Thesis (Ed. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-132). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-152). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Liberty University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis considers career turning points in the lives of four women who work in educational guidance. I am one of these women. As a practising Career Guidance Counsellor, I have seen people struggle to make career-related decisions, yet in their pasts they seemingly made autonomous decisions with little thought other than it seemed right at the time. My own understanding of decision making, influenced by my cultural heritage, appeared to be informed by intuitive responses and chance occurrences. I wanted to explore if others had similar experiences, to satisfy a personal curiosity and a professional desire to see if creative practices could capture the emotion and experience of past career turning points. Perhaps they can draw upon the knowledge gained in times of uncertainty to aid future decision-making. The study is also the story of my doctoral voyage and utilising an autoethnographic approach, enabled me to position myself in the work. Autoethnography, is both method and methodology, exploring the writer's experience of life. The tensions between the distinct roles of researcher, participant and observer of both, were explored. I wrote my story and initial, loosely-structured interviews captured the life-career stories of the other participants. Following the first interview, they were given time and space to create artefacts of their own choosing. Second interviews used questions, but allowed for the natural voicing of thoughts to maintain the informality of casual conversation. All interviews were personally transcribed and shared with co-participants to ensure transparency and accuracy. Transcriptions were utilised to create case studies and my narrative of each interview was also recorded in a personal journal. As such, there was a layering to each experience, different 'truths' of the same event. Creativity flowed through this work in the form of poetic text, imaginative prose, journal excerpts and a fictionalised chapter. The aim was to provide genuineness and trustworthiness as verification. Adopting a holistic approach to analysis enabled thoughts to emerge prior to, during and after interactions. A proforma (Merrill and West, 2009) provided the vehicle to capture the process and emerging themes. Additionally, writing on the transcripts in coloured ink, added a playful quality to investigations. Writing as inquiry (Richardson, 2000, 2008), encouraged an openness to analysis as I displayed both the writing process and product. In addition to Richardson, my theoretical framework was supported by the work of Jarvis (2006), and his notion of 'disjuncture', when something happens which makes us stop and reconsider our positioning in the world, was illuminating. Rogers' (1961, 1980) inclusive consideration of the whole person, rather than a separation of the various characteristics of a life, has informed my practice to accept that occupation is but one life role. A person can have many roles which can influence a life-career. Throughout the work I have attempted to use rich textual descriptions to show rather than tell the narrative. This is pertinent to evocative autoethnography as extolled by Ellis (2004) and in doing so, I hoped to draw others into the text. Kahneman's (2011) discussions on rational and intuitive thinking and Krumboltz and Levin's (2004) understanding of happenstance or chance, have also been a main consideration in this work. Such experiences can be reflected on as we construct our working stories (Savickas, 2011). These theoretical 'friends' and others, made me review my positioning in the study and as a result, I gained new knowledge about myself and my place in the world. I have discovered that creative practices appeared to help participants to learn something about themselves; they gained personal insight by engaging with deep reflective and reflexive processes. Knowledge which could be used to inform their future career decision-making when they are feeling uncertain. As such, creative practices could help individuals think again, with a new perspective.

Thesis (M. Ed. (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-118). Also available via the Internet.

This study focused on the responses of the main role players in a Work Experience Programme which is offered as a component of Grade 11 Career Education at Hillcrest High School. The aim was to describe, evaluate and optimise the programme. The theory and literature on career development and work experience was reviewed in order to establish what programmes, methods and approaches are currently being used internationally and in South Africa. Issues related to work experience were explored with a view to evaluate whether the programme undertaken could enhance the career decision making of Grade 11 pupils. A qualitative, participatory research method was applied. The action research design chosen enabled the researcher to collect data over a period of eight months while interacting 'with her subjects as their teacher counsellor. The design, application, analysis of findings and limitations of the research study are described and recorded. The findings indicated that the programme was regarded as a positive experience by the majority of pupils. It was possible to make recommendations from the findings for wider application of such a programme. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1968. / Extension Repository Collection. Typescript (carbon copy). Autobiographical sketch. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-133).

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2009. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education." Bibliography: leaves 110-119.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Choosing the right job is one of the most important decisions one can make. Most of us not only spend more than half our lives at work, but how well we get on in our jobs has a marked effect on the rest of our lives as well. Dislike of one's job is a widespread cause of dissatisfaction and frustration (Tolbert, 1984:2). Two sorts of information are needed to choose a job: knowledge of oneself and knowledge of the widest possible range of jobs. Knowledge about jobs is the most critical part of the above statement which needs to be considered here. Knowing little about any job reduces job choice to a matter of luck rather than good judgement. The problem is that school leavers in Gazankulu are disadvantaged in this respect, hence they mainly choose careers which are in the public section such as teaching, police and nursing (Educational Journal Gazankulu, 1990:20). Our society considers it only natural that each member should enter the labour force. From childhood onwards, we are often asked: "What do you want to be one day?" We are always aware that it is necessary to focus on at least an occupational field, if not a specific job area. Work is the means of meeting needs in other areas of life. Awareness of work must begin in childhood. The child must be prepared to face all challenges in the future job market. The school as an agent for change must implement career counselling to help the child in self-understanding, self-acceptance, development of human needs (physical intellectual, psychological and spiritual), interest, aspirations and experiences. Through self-understanding students can begin to appreciate and utilize their aptitudes, interests, limitations and values (Sedibe, 1991:4).