Human Studies and Interdisiplinarity - Doctoral Theses

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Constructing life narratives: how novels and policy discourses represent and respond to life stories about people with mental disabilities
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2011-11-16) McCauley, Karen
This dissertation explores how an interdisciplinary analysis may contribute insight into how literary and policy discourses construct the life experiences of people who have mental disabilities that impair their ability to communicate their own life stories. Chapter One explains why a more comprehensive understanding of the cultural construction of mental disability may be achieved by exploring interdisciplinary relationships between social work, disability studies and literary theory. Subsequent chapters examine theoretical assumptions and frameworks associated with these contributing disciplines in greater detail, across systematic and interpretive analytic approaches. In addition, key concepts and questions relevant to constructing a vocabulary that facilitates collaboration between the contributing disciplines are considered. This literature review informs a methodology for undertaking an interpretive discourse analysis of pertinent policy and novels that depict disability within the context of Ontario's 'Institutional Cycle'. Specifically, the research attempts to answer the following questions: What is the relationship between the representation of mental disability in literary narratives and public policy discourses about mental disability; and, how may an interdisciplinary analysis of literary and policy discourses inform policy planning and the provision of services for people with mental disabilities in Ontario? Chapters 6-8 analyze the literary and policy data across Establishment, Reform and Dismantlement phases of the Institutional Cycle to arrive at a set of findings and recommendations that explain relationships between policy and novels across the phases of the Cycle. Finally, key themes for consideration in policy planning for people with mental disabilities are identified as priorities for action in an emerging 'post-institutional' era, in Ontario.
Compétences linguistiques et cognitives des enfants bilingues en situation linguistique minoritaire
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-30) Mayer-Crittenden, Chantal E.
Au Canada, l’évaluation langagière des enfants franco-ontariens s’avère une tâche complexe pour les orthophonistes en raison d’une carence d’outils et de normes régionales. Le problème s’accentue lors de l’évaluation langagière des enfants bilingues (anglais-français) qui fréquentent des écoles de langue française. L’étude que nous proposons ici a d’abord réitéré auprès de 26 enfants francoontariens une recherche québécoise (Thordardottir et coll., 2010) dans laquelle on a évalué la performance d’enfants franco-québécois avec une batterie de tests qui sert à mesurer les compétences linguistique et cognitive. Ces enfants ont été répartis en trois groupes d’âge : 4;6, 5;0 et 5;6 ans. Notre étude a ensuite évalué la performance d’enfants bilingues (47 français-anglais et 31 anglais-français) du même âge sur cette même batterie de tests à laquelle elle a ajouté un ensemble de tests de langue anglaise. Les enfants ont été appariés selon l’âge, le statut socio-économique et la cognition non verbale ; ils différaient selon la quantité d’intrants (input) dans chaque langue et selon le statut linguistique des langues (minoritaire/majoritaire). Les trois groupes linguistiques ont été créés selon le niveau d’exposition aux langues ; nous avons ainsi distingué les monolingues, les franco-dominants et les anglo-dominants. En outre, des enfants identifiés par les orthophonistes scolaires comme ayant un trouble primaire du langage (n = 20) ont été évalués à l’aide des mêmes tests afin de confirmer ou d’infirmer la présence de trouble primaire du langage. En outre, a été examiné l’effet de l’intrant langagier dans l’acquisition d’une langue minoritaire, puisque cet apprentissage a lieu au contact d’une langue majoritaire qui, au demeurant, exerce son influence aussi sur les enfants monolingues (francophones) et bilingues (français-anglais et anglais-français). Les résultats montrent que, au plan linguistique, les Franco-Ontariens monolingues réussissent moins bien que les Franco-Québécois. Les franco-dominants réussissent encore moins bien que les monolingues et les anglo-dominants réussissent moins bien que les monolingues et les franco-dominants à l’âge de 4;6 ans et de 5;0, mais cela n’est pas toujours le cas pour les enfants anglo-dominants de 5;6 ans. En fait, pour certaines épreuves de langue française, les anglo-dominants obtiennent des scores supérieurs à ceux des monolingues et des franco-dominants. Les résultats montrent aussi que plus l’anglo-dominant reçoit d’intrants en français à l’école, meilleure est sa performance linguistique en français. Chez les franco-dominants, c’est l’inverse qui se produit puisque plus l’enfant vieillit, plus il reçoit d’intrants en anglais. Les résultats ont aussi montré que, parmi les 20 cas de trouble primaire du langage, 16 ont été confirmés. Somme toute, ces résultats témoignent de la différence importante entre les Franco- Québécois et les Franco-Ontariens, de sorte que l’emploi des normes québécoises pour les Franco-Ontariens est remis en question. De plus, l’effet de l’intrant est accentué chez les groupes bilingues, ce qui met en évidence le rôle incontestable de l’intrant langagier et aussi celui du statut des langues lors de l’acquisition d’une langue seconde.
