Promoting Intercultural Competence in the Norwegian EFL Classroom Through an Understanding of Agency and Choice in Border-Crossing Literature

This thesis, Promoting Intercultural Competence in the Norwegian EFL Classroom through an Understanding of Agency in Border-Crossing Literature, aims to bridge the connection between integrating border-crossing literature in the classroom and developing intercultural competence. This is done through highlighting agency and choice within the border-crossing literature. In light of LK20, the National Reform of School Curriculums, intercultural competence is highlighted as a crucial skill that must be developed and integrated in students. Still, there are not many concrete suggestions or guidance as to how teachers should achieve this. This thesis highlights the value of border-crossing literature as a suggested answer to this conundrum, by offering a close analysis and emphasis on agency and choice in Chika Unigwe’s On Black Sisters’ Street and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. These two novels represent two contrasting border-crossing narratives that provide different insight into issues of migration, agency, identity, and choice. By emphasizing the importance of agency and choice in these novels, the reader must be willing to engage with topics such as privilege and prejudice through a scope of understanding. This is crucial in developing intercultural competence and is a central discussion throughout this thesis. By highlighting the importance of using border-crossing literature in combination with in-depth discussion and teaching of both historical and cultural context, this thesis hopes to present those interested with new ways of integrating literature in the classroom

On Model Predictive Path Following and Trajectory Tracking for Industrial Robots

In this article we show how the model predictive path following controller allows robotic manipulators to stop at obstructions in a way that model predictive trajectory tracking controllers cannot. We present both controllers as applied to robotic manipulators, simulations for a two-link manipulator using an interior point solver, consider discretization of the optimal control problem using collocation or Runge-Kutta, and discuss the real-time viability of our implementation of the model predictive path following controller.Comment: Draft of article for CASE 201

Comparing Materials for Self-Guided Learning in Interactive Science Exhibitions

Science center exhibitions are considered to have the potential to support students' learning. To contribute to the field's knowledge of how to use this potential to the fullest, this study compares four different designs of self-guided resources for use during a science center visit. The first two (open exploration and a traditional worksheet) are similar to many currently in use, and the other two designs (guided exploratory learning, one paper-based and one tablet-based) provided more structure and explicitly aimed to support deeper engagement and exploration. Verbal and nonverbal behaviors of 64 11- to 13-year-old students were recorded by chest-mounted cameras. Video was coded and analyzed quantitatively around instances of behaviors consistent with deep engagement and learning. Findings suggest that different resource designs are associated with different levels of engagement-related behaviors, and designs for guided exploratory learning in particular have the potential to support students' progress towards conceptual understanding

Straffeprosessuell inndragning etter havressursloven § 65

Avhandlingen omhandler den straffeprosessuelle inndragningsbestemmelsen i havressursloven § 65. Problemstillingen som behandles er om praktiseringen av havressursloven § 65 er i tråd med begrunnelsen for inndragningsinstituttet

FEM analyse av komposittdekker i betong og krysslaminert tre med skrueforbindelser

I denne oppgaven ble temaet FEM analyse av komposittdekker i betong og krysslaminert tre med skrueforbindelser utforsket. Oppgaven sammenstiller resultater fra FEM analyser med tidligere utførte laboratorieforsøk på komposittdekker med to ulike skruetyper brukt i skjærforbindelsen, dekke type A og B. Begge skruetypene er festet i tredelen av dekket med en vinkel på 45˚ fra overflaten. Type A bestående av CTC skruer er festet parvis med motsatt orientering på skruene, mens Type B består av KOP skruer festet med lik orientering. Til utføring av FEM analysen ble programmet RFEM 6 brukt, fra Dlubal Software. Dette programmet ble valgt fordi det benytter de ønskede materialtypene, betong og krysslaminert tre, samt har funksjoner for sammenkobling av flere overflater. Det ble benyttet to metoder for sammenkoblingen av tredelen til betongdelen. Metode 1 benyttet en kontaktflate der glidemodulen mellom lagene kan settes i kN/m3. For metode 2 ble det dannet linjer som senere ble satt som faste innspenninger mellom overflatene. Linjene ble plassert slik at de representerer rekkene med skruene plassert i dekket. For å systematisere gjennomføring av analysearbeidet ble det utarbeidet et flytdiagram som viser hele arbeidsprosessen for FEM analysene. I denne oppgaven ble det totalt kjørt fire analyser. To analyser for dekke av type A, ene med metode 1 og andre med metode 2, og så to analyser for dekke av B med de samme metodene. Resultatet av oppgaven viser at FEM analyse metode 1 gir konservative, lineære grafer med tilfredsstillende likhet til grafene basert på data fra laboratorieforsøk. FEM analyse metode 2 gir derimot ikke-lineære deformasjons grafer som har mer samsvarende utforming til grafene basert på laboratorieforsøkene, men på grunn av manglene mulighet for justering av parameter for glidemodulen i programvaren oppstår en større usikkerhet om dataene fra analysen er konservative eller for gunstige

