The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects that a training workshop and collective shaping had on the reflective statements and feeling and emotion labels in a written response to videos relating to social issues. The workshop included a presentation interspersed with videos to help practice dialoguing and guide discussion toward generating discourse for social change. The effects of the workshop were evaluated using a single subject A – B design with multiple probe measures across three participants. Participants were given a prompt to write a descriptive narrative in response to a video clip, creating a permanent product for quantitative and qualitative analyses. The study resulted in slight increasing trends for both reflective statements and feeling and emotion labels for Participants 1 and 2. Further analyses show that Participant 3, despite showing little change across reflective statements and feeling and emotion labels, showed significant increase and more stability in the percentage of total words within reflective statements. The results of the workshop are discussed in the context of future research, including the role of social issues in our everyday language and how that affects us at a personal level.

Social issues are becoming increasingly apparent. More people are experiencing the impact of social issues directly and through their media consumption. It is important to understand and reflect on our collective impact on the media and how the media affects the collective. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a collaborative workshop (collective shaping) and a verbal community that examined media depictions of social justice and injustice related to context and power dynamics. The effects of the workshop were evaluated using an A-B design with multiple probe measures across three participants. During the pre-, probe, and post-training assessments, participants watched videos and responded to a written prompt. Results of the study suggest that written responses were not adequately trained during the workshop. However, anecdotally, participant's verbal responding shifted drastically during the training workshop. The results are discussed within the context of the training apparatus, effects the workshop had on the participants and researchers, and progression forward.

In many South African schools where English is used as the language of instruction learners with a different mother tongue are accepted, yet they may experience many challenges. In this research study I investigated whether group music therapy sessions can have a positive impact on such learners in relation to particularly two of these difficulties. The first difficulty is social interaction and integration. The second difficulty is their negative attitude towards English, the school and their school work. This difficulty develops because of their weak competency in the language. The paradigm in which this study falls is interpretive and a qualitative approach was used. A case study design was utilised. Ten music therapy sessions were offered to a group of nine grade eight boys from three different linguistic backgrounds: three English home language speakers, three Portuguese home language speakers and three siSwati home language speakers. Music therapy offers a non-threatening environment in which group members can creatively interact. I made use of an array of techniques including improvisation, movement, song writing and musical games where group members had opportunities to express themselves in an unconventional way. Three different sources of naturally-occurring data were used. Questionnaires were filled in by all participants before the commencement of the sessions, five video excerpts were selected from the music therapy group sessions and a focus group was held with all participants after the last session. Data was analysed according to Ansdell and Pavlicevic’s (2001) qualitative content analysis. Responses from the questionnaires and focus group and thick descriptions from the selected video excerpts were coded and categorised according to Gibb’s (2007) proposed technique of open coding. Results generated from the analysed data indicated that, through the opportunities afforded to the group in music therapy sessions, social interaction was experienced in a novel way and integration was enhanced. Findings also indicated that, through this unique way of interacting, the attitude of some members towards English improved. There were also indications that improvement was not across the board and individuals reacted differently to the process. A much longer process could hold far more convincing results. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lmchunu2014 / Music / unrestricted

Orientation: This study is about team dialogue and how dialogue in teams may impact on levels of employee engagement, especially how this can be applied and used in Industrial & Organisational Psychology. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence that dialogue sessions in work teams may have on employee engagement. Motivation for the study: The manager and first-line superior play a crucial role in facilitating and enabling the connection between the employee and the organisation and how this impacts on employee engagement. When practised successfully, dialogue may have an influence on the level of employee engagement, as it allows groups to move beyond any one individual’s understanding to gain new insights and to create ideas in ways that could not be achieved individually. It may be argued that team dialogue and relational practices could assist in improving employee engagement in the South African workplace. Research design, approach and method: The study used a quasi-experimental approach in terms of which an experimental group was exposed to an organisational development intervention of team dialogues over a period of time and then compared to a control group that had not been exposed to the organisational development team dialogue intervention. The main findings were reported and discussed, and recommendations were made. Main findings: Team dialogues have an impact on employee engagement Contributions/value add: This study contributes to the field of Industrial & Organisational Psychology in that it demonstrates the influence that team dialogue has on employee engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Orientation: This study is about team dialogue and how dialogue in teams may impact on levels of employee engagement, especially how this can be applied and used in Industrial & Organisational Psychology. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence that dialogue sessions in work teams may have on employee engagement. Motivation for the study: The manager and first-line superior play a crucial role in facilitating and enabling the connection between the employee and the organisation and how this impacts on employee engagement. When practised successfully, dialogue may have an influence on the level of employee engagement, as it allows groups to move beyond any one individual’s understanding to gain new insights and to create ideas in ways that could not be achieved individually. It may be argued that team dialogue and relational practices could assist in improving employee engagement in the South African workplace. Research design, approach and method: The study used a quasi-experimental approach in terms of which an experimental group was exposed to an organisational development intervention of team dialogues over a period of time and then compared to a control group that had not been exposed to the organisational development team dialogue intervention. The main findings were reported and discussed, and recommendations were made. Main findings: Team dialogues have an impact on employee engagement Contributions/value add: This study contributes to the field of Industrial & Organisational Psychology in that it demonstrates the influence that team dialogue has on employee engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