Économie informelle et analyse relationnelle
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-30) Kabatakaka, Bululu
Cette thèse de doctorat a pour objet la connaissance du processus de formation d’une culture de l’économie informelle et sa reproduction chez l’élite dans les pays en développement. Son questionnement de base est : comment étudier l’économie informelle dans les pays en développement dans une perspective relationnelle ? Elle a mis à profit la complémentarité des connaissances de l’économie et de la sociologie dans la compréhension des dimensions rationnelles et non rationnelles des comportements et attitudes de l’élite dans les pays en développement face à cette économie. Nous avons considéré les fonctionnaires comme indicateurs de l’élite. Cette thèse apporte deux contributions majeures 1) l’élargissement du modèle Laflamme et de l’analyse compréhensive de Weber grâce à l’opérationnalisation du concept de socialisation et 2) l’identification de quelques éléments porteurs de l’économie informelle sur lesquels il faut asseoir la dynamique de la réduction de la pauvreté. Cette contribution doit être inscrite dans les limites géographiques de l’étude. L’application de la méthodologie dans d’autres villes du pays et dans d’autres capitales des pays en développement permettrait d’en vérifier la généralisation.
Caractéristiques et logiques des musiques populaires
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) Lemieux, Suzanne
L’objet de notre thèse de doctorat concerne les caractéristiques et les logiques des musiques populaires. D’une façon générale, nous nous demandons : quelles sont les logiques qui déterminent le thème de l’oeuvre dans la musique populaire ? Quelles caractéristiques découlent de ces logiques ? Les ouvrages recensés ont été classés dans trois ensembles selon que les musiques populaires sont définies comme standard, comme standard et originales ou comme hétérogènes. La thèse veut vérifier laquelle de ces tendances (standard, standard/originale, hétérogène) explique le mieux l’oeuvre de musique populaire. Pour y parvenir, la recherche d’une explication des oeuvres de musique populaire a dû passer par une opérationnalisation et une vérification empirique des oeuvres de musique populaire. Les hypothèses spécifiques liées aux thèses standard, standard/originale et hétérogène, ainsi qu’une hypothèse générale permettant une articulation entre ces trois thèses ont été soumises aux résultats de notre analyse qui a porté sur 110 chansons à succès canadiennes-françaises et françaises qui appartiennent à la période qui va de 1995 à 2005. Les résultats montrent que l’hypothèse des hétérogénistes est grandement confirmée. Cependant, nos analyses ont repéré des données marginales qui vont dans le sens des attentes des standardistes et des dualistes. Pour dépeindre l’ensemble des musiques populaires, nous proposons une nouvelle hypothèse hétérogène, inclusive de ces quelques représentations standard que nous avançons sous le concept de « tendance hétérogène ».
La programmation des contenus des aides à la communication avec sortie vocale chez les jeunes enfants qui ont des besoins complexes en communication
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) Robillard, Manon
La présente thèse a pour objectif la découverte de pistes pour faciliter la sélection de l’aide à la communication avec sortie vocale (ACSV) et la programmation de son vocabulaire pour les jeunes enfants âgés de 4 à 6 ans qui ont des besoins complexes en communication (BCC). Cette étude a premièrement examiné le vocabulaire de base qui doit être programmé dans les ACSV des jeunes enfants francophones et bilingues qui vivent en situation minoritaire. Cinquante-sept enfants qui fréquentent une école de langue française ont participé aux enregistrements libres en salle de classe. L’analyse du corpus a révélé que 216 mots représentent 80,15% du vocabulaire utilisé par les enfants francophones de la maternelle et du jardin. L’analyse du corpus des enfants bilingues et des enfants qui ont un trouble du langage a donné des résultats comparables. Une seule liste de 200 mots a été produite en combinant le vocabulaire à fréquence et similitude élevée de trois groupes : les francophones, les bilingues et un ensemble d’enfants présentant des troubles du langage. Ces mots devraient être programmés dans les ACSV des jeunes enfants francophones et bilingues qui fréquentent une école de lange française dans un milieu minoritaire, quelle que soit leur habileté linguistique. Ces nombres sont semblables à ceux des études qui ont été effectuées en anglais aux États-Unis et en Australie, sauf que les mots ne sont pas les mêmes. D’ailleurs, seulement 61,50 % des mots de base de notre étude se trouvent sur la liste anglaise la plus récente. Une traduction n’aurait donc pas suffi et, dans cette perspective, notre étude s’avère importante. En outre, seulement 44,50 % des mots de base de notre étude se trouvent sur la liste de sélection de vocabulaire présentement utilisée chez la population francophone au Nord de l’Ontario. L’impact des facteurs cognitifs et linguistiques sur la navigation dans les ACSV a ensuite été analysé. Soixante-cinq enfants âgés de 48 à 77 mois ont participé aux évaluations cognitives, linguistiques et à une épreuve de navigation à l’aide du iPad2™. Bien que des corrélations significatives aient été trouvées entre la navigation et plusieurs facteurs cognitifs et linguistiques, il appert, en fin de compte, que le sous-ensemble pragmatique de facteurs permettant le mieux de prédire la capacité de navigation chez les jeunes enfants inclut l’attention, la catégorisation et le raisonnement. Lors de l’évaluation en suppléance à la communication (SC), les compétences d’attention, de catégorisation et de raisonnement devraient être prises en considération afin de mieux assurer la bonne sélection de l’ACSV. Les résultats de cette étude permettent d’établir les mots nécessaires lors de la programmation des ACSV pour les jeunes enfants francophones et bilingues en milieu minoritaire, et ils suggèrent que trois sous-tests du Leiter-R pourraient être utilisés pour déterminer l’habileté de naviguer dans une ACSV qui a une pagination dynamique.
