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Exploring the experiences of the students of Environmental Communication and Management regarding Artificial Intelligence : an interpretative phenomenological analysis
Get PDFArtificial intelligence has undeniably revolutionised the education system in recent years. The students of Environmental Communication and Management (ECM) at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) are also witnessing this widespread prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in their academic and professional lives. The multifaceted application of Artificial Intelligence in the education system has created concerns about academic integrity and resulted in challenging situations in the learning environment. The ECM programme students with diverse academic backgrounds and nationalities anticipated unique experiences regarding the implementation and applicability of AI. This study explored the contribution of AI to the learning environment and professional contexts of former ECM students. The study has been conducted by employing the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The diverse and unique experiences of the study participants have been analysed and interpreted through this philosophical approach. Three Group Experiential Themes (GETs) emerged from the interview analysis, and every group theme consisted of three distinct Personal Experiential Themes (PETs). It emphasised the importance of prior knowledge and conventional learning methods for knowledge construction and developing a comprehensive understanding of Environmental Communication (EC) contexts instead of relying solely on AI. They prioritised the limited application of AI in the academic environment and concentrated on critical thinking and careful consideration before integrating it to accomplish academic tasks and assignments. However, they acknowledged the emergence of AI in their professional spheres and anticipated its unavoidable presence in all aspects of life. The diverse experiences and viewpoints of the former students may add value to the ECM programme concerning the future application of AI in collaborative learning. Thus, the findings of this study provide the students' perspectives regarding the ethical implementation of AI, which may contribute to enhancing the learning experiences of the new ECM students and highlight the prospects and challenges for EC practitioners in the presence of this advanced technological feature
Young crafts : a qualitative study about young peoples’ engagement in traditional crafts in a digital and uncertain time
Get PDFDagens värld präglas av digitalisering och ett osäkert omvärldsläge där klimatförändringar, krig och ekonomiska kriser är ständigt närvarande teman. Mot bakgrund av denna omvärldsutveckling undersöker denna uppsats vad som motiverar unga människor att spendera sin fritid med traditionella hantverk. Tre semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomfördes och genom tematisk analys undersöker uppsatsen huruvida informanternas berättelser resonerar med Zygmunt Baumans begrepp ‘retrotopia’ och begreppet ‘autenticitet’. Under analysen framkom fyra teman kring vad som motiverar respondenterna att engagera sig i traditionella hantverk: (i) Digitala och fysiska gemenskaper som ger kunskapsutbyte och en känsla av tillhörighet. (ii) Att genom hantverksskicklighet kunna ta hand om sig själv i kristider. (iii) Ett intresse för historiska hantverkstraditioner och naturmaterial. (iiii) En kritisk syn på dagens konsumtionssamhälle. Denna uppsats hävdar att dessa fyra teman resonerar väl med ‘retrotopia’ och ‘autenticitet’. Informanternas berättelser speglar en kritisk syn på hur dagens samhälle är organiserat och att de genom sitt hantverksintresse ’blickar bakåt’ genom historien för att upptäcka alternativa sätt att organisera samhället för att därigenom leva mer autentiska liv.Our contemporary lives are characterized by digitalization and an uncertain world where climate change, wars and economic crises are ever-present themes. Against this backdrop, this essay explores what motivates young people to spend their free time practicing traditional crafts. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted and with a thematic analysis this essay explores whether the stories conveyed find resonance in Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of ‘retrotopia’ as well as the concept of ‘authenticity’. Four themes regarding what motivated the respondents to engage in traditional crafts emerged from the interveiws: (i) Digital and physical communities that provide exchange of knowledge as well as a sense of belonging. (ii) Being able to fend for oneself in times of crises by being skilled in crafts. (iii) An interest in historical craft traditions and natural materials. (iiii) A critical view of today’s consumerist society. This essay argues that these four themes resonates well with ‘retrotopia’ and ‘authenticity’. The narratives provided by the informants reflect a critical view of how today’s society is organized and that by engaging in traditional crafts the informants ’look back’ through history to find alternative ways of organizing society and thereby finding ways of living more authentic lives
Swedish riders’ own perception of their knowledge of animal welfare legislation and perceived implementation in training and competition practice
Get PDFIn recent years, aversive training methods and welfare scandals in equestrian competitions up to highest level have become widely discussed topics on social media and other news platforms. The main welfare concerns that are discussed are tight nosebands, harsh use of bits and double bridles, and head- and neck positions known as rollkür. Equestrian sport is at risk of losing its social licence to operate (SLO) if changes are not made to improve the welfare of horses. The Swedish animal welfare legislation outlines what is permitted and prohibited regarding training and competing with animals for sports purposes. The aim of this study was to understand the attitudes of Swedish equestrians towards horse welfare and animal welfare legislation in a training and competition environment. The study also aimed to investigate how equestrians perceive the implementation of animal welfare legislation and the Code of Conduct (CoC) for the welfare of the horse, a policy document established by the Swedish Equestrian Federation (SvRF) that everyone involved in equestrian sport is required to adhere to. Furthermore, the study sought to explore if stakeholders want to see a change or revision of the animal welfare legislation and competition rules.
