Digital games as a design tool : proposal for outdoor play design

Dagens förskolebarn är den första riktigt digitala generationen. De har vuxit upp med datorer och Internet sedan de kom till världen. Följaktligen är barns värld idag både analog och digital och barnen rör sig ledigt mellan dessa två världar. Digitala spel har gjort att barn förstår sig på den nya tekniken på ett sätt som vuxna inte gör. Digitala spel vädjar till barns fantasi och ger ett alternativ till verkligheten AFK (Away From Keyboard). Utomhusmiljön i sin tur lockar genom att erbjuda barnen en miljö som är spännande och fantasieggande, där de har mycket att upptäcka och utforska. I naturen finns få saker som barn inte kan använda i sin lek, enbart deras fantasi sätter gränser. Syftet med det här arbetet är att hitta en ny ingång till hur en lekpark kan gestaltas, med utgångspunkt i den digitala världen. Vi vill visa ett alternativ till ”digital”-konceptparker och lekparker som enbart består av utplacerade lekredskap. Således var vi nyfikna på om det kan vara möjligt att aktivera och attrahera, framförallt barn och ungdomar till den fysiska utemiljön, genom att plocka in egenskaper från digitala spel i designprocessen för utormning av lekparker. Med vden här uppsats har vi haft som mål att ta fram ett generellt tillvägagångssätt, ett designverktyg, som kan användas för att skapa en attraktiv lekmiljö. Arbetet bygger på samtal med speltillverkare, spelutövare och en pedagog samt litteraturstudier, platsbesök och en pilotstudie av designverktyget. Litteraturstudierna har fokuserat på vilka effekter användandet av den digitala världen och lek utomhus har på framför allt barn och ungdomar. Vi har använt oss av det populära spelet Minecraft som modellspel och främsta studieobjekt för den digitala världen. Därför ägnade vi tid åt att spela spelet för att få en förståelse för dess uppbyggnad, attraktionskraft samt dess fördelar och nackdelar. Undersökningen av spelet Minecraft tillsammans med litteraturstudierna och samtalen har gjort det möjligt för oss att identifiera de egenskaper som finns i det digitala spelet. För att testa våra idéer har vi valt att applicera dem i utformandet av ett tävlingsförslag i en arkitekttävling för en lekpark i Lill-Valla i Linköping. I gestaltningsarbetet har vi till stor del arbetat traditionellt med skisser och designexperiment. I utformningen av lekparken i Lill-Valla har vi inkorporerat den kunskap om digitala spels egenskaper som vi förvärvat genom vår undersökning. En av de viktigaste utgångspunkterna i arbetet är att vi tror att det i en värld i ständig förändring krävs nya perspektiv på lekmiljöer för barn och unga. Vi vill väcka frågan kring hur balansen mellan användandet av digital media och utomhuslek kan se ut för barn och ungdomar. Vårt arbete ligger i gränssnittet mellan landskapsarkitektur och digitala spel. Det riktar sig främst till landskapsarkitekter.Today’s preschoolers are the first digital generation. Meaning that they’ve grown up with computers and the Internet from the day they were born into this world. The children of today’s reality are there for both analogue and digital and move between the physical world and the digital world with ease. Digital games have prepared today’s children to understand the new technology in a way that adults don’t do. Digital games appeal to children’s imagination and provide an alternative to the physical world, AFK (Away From Keyboard). On the other hand the outdoor environment and nature does attract, by offering an exciting imaginative environment where children have much to discover and explore. In nature, there are few things that kids can’t find a way to play with, only their imagination sets the limit. The aim of this Master thesis was to find new input to how a playground can be designed based on the digital world. We wanted to produce an alternative to “digital” theme parks and playgrounds that only present set play equipment. We are curious to see if it is possible to activate and attract, mainly, children and young people to the outdoor environment and the playground, by picking incorporating properties from digital games in to the design of playgrounds. In this paper, our goal is to develop a general approach, a design tool that can be used to create an attractive play environment. The work is based on conversations with game developers, game practitioner, an educator as well as research of written data (papers, books and articles), site visits and a trial study of the design tool. We found most of the data on the effects of children’s and adolescent’s use of the digital world and outdoor play through studies of papers and articles on the subject. We have also used the popular game Minecraft as a prototypical game and spent time playing the game to gain an understanding of its structure, appeal, advantages and disadvantages. The study of the game Minecraft, reference literature and the dialogues with said practitioners, made it possible for us to identify the features that are available in digital games. To further investigate our ideas, we chose to apply them in developing a design proposal for a children’s playground in an architectural competition in, Linkoping. In the design process for the playground, we have mainly worked traditionally with sketches and design experiments, but we have integrated our knowledge of the properties of digital games, that we acquired throughout our research. One of the central starting points for our thesis is that we believe, that in a world that is constantly changing new perspectives on how we view play environments for children and young people is required. We want to raise the question of the balance between the use of digital media and outdoor play and see if, and if so, in what way features from digital games can be a part of the design process for creating outdoor playgrounds. Our master thesis lies at the crossroads between landscape architecture and digital games. Our thesis is intended mainly for landscape architects