Evolution and ecology of an amphibian emerging infectious disease: a context-dependant approach of ranavirus virulence in Lithobates (Rana) pipiens
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) Echaubard, Pierre
Host-pathogen investigations have conceptually evolved during the last two decades, from a basic and descriptive approach to a current hypothesis-driven and a more theoretical discipline shaped by evolutionary biology. Our deeper understanding of the elements influencing the mutual selective pressures that the host and the pathogens exert on each other, together with recent conceptual advances, currently position this field of research at the frontier between ecology and evolution. Recent theoretical considerations define hostpathogens systems as an evo-eco mosaic comprised of evolutionary and ecological attributes in turn underlying the context-dependent nature of the system dynamic. Therefore, investigations of host-pathogen interactions should integrate the diversity of the systems drivers by using an integrative approach in order to elucidate both coevolutionary trajectory and epidemiological dynamic of the system. In this thesis, such a framework is used to investigate Amphibian/ranavirus interactions. Ranaviruses are emerging pathogens known to have caused amphibian die-offs on five continents with the greatest number of reported mortality events documented in North America and Europe. Despite an increasing understanding of ranaviral disease properties, ranavirus disease dynamics in the environment remain poorly understood. For instance, the influence of potential abiotic and biotic mechanisms including temperature, local landscape features, larval developmental stages, host density and genetic variability as well as genotypic interactions between the host and the pathogen has on the prevalence and virulence of the virus remains to be elucidated. In order to improve our knowledge regarding these specific determinants of ranaviral disease, I designed a combination of manipulative laboratory experiments and a field mensurative survey using the ranid amphibian Lithobates (Rana) pipiens as the host model for this system. I observed that populations of amphibian hosts inhabiting urbanized landscapes suffered from significant decline in genetic diversity in turn promoting the accrued infection by the ranavirus (manuscript 1). Complementary analysis using two amphibian host species, L.pipiens and L.sylvaticus, and three ranavirus strains revealed significant variation among hosts for their susceptibility to ranavirus, and significant variation among ranavirus strains for infectivity. I also showed that specific amphibian/ranavirus interactions might have a tighter coevolutionary history than other combinations, resulting in sharper mutual coadaptations and the potential for frequency-dependent selection to operate in this system. However, the coevolutionary trajectories in this host-pathogen system are dependent on the temperature conditions in which the interaction takes place. Amphibian/ranavirus interactions outcomes iv are therefore temperature, host, and pathogen genotype-dependent suggesting that the range of infection outcomes in this system is potentially large (manuscript 2). Further, I observed that increasing animal holding density is detrimental for host fitness as mortality rate is higher, day of death earlier, development longer, and growth rate significantly lower when tadpoles are experimentally exposed to ranavirus in high holding density situations. These results paralleled a linear increase of detrimental effects when ranavirus doses increased in low density conditions, with control tadpoles having a significantly higher overall relative fitness. However, this pattern was not observed in high density conditions, where the effects of increasing ranavirus dose were limited, revealing non-trivial density-dependence of virulence expression (manuscript 3). Finally, ranavirus infection rate varied with the host developmental stage as the host immune system clears the infection over the course of individual host development. However the intensity of the clearing depends on both the timing and number of ranavirus exposures (manuscript 4). Overall the results described in my thesis suggest that ranavirus virulence depends on a diversity of ecological, epidemiological, and evolutionary determinants. The underlying complexity of ranavirus
The black sun of boredom: Henri Lefebvre and the critique of everyday life
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) Gamsby, Patrick
This dissertation examines how boredom can be understood in the context of Henri Lefebvre’s (1901-1991) critique of everyday life. Through an integration of the boredom literature, both the fully developed studies as well as fragmentary passages, I argue that Lefebvre’s critique of everyday life adds an important dimension to understanding boredom in modernity. One of the leading strands in boredom studies today argues that boredom is an historically specific experience unique to the rhythms of life imparted with the onset of modernity. Viewed in this light, boredom is a relatively recent phenomenon that can be linked to what Lefebvre calls the ‘double process’ of industrialization and urbanization. Although the mass profusion of boredom has left a seemingly indelible mark on society, it has received relatively little