This ethnographic dissertation examines contemporary perceptions of higher education within the context of a Tribal government. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand how Tribal community members perceive higher education as related to Tribal self-determination. This project was partially modeled around two specific research questions relating to Brayboy’s (2012) model of self-determination. Specific research questions for this dissertation included: (1) What are the perceptions of education in a Tribal community as they relate to sovereignty, nation building, and self-determination? (2) Are there differences among perceptions of education between groups (e.g., traditionalists v. credentialists)? In addition to addressing the specific research questions, this project also included a modified grounded theory to foster emergent theme development. Emergent theme development was intended to account for narratives beyond specific research questions. Participants were presented the following questions in one-on-one, open-ended interviews organized around the following questions: (1) How is formal education important for Tribal members? (2) How is formal education important to Tribal community development? (3) What formal educational credentials are most important to the operations of the Tribe? (4) What do you think formal educational credentials represent? (5) What tensions exist between a formal education v. cultural knowledge? (6) What do you think should be the ideal process of Tribal higher education? (7) How well do you think the current educational policies and practices of the Tribe complement self-determination? (8) What are the goals of a self-determination education? Results for this project were mixed. Narratives indicated a relative absence of conceptual constructs associated with Brayboy’s model of self-determination. Additionally, narratives also did not indicate a robust example of group dynamic. Results appeared to indicate an underlying presence of epistemological standpoints to frame Tribal higher education in terms of: (1) Formal Credentials; (2) Practical Experience; and (3) Cultural Experience. Finally, emergent theme development established how educational credentials are promoted, valued, and employed within the Tribal government setting. Narratives produced an extremely nuanced and dynamic landscape of perceptions, groups, utilities, tensions, obstacles, and reforms within Tribes. Narratives also indicated the presence of educational credentialism affecting self-determination in Tribal communities.

Adult online gaming is a fast-growing global entertainment industry, and many gamers spend more time playing games and less time engaging in work or other activities, which negatively affects their lives and relationships. This quantitative study addressed how psychological needs and gaming motivation predicted gaming behavior, life satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction using a mediational model. The theoretical foundation was self-determination theory, which addresses how personal choices are influenced by internal factors, especially psychological needs and motivation. An online survey was used to collect self-reported data from a convenience sample of 935 adult gaming participants using the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, the Gaming Motivation Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Relationship Assessment Scale, and a short demographic questionnaire. Results of multiple regression analyses indicated gaming motivation was a significant mediator of life satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. However, gaming motivation was not a significant mediator of gaming behavior. Findings of this study indicate that for online gamers, quality of life (life satisfaction and relationship satisfaction) is enhanced when gaming motivation is high, suggesting that joy of gaming can positively influence other aspects of life, when psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) are positive as well.

Students with disabilities often have difficulties transitioning from high school to employment. Many students lack the self-determination skills needed to make this transition. Self-determination involves students implementing strategies that enable them to modify and regulate their own behavior; and utilizing strategies that support them to track progress toward goals. The research literature has shown that self-determination instruction can facilitate positive transition outcomes. Collaboration between districts and outside agencies has also been shown to improve transition outcomes, according to existing research. This study examines the effects of self-determination training, taught by Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, on self-determination skills of students with disabilities. Participants included 11 students, ages 15-18, who have been identified as having a specific learning disability, intellectual disability, other health impairment, or autism. The target behavior will be increased self-determination scores on two instruments: a formal rating scale and curriculum-based assessment. The effects of the lessons will be measured by the AIR Self-Determination Scale and a Curriculum Based Assessment. Ten lessons were taught by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. The researcher found that student self-determination scores did not substantially increase after receiving “Job Club” instruction taught by the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, but that participants showed an increased knowledge surrounding disability disclosure in the workplace and increased self-determination scores in the area of self-monitoring of progress towards a goal. The research also showed that participants who had been previously or were currently employed showed greater progress on a curriculum based assessment than those with no employment history.

