VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Dialogues and inter-facings: spirituality and arts-based educational research

This thesis takes the form of a qualitative inquiry into the lived experiences of five female educators seeking greater self-awareness and an understanding of spirituality in education. Holistic and aesthetic approaches shared through group dialogue enabled us to explore emerging aspects such as consciousness, identity, and self. Reflecting on the arts-based pursuit of wholeness, relationship and self-knowledge helped us to develop an imaginative version of spirituality in which the feminine in education was nurtured and celebrated. We used heuristic phenomenological methods to become midwives to our own transformative growth. Four questions guided this inquiry. (1) What is the nature and role of spirituality in our learning and teaching? (2) How does participation in arts-based approaches influence an inquiry into spirituality? (3) What factors impede and support my participants as they question the notions of spirituality in their development? (4) What is the nature of our lived experience of this inquiry? I layered the connecting insights from educational theory, philosophy, and literature into the dialogues, using arts-based re-presentations. Five essential themes emerged following the interpretation of the dialogues: a desire for integrated connections in life; the necessity of trusting and caring environments; a consciousness that conflict challenges and creates capability and compassion; an awareness that creativity engenders integration; and the realization that these emergent practices provided new motivation for new learning and teaching. During the inquiry and upon reflection, we realized that dialogic and arts-based modes enhanced our intuitive modes of knowing. They contributed to self-knowledge, and led to greater integration of self. Aesthetic experiences contributed to the cultivation of communal growth and spiritual transformation. These experiences created a desire to cultivate spiritual consciousness also within our respective educational communities. We found that dialogic and reflective environments created and sustained our consciousness of spirituality. Using story, journal writing, art, and poetry created connections that fostered a greater sense of integration of the inner and outer self. These experiences and modes of expression promoted our growth and a sense of new purpose, including the desire to connect with the imagination of others. From our materialization and evocations they too may be able to co-construct their own versions of spirituality in education.
A parallel adaptive-mesh refinement scheme for predicting laminar diffusion flames

A parallel block-based adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) scheme is described and applied to the prediction of the structure of non-premixed axisymmetric methane-air laminar diffusion flames. The parallel solution-adaptive algorithm solves the system of partial-differential equations governing two-dimensional axisymmetric compressible laminar flows for reactive thermally perfect gaseous mixtures. A finite-volume spatial discretization procedure is used to solve the equations on a body-fitted multi-block quadrilateral mesh. Limited piecewise linear solution reconstruction and Riemann solver based flux functions are used to evaluate the inviscid fluxes and a centrally weighted second-order discretization procedure is adopted for determining the viscous fluxes. A flexible block-based hierarchical data structure facilitates mesh adaptation, and enables efficient and scalable implementations of the algorithm on multi-processor architectures via domain decomposition. Numerical results are discussed for a co-flow laminar diffusion flame demonstrating the validity of the parallel AMR approach and the ability of the mesh adaption scheme to resolve fine-scale features of the solution.
Diagnostic potential of cutaneous testing in clindamycin and fluoroquinolone associated hypersensitivity

Antibiotics are frequently associated with adverse drug reactions. Reliable in vivo diagnostic tests are needed to ensure that patients are not labeled as “allergic” and thus, needlessly deprived of useful therapeutic agents. The diagnostic utility of prick and intradermal skin testing for clindamycin and fluoroquinolone associated hypersensitivity were examined. As well, patch testing for delayed hypersensitivity to fluoroquinolones and patient confidence concerning subsequent fluoroquinolone use were also studied. The negative predictive values for intradermal testing were 68% in the clindamycin retrospective study (n = 34), and 92% and 98% in the fluoroquinolone retrospective (n = 135) and prospective (n = 54) studies, respectively. Importantly, patient confidence in taking fluoroquinolones increased following negative intradermal and oral challenge tests. In summary, the clinical utility for clindamycin prick and intradermal testing is low. Intradermal skin testing appears to be useful in predicting allergy to fluoroquinolones (especially in combination with an oral challenge). The utility of patch testing was inconclusive.
Computational measures of the acceptability of light verb constructions