attention in both everyday life and academia. First coined in the middle of the 19th century, boredom is a relatively new word for what today is an all too pervasive experience. Writing throughout most of the 20th century, Lefebvre makes numerous references to boredom, yet, despite claiming that a study of boredom would be a significant contribution to his critique of everyday life, he never developed an in-depth and sustained analysis of this experience. Lefebvre did, however, identify an internal dialectic of mass culture as being an integral component for understanding boredom. It is argued that Lefebvre’s theory of a dialectical process inherent to mass culture is a key for understanding boredom as an historically specific phenomenon. In organizing this dissertation, a constellation of themes are presented in order to articulate this dialectic. After exploring boredom’s relationship to modernity, I then discuss what Lefebvre considers as the verso of modernity, everyday life. Following this, I consider the contradictions of space that give rise to boredom in urban centres and suburban peripheries by critically analyzing both the production of those spaces as well as how they are consumed in everyday life. Finally, I consider the escape from boredom offered in select sounds and images of the culture industry and its opposite, the embrace of boredom in certain 20th century avant-garde art movements. Through a reading of Lefebvre’s critique of everyday life and complementary texts, this interdisciplinary dissertation is a contribution to understanding the mass phenomenon of boredom in modernity.
Environmental attitudes of homeschoolers in Canada
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) McMillan, Emily Elizabeth
Environmental attitudes are shaped by a variety of factors including our educational history, cultural background, childhood and life experiences, and past and current interactions with nature. This research set out to examine attitudes toward the environment in an understudied but growing segment of the Canadian population, homeschoolers. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether environmental attitudes in Canadian homeschoolers differ from those of people involved with public school and to acquire a greater understanding of the factors that affect the development of these attitudes. The mixed method, follow-up explanatory research design utilized the New Ecological Paradigm Scale and the Connectedness to Nature Scale in an internet survey. The survey was sent to homeschooling and parent groups across Canada. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with a subsample of respondents. The results of the survey showed that demographic variables were not significantly related to environmental attitude scores with the exception of locale and religion. Urban respondents had slightly stronger environmental attitudes than rural respondents. The confluence of homeschooling and religiosity emerged as the key factor influencing environmental attitudes. There was no significant difference between environmental attitudes of homeschoolers and public schoolers until importance of religion was taken into account. As measured by the scales, religious homeschoolers exhibited the weakest environmental attitudes, public schoolers were in the middle, and not-as-religious homeschoolers had the strongest environmental attitudes. The qualitative data supported these results, with religious homeschoolers expressing weaker iv environmental attitudes, particularly in terms of climate change and the need for a more sustainable lifestyle. Religious homeschooling respondents favoured a more structured back to basics style of schooling which also correlated with lower environmental attitude scores. Unstructured homeschooling respondents tended to choose a child-centred philosophy of education which was correlated with stronger environmental attitudes. During the interviews, respondents were asked to reflect on what in their lives had influenced their attitudes toward the environment. Consistent with other literature, unstructured outdoor time as a child remained the most significant factor, cited by a majority of respondents. Other important factors included religion, parents, school, teachers, TV/media, economic necessity, and negative experiences with environmental pollution. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering variables associated with religion when exploring the development or level of environmental attitudes or when conducting a study of homeschooling. Religious beliefs are complex and highly personal in some cases, as is their corresponding influence on environmental concern. Potential exists for environmental concern and action from a group of spiritual people with strong community bonds and often political involvement. The key may be finding common ground and learning to communicate, while resisting expectations of complete agreement. This dissertation showed that stepping outside of the educational system does not necessarily have a direct impact on environmental attitudes, as they are mediated by a complex array of variables. Homeschooling may not directly generate a different level of environmental attitudes than public school; however, religious v homeschoolers definitely have a different set of attitudes toward the environment that deserve further in-depth study.