After-school clubs as a supporter of the daily life and well-being of the child and family : An example of Tennis- ja mailapelikoulu by Grani Tennis

Tämän pro gradu -tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää, minkälainen merkitys koulun jälkeisellä iltapäivätoiminnalla on lapsen ja perheen arjen sekä hyvinvoinnin tukemisessa. Tavoitteena on tuoda esille laadukkaaseen iltapäivätoimintaan kuuluvia tekijöitä, joilla arkea ja hyvinvointia tuetaan. Iltapäivätoimintaa sekä sen yhteyksiä hyvinvoinnin tukemiseen liittyen on tutkittu vähän. Aiemmat tutkimukset ovat kuitenkin osoittaneet, että lapsen ja vanhempien välisellä hyvinvoinnilla on vahva yhteys. Jonkun perheenjäsenen hyvinvointi tai pahoinvointi vaikuttaa siis muuhunkin perheeseen. Iltapäivätoiminnalla on aiempien tutkimusten mukaan suuri merkitys vanhempien työ- ja perhe-elämän yhdistämisessä sekä lapsen yksinäisen ajan vähentämisessä koulupäivän jälkeen. Iltapäivätoiminnalla on myös tärkeä merkitys lapsen sosiaalisten suhteiden ja terveellisten elämäntapojen vahvistamisessa. Tutkimus toteutettiin laadullisena tutkimuksena. Aineisto kerättiin teemahaastatteluina haastattelemalla kahdeksaa Grani Tenniksen järjestämään Tennis- ja mailapelikoulu -iltapäiväkerhoon osallistuvien lasten vanhempaa. Tutkimusasetelma oli fenomenografinen, eli tavoitteena oli ymmärtää ja kuvata vanhempien antamia merkityksiä tutkittavalle ilmiölle. Aineisto analysoitiin hyödyntäen teoriaohjaavaa sisällönanalyysiä, jossa teoriana toimi tutkielman teoreettinen viitekehys. Tutkimuksessa nousi esille iltapäivätoiminnan tärkeä merkitys lapsen ja perheen arjen rytmittämisessä sekä hyvinvoinnin tukemisessa. Toiminta mahdollistaa vanhemmille täysipäiväisen työssä käymisen. Vanhemmat kokivat tärkeäksi, että lapsella on jokin turvallinen paikka, jossa voi viettää aikaa koulupäivän jälkeen vanhempien ollessa vielä töissä. Vanhempien hyvinvointia tukee se, että arkea ei kuormita ylimääräinen suunnittelu liittyen lapsen yksinäisen ajan vähentämiseen. Lapsen ja vanhempien hyvinvoinnilla koettiin olevan myös vahva yhteys. Iltapäivätoiminta tukee erityisesti lapsen sosiaalista, psyykkistä ja fyysistä hyvinvointia. Iltapäivätoimintaa tulisi Suomessa vanhempien mukaan kuitenkin kehittää niin, että ohjaajia on riittävästi ja heillä on taitoa toimia erilaisten lasten ja tuen tarpeiden kanssa. Jokaiselle lapselle tulee tasa-arvoisesti varmistaa turvallinen paikka kehittyä ja kasvaa. Koska iltapäivätoiminta on maksullista, sitä tulisi kehittää myös niin, että sen hyödyntäminen olisi mahdollista jokaiselle sitä tarvitsevalle perheelle ja lapselle.The purpose of this Master's thesis was to find out what kind of role after-school clubs play in supporting the daily life and well-being of the child and family. The objective is to highlight the factors that are part of a high-quality after-school club. After-school clubs, as well as its connections with well-being support, have been little studied. However, previous research has shown that there is a strong connection between child and parental well-being. So, the well-being or ill-being of someone affects other family members as well. According to previous research, after-school clubs play a large role in combining parents' work and family life, as well as reducing a child's lonely time after school. After-school clubs also play an important role in strengthening the child's social relations and healthy lifestyle. The study was conducted as a qualitative study. The data were collected as themed interviews by interviewing eight parents of children attending Tennis- ja mailapelikoulu -after-school club organized by Grani Tennis. The research setting was phenomenographic, meaning the goal was to understand and describe the meanings given by parents to the phenomenon being studied. The data was analyzed using theory-driven content analysis in which the theoretical framework of the thesis served as the theory. The study’s results highlighted the important role of after-school clubs in organizing the daily life of the child and the family and in supporting everyone’s well-being. They allow parents to work full-time. While working, it is important to have a safe place for their child to spend time after school. Parental well-being is supported by the fact that the daily life is not burdened with additional planning in relation to reducing the child's lonely time. The well-being of the child and parents was also perceived to have a strong connection. After-school clubs particularly support the child's social, psychological, and physical well-being. After-school clubs in Finland, however, should be still developed more so that there are enough instructors that have the skills to work with different children and supporting their needs. It should be ensured that every child has equally a safe place to develop and grow. As after-school clubs are fee-required, they should also be developed so that every family has the possibility to use them in their daily life