The purpose of the study was to determine the relation between student engagement, academic achievement, and music ensemble performance ratings. The study was guided by two research questions: how do students’ varying degrees of student engagement relate to their academic achievement and their ensemble’s performance rating, and to what extent do behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement predict ensemble performance ratings? Participants were 259 high school band students who completed the Classroom Engagement Inventory in Music. They were also asked to report their GPA, and the researcher recorded their ensemble’s performance rating. Results suggested that higher levels of student engagement were associated with higher levels of ensemble performance ratings (superior and excellent versus good), with a clear demarcation found between lower rated and higher rated ensembles. Although no significant correlation was found between academic achievement and student engagement, affective engagement was found to predict overall music performance outcomes.

This thesis contains two stand-alone articles for which the overall purpose is to learn from the experiences of a non-Indigenous SFD program designed for Indigenous youth, by exploring how the program has dealt with questions of Indigenous knowledge, culture, and worldviews. By looking at how the program officers and managers articulate their experiences and challenges within the different phases of designing, managing and implementing the SFD program, this study examines questions of decolonization, Indigenization, and resurgence. The first article utilizes an Indigenous resurgence lens to explore the challenges of running the Promoting Life Skills in Aboriginal Youth (PLAY) program through the reflective discourses of middle-upper level management staff members. The main objectives of the first article are to 1) explore the perception of the PLAY staff on challenges experienced within program design and development generally, 2) analyze those challenges in light of critical research on SFD, and 3) inform program development with Indigenous youth. In the second article, I examine the experiences and perceptions of the staff and in dealing more specifically with the question of culture and Indigenous knowledge and Indigenization. This article highlights the experiences that occurred during a two-year period of Indigenous leadership, two years after the piloting of the program. The objectives of this article are to 1) consider and examine the place of culture within SFD for Indigenous youth 2) highlight and learn from Indigenous leadership experience in a Western-based program 3) inform program development.

This thesis reflectively and critically examines a series of research case studies initiated by a research-whānau. It explores the thinking, experiences and reflections of this research-whānau, as they worked to enhance the educational achievement of Māori students. Authorship of the thesis was undertaken by me (Mere Berryman). However, the methodology involved a collaborative, retrospective and critical reflection of research-whānau experiences and thinking, in the light of the research findings and experiences since the inception of this research-whānau in 1991. In the course of this work, the research-whānau have been able to explore what it has meant to put the principles of kaupapa Māori research into practice while working within a mainstream organisation (Specialist Education Services then the Ministry of Education). Our research work has involved repositioning ourselves from dependence on Western research methodologies to a better understanding and application of kaupapa Māori conceptualisations of research. The thesis begins by identifying mainstream and kaupapa Māori events that have historically and still continue to impact upon Māori students' educational experiences. These events provide the wider context for the work of this research-whānau at the interface of Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Pākehā, and for the 11 case studies that exemplify changes in our thinking and research practice over a period of 15 years. The thesis employs an indigenous (and specifically Māori) worldview as the framework for description, critical reflection, and theorising around these case studies. Common themes are collaboratively co-constructed then each theme is explained in relation to relevant Māori theory. The thesis concludes with the shifts in theorising and practice made by the research-whānau during the course of our work as we sought to contribute in ways that were more transformative and self-determining. We argue that these shifts in theorising and practice are also required of others if we are to change the status quo and contribute constructively to improving Māori students' potential.

According to motivational theory physical self-perceptions are crucial to the intrinsic desire to engage in physical activity through play, games, and sport. While there has been prolific research with middle primary and older children little is known of the importance of young children's physical self-concept and their motivation to engage in physical activity. This study had three major purposes. Firstly it aimed to examine the relationship between children's self-concept, their attraction to physical activity, and level of physical activity. The second purpose of the study was to examine differences between boys' and girls' self-concept, attraction to physical activity and level of physical activity. The third purpose was to examine the effectiveness of an intervention programme designed to enhance children's level of physical activity.