From saboteurs to allies: the role of children and youth in teacher candidates’ development of classroom management
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-07-31) Danyluk, Patricia Jill
How do children and youth in the classroom impact on the development of student teachers’ classroom management skills during the teaching practicum? This study approached the problem through the sociology of childhood/youth, using a human development framework, and asked children and youth what role they believe they play in the formation of classroom management skills for teaching candidates. Utilizing a phenomenological method, this study sought to discover the perspectives of children and youth, and student teachers themselves, as classroom management developed. Until now, the role that children and youth play in the development of classroom management for student teachers has largely been ignored. Through a series of observations, focus groups, student teacher questionnaires, and narratives, a portrait emerged of children and youth as active agents in the development of student teachers’ classroom management skills. The key findings indicate that children and youth utilize their agentic status to communicate their needs to student teachers verbally, physically, and through behaviour. A new model of student teaching emerged, suggesting a teaching quadrad where children and youth in the classroom are recognized as playing a role equal to or more significant than that of associate teachers or faculty in the development of classroom management for student teachers.
Étude normative sur le développement de la parole et du langage chez l'enfant franco-ontarien : normalisation et validation du Profil de la langue, du langage et de la parole (PLLP)
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-09-12) Minor-Corriveau, Michèle
Prématurité, langue et pronostics neurodéveloppement mentaux chez l’enfant premature Nord-Ontarien
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2013-11-07) Bélanger, Roxanne
Le taux de survie des nourrissons prématurés s’est amélioré de façon manifeste grâce à la formation des soignants, à la régionalisation des soins prodigués au nourrisson prématuré et à une amélioration de la technologie disponible aux professionnels de la santé. Malheureusement, malgré ces avancées, on a observé peu de changement correspondant au taux de morbidité néonatale. Le suivi neurodéveloppemental est un domaine de recherche important, surtout à la lumière de nouvelles preuves qui indiquent que, jusqu’à l’âge de 6 ans, la croissance de la période prénatale est rapide, dramatique, et permet de façonner les suivis à long terme de l’enfant. Dans ce domaine, aucune étude ne porte sur le développement de l’enfant prématuré nord-ontarien. De plus, cette population est particulière parce qu’une proportion significative est exposée à un environnement bilingue dans un contexte linguistique minoritaire. Cette étude vise à 1) décrire les enfants nés prématurément et évalués par le Programme de suivi (PS) à l’hôpital Horizon Santé-Nord; 2) comparer les résultats neurodéveloppementaux en langage des francophones aux anglophones et 3) vérifier si certains facteurs biomédicaux et sociodémographiques permettent de distinguer les enfants prématurés affichant un retard neurodéveloppemental des enfants prématurés qui se développent de façon typique.
Stress episodes and adaptation in the National Hockey League according to Canadian professional hockey players from Ontario
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-03-17) Battochio, Randy Cesar
Adaptation in professional sport is the professional athlete’s capacity to act and react effectively to destabilizing stress episodes so that an internal sense of emotional and psychological balance is restored (Schinke, Tenenbaum, Lidor & Battochio, 2010). Professional ice-hockey players must overcome numerous stressors throughout their careers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Though sport researchers have conducted preliminary studies about the stress and adaptation processes of NHL players, small participant numbers and the use of a structured interview guide limited to rookie and veteran career stages limit the conclusions. Based on these limitations, the purpose of the present dissertation was to provide a comprehensive depiction of the stress episodes and processes that lead to adaptation and maladaptation in the NHL. Twenty-three current and former NHL players were recruited for individual interviews, which were then analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) inductive thematic analysis. As a result, stress episodes and the subsequent strategies attempted to reach adaptation or maladaptation could be housed either within a career stage or across an NHL player’s career. Career stages were (a) entry into the NHL, (b) remaining in the NHL, and (c) becoming an All-Star. Across-career stress involved (a) high profile team, (b) injury, and (c) relocation. Subsequently, the participants identified pathways designed to alleviate or manage the stressors situated within each stress episode. Through retrospection, the participants decided whether their pathways taken during various stress episodes were adaptive. Recommendations were then proposed by these athletes for aspiring NHL players or maladaptive. Implications for sport researchers and practitioners (e.g., coaches, mental performance consultants) are also provided within the conclusion.
