This work is a study of the origins, development, and contributions of the black religious colleges of East Texas. The central purpose of the study is to reexamine the role Wiley, Bishop, Texas, and Jarvis colleges have played in black higher education. Although prior to 1960 most studies of Negro institutions of higher education described such schools as total failures in their effort to uplift American Negroes, since that time many scholars have published works which pointed up the achievements as well as the problems of those colleges. In addition to their efforts to provide the Negro community with capable leaders, the black religious colleges of East Texas also directed public service projects. Especially beneficial, these efforts, which included farm demonstration programs and home demonstration classes, were designed to help black people at whatever level needed. Wiley, Bishop, Texas College, and Jarvis have not been total failures. Although always academically weak, they have served the black community well. However, in spite of the valuable service they have rendered, unless these schools can generate new and larger sources of revenue, they stand little chance of remaining viable institutions. Each of these colleges desperately needs more money. Ironically, it may be that black colleges will decline in the future primarily not because their raison d' etre has been eliminated, but because the public and government agencies have concluded that such institutions no longer warrant their support.

Despite recent scholarly interest in college students' spirituality and spiritual development, as well as research indicating that students are interested in spirituality and have a strong desire to integrate spirituality into their lives, few researchers have addressed the spiritual experiences of gay and lesbian college students. Utilizing a phenomenological qualitative approach, I explored the spiritual experiences of nine gay and lesbian college students at two religiously affiliated universities in the southwest region of the United States. The ages of the participants ranged from 19 to 23, with a mean of 21. There were five female, three male, and one gender queer participants. Seven participants identified as white, while the other two participants identified as Hispanic. I identified three major themes related to their lived experience of spirituality: (1) spiritual quest characterized by struggle and pain, (2) finding reconciliation and acceptance, and (3) the importance of support from the university, student groups, friends, and family. Implications for practice included the importance of establishing an official recognized student organization to support gay and lesbian students, creating spaces for personal reflection, meditation, prayer, and solitude as well as safe spaces, the need for educational and outreach programs for faculty, staff, and students, and an evaluation of institutional policies the might negatively impact gay and lesbian students. Suggestions for future research are discussed including the exploration of the impact that faculty members have on students' spiritual growth.