An online survey was developed in Netigate.se. The survey consisted of 27 questions and was distributed on social media and equestrian news sites. A total of n=1087 people completed the survey. Result showed that “aversive use of bits” and “head and neck position with the nose clearly behind the vertical” were the most perceived welfare concerns in both training environments and at competition venues. The respondents had generally good knowledge of the animal welfare legislation but less in-depth knowledge of the specific content of the legislation. The same trend could be seen regarding respondents’ perceived knowledge of the SvRF CoC. The respondents also expressed that there is a significant need to encourage riders to prioritize horse welfare to a higher degree. The most common measure suggested by respondents to improve horse welfare during training and competition was to increase education about horse welfare and animal protection. The respondents also suggested an increase of official judges that solely focus upon assessing horse welfare during competition.
In conclusion, the results show an increased need for horse welfare improvements in and out of the competition arena, whereby the education of equestrians and judges being reported as of utmost importance
Discursive realignments in the Fosen Supreme Court case : a discourse analysis of the conflict between wind energy and Sami self-determination in Norway
Get PDFThe green transition in Norway involves the development of renewable energy sources with a focus on wind power. However, this pursuit often leads to conflicts between wind energy development and the Sami people's right to self-determination. As wind farms are often constructed on traditional Sami land, tensions arise regarding land use, cultural heritage, and environmental impacts.
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the realignments of discourses surrounding the Fosen wind power project in Norway following a groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling and its impacts on Sami rights. This is achieved by employing the "What's the Problem Represented to Be" approach in a discourse analysis. The thesis uncovers how various actors justify or oppose the project, revealing significant realignments in discourses after the Supreme Court ruling. Dominant discourses often prioritise renewable energy over Sami rights, with the Norwegian government and wind companies emphasising co-existence and focusing on economic efficiency. In contrast, the Sami community stresses the threat to their cultural heritage and expresses dissatisfaction with proposed solutions, challenging existing power dynamics and dominant knowledge regimes.
By illuminating these discursive realignments, this thesis contributes to the understanding of the complex relationships between Indigenous peoples' rights and environmental policy within the context of renewable energy development projects. Given that these projects are integral to sustainability transitions, the Fosen case can serve as an example of how the rights of Indigenous peoples are commonly overlooked in sustainability projects. Ultimately, the conflicting representations of the issue highlight the continuous conflicts and difficulties in striking a balance between economic growth and environmental and cultural preservation
Gynnar hybridlärken skogsbruket?
Get PDFDet svenska skogsbruket står inför en komplex intressekonflikt där behovet av att producera timmer och massaved måste balanseras med krav på att bevara biologisk mångfald och uppfylla sociala värden. Dessutom förväntas skogen bidra till att fasa ut fossila plaster och övergå till en cirkulär bioekonomi samtidigt som den fungerar som en kolsänka.
Denna studie använde en kvalitativ metod med en abduktiv ansats, där både existerande litteratur och empiriska data från intervjuer samlades in och analyserades. Beslutsteori, med fokus på teorin om planerat beteende (TPB), användes som teoretiskt ramverk för att förstå och analysera hybridlärkens potentiella roll i det svenska skogsbruket.
Studien visar att hybridlärken (Larix x marschlinsii) ses som en lovande art inom det svenska skogsbruket ur ett holistiskt hållbarhetsperspektiv. Ekonomiskt anses hybridlärken vara gynnsamt på grund av dess snabba tillväxt och anpassningsförmåga till olika jordar och klimat. Ekologiskt kan hybridlärken bidra till en ökad biodiversitet och diversifiering av exempelvis homogena granbestånd. Socialt kan hybridlärken ses som tilltalande för rekreationsvärdet i skogen, och möjligheten för skogsägare att uppleva en slutavverkning under sin livstid ses som en fördel.