La gérontagogie et la question de l’apprentissage au troisième âge définie par des personnes aînées francophones: le cas de l’Ontario
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-05-12) Aubin, Natalie
L’objectif de cette thèse était d’explorer, selon une approche interdisciplinaire et qualitative les besoins et les intérêts d’apprentissage des personnes aînées francophones de l’Ontario et de déterminer les facteurs qui, selon elles, influencent leur apprentissage. La question principale qui a guidé cette recherche cherchait à savoir ce qu’apporte la perspective des personnes aînées à la connaissance gérontagogique et à la théorie de l’apprentissage en général, compte tenu des connaissances relatives à la cognition et à l’éducation, compte tenu aussi des pratiques en cours. Nous avions posé deux hypothèses à savoir que, d’une part, pour les personnes aînées francophones, l’apprentissage au troisième âge contribue positivement à leur bien-être en société, à leur santé et à leur mieux-être et, d’autre part, pour les personnes aînées francophones la langue est un facteur important les incitant à participer aux activités d’apprentissage dans leur milieu. Pour répondre à l’objectif de notre thèse, nous avions eu recours à la théorisation ancrée qui est une approche permettant de saisir mieux l’articulation entre la théorie et le terrain (Glaser et Strauss, 2010). Cette articulation a été possible grâce à l’analyse des témoignages de groupes de discussions en relation avec le concept de gérontagogie. Les résultats de notre thèse se présentent sous la forme d’une contribution théorique et conceptuelle à la gérontagogie en tant que discipline en émergence. Le témoignage des personnes aînées, jusqu’à présent absent des débats, apporte une contribution importante et un éclairage nouveau en permettant d’établir un pont entre la théorie et l’application des connaissances sur le terrain. Cette étude révèle des résultats et propose une structure de base aux connaissances relatives à la gérontagogie sous l’optique de cinq principales dimensions que sont: la perception de l’apprentissage, les besoins d’apprentissage, les intérêts d’apprentissage, les méthodes d’apprentissage et les barrières et appuis à l’apprentissage au troisième âge. Nous avons atteint certains points de saturation en rapport avec l’apprentissage continu et la santé, ainsi qu’en relation avec l’apprentissage continu et l’importance de la langue française. Cette thèse a mené à des conclusions importantes pour l’avenir d’une science de l’éducation pour les personnes du troisième âge, pour la gérontagogie.
L’impact des normativités organisationnelles et professionnelles sur la santé psychique des travailleurs sociaux: enjeux pour la pratique du travail social
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-07-02) Richard, Stéphane
Dans le but de mesurer l’impact des normativités organisationnelles et professionnelles sur la santé psychique des travailleurs sociaux, avons été amené à vérifier la validité de plusieurs sources théoriques et empiriques servant à décrire les causes structuro-organisationnelles de la souffrance psychique, les répercussions qui découlent des conditions de travail difficiles, voire les moyens auxquels les travailleurs sociaux ont recours pour y faire face. Travailler comme nous l’avons fait sur la relation entre l’organisation du travail et la santé psychique de professionnels du secteur de la santé et des services sociaux nous a permis d’identifier et de mettre à l’épreuve des constructions discursives communément admises en matière de souffrance au travail. En effet, depuis la reconfiguration de l’action publique amorcée par la nouvelle gestion publique à la fin des années 1980, la recension des écrits en Europe et en Amérique du Nord sur le sujet établit des liens entre la managérialisation des services de santé et des services sociaux et l’émergence de déterminants structuro-organisationnels capables d’interpeller à des degrés variables les travailleurs sociaux sur ce qu’ils font, sur ce qui a de l’importance pour eux, sur les responsabilités et les obligations qui sont les leurs dans leur travail, voire sur les activités professionnelles qu’ils veulent offrir dans leur travail. En fournissant un type d’analyse qui propose un point d’ancrage axé sur les normativités en collision et qui sont susceptibles de produire de la souffrance psychique chez les professionnels, nous avons pu remettre en question cet imposant présupposé théorique voulant qu’à cause de conditions de travail dites difficiles, l’exercice de la profession est marquée par la souffrance chez tous les professionnels, pour les mêmes motifs, et en même temps. Grâce à la participation de 1188 travailleurs sociaux en provenance du Québec ou de l’Ontario, les résultats de cette recherche permettront d’alimenter iv les débats en matière de souffrance au travail et, surtout, de faire ressortir l’importance de la prise en compte des enjeux normatifs qui préoccupent les professionnels dans l’exercice de leur fonction au sein des organismes du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux. Dont celui qui réclame de ces derniers une attention particulière : la façon qu’ils ont ou auront de s’approprier les objectifs visés dans leurs interventions et les conditions du rapport qu’ils veulent instaurer avec celles et ceux qui font appel à eux pour atteindre un mieux-être, avec les organisations et la société.
The current university focus: an emphasis on providing customer service over engagement?
(2014-11-19) Wardley, Leslie J.
