The purpose of this research project was to explore a model of transformative learning for the promotion of successful aging in group counselling and psychotherapy. This project explored how a model of life review, including guided autobiography (Birren & Deutchman, 1991) and enactment(s) in group psychodrama (Westwood, 1997) contributes to transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991, 1998). Successful aging emphasizes the potential for psychological growth rather than decline across the life span. In a field study, I used an ethnographic approach with an emphasis on reflexivity (Atkinson & Hammersley, 1994; Fisher, 1995). For this model, seven co-researchers, graduate students and professionals in practise, engaged in life review enactments in the context of group psychodrama. Evidence for communicative and emancipatory action two major domains of transformative learning (Mezirow, 1991), emerged from the data analysis. Six major themes, including four process themes and two content themes emerged: 1) the reflexive reconstruction of the self; 2) co-construction of the meaning of experience; 3) moral betrayal and social injustice; 4) leadership and creating a democratic public space; 5) action planning: individual and social action; and, 6) dreams as a template for actions. These central themes are described. Case examples from the stories of the co-researchers are offered as clarification. Suggestions and implications for future research and practise are discussed. / Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies / Graduate

Bibliography: pages 141-151. / Distance education promises to broaden access to education to an increasing number and variety of learners in the "new South Africa". The construction and presentation of course texts is a critical factor in whether that promise is fulfilled. The producers of texts, working in their specific socio-cultural contexts, select and sequence the concepts they teach and create voices in the text which work in place of actual teachers. These textual voices interact with readers in a variety of communicative and educative ways, opening to greater or fewer styles of learning, and constructing a wider or narrower range of identities for readers. This results in learning styles being more or less able to be engaged, and learners being more or less able to identify with identities constructed for them by the text. The learner identities so constructed are sustained by combinations of political, educational and global discourses which reflect, challenge or perpetuate social power relations, such as gender

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / This paper focuses on an investigation into adult students, experiences related to access, barriers to participation and success at a TVET college in the Western Cape. Through recognition of prior learning (RPL) many adult students have gained access to TVET colleges to obtain a qualification as educare practitioners. Many educare practitioners have worked in the ECD field for many years without a qualification. RPL provides an opportunity for these practitioners to upskill themselves and more importantly uplift themselves, giving them hope for a better future. The RPL offers adult students hope of advancement amidst challenging circumstances experienced in the past, thereby changing the tide in the latter years of their lives.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether external conditions, in the form of an e-learning tool, impact the learning motivation of adult learners in a distance education environment. This study also tested the use of Voice-over-PowerPoint™ technology as a suitable medium to deliver motivational instruction as supplementary content to the course curriculum. This empirical study was conducted over a period of approximately two months on a sample of 57 adult learners who were enrolled for a distance education course for non-degree purposes at a tertiary education institution. Quantitative research methods were applied and data was collected using two motivation measuring surveys: (1) The Course Interest Survey, and (2) The Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, which were both developed by Keller. Motivational strategies were designed for the chosen educational technology, Voice-over-PowerPoint™ (VoP) videos, using Keller's Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation. These strategies were then delivered via the learner management system for learners to use at their convenience. This research suggests that overall, learner motivation can be affected by external conditions (VoP videos), and further supports the ARCS model. Furthermore, the use of VoP videos as a viable medium for delivering motivational strategies in a distance learning environment was validated. / Mini Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Taxation / MCom / Unrestricted

Immigration and language learning are topics of interest to many people around the world; it is a daily concern for immigrants and for people who are welcoming immigrants to their country. Canada has experienced a lot of immigration for many years, and is therefore a suitable location for research on language learning and language use. Canucks English Centre (CEC) is an education centre where mostly women attend to improve their English skills, as well as take other courses that are relevant to their situation as low income parents. Through qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 13 women that have at some point taken classes at CEC, information about female English learners' subjective experiences were examined. The aim of this research project was to learn more about English learners' language use, and how social interaction in English was experienced by the individual. This study also set out to learn more about individual action and choices made by the women in an effort to learn more English. This research project describes the reality for women that are learning English and living their lives at the same time. The interviews revealed many challenges faced by women in their situation, for example lack of time, money and support to attend classes. On the other hand, the research describes active choices made by the women to improve their English skills, such as volunteering or choosing neighbourhoods where people speak English. A factor that has a big impact on the women's motivation to learn English was the desire to help their children with their school and to communicate with their children's teachers. A major finding was that almost all women were unsatisfied with their ability to use English. This finding is something that needs more attention, as every woman should feel confident and competent enough to communicate in the official language of the country in which they live.

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to understand the individual and organizational training needs of a military training organization (MTO), which trains battle staffs to inform professional development program design. The study findings might lead to an improved trainer professional development program design, which fully supports the organization’s and trainers’ efforts to deliver effective adult training. The exploratory questions used in this study were: (a) in what ways do participants in MTO perceive trainer and professional development experiences throughout their military and professional careers; (b) what are participants’ perceptions of training needs in MTO; (c) what are participants’ ideas for developing and implementing a trainer professional development program to meet these needs. The theoretical frameworks for this research were based on Knowles’s adult learning principles (2015), Lawler and King’s (2002) Adult Learning Model for Faculty Development, and the U.S. military’s Instructional Systems Design (ISD or ADDIE) model. The data in this study were documents and artifacts, semi-structured interviews, and a researcher reflection journal. The exploratory case study revealed six major themes: (a) trainer experiences, (b) professional development experiences, (c) organizational issues, (d) training issues, (e) organizational solutions, and (f) professional development approaches and activities. MTO participants’ revealed perceptions of organizational issues related to leadership, mission and purpose, standards, personnel, and resistance to change which affected training performance. They also identified training performance issues in material development, delivery, and evaluation due to knowledge and skills deficiencies in instructional design and adult learning principles. MTO participants suggested various professional development approaches and activities for the organizational and training issues needs identified. The study’s results suggested the professional development recommendations and implications might inform changes to MTO’s existing professional development program and generate organizational inertia to further explore and address the organizational and training issues identified. The results also add to the body of literature on adult training, professional development, and training needs analysis.

