Thesis (MEd) -- University of South Australia, 1993

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-260). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 237-260). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-141). Print copy also available.

D.Ed. / The training and development opportunities available in Human Resources in a country play an important role regarding the growth and progress of such a country and its people. The parameters wherein training and development is conducted determine to a large extend the direction the country takes towards the efficient productivity of individuals. In South Africa, in the past, the political system of apartheid, which created unequal opportunities between different races, played a major adverse role in the education and training facilities of its employable population. As a result common education standards became a victim of political expediency, and the school system created a forum of unequal education. After research conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council in 1980 to investigate the education system in South Africa it was concluded that it is impossible to implement a system focussed on equal quality education overnight. It is not until after the first multi-cultural election in the history of South Africa in 1994 that this situation started changing. The National Qualifications Framework and The South African Qualifications Authority was established. That brought about major change in the education and training system in the country, and it also shifted the emphasis to lifelong learning. It became apparent that for the quickest beneficial results a program of adult education had to be initiated to work hand in hand with the more gradual development of equal education at undergraduate levels. The shift that needs to be made from the traditional school system to the training of adults is however a difficult one. Adult education is not yet established in South Africa.

The purpose of this study was to identify the needs of returning adult students at community colleges in Arizona through the application of adult developmental theory. To differentiate adult students' needs from those of traditional-age students, samples of prospective freshmen and returning adults were surveyed. Participants in the study were 108 graduated high school seniors, and 104 community college students who were 25 years or older and had a break of three years or more in their education. Participants completed a questionnaire requesting demographic information, reasons for attending college, fears, expectations and needed services. Results showed that traditional-age college students enter higher education to expand their social world, to prepare for a career, and fearing the stresses of college life. Adult students' reasons for entering higher education relate to life transitions and personal growth. They are highly motivated yet hampered by multiple role responsibilities and fear of failing.

This research study explored the dimensions of motivation that may exist for mature psychology graduates when completing their postgraduate degree. And because it is widely acknowledged that stress is often a close companion to motivation, specifically in the pursuit of academic goals, the study also investigated those aspects of coping skills these individuals employed to sustain their motivation in completing their studies. Eight mature female psychology postgraduates from four different South African public universities were identified using a non probability sampling technique. Semi structured interviews were then carried out with the eight participants; the interviews were then transcribed and analysed using content analysis. The results of the study indicated that self efficacy; intrinsic motivation, attribution and achievement goals all play a role in the students’ motivation. It further indentified perseverance as an important factor in the students’ completion of their studies. Positive beliefs, problem solving strategies and social support appeared to be the most widely used coping skills by this sample.

This research looks at the effects of changes in various kinds of motivation for further study on increases in human capital. On the basis of planned behavior theory, it also examines how both motivation for further study and human capital influence an employee's intention to leave his job. Finally, it also discusses the moderating effects of external labor market opportunity and organization retention practices on the relationship between human capital and intention to leave. At Stage 1 of this longitudinal study 1721 questionnaires were sent out and 1004 valid returns were received. At Stage 2, six months later, a further questionnaire was sent out to the original respondents and 603 valid returns were received. The results show that different motivations for further study have significant and varied effects on increases in human capital. They also show that employees choose to transfer to another unit in order to take advantage of their increased human capital while their organization tries hard to retain them. Where external labor market opportunity is high, employees with increased human capital opt to leave their current organization.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 149-156.

This interpretivist study looked at what acted as barriers and what motivated a group offive African women, aged about 30 working at a Durban school, to take up formal learning experiences. Qualitative data, through the use ofsemi structured interviews, on a one-to-one basis was collected. This involved elliciting each woman' account of her educational and work experience, as a learner and a worker. Themes like unemployment ofone or both parents; limitations imposed by the patriarchial culture they come from; gender issues like not valuing educating girls and the diverse role which women play in the lives of a family; domestic violence and abuse; adolescent pregnancy; previous learning experiences; fmancial limitations perpetuated in adult life because ofthe inability to access jobs which allow for the" luxury" ofpursuing educational courses and supporting extended family who live in the rural areas ofKwazulu-Natal or the Transkei surfaced. These themes were evaluated against the tenets ofMaslow's hierarchy ofneeds, Knowles's theory ofwhat comprises ideal adult learning situations; whether Mezirow's suggestion that learning will be precipitated by rethinking the ways people behave; and Tajfels' theory on personal and social identity. Using the perspectives offeminist writers like hooks, Hill Collins, and Magwaza this study looked at the role that culture, class and gender has played in the lives ofthese participants. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.