Given the economic constraints placed on many higher education institutions, some universities have started to implement customer service orientation strategies in their marketing activities in order to solidify value exchange perceptions, differentiate themselves from their competitors and improve retention rates. However, the student as a ‘customer’ model can cause universities to start viewing students as sources of revenue, treat faculty as providers of a service and students can be cast in the role of consumer with students taking on many customer behaviours. If students are to get the most out of their academic experiences, they need to become meaningfully and psychologically involved in their studies. Using multiple steps and different statistical techniques, this thesis investigated the dangers of institutions of higher education viewing students as “customers” and the importance of getting students more involved in the co-creation of their university experiences through the use of two phases of research. The findings from Phase One offered new insight into some key areas that are emerging as meaningful such as: college transfer students’ problems with transitioning to university, the impact of helicopter parenting practices, students not finding their classes intellectually stimulating and issues created by not severing ties to prior support systems, among others. While the ensuing conceptual Student Engagement Work Design Model (SEWDM) and the empirical findings discovered as a result of the Phase Two testing provides a roadmap of how the engagement elements of autonomy, feedback, skill variety, task identity and customer services can be utilized by universities when attempting to predict institutional commitment and personal growth needs.These findings are important as information about which factors help to predict postsecondary student institutional commitment and personal growth needs can assist with the development of targeted student recruitment strategies and the development of support systems. Being able to assess these outcomes could help to reduce funding outlays to lower impact areas so synergies can be encouraged and resources can be concentrated on critical factors.
Human development focusing on access to health care of South Asian immigrants living in the Greater Toronto area (GTA)
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-12-17) Islam, S. M. Tariqul
Immigrant populations enter Canada hoping for a better quality of life and usually with higher health status because of the Canadian immigration process which screens out those who have health problems. However, after living in Canada for a time, visible minority immigrants experience barriers/challenges to accessing health care and their health declines. Visible minority immigrants are more likely to reach their full potential when they have equal and appropriate access to health-care opportunities in their host society. The objective of this study is to investigate the challenges/barriers South Asian immigrants face in accessing the appropriate health-care opportunities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) needed for maximizing their human development. Using the convenience sampling technique, a sample of 307 self-administered survey questionnaires and five focus groups of South Asian immigrants living in the GTA were collected. To analyze and measure human development, this research used Amartya Sen's capability and freedom approach that considers human development as a process of expanding people’s choices and opportunities which could enhance their capabilities and freedoms for their quality of life and human development. Access to health care is one of the significant components contributing directly to that quality of life. Using the SPSS software, this research tested the hypotheses, conducted cross-tabulation, chi-square tests and Cramer’s V; the results show that there are statistically significant associations between South Asian immigrants' self-rated health before and after coming to Canada; between self-rated health and access barriers; and between access barriers and capabilities and freedom variables. The results also show that South Asian immigrants’ self-rated health declined after living some time in Canada because of the barriers/challenges to accessing health-care opportunities in the GTA. The study also confirmed that access to health care challenges/barriers is limiting the South Asian immigrants’ growth of capabilities and freedoms and quality of life. For good quality of life and building of capabilities they need access to culturally appropriate health-care services.
Envisioning an intercultural gerontology curriculum for undergraduate gerontology programs in Canada: attributes and resources
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2014-12-19) Mercer, Lorraine
Intercultural gerontology curriculum development at the baccalaureate level has been discussed as a response to the challenge of global aging and a culturally diverse student population. As students learn, live, and work on campuses, at home, and abroad as global citizens, the need for a curriculum that reflects cultures and relationships among cultures will only continue to grow. Based on this context, the questions driving this project were the following: What should an undergraduate university-based intercultural curriculum in gerontology encompass? How might it be delivered? As an exploration of these questions, this study examined the theories and practices associated with intercultural curriculum development in educational studies as well as the theories and practices associated with culture and aging in the field of gerontology. A qualitative study that explored the current thinking of university-based stakeholders associated with intercultural and/or gerontology curriculum followed. Education’s constructivist and humanist learning theories in combination with gerontology’s life course perspective, social construction theory, and cultural gerontology’s emphasis on narratives provided the theoretical lenses for the analysis and integration of the findings. The results of the study included ten attributes of an intercultural gerontology curriculum for Canadian universities and suggested tools for educators in gerontology.
An investigation of sponsorship effects at charity-linked sporting events: does gender matter?
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-01-27) Lafrance Horning, Denyse
The purpose of my dissertation was two-fold. First, this research contributed to an understanding of the effects of the emerging area of cause-related sport sponsorship (CRSS) on consumer perceptions and responsiveness in terms of sponsor interest, favourability, and intended use. Second, this investigation examined the potential influence of gender at all stages of the sponsorship process through a comparison of grouped samples that included respondents of spectators of men‘s versus women‘s hockey, and cancer-cause versus social-cause affiliated events. A proposed framework of consumer processing of CRSS extended earlier findings by Speed and Thompson (2000) and Alay (2008) in highlighting multiple paths of possible influence for both women and men to process sponsorship factors and to respond at the various levels of effect, leading to an investigation of the relationships between five possible predictors of sponsorship response. These included gender, personal involvement (with sport and with cause), gender-support (for women and for men), sponsor-event fit, and perceived sincerity of the sponsor. Field-level data was collected among spectators of five different charity-linked (women‘s and men‘s) hockey events across three different Ontario cities. A total of 314 women and 319 men participated in this study. Findings confirmed the direct and indirect influence of personal involvement, sponsor-event fit, and perceived sincerity of the sponsor on CRSS response. The potential impact of sponsorship at all levels of the hierarchy of effects was also recognized. This study conceptualizes the Diamond of CRSS Goodwill to highlight the expanded platform of consumer engagement offered through these evolved forms of sponsorship. This proposed concept illustrates the interacting effects of goodwill, involvement, and reciprocal return in sponsorships that unite consumers and sponsors with elements of both sport and cause. With regards to gender differences, women expressed significantly greater involvement with social causes than did men. Gender support was also established as a significant and mediating influence on all levels of female consumer response. The answer to whether gender matters in CRSS was discovered to be highly contextual and reflective of complex relationships that are not only based on differences but also on equally important similarities between genders.