Forskningen om traditionella trädslag som tall och gran är tydligt prioriterad, vilket medför en kunskapsbrist om hybridlärkens fulla potential och dess långsiktiga effekter. För att hybridlärken ska kunna användas i större skala krävs ytterligare forskning och riskbedömningar samt anpassade nationella riktlinjer och adaptiv skogsförvaltning baserad på vetenskapliga insikter.
Hybridlärken har potential att spela en betydande roll i framtidens svenska skogsbruk, både ur ett ekonomiskt, ekologiskt och socialt perspektiv. Dock behövs mer forskning och en balanserad integrering av hybridlärken för att säkerställa hållbarhet och minimera risker.
Swedish forestry faces a complex conflict of interest where the need to produce timber and pulpwood must be balanced with requirements to preserve biodiversity and fulfil social values. Additionally, forests are expected to contribute to phasing out fossil plastics and transitioning to a circular bioeconomy while functioning as a carbon sink
This study employed a qualitative method with an abductive approach, gathering and analysing both existing literature and empirical data from interviews. Decision theory, focusing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), was used as the theoretical framework to understand and analyse the potential role of hybrid larch in Swedish forestry.
The study shows that hybrid larch (Larix x marschlinsii) is seen as a promising species in Swedish forestry from a holistic sustainability perspective. Economically, hybrid larch is considered beneficial due to its rapid growth and adaptability to various soils and climates. Ecologically, hybrid larch can contribute to increased biodiversity and the diversification of otherwise homogeneous spruce stands. Socially, hybrid larch is appealing for recreational value in forests, and the ability for forest owners to experience a final harvest within their lifetime is seen as an advantage.
Research on traditional tree species like pine and spruce is clearly prioritised, resulting in a knowledge gap about hybrid larch’s full potential and long-term effects. To use hybrid larch on a larger scale, further research and risk assessments are required, as well as adapted national guidelines and adaptive forest management based on scientific insights.
Hybrid larch has the potential to significantly influence the future of Swedish forestry from economic, ecological, and social perspectives. However, more research and a balanced integration of hybrid larch are needed to ensure sustainability and minimise risk
Providing nature contact for children
Get PDFAccess to high quality play is one of the most important factors in children’s physical, mental, and emotional development. Among certain key actors, however, there is a lack of knowledge of the benefits and how nature elements can support children's play, as well as lack of acceptance of nature-based playgrounds. This study concerns the opportunities within landscape architecture to promote the development of nature-based playgrounds. To develop knowledge on nature-based playgrounds and how including nature in the playground design can improve playgrounds and expand their use, data was collected from interviews with landscape architects. To understand children's perspectives on their play environments, this study also included group exercises, consisting of one meeting with fourteen preschool children (ages 6-7) and one teacher-formed lesson with seventeen primary school children (ages 8-9). Both included discussions and drawing exercises.
The meetings with children and the interviews with landscape architects provided various perspectives on play and children’s possible and actual preferences. As well as ideas about ways to improve the acceptance of nature-based playgrounds. Interview results reflect numerous benefits of nature contact and nature-based playgrounds, for example, more varied, imaginative, and less aggressive play opportunities, promoting physical, mental, and emotional development. The results also indicate various challenges concerning design, implementation and maintenance, and children's inclusion in the design process. Group exercises with children revealed differences in children's preferences based on age, and highlighted the need for age-appropriate design considerations. Primary school children mainly expressed a longing for more challenging play experiences, while preschool children emphasized the importance of social interaction and the colorful nature of their play environments.
To create a play environment for all children, nature-based playgrounds can provide more opportunities for children's play and create inclusive play environments by adding loose materials, allowing free play, balancing safety requirements with the need for challenging and engaging play experiences, and providing age-appropriate equipment. Despite the potential challenges of involving children in the design process, it is important to create spaces that truly meet their needs and preferences. The drawing method used in this study indicate potential, however, more research is needed about how to efficiently include children in the design process.