This study of the legal and management frameworks for private higher education institutions in Swaziland provides a theoretical framework for the establishment and management of such institutions and especially the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU). A literature review of Swaziland’s education legislation and education system, the legal processes for the establishment of private higher education institutions, the types and legal status of these, their funding of, and their organisational and management structures provided the theoretical framework upon which the study was based. The review indicated that: a private higher education system in Swaziland was in the process of being developed; such institutions were established and operated within the overall higher education system; there were two legal instruments that could be used to establish these institutions – an Act of Parliament and a Certificate of Registration; the government was the major funder of private higher education institutions; and there are different organisational and management structures in existence. Against this background an empirical qualitative investigation was conducted. Data was collected from education managers, government officials, Church leadership, and legal representatives through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. The findings of the empirical investigation complemented the findings obtained from the literature review. The underdevelopment of the private higher education system resulted in two major implications: uncertainty of the legal process for the establishment of SANU, and the development as well as immediate implementation of education legislation and policies. The application of the legal procedures outlined by the Higher Education Bill of 2007 to the establishment, management and funding of SANU affords a good example. Even though the people entrusted with the establishment of SANU selected the Act of Parliament for this process and developed the SANU Bill, government officials instead advocated and implemented the certification process regarding the establishment and management of SANU. Subvention, tuition fees, commercial farming and provision of short term occupational training programmes were identified as income-generating strategies for SANU. A unique organisational and management structure was developed for SANU. Based on those findings, several recommendations for the improvement of the management of the process of establishment of universities in Swaziland and especially SANU were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study of the legal and management frameworks for private higher education institutions in Swaziland provides a theoretical framework for the establishment and management of such institutions and especially the Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU). A literature review of Swaziland’s education legislation and education system, the legal processes for the establishment of private higher education institutions, the types and legal status of these, their funding of, and their organisational and management structures provided the theoretical framework upon which the study was based. The review indicated that: a private higher education system in Swaziland was in the process of being developed; such institutions were established and operated within the overall higher education system; there were two legal instruments that could be used to establish these institutions – an Act of Parliament and a Certificate of Registration; the government was the major funder of private higher education institutions; and there are different organisational and management structures in existence. Against this background an empirical qualitative investigation was conducted. Data was collected from education managers, government officials, Church leadership, and legal representatives through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. The findings of the empirical investigation complemented the findings obtained from the literature review. The underdevelopment of the private higher education system resulted in two major implications: uncertainty of the legal process for the establishment of SANU, and the development as well as immediate implementation of education legislation and policies. The application of the legal procedures outlined by the Higher Education Bill of 2007 to the establishment, management and funding of SANU affords a good example. Even though the people entrusted with the establishment of SANU selected the Act of Parliament for this process and developed the SANU Bill, government officials instead advocated and implemented the certification process regarding the establishment and management of SANU. Subvention, tuition fees, commercial farming and provision of short term occupational training programmes were identified as income-generating strategies for SANU. A unique organisational and management structure was developed for SANU. Based on those findings, several recommendations for the improvement of the management of the process of establishment of universities in Swaziland and especially SANU were made. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated integrated learning at a Christian university, the Christian Bilingual University of the Congo (UCBC) with the view to improving higher education practice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which is tasked with addressing social problems. Higher education in the DRC is shaped by its colonial legacy and a teacher-centred approach focused on theory, typical of a banking-type learning and a lack of integration. These factors stifle critical thinking and initiative in students and prevent them from developing into service-oriented agents for change in their communities. The advent of Christian universities has heralded a quest for holistic training to foster character and produce civic-minded and service-oriented citizens. A qualitative study using a phenomenology as methodology investigated the lived experiences in integrated learning and service in the community of twelve purposefully selected UCBC alumni. Data was obtained through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Findings indicated that integrated learning is holistic education which engages mind, heart, soul and body; it combines practice and theory in training and prepares students to contribute to national welfare. It occurs in a multiple component and dimensional context and is characterized by learner-centeredness, active learning and constant interaction among the school community members. It is focused on the building of the inner person of the learner. Further, participants understood transformation as part of personal development, a lifelong process that moves a person to act differently in community after his personal assumptions have been deeply revised through his encounter with integrated learning. Its impact is character development as foundation for bold action in the community, the rediscovery of one’s identity, the development of servant leadership, team work and social networking and dependence on God. Findings revealed that transformed learners initiated a change of mentality and experienced culture conversion in their communities through confronting problems and modelling servanthood. It also established the enactment of integrated learning as a contributor to personal and community transformation as a result of students’ ‘echoed words’ and actions as learning-teachers. Based on the findings recommendations were made for the strengthening of integrated learning in Christian universities. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

This study investigated integrated learning at a Christian university, the Christian Bilingual University of the Congo (UCBC) with the view to improving higher education practice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which is tasked with addressing social problems. Higher education in the DRC is shaped by its colonial legacy and a teacher-centred approach focused on theory, typical of a banking-type learning and a lack of integration. These factors stifle critical thinking and initiative in students and prevent them from developing into service-oriented agents for change in their communities. The advent of Christian universities has heralded a quest for holistic training to foster character and produce civic-minded and service-oriented citizens. A qualitative study using a phenomenology as methodology investigated the lived experiences in integrated learning and service in the community of twelve purposefully selected UCBC alumni. Data was obtained through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Findings indicated that integrated learning is holistic education which engages mind, heart, soul and body; it combines practice and theory in training and prepares students to contribute to national welfare. It occurs in a multiple component and dimensional context and is characterized by learner-centeredness, active learning and constant interaction among the school community members. It is focused on the building of the inner person of the learner. Further, participants understood transformation as part of personal development, a lifelong process that moves a person to act differently in community after his personal assumptions have been deeply revised through his encounter with integrated learning. Its impact is character development as foundation for bold action in the community, the rediscovery of one’s identity, the development of servant leadership, team work and social networking and dependence on God. Findings revealed that transformed learners initiated a change of mentality and experienced culture conversion in their communities through confronting problems and modelling servanthood. It also established the enactment of integrated learning as a contributor to personal and community transformation as a result of students’ ‘echoed words’ and actions as learning-teachers. Based on the findings recommendations were made for the strengthening of integrated learning in Christian universities. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)