with various socio-economic and spatial predictor variables. A stepwise regression analysis indicated that predictor variables differed according to age, and that high levels of explained variance were obtained for some groups. The study concludes that the public prefers specific locations for new residential high rise developments and that these preference surfaces do differ according to age. The findings of this study indicate that preference measurernents can provide means of gauging public opinion on locational and aesthetic aspects of high rise development which could be used as citizen input into the future land use planning of cities.
Changes in social and economic relations among rural women in Northern Thailand
(1999) Ames, Angeline; Warburton, Rennie
This research explores various changes which have taken place in social and economic relations among rural women in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. It mainly focuses on the income-generating activities of Northern rural Thai women which are aimed at improving their social and economic wellbeing. Based on field work and interviews with selected members from five rural women’s economic development projects in Chiang Mai Province, changes in social and economic relations and how the projects have benefitted Northern rural Thai women are presented in the following manner. Members' social and economic relations are examined within the context of capitalist-patriarchy which continues to produce exploitative and oppressive relations in many developing regions around the world. However, I suggest that forms of rural women' s economic development are taking place in Northern Thailand outside of mainstream capitalist development. Within this context, I conclude that rural Thai women are benefitting from the five economic projects presented in this thesis as they continue to achieve moderate income levels, leadership roles, control over their own finances, employment in rural areas, and resistance to patriarchy and the negative consequences of global capitalism. This kind of rural women' s economic activity is seen as an alternative to the mainstream processes of economic development and is a form of resistance to capitalist-patriarchy and its devastating consequences.
The lived experience of organizational change for alcohol and drug workers
(1998) Crisp, Fiona Campbell; Armitage, Andrew
A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of alcohol and drug workers with organizational change brought about by the creation of the Ministry for Children and Families in British Columbia. Five alcohol and drug workers, three female and two male, were each interviewed twice concerning their experiences. Participants' responses fell under the topic areas of organizational change, decision making and leadership, changes in work culture, practice issues, loss, coping and dealing with change and stress, and oppo11unities. Participants were concerned with the lack of clarity regarding the goals of the change, and decision making and leadership. They were trying to adjust to a dramatic change in work culture, which impacted their day-to-day work. Despite experiencing a loss of the old system, participants found many ways to cope with the change and identified opportunities which could be pursued.
From protest to participation: an assessment of environmental participation in the Vancouver Island regional negotiation process of the Commission on Resources and Environment
(2002) Senez, Paul Henri; West, Paul R.; Taylor, Duncan M.
In recent years there has been increased interest in alternative strategies to address unemployment and underemployment. Growing structural unemployment and the effects of global economic trends have led to efforts to develop new ways to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurial activity and reduce poverty. This research focuses on a particular aspect of local economic development - self-employment through microenterprise development. In particular, this research explores how a microenterprise lending program supports its clients (borrowers) in their efforts to achieve economic self-sufficiency through small business development. The literature shows that access to credit is a significant concern to many individuals who wish to be economically self-reliant. Ironically, those individuals who are refused access to credit are typically the people who need it the most - including the unemployed, the underemployed. recent immigrants, individuals who have declared bankruptcy, and single parents. The literature reveals that while extending credit for the purpose of microenterprise development is a well-established strategy for generating economic opportunities in developing countries and in the U.S., it is less known and practised in Canada. Furthermore. the literature contains little in the way of the perspective of the clients of these funds - i.e. the borrowers. For example, who participates in microcredit programs? What has been their experience? What are the specific issues associated with low-income entrepreneurship? And how do the programs support borrowers in overcoming the barriers to self-employment? I decided to answer these questions by conducting qualitative research into a microenterprise lending initiative. I proposed a research study aimed at increasing understanding of microenterprise lending in Canada, from the perspective of the lending initiative and of the borrower. In July of 1998, I conducted an on-site visit of the StartUp program in Calgary, Alberta. The data collected consists of program participant and staff interviews, and a documentary review. The research findings show that the program supports its participants by "demystifying" the basics of running a business, helping to increase skill levels, and providing opportunities to build the confidence needed to succeed once the business is up and running. The program reduces isolation by providing access to both peer and staff supports, and by helping to build a cooperative network of entrepreneurs within the community. The findings suggest that the program may be particularly helpful in providing women entrepreneurs with the support and advice needed to assist them in overcoming barriers specific to women. However, the data also indicates that peer group style lending may not be for everyone, as peer group participation takes a lot of time, requires certain skills, and can be a stressful experience for the participants involved. The research findings also indicate that the StartUp program extends access to credit in sufficient quantities to start up a small business. However, more research is needed to determine whether the loan size is sufficient enough to assist the participants to establish a business that increases the participant's incomes over what would have occurred otherwise. Finally, the findings suggest that StartUp will need to increase its efforts to ensure that the social and economic empowerment intent of microcredit is not lost. Actions to support this goal could include increasing opportunities for participants to be involved in the program's ongoing development, broadening the criteria for success to reflect a vision of advancing the social and economic empowerment of pa11icipants, and forming coalitions with other groups in order to lobby for increased resources and influence lending practices to low income groups.