The purpose of this study is to research possibilities to create educational programs at large companies that engage employees using the company intranet to contribute to the development and efficiency of the business. The goal is to through experience of employees and related research suggest pedagogically and technically effective methods to introducing company employees to an intranet. The importance of this study lies in its potential to increase a more operational use of intranets. What has been done in this thesis is an investigation of what a large consultant company need in terms of introduction to a system e.g. an intranet, a customer relation management system or a time report system. A study of what is available in terms of earlier work and research has been done. Interviews and surveys were completed to get to know the experiences that employees at a company has in the area. The most important results from the investigation are that e-learning is especially suitable to large consultant companies. It is also that a company need more than informal learning, even if the system to learn is intuitive. What are also significant outcomes that are important to e-learning at companies is the organization of courses and of learning so that the learner knows of existence of a course, where to find it and that there is an organization for updating the material and maintaining the quality of the course. What is also important is to have a clear reason for the employee to attend the course. The possibility to get an overview of the course and a time schedule of the course facilitates learning for employees. That the learners are able to discuss the course material and get feedback on the results does also facilitate the learning. Learners also get motivated from practical training that is directly applicable in work. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka möjligheter att skapa utbildningsprogram till stora företag som engagerar de anställda som använder företagets intranät att bidra till utvecklingen och effektiviteten av verksamheten. Målet är att genom erfarenheter från anställda och annan forskning föreslå pedagogiskt och tekniskt effektiva metoder för att introducera anställda till ett intranät. Det som har gjorts i studien är en undersökning av vad som efterfrågas av ett stort konsultföretag i form av en introduktion till ett system, t.ex. ett intranät, ett customer relation managment-system eller ett tidrapporteringssystem. En undersökning av vad som finns tillgängligt i form av tidigare forskning har gjorts. Intervjuer och enkäter har genomförts för att ta del av erfarenheter som anställda på ett företag har i området. De viktigaste resultaten från studien är att e-lärande är speciellt lämpligt för stora konsultföretag. Ett företag behöver mer än bara informellt lärande även då systemet är intuitivt. Vad som också är betydelsefulla resultat från studien som är viktigt för e-lärande på företag är organiseringen av kurser och lärande så att kursdeltagaren vet att det existerar en kurs, var den finns och att det finns en organisation för uppdatering av materialet och att bibehålla kvaliteten på kursen. Vad som också är viktigt är att ha en självklar anledning tillgänglig för den anställde att delta i kursen. Möjligheten att få en översikt av kursen och ett tidsschema för kursen underlättar lärande. Att kursdeltagaren har möjlighet att diskutera kursmaterialet och att få feedback från resultaten underlättar även det lärandet. Kursdeltagare blir även motiverade av praktisk användbar utbildning som är direkt applicerbar i arbetet.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / This research study is informed by the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (2013) in which the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) sets out its focus and priorities concerning higher education and training. The main purpose of this study is to find out how mature students participate despite the barriers that they experience while participating in post-school education and to offer an opportunity to achieve greater clarity about the way that the students who exercised agency overcame the barriers that they faced and in turn, achieved success.

The aim of this study has been to examine how distance education is different from regular education, what problems arise from these differences and what strategies maya id in solving those. This should be seen in the light of a reported increase in the demand for flexible courses for educating adults and an ongoing development project. Qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers currently teaching both regular and distance courses in subjects containing chemistry. It was found that the teachers view of the differences and problems associated with distance education was; large number of drop-outs, the teacher as a guide, limitations on online communication, lack of interaction between students and uncertainties regarding the motivation of the students. As drop-out rates have been determined to chiefly depend on factors outside the control och either the school or the teacher the attention was turned toward three main areas; motivation, interactions and discussions and the role of the teacher. Previous studies have found that motivation differs for adult and youth learners, but a possible pathway is to work with building the student’s self-efficacy. Student interaction was perhaps the biggest issue seen by the teachers and there are no sure-fire ways to improve it. The suggestion offered is to have a introductory period with intense activity from the teacher, and potentially a face-to-face meeting. Although the teacher should generally stay away from any active student-discussion, a certain amount of moderation might be prudent. The interviewees felt that the role of the teacher was more that of a guide, but it should also be added that it contains elements of motivator, moderator and instigator of discussions.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / The post-modem society is described as a society on the move, a phenomenon the anthropologist, (Vigouroux, 2005) describes as 'flows'. These flows are mostly manifested by people moving in and towards countries with better economic prospects. In most African countries there is a large-scale migration from rural to urban areas and a lot of trans-national migration across countries, due to recent socio-economic and socio-political trends. Democracy in South Africa became a powerful drawing card on the African continent for those nations plagued by poverty, unemployment and civil wars and migration to South Africa became increasingly popular. Therefore, democracy in South Africa is also a spatial process, which transcends local and national geographical spaces.