title: MSVU Senate Minutes -- March 27 2000

abstract:
Senate Meeting
Rosaria Boardroom March 27, 2000
A meeting of the Senate was held at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27, 2000, in the Rosaria Board Room.
Present: S. Brown (Chair), P. Baker, I. Blum, B. Casey, F. Early, D. Furrow, C. Ferns, P. Glenister, B.
Harvey, F. Harrington, C. Hill, N. Hill, N. Kayhani, M. Lyon, M. Mahshi, C. Mathieson, M. McIntosh, J.
Mills, L. Neilsen, G. Nepean, B. Rao, R. Sampson, L. Theriault, P. Watts, J. Woodsworth, J. Young.
Regrets: B. Hodkin, M. MacMillan, C. Portolesi, M. Raven, T. Richards, B. Taylor, R. Warne.
Guests: R. Jeppesen, T. Roberts
1. Approval of Agenda
Moved by G. Nepean, seconded B. Harvey by that the agenda be approved as amended. CARRIED
The minutes were amended to include item 7.11.1 with item 4, President's Announcements and to change
item 7.11.3, from (for action) to (for information).
2. Approval of Minutes of February 21, 2000
Moved by B. Harvey, seconded by M. McIntosh that the minutes of February 21, 2000 be approved as
amended. CARRIED
The minutes were amended under item 5, Question Period, to delete the word "President" in the first
paragraph, third sentence.
3. Business Arising from the Minutes
3.1 Policy on Tape Recording of Senate Meetings
S. Brown reported that the Senate Executive will revisit this policy and will forward a recommendation to
Senate at the May 1 meeting.
4. President's Announcements
S. Brown reported that the provincial budget will probably be announced on April 6. As soon as budget
information is made available, S. Brown will distribute the information to the university community.
S. Brown reported that the federal announcement regarding the 21st Century Chairs will be made soon.
S. Brown announced that F. Early was the recipient of this year's Award for Research Excellence. F.
Early will be presented the award during the May convocation. S. Brown and Senate congratulated F.
Early.
5. Question Period
There were questions regarding the status of English 1120. Members of Senate questioned if this course
should be a university wide requirement. D. Furrow stated that this issue had been discussed with the
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Senate Committee on Teaching. The committees did not
agree with making English 1120 an university wide requirement. A report presented by S. Drain indicated
that the course does not make a difference in the writing skills of students. Alternative avenues for
improving students' writing skills should be explored. Senate reinforced the importance of this issue and
referred it to the Writing Initiatives Committee suggesting that representatives from the English
Department and Student Affairs attend a WIC meeting to discuss this issue. The Writing Initiatives
Committee will take the suggestion under advisement.
There was concern that students enrolled in Business were still required to take English 1120.
There was also concern that many students lacked various university preparatory skills such as research
literacy and mathematical competence.
7. Committee Reports (Standing and Ad Hoc)
7.1 Senate Executive
No report
7.2 Academic Appeals Committee
L. Theriault reported there was one appeal before the committee. The committee will be meeting next
week.
7.3 Academic Policy and Planning
7.3.1 Memoranda of Understanding
J. Woodsworth discussed the background of each memorandum of understanding.
Moved by J. Woodsworth, seconded B. Harvey by that Senate endorse the Memorandum of
Understanding with Bermuda College. CARRIED
Moved by J. Woodsworth, seconded by P. Watts that Senate endorse the Memorandum of Understanding
with the Universidad AutÃ³noma de Campeche. CARRIED.
The language of instruction at the Universidad AutÃ³noma de Campeche is Spanish.
Moved by J. Woodsworth, seconded by G. Nepean that Senate endorse the Memorandum of
Understanding with the Instituto Campechano. CARRIED.
There was a suggestion that a formal reporting mechanism be found to update Senate on the outcomes of
each of the signed memoranda of understanding. The suggested specified time to report the outcomes is
two years.
J. Woodsworth reported that CAPP is working on the third section of the Academic Plan in parallel with
the Blueprint process of developing action plans. The Blueprint initiatives CAPP is addressing include
how to attract and retain excellent faculty, how to attract and retain excellent students, and developing
innovative programs.
J. Woodsworth stated that several programs were being developed such as a History and Information
Technology cooperative program and a Cultural Studies program.
7.4 Committee on Extended Learning
R. Sampson reported that the committee was addressing the Blueprint 2000 initiatives. One suggestion
has been the development of modules for distance students in the areas of research literacy, writing,
mathematics refresher, etc. The Committee also discussed the student success program and that this
program should be offered to some students before they are accepted into an academic program.
7.5 Graduate Studies
R. Sampson reported that the committee has reviewed seven graduate thesis proposals for ethical
approval. The Committee was also addressing the Blueprint 2000.
7.6 Undergraduate Curriculum
7.6.1 Undergraduate Curriculum (for action)
7.6.1.1 Business & Tourism
a) Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the Business 4499, Honours Thesis
from a Â½ unit to 1 unit. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by M. McIntosh to approve changing the admissions
requirements for the BBA Honours Degree. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the honours degree
requirements to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 12 Â½ units in Business Administration and
Tourism and Hospitality Management. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the honours degree
requirements to include a concentration or major in one area as approved by the department and
to include at least one unit at the 4000 level in addition to the Honours Thesis. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the honours degree
requirements to a GPA of 2.7 or better in 10 of the required honours units and in all of the units
required in the area of concentration or major, with a grade of at least C- in each of these units; in
addition, students must achieve a minimum grade of B- in the honours thesis and an overall GPA
of 2.7 or more must be obtained in all courses counted for the degree beyond the first full five
units. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the first class honours
requirements to include a GPA of 3.5 or better in 10 of the required honours units and with no
grade below B- in all course counted for the degree beyond the first full five units taken.
CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve changing the honours degree
requirements to include completing Business 4499, Honours Thesis with a minimum grade of B-.
CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to delete the requirement for Math 1130, Finite
Mathematics (Â½ unit) from the Degree and Diploma in Business Administration. CARRIED.
The Department of Mathematics and Computer Studies has no objection to this request.
ô    Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by M. McIntosh to add
to the Degree and Diploma in Business Administration a
Â½ unit of Arts & Science elective. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by J. Young to approve the changes in the work term sequencing
for the Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management. CARRIED.
There was confirmation that students are required to end in an academic term.
7.6.1.1 History
a) Moved by D. Furrow, seconded F. Early to approve the addition of HIST 2217, Canadian-American
Relations - The Formative History. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by F. Early to approve the addition of HIST/POLS 2218,
Canadian-American Relations - Continental Nations. CARRIED.
â ¢ Moved by D. Furrow, seconded by F. Early to approve the deletion of HIST 3324, The History of
Canadian-American Relations. CARRIED.
7.6.2 Undergraduate Curriculum (for information)
The following curriculum changes were brought to Senate for information: 7.6.2.1 Mathematics &
Computer Studies
â ¢ Change to existing courses' prerequisites.
7.7 Committee on Appointment, Promotion and Tenure or Permanence for Academic
Administrators (CAPTPAA)
7.7.1 Professors Emeriti (Confidential Business)
Senate discussed CAPTPAA's recommendation for Professor Emeritus.
7.8 Committee on Information Technology and Services
B. Harvey reported that the Committee met on February 25. The Committee discussed whether it should
be involved in policy issues and the Blueprint 2000 initiatives. B. Harvey stated the Committee did not
resolve these issues.
Senate confirmed that according to the Senate By-Laws the Committee should be involved in policy
issues.
There were several concerns raised by Senators:
â ¢ â ¢The Committee did not provide feedback on the Senate's previous questions.
â ¢ â ¢The university community was unable to use technology last Saturday and Sunday. The IT&S
department should provide better service (i.e., have someone on call during weekends and
evenings).
â ¢ â ¢Student issues were not being addressed by the Committee.
â ¢ â ¢The Committee was not consulted regarding the department's Blueprint action plans.
â ¢ â ¢The terms of reference for the Committee should be revised. The terms of reference should be
similar to those of the Senate Library Committee. For example, the Chair of the Committee on
Information Technology and Services should not be the Director of the Department.
S. Brown stated that greater consultation will be a part of the Blueprint process. There will be discussion
this week to prevent a similar situation experienced last weekend with technological downtime. The
Committee will be meeting again on April 14.
7.9 Library
B. Rao reported that the Blueprint submission from the Library will include feedback from the Senate
Library Committee and library staff. The entire blueprint submission has been endorsed by the Senate
Library Committee.
B. Rao stated that the Committee was concerned about the difficulty experienced by distance students in
obtaining a library card. L. Theriault stated that distance library cards are sent to any student who requests
one or to a whole class at the professor's request. B. Rao reported that the Committee believed that many
professors and students were unaware of this opportunity to obtain a library card. She suggested that this
information should be included in their course packages. L. Theriault will address this issue. The
Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education is revising the information packages sent to
students at a distance.
A Senator expressed concern about appropriate access to electronic databases (i.e. Proquest) for distance
students.
7.10 Nominations
7.10.1 Ratification of Candidate for Review Committee for the President
Moved I Blum, seconded by J. Young to ratify the election for Senate representative on the Review
Committee for the President held at the last Senate meeting. CARRIED.
7.10.2 Recommendation for Undergraduate Admissions & Scholarships Committee
Moved by I. Blum, seconded by J. Young that J. Morgenstern be elected to the Undergraduate
Admissions and Scholarships committee for a term beginning immediately and ending June 30, 2002.
CARRIED.
7.11 Research and Publications
7.11.1 General Announcements
C. Mathieson reported that the Research and Publications Committee Blueprint action plans have been
forwarded to the Blueprint Steering Committee. C. Mathieson announced that F. Bennett and H. Li were
successful in obtaining NSERC research funding in the most recent operating grants competition. The
SSHRC funding announcement has been delayed until April. C. Mathieson introduced some of the
features for a Research Office website (under construction).
7.11.2 Application for Internal Research Grant and Forms
Moved by C. Mathieson, seconded by F. Early that Senate endorse the Application for an Internal
Research Grant and accompanying forms. CARRIED.
7.11.3 MSVU Policies and Procedures: Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans
C. Mathieson reported that the attached policy was the third draft and that the policy had received widescale
consultation to date, including a presentation at the MSVUFA.
In response to questions, C. Mathieson confirmed that teacher evaluations, performance reports and
quality assurance reports were excluded from ethical review.
Senate made the following suggestions for revision:
â ¢ â ¢Under article 10.4 b) and c) to specify destruction not archiving after the specified amount of
time.
â ¢ â ¢There was a discussion regarding article 2.3 f) with a recommendation to delete this line
C. Mathieson stated that special cases may occur and the policy may need to be revisited in the future.
C. Mathieson will distribute the updated policy to department chairs and the faculty association within
two weeks. The document will be ready by May 1 for a motion for endorsement by Senate.
7.12 Student Affairs
C. Hill reported that the Committee had met and was working on Blueprint initiatives.
7.13 Committee on Teaching
J. Woodsworth reported that the Committee was working on the Blueprint Action Plan. J. Woodsworth
announced that P. Watts will be chairing the organizing committee for the Faculty Teaching Day.
7.14 Undergraduate Admissions and Scholarships
L. Theriault reported that the Committee has been meeting regularly and was working on its response to
Blueprint.
L. Theriault reported that the Committee has completed its bursary awards process for the year. The
Committee received 529 bursary applications and made a total of 465 awards for a total of $205,675.00
The awards ranged in value from $50.00 to $2000.00. The awards are on a needs basis. This year when
the calculations were prepared, 64 students had a negative need, which meant their resources exceeded
their need. Thus, the decision was made not to provide these students with a bursary because there was a
large number of students with a demonstrated need. The Committee developed a template to standardize
expenses and to compare these expenses to need for use mainly in cases where their was a large level of
presented need. The rationale was that there was a great amount of need that could not be supported and
the bursary level could not support certain levels of lifestyle. The Committee tried to standardize the
award to ensure that a certain portion of need was being meet. The figures generally reached the 25-26%
range. In general, the students put forward a demonstrated need of $946,000, which was met by awards
totalling $205,675.00.
L. Theriault reported that the Committee was still working on the revisions to the admission process. The
last point to be settled is the consideration of the International Baccalaureate as a means of transfer credits
to students. L. Theriault met with the Chairs of the Arts and Sciences departments to discus this issue.
Course descriptions were then forwarded to the departments. The Chairs were asked to respond to this
issue by March 29. The Chairs were also given an opportunity to request further discussion. If further
discussions are not requested, the Committee will proceed to finalize the admission changes and bring the
changes to the May 1 Senate meeting.
The Committee has set its working session for the entrance scholarship awards on April 3 and offers will
be mailed on April 15.
L. Theriault stated that the Committee recommends that the admission requirements for British students
who completed their "A" levels be reduced.
8. Other Reports
8.1 Board of Governors
No report
8.2 Student Council
M. McIntosh announced the Student Council Election results:
â ¢ â ¢C. Nickerson - President
â ¢ â ¢S. Randall - Executive Vice-President
â ¢ â ¢N. White - Internal Vice-President
â ¢ â ¢B. McNeil - External Vice-President
â ¢ â ¢T. Roberts - Academic Vice-President
â ¢ â ¢C. Portolesi - Race and Genders Relations Vice-President
M. McIntosh indicated there were close races for the contested positions.
M. McIntosh reported that the Awards Night was a success. M. McIntosh congratulated L. Theriault, F.
Cody, B. Church and K. Darvesh for receiving the Honourary Student Council Membership.
Student Union leaders meet with the Minister of Education on March 10. There were no definite answers
to questions asked.
A tuition presentation was given to the Board Finance Committee on March 10. B. Harvey is preparing a
courses evaluation presentation for Senate on May 1; T. Roberts will be presenting. The Student Union
has been working on Blueprint 2000 action plans. M. McIntosh thanked T. Roberts, P. O'Neill, and cast
for their hard work producing the play Swingtime Canteen which wrapped up last weekend.
Representatives from the Student Union participated in various events in conjunction with the Women's
Studies Department during International Women's Week.
M. McIntosh stated that results of the CFS referendum will not be announced until they receive the data
from Financial Services on how many voting students paid student union fees.
9. New Business
9.1 Request to Rescind Degree
A confidential discussion was held regarding a student request.
Moved by R. Sampson, seconded by M. McIntosh that Senate rescind the discussed degree. CARRIED.
(15 in favour, 5 opposed, 4 abstentions).
It is noted that the action taken was of an extraordinary nature. Senate recommends that the graduation
handbook be reworded to ensure that students are aware that the convocation fee is a separate processing
charge for graduation. Senate also recommended that the Policy to Collect Fees be reviewed.
10. Items for Communication
The 2001-2002 Calendar will communicate course and program changes. The Research Office will
circulate the revised internal grant policy and forms.
11. Adjournment
Moved by G. Nepean, seconded by C. Ferns that the meeting be adjourned at 9:52 p.m.
CARRIED


