Influence of an adventure learning program, using group adventure initiative tasks, on participant self-esteem

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of an adventure learning program, based on participation in group adventure initiative tasks (GAITs), on participant self-esteem and, further, to examine any associated gender differences in the dependent variable. The study took place within the framework of the \u27Group Dynamics in Action\u27 unit offered at the University of South Australia, Underdale Campus, in semester 2, 1994. The course included participation in group adventure initiative tasks, the identification and examination of group dynamic processes, the investigation of individual roles within the small group and the review of these processes in the group setting. The program also included an experience on a high ropes course. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered to gain insight into gender differences and their relationship to the dependent variable and also to provide insight into any discrepancy in outcomes between males and females with regard to participation in group adventure initiative tasks. The sample set of participants was drawn from undergraduate students studying at the University of South Australia in the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), Bachelor of Education (Secondary Physical Education Teaching) and Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) courses. Subjects were assigned to either experimental or control conditions and the experimental group were then randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Sixty one (N = 61) male and female subjects were tested pre and post-treatment period. Psychological tests included the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith 1981) and an adaptation of Coopersmith\u27s Behaviour Rating Form (Coopersmith 1967). Qualitative data was gathered using Kuhn\u27s Twenty Statements Test (Kuhn and McPartland 1954), a self-esteem questionnaire, observations made by the researcher and other staff about subjects interactions and from weekly journals kept by subjects throughout the treatment. The duration of the treatment period was 14 weeks consisting of 14, 2 hour seminars

Informationsverarbeitung im Informationsmanagement : Modellierung von Aufgaben und verarbeiteten Informationen am Beispiel der Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)

Das Informationsmanagement im Gesundheitswesen entwickelt Informationssysteme von Krankenhäusern und medizinischen Organisationen weiter. Dazu benötigt es Informationen, die ihm von Informationsmanagement-Informationssystem (IMIS) bereitgestellt werden. Das IMIS muss ebenfalls zielgerichtet weiterentwickelt werden. Die Grundlage für die Bewertung und Konstruktion eines IMIS ist ein Modell der Aufgaben und verarbeiteten Informationen im Informationsmanagement. Der Autor entwickelt eine Formalisierung der Informationsverarbeitung und darauf aufbauend Kriterien für Modelle der Informationsverarbeitung im Informationsmanagement im Gesundheitswesen sowie Modellierungsregeln und ein Vorgehen zur Modellierung. Die Angemessenheit der entwickelten Formalisierung und der Kriterien, der Regeln und des Vorgehens zeigt der Autor mit der Modellierung der Informationsverarbeitung in den neun Kernprozessen der Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), einer Sammlung von Empfehlungen für das Management von IT-Dienstleistungen. Aufbauend auf einer erweiterten Version dieses Modells kann ein IMIS für das Gesundheitswesen konstruiert werden

Incorporating design explanation within formal object-oriented method (FOOM)

Requirements engineering is a commencing phase in the development of either software applications or information systems. It is concerned with understanding and specifying the customer\u27s requirements of the system to be delivered. Throughout the literature, this is agreed to be one of the most crucial and, unfortunately, problematic phases in development. Despite the diversity of research directions, approaches and methods, the question of process understanding and management is still limited. Among contemporary approaches to the improvement of the current practice of Requirements Engineering, Formal Object-Oriented Method (FOOM) has been introduced as a new promising solution. The FOOM approach to requirements engineering is based on a synthesis of socio-organisational theory, the object-oriented approach, and mathematical formal specification. The entire FOOM specification process is evolutionary and involves a large volume of changes in requirements. During this process, requirements evolve through various forms of informal, semi-formal, and formal while maintaining a semantic link between these forms and, most importantly, conforming to the customer\u27s requirements. A deep understanding of the complexity of the requirements model and its dynamics is critical in improving requirements engineering process management. This thesis investigates the benefits of documenting both the evolution of the requirements model and the rationale for that evolution. Design explanation explains and justifies the deliberations of, and decisions made during, the design activity. In this thesis, design explanation is used to describe the requirements engineering process in order to improve understandability of, and traceability within, the evolving requirements specification. The design explanation recorded during this research project is also useful in assisting the researcher in gaining insights into the creativity and opportunistic characteristics of the requirements engineering process. This thesis offers an interpretive investigation into incorporating design explanation within FOOM in order to extend and advantage the method. The researcher\u27s interpretation and analysis of collected data highlight an insight-driven and opportunistic process rather than a strictly and systematically predefined one. In fact, the process was not smoothly evolutionary, but involved occasional \u27crisis\u27 points at which the model was reconceptualised, simplified and restructured. Therefore, contributions of the thesis lie not only in an effective incorporation of design explanation within FOOM, but also a deep understanding of the dynamic process of requirements engineering. The new understanding of the complexity of the requirements model and its dynamics suggests new directions for future research and forms a basis for a new approach to process management