Keywords: Children's perspectives, green environments, green playgrounds, landscape architecture, nature-based playgrounds, nature contact, nature experience, perspectives on play, play design, play for development, sensory play, supportive design
Biodiveristy – a service for humans or a right of every species and nature in itself?
Get PDFWithin the topic of sustainable development, the loss of biodiversity is one of the most urgent global
challenges of our time. We are in the midst of our planet’s sixth mass extinction, caused by human
activity, where we constantly lose more and more species. This led me to wonder how we as humans
view this issue and which aspects lies behind how we choose to work for biodiversity. The objective
of this study is therefore to identify different views on nature and to study the correlation between
these views and how the problem of biodiversity loss is represented in the work for biodiversity.
The research questions that led this investigation have been the following: What different views on
nature can be found in actors within environmental work for biodiversity? and What correlations
can be found between the actors’ view on nature and how they present their work for biodiversity?
To investigate these questions, a mix of semi-structured interviews and text/policy analysis have
been used to get a broad perspective of the actors. Five actors in the form of organizations and
agencies have been invesitgated, all within the field of working with biodiversity. To analyze the
gathered information, three theoretical frameworks have been used to shine the light on different
aspects of view on nature. These three are: environmental ethics, nature-culture dualism and Hillevi
Helmfrid’s categorizations.
In the analysis, multiple views on nature connected to the collected material from the organizations
and agencies were detected. Even if some of the actors clearly were tilted towards certain views, it
became clear that views on nature often contains contradictions and that it’s not easy to categorize
a whole establishment within a single view on nature. The correlation between view on nature and
work for biodiversity showed to be complex and was not always predictable
The story of Farm 217
Get PDFIn the wake of the 2007 finance crisis, large-scale land acquisitions became increasingly popular. Investing in land for food and biofuel production was seen as safe and with the potential of a ‘win-win-win’-scenario where the investments would create economic growth, increase food production, and lift smallholders out of poverty. However, in Tanzania, one in three of such investments have not fulfilled what they promised by becoming non-operational. We still have a limited understanding of why such investments become non-operational and how smallholders are affected by them.
This thesis aims to contribute to the existing literature on non-operational large-scale land acquisitions by describing a non-operational investment in Mkulazi ward, Tanzania. Empirical data was collected in the investment area, using observations and interviews with smallholders, but also with representatives from both the Tanzanian government and the state-owned company that was responsible for the initial investment (Mkulazi Holding Company Limited). By using ‘open moment’ as an overarching theoretical concept, coupled with perspectives on societal structure, knowledge, and uncertainty, the findings indicate that smallholders have been affected greatly, but in different ways. Depending on what societal structure they belonged to and what knowledge they had about the land before the investment, they chose different strategies when the investors came, in part due to different levels of experienced uncertainty that the open moment caused. Also, the opportunities and risks the smallholders identified regarding their land-use was greatly influenced by the non-operational LSLA
Gynnas insekter av hyggesbränning?
Get PDFMed brandbekämpning brinner skogen numera allt mindre, vilket har lett till en minskad biodiversitet där insekter är en av de artgrupper som drabbats. För att gynna pyrofila insekter har eld som naturvårdsåtgärd börjat användas mer i bland annat form av hyggesbränning på den produktiva skogen. Syftet med denna litteraturstudie är att undersöka hur bra hyggesbränning är som naturvårdshöjande åtgärd (ökad biodiversitet) inom skogsbruket genom att titta på artrikedom och abundans av insekter samt dess skillnad mellan brända och ej brända hyggen. Dessutom undersöktes även om mängden hänsynsträd som behålls vid avverkning påverkar resultatet av artrikedom och abundans.
Web of Science och Scopus användes som datakällor där 12 stycken artiklar som denna litteratur-studie är baserad på hittades. Resultatet visade att generellt genererade hyggesbränning en högre abundans och artrikedom av insekter. Effekten av hyggesbränning var kortlivad, där artrikedom och abundans efter några år återgick till ungefär samma nivåer som för enbart avverkade hyggen. Den här utvecklingen observerades för olika funktionella grupper, däribland de pyrofila. Pyrofila insekter är konkurrenssvaga vilket med successionens gång efter en brand gör det svårt för arterna att hävda sig och flera blir utkonkurrerade. För många sällsynta och saproxyla gäller detsamma, andra mer konkurrensstarka arter utkonkurrera dem när deras habitat växer tillbaka och minskar effekten av brand.
