500 research outputs found
Learning from biophysical heterogeneity: inductive use of case studies for maize cropping systems in Central America
No full textGlobal society has become conscious that efforts towards securing food production will only be successful if agricultural production increases are obtained through mechanisms that ensure active regeneration of the natural resource base. Production options should be targeted in the sense of that their suitability to improve agricultural production and maintain natural resources is evaluated prior to their introduction. Biophysical targeting evaluates production options as a function of the spatial and temporal variability of climate conditions, in interaction with soil, crop characteristics and agronomic management strategies. This thesis contributes to the development of a system-based methodology for biophysical targeting. Cropping system simulation and weather generator tools are interfaced to geographical information systems. Inductive use of two case studies - a green manure cover crop and reduced tillage with residue management - helped to develop the methodology. Insight is gained into the regional potential for and the soil and climate conditions under which successful introduction of these production options may be achieved. The resulting information supports regional stakeholders involved in agriculture in their analysis and discussion, negotiation and decision-making concerning where to implement production systems. This process can improve the supply of appropriate agricultural production practices that enhance production and conserve soil and water resources
Exploring sustainable technical alternatives for Dutch dairy systems by integrating agro-economic modelling and public preferences assessment
No full textTheoretical discussions on the joint consideration of multiple (economic, social and environmental) functions when assessing the sustainability of human actions are increasing. However few studies exist that integrate the social demand for multifunctional agriculture in the evaluation of the sustainability and the global welfare of society. This paper presents a methodology to answer to these questions: Which are the social demands for the multiple functions of agriculture and how can they be quantified?; Which are the feasible technical alternatives of land management to satisfy these demands?; What is the value of the land use alternatives according to social preferences and which alternatives optimally satisfy the social preferences?. The net utility of alternatives for society, and therefore their sustainability, will be measured as the sum of market and non-market net changes compared to the current situation. The proposed methodology combines economic valuation, integrated modelling, stakeholder analysis, and multi-criteria evaluation. In particular, different multi-criteria methods (QFD/ANP) and agro-economic modelling and optimizing tools (Landscape IMAGES) were used. The methodology will be fully illustrated through the case study of dairy farming landscapes in the Northern Friesian Woodlands, The Netherlands. Results show that for the case study it is possible to change current farming techniques and achieve more sustainable farming systems. The more sustainable alternatives are beneficial for farmers, obtaining higher gross margin, and for government, decreasing the current levels of subsidies in agri-environmental programs. Even current environmental restrictions can be slightly relaxed without compromising social demands to the analysed Dutch dairy farming systems.Land-use planning, public preferences, agro-economic models, Environmental Economics and Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,
Em busca do País das Maravilhas: o lugar da literatura nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação, Florianópolis, 2013.O trabalho "Em busca do País das Maravilhas: o lugar da literatura nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental" tem como objetivo investigar o lugar da literatura nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental. Para isso, realizou-se a pesquisa em uma escola da Rede Municipal de Florianópolis (SC) que atende crianças do primeiro ao quarto ano. A inserção da pesquisadora nesse espaço institucional se deu durante o período de três meses, no ano de 2012, e para coleta de dados, foram feitas observações em sala de aula e no espaço de biblioteca, bem como entrevistas semiestruturadas com uma professora de segundo ano, uma professora de quarto ano e uma bibliotecária, ambas responsáveis pelo espaço investigado. O referencial teórico utilizado busca estabelecer diálogos entre os campos da Literatura e da Educação, com ênfase nos estudos de Magda Soares (1999), sobre as instâncias da escolarização da literatura, Rildo Cosson (2011), com as reflexões sobre letramento literário, e Antonio Candido (1995), com a discussão sobre o direito à literatura. Constatou-se que as três informantes (professoras e bibliotecária) têm posições diferentes relativas à concepção de literatura: pela voz da bibliotecária, a literatura é o que forma o ser humano; segundo a professora de quarto ano, a literatura é o que se escreve; e de acordo com a professora de segundo ano, a literatura é um meio de informação que faz viajar e ser criativo. A diferença entre as concepções reflete em trabalhos diferenciados com a literatura, que são resultado de formações acadêmico-profissionais diferentes. No que diz respeito ao lugar da literatura, verificou-se que na sala de aula o trabalho com a literatura é fragilizado devido à utilização de material didático específico; já na biblioteca, a literatura tem tratamento privilegiado, com divulgação e incentivo à leitura. Concluiu-se, portanto, que a literatura - o País das Maravilhas - tem lugar dentro da escola: na biblioteca. É preciso, porém, que se mantenha um diálogo entre