title: The learning experiences of members of an Africentric Support Group at a small urban-based Nova Scotian university

format: Full-text application/pdf

subject: Africentric learning experiences, Nova Scotia, Africentric support group

abstract:
The learning experiences of Black students at post-secondary institutions in Canada is not a commonly researched topic. However, it is an area of study that generates many questions, with little to no answers.

My investigation about the learning experiences of ten (10) Black students at a small urban-based Nova Scotia university, who are part of an Africentric support group (ASG), will provide some of the answers by foregrounding the experiences and voices from the data collected during a focus group and one-to-one interviews.

This study centers the voices of four participants from Africa, three from Canada and three from the Caribbean and Bermuda. Using an Africentric Informed Qualitative Research Methodology, I engage participants to take ownership of the research and to become equal with the researcher. By using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the emerging themes suggest that the ASG plays a significant role in the learning experiences of participants, although they struggle with issues such as alienation from the curriculum and classroom, racial discrimination, stereotype and cultural identity issues.

By exploring the influence of the ASG on the learning experiences of these participants, I was able to show that an Africentric perspective is required to make any significant changes to the learning experiences of Black students at a small urban-based Nova Scotia university.


title: Girls and Women Exploring Intergenerational Learning Through Storytelling

subject:
Storytelling
Informal learning
Intergenerational learning
Women
Family
Feminist
Narrative

abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore through storytelling intergenerational learning between
grandmothers, mothers and daughters from four different families, an Indigenous family, an
African Nova Scotian family, a White/Asian family and my own family, which is white. A
feminist lens is used to understand the ideological positions that constrain women’s and girls’
choices and visions for future possibilities (Zaidi, 2013). Through semi-structured face to face
interviews with the three women (a grandmother, a mother and a daughter) together from each of
the four families, I examined the impact these relationships have on informal learning between
generations of women to gain a better understanding of women’s advancement. My research
question explored, what is it to be a girl. Under the larger overarching theme of intergenerational
learning among women, the main themes that emerged from the participants’ stories are
oppression, fear, resistance, social injustice and empowerment. This study highlights the
importance of looking closer at intergenerational learning among women to gain a greater insight
into lived realities women face now and throughout history. The narratives of the four families
from three different generational perspectives using a storytelling approach, provided first-hand
accounts of girls’ and women’s life stories. These stories expose the power of informal learning
and help us to better understand the dynamics of women’s experiences and gender equality.


title: Functional Behaviour Assessment for a Student with Autism: Evaluation of a Training Program for Teachers and Education Program Assistants

title: Evaluation of a FBA Training Program

subject:
Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA)
Autistic Children
Behaviour Support Plans (BSP)

abstract:
With the education system moving towards an inclusive learning environment, more children with disabilities, including autism, have been included in regular education classrooms and schools. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with significant impairments in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities. This move, while having positive results on the students, has caused some concerns around the best practices for dealing with challenging behaviours in the classroom. One method.
Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA), has been widely recognized as a promising practice for providing proactive interventions with students who exhibit challenging behaviours. FBA has also been shown to be an effective method for linking assessment to intervention. This is an important tool when developing Behaviour Support Plans (BSP). A Behaviour Support Plan is a written document that summarizes the information obtained from the Functional Behavior Assessment and outlines the intervention plan.
As children with autism are at a particular risk for developing challenging and disruptive behaviours that interfere with their educational progress, FBA is an effective tool for developing Behaviour Support Plans that decrease challenging behaviours, while increasing prosocial behaviours. However, there are concerns regarding the use of FBA practices and procedures within the school system. These concerns include the amount of time needed to perform a complex assessment and lack of training by those responsible for conducting the assessment. This study evaluated whether training school personnel in Functional
Behaviour Assessment would lead to the development of a Behaviour Support Plan, which would decrease a student with autism’s challenging behaviour in the school setting. This study also demonstrated how FBA could be effectively implemented in the school system by supporting school staff throughout the training, assessment, and intervention stages.
Three school personnel and one student with autism participated in this study.
School personnel received a six hour training session in FBA through verbal and written instructions and case study examples. During training, participants learned the fundamentals about function-based behaviour support, how to conduct a Functional Behaviour Assessment and how to build an effective and efficient Behaviour Support
Plan. Once training had been completed, school personnel completed the FBA process on a student with autism. The assessment procedure involved collecting information regarding two target behaviours through interviews and observations and then developing a BSP based on the assessment information that was collected.
Observational information was collected after the BSP was implemented to determine if it had an effect on the student’s behaviour. While the two target behaviours appeared to decrease after the BSP was implemented, the specific causes of these reductions were unable to be drawn due to the possibility of other variables accounting for the improved behaviour.
Results of FBA training revealed that school personnel’s confidence level in their ability to develop and implement FBA procedures had increased after training.
Discussion includes the potential benefits of training school staff to implement
Functional Behaviour Assessment procedures and the Behaviour Support Plans that are directly linked to assessment information, limitations of this study, and directions for future research in applied school practices.


