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This qualitative case study aimed to explore how 21 nascent creative entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry, specifically actors, directors, producers, and screenwriters who participated in the same workforce development program in the United States, constructed their identities via competencies and adult learning methods. It also explored the external factors that supported or impeded them. The case study is based on the following assumptions: 1. Nascent creative entrepreneurs face unique challenges in forming their creative entrepreneurial identity. 2. Thematic and need-based commonalities will emerge from interviews with participants. 3. Current higher education and training and development programs fail to provide nascent creative entrepreneurs with the resources, information, and support required to successfully form their creative entrepreneurial identities to navigate an increasingly dynamic and competitive industry. 4. Nascent creative entrepreneurs are interested and willing to participate in this study. 5. Deepening our understanding of identity construction in nascent creative entrepreneurs could benefit the field of adult learning, creative entrepreneurs, the creative economy, and society as a whole. The primary sources of data were semi-structured in-depth interviews, a focus group, and document analysis. The study was conducted online. Identity Theory and Adult Learning Theory, specifically Informal Learning and Self-Directed Learning, provided the overriding construct for the analysis, interpretation, and synthesis of the research findings. Two major findings emerged from the study: 1) Nascent creative entrepreneurs construct their identities by being a collaborator.2) Nascent creative entrepreneurs construct their identities via Informal Learning. The cohort associated with participants’ workforce development program was the most mentioned supportive external factor, while business elements associated with being a creative entrepreneur emerged as an external impeding factor.

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The purpose of this study was twofold. First, to determine if planned interventions could increase untrained undergraduate students' use of positive and specific skill feedback while a teaching fundamental motor skill to children who are disabled. Second, to qualitatively assess the effect of specific verbal feedback on student motor performance. Six undergraduate students enrolled in the Adapted Physical Activity and Lab class at Oregon State University served as teachers for 6 children who were classified as having a mild to moderate disability. Teachers were individually videotaped teaching the same fundamental motor skill each week for 14 weeks in the actual clinic setting. Week 4 teachers were sequentially introduced to the intervention package which included: (a) defining specific skill feedback and discussing its role in skill development, (b) a single viewing of a master teacher videotape, (c) verbally and physically reviewing critical elements of skill being taught, and (d) reviewing teacher feedback and student motor performance each lesson. A variation of the single subject, multiple baseline design across subjects was used to assess the effect of the intervention package on teacher feedback and student motor performance. Single subject data analysis techniques indicated untrained teachers were already using corrective specific feedback while the intervention package developed successfully increased their use of positive specific skill feedback. In addition, evidence suggests a positive relationship between teachers' use of specific skill feedback and student motor performance. Based on these findings, it appears specific verbal feedback behavior of untrained volunteer teachers can be increased as a result of the intervention package developed. It is recommended that future studies replicate this study with a larger number of teachers/students and over a longer period of time. / Graduation date: 1992

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Learners enter the classroom with different academic abilities, learning profiles and interests. Inclusive education is therefore seen as a possible answer to accommodate individual diversity in the classroom and to address the needs of every learner. During South Africa’s era of apartheid education, differences and disabilities were seen as learner-centred, and this led to labelling, marginalising and exclusion of specific learners. In the light of the aforementioned, the implementation of inclusion, which sees difference in learners (and between people in general) as a basic part of human life, is seen as challenging in South Africa. Differentiated instruction can be seen as a teaching strategy to promote inclusive education, as its focus is learner-centred and it is based on the philosophy that all learners can learn provided they are supported in the learning process. Although differentiated teaching is not unknown internationally and nationally and is most probably implemented in the classroom, the effective implementation thereof is not understood fully. This research study made use of the