The diploma thesis is focused on the topic of transformative learning in connection with adult experiential learning. The goal of the thesis is to identify transformative effects in the interpretation of participants' experiences which are caused by experiential learning courses. The concept of transformative learning is mainly examined by foreign authors who look at the concept from different perspectives. This thesis deals with a qualitative survey which is based on the reflection of the common framework of transformative learning, including its various concepts and topic of adult experiential learning. Respondents of the survey are nine employees in management positions who have completed a long-term development program focused on management skills. The development of semi-structured interview with respondents was aimed at identifying a shift in "knowing" and changes in thinking, perception and action throughout life. The analysis of qualitative data brings concrete implications in the interpretation of experience in work and personal life. Key words transformative learning, Jack Mezirow, perspective transformation, disorienting dilemma, critical reflection, dialogue, experiential education, Kolb's learning cycle, experience

Awareness of the sustainability of our natural resources is a continuing concern. Initiatives promoting environmental adult education (EAE) through professional development (PD) workshops ensure educators' have the knowledge and skills to inform their audience about environmental literacy and stewardship. However, these workshops have rarely been monitored. Specifically, it appears no researchers have focused on the reflective experiences of an EAE PD workshop on educator participants at least 5 years after participation. This basic qualitative study used telephone interviews of 8 past participants to explore whether and how they perceive their behavior changing in relation to natural resources conservation years after the EAE PD, and how they shared these changes with others. Through the contextual lens of EAE with a focus on outdoor experiential learning and transformative learning theories, five major themes emerged including: (a) becoming a more effective educator; (b) becoming more aware of the importance of conservation; (c) experiencing positive emotional effects; (d) changing behaviors that impact the environment; and (e) experiences of the EAE PD location. Implications for positive social change were found in the expressed experiences, content, and application of the EAE PD that ignited new means for approaching curriculum- specific content with a heightened focus on the importance of the conservation of natural resources.

Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was designed to explore affordances and constraints to teacher learning as workplace learning during a time of change as initiated by the Index for Inclusion process. In particular the study investigated features on the macro-social and macro-educational level that impact on teacher learning in the workplace and the affordances and constraints to teacher learning that could be identified on the institutional-community plane as the pivotal plane of analysis for this study. It also explored features on the personal plane that impact teacher learning in the workplace. The theoretical framework of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) provided a broad platform from which to engage with the study. In particular, the work of Engeström, as a contemporary contributor in the field of CHAT, informed this study. The investigation into teacher learning in the workplace during a time of change was designed as a critical ethnographic study and was conducted in a primary school in a disadvantaged community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A qualitative methodology was employed. The study allowed for a critical in-depth analysis of affordances and constraints to teacher learning in the workplace by making use of an abductive process of data analysis and presentation, which implies a movement between an inductive and deductive process of knowledge creation. The data was presented in broad themes, an ethnographic narrative using the triangular structure of activity as developed by Engeström, and in pen sketches depicting the learning trajectories of two teachers. The data revealed that the Index for Inclusion employed as tool of change in this study did indeed allow for teacher learning for inclusion in the workplace. It raised awareness of inclusive education, contributed to a shared language for inclusion in the school and created the platform for teachers to engage with own attitudes and practices in a safe and supportive environment. Certain teachers attested to significant learning gains. However, the study also highlighted how a school could act as a restrictive environment for teacher learning and the complex processes involved in changing such an environment to become more expansive in support of teacher learning for inclusion. Several factors acted as severe constraints to teacher learning. On the macro-social level, poverty and the consequences of apartheid in South Africa acted as significant constraints to expansive teacher learning. With regard to the macro-educational level, teachers struggled with innovation overload and the absence of meaningful training and support for change that negatively affected their morale, motivation and self-efficacy. On the institutional level the leadership approach in the school proved particularly detrimental to expansive teacher learning. Teacher cognition, attitude and emotion also constrained their own engagement with the learning opportunity afforded by the Index for Inclusion process in the school. The students were not allowed a platform for their voices to be heard. Furthermore, neither their parents nor the community was invited into collaborative partnerships with the staff. On the personal level the study engaged with the possibility that individual teachers could gradually bring the necessary changes into the school on the grounds of their own positive learning experience through the Index for Inclusion process. The hope for change in the school was thus embodied in individual teachers’ agency, energy and incentive to work towards sustaining the progress that had been made by means of the Index for Inclusion process in the school. Keywords: teacher learning, workplace learning, inclusive education, Index for Inclusion, culturalhistorical activity theory (CHAT). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie is ontwerp om ondersoek in te stel na die eienskappe van ʼn skoolomgewing wat onderwyser-leer in die werkplek moontlik maak in ʼn tyd van verandering soos deur die Index for Inclusion-proses geïnisieer, asook na die beperkinge binne dié omgewing (Engels: ‘affordances and constraints’). Daar is in die besonder ondersoek ingestel na die eienskappe op die makro-sosiale en makro-onderwysvlak wat onderwyser-leer in die werkplek beïnvloed, na die geleenthede en beperkinge vir onderwyser-leer wat op die institusioneel-gemeenskapsvlak as die kritieke vlak van analise vir hierdie studie geïdentifiseer kon word, asook na eienskappe op die persoonlike vlak wat ʼn invloed het op onderwyser-leer in die werkplek. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die kultureel-historiese aktiwiteitsteorie (Engels: ‘cultural-historical activity theory’ oftewel CHAT) het ʼn breë platform gebied vanwaar daar met die studie omgegaan kon word. Die werk van Engeström, as ʼn kontemporêre bydraer op die gebied van CHAT, het veral die studie gerig. Die ondersoek na onderwyser-leer in die werkplek in ʼn tyd van verandering is as ʼn kritiese etnografiese studie ontwerp en is in ʼn laerskool in ʼn benadeelde gemeenskap in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika uitgevoer. ’n Kwalitatiewe metodologie is gebruik. ʼn Kritiese diepte-ontleding is gedoen van geleenthede en beperkinge vir onderwyser-leer in die werkplek deur ʼn abduktiewe proses van data-analise en -aanbieding, wat ʼn beweging tussen ʼn induktiewe en deduktiewe proses van kennisskepping impliseer. Die data is op drieërlei wyse aangebied: in breë temas en patrone; as ʼn etnografiese narratief wat Engeström se driehoekstruktuur van aktiwiteit gebruik; en in die vorm van pensketse wat die leertrajekte van twee onderwysers uitbeeld. Die data het aangetoon dat die Index for Inclusion wat as instrument vir verandering in hierdie studie aangewend is, wel onderwyser-leer vir insluiting in die werkplek tot gevolg gehad het. Dit het ʼn bewustheid rakende inklusiewe onderwys verhoog, die onderwysers is blootgestel aan die terminologie van inklusiewe onderwys en ʼn veilige en ondersteunende omgewing is geskep waarin onderwysers aandag kon gee aan hulle eie gesindhede en praktyke. Sekere onderwysers het van betekenisvolle leerwinste getuig. Die studie het egter ook duidelik gewys hoe ʼn skool ʼn beperkende omgewing kan wees vir onderwyser-leer en vir die komplekse prosesse wat betrokke is by die verandering van so ʼn omgewing om dit meer omvattend te laat word ter ondersteuning van onderwyser-leer vir insluiting. Verskeie faktore het onderwyser-leer erg beperk. Op die makro-sosiale vlak het armoede en die gevolge van apartheid in Suid-Afrika die onderwyser-leer beduidend beperk. Op die makro-onderwysvlak het onderwysers weens innovasieoorlading probleme ervaar. Die afwesigheid van betekenisvolle opleiding en ondersteuning vir verandering het ook ʼn negatiewe uitwerking op hul moraal, motivering en selfwerksaamheid gehad. Op die institusionele vlak het die leierskapsbenadering besonder nadelig geblyk te wees vir uitgebreide onderwyser-leer. Onderwyserkognisie, -houding en -emosie het ook daartoe bygedra om hul eie betrokkenheid by die leergeleentheid wat deur die Index for Inclusion-proses gebied is, te beperk. Die studente is nie ʼn ruimte toegelaat waar hulle stemme gehoor kon word nie en nóg hul ouers nóg die gemeenskap is uitgenooi om deel te hê aan kollaboratiewe vennootskappe met die personeel. Op persoonlike vlak het die studie die moontlikheid ondersoek dat individuele onderwysers op grond van hul eie positiewe leerervaring tydens die Index for Inclusion-proses geleidelik die nodige veranderinge in die skool invoer. Deur individuele onderwysers se toedoen, energie en aansporing bly die hoop bestaan dat die goeie werk wat deur die Index for Inclusion-proses in die skool bereik is, volhou sal word. Sleutelwoorde: onderwyser-leer, leer in die werksplek, inklusiewe onderwys, ‘Index for Inclusion’, kultureel-historiese aktiwiteitsteorie.