as professoras e a bibliotecária, considerando uma adequada escolarização da literatura para que se promova um trabalho contínuo de letramento literário, assegurando aos alunos o direito à literatura.Abstract : This study "In search of Wonderland: the place of literature in the early years of Elementary School" aims at investigating the place of literature in the early years of Elementary School. A research was conducted in a Florianopolis' municipal school which has children from first to fourth grades. The insertion in this institutional environment happened within three months, in the year of 2012, and, in order to collect the data, classroom and library observation have been made, as well as semi-structured interviews with the responsible for the investigated environment: second and fourth grade teachers and a librarian. The theoretical framework used seeks to establish a dialog between the Literature and Education fields, emphasizing the studies of Magda Soares (1999) about the constituents of literature schooling; Rildo Cosson (2011) and his reflections on literary literacy, and Antonio Candido (1995) and the discussion around the right to literature. This research showed that the three informants (teachers and librarian) have different positioning in regards to the view of literature: as reported by the librarian, literature is what constitutes the human being; according to the fourth grade teacher, literature is what is written; according to the second grade teacher, literature is a channel of information, which makes one wander and be creative. The discrepancy in those conceptions reflects differentiated work regarding literature, and also, different academic and professional background. Concerning the place of literature, it was found that in the classroom the work with literature is weakened by the use of specific educational materials; as for the library, literature has a privileged treatment, with the dissemination and encouragement to reading. It was therefore concluded that literature - the Wonderland - has its place within the school: the library. However, there must be a dialog between the teachers and librarians, considering appropriate literature schooling, so as to promote a continuous work of literary literacy, assuring students the right to literature
Place of early development of young female football players
No full textThis study investigates how the so-called place of early developement influences the likelihoodof qualifying for talent training as a young female football player in Denmark. Some of theaspects considered are importance of proximity of talentclubs, distribution of players, and scaleof local community. A tool for visualizing this is to regard the density of players selected fortalent training compared to the total amount of players pr. municipality.The regarded sample includes 163 female talent players at the age 13-18 years from 2014/2015.Data is presented using QGIS maps, which is an open source geographical visualization program.The results of this study suggests that the young female talent players distributes in most partsof the country. Especially, munipalities with densities between 50-249 inhabitants/km2 aresuccessful in generating talented players. The tendency that local communities with a mediumpopulation density are more succesfull in talent developement are compared with earlier studiesof a similar character and discussed
Critical Intersections and Comic Possibilities: Extending Racialized Critical Rhetorical Scholarship
No full textCommunication scholars conducting work on race must engage work from complementary critical communities to bolster their own critiques and further advance progressive racial coalitions. Critical, rhetorical scholarship and Critical Race Theory (CRT) share principle aims that provide significant ground for interdisciplinary racial projects. Together, these interrelated disciplines can find reinforcement in comedic discourse. This essay locates racial comedy as a space for transformational critiques. More specifically, the author argues that critical rhetorical scholarship and CRT taken jointly can illuminate parallel comic discourses and advance their important correctives pertaining to race and racism
Critical Intersections and Comic Possibilities: Extending Racialized Critical Rhetorical Scholarship
No full textCommunication scholars conducting work on race must engage work from complementary critical communities to bolster their own critiques and further advance progressive racial coalitions. Critical, rhetorical scholarship and Critical Race Theory (CRT) share principle aims that provide significant ground for interdisciplinary racial projects. Together, these interrelated disciplines can find reinforcement in comedic discourse. This essay locates racial comedy as a space for transformational critiques. More specifically, the author argues that critical rhetorical scholarship and CRT taken jointly can illuminate parallel comic discourses and advance their important correctives pertaining to race and racism
Apocalyptic Ecology: The Book of Revelation, the Earth, and the Future
No full textThe author of the book of Revelation struggled, as we do today, to live out a Christian faith in the context of an empire that trampled and destroyed the earth and its creatures. In this book, Micah D. Kiel will look at how and why Revelation was written, along with how it has been interpreted across the centuries, to come to an understanding of its potential contribution to a modern environmental ethic. While the book of Revelation is replete with images of destruction of the earth, Kiel shows readers, through Revelation\u27s ancient context, a message of hope that calls for the care of and respect for the environment.https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/sot_books/1115/thumbnail.jp
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