participatory action research design, and the main aim was therefore to effectively implement differentiated teaching in the Foundation Phase through collaborative teacher learning. A qualitative methodology was used, with six teachers as the participants in the natural setting of the school where they teach (in the Foundation Phase). The school is located in a less affluent urban community in the Western Cape province, one of the nine provinces in South Africa. During the first action research cycle it was found that not all aspects of differentiated teaching were internalised for effective implementation in the classroom. The evolving nature of the participatory action research design allowed an additional phase for problem definition and therefore the initiation of another action research cycle. The results will be shared with the participants as well as the relevant district’s office and the learning support educator, who will be employed during 2014, in an effort to ensure the sustainability of the process. Individual interviews were conducted with the participating teachers to formulate a problem definition for the next cycle in the participatory action research process. Although it was found after the first cycle that not all aspects of differentiated teaching were internalised for effective implementation, the teachers acknowledged the approach and initiated differences in their classroom. It is hoped that a longer intervention period may result in valuable outcomes. When the next cycle of the teacher learning process commences, whole-school development should be used as a starting point, where collaborative relationships exist in an inclusive school community and in which all role players are involved. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Leerders betree die klaskamer met verskillende akademiese vermoëns, leerprofiele en belangstellings. Inklusiewe onderwys word tans as ’n moontlike antwoord gesien om individuele diversiteit in die klaskamer tegemoet te kom en in elke leerder se behoeftes te voorsien. Tydens Suid-Afrika se era van apartheidsonderwys is verskille en ook gestremdhede as probleme ervaar wat in die leerder gesentreer is, en dit het tot die etikettering, marginalisering en uitsluiting van sodanige leerders gelei. In die lig van voorafgaande word die implementering van inklusiewe onderwys, wat die bestaan van verskille tussen leerders (en tussen mense in die algemeen) as ’n basiese deel van die menslike lewe aanvaar, in Suid-Afrika as uitdagend beleef. Gedifferensieerde onderrig kan as onderrigstrategie gebruik word om inklusiewe onderwys te bevorder, aangesien die fokus van inklusiewe onderwys leerdergesentreerd is en op die filosofie gegrond is dat alle leerders kan leer mits hulle in die leerproses ondersteun word. Alhoewel gedifferensieerde onderrig internasionaal en nasionaal nie onbekend is nie en waarskynlik wel in klaskamers geïmplementeer word, word die effektiewe toepassing daarvan nie altyd ten volle verstaan nie. In hierdie navorsingstudie is van deelnemende aksienavorsing as ontwerp gebruik gemaak met die hoofdoel om deur middel van kollaboratiewe onderwyserleer die effektiewe implementering van gedifferensieerde onderrig in die Grondslagfase te bevorder. Daar is van ’n kwalitatiewe metodologie gebruik gemaak, met ses onderwysers as die deelnemers en die skool waarin hulle onderrig (in die Grondslagfase) die natuurlike omgewing. Die skool is in ’n minder welvarende stedelike gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap-provinsie, een van die nege provinsies in Suid-Afrika, geleë. Ná afloop van die eerste aksienavorsingsiklus is bevind dat nie alle aspekte van gedifferensieerde onderrig genoegsaam geïnternaliseer is om effektiewe toepassing in die klaskamer te verseker nie. Die ontwikkelende aard van deelnemende aksienavorsing as navorsingsontwerp het egter ruimte gelaat vir ’n addisionele fase van probleemafbakening om ’n verdere aksienavorsingsiklus in die navorsingskool te inisieer. Die resultate van hierdie fase sal met die deelnemers gedeel word en ook aan die betrokke distrikskantoor en die leerondersteuner, wat die posisie gedurende 2014 sal beklee, bekend gemaak word in ’n poging om die volhoubaarheid van die proses te verseker. Individuele onderhoude is met elke deelnemende onderwyser gevoer ten einde ’n probleemstelling vir die volgende siklus in die deelnemende aksienavorsingproses te formuleer. Alhoewel daar ná afloop van die eerste siklus bevind is dat nie alle aspekte van gedifferensieerde onderrig genoegsaam geïnternaliseer is om effektiewe toepassing te verseker nie, het die onderwysers wel van die benadering tot onderrig kennis geneem en reeds veranderinge in hul klaskamers begin inisieer. Die hoop bestaan dus dat ’n langer intervensieperiode waardevolle uitkomste kan meebring Wanneer hierdie studie se volgende siklus van die onderwyserleerproses in aanvang neem, moet geheelskoolontwikkeling, waar daar ’n kollaboratiewe verhouding in die skool as ’n inklusiewe gemeenskap bestaan en waarby alle rolspelers betrek word, as vertrekpunt dien.