Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the learning practice construction of selective poor learners in their rural workers class context. The construction of learners’ learning practices in their neighbourhood context is a complex process of confluence, and largely depends on their context-specific perceptions and conceptualisation. In the South African educational environment, learners’ academic achievement is generally seen as a barometer of the quality of education in schools. From a sociological perspective, this study focuses on how high-school learners in a working-class neighbourhood construct their learning practice amidst their particular community dynamics. The study uses the analytical lens of space in order to investigate the underlying relationship between youth development and the youths’ construction of their learning practices in their neighbourhood context. It emphasises learners’ life experiences in their residential space (the neighbourhood) in the construction of their learning practices. This is an important focus in order to explore the dynamic relationship between learners’ spatial living dynamics and how they navigate within their neighbourhood in order to construct their learning practices. The study focuses on how the students experience the neighbourhood in relation to their learning practices, and how these aspects manifest in the shaping of their learning practices. Also key to the study is the learners’ socialisation processes with regard to their learning practices. Qualitative research instruments, such as field notes, participatory and non-participatory observations as well as formal and informal interviews, were used to answer the research question and achieve the research objectives of the thesis. The findings are presented in narrative format according to relevant themes, and are also analysed on a narrative basis. The study’s primary point of departure is that there is a unique relationship between these learners’ living contexts and how they construct and position their learning practices within this context. I place this study within the qualitative interpretative paradigm, as I attempt to describe and understand how these learners [un]consciously draw from practices and interactions in their living context to shape their lerning practices. Qualitative research instruments, such as field notes, participatory and non-participatory observations as well as formal and informal interviews, were used to answer the research question and achieve the research objectives of the thesis. The findings are presented in narrative format according to relevant themes, and are also analysed on a narrative basis. The research shows how the students – based on their own resources, networks and interactions as well as their own agency – position themselves in relation to their learning practices in order to construct their learning practices. In this way, the study reveals how the participating learners draw from the practices out of their doxa and habituated dispositions to construct their emergent learning practices in their living spaces (neighbourhood) – in order to give content to their learning practices. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die leerpraktykkonstruering van geselekteerde arm leerders in hulle landelike werkersklaskonteks. Leerders se leerpraktykkonstruering in hul woonbuurtkonteks is ʼn komplekse proses van samevloeiing, en hang grootliks van hul konteks spesifieke opvattings en konseptualisering af. Opvoedkundige navorsing in Suid-Afrika sentreer hoofsaaklik rondom onuitgedaagde pedagogiese benaderings wat werkersklasleerders se leervermoëns as problematies sien. Uit ʼn sosiologiese perspektief konsentreer hierdie studie op hoe hoërskoolleerders in ʼn werkersklaswoonbuurt hul leerpraktyke konstrueer te midde van hul besondere gemeenskapsdinamiek. Die studie gebruik die analitiese lens van ruimte ten einde ondersoek in te stel na die onderliggende verwantskap tussen jeugwording en die jongmense se leerpraktykkonstruering in hul woonbuurtkonteks vas te vang. Die klem val op die leerders se lewenservarings in hul omgewingsruimte (die woonbuurt) ter vorming van hul leerpraktyke. Dit is ʼn belangrike fokuspunt ten einde die dinamiese verwantskap te ondersoek tussen leerders se ruimtelike leefdinamiek en hoe hulle daarin hul weg baan ten einde aan hul leerpraktyke gestalte te gee hoe sodanige konstruksies verstaan moet word. Die studie fokus op hoe die leerders die omgewing ervaar met betrekking tot hul leerpraktyke, en hoe hierdie ervarings geopenbaar word in die vorming van sodanige leerpraktyke. Sleutel tot die studie is die leerders se sosialisering prosesse met betrekking tot hul leerpraktyke. Die studie se primêre uitgangspunt is dat daar ’n unieke verhouding is tussen hierdie leerders se beleefde konteks en hoe hulle hul leerpraktyke bou en posisioneer binne hierdie konteks. Ek plaas die studie binne die kwalitatiewe interpretatiewe paradigma, soos ek probeer om te beskryf en te verstaan hoe hierdie leerders [on]bewustelik en by wyse hul interaksies in hul beleefde kontekste betrokke raak in die vorming van hul leerpraktyke. Kwalitatiewe navorsing instrumente, soos veldnotas, deelnemende en nie-deelnemende waarnemings, sowel as formele en informele onderhoude, word gebruik om die navorsingsvraag te beantwoord ten einde die doelwitte van die studie te bereik. Die bevindinge gaan in verhalende-formaat aangebied word volgens die relevante temas, en word ook op ’n narratiewe wyse ontleed. Die navorsing toon hoe die leerders op grond van hul hulpbronne, netwerke en interaksies sowel as hul eie agentskap – hul leerpraktyke posisionering en bou. Op hierdie manier poog die studie om te toon hoe die deelnemende leerders by wyse van aspekte uit hul woonbuurtpraktyke gestalte te gee aan hul leerpraktyke.