Investing in the community: economic empowerment through microenterprise lending
(1999) Leski, Angela; Wharf, Brian
In recent years there has been increased interest in alternative strategies to address unemployment and underemployment. Growing structural unemployment and the effects of global economic trends have led to efforts to develop new ways to create jobs, encourage entrepreneurial activity and reduce poverty. This research focuses on a particular aspect of local economic development - self-employment through microenterprise development. In particular, this research explores how a microenterprise lending program supports its clients (borrowers) in their efforts to achieve economic self-sufficiency through small business development. The literature shows that access to credit is a significant concern to many individuals who wish to be economically self-reliant. Ironically, those individuals who are refused access to credit are typically the people who need it the most - including the unemployed, the underemployed. recent immigrants, individuals who have declared bankruptcy, and single parents. The literature reveals that while extending credit for the purpose of microenterprise development is a well-established strategy for generating economic opportunities in developing countries and in the U.S., it is less known and practised in Canada. Furthermore. the literature contains little in the way of the perspective of the clients of these funds - i.e. the borrowers. For example, who participates in microcredit programs? What has been their experience? What are the specific issues associated with low-income entrepreneurship? And how do the programs support borrowers in overcoming the barriers to self-employment? I decided to answer these questions by conducting qualitative research into a microenterprise lending initiative. I proposed a research study aimed at increasing understanding of microenterprise lending in Canada, from the perspective of the lending initiative and of the borrower. In July of 1998, I conducted an on-site visit of the StartUp program in Calgary, Alberta. The data collected consists of program participant and staff interviews, and a documentary review. The research findings show that the program supports its participants by "demystifying" the basics of running a business, helping to increase skill levels, and providing opportunities to build the confidence needed to succeed once the business is up and running. The program reduces isolation by providing access to both peer and staff supports, and by helping to build a cooperative network of entrepreneurs within the community. The findings suggest that the program may be particularly helpful in providing women entrepreneurs with the support and advice needed to assist them in overcoming barriers specific to women. However, the data also indicates that peer group style lending may not be for everyone, as peer group participation takes a lot of time, requires certain skills, and can be a stressful experience for the participants involved. The research findings also indicate that the StartUp program extends access to credit in sufficient quantities to start up a small business. However, more research is needed to determine whether the loan size is sufficient enough to assist the participants to establish a business that increases the participant's incomes over what would have occurred otherwise. Finally, the findings suggest that StartUp will need to increase its efforts to ensure that the social and economic empowerment intent of microcredit is not lost. Actions to support this goal could include increasing opportunities for participants to be involved in the program's ongoing development, broadening the criteria for success to reflect a vision of advancing the social and economic empowerment of pa11icipants, and forming coalitions with other groups in order to lobby for increased resources and influence lending practices to low income groups.
Women's work in tourism and agriculture: Towards an understanding of food security in the commonwealth of dominica, West Indies
(2000) Wright, Regina Louise; Wood, Colin J. B.
As the traditional export-oriented agricultural economy of Dominica faces a precarious future, tourism is increasingly touted as the island's only path to development. However, the impacts of tourism on community development and food security in Dominica remains largely unexplored. Through a detailed description of the roles and experiences of six women who work in tourism and agriculture in and around the city of Roseau (gathered from depth interviews conducted over the summer of 1999), this study aims to render a deeper understanding of community development and food security in Dominica. This study revealed specific transitory threats to food security in Dominica masked by current quantitative assessments. Moreover, this study concludes that while tourism and agricultural businesses are biased towards middle class women with access to capital and land, overall these operations had a positive impact on both community development and food security.