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This thesis is oriented to The Intensity of Experience and its role in The Dramaturgy of Experiential Courses. The main concepts: The Intensity of Experience and The Dynamics of Experience, are described in the theoretical part. At first, the author defines the concept of The Intensity of Experience, furthermore she describes diferences between The Intensity and Dynamics of Experience in order to implement both concepts into the context of Experiential Education. The second chapter is aimed at Experiential Courses, their background and history, principles of Experiential Education and Dramaturgy of Experiential Education Courses. The main part of the thesis is the third chapter, which is devoted to quantitative-qualitative research. This research is focused on The Intensity of Experience evaluated by the participants, which the author further compares with The Intensity of Experience intended by instructors. The research results indicate differences between The Intensity of Experience intended by the instructor and The Intensity of Experience that participants felt after courses.

The dissertation is trying to find out, if there are used only animation technics in the leisure education, or if it is affected with manipulation as all other parts of our life. For the objective answer there was a need to define clearly the manipulation, it´s various forms and then also concepts, which are directly connected with manipulation or on the contrary they should exclude it. It was primarily about authority, freedom, might, and the mass behaviour. Subsequently it was necessary to concentrate on various types of education and on the occurrence of manipulation in them. After finding out that manipulation became the part of education it was convenient, for the needs of this dissertation to define the manipulation from the ethical point of view. The last chapter evaluates the individual methods and practical instructions of leisure education, trying to find out if manipulation occures in them, or if it is about the pedagogical influencing which means the ethical acceptable form of manipulation.

The thesis deals with dramaturgy as used and implemented in selected areas of the arts ? literature, theater, film and music. Besides these four artistic disciplines experiential education is mentioned with its understanding of dramaturgy. On the basis of information submitted, the thesis focuses on the comparison of artistic fields with experiential education. In addition the thesis handles the question of applying the principles of dramaturgy in school teaching.

The thensis consists of theoretical part and of practical part. Firstly, the art therapy is defined in the theoretical part. Moreover, the experiential education - its history and present is presented. The last chapter of the theoretical part comprises a reflection about the relation between the art therapy and experiential education.

Hanková This thesis focuses on the experiential pedagogy about the implementation of personal and social education. The research aims to investigate and describe the determinants of the experiential pedagogy, particularly about the didactical thinking of group teachers who plan and implement teaching personal and social education in a Czech basic school. The theoretical grounds of this current study are based on the extensive comparison of heterogenous terminology of experiential pedagogy, general didactics, and didactics of personal and social education. This study adopts the qualitative research paradigm with multiple-case- studies research design. The data have been gathered from thematic writing and focus group interviews which were analysed by the content analysis method with the support of axial analysis. The analysis of didactical thinking is concerned with the objective and the experience as a means of learning and reflection and revealed that teachers determine their didactical thinking and practice by the knowledge of the group and individuals concerning psychological safety. The experience during the game is understood as a way of learning facilitated by reflection. The interpretations concur with the constructivist teaching practices based on a socio-cognitive conflict as a learning...

This study was conducted to determine the change, and the factors influencing the change, in the participant’s affinity for nature resulting from an environmental education experience. In addition, this study also examined the change and factors of change in aspects of the participant’s affinity for nature that directly relate to marine and coastal resources and environments. An adapted version of the Affinity for Nature scale, an outcome measuring instrument used by the American Camp Association was used to collect data from participants (n=529) at Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School and Camp Ocean Pines, whose experience included an overnight component and a marine science component in the curriculum. Comparisons of overall mean scores were used to determine if affinity for nature changed due to participation in the environment education program. Analysis of variance was used to determine which participant characteristic and experiential variables had a significant influence on affinity for nature index scores. Findings indicated that participation in environmental education experience had a positive change on affinity for nature scores. Residence, ethnicity/language, and gender were also found to significantly influence sense of community various affinity for nature index scores.