The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program is a U.S. Department of Education TRIO Program, funded at 152 institutions across the United States and Puerto Rico. In 2013, total funding reached over $35 million--of which, Portland State University received approximately $211,000 (US Department of Education, 2013). The program's goal is to introduce first-generation, low-income, under-represented group college students to effective strategies for succeeding in doctoral programs so they may become professors and create a more supportive environment for future non-traditional students. One way to explore program effectiveness beyond completion of the McNair Program is to ask the McNair Scholars themselves about program impact. This comparative interview study explores McNair graduates' understandings of issues they face in adjusting to graduate school and how participation in the McNair Program prepared them to address these issues. Typically, McNair program evaluations emphasize the collection and analysis of quantitative data - e.g. graduate school enrollment and degree attainment. However, little qualitative research has been conducted on graduate's perceptions of the impact of program participation on their graduate school experiences. This study, which uses Bourdieu's Theory of Social Reproduction, along with the sociology-based ideas of role-as-resource, role mastery, and expertise development, explores students' perceptions of the McNair Program's effectiveness in regards to helping them understand the "graduate student" role and use that role to succeed in graduate school and beyond.

Summary in German and English / This thesis aims at the integration of the concept of habitus, as introduced by Pierre Bourdieu, with the concept of worldview as defined by Paul G. Hiebert develop implications for the missiological discipline and the analysis of the human condition. In a first step the concept of worldview is introduced and integrated into the anthropological discipline from within the life and work of Paul G. Hiebert. The confinement of the concept within the cognitive realm is worked out subsequently and the necessity of a complimentary concept is underlined. In a second step the concept of habitus as defined by Pierre Bourdieu is introduced and explained within his biography, research tradition and his sociological framework. In the concluding chapter a synthesis is provided to integrate habitus with worldview building upon the complimentary nature of the concepts. The cognitive bias of worldview is amended through the incorporated nature of habitus. This leads to an augmented research methodology which includes practical analysis of habitus. / Ziel dieser Masterarbeit ist es, das in der Missionswissenschaft gebräuchliche Konzept der Weltanschauung, vorgestellt von Paul G. Hiebert, durch das Konzept des Habitus, vorgestellt von Pierre Bourdieu, zu ergänzen und Schlussfolgerungen für die missiologische Disziplin und die praktische Analyse menschlicher Wirklichkeit zu ziehen. Zunächst wird das Konzept der Weltanschauung anthropologisch verortet und am Leben und Werk Paul G. Hieberts konkret dargestellt. Die kognitive Engführung des Begriffs wird dabei herausgearbeitet, die Notwendigkeit einer Ergänzung zur vollständigeren Beschreibung menschlicher Wirklichkeit herausgestellt. In einem zweiten Schritt wird Pierre Bourdieu seiner Tradition und Biographie nach eingeordnet, sein Habituskonzept eingeführt und innerhalb seiner soziologischen Konzepte erklärt. In der abschließenden Synthese wird auf die vorher ausgearbeitete Komplementarität der Konzepte aufgebaut und die kognitive Engführung von Weltanschauung durch das Habituskonzept ergänzt. Die Zusammenschau von Habitus und Weltanschauung ermöglicht eine breitere Darstellung menschlicher Wirklichkeit. Erweiterte Forschungsmethoden und -gebiete, welche den Habitus mit einbeziehen, werden im Abschluss definiert und vorgestellt. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Summary in German and English / This thesis aims at the integration of the concept of habitus, as introduced by Pierre Bourdieu, with the concept of worldview as defined by Paul G. Hiebert develop implications for the missiological discipline and the analysis of the human condition. In a first step the concept of worldview is introduced and integrated into the anthropological discipline from within the life and work of Paul G. Hiebert. The confinement of the concept within the cognitive realm is worked out subsequently and the necessity of a complimentary concept is underlined. In a second step the concept of habitus as defined by Pierre Bourdieu is introduced and explained within his biography, research tradition and his sociological framework. In the concluding chapter a synthesis is provided to integrate habitus with worldview building upon the complimentary nature of the concepts. The cognitive bias of worldview is amended through the incorporated nature of habitus. This leads to an augmented research methodology which includes practical analysis of habitus. / Ziel dieser Masterarbeit ist es, das in der Missionswissenschaft gebräuchliche Konzept der Weltanschauung, vorgestellt von Paul G. Hiebert, durch das Konzept des Habitus, vorgestellt von Pierre Bourdieu, zu ergänzen und Schlussfolgerungen für die missiologische Disziplin und die praktische Analyse menschlicher Wirklichkeit zu ziehen. Zunächst wird das Konzept der Weltanschauung anthropologisch verortet und am Leben und Werk Paul G. Hieberts konkret dargestellt. Die kognitive Engführung des Begriffs wird dabei herausgearbeitet, die Notwendigkeit einer Ergänzung zur vollständigeren Beschreibung menschlicher Wirklichkeit herausgestellt. In einem zweiten Schritt wird Pierre Bourdieu seiner Tradition und Biographie nach eingeordnet, sein Habituskonzept eingeführt und innerhalb seiner soziologischen Konzepte erklärt. In der abschließenden Synthese wird auf die vorher ausgearbeitete Komplementarität der Konzepte aufgebaut und die kognitive Engführung von Weltanschauung durch das Habituskonzept ergänzt. Die Zusammenschau von Habitus und Weltanschauung ermöglicht eine breitere Darstellung menschlicher Wirklichkeit. Erweiterte Forschungsmethoden und -gebiete, welche den Habitus mit einbeziehen, werden im Abschluss definiert und vorgestellt. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)