title: Accessing Nutritious Food: The Realities of Lone Senior Women in Urban Nova Scotia

subject:
Poverty
Women
Single women
Halifax
Nova Scotia
Nutrition
Elderly Women
Older women

abstract:
This is the first qualitative study in Canada specifically focused on food insecurity

in the senior population. Food insecurity is associated with poverty, increased risk of

chronic disease, and poor physical and mental health. With the Canadian population

steadily aging, and food security being recognized as one of the social determinants of

health, it is imperative decision makers understand how food insecurity affects the

growing number of senior citizens so that appropriate programs and policies can be

implemented to ensure access to food for this vulnerable population.

This thesis had three research objectives, to 1) explore how lower income senior

women living alone in urban HRM experience food insecurity and uncover the meanings

embedded in their experiences; 2) discover participant- and researcher-identified enablers

and barriers to accessing nutritious foods; and, 3) explore how accurately hypothetical

household scenarios detailing senior’s public pension incomes and monthly expenses to

assess the affordability of a nutritious diet reflects the realities of the participants.

To address the above objectives, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were managed using NVIVO 7 software.

The data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to arrive at a structural

description of the experience of food insecurity and expose the underlying and

precipitating factors that account for what is being experienced. Bronfenbrenner’s

Ecological Systems Theory was used to examine the environment shaping the seniors’

lives at various levels of influence.

Eight women meeting study criteria (over 65 years of age, living alone in Halifax

Regional Municipality and in receipt of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)) were

interviewed to inform the results of this study. These women were recruited using sitebased

recruitment methods through community organizations and a governmental

housing program. All women rented their dwellings and seven lived in income-geared

housing. Four of the women received a personal pension from the Canada Pension Plan

(CPP) while two received a survivor’s benefit. Only one woman reported income from a

private pension.

Seven themes emerged as the women talked about their experiences with accessing

food, including: 1) World View, 2) Health and Health Problems, 3) Use of Community

Programs, 4) Transportation, 5) Adequacy of Income, 6) Other Food Management

Strategies and, 7) Availability of Family & Friends. World view and health appeared to

have the most influencial role on their food security status.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory provided a model to examine the

enablers and barriers to accessing food in relation to the fiver layers of the environment

(micro-, meso-, exo-, macro- and chronosystems) influencing the participants’ individual

food-related behaviours. Enablers and barriers were both participant and researcher

identified


title: Predictors of body image and self-esteem and changes over time among children and adolescents from low-income communities

subject:
Body Image
Nutrition - Children and Adolescents

abstract:
This study aims to investigate the factors associated with body image and self-esteem
among children and adolescents from economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods and
to determine if these relationships change over time. One thousand children and
adolescents participating in Better Beginnings, Better Futures (BBBF), a
multidisciplinary longitudinal prevention project in Ontario, completed a Youth Self
Report Form which gathered information on their body image and self-esteem, and had
their height and weight measured in 2000 / 2001 (grade six) and again in 2003 / 2004
(grade nine). An Eating Behaviours Survey was completed to measure diet quality and
demographic information came from a Parent Survey. The Social Cognitive Theory helps
to define the models identified in this research. Children who met the Canada’s Food
Guide (CFG) recommended intakes for fruit and vegetable consumption had an increased
chance of being in the strong body image category by a factor of 2.487 (OR = 2.487, p =
0.029) as well, as average increases in their self-esteem by 0.621 points, on a twentypoint
scale, (p = 0.020) in grade 6. Participation in physical activity with and without a
coach when children were in grade 6 was shown to improve the child’s average body
image by 0.201 and 0.278 points respectively, on a five-point scale (p = 0.050, p = 0.033)
and average self-esteem by 0.754 and 0.501 points respectively, on a twenty-point scale
(p = 0.000, p = 0.018). Participation in physical activity in grade 6 without a coach also improved a child’s odd of being in the strong body image category by a factor of 2.345
(OR = 2.345, p = 0.003) and high self-esteem category by a factor of 1.880 (OR = 1.880,
p = 0.010). Participation in physical activity in grade 6 with a coach increased a child’s
odds of being in the high self-esteem category by a factor of 2.030 (OR = 2.030, p =
0.001). As well, children who participated in physical activity more often (four or more
times per week) demonstrated improved body image on average by 0.321 points (p =
0.005) and self-esteem on average by 1.452 points (p = 0.023), while children who
participated less often (less than one time per week) demonstrated decreased body image
with a coach on average by a factor of 0.254 (OR = 0.254, p = 0.003) and without a coach
on average by a factor of 0.395 (OR = 0.395, p = 0.003) and self-esteem with a coach on
average by a factor of 0.335 (OR = 0.335, p = 0.000), and without a coach on average by
a factor of 0.499 (OR = 0.499, p = 0.011). Finally, obese children had decreased odds of
being in the strong body image category in grade 6 by a factor of 0.366 (OR = 0.366, p =
0.004) and had an average decrease in body image by 0.316 points in grade 6 (p = 0.005)
and by 0.414 points in grade 9 (p = 0.001). Longitudinally, sex of the child, participation
in physical activity and weight status were related to a child’s body image or self-esteem.
Models that predict body image and self-esteem in grade 6 cannot be used to predict the
same in grade 9 because the factors that impact these change as children age. In
conclusion, programming aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable intake and physical
activity levels in children, and promoting a healthy body weight can help to promote a
positive body image and self-esteem in children and adolescents.


title: Building Community Through Commerce: The Peterborough LETS Experience

subject: Local Economic Trading System (LETS), Globalization, Capitalism, Local currency systems

abstract:
This thesis reports the findings of a single case study o f a local currency system in
Peterborough, Ontario. Founded in 1994, The Peterborough Local Economic Trading
System (LETS) is one of approximately 800 LETS’ found throughout the world and, at
one time, was the largest of such networks in Canada. Although interest in the LETS
seems to have waned since its peak in the late 1990s, many members still use this
currency to trade goods and services while circumventing the dominant marketplace.
Community-based currency systems are designed to challenge the capitalist paradigm of
globalization by demystifying money itself, re-relegating it to a means of exchange as
opposed to a commodity in and of itself. In so doing, members are able to maintain
capital within their local community and, potentially, address some of the inequities
embedded in the marketplace by reassessing the value of their goods and services. In
exploring the historical context of capitalism, this study shows how money has been
transformed from a means of exchange to a commodity itself and explores some of the
political and social consequences o f this transformation. Using a theoretical framework
shaped by the economic analysis o f Karl Polanyi, the critical lens o f Jürgen Habermas,
and Miehael Welton’s advocacy of grassroots social movements as emancipatory
learning sites, this thesis explores how members use the LETS as a learning tool to
critically examine their soeial and economic realities and re-embed their economic
exchanges within the social fabric of their community. The researcher used Participant
interviews and observations from the field in order to explore six themes: opportunities
and opportunity costs; similarity and divergence of members’ political views; recasting
one’s own social safety net; revaluing skill; rebuilding social responsibility; and reestablishing
trust through reciproeity. Findings suggest that members are often able to
use their participation in order to reeonstruct their own sense o f community through
commerce.
However, findings also suggest that members are motivated by a number of different
reasons to become involved in local currency systems - namely, economic need or political inclination - and that these may come into eonfliet with one another. Unless
the system has a clear mandate and an accompanying capacity to educate its members,
irreconeilable conflicts between members may well arise.
R


title: Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions of the use of documentation in emergent programs: issues, benefits, barriers and questions

subject:
Early Childhood Educators
pedagogical documentation
emergent curriculum

abstract:
This study was developed to determine early childhood educator’s perceptions of
the use pedagogical documentation in emergent curriculum programs. In this qualitative
study, 16 educators were asked a series of questions regarding emergent programming,
documentation use, and reflective practice. The questions were developed utilizing
major themes found in a literature review and from questions developed from my own
struggles and successes in using emergent processes. They were designed to discover
how long educators were using the approach, what types of documentation was used, and
their perceptions of the benefits and difficulties associated with the documentation
process.
Twelve of the participants answered questions via face-to-face interviews, while
four completed an on-line survey. All data was coded and analysed for themes and major
findings. The results showed that participants felt there was not enough time to complete
documentation effectively, and that most were not formally trained in the approach. The
majority of participants had questions about documentation. The documentation process
was found to be a highly collaborative approach which could be used to enhance program
planning, parent/teacher relationships, and children’s learning. The participants in this
study did not view professional development as an important aspect of documentation.
Findings were consisted with results from past research and literature except for those
related to professional development. Results showed that although there are a number of
benefits to using the documentation process in emergent curriculum programs, there are a
number of barriers that may interfere with achieving those benefits.
The need for formal training in college and university classes was evident from
the data. It is also recommended that directors of child care centres support their staff in
the documentation process by allowing for more paid time outside the classroom for
programming and documentation, and ensuring that the centres’ have materials needed
for documentation on hand. Directors should also be clear with their expectations as to
how much activity should be documented. If educators receive further education in
emergent curriculum practices and directors provide support and guidance to enhance the
process, the use of pedagogical documentation might be strengthened, leading to an
enhancement of early childhood programs.


