Home Group Bible Studies, Fellowship Groups, or Home Cells, to name a few, provide an opportunity for worshipping Christians to meet on a frequent basis for varied reasons but most often to study and learn from the Bible. The existing adult education literature on this international and local practice is scant. This dissertation explores a case of nonformal learning by adults in a Johannesburg-based Methodist home group bible study. The theoretical lenses used to explore the learning of six adults are Lave and Wenger’s (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) Community of Practice theory, and Dirkx (Dirkx, 2000, 2001; Dirkx, Mezirow, & Cranton, 2006), English (English, 2000; English & Gillen, 2000) and Tisdell’s (Tisdell, 1999, 2008) Holistic Learning theories. Dirkx’s (2001) theory of holistic learning is situated as a critique of Mezirow’s Transformative Learning theory. The research is conducted in the interpretive paradigm. Case study methodology is used to richly describe the learning and change in three couples within a home group bible study in the context of the home church and Methodism more generally. Data collection methods include observations of home group bible study sessions, semi-structured interviews, programme notes from the bible study programme followed, and journals written by five of the six participants. The analysis of the data takes as its point of departure the voices of the participants, and the description and history of the home group. This study provides opportunity to theorise the learning and changes experienced by the members of this nonformal adult education enterprise, and to contribute to existing literature. Whilst the bible study home group as a whole and the case study participants in particular foreground their learning as rational, cognitive and academic, this study reveals the multidimensionality of their learning. The most significant learning in action is situated within the affective learning domain. Extrarational ways of knowing, intuition and feelings exist in their own right and lead to holistic learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The Institutes of Nursing in the United Arab Emirates adopted a new approach for educating and training the Diploma Nursing students in 1997. This approach emphasized the use of case-based learning, which was characterized by self-directed and cooperative learning. As the students were experiencing changes in the educational setting and teaching practices it was important to determine the impact of the teaching and learning approaches on students' learning, and to describe suggestions needed for improvement. The purposes of this study were to determine the learning styles and stages of self-direction in learning for students at Abu Dhabi Institute of Nursing, and to investigate whether there was a relationship between learning style, stage of self-direction and academic performance in courses taught by the case-based method. This study was guided by Kolb's theory of Experiential Learning, and Grow's theory of the Staged Self-Directed Learning Model. Kolb's learning style inventory and a self designed tool to measure stages of self-direction were administered to 186 students, who agreed to participate in the study. The design was a descriptive correlational one, and data was analyzed by descriptive, correlation, and inferential statistics methods. The assimilator learning style was the most predominant learning style (35.5%) followed by the converger (29.6%). Accommodators and divergers had equal percentage (17%) for each. As for the stages in self-direction, most of the students rated themselves in the moderate stages of self-direction (67.2%), however, Diploma III had the higest percentage of high self-directed learners (57%). Significant relationship was found between learning styles and academic performance, where convergers and divergers scored higher than assimilators and accommodators. Also a significant relationship was found between the stage of self-direction in learning and academic performance, where students in higher stages of self-direction had higher mean scores compared to students in low and moderate stages of self-direction. / Thesis (M.Cur.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.

The aim of this research was to compare the pain experience of cardiac surgical patients who attended the Acute Pain Service (APS) education program with cardiac surgical patients who did not attend the APS. The participants of both groups, pain levels, consumption of total analgesia, anxiety levels, satisfaction with pain management, ratios of self-administered bolus doses and failed attempts on Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) device and their length of hospital stay were compared. The findings indicated no statistical significant differences between the two groups being investigated in relation to pain levels, total analgesia consumed, anxiety levels, satisfaction with pain management, total demands and delivery attempts on the PCA and their length of hospital stay. The clinical mplications are significant. The preoperative pain management education program provided by APS clinical nurses for cardiac surgical patients does not have the positive outcomes expected.