Politically engaged mindset of everyday coping in relation to nursing values : A phenomenological-hermeneutic study of district nurses’ experiences

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Ungdom og "åpne samtaler i nettverk" : ungdom som har det vanskelig og nettverk som prøver å være til hjelp

Masteroppgave i psykisk helsearbeid- Universitetet i Agder 2010This study is based on the project "Prosjekt Felles utvikling," in Vest-Agder. This project was meant to improve the expertise of professionals in the health services and the schools in the youths’ communities, and thus contribute to the improvement of mental health. Support for young people with difficulties in various areas would be given by means of network meetings where one pursued dialogue through "open conversations." The purpose of this study was to collect experiences from youths who had received this method in Flekkefjord, and thereby evaluate and contribute to adjustments of the method. The study is based on qualitative interviews with six youths who received the method in the period 2004 to 2008. When we managed to achieve a dialogue with the youths and their private and professional network, we were able to provide help that the youths in the study liked and benefited from. My assessment is that we were successful in two cases, partly successful in two other cases, and did not succeed in the two last ones. The study supports previous findings which show that the method, insofar as one achieves a dialogue, can contribute to helping the youths. "Open dialogue" in social networks is a demanding method, in the sense that it requires personal conviction, in addition to considerable expertise and practical facilitation. It is also a method that gives hope of real help, partly because it so closely involves young people themselves and their private network. In my study, the youth’s school and the home appeared to be the most important arenas which the health services need to include in their work. My findings confirm the complexity of the challenges of providing assistance to troubled youths. Keywords: Open Dialogue, dialogue, private and professional networks, youths, mental health, mental health problems, mental disorders

Pingvinens lange marsj - en målrettet vandring? Kom avviklingen av Luftforsvarets anti-sjøinvasjonsrolle som et resultat av strategisk planlegging?

This study seeks to broaden the understanding of the strategic planning processes in the Norwegian armed Forces. By applying the same theoretical and methodological tools used in the study regarding the implementation of an Air-to-Ground capacity in the Royal Norwegian Air Force (Nergård, 2009), the abandoning of the anti-sea invasion role in the same organization will be explored. The purpose is twofold. Firstly; the study seeks to validate the former study by using the same scientific design and theoretical platform when exploring a different phenomenon within the same organization. The findings from the respective studies are then being compared in order to identify similarities and differences. Secondly; the study seeks to give an enhanced understanding of the processes leading up to the abandoning of the F-16’s anti-sea-invasion role in 2004. As a tool to increase the understanding of these processes, two theories are being utilized. The first theory describes a situation where the organization’s strategies are created by the Executive Officer and formulated by his staff. The strategies are then converted into plans and in turn cascaded down into the organization for implementation. The other theory describes a situation where initiatives taken elsewhere in the organization, over time could become a part of the organization’s realized strategy. The study is based on military strategic plans and other relevant written documentation. In addition 11 persons working at different echelons in the Norwegian Armed forces have been interviewed. The study suggests perceiving strategy development as a continuous process in an environment where the existing strategy will be under constant pressure by entities with influence, even when the organization’s strategic plans are explicit. The study also suggests that changes in the organization’s strategy over time will come as a result of a series of strategic decisions not necessarily reflected in the strategic plans