title: Policy and perception: Cyberbullying in the Nova Scotian context

subject: Cyberbullying, Nova Scotia

abstract: This study explored definitions and conceptualizations of cyberbullying in Nova Scotian social, cultural, and legal contexts to highlight the inefficacy of currently-instituted prevention and intervention strategies. Following the framework of social learning as defined by symbolic interactionism, this study utilized feminist and semiotic theories to analyze laws, images, and the perceptions of cyberbullying found in Nova Scotia, Canada. Included in the research were 32 participants gathered through purposeful and convenience sampling methods that represented the perspectives of Nova Scotian youth, parents, teachers, law enforcement representatives, and government officials. Ultimately, this research determined that Nova Scotian perceptions of cyberbullying are disconnected, convoluted, and skewed by media and social influences weighted in gender inequality and the sexualization of women and girls. Current prevention and intervention strategies fail to account for the collective perspectives of Nova Scotians, and so if Nova Scotia hopes to better address cyberbullying in future, it must continue in its efforts to establish a focused, unified definition within our province, and subsequently the awareness and education of it for all Nova Scotians, not only our youth.


title: Assessing household and maternal salt intake to model salt as a potential fortification vehicle for thiamine in Cambodia

subject: Salt intake, thiamine, Cambodia


title: Catholic Education in Nova Scotia: Understanding Parents and their Motives for Enrolling their Children in Catholic Schools

subject:
Catholic Church
Education
Nova Scotia
Parent participation

abstract:
The small Catholic school community in Nova Scotia must rely upon networking and
working with each other to provide updates and exchange views with each school.
Understanding why parents support Catholic schools in Nova Scotia will greatly help the
Catholic school community in providing direction and informing leadership for existing
Catholic schools. It is important to know what parents are seeking when they chose Catholic
schools, as the survival of these schools depends on the tuition-paying parents.
In this study, the researcher sought to understand the motives that parents in Nova
Scotia have for enrolling their children in Catholic schools. This research employed a mixed
method study which illustrates two major perspectives in research. Descriptive statistics
(means, standard deviations, percentages) were used to tabulate and analyze the survey data.
The researcher did a face-to-face interview with a small number of parents and each
interview was audio taped and transcribed by the researcher. Common characteristics among
parents interviewed were identified based from the survey, and themes were established
based on interview results.
An examination of previous dissertations conducted revealed a list of factors parents
consider in choosing Catholic schools. This list was utilized to develop the factors presented
to parents in the survey and during the interview. Parents were asked to rate each of 25
reasons for choosing a Catholic school on a Likert-type scale.
Three out of the four invited Catholic schools in Nova Scotia with an elementary
level participated in the study. Ten out of 10 Catholic parents from School A answered the
survey. Twenty-seven out of the 58 surveys distributed to Catholic parents in School B were
completed. Three out of four Catholic parents from School C completed the survey. Five
parents from School A, four parents from School B and three parents from School C were
interviewed. In total, survey return rate was 40 out of 72 (55.56%) and twelve Catholic
parents were interviewed.
Analysis of parent interviews revealed several factors out of the 25 given choices are
interconnected but are subsequent under four major themes. The first factor considered is that
the school’s philosophy mirrors that of home. The next factor considered is the quality of
curriculum, and that is linked with well-defined academic structure and instructional goals.
The third factor identified is the school’s emphasis on religious and moral values. The fourth
factor related to the teachers. Parents recognize the value of the teachers’ commitment, their
high behavioral expectations from children and their involvement in the academic but also
the character formation of the child. The fifth factor identified is related to school
environment. Parents give importance to the safe school environment and the warm and
friendly school climate. This is associated with parent’s perception of a sense of community
in these schools


title: Transfert de 2-D en 3-D de l’Opus 84 de Hans Hinterreiter

subject:
Hinterreiter, Hans
Geometry

abstract:
Le parallèle entre les structures des mondes 2-D et 3-D est un concept qui a
depuis longtemps été pris pour acquis. La question peut se poser, pourtant, sur la façon
dont cela se traduit dans le monde pratique, particulièrement dans le domaine de la conception
formelle. En effet, quelle forme pourront rendre le ou les objets 3-D régis par
les mêmes relations dans l’espace qu’obéit un objet 2-D dans son propre environnement.
La réponse à cette question, bien sûr, dépendra de la nature des objets observés.
Par ailleurs, une façon assez certaine d’assurer l’équivalence des deux objets observés
(l’un dans le plan, l’autre dans l’espace), est de partir de l’un de ces objets et d’en dériver
la structure de l’autre. Il s’agit donc de partir d’un objet existant à la structure connue
(dans ce cas-ci en 2-D), d’en déduire les règles formelles géométriques, puis, grâce à
celles-ci, de créer un nouvel objet, cette fois dans l’espace.
Cette transposition, en principe, peut s’effectuer sur une entité géométrique
quelconque, mais pour les besoins de la recherche, il a été décidé qu’un système de remplissage
périodique du plan aurait simultanément une simplicité et une complexité suffisante
pour l’exercice.
Pour assurer l’applicabilité générale du résultat, de plus, la méthode de transfert
ainsi développée sera testée sur un système analogue débuté par Wilhelm Ostwald et
complété aussi bien qu’illustré par Hans Hinterreiter dans son oeuvre graphique.
Le premier système géométrique sert donc à déterminer la méthode de transfert
de 2-D en 3-D, et le deuxième à tester la validité du résultat. Ce processus présente toute
fois des limitations quant aux conclusions que l’on peut en tirer. En effet, le test d’une
méthode sur un seul système différent de l’original ne prouve en aucune façon la validité
générale de ladite méthode. Cela est vrai dans ce cas-ci d’autant plus que les deux
systèmes utilisés possèdent de nombreux points en commun qui pourraient facilement
être des conditions nécessaires pour le succès de l’opération.
Dans le premier système, par exemple la trame carrée détermine la structure
sous-jacente. Cette structure est facilement répliquable en 3-D puisque la trame cubique
est possible. Mais qu’arriverait-il dans le cas d’une trame triangulaire dans le plan
(trame qui est aussi régulière que la première). Dans le cas du système de Hans Hinterreiter, par ailleurs, une trame carrée (pour déformé qu’elle soit) sert de sujet. Encore une
fois, le problème a été évité. Il faudrait donc continuer l’exploration plus avant pour déterminer
la généralisabilité réelle de la méthode. Une différence majeure est pourtant à noter entre les deux transformations qui
prennent place. En effet, dans le premier cas, le point de départ de l’opération est déjà
un système de contraintes articulées, alors que dans le cas de l’Opus 84 de Hans Hinterreiter,
le point de départ est un exemple spécifique. Cela est juste dans la mesure où
le deuxième est un exemple de résultat, alors que le premier est un sujet servant au
développement d’un système. Cette situation présente toutefois une dichotomie intéressante.
En effet, le premier système utilisé détermine un système inclusif aux solutions
multiples sinon infinies autant au départ (en 2-D) qu’à l’arrivée (en 3-D, alors que le
deuxième système part d’une solution unique dont les contraintes doivent d’abord être
extraite. Cela veut donc dire que le résultat du transfert produit dans le premier cas un
nouvel ensemble de contraintes qui pourront servir à déterminer des objets équivalents,
et que dans le deuxième cas le résultat devra être un objet équivalent à l’objet de départ.
Malgré ces limitations issues des similitudes et différences entre les deux
systèmes, ce projet aura permit de débuter une exploration des qualités relatives des
mondes 2-D et 3-D tels que nous les concevons.


title: Effect of sedentary video game playing on subjective appetite and short-term food intake after a glucose preload in normal weight boys

abstract:
The rise in childhood obesity has coincided with increased use of screen activities. This
relationship is hypothesized to result from decreased recognition of satiety signals because
television viewing at mealtime delays satiation and increases food intake (FI) in children.
However, it is unknown if other screen activities, such as video game playing (VGP), impact FI
similarly or if the type of screen activity is an important predictor of FI. Therefore, this study
was conducted to test the hypothesis that VGP for 30 min increases subjective appetite, reduces
satiation, and diminishes satiety signals from a glucose preload at a test meal consumed
immediately after in 9-14 year old normal weight (NW) boys. The objective of this study was to
determine the effect of VGP for 30 min before a mixed meal on subjective appetite, satiation and
satiety signals from a glucose preload in NW boys. On four test mornings and in random order,
one-week apart, 19 NW (10th-85th BMI percentile) boys (mean ± SEM age: 12.0 ± 0.5 y)
received equally sweetened drinks containing Sucralose® or 50 g of glucose in 250 mL of water,
with or without subsequent VGP for 30 min, 2 h after a standardized breakfast of milk, cereal
and orange juice. FI (mean kcal ± SEM) from an ad libitum pizza meal was measured
immediately following VGP. Subjective appetite was measured at baseline (0 min), 15, 30, and
post-meal at 60 min, and subjective emotions were measured at 0 and 30 min. FI was suppressed
by the glucose preload (759.2 ± 65.8) and VGP (823.5 ± 63.0) compared to the Sucralose control
preload (937.7 ± 58.4, (p < 0.0001), and the no VGP control (873.4 ± 60.0, p = 0.05),
respectively. Caloric compensation (CC) was not affected by VGP (No VGP: 104% vs. VGP:
75%, p = 0.25). Body composition was positively associated with FI at the test lunch, but not
CC. Change from baseline average appetite scores following glucose were significantly lower
compared to the control (p = 0.01). Subjective frustration and aggression scores increased after
VGP (p < 0.05), but change from baseline subjective emotion scores were not consistently
associated with FI. In conclusion, VGP for 30 min before a meal increased satiation through a
decrease in energy intake at mealtime, but did not diminish satiety signals from the glucose
preload in 9- to 14- year-old NW boys.