Over the 1980s secondary schools and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges in South Australia had increasing numbers of adults returning to formal secondary education mainly in search of better jobs or to qualify for tertiary studies. The teaching of such students required an appreciation of the difficulties they faced with the competing demands of family and work, and the anxieties they had in meeting the requirements of formalised study. In 1989 the South Australian Government made a policy decision, to transfer all the year 11 and 12 classes which TAFE colleges had specially established for adult students to the public secondary school system. Funds were allocated for the establishment of a secondary school system wide structure of nine Adult Re-entry sites, eight of which are still successfully operating within the Department of Education and Children’s Services. Whilst adult educational sites existed elsewhere, no other Australian state had a comparable systemic secondary school structure designed for adults returning to study. As a teacher of adult re-entry students, I sought to investigate the historical factors behind the policy decision to establish of adult re-entry sites within the secondary school system, to research the development of adult programs at a particular site and to study the experiences of adult students, analysing in particular why they returned to formal studies. Overseas studies indicated that to understand the personal worlds of adult students two sets of factors needed to be taken into account. External social and cultural factors influenced their current situation and their life experiences. Internal psychological factors helped to determine how they responded to the new demands of study. Four different educational responses to adult students could be identified. Direct and structured teaching could be seen in many vocational training models. Programs based on andrological principles put the emphasis on the individual’s self – directed learning. A third approach was focussed on critical pedagogy which sought to change society. There was also evidence of a holistic approach, which was centred on the adult learners but provided sympathetic educators to support their learning. The researcher’s underlying perspective in carrying out this study was that associated with Weber’s social action theory, because of the way it enabled emphasis to be placed on the actions of individuals and their interpretations of their actions in their social and cultural contexts. In this research portfolio the individuals concerned were politicians and educational administrators making policy decisions (Part 1); teachers developing appropriate programs (Part 2); and adult students deciding to return to studies and participating in adult programs (Part 3). Part 1 of Portfolio Two main sources of data were used to investigate the reasons for the 1989 policy decision to establish a system of adult re-entry colleges and schools within the Education Department of South Australia. The first was the official Hansard record of debates in the South Australian Parliament during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The second was a series of interviews with the Minister of Education involved and key officials in the Departments of Education and TAFE. The debates were focussed on the ideal educational location for adult re-entry students. Arguments based on the perspective of social justice and the special needs of adult students led to the establishment of a formal network of sites and programs to cater for the needs of adults within the secondary school sector. Despite the closure of one site in 1996 and funding readjustments in 1998, by 2005 adult re-entry colleges and schools had a well established role in South Australian public education system. Part 2 of Portfolio The investigation into the development of adult re-entry programs on one site was based on documents available in the Research School chosen – annual statistics, reports, curriculum, administration and journals. In addition, key members of staff involved in the adult program were interviewed. There was evidence of the way the adult program had changed over the period 1990 - 2005 in response to changing demography in the surrounding area and to changing needs and interests of those returning to study, as well as satisfying Departmental requirements. In recent years there has been a trend for more students to study part – time and to seek vocational rather than pre – university education. The provision of appropriate courses, resources and support was regarded by staff as important in the ongoing success of the adult re-entry program. Part 3 of Portfolio The investigation of adult students’ motivations and experiences in returning to study was based on the memoirs and personal statements of 40 adult re-entry students from the Research School. Their comments provided a unique understanding of the diverse personal worlds of adult re-entry students, their expectations, goals and aspirations, their difficulties and problems and their learning experiences. The formation of adult campuses in the secondary sector in South Australia was influenced by both pragmatic factors and by principles of social justice which sought to promote educational opportunities and offer those who had left school without recognised qualifications a second chance. Adult re-entry sites have continued to provide for the needs of adult learners in the communities they serve. They have made an important contribution both to the individual’s right to life – long learning and to society’s need for skilled workers and well educated professionals. During the twenty first century adult sites in South Australia within the Department of Education and Children’s Services have faced two challenges. The learning interests of adult students have changed, with more looking to the acquisition of technical and vocational skills. Furthermore, in order to remain viable, adult sites have had to maintain a high profile in relation to innovative policy development, student numbers, funding and resource allocation. Their successes have been due in large measure to their recognition that adult re-entry students were not big kids, but required specific educational structure and programs catering for their diverse learning needs. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1415385 / Thesis (D.Ed.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Education, 2009

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2007. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Oct. 30, 2007). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-122).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Wollongong, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 209-214.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers Colloge, Columbia University, 1992. / Includes tables. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Jack Mezirow. Dissertation Committee: Elizabeth Kassl. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 338-355).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1995. / Includes tables. Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: L. Lee Knefelkamp. Dissertation Committee: Marie Theresa O'Toole. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-108).

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri State University, 2008. / "December 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 21-22). Also available online.