The objective of this multi-perspective qualitative research study was to explore the phenomenon of Inclusivity and to develop a theoretical Inclusivity Framework. Inclusivity is defined by the researcher as a radical transformational methodology with the intent to achieve sustainable results. A case study, in which an Inclusivity Transformational Strategy was implemented, was introduced to provide context. Six years after initial implementation of this strategy, with the purpose to investigate the sustainability thereof, in-depth interviews with a phenomenological nature were conducted with national leaders (n=4) responsible for the strategy and provincial leaders (n=13) that participated in the interventions. Furthermore, a round table discussion was conducted with the executive team (n=12), and three focus groups were held on regional leader level (n=32) and three on employee level (n=28). The essence of the phenomenon namely Inclusivity was synthesised through Phenomenology. Emerging theory was built through Grounded Theory principles. Meta-insights were derived through content analysis. Post Intervention Investigation was done in the case organisation. This strategy and the Inclusivity Framework, derived from literature, were adapted and presented as contributors to the theory of Inclusivity. Positive trends were found in the case organisation, in profitability, retention, compliance to legislation, levels of emotional intelligence of leaders and organisational climate indicators. Six years after the initial stages of the strategy were implemented, evidence of the principles of Inclusivity was still found. It was derived that Inclusivity leads to higher levels of commitment, trust and engagement. Fundamental to the achievement of success were leadership�s emotional intelligence, and willingness to allow differences. A key finding was that although aligned around strategy, individual styles were allowed to manifest in the case organisation. Creating Inclusivity in one system may however lead to the exclusion of other systems. It was concluded that Inclusivity as defined by this study is a radical transformational methodology that may result in sustainable transformation. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.

The objective of this multi-perspective qualitative research study was to explore the phenomenon of Inclusivity and to develop a theoretical Inclusivity Framework. Inclusivity is defined by the researcher as a radical transformational methodology with the intent to achieve sustainable results. A case study, in which an Inclusivity Transformational Strategy was implemented, was introduced to provide context. Six years after initial implementation of this strategy, with the purpose to investigate the sustainability thereof, in-depth interviews with a phenomenological nature were conducted with national leaders (n=4) responsible for the strategy and provincial leaders (n=13) that participated in the interventions. Furthermore, a round table discussion was conducted with the executive team (n=12), and three focus groups were held on regional leader level (n=32) and three on employee level (n=28). The essence of the phenomenon namely Inclusivity was synthesised through Phenomenology. Emerging theory was built through Grounded Theory principles. Meta-insights were derived through content analysis. Post Intervention Investigation was done in the case organisation. This strategy and the Inclusivity Framework, derived from literature, were adapted and presented as contributors to the theory of Inclusivity. Positive trends were found in the case organisation, in profitability, retention, compliance to legislation, levels of emotional intelligence of leaders and organisational climate indicators. Six years after the initial stages of the strategy were implemented, evidence of the principles of Inclusivity was still found. It was derived that Inclusivity leads to higher levels of commitment, trust and engagement. Fundamental to the achievement of success were leadership�s emotional intelligence, and willingness to allow differences. A key finding was that although aligned around strategy, individual styles were allowed to manifest in the case organisation. Creating Inclusivity in one system may however lead to the exclusion of other systems. It was concluded that Inclusivity as defined by this study is a radical transformational methodology that may result in sustainable transformation. / Graduate School of Business Leadership / D.B.L.