The world�s indigenous peoples have been subjected to exploitation, discrimination, dispossession, relocation, assimilation and in some cases genocide since contact with the Western world. They have been the victims of an invasion which has since secured their position among the lowest social qualifiers. For centuries, they have been ignored by nation-states throughout the world. However, a new dawn has risen for the first peoples of the world, and for the past two decades thaey have experienced a cultural, political and social revival which has been gaining in popularity, intensity and effectiveness since it�s inception. The politicisation of indigenous movements and their fundamentally local characteristics has occurred at the same time that the world is experiencing a sense of accelerated globalisation. Economic integration through trade agreements has diminished boundaries and has allowed multinational corporations to travel, sell and trade at will. The sense that the world is �one place� has fast become a reality through "the increasing volume and rapidity of the flows of money, goods, people, information, technology and images." (Featherstone, 1995:81) The simultaneous globalisation and localisation of the world seems to be two contradictory phenomenon acting in opposition to one another. However, as several theorists have pointed out, the two are actually related and each to some degree attributes to the existence of the other (Eriksen, 1993:9; Featherstone, 1990:10; Friedman, 1990:327). In fact, indigenous movements themselves, while asserting local issues and rights, have undergone a recent transformation and now attempt to achieve their goals through global strategies. They have expanded their methods and now not only at the community and national levels, but also within the international arena. The Maori and the Native Hawaiians are two groups of indigenous peoples who have been fighting for their rights and land for over a century. Both groups represent small percentages of their nation-states� population. This has forced them to pursue their struggle with creative strategies and persistent, patient pressure. Thus, their struggles have undergone continouos transformations in attempts to discover the most effective formula which would eventually cause their respective nation-states to recognise and address their grievances. Recently, the Maori and the Native Hawaiians, have broadened their movement to incorporate an international tier. Activity on the international level includes international conferences, international visits/exchanges, ratification of indigenous declarations, indigenous networking, and international indigenous solidarity organisations. These activities have increased over the past twenty years as the effectiveness of such activity has also increased. New Zealand, the United States and other nation-states are being held more accountable for past injustices and are being driven to answer to the world�s indigenous community.

<p><em>Det finns mycket forskning som visar att motivation påverkar människan i organisationen. Motivation delas upp i inre och yttre motivation. Inre motivation är då individen har ett genuint intresse för något. Yttre motivation är då individen drivs av någon extern belöning. Såväl psykologiska som ekonomiska och sociala förklaringar har getts till varför det är viktigt med motiverade anställda och hur motivation kan skapas.  Forskningsresultat tyder på att de anställdas motivation är betydande för organisationens framgång. </em>Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilken typ av arbetsmotivation, inre eller yttre, som leder till att individen vill utföra ett bra arbete.<em> En enkätstudie utfördes där 61 personer deltog. För att predicera arbetsmotivation genomfördes en multipel hierarkisk regressionsanalys. Resultatet i studien visade att den inre motivationen kan predicera individens vilja att arbeta. Författarna drar slutsatsen att arbetsgivares kunskap om motivation kan vara användbart för att stimulera de behov individen har.</em></p>

<p>Det finns mycket forskning som visar att motivation påverkar människan i organisationen. Motivation delas upp i inre och yttre motivation. Inre motivation är då individen har ett genuint intresse för något. Yttre motivation är då individen drivs av någon extern belöning. Såväl psykologiska som ekonomiska och sociala förklaringar har getts till varför det är viktigt med motiverade anställda och hur motivation kan skapas. Forskningsresultat tyder på att de anställdas motivation är betydande för organisationens framgång. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilken typ av arbetsmotivation, inre eller yttre, som leder till att individen vill utföra ett bra arbete. En enkätstudie utfördes där 61 personer deltog. För att predicera arbetsmotivation genomfördes en multipel hierarkisk regressionsanalys. Resultatet i studien visade att den inre motivationen kan predicera individens vilja att arbeta. Författarna drar slutsatsen att arbetsgivares kunskap om motivation kan vara användbart för att stimulera de behov individen har.</p>