Resultatet visade även att större mängd hänsynsträd kvarlämnade än 0 m³/ha genererade en högre artrikedom. När fler träd lämnas bränns det olika vilket genererar träd i olika nivåer av nedbrytning vilket ger många olika typer av habitat och substrat som gynnar en stor artrikedom. Hos myror sågs ingen signifikant skillnad mellan brända och obrända hyggen, så hyggesbränning gynnar inte nödvändigtvis alla insekter. Andra studier har även visat på att andra taxonomiska grupper påverkas negativt. Hos skalbaggar däremot var effekterna positiva vilket tyder på att hyggesbränning kan vara en bra ersättning för de naturliga skogsbränderna i syftet att bevara pyrofila arter för att gynna en biologisk mångfald.With fire suppression, forests now burn less, which has led to a reduction in biodiversity, with insects being one of the species groups affected. To favor pyrophilic insects, fire as a nature conservation measure has begun to be used more, for example in the form of prescribed burning in productive forests. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate how good prescribed burning is as a nature conservation measure (i.e. to increase biodiversity) in forestry by synthesizing studies comparing species richness and abundance of insects between burned and unburned logged areas. In addition, it was investigated whether the amount of trees retained at logging changes the effects that burning has on species richness and abundance.
Web of Science and Scopus were used as data sources where 12 articles were found, which this literature review is based on. The results showed that in general, prescribed burning generated a higher abundance and species richness of insects. The effect of prescribed burning was short-lived, where species richness and abundance reverted to roughly the same levels as the unburned sites after a few years. This was observed in different functional groups, among them pyrophilics. Pyrophilous insects are not competitive, and as succession proceeds after a fire, it makes it difficult for species to survive and many become outcompeted. The same it goes for many rare and saproxylic species, with other more competitive species outcompeting them as their habitat grows back and the impact of fire is reduced.
The results also showed that leaving more trees than 0 m³/ha generated higher species richness. When more trees are left, they are burned differently, generating different types of habitat and substrates which increase species richness. In ants, there was no significant difference between the burned and unburned logged areas, so not all insects necessarily benefit from prescribed burning. Other studies have shown that other taxonomic groups are negatively affected. For beetles, on the other hand, the effects were positive, suggesting that prescribed burning may be a good substitute for forest fires in maintaining pyrophilous species to favor biodiversity
Prognosis and risk factors in dogs with malignant lymphoma, a retrospective single-center study from 2005-2021 of 356 cases
Get PDFCanine malignant lymphoma is a common neoplasm of the dog and although its frequent occurrence the cause is still not fully known. It generally causes severe disease, which in the majority of cases, eventually leads to death even when treated. Due to the severity of this disease, prognostication is crucial in order for the veterinarian to manage treatment and ensure quality of life for the patient.
The disease has proven itself to be a diagnostic and treatment challenge as the literature some-times agrees, sometimes not, when discussing prognostic factors and demographic characteristics. Hence is why medical records from all dogs that visited UDS (University Animal Hospital) between 2005 and 2021 and diagnosed with malignant lymphoma (n=356) were examined for information on survival time, demographics, pathology and information on treatment. A multivariate statistical analysis (Kaplan-Meier and Cox Regression analysis) was used to determine the aim of the study: more specifically, what prognostic factors and demographic characteristics apply to those dogs with malignant lymphoma that visit UDS?
Kaplan-Meier estimates accompanied by Log-Rank and Wilcoxon-tests were deducted and found form of lymphoma (p=0.003, p=0.001), stage (p=0.001, p=0.000), substage (p=0.002, p=0.000), signs of paraneoplastic syndrome (p=0.036, p=0.002), dogs that received chemotherapy (p=0.000, p=0.000) and no treatment except for symptomatic treatment (p=0.000, p=0.000) to be significant for survival. This was followed by a Cox Regression that found mediastinal and multicentric form to have a RR for shorter survival of 2.7 and 2.3 respectively towards extranodal lymphoma. Stage V patients also showed a RR of 1.6 towards stage I-IV patients. However, it became evident that more research is needed as quite few uncensored values could be collected on mediastinal (n=10), alimentary (n=12) and extranodal lymphoma (n=14).
The conclusion and clinical application of the study was that the results mostly fit in with the general assumptions regarding canine malignant lymphoma but have in mind that it is a single-center study