Light verb constructions are a semi-productive class of multiword expression which have not yet been studied computationally in great detail. These constructions combine a restricted set of light verbs (verbs used with a subset of their full semantic features) with a large set of complements; this combination determines the predicate meaning of the expression. In this work we investigate the (semi- )productivity of light verb constructions which employ a predicative noun (a noun that has an argument structure) as their complement. We show that the productivity of these constructions depends on the semantic class of the complement. We develop three novel computational measures for quantifying the acceptability of candidate light verb constructions. Most of these measures meet or exceed the performance of an informed baseline, and reflect distinct trends in productivity along semantic classes and across light verbs. Good correlation and agreement with human judgments of construction acceptability are achieved.
Consuming, schooling and the end of politics: critical reflections on consumerism and school commercialism

Through the lens of political philosophy and philosophy of education I explore how to better understand the character and consequences of consumerism and its impact on politics and education. I analyze several important political and pedagogical shifts: the shift from the political importance of production to the political importance of consumption, the shift from the grounding of capitalism in Puritanical self-restraint to self-preoccupation and self-gratification, the emergence of the semiotic features of consumerism as a self-enclosing discourse of signs and symbols, and the growing impact of consumerism on education. The emergence of a global political order centered around the celebration of consumerism demonstrates that all too often the West has been more successful at spreading consumer goods and values than the institutions and practices of democracy. I begin by briefly considering the historical and etymological origins of consumerism, then investigate its growing influence on schooling. The first chapter traces the historical and etymological origins of consumerism linking it with several important thinkers such as Adam Smith, Karl Marx, liberal thinkers such as Hobbes and Locke, and locates the growing importance of consumerism in the relationship between Communism and Capitalism that dominated much of the twentieth century. Chapter Two looks closely at specific ways in which consumerism impacts the public education system, from school-business partnerships to advertising in school buildings and corporate-sponsored curriculum, as well as the influence of advertising and marketing on youth. Chapter Three examines Hannah Arendt's account of the public/private distinction through the lens of consumerism, and her account of the implications of the rise of consumerism to a position of political dominance. Chapter Four considers the new dimensions of consumerism by using Jean Baudrillard to consider the visual character of consumerism as a 'language' of signs that legitimates the metanarrative of capital and impedes resistance. Chapter five investigates possible pedagogical modes of resistance against the proliferation of consumerism, resistance against those same modes, and the importance of hope and the possibilities of political possibilities. In conclusion, I reconsider what is expected of philosophy, and suggest that it is a project of openness rather then prescription. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by addressing your request to ProQuest, 789 E. Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346. Telephone 1-800-521-3042; e-mail: disspub@umi.com
Patch template correlation (PTC) as a method for AVO/AVA analysis

AVO/AVA analysis is a collection of techniques for estimating the reflectivity of reflectors by measuring and processing the amplitude of seismic waves reflected from an interface as a function of shot-receiver offset and comparison of the observations with theoretical expectations. The conventional methods suffer from several shortcomings including the oversimplified assumption about the reflection process of an incident seismic wave from an interface and the necessity for several nontrivial processing procedures, hence increasing the uncertainty of the final results. When more advanced processing techniques like true amplitude pre-stack depth migration is applied, the computational effort is extremely costly. The aim of my thesis has been to put forward a new method (PTC) that more realistically models the reflection process, needs the minimum amount of processing, computationally is inexpensive, and can be applied equally well in simple and complex geological media, acoustic or elastic media, and 2-D or 3-D. The method is performed in 3 separate stages; namely designing a patch, calculating its seismic response (template) and cross correlating with the seismic data. Through many tests and examples with different degrees of complexity, I have shown that the optimum patch size is about the size of Fresnel radius at the location of the reflection point and that its template has the minimum extension in data space. The patch template closely resembles the real reflection process and its cross correlation with seismic data which produces the correlograms will naturally generate the most reliable estimation of the reflector reflectivity. The examples also show that the method gives accurate results even when the random and coherent noises are present and strong. Moreover, each reflection points can be analyzed separately. The shape of the correlation signal is also an indication of the reflector type at different patch locations on the same or different reflectors.
Development of discontinuous capillary porosity in concrete and its influence on durability

