Engaging internal conversations: The interplay of structure, culture and agency, and how they affect GCSE English and Mathematics results in 16-19 study programmes

This thesis examines the interplay of structural, cultural and agential factors and how they affected GCSE English and mathematics outcomes in 16 to 19 study programmes in a Further Education College in the period 2014/15 to 2017/18. A social realist (Archer, 1995) conceptual framework was employed, which examined structural, cultural and agential factors and focused on individuals’ internal conversations (Archer, 2003) in order to understand attitudes and behaviours. A mixed-methods case study approach was adopted involving an analysis of quantitative data on GCSE English and mathematics outcomes and qualitative data from interviews with 10 academic staff and 15 students on study programmes within the College. A complex picture emerged from the research of the interplay between structural, cultural and agential factors shaping GCSE English and mathematics outcomes. Students’ learning experiences and individual GCSE outcomes were shaped by structural factors including government policy and funding, college policies and practices, their individual social circumstances, and by cultural messages and expectations. For each individual student, however, their engagement with learning in these subjects was also shaped by their beliefs about the value and relevance of these subjects and their perceptions of the enablements and constraints (Archer, 2003) they faced. Relationships, communication and consistency emerged as three key themes from the interviews with students and lecturers in relation to effectively engaging and supporting students. This thesis contends that structural factors, including funding and curricula, and cultural factors, including messaging, impact on GCSE outcomes. It further contends that whilst structural and cultural changes may be necessary to improve these outcomes, these need to be based on an informed understanding of student beliefs and values and the enablements and constraints they face. Students must be engaged in dialogue with educators and policy makers to ascertain how best to engage and support them in their learning

Ananda Devi, Indian Tango

Avec Indian tango, Ananda Devi a élaboré une construction narrative des plus complexes : deux voix narratives de nature différente alternent pour finalement se rejoindre au-delà des frontières de la réalité et de la fiction. En effet, le personnage fictif rencontre la narratrice hétérodiégétique qui est également la diariste des autres chapitres. Les biographèmes parsemés dans tout le roman ajoutent une dimension supplémentaire à ce labyrinthe narratif dans lequel l’auteure plonge le lecteur. Il s’agira d’analyser ce jeu de piste entre référentialité et fictionnalité, propre à l’autofiction, qui permet d’interroger le rapport du romancier à ses créatures mais aussi au monde qui l’entoure et d’entraîner le lecteur dans cette quête de sens

Introduction

L’objectif de cette introduction est de présenter et de contextualiser un dossier concerté de treize contributions sur les mutations contemporaines du pastoralisme en Haute-Asie sous la pression des politiques et des mouvements de modernisation qui ont mis à mal la logique nomade qui faisait sa cohérence. Les travaux ont été réalisés sur le Plateau tibétain, en Mongolie et dans la région himalayenne du Bhoutan par des anthropologues, des géographes, des sociologues et des agro-économistes. Nous rappelons les profonds changements intervenus en quelques décennies (1950-2010) sur ces sociétés pluriséculaires d’éleveurs. En même temps, sont donnés à voir les caractéristiques essentielles du pastoralisme de ces régions et les principaux enjeux qui s’y rattachent. Cette ébauche de mise en perspective éclaire les fondements des systèmes d’élevage et fournit un repérage du vaste champ bibliographique concerné. Le contenu et le message des différents articles du dossier sont ensuite explicités. Enfin, face aux tensions de ces situations pastorales aujourd’hui fortement tiraillées entre permanences et ruptures, l’attention est attirée sur quelques urgences qui interpellent tant les responsables que les chercheurs : l’enjeu est de promouvoir des démarches de développement territorial, économique et social qui soient davantage intégrées et plus constructives au regard des capacités et des attentes de ces sociétés d’éleveurs et dans le respect de la durabilité des milieux fragiles et uniques qu’elles habitent.The aim of this introduction is to present and contextualise the thirteen chapters in this special issue, which are devoted to contemporary transformations of Inner Asian pastoralism. Special emphasis falls on the ways in which politics and modernisation movements have put the nomadic logic that underlies pastoralism in this region to the test. These studies have been carried out by anthropologists, geographers, sociologists and agro-economists working on the Tibetan plateau, in Mongolia and in the Buthanese Himalayas. They address the deep changes that have occurred within a few decades (1950-2010) in these centuries old herding societies. At the same time, they show the fundamental characteristics of pastoralism in these regions and the main challenges that confront it. In this introduction, these issues are put in perspective, thus casting light on the foundations of herding systems. Next, an overview is provided of the vast bibliographic field relevant to this topic. Then, the content and the significance of the various contributions to this special issue are explicited. Finally, in view of the tensions of these pastoral settings, which are torn between permanence and rupture, the authors draw attention to some of the urgent problems that raise questions for officials as well as researchers. The challenge here is to promote policies of territorial, economic and social development that would be more integrative and more constructive for members of herding societies, taking into consideration their capacities and expectations, while also respecting the sustainability of the fragile and unique environment they inhabit