title: Factors Influencing Recruitment of Continuing Care Assistants to Home Care in Nova Scotia

subject:
Home care services
Caregivers -- Recruiting
Home health aides

abstract:
With recent significant changes in population dynamics, the need for successful recruitment of sufficient numbers of healthcare workers has been pushed to the forefront. In Nova Scotia and across the country home care is developing as an affordable, appropriate alternative to high institutional costs and traditional hospital-centered care. Consequently a significant increase in the supply of certified Continuing Care Assistants (CCA) prepared to work in home care is essential. The research goal was to identify key factors influencing recruitment of CCAs to careers in home care in Nova Scotia. Employing the lenses of Bronfenbrenner's Human Ecological System and Herzberg's motivational-hygiene theory, and informed by a literature review, a web-based survey focusing on job characteristics applicable to continuing healthcare roles was developed, incorporating five job values: (a) intrinsic, (b) extrinsic, (c) communication, (d) psychological attachment, and (e) work-life balance. The survey was circulated to recent CCA graduates in Nova Scotia. Respondents' profiles closely mirrored the total CCA population: Of the 192 female and 11 male CCA respondents, 80 worked in home care and ranged in age from 20 to 65 plus, with good representation from all age groups and geographical areas of the province.

Results indicated that significant relationships existed between the CCAs' fields of work and each of the five job values. All CCAs consistently scored intrinsic job value as being the most prevalent of the five job values in the workplace for both fields. However, psychological attachment and extrinsic job values were demonstrated to have a higher degree of significance for home care CCAs compared to non-home care CCAs. Although job security, one of the extrinsic variables, was ranked as fifth most prevalent out of 19 job values, overall the extrinsic job value scored fourth of five positions. Flexibility/work-life balance was the lowest rated of all the job values, identifying that work-life balance occurs less often than other values in the CCAs workplace, and is thus an area deserving attention for improvement, regardless of field of employment. Overall, all home care CCAs consistently scored all characteristics of the job values higher than CCAs not working in home care, the exception being the lowest rated variable, which scored equally low in both fields indicating a lack of occurrence in the workplace for all CCAs. Of particular note was the finding that a significantly greater percentage of home care CCAs (55%) were very satisfied with their job compared to non-home care CCAs (29%).

The findings suggest that recruitment strategies for CCAs in home care should emphasize intrinsic rewards and the high level of job satisfaction achievable in this career. Job security is also a value to be highlighted, especially in the present negative economic climate. The findings also suggest that employers must modify their employment practices to build in more flexibility and work-life balance for current and future CCA employees in both fields.


title: The treatment of women's history in the grade ten Ontario curriculum and selected textbooks

subject:
Women's history
Curriculum
Secondary education

abstract:
As a teacher of Canadian History, I am deeply concerned with Ministry-approved

textbooks. I am frustrated by the poor representation of women's history in both the

Grade 10 Canadian History curriculum as well as the textbooks. This study's intent is to

raise awareness about how problematic the use of Canada: Face of a Nation and Canada,

Continuity and Change is in Ontario classrooms from a feminist perspective. This study

seeks answers to the following questions: 1.) Is women's history a priority? 2.) Who is

represented? 3.) How are those who are represented presented? To answer these

questions, an analysis of the Ontario Ministry of Education Grades 9 and 10 Canadian

and World Studies Curriculum and the two aforementioned textbooks was conducted.

Data analysis concluded that women's history is not a priority, that those who are present

belong to the dominant social class and that there is misrepresentation of key female

figures. This study recognizes that change to curriculum will be slow to come on account

of the overarching cultural model, patriarchy, which is at work in the expectations

outlined in the document, and subsequently reflected in the textbooks. In order to make

use of the resources given to them, teachers are encouraged to embrace critical pedagogy

and feminist pedagogy to return the ownership of teaching to teachers and learning to

students.


title: "Essayer de faire bouger la grosse patente": Participation des organismes de l'économie sociale dans le regime forestier du Nouveau-Brunswick.

subject:
natural resources
community mobilization
forestry

abstract:
2009 MESF Thesis(Maîtrise en sciences forestières, Université de Moncton-Edmundston Campus).
Project Number 4.2


title: Cyberbullying: Defining our Future Norms

subject: Cyberbullying, social networking, Rehtaeh Parsons


title: An exploration of the relationship between retirement reasons and retirement congruency

subject:
Retirement
Retirement congruency

abstract:
Research has typically regarded retirement as forced or chosen, but the retirement
decision is not necessarily a dichotomous one. Researchers have identified a third choice,
part forced/part wanted category (Schellenberg & Silver, 2004; Szinovacz & Davey,
2005). A study carried out by Schellenberg and Silver (2004) examined how retirement
experiences corresponded with retirement preferences, which they referred to as
retirement congruency (RC). Three RC categories are possible: (a) low (no choice), (b)
moderate (restricted choice), and (c) high (choice), however to date, limited research has
been carried out on moderate congruence retirees (retired voluntarily, but would have
continued working if conditions had been different). Using a modified version of
Szinovacz and Davey’s (2005) perceptions of forced retirement model, the relationship
between retirement reasons and an individual’s assessment of their retirement congruency
was explored.
Secondary data analysis of the 2007 General Social Survey was conducted on a
sample of 1166 individuals who retired between the ages of 50 and 78 years. The
percentages of individuals in the retirement congruency categories were: High: 30% (n =
347); Moderate: 53% (n = 615); and Low: 17% (n = 204). Multinomial logistic regression
examined the factors that predicted RC membership. Eight variables (age at initial
retirement, health, mandatory retirement, job loss, adequate income, early retirement
plan, wanted to pursue leisure activities, and wanted to stop work) were significant in the
low/high RC comparison (no choice versus choice). Nine variables (life satisfaction, age
at initial retirement, job loss, discrimination, adequate income, early retirement plan,
worked at an early age, wanted to pursue leisure activities, and wanted to stop work) were significant in the low/moderate RC comparison (no choice versus restricted choice),
of which three were unique to this comparison (life satisfaction, discrimination, and
having worked at an early age). Six of the same variables (age at initial retirement, job
loss, adequate income, early retirement plan, pursue leisure activities, and wanted to stop
work) were significant in the low/high and low/moderate RC comparisons. Five variables
(health issues, mandatory retirement policies, CPP/tax rules, work was stressful/physical,
and wanted to change career/work part-time) were significant when comparing moderate
RC (restricted choice) with high RC (choice), of which three were unique to this
comparison (CPP/tax rules, work was stressful/physical, and wanted to change
career/work part-time).
Overall, the results indicate that various factors lead to differing types of
retirement congruency and that moderate RC is theoretically different from low and high
RC. Furthermore, the results affirm that retirement decision making should be viewed
along a continuum rather than as a dichotomous concept (forced versus chosen), as some
retirement reasons are unique to moderate RC (part forced/part wanted) and have not
been reported on in previous research. This study provides insight into what
characteristics and conditions impact older workers’ decision to retire, which will assist
employers, unions, educators, policymakers and government officials in the development
of strategies and policies that will benefit many individuals.


title: Pre-service Teacher Education and Support of Children's Rights

subject: Convention on the Rights of the Child (1938)

subject: Children's Rights

subject: Study and Teaching

subject: Pre-service Teachers

abstract: In 1991, Canada signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). As such, Canada pledged to disseminate information regarding children's rights and the CRC to children and adults alike. While Nova Scotia has taken a first step in the area of children's rights education by implementing a children‟s rights curriculum, it is thus far unknown as to whether teachers and other adults are educated in this area. This study addresses the question of teacher education in the area of children's rights by assessing pre-service teacher knowledge and education of several rights documents. Support of children‟s rights in the classroom and knowledge of the CRC is also assessed. Due to small sample size, results are largely discussed qualitatively. Few participants in this study were familiar with the CRC, but all were in support of learning more. The implications of adult education in the area of children's rights are discussed, as well as Nova Scotia's obligations under the CRC and the province‟s Education Act.


title: The Effect of Cooked Whole Navy Beans and Yellow Peas on Short-term Satiety and Food Intake in Children

subject: Navy beans, yellow peas, short-term satiety


title: Relationships matter: What we know about meaningful relationships in long-term care facilities

subject: Long-term care, meaningfull relationships, person-centred care

abstract:
Meaningful relationships in long-term care (LTC) are considered to be an important part of the LTC experience. Utilizing a person-centred care (PCC) framework, this research explores meaningful relationships among three dyads in LTC: residents and residents, residents and staff members, and staff members and family members, including analysis of those residents with dementia.

To gain insight into the contributors and barriers to developing meaningful relationships, I conducted a secondary data analysis of resident interviews, as well as staff and family focus group data from the Care and Construction study using a grounded theory approach. The 2012 Care and Construction project examined the impact of different models of care on resident quality of life (QOL) in nursing homes (Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, 2015a). Three themes – communication, staffing and activities emerged from the analysis. Opportunities for consistent communication between residents, staff, and family that provide a mutual feeling of “family” was revealed as a contributor to the development of meaningful relationships. Staffing within the LTC facility was identified as a barrier, such that being short-staffed and staff rotation, prohibits the ability to spend quality time together and opportunities to become “friends”, rather than remain in a patient /caretaker relationship. Opportunities to participate in activities that encourage socialization was evident as contributing to meaningful relationships among and between residents, staff, and family.