Seed treatment with plant-defense elicitors decreases the abundance of ammonia oxidizers associated with winter wheat roots

Priming with elicitors, including phytohormones, is known to induce physiological changes in plants that affect resource allocation and nutrient uptake strategies. However, effects of these changes on belowground microbial communities, particularly those involved in nitrogen (N) transformations, remain poorly characterized. Here, we tested the hypothesis that treating seeds with elicitors would affect N-transforming communities associated to roots and rhizosphere, influencing soil N availability and thus plant performance. We measured the effects of treating winter wheat seeds with cis-jasmone, methyl jasmonate or methyl salicylate on plant traits and on the genetic potential for ammonia oxidation by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), the initial inorganic N transformation process resulting in N loss. Elicitors reduced the genetic potential for ammonia oxidation by AOB in root-associated microbial communities and increased traits reflecting N uptake in winter wheat. Proposed mechanisms include increased exploitative competition for ammonium, limiting substrate availability for microorganisms, and induced biological nitrification inhibition capacity actively suppressing ammonia oxidizers. There were minor effects on the composition of the AOB and AOA communities, but an indicator species analysis showed that several AOB and a few AOA genotypes were indicative of elicitor treatments. Seed treatment with elicitors may represent an overlooked strategy to minimize nitrification to mitigate N losses from arable soils