Teaching English for Academic Preparation through the “communitarian self” concept as an aspect of the theory of objectification/subjectification: learners’ development of linguistic, interpersonal and conceptual skills
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-04-17) Benabadji, Souhila
One of the most important areas of English as a foreign language teaching is English for Specific Purposes (ESP). ESP is a special branch of English Language Teaching which focuses on the learners’ specific needs and the learning environment. The learners’ needs and requirements are in constant change and their expectations increase especially when they are learning for professional purposes. What is more, our main interest is focused on English for Academic Preparation (EAP) learners, whose needs are quite different as they intend to enrol in different academic programs at the university level. Moreover, each discipline has its own and specific terminology and jargon. Indeed, instructors teaching EAP program should cover a wide range of topics and content through the subject-matter. The task, then, becomes difficult and challenging. Studies have indicated that learners are not playing an active role within the ESP learning process, in general, and in EAP program in particular. Interaction between the learners themselves and the instructors are absent. The aim of the present doctoral research project is to develop a model where the concept of “Communitarian Self” will be utilized as a pedagogical tool in teaching EAP to improve the dynamics of the social practices taking place in the classroom learning context. This study will show that the tool provides learners an interesting and helpful learning community environment in which socio-cultural interaction; and exchange and critical thinking take place. Based on communication, autonomy, cooperation and collaboration among the other social individuals and the learners themselves, this tool encourages the whole community’s interaction and negotiation of meaning in a social and cultural environment. This tool will be examined to what extent it can help EAP learners become active participants in their activities and contribute to the improvement of their communicative skills, cognitive skills and comprehension and understanding in a socio-cultural environment. Findings show that the tool impacts learning to a great extent. Recommendations for the teaching/learning context and future are made.
The relocation experiences of aboriginal athletes pursuing sport in euro-canadian contexts: visual and narrative stories of acculturation
(Laurentian University of Sudbury, 2015-05-27) Blodgett, Amy T.
Researchers have documented the importance of sport in the lives of Aboriginal people, emphasizing how it can improve health and wellness and reaffirm core cultural values and connections (Lavallee, 2007; Reading, 2009). However, there is a lack of knowledge about the experiences of Aboriginal people who are engaging in sport, as well as cultural issues that affect their participation. Addressing this dearth of information, the current project was aimed at exploring the relocation experiences of Aboriginal athletes (14 to 26 years old) who had relocated off reserves in Northeastern Ontario to pursue sport opportunities within “mainstream” (Euro-Canadian) communities. The project was developed with Aboriginal community members and was driven forward as a form of cultural sport psychology, aimed at challenging the culturally excluding processes of traditional sport psychology (Ryba, Stambulova, Si, & Schinke, 2013). Mandala drawings (circle drawings) and conversational interviews were employed as part of a decolonizing methodology that centralized local Aboriginal ways of knowing, and that enabled in-depth experiential accounts of relocation to be shared (Smith, 1999). A local Indigenous version of an inductive thematic analysis was used to organize the data around three overarching themes: (1) the benefits of relocation, (2) the challenges of relocation, and (3) strategies for helping relocation. The results provide novel insights into how the sport experiences of relocated Aboriginal athletes are shaped by the dynamics of acculturation (i.e., second-culture learning). Through the participants’ accounts, it is revealed how relocated athletes have to dynamically (re)construct a sense of identity and belonging from shifting positions in and between dual (Aboriginal and Euro-Canadian) cultural contexts. Moving towards action, this knowledge can now be used to facilitate more inclusive sport contexts that embrace (rather than iv marginalize) the cultural identities of Aboriginal participants. Local community change efforts have already been initiated within the Aboriginal community through the engagement of the athletes’ mandalas as visual stories. In an effort to encourage future CSP research that is meaningful within the lives of marginalized sport participants, some final implications are drawn from the research.

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