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Societies are becoming more diverse and multicultural. Therefore both in South Africa and internationally, the education system must constantly be restructured to accommodate a diversity of learners; focusing on each learner’s unique learning abilities and needs. Given the benefits of differentiated teaching for effective learning, this study aimed to explore the use of differentiated teaching strategies and procedures to improve my teaching practice. Consequently, it also aimed to explore the influence that this may have on supporting the learners’ learning by focusing on their interests, readiness levels and learning preferences. This research study was based on a social constructivist perspective that views cognition, learning and instruction as intertwined. The study was embedded within a paradigm of praxis, with an action research as research design while a qualitative research methodology was employed. Purposeful sampling was used to select nine of my grade 4 learners to act as participants for the grade 4 class. Data was collected in the form of reflective drawings, a focus-group interview and accompanied activities, and a research journal. Furthermore, the data was analysed, using a thematic analysis coding scheme, to identify and interpret significant themes. The research findings indicated that the differentiated teaching strategies and procedures enhanced my grade 4 learners’ learning as they realised their own strong points and learning potential. The teaching strategies also demonstrated the potential to facilitate the development of my learners’ knowledge of their own interests and learning preferences and allowed them the incentive to develop a sense of self efficacy. In addition to this, the research process demonstrated the ability to support me in fulfilling my role as primary supporter in the learning support network and enhance my teaching practice. The information gained from this study will be used to inform my future teaching practice. I now realise the value of employing differentiated teaching strategies and procedures into my lessons, as well as the importance of reflecting on my teaching process and considering the uniqueness of each learner in my class. Additionally, teacher training institutes may benefit from the information gained from this research study, for improving teaching practice. Findings attained from this study also have the potential to inform future cycles of action research or alternatively to be used for other research within the field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die samelewing raak gaandeweg meer divers en multikultureel. Die onderwysstelsel, beide in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal, moet daarom voortdurend geherstruktureer word om te verseker dat die diversiteit van leerders geakkomodeer word deur te fokus op elke leerders se unieke leervermoëns en -behoeftes. Gegewe die bewese voordele van gedifferernsieërde onderrig, het hierdie navorsingstudie gepoog om die gebruik van gedifferensieerde onderrigprosedures en strategieë vir die verbetering van my onderrigpraktyk te ondersoek. Die studie was ook daarop gemik om die invloed wat gedifferensieerde onderrigprosedures op die ondersteuning van my leerders se leerproses het, na te vors deur te fokus op hulle belangstellings, gereedheidsvlakke en leervoorkeure. Hierdie navorsingstudie is gebaseer op 'n sosiaal-konstruktivistiese leerperspektief wat kognisie, leer en onderrig as geïntegreerd beskou. Die studie het van ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie gebruik gemaak en is binne 'n paradigma van praksis (‘praxis’) ingebed, met aksienavorsing as navorsingsontwerp. Doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om nege van my graad 4 leerders te kies om as deelnemers namens die graad 4-klas op te tree. Data is in die vorm van leerders se reflektiewe tekeninge, 'n fokusgroep-onderhoud met bygaande aktiwiteite, en 'n navorsingsjoernaal ingesamel. Verder is die data met behulp van 'n tematiese koderingskema geanaliseer om belangrike temas te identifiseer en te interpreteer. Die navorsing het aangedui dat die gedifferensieerde onderrigprosedures en strategieë wat gebruik is, my graad 4-leerders se leerproses versterk het, aangesien hulle bewus geraak het van hulle eie sterkpunte en leerpotensiaal. Die onderrigstrategieë het ook die potensiaal getoon om die leerders se bewustheid van hulle eie belangstellings en leervoorkeure te ontwikkel, en hulle is ook toegelaat om ʼn sin van bekwaamheid te ontwikkel. Benewens hierdie aspekte, het die navorsing ook getoon hoe gedifferensieerde onderrigprosedures my kan ondersteun om my rol as primêre hulpverlener in die leerondersteuningsnetwerk te vervul en my onderrigpraktyk te verbeter. Die inligting wat met die navorsing verkry is, sal in die toekoms gebruik word om my onderwyspraktyk toe te lig. Ek besef nou die waarde daarvan om gedifferensieerde onderrigprosedures in my lesse te gebruik, asook die belangrikheid van refleksie op my onderrigproses en die inagneming van die uniekheid van elke leerder in my klas. Onderwysopleidingsinstellings kan die inligting deur hierdie navorsing verkry gebruik vir die verbetering van onderwyspraktyk. Afgesien van die bogenoemde, kan die inligting ook toekomstige siklusse van aksienavorsing toelig en met vrug vir verdere navorsing in die veld gebruik word.