Learnings from the findings produced implications for policy, practice, and education to improve the QOL of LTC residents. The LTC sector would benefit from a more comprehensive understanding of the way positive relationships improve QOL for residents. Educational workshops that encourage positive communication through the guidance of policies will be beneficial. In addition, having sufficient staffing ratio is critical, therefore a staffing ratio policy is fundamental to make change. Similarly, education on the importance of PCC may increase opportunities for broader understanding and enable positive ways forward. It is crucial that individuals understand the positive benefits to PCC. Finally, building designs that include common spaces for communication and activities to take place, as well as adequate options for activities would strengthen the opportunities to develop relationships in LTC, which is important for relationship development


title: The transformative potential of martial arts: The impact of Taekwon-Do  for adult blackbelt practitioners in nonformal learning spaces

subject: Taekwon-Do, learning, nonformal learning

abstract:
Nonformal learning contexts provide opportunities for participants to acquire knowledge
and skills, and also encounter complementary, alternative, or opposing points of view. Taekwon Do (TKD), is but one example of a rich nonformal learning context. This research explores whether TKD as a nonformal learning context can facilitate a transformative learning experience among adult blackbelt practitioners. Jack Mezirow’s 10 phases of perspective transformation was used as a framework to analyze the narrative training experiences of five (5) adult blackbelt TKD practitioners. Findings indicate that participants experienced deep and varied transformative shifts, with implications that extended beyond the training environment to other life domains.


title: The Pursuit of Social Justice by the Care-leavers from the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children and the Production of Knowledge

subject: African Nova Scotian, youth, care-leavers, education

abstract:
My study is essentially about the marginalization of the Black Nova Scotian
community by the Province of Nova Scotia. The impact of marginalization has made lifelong learning strategies more difficult for Black Nova Scotian learners. This study focuses on people who, as youth, lived at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. These people will be referred to as “Care-leavers”, which is a term to describe former residents residing in congregate care facilities and out-of-home care settings (Daly, 2014; Skold, 2016; Wright, 2017). I assert that the experiences of the care-leavers from the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children exemplify anti-Black sentiments and institutional and systemic racism committed against the Black Nova Scotian community by the Province of Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children was a forced segregated orphanage for orphaned and neglected Black children operated by the provincial government. This segregation was in keeping with the belief that Black people were innately inferior and the White population was at risk of contamination, if Blacks and Whites mingled.

My study investigates the 15-year struggle that care-leavers undertook to seek
social justice for their treatment at the Home. In 2014, under the leadership of Premier McNeil, the liberal government settled with the care-leavers of the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children. In 2015, Premier McNeil announced the Restorative Inquiry. The Restorative Inquiry has the power of a royal commission, which is empowered to subpoena witnesses, to compel the production of documents, and enact legislation. All indications are that the Restorative Inquiry as one of its remits, is to address racism in Nova Scotia. The Restorative Inquiry which is ongoing is examining racism as it pertains to education.


title: The whole thing changes: Student engagement and inquiry learning

subject:
Student engagement
Teacher research

abstract:
This thesis is based on my experience with teacher research in my classroom.
Teacher research aims to find individual and personal meaning within a very specific and
local context. In this sense, my goal in engaging in teacher research was to participate
in a self-reflective process of observation in my classroom, studying the effects of
inquiry-based teaching on student engagement, in the hopes of improving my own
practice.
The methodology employed was qualitative teacher research. Data was
collected over approximately a six-week period throughout a language unit on social
justice. The data was collected through a research journal. Thematic analysis of the
data revealed several significant themes relating to the importance and impact of
inquiry learning as a teaching pedagogy, the importance of valuing student work,
student choice, and the use of technology in the classroom.


title: The Potential Use of Handheld Computers for Continuing Medical Education

subject:
Medical education
Pocket computers
Medicine
Study and teaching
Computer-assisted instruction
Education

abstract:
This study investigated the potential for providing CME on a handheld computer to family

physicians. National guidelines on four topics were summarized and converted to a format that

could be read on the most popular type of handheld computer. Seventeen physicians were

randomly allocated modules and a case study on two of the four topics. Before and after

receiving the modules, they completed surveys of their knowledge on all four topics and

provided estimates of their confidence in managing patients with those conditions. There were

trends towards greater improvement in knowledge scores on the topics that had been reviewed,

with a statistically significant improvement in knowledge scores on two modules. While there

are increasing numbers of content providers employing this technology to deliver CME, this

study provides only modest evidence to support its effectiveness.


title: Race, Class, and Gender: A Snapshot of African Nova Scotian School Experiences

subject:
African Nova Scotians
Qualitative Study
Multiaxal System of Oppression
School Experiences

abstract:
This thesis explores multiple oppression based on race, class, and gender in
relation to the school experiences of African Nova Scotians. An Africentric paradigm
guides this exploratory, qualitative study. It attempts to extend a single foci analysis based
on race to include a perspective that examines the school experiences of African Nova
Scotians based on a multiaxal system of oppression. Twelve African Nova Scotians males
and females between ages 18-35 were interviewed. They were all educated in the Nova
Scotian pubic school system. Participants were asked to reflect on their educational
experiences, and answer specific questions about race, class, and gender oppression
during individual interviews.
Many participants presented a clear analysis of how each form of oppression i.e.,
race, class, and gender frames their lives, in particular their educational experiences.
However, race was the primary focus of the participants’ narratives and it was a challenge
to articulate the experience of multiple oppression. This thesis explores the complexities,
which arise when the concept of multiple oppression is applied to an analysis of African
Nova Scotian school experiences. It attempts to bring new insights into the current
discourse on African Canadians and schooling.


title: Analyzing Provincial Supports for Family/Friend Caregivers: A Comparison of the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit and the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit

subject:
Tax Credits - Nova Scotia
Caregivers
Nova Scotia - Healthcare

abstract:
As Canada’s population continues to age, provincial/territorial governments will increasingly rely on the work and support of family/friend caregivers. Family/friend caregivers often experience financial, emotional physical and social stresses that can be directly related to their role as an unpaid caregiver. The accumulated work of family/friend caregivers can amount to billions of dollars each year, and yet they often receive no financial assistance in return. Manitoba and Nova Scotia are two provinces who have implemented policies meant to recognize the important roles of family/friend caregivers.
Through conducting an in-depth policy analysis, key informant interviews with policy experts/creators and caregiver advocates, and a secondary data analysis of the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit and the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit, it was found that these supports are positive social and economic components of each provincial budget. More people access the Primary Caregiver Tax Credit in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (which contains the province’s largest city) than in the other RHAs combined. In comparison, more people access the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit in the combined District Health Authorities of Nova Scotia, than in the DHA that includes the province’s largest city of Halifax.
These supports were implemented as a means of recognizing and supporting family/friend caregivers during the duration of their caregiving roles. There is evidence, that such supports can prolong a caregiving relationship by helping the older adult remain in the home. In Nova Scotia specifically, it was found that relationships that receive the caregiver benefit are far less likely to end with the care recipient entering long-term care.This in turn, has the potential to save the provincial government thousands of dollars each year. Future research should consider the individual experiences and perception of caregivers receiving the benefits in each province. This research provides beginning evidence from administrative data about the role policy may play in supporting caregivers. Other provinces might benefit from


title: Why Bi? Bisexual Individuals’ Coming out Experiences

subject:
Bisexuality
sexual orientation

abstract: This research focuses on the coming out experiences of eight women (ages 19 to 43) who identify under the umbrella of bisexual. With an ever growing acronym to encompass different sexual orientations, there is more need than ever to focus on those who fall outside the heterosexual/homosexual binary. Eight women were interviewed and topics of discussion included coming out experiences, social support, discrimination, and community involvement. Critical theory guided the research process, with the intention of exploring bisexual people’s experiences as their own group, examining how their sexual identities affected their everyday life experience. The main findings that became evident through the conversations were: the importance of sexual fluidity to a bisexual orientation specifically, experiences with discrimination (mostly from family, and other queer people) and social support (mostly from heterosexual friends), as well as bisexual erasure and heteronormativity as a dominant ideology. Heterosexual privilege may be one of the biggest points of contention between gay/lesbian people and bisexual individuals, because heterosexuality (the most valued of all sexual orientations in Western society) is still a part of the bisexual person’s attractions. Also, many stereotypes and dominant beliefs around bisexuality make people question its legitimacy when someone comes out as such. Loved ones may even have their own frustration when they did not “see it [the bisexual orientation] coming” or if the bisexual person in their life has not passed what they have created as a “gay threshold”. Coming out is a continual and selective process, and although it has been associated with distress in previous research, it also has many positive benefits such as challenging heteronormative expectations, allowing someone to live and love authentically, and accept themselves for who they are.


title: An Exploration of Residential Youths’ Views Regarding Their Education.

