Exploring Support for Post 16 Young People Outside Mainstream Education

Abstract The aim of phase one was to explore what support there is for young people outside mainstream. The aim of phase two was to explore how this experience influences their identity. The dilemma of difference (Minnow, 1990) is particularly relevant as it highlights the complexities of achieving inclusivity over opportunity with potential stigmatising effects. The research design was influenced by ethnography and adopts an Interpretivist ontology and social constructivist epistemology. In phase 1, 21 participants were recruited to take part in semi-structured interviews. These participants were selected through a snowballing technique and included 10 young people, 5 educational psychologists and 6 professionals that worked or were involved with young people including staff. The interviews were followed by observation of each of the three settings. Phase two was achieved by eliciting thoughts and perceptions of the young people through an activity based on a personal construct psychology technique known as ‘Drawing the ideal self’ (Moran, 2006). This was followed by a semi-structured interview with staff mirroring the questions used in the activity. All data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The prominent findings were identified and discussed in relation to relevant literature. The research was then situated in a wider context in an overall discussion reflecting on possible implications for educational psychologists and their practice. The study highlighted complexities in the decision making process. In contrast to the literature I found that young people aspire to share the responsibility of choosing post 16 provision. Decision making is complex with difference in opinion about which professionals should have knowledge of the post 16 arena. Typically these young people had a traumatic experience transitioning to appropriate post 16 provision. However, provision outside mainstream was found to be person centred and flexible, tailoring the provision to the needs of the individual. A nurturing approach was found to be at the centre of the underpinning principles with mentoring support offering the greatest influence on young people’s identity, fostering a sense of meaning and purpose

Public Interest Review of Water Right Allocation and Transfer in the West: Recognition of Public Values

37 pages. Contains references

The Legal Framework for Aquifer Issues

20 pages. Contains references

The Legal Framework for Aquifer Issues

20 pages. Contains references

Science, Evaluation, and Morality

There is considerable dispute over the nature of the relationship between ethics and the natural sciences. This thesis argues that ethics is substantially independent of the natural sciences because the appeals to the natural sciences fail to adequately justify moral judgements about human beings. Specifically, I argue that if appeals to the natural sciences are not adequate to justify the normative assessment of living organisms, then they are not adequate to justify moral judgements about human beings. I consider the following appeals to justify the normative assessment of living organisms. These include the appeals to: (1) typicality; (2) history; (3) what is natural; (4) natural selection; (5) functions; (6) development; (7) species; and (8) the experience of pleasure and pain. I claim that these appeals are inadequate for one or more of the following reasons. One, some versions of the appeals are incompatible with the natural sciences. Two, the appeals justify implausible and counterintuitive moral judgements. Three, the appeals fail to adequately determine what should occur in contrast to what occurs. Four, there are many different appeals which justify contrary moral judgements and no objective means within the natural sciences to privilege one appeal over another. Finally, five, for some appeals there are various parameters which determine what is justified, but there are no objective means within the natural sciences to justify any particular set of parameters over and against alternatives

The Thermal Degradation of Poly-Tert.-Butyl Methacrylate

Thermal degradation reactions of vinyl polymers can be classified into chain scission and non chain scisson reactions. Previous work on poly-tert-butyl methacrylate had indicated that the only reaction to occur with this substance was of the latter type; a "classical" decomposition of the substituent ester groups into an acid, polymethacrylie, and an olefine, iso-butene. Further evidence had shown that this reaction displayed unexpected auto-catalytic features. The theme of the present investigation was a more complete study of the thermal degradation of poly-tert-butyl methacrylate with the aim of elucidating the mechanism of decomposition and accounting for this autocatalysis. Because some polymer degradation reactions often show a close analogy with polymer synthesis reactions, it was thought logical to make a full investigation using established technique into the mechanism and kinetics of the polymerisation of tert-butyl methacrylate. The results of these investigations show clearly that tert-butyl methacrylate polymerises by a radical mechanism whose general features resemble closely those of other methacrylate esters which have been investigated. The measured values of the kinetic rate constants for the primary processes contribute to the body of information which is being accumulated about the effects of structure on reactivity of monomers. In the course of this work it was possible to confirm that one of the decomposition products of the polymerisation initiator alphaalpha' azo-di-isobutyronitrile is methacrylonitrile, by the isolation and identification of polymethacrylonitrile. The thermal degradation of poly-tert-butyl methacrylate was elucidated by kinetic measurements in high vacuum supplemented by investigations into the products of the reaction mainly by infra-red and gas chromatographic techniques. These sensitive methods revealed that the degradation process is considerably more complex than had been reported previously. It is possible to distinguish at least four constituent reactions. 1. Depolymerisation. It has been shown that poly-tert-butyl methacrylate undergoes a chain scission reaction with production of monomer. In the initial stages this reaction resembles the depolymerisation of polymethylmethacrylate, but it is retarded by the accompanying ester decomposition reaction. In the course of this investigation it has been demonstrated that a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid is more stable towards depolymerisation than is polymethyl methacrylate. 2. Olefine production. It has been confirmed that iso-butene production is auto-catalysed. Evidence has been obtained that this decomposi tion has a non-radical chain mechanism showing a close resemblance to the acid catalysed hydrolyses of esters which are encountered in reactions in polar solutions. 3. Anhydride formation. It has been found that polymethacrylic acid is unstable at temperatures above 15