En hälsofrämjande skog är en gammal skog

Intresset för naturvistelse, från allmänheten såväl som från privata- och offentliga aktörer, har nyligen ökat och forskning i ämnet har kunnat påvisa allt tydligare resultat vilka förespråkar naturen som hälsofrämjande arena. Detta har bidragit till att det idag finns ett behov av att öka vår förståelse kring vilka kvaliteter i naturen som är värdefulla ur hälsosynpunkt, för att kunna identifiera, skydda och utveckla dessa miljöer för framtiden. Syftet med arbetet var därför att undersöka vilka upplevelsevärden och miljörelaterade egenskaper som bäst kan förutsäga en miljös naturhälsovärde och via dessa identifiera hälsofrämjande naturområden. Upplevelsevärdena; Vildhet, Rofylldhet, Artrikedom, Kultur och Öppenhet, vilka vetenskapligt visats vara viktiga för en hälsofrämjande miljö, samt ett naturhälsovärde inventerades på 203 slumpmässigt utlagda platser i Västerbottens län. Via miljörelaterade egenskaper för de olika provpunkterna undersöktes vilka egenskaper som är viktiga för ett områdes hälsofrämjande potential. Detaljerad analys av naturhälsovärden i skogsmiljöer utfördes därefter av 157 provpunkter på skogsmark. Resultatet visar att en hög ålder på skogen är den enskilt viktigaste egenskapen tillsammans med impediment och ett långt avstånd till exploaterad mark för att kunna förutsäga om ett skogsområde är hälsofrämjande. Vidare är upplevelsevärdena Vildhet och Rofylldhet bäst lämpade för att identifiera ett högt naturhälsovärde. I kartan över Västerbottens län ses att större områden av hälsofrämjande skogar främst är belägna i de västra delarna medan mindre områden ligger i öst, nära samhällen och vägar. Resultatet är av vikt såväl för intressenter i skogen som planerar skogsbruksåtgärder och nya rekreationsområden, som för de som vill besöka hälsofrämjande skogar.The interest in outdoor visits, from private and public actors, has recently increased as researchers are reaching consensus about nature as a reliable health-promoting arena. Therefore, there is a need to increase our understanding of nature characteristics that are valuable from a health perspective, to be able to identify, protect and manage these environments for the future. The purpose was therefore to investigate which Perceived Sensory Dimensions and environmental characteristics, that best ca n predict the “Na ture Hea lth Va lue” (NHV) a nd through these identify hea lth -promoting areas. The Perceived Sensory Dimensions; Wild, Serene, Species richness, Culture and Space, which are scientifically proven to indicate health-promoting environments, were along with the NHV, assessed at 203 randomly placed sites in Västerbotten County. Through available data of environmental characteristics in the inventoried points, an area's health-promotive potential were investigated. Detailed analysis of health values was then performed on 157 points on forest land. The results show that an old forest is the single most important characteristic for identifying a health-promoting forest along with impediments and a long distance to exploited land. Furthermore, Wild and Serene are best suited for identifying a high NHV and thus finding health-promoting forests. The map of Västerbotten County shows that larger areas of health-promoting forests mainly are located in the west, while smaller areas are located in the east, close to communities and roads. The result is important for forest related stakeholders to plan forestry measures and new recreational areas, or to act as a basis for those who just want to visit health-promoting forests

Att styra och ställa En styrningsstudie med ResursCentrum för kvinnor som fall

In 1994 it was decided that a new network based organizational model was to be initiated to face the problems of some of the gender inequalities in Sweden. The organisation structure was named Resource Centre for Women (ResursCentrum för kvinnor). This essay constitutes a qualitative case study of governing, with this organisation structure as my field of inquiry. My ambition has been to outline and explain what kind of governing has been used and how it works. I have also tried to identify potential changes of the ways of governing over time. To help me out with that task, I have applied a theoretical framework, characterized of a governance perspective, and have used terms as: governing with networks, partnership, projects and visionary government to interpret my empiric material. My result shows that there have been various changes in the ways of governing, from a more hierarchal government form of governing to a more governance based one