subject:
Problem youth (institutional care)
Problem youth (education)

abstract:
The purpose of this study was to hear the views of youth in care regarding their
educational experiences. The academic achievement of youth in care is lower than other youth
and their rate of school drop out is higher (NYICN, 2001; Vacca, 2008). Understanding the
youths’ perceptions regarding their educational experiences may help to increase awareness of
their learning needs and assist in developing strategies that may contribute to improving their
rate of school completion. Six youth, aged 13 to 16, living at the residential facilities of the HomeBridge Youth
Society in Nova Scotia participated in this study. Five of the youth were enrolled full-time in an
alternative educational program, called Bridges for Learning, and one was enrolled part-time in
this program and part-time in the public school system. Qualitative, phenomenological
methodology was employed and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. The
main theme the youth expressed was that they wanted to be seen the same as everyone else and
not treated any differently at school or in the community because they were in care. They felt
that most people did not have an accurate understanding of who they were or their situations and
stigmatized them because they were in care. They also believed that they had specific learning
needs that were not being met in the public school system and they gave specific suggestions to
address this, such as smaller class sizes, more one-on-one support, and greater flexibility with
deadlines and expectations around school work. Although participants stated that they did not
think they could be successful in the public school system, all of them intended to finish high
school and had career plans that depended on post-secondary study.


title: Using graphic narratives for self-study into the educational and creative implications of a personal sketching process

subject:
arts-informed research
graphic narratives
Graphic Narratives
Sketching

abstract:
This design research examines my personal process
of sketching and image-making as an aid to learning.
The goal is to show—both within the process and the
narrative that is created— how I used image-making as a
learning tool during graduate school.
The professional and academic world is demanding more
of us all and topping that list of demands is innovation
and creativity. At the same time, the educational system
is being criticized for actually doing the opposite—killing
creativity. Having been a recipient of killed creativity, the
question “how does one find one’s creative self?”is of
great importance to me, particularly since I am a creative
professional. My entering graduate school was initiated by
my search for the answer to this question.
Upon entering graduate school, I came to believe that my
training and experience as a graphic designer and illustrator
positively influenced my approach to learning. I believed
that my sketching process was the root of this influence.
I began this thesis with the question “How does one find
their creative self?” During my initial research I found
that the dialectic process of sketching was playing an integral role in finding my creative voice and had become
an important learning tool for me during graduate school.
This realization therefore shifted my research towards a
self-study of my personal use of sketching, looking at the
questions: why do I sketch? what does it provide me?
and how does it assist my creative thinking and problem
solving?
My background as a designer influenced my decision to
use a design methodology which is an interdisciplinary
paradigm that reflects elements of arts-informed,
heuristic, phenomenology, and action research.
The graphic narrative provides a medium that combines
the power of both verbal and visual. The word/picture
interdependent combination “where words and pictures
go hand in hand ... convey an idea that neither could
convey alone” (McCloud, 1993, p.155). My method
for self-inquiry and dialogue was to create five graphic
narratives, each about the creation of an image that
I did during my time in graduate school or influenced
my thinking during graduate school. Following each of
these five stories is a “back story” which documents the
process of creating the graphic narrative.
I found that the process of sketching offered a number of
benefits
 an expansion of my problem space, a place to think,
expand my thoughts and find new ideas;
 a place to put my ideas and consider them as
communication, to evaluate the message and
contemplate the audience and their reactions to the
message;
 a place to self-reflect where I could re-vision and reevaluate
past memories;
 an aid for memory but more importantly a place to
create memories;
 a place to create that provided intrinsic motivation and
ultimately made me happy;
 a place where I could dress ideas in different clothes
and look again with different eyes.
Sketching was my tool for thinking and understanding but
also enabled a place for me to be creative. I am not an
anomaly, therefore the question that then follows is “how
can others learn about and use this tool?”


title: A Negotiation of Prudence and Pride: An Examination of Lesbian Teachers' Perceptions and Definitions of Safety

subject: Schools

subject: Identity

subject: Lesbian teachers -- Nova Scotia -- Attitudes

subject: Lesbian teachers -- Nova Scotia -- Psychology

subject: Security measures

subject: Nova Scotia

abstract:
The purpose of this work was to study the lives of six lesbian teachers in Nova Scotia to better understand how their perceptions of safety affect their daily existence as educators. As a result of feeling unsafe, some lesbian teachers fracture their lives into public and private spheres where social practices contribute to their isolation, silence, and marginalization. Central to understanding these phenomena was an exploration of how hegemonic, patriarchal norms are reproduced in the school system. The goal of this research was to lend a voice to often silenced women and provide them with an opportunity to validate their experiences while recognizing their existence and identity.
The participants were selected using a snowball sampling method where they partook in semi-structured interviews. Under the central theme of safety, these interviews focused on the women's professional experiences, relationships within the school community, their position as role models, and the areas most requiring change in the education system. The data collection process employed a phenomenological research strategy using open, descriptive, and analytical coding. The data analysis was informed from a position of critical feminist theory while employing discourse and conversational analysis.


title: Parental Involvement in Mathematics Homework in Elementary and Junior High Schools of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District: A Mixed Methods Approach

subject: Mathematics, education, Canadian students


title: The Panthers Are Coming: A Two-Act Play about the October, 1968 Visit of the Black Panthers to Halifax, and its Impact on African Nova Scotian Activism for Social Justice and Equality.

subject:
Black Panthers
Activism - Nova Scotia
African Nova Scotians

abstract:
This thesis examines the impact of the 1968 visit of the Black Panthers to Halifax on African
Nova Scotian activism for social justice and equality. The study uses an arts informed research
approach with a stage play as the process and representation of the inquiry. The 1960s were
turbulent times for Black people all over the world, and the radical activism that had erupted
in the US and Africa had infected African Nova Scotians too. Blacks in Nova Scotia were
undergoing racism in education, employment and housing, and the impending Panther visit,
coupled with growing resentment among younger African Nova Scotians created a potentially
explosive social crisis in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The African Nova Scotian leaders, coming
from disparate ideological stands were able to put their differences behind them, uniting to
prevent any violence, winning socio-economic concessions for Blacks in Nova Scotia, and
bringing African Nova Scotia’s existence into national and international lime light. Such
unity, which I argue, was based on a strategic essentialism of Blackness has many
implications for present day African Nova Scotians in their continued activism for social
justice.


title: I Don’t Want To Go To Bed Yet: Sleep Deprivation in School-Aged Children

abstract:
Sleep is an important component of child development, yet a growing number of children are
sleeping fewer hours than recommended. Correlational research has showed a significant
relationship between shortened sleep and difficulties with academic performance, attention and
behaviour, however, very few studies experimentally manipulate children’s sleep to evaluate the
daytime consequences. This study examined the impact of sleep restriction on attention,
behaviour, and cognitive functioning in typically developing children. Sleep duration was
restricted and extended by one hour in relation to baseline sleep for 4 nights each. The impact of
these sleep conditions was assessed through both objective (one-to-one tests) and subjective
(parent, teacher, RA, child questionnaires) measures. We hypothesized that all informants would
report a decrease in behavioural functioning (e.g., increased opposition, impulsivity and
hyperactivity) in the sleep restricted condition compared to sleep extended condition, and that
children would perform less well on tasks of academic functioning during the sleep restriction
condition. Results showed significant differences on parent ratings of attention and behaviour in
the restricted versus extended sleep condition. Teachers and children did not report any
significant changes. Importantly, the research assistant was blind to experimental condition, and
reported significant changes. Significant differences were also found on tasks of short-term
memory. These results indicate that even modest amounts of sleep restriction can affect daytime
behaviour in children, however, the changes may be subtle and not observable in a classroom
context.


title: Teaching Inside a Mandated Program

abstract: This thesis examines the impact of mandated literacy practices on teaching and student learning. The methodology employed was qualitative teacher research and data was collected over ten months. A research journal was used to record and reflect on data on a daily basis. The recurring themes within the journal were Reading Levels, Running Records and Guided Reading. The data was analyzed through a Foucauldian lens and also through the lens of reading theory (Direct Instruction and Whole Language). The discursive practices within reading instruction were shown to have a significant impact on students‟ perceptions of reading and learning. The research also illustrated the effect that mandated reading programs have on the decision-making ability of the teacher and the student.


title: Street Involved Youth and Companion Animals: A Phenomenological Study

subject: Youth, companion animals, homelessness

abstract:
Of the approximate one hundred and fifty thousand youth in Canada who are homeless on any given night as many as 25 percent of them share their lives with companion animals (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006) . For many of these young people their companion animal is their only source of family and their pets provide many benefits to them including emotional, physical, and psychological support. Despite these benefits companion animals also present youth experiencing homelessness with negative consequences, such as being rejected from or refused service options, including shelters, employment agencies, and social services. In spite of these drawbacks research on homeless youth report that they continuously opt to stay with their pets instead of accessing such services (Lem et al., 2013)

Six youth between the ages of 16-24 years and who utilized the services of ARK Outreach, were interviewed for the purpose of exploring the experiences of homeless youth with companion animals in Halifax from their own perspective. The interviews focused on gaining an in-depth understanding of the roles and relationships between homeless youth and their pets. Moustakas (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach was used in data analysis to identify and discuss six themes that developed, including emotional support, protection and safety, responsibility and motivation, unfair treatment and persecution, challenges, and solutions. In conclusion, three areas in need of further investigation are outlined.


title: Teaching Math: A comparison  of recommendations from research and the Nova Scotia Curriculum

subject:
Mathematics curriculum - Nova Scotia
Mathematics education

abstract: Strong skills in mathematics are necessary to be successful in today‟s society. Information on how to structure an evidence-based mathematics curriculum is available within the research literature. The mathematics curriculum documents for grades primary, one, and two in the province of Nova Scotia were reviewed in the context of what is recommended in the cognitive science literature about mathematics instruction. Implications for future curriculum documents, teacher training programs, and for school psychologists are discussed.


title: How Objects in Spaces Help People in Places: Material Object Interactions Affecting Adults’ Informal Learning: Arts-Informed Research using Sculptural Mobile Forms

subject: Adult learning, object interaction, informal learning

abstract:
This work is a wide-ranging exploration into the ways adults can be supported to learn informally through material object interactions in public places. In keeping with my methodological lens of arts-informed research, I use a mobile kinetic sculpture to represent entwined strands of thought relating to adults’ informal learning, material object composition, and places’ spatial and historical changes.