Durability of concrete is largely determined by its resistance to the transport of water and ionic solutions. In the absence of gross cracks, the volume and connectivity of the capillary pore system controls the rate of fluid ingress. In this study, early-age transport properties, pore structure and compressive strength were measured. Saturated water permeability tests were performed to investigate whether the findings of Powers, Copeland and Mann in 1959 regarding capillary discontinuity in cement pastes were valid for modern concrete mixtures. The results indicate that concrete with water to cement ratio less than 0.70 has a discontinuous pore structure, verifying the 1959 published results. In concrete, an interfacial transition zone forms at the aggregate-cement paste boundary. No evidence of a percolated interfacial transition zone at the macro scale was found for any of the transport properties investigated. Since saturated water permeability is difficult to measure, an electrical conductivity test method was developed for use on concrete between 1 and 28 days of age. Both the volume and connectivity of the pore structure as well as the conductivity of the pore solution influence bulk conductivity. To separate out the effects of the changes in pore solution composition from the development of the pore structure, the electrical conductivity of the pore solutions was measured independently. The changes in concrete conductivity over time were found to be related to changes in permeability, porosity and indirectly to strength. As expected, a marked decrease in transport properties after the first few days indicates a reduction in volume and connectivity of the capillary pore system. Changes in pore solution conductivity were found to have a minor effect on bulk conductivity. The conductivity method appears promising for the development of efficient test methods to determine minimum required curing for various concretes. High performance concrete develops significant “impermeability” in the first few days, indicating that curing requirements of 7+ days may be overly conservative from a transport perspective.
A place and space for change: Exploring residents' perceptions of their natural environment and health in Malton (Mississauga), Ontario

Linkages between the environment and health are a growing area of research, particularly at the local and neighbourhood levels. Perceptions of the environment have also been shown to influence health. While geographic scale is salient for the study of the environment and health, few studies have examined perceptions of the environment and health across scales. This research responds to this gap, presenting a study of perceptions of the environment and health across scales, with a focus on the local scale. Surveys and focus group sessions were conducted with participants from community groups in Malton (City of Mississauga), Ontario, in order to explore participants' perceptions of the Mimico Creek environment and health. Participants identified links between perceptions of the environment and health at various scales. Participants indicated that perceptions of the environmental health of the Mimico Creek influences health in Malton at both individual and neighbourhood levels.
Crown thinning in canopy trees of two temperate deciduous species: Implications for light transmission in tolerant hardwood forests

Leaf area index (LAI) often increases with stand age and subsequently declines following canopy closure in monospecific forests. Typically, these declines in stand-level LAI are attributed to population processes that decrease canopy cover, such as tree mortality and crown abrasion. However, recent evidence of age-related changes in allocation and leaf morphology suggest that intra-crown LAI may also decline late in ontogeny. Using vertical line transects, the intra-crown LAI for canopy trees of two temperate deciduous species was directly quantified. Intra-crown LAI declined from 7 to 4 for Acer saccharum and from 9 to 5 for Betula alleghaniensis across the size range (15--72 cm dbh). For A. saccharum, tree age was a better predictor of LAI decline than dbh (range 30--160 y.). These results indicate that ontogenetic declines in intra-crown LAI are underappreciated and may significantly contribute to light transmission in mature forests, potentially influencing tree regeneration.
Classroom behaviours: An analysis of student learning behaviours in a constructivist mathematics classroom

The study investigated how middle school students learn mathematics in a constructivist environment. Information about one Grade 7 classroom students' learning behaviours was collected through participant observation in which lesson observations, discussions with students and the teacher, and collecting documentary information about materials used in the classroom were employed. I was a participant observer in a school whose culture promoted constructivist views of learning. The results of this study indicate that the students exhibited learning behaviours that related to many constructivist principles of learning. Students' levels of interaction included whole-class settings, small group settings and pairing. It was in those levels where the students could (a) discuss and implement problem solving strategies, (b) make strong arguments to support their ideas, (c) check and verify methods of solution from one another, (d) practise peer assistance, (e) learn from correcting their errors, (f) suggest possible methods of solution to mathematics problems, (g) construct learning materials and (h) invent some methods of solution. The students could use their relevant prior knowledge including life experiences to address new learning in class. They also could use a variety of learning materials and resources to support their own learning. Most students could verbalise their satisfaction and enjoyment when they were learning. Formative assessment was used to promote learning performance. Results of the study have implications for how constructivist practices may be employed in mathematics classes. An agenda for future research studies related to constructivist learning and middle school curriculum is developed.