Reformation of the yard The Fox

Omgestaltning av bostadsgården Räven på Åkerbyvägen i Täby, norr om Sthlm

The problem with pink kernels in malting barley

Rosa kärnor används som en indikator för att överskumning, s.k gushing kommer att uppstå på ölbryggerier. För att analysera rosa kärnor görs en okulär analys. Denna har fått kritik för att inte vara tillförlitlig nog att identifiera partier som orsakar gushing. Det här arbetet gjordes dels genom en litteraturstudie, dels genom en analys av data från en svensk spannmålshandlare (2013-2018) för att undersöka andelen underkända maltkornspartier pga. rosa kärnor och för att se om det fanns årsvariationer av förekomsten av rosa kärnor eller skillnader i förekomsten mellan regioner i Sverige. Dataanalysen visade att rosa kärnor förekommer ungefär lika mycket i de regioner i Sverige som undersöktes. 2017 förekom det mest rosa kärnor och 2018 förekom det minst i alla regioner. Gushing orsakas av proteinerna hydrofobiner och ns-LTP. Ns-LTP kommer från växter och hydrofobiner från Ascomyceter och Basidiomyceter. Det råder delade meningar om vilka svamparter som orsakar rosa kärnor i maltkorn som leder till problem med gushing. Det kan till stor del vara kopplat till axfusarios som orsakas av Fusarium spp. och Microdochium nivale men det finns uppgifter om att det kan vara andra mikroorganismer som orsakar rosa kärnor och gushing. Det finns inte några tydliga rekommendationer kring åtgärder för att minimera förekomsten av rosa kärnor i fält mer än att förekomsten av rosa kärnor ökar vid sen tröskning. Är rosa kärnor till stor del orsakat av axfusarios finns det flera rekommendationer för att främst förebygga infektion i växande gröda. Det behövs mer forskning och utveckling för att hitta orsaken till rosa kärnor och säkrare analyser som förutser gushing, om det finns svampar som producerar hydrofobiner som leder till kraftigare gushing, och om det finns metoder som kan användas under mältning för att minimera hydrofobinproduktionen, till exempel att tillsätta mikroorganismer.Pink kernels are used to indicate if a malting barley lot can cause gushing in the brewing industry. A visual assessment is used and has been criticized because the results are not always correct to identify gushing. The present study is based on a literature survey and a data analysis from a Swedish grain trader (2013-2018). The data was analyzed by the rejected cereals lot caused by pink kernels, in relation to seasonal variations and differences between regions in Sweden. The data analysis showed that pink kernels were most common in 2017 and least common in 2018 in all regions. Pink kernels occurred in approximetely the same amounts in all regions. Gushing is caused by ns-LTP from plants and hydrophobins from Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes. There are various opinions about which fungi that causes pink kernels and later the problem with gushing. It can be related to Fusarium head blight, caused by Fusarium spp. and Microdochium nivale but there are indications that other microorganisms can also cause pink kernels and gushing. There are no distinct recommendations to minimize pink kernels in the field, other than harvest in time as late harvest increase the presence of pink kernels. If pink kernels are caused by similar fungi and factors as fusarium head blight, there are recommendations to prevent infection in the crop. More research and development is needed to find the cause of pink kernels and assure analyzing methods to previse gushing. Research is needed about fungi producing hydrophobins that makes heavier gushing and if microorganisms can be used to decrease the synthesis of hydrophobins in the brewing industry

Agreement between methods of measurement with multiple observations per individual

Limits of agreement provide a straightforward and intuitive approach to agreement between different methods for measuring the same quantity. When pairs of observations using the two methods are independent, i.e., on different subjects, the calculations are very simple and straightforward. Some authors collect repeated data, either as repeated pairs of measurements on the same subject, whose true value of the measured quantity may be changing, or more than one measurement by one or both methods of an unchanging underlying quantity. In this paper we describe methods for analysing such clustered observations, both when the underlying quantity is assumed to be changing and when it is not

Repair in the Circular Economy: Towards a National Swedish Strategy

Extending the lifetime of products is seen as a key objective for realising the vision of a Circular Economy. One way to increase the lifespan of products is to enable more repair activities. However, consumers encounter a variety of barriers for repairs, prompting public authorities in Europe and the US to adopt or propose policies in support of consumer repairs. Sweden has recently adopted a circular economy action plan, where increasing the number of consumer repairs is a stated objective. However, Sweden has so far only adopted a few repair policies, most notably through the tax reliefs for the repair sector that were implemented in 2017. The aim of this contribution is to research how Sweden could develop a more comprehensive policy mix for promoting consumer repairs, also by taking into consideration initiatives from other countries and regions. The research is based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews with policymakers and other relevant actors in Sweden, Europe and the US. The study shows that a lot of interesting initiatives aiming at increasing repairs are currently being proposed. The new requirements related to repairs, developed within the European Union’s (EU) Ecodesign Directive, have been positively received but the process is cumbersome and it will take time before their full effect becomes evident. Initiatives, such as the French repairability index and the French repair fund will create incentives for the producers to design more repairable products and make it easier for consumers to repair. On the same track, the Repair Network of Vienna with its repair vouchers makes repairs cheaper and more trustworthy. Also, the US policy proposals on right-to-repair laws would help to create an open market for repairs for a lot of products. Sweden has the possibility to gain knowledge through the implementation of similar policies, and by considering new policies suggested in literature and by the interviewees. Thus there is potential for Sweden to be a front-runner in creating a more resource efficient society through increased repair activity. Concluding, some preliminary proposals for a future policy mix are presented

Copepods in a changing sea : Ocean acidification, long-term changes and short-term variability

Anna-Karin Almén conducted field and lab work for this thesis at Tvärminne Zoological Station