Land evaluation using AHP
(1999) Garlick, Graham Stuart; Keller, C. Peter
Land evaluation is the process of assigning an index to land areas representing a measure of the suitability of the land to a particular activity and is related to the land characteristics. The key challenge to researchers is the combination of data layers with non-commensurable data forms in a manner understandable to land managers. A survey of essayed techniques reveals a methodological extension to Saaty's (1977) Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a potential solution. This thesis develops an analytical tool to confirm the utility of AHP for land evaluation. Note: pages 71-74 missing
A comparison of young female rope skippers with untrained matched controls
(1999) Peters, Jill T.; Gaul, Catherine Ann
The purpose of this study was to compare measures of fitness in 11 experienced female competitive rope skippers, aged 8 - 15 years, with 11 untrained control participants matched by age and maturation. A secondary purpose was to evaluate the exercise intensity of a typical rope skipping training session. The experienced rope skippers trained 3 times a week, for 60 – 90 minutes. Self-assessed maturity status was used to separate subjects into prepubescent (6 experienced, 6 control) and pubescent (5 experienced, 5 control) groups. Stature and weight were recorded and the following measures of physical fitness were assessed: maximal oxygen uptake (V02max) predicted by a 20-meter shuttle run test, peak power in ls and 5s and total work over 30s estimated from a Wingate Anaerobic Cycle test, muscular power predicted from vertical jump, muscular endurance measured by partial curl ups and straight-legged push ups, dynamic balance assessed by the Modified Bass Test of Dynamic Balance, and flexibility measured by the Leighton flexometer for shoulder flexion/extension and the sit & reach test for general body flexibility. A two-way ANOV A revealed no significant rope skipping experience (trained vs. untrained) main effect or an experience by maturity status interaction for any dependent measure. A significant maturity effect (p < 0.05) was found for height, weight, V02max, peak power in ls & 5s, total work over 30s, muscular power, balance, and left shoulder extension. High reliability (r = 0.89) was reported for the straight-legged push ups performed by the females in this study, indicating its appropriate use among similar populations. Both rope skippers and control subjects exhibited normal to higher fitness levels when compared to nonnative and criterion standards. Heart rates monitored in 2 subjects during a typical rope skipping training session demonstrated great variability, with brief periods of high intensity work combined with extended periods of low intensity activity, reflecting a less than optimal work:rest ratio and intensity level for effective aerobic training. The lack of any rope skipping training effects may be attributed to a combination of low training intensity (< 60% max HR) and duration (< 30 min). It is also possible that the control participants had higher physical fitness levels than that expected of a normal, untrained population of females.
The effects of individualized exercise programming on muscular fitness, functional mobility, and subjective well-being in older persons
(1999) Bongiovanni-Russell, Florence; Bell, Robert D.
This 16 week study assessed whether an individualized, comprehensive, and progressive exercise program can have a positive effect on the health condition of older persons. Eleven volunteers (7 men & 4 women) ranging between the ages of 60 to 82 years participated in the study. Each of these subjects were given an individualized exercise program to complete and was continuously monitored over the course of the study. Three different types of single case designs were incorporated in this study to observe changes in muscular fitness, functional mobility, and subjective well-being these included ABAB (self-paced walk), changing criterion (lRM strength testing, 50% of lRM endurance testing, sit-&-reach flexibility testing), and probes (weighted stair-climb, subjective exercise experience scale, & the satisfaction with life scale). The effects of the training program generally indicated improvements in muscular strength, muscular endurance, and stair ascension pace across all participants. Modest improvements were noted in the flexibility results and although the participants demonstrated minimal changes in gait pace from the self-paced walk, other improvements were observed in body posture and carriage. There was limited support that indicated resistance training enhanced subjective well-being. The majority of participants had a higher degree of feeling states for subjective well-being and life satisfaction prior to program implementation, which remained unchanged over the course of the study. The study has demonstrated that this type of exercise program can have a positive effect on the health condition of older persons. An individualized, comprehensive, and progressive program consisting of resistance training, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory exercises within a well supervised setting is recommended.
The effects of aerobic exercise on strength performance under varying durations of recovery
(2000) Sporer, Benjamin Carson; Wenger, Howard A.