Estrategias de marketing virtual para incrementar las ventas en la empresa molinera Angie SAC.- Chiclayo 2013

El presente trabajo es una investigación realizada en la empresa Molinera Angie SAC, para ello empleamos los criterios de investigación de manera inexorable, lo cual servirá como base para el desarrollo y ejecución de nuestro trabajo. Siendo el marketing y las ventas un factor muy esencial para el desarrollo sostenible de una organización, en la empresa Molinera Angie SAC, se debe orientar de una mejor manera, utilizando herramientas y estrategias virtuales en páginas web y redes sociales para el incremento de las ventas y de esta forma aumentar las utilidades, ya que la empresa cuenta con un bajo reconocimiento de la marca. En el presente trabajo analizaremos detalladamente el producto brindado, el mercado, los factores de éxito, en consecuencia todo lo que concierne a la estructura de la empresa desde su visión, misión, definición del producto, hasta el análisis de la situación actual, por lo cual el objetivo es proponer estrategias de marketing virtual para incrementar las ventas de la molinera., a través de la correcta aplicación aumentará el reconocimiento de la marca del producto, además que se constituirá en un instrumento, permitiendo orientar las acciones en las diferentes actividades de marketing, así como favoreciendo la correcta utilización de los recursos del internet. En la investigación se realizará la identificación y descripción del problema, la utilización de herramientas, y de qué manera las estrategias de marketing virtual permitirá incrementar las ventas con el uso del internet, ya que estas están siendo muy utilizadas por las organización que son muy competitivas.Tesi

Comparing dynamics: deep neural networks versus glassy systems

We analyze numerically the training dynamics of deep neural networks (DNN) by using methods developed in statistical physics of glassy systems. The two main issues we address are (1) the complexity of the loss landscape and of the dynamics within it, and (2) to what extent DNNs share similarities with glassy systems. Our findings, obtained for different architectures and datasets, suggest that during the training process the dynamics slows down because of an increasingly large number of flat directions. At large limes, when the loss is approaching zero, the system diffuses at the bottom of the landscape. Despite some similarities with the dynamics of mean-field glassy systems, in particular, the absence of barrier crossing, we find distinctive dynamical behaviors in the two cases, showing that the statistical properties of the corresponding loss and energy landscapes arc different. In contrast, when the network is under-parametrized we observe a typical glassy behavior, thus suggesting the existence of different phases depending on whether the network is under-parametrized or over-parametrized

Displacement of the Spleen Mimicking Renal Cell Cancer Recurrence Post-Nephrectomy: A Case Report

Local regional recurrence of renal cell cancer post-nephrectomy most often occurs within three years after surgery. Post-nephrectomy, many processes may mimic RCC recurrence. We present the case of a 75 year-old Caucasian male patient with a mass in his renal fossa post-nephrectomy for renal cell cancer, suggesting local recurrence. Use of the technetium-99m sulfur colloid scan showed that the mass was his spleen which had been displaced into the renal fossa. With high index of suspicion, characterization of these processes as splenic in origin would prevent subjecting patients to risks of biopsy or even surgery

Ethnobotany in the Nepal Himalaya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Indigenous knowledge has become recognized worldwide not only because of its intrinsic value but also because it has a potential instrumental value to science and conservation. In Nepal, the indigenous knowledge of useful and medicinal plants has roots in the remote past.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The present study reviews the indigenous knowledge and use of plant resources of the Nepal Himalayas along the altitudinal and longitudinal gradient. A total of 264 studies focusing on ethnobotany, ethnomedicine and diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants, carried out between 1979 and 2006 were consulted for the present analysis. In order to cross check and verify the data, seven districts of west Nepal were visited in four field campaigns.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In contrast to an average of 21–28% ethnobotanically/ethnomedicinally important plants reported for Nepal, the present study found that up to about 55% of the flora of the study region had medicinal value. This indicates a vast amount of undocumented knowledge about important plant species that needs to be explored and documented. The richness of medicinal plants decreased with increasing altitude but the percentage of plants used as medicine steadily increased with increasing altitude. This was due to preferences given to herbal remedies in high altitude areas and a combination of having no alternative choices, poverty and trust in the effectiveness of folklore herbal remedies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Indigenous knowledge systems are culturally valued and scientifically important. Strengthening the wise use and conservation of indigenous knowledge of useful plants may benefit and improve the living standard of poor people.</p