The design consisted of qualitative interviews and a focus group, in addition to creatively-inspired hand-drawn maps and crafted models, to gather insights from 6 adult participants with lived experiences of 4 public place sites in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The resulting collection of voices, impressions, and images revealed 3 themes–time, tensions, and change–showing attitudes and awarenesses about adults’ informal learning understandings, material objects’ literal and symbolic associations, and public places’ learning opportunities.

Enquiry elements proved deceptively complex, revealing that Halifax’s public places are rarely visited for learning purposes, that people value public places reflecting broad social concerns and changes over time, and that visually stimulating displays and features may prompt public place informal learning. Major findings show that
• adults rarely connect learning with material object interactions, and generally do not expect to learn in public places, yet are not resistant to these learning possibilities;
• public places’ ongoing evident and hidden changes permit balanced tensions that allow different learners’ needs to be accommodated in shared space;
• adults who are assisted in imagining places’ size and historical reach through activities like walking or artistic representations are better equipped to recognize materialities connected to buried narratives fostering expanded knowledges; and,
• arts-informed research fits this enquiry because entangled ideas are celebrated and because the mobile form permits layers of meaning-making in representing findings, demonstrating research process, and affording adults’ informal learning as itself a material object for interaction.

Constructivist positionalities, ecological and new materialisms theories, and stylistic influences from postmodernism and feminisms fashion this writing, producing a bricolage of effects and wayfinding and discovery mirrored in textual author intrusions and literary vignettes.

This work adds to knowledge about adults’ informal learning made possible in everyday spaces, and is methodologically significant as a model of interconnected research practice and artful forms.

Plus: cats.


title: Stress, Coping, Job Satisfaction, and Experience in Teachers

subject:
Teachers -- Job stress
Teachers -- Job satisfaction
Saint John, New Brunswick

abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between stress, coping,

job satisfaction, and experience in teachers. The hypotheses mainly focused on the

relationship between stress and other variables such as job satisfaction. Participants were

115 teachers from School District 8, in Saint John, New Brunswick. Teachers completed

four questionnaires including a demographics questionnaire, Teacher Stress Inventory

(Schutz & Long, 1988), Brief COPE (Carver, 1997), and Teacher Satisfaction Scale (Ho

& Au, 2006). The participants were divided into three groups based on number of years

of experience. Findings indicated a significant relationship between stress and job

satisfaction. Also, role stress and task stress contributed the most to the relationship

between stress and job satisfaction. Teacher stress was found to be significantly related

to socioeconomic status of the student body's. The grade level taught by the teacher and

the community setting were not found to be related to teacher stress. No relationship was

found between teacher stress, direct action, and palliative coping methods. Additionally,

teaching experience was not significantly related to teacher stress, coping methods, or job

satisfaction.


title: In-Hospital Feeding Practices of Infants Born to Mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Evaluating Policy Implementation Effectiveness

subject: Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes, breastfeeding, formula supplementation

abstract:
Women with diabetes mellitus (DM) in pregnancy may experience unique
breastfeeding challenges, including delayed onset of lactogenesis II and neonatal hypoglycemia. There is evidence that routine, non-medically indicated formula supplementation may be provided in hospital to overcome these challenges. A policy directing supplemental feeding practices for breastfeeding children was introduced at a tertiary level health centre providing services for women and children to promote evidence-based practice.


title: The Entanglement of Deep Learning — A Meta-Reflexive’s Learning Journey out of the Establishment Pedagogy of Evangelical Christianity

abstract:
This study is an auto-ethnography of my personal learning journey that led to the
dissolution of my Biblical worldview. My story explores the power of indoctrination by
examining the complexity of deep learning present in establishment pedagogy of
fundamentalist Evangelical Christianity. In a polarized political climate driven by absolutist
beliefs, many of which that have religious underpinnings, such as: nationalism, racism,
gender and climate change, evidenced-based knowledge, reasoning and/or debate have little
efficacy towards transformative learning. In this work, I look at resistance to new
knowledge through the lens of the church’s establishment pedagogy and the way in which it
fractures the identities of their followers. Consequently, new and contradictory knowledge
not only creates cognitive dissonance, but it threatens one’s sense of self in the world.
Through sharing my story, I examine how the church’s doctrine on atonement theology;
specifically, the creation narrative as related to the limiting beliefs about gender, not only
contributed to Othering, but also negatively impacted upon my crucial identity
components and interfered with my learning. Fundamentalist Evangelical Christian
teachings are historically embedded in Western culture and therefore strengthened, which
reinforces identity fragmentation and Othering. This study explores two important
questions: first, how are identity-bearing beliefs formed? Second, how is learning engaged through a generative pedagogy to safely unravel beliefs and support one’s sense of self in
the world?


title: Classroom Emotions and Teacher Decision-Making Processes: A Qualitative Study

subject: Teacher emotions, teacher decision making, broaden-and-build theory, emotion regulation, emotional labour

abstract:
Teachers experience a breadth of emotions while teaching, but their effect upon decision making is not well understood. Using Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory as its theoretical framework, the present study investigated events teachers frame as positive and negative and the influence of positive and negative affect upon teachers’ decision-making processes based on thematic analysis of open-ended responses from 68 educators in the Atlantic Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Five themes were identified related to positive affect and decision making: classroom management, cyclical engagement, awareness and reflection, ongoing positivity, and opportunities for upward extension. The effect of negative affect upon teachers’ decision making resulted in three themes: expressed and experienced emotional incongruence, lasting effect on pedagogy, and teachers’ sense of feeling limited in their choice of actions. Limitations and
implications for educational practice are discussed, while results are linked back to existing literature and theory.


title: Educational Experiences of Immigrant Women of Racial Minority Groups in the Nova Scotian Post-Secondary Contexts

subject:
Feminism
Minority women
Sex discrimination
Higher education
Nova Scotia

abstract:
My research study is an inquiry about a group of immigrant women's experiences

within the Nova Scotian education system. I interviewed immigrant women from Asia,

Africa, and the Middle East. The data collection stages of the research involved

conducting semi-structured interviews with five immigrant women from racial minority

groups. My thesis research is concerned with highlighting the experiences and

challenges facing immigrant women of racial minority groups within the Nova Scotian

academic system as they progress through their postsecondary educational journey. The

women I interviewed do not have English as their first language; they all immigrated to

Canada within the past five years, and they all currently enrolled in university.

My research begins by focusing on the literature that discusses the state of gender

equity, particularly in the education system. I discuss the literature that highlights the

barriers that are specific to women in general, and I relate this exploration to the

experiences of women from racial minority groups. I also concentrate on the problems

confronting immigrant women from racial minority groups who are enrolled in a postsecondary

educational institution. Where I was able, I drew connections between my

participants' experiences in education and the similar problems facing women from

various other minority groups which I found in the literature. In addition to the

interviews with the research participants, I also drew on my personal experiences as an

immigrant woman to discuss related issues.

The critical backdrop of my thesis is feminist theory "[f]eminism is a belief that

women and men are inherently of equal worth. Because most societies privilege men as a

group, social movements are necessary to achieve equality between women and men, with the understanding that gender always intersects with other social hierarchies" (Freedman, 2002, p.7). My study also examines life events and the difficulties faced by

women of racial minority groups who immigrated to Canada. For many immigrants

attempting to resettle in a foreign country often involve certain challenges such as

language acquisition, learning a foreign curriculum and educational strategies,

resettlement processes, and culture shock. (Leslau, Krausz & Nussbaum, 1995). At the

same time, adult education is concerned with social change and empowerment of learners

and is therefore critical for immigrant adult learners. Part of empowering immigrants

means encouraging their involvement in educational programs, since some of the formal

and non formal educational programs and sites are often act as places for immigrant

students to learn not only the theoretical frameworks of a subject, but also to gain

valuable information about many aspects concerning their new country. It is highly

important to research some of these immigrants' feelings and needs. My findings

reinforce the importance that adult educators deal with minorities in the classrooms in a

way that includes them in the teaching and learning environment.


title: Preservice Secondary Teachers' Perceptions of the Individual Program Plan Processs

subject:
High school teachers -- training of
High school teachers -- attitudes
Individualized education programs

abstract:
The current study investigated the nature of preservice secondary teachers' perceptions of the Individual Program Plan (IPP) process. Results suggest that secondary

preservice teachers' tended to hold generally positive perceptions of the IPP process. A

majority of preservice teachers responded positively to statements regarding the

feasibility, and relevance of the IPP process. Preservice secondary teachers held

moderately positive views regarding accountability to the child on the IPP and to the IPP

process. However, it was found that a majority of preservice teachers reported feeling

unprepared to participate in the IPP process. There was a significant difference between

how preservice teachers responded to statements regarding preparation depending on

whether or not they had completed their first or second year of study. There was also a

significant difference between how preservice teachers responded to statements regarding

preparation depending on whether or not they have experience with the IPP process.

Teachers' perceptions have been a vital feature in the successful implementation of the

IPP process, and inclusion in general. Therefore, it will be crucial for educational leaders

and stakeholders to have a clear understanding of teachers' perceptions of the IPP process

and the factors that affect those perceptions.