Keywords: Mathematics, Study and teaching (Middle school)
Constructivism (Education)
Active learning
Experiential learning
Problem solving
Access to health care: a right or farce?

Despite being accorded recognition as a right inhering in all human beings by a plethora of international human rights instruments and domestic laws, many scholars and pundits still question the legitimacy of making access to health care dependent on need as opposed to ability to pay. They contend, inter alia, that health care is a private good, subject to the market and that redistributive intervention by the State is indefensible. This thesis is a refutation of their claims. Based on human equality, common good and the intimate relationship between human life and good health, the thesis recasts access issues in terms of a challenge, not resolvable via arguments centered on which group loses their rights in the process, but on the benefit to society in general resulting from a healthy population. The conclusion is that access to health care, notwithstanding contrary persuasions, is not a farce but a human right.

Keywords: Health services accessibility, Law and legislation
Patients, Legal status, laws, etc
Equality, Health aspects
The role and the meaning of trust in institutions of authority

Trust in institutions has been shaken in recent years due to the incidence of wrong-doing which continues to occur across many institutions and sectors. Numerous examples exist of trust breaches, fraud, misappropriation of funds, and overall disregard for institutional ethics and values. Scholars have attempted to look at the falling levels of public trust which have resulted and have a number of hypotheses and explanations for this phenomenon. There is a growing body of cross-disciplinary literature which addresses the issue of trust in society and trust in institutions. Much of this literature defines, describes, measures or prescribes for building trust in institutions. What this literature neglects to look at, however, is what trust means to individuals on a day to day basis. What does it mean to trust institutions and if there is a decrease in trust, what has led to this situation. Finally, what do individuals require to regain trust in institutions. This research looks at trust from an individual perspective and explores what trust means to people through in-depth interviews conducted within the securities sector. Three groups of respondents are interviewed: insiders, regulators, and outsiders. Each group explores the construct through an inquiry which allows them to reflect on what trust means to them, the impact of a trust breach, the role of regulators in building trust, and the means by which breached trust is rebuilt.
Canada's international response to HIV

This study examines the Government of Canada's international response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the political, economic and social forces that have shaped it. The study draws on the emerging framework of critical public health ethics to inform analysis of the ideologies and ethical principles underlying Canada's responses. Canada's international actions were taken to be intimately connected to Canadian foreign policy, which, like public health ethics, was understood as being shaped by the pervasive forces of neoliberal economic globalization. Canada's international response to HIV/AIDS was found to be moderate, spotty and nonstrategic. Participants also identified a tension underlying the response. This tension was cast as a dilemma with public good, human rights and "doing the right thing" on one side, and enhancing prosperity, promoting trade and letting markets reign on the other. Equally revealing were the conspicuous silences in the data that became apparent through the lens of critical public health ethics. Although almost every participant identified Canada as having a moral obligation to respond to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, there was a glaring absence of moral reasoning and ethical vocabulary to underpin this claim. Furthermore, few participants made the link between the role of poverty in exacerbating HIV/AIDS and Canada's connection to poverty creation through its economic and trade policies at the bilateral and multilateral levels. The methods were empirical and non-empirical. Non-empirical aspects of the study included the development of a conceptual framework, an overview of Canadian foreign policy and a document review of Canada's international response to HIV/AIDS. The empirical component of this study consisted of 23 interviews with experts from government, civil society, the United Nations system and private industry regarding the forces that have shaped Canada's international responses and underlying ethical reasoning. The analysis resulted in policy recommendations for Canada's international response to HIV/AIDS in the future, as well as directions for the evolution of the nascent conceptual framework of critical public health ethics. Finally, a range of research directions emerged regarding the application of a critical public health ethics lens to broader questions of global health and development.