The purpose of this study was to determine if the type and intensity of aerobic training affects the amount of work that can be performed in a subsequent strength training session after recovery periods of 4, 8, and 24 hours. Sixteen male subjects actively involved in sports (hockey, rowing, soccer, basketball, rugby) participated in the study and were divided into two groups, MAX (8) and SUB (8). Aerobic training consisted of either six, 3-minute intervals at 85-100% power output at cycle V02 max (POCMAP) separated by 3-minute recovery intervals (MAX) or 36 minutes of continuous aerobic training at approximately 70% POCMAP (SUB). Each participant performed 4 sets of both bench press and leg press at approximately 75% lRM on 4 different occasions. Three occasions were preceded by aerobic training with recovery periods of 4, 8, or 24 hours, while the fourth was used as a control. Total repetitions in leg press were affected by length of recovery following aerobic training while total repetitions in bench press were unaffected. Both the 4 and 8-hour recovery conditions resulted in significantly fewer total leg press repetitions than both the control and 24-hour recovery conditions. There was no difference between both the control and 24-hour conditions. No main effect was shown with respect to the type of aerobic training. It was concluded that regardless of the type, when aerobic training precedes strength training, the volume of work that can be performed is diminished for up to 8 hours. This impairment appears to be localized to the muscle groups involved in the aerobic training.
The development of young children's productive narrative competence in conversational contexts: a longitudinal investigation
(1985) Preece, Alison; Mickelson, Norma I.
Th is dissertation focuses upon the productive narrative competence of three young children as revealed in their spontaneously occurring conversations recorded over an eighteen-month period during their kindergarten and grade one years. The data consist of 131 separate audio-types and the transcriptions made from them. Data were recorded an average of two times each week; almost ninety hours of the children's conversations were recorded. The children's narratives, produced as they were driven to and from school, have been examined in terms of their form, their various functions, and their relationship to the conversations in which they were embedded. Developmental changes in each of these three areas were also traced. Fourteen different forms or types of narrative language were identified in the data. Although review of the literature had suggested eight of the narrative forms, six additional categories emerged during data analysis. The range of functions served by the narratives produced by the children was examined. Again, although the review of the literature had suggested six main functions likely to occur, analysis of the recordings necessitated the expansion and refinement of this list. In all, ten major functional uses of narrative language were identified in the data examined for this study. In addition, thirty-eight specific functions were distinguished. The relationships among the various narrative forms, and the functions served by narrative language. also were outlined. The effect of the interactional situation and peer-input on the narratives produced was examined. The children were found regularly to collaborate in the production of a wide variety of narrative forms. The responses, comments, and questions of the listeners were found to exert considerable influence on both the content and the form of the narratives produced, and their interactions appeared to have contributed significantly to the development of the narrative competence of the three subjects. The data were examined to determine whether individual differences were apparent in narrative skills, styles of presentation, and preferences for form. Striking differences were found in all three areas; although all three subjects displayed a wide range of narrative skills they chose to employ their narrative competence in very different ways. This study adds to the existing literature in three main areas. First, it offers definitions and descriptions of the range of narrative forms produced by individual children. Secondly, it delineates a broader and more specifically stated list of the functions served by the narrative language produced by young children than that offered by the literature. Lastly, it clearly illustrates the contribution peer-interaction can make to the development of narrative competence.
Investigating female student enrollment in physical education 11
(1999) Kilborn, Michelle Lynne; Gibbons, Sandra Louise
Keeping female students interested and participating in physical education classes is a difficult task faced by many secondary physical educators. In British Columbia, only 10-12% of females in grade 11 enroll in physical education, compared with 22-24% of their male counterparts. This low participation rate causes concern since there is considerable evidence of the health benefits of physical activity. Focus group interviews with female students in grade 11 (N=27) were conducted in two rural towns in British Columbia that had high enrollment of female students in physical education. The purpose of these discussions was to gain insight into the female student experience and the factors that encourage or discourage young women from enrolling in Physical Education 11. Three major themes emerged from the focus group data: (i) fairness and equity; (ii) meaning and value; and (iii) have fun and take a break. These themes indicated that young women desire physical education programs that are fair, equitable, meaningful, and enjoyable. These results were discussed in relation to previous literature regarding female participation in physical education.

Browse

Recent Submissions