Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-230). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-230). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, 1995. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-115).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2002. / Title from title page screen, viewed February 9, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Edward Hines (chair), Patricia H. Klass, Phyllis McCluskey-Titus, John Rugutt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-146) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--Denver Seminary, 1997. / This is an electronic reproduction of TREN, #090-0052. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-124).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1971. / Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 316-322).

This is the account of a qualitative study of practitioners in a low-cost counselling and psychotherapy scheme in a rural town. The practitioners within the organisation have been trained in two major modalities, psychodynamic and humanistic. The aim of the research is to look at how the three key psychoanalytic concepts: therapeutic alliance; transference and containment are understood and employed by these practitioners with the aim of demonstrating the differences, similarities and meeting points between the modalities. A total of twenty-eight participants met in six focus groups. These participants were already members of existing groups within the structure of the organisation i.e. the trustees, the management group and four mentor groups. The researcher was the Clinical Director of the service at the time of the study. She was the moderator in each group and an independent observer was present in each group. The discussions were recorded and transcribed and a thematic analysis was then undertaken. The psychoanalytic concepts were adopted as top down themes each with six associated sub-themes. Three further major themes were identified namely: the power dynamics in the therapy relationship; reference to theory: barrier or bridge to communication, and the therapy relationship. The thematic analysis revealed where the statements from the participants in the two modalities agreed, differed and/or demonstrated meeting points. The study includes a reflexivity section focussing on the dynamics of the researcher as the director of the organisation throughout the process, the contributions of the observer in the focus groups and the reflections of the participants about their experience in the focus groups. In addition, how the participants differed and what impact the research has had on the service was thought about in the context of the possible unconscious processes present in this work setting. It was found that there were key differences in the way practitioners from each modality approached the psychoanalytic concepts, but there were also differences between practitioners of the same modality. The differences about theoretical language and experts were substantial. Overall, the participants were able to discuss the subjects and exchange differing viewpoints with enthusiasm and curiosity. These findings are not generalizable to all psychotherapy services, but are likely to be relevant and transferable to those services, both voluntary and otherwise, that employ practitioners from different modalities. A conclusion was that it is not advisable to try and impose one way of working from one theoretical background onto another. This conclusion has implications for the service when providing training events, when matching practitioners with supervisors and when training mentors to lead and facilitate groups of practitioners from differing modalities. The study also offers contributions to the therapy world at large towards the contemporary thinking about the three psychoanalytic concepts, the timing of integrating therapy approaches, the value of mixed modality discussion groups, the obstacles to understanding that theoretical language can cause and the importance of the observation of the unconscious processes in such settings.

This thesis aims at examining the contribution of Vocational Education and Training (VET) to advancing Human Development (HD) and reducing inequality, using the example of Palestine as case-study rich in multi-layered inequalities, some of which are experienced in the region and worldwide, while others are specific to adverse conditions. The case of Palestine provides fertile ground for understanding inequality and human development, and for echoing the developed knowledge through to the understanding of VET and HD globally. The thesis contributes to the previous work on VET and HD introduced by McGrath (2012c) and shaped by many scholars, including McGrath and Powell, through the Capability Approach (CA). It uses Powell’s (2014) work on “aspiration” and capability lists (CL) and relates VET to human development within the Palestinian context. The thesis provides empirical evidence of the VET Learners’ and graduates’ capabilities and functions achievements through VET in the adverse conditions present in the Palestinian context. The thesis validates and develops the VET CL, integrating inequality elements and linking it to political economy theory. The thesis utilises Gender and Development Theory (GAD), complemented by the intersectionality approach. The research borrows Kabeer’s (1999) “empowerment framework”, based on the notion of “choice” in addressing disempowerment, to analyse how VET can contribute to reducing inequality. The thesis also engages with Political Economy arguments and specifically the work of Phillip Brown, Andy Green and Hugh Lauder (2001) on the need for “social transformation” to achieve the aim of a high skill society, suggesting an increased role for government and social partners and the political will for skills upgrading. In this regard, the thesis analyses how adopted policies are used to reduce or reproduce inequalities. The research used quantitative and qualitative methods, and engaged 1,240 people representing VET graduates, students, teachers, counsellors and management of VET institutes, in addition to policymakers on national and regional levels, as well as teachers and principals of general schools, employers, community representatives and government officials. 33 VET institutions were engaged representing the different VET providers being; governmental, non-governmental, semi-governmental and UN bodies. Selected institutes and consulted people presented different identified inequality elements. The Thesis presented empirical evidence on the increased value of VET for the marginalised, and for marginalised communities in adverse conditions. It presented that VET graduates’ achievements in employment, self-employment and different kind of work as well as in their speed in transiting to the World of Work (WOW) in comparison to their peers. Also presented their ability to generate income and other economic resources for poverty reduction and starting new families. In addition, it highlighted the empowerment achievements of the graduates and its link to achieving their aspirations. Confirming the transformation of the graduates through empowering the dis-empowered. Nevertheless, graduates were faced with internal and external structural challenges. Internal in social attitudes and institutional policies and measures, while the external is in the military occupation and its effects on mobility and socio-economic status. The structural challenges have clearly affected graduates functionings, and achievements of empowerment and aspirations. The thesis presented models of institutes and best-practices by others to support VET learners in overcoming some of the internal challenges, and highlighted the deficits in national policies and measures, it also highlighted a major international deficit. In addition, the thesis has presented the VET contribution to marginalised community resilience. The thesis presented methods of measuring empowerment, functionings and achievement of aspirations as voiced out from VET graduates and learners and triangulated with other resources. One of the main contributions of the thesis is in bringing in GAD to CA in HD approach to VET, and in linking them to political economy, providing a holistic framework to examine VET contribution to HD and reducing inequality. The thesis was able to link arguments about VET and inequality in an international context, and provided empirical evidence for the significance of the link between VET and empowerment in the reduction of inequality, thus indicating the importance of VET in the debate on inequality, and the importance of empowerment measures and goals for identifying the role of VET in reducing inequality and advancing human development.

The implementation of an inclusive education system in South Africa after 1994 has challenged public schools to revisit their management structures; and, in the process, it has offered learners with barriers to learning the opportunity to become independent and employable members of society – especially in disadvantaged school communities, where learners are often limited in their development because of financial constraints. However, many education policies – based on humanity, equality, social justice and accessibility – are often neglected at some schools; and this causes many learners with barriers to learning to lose heart or drop out of mainstream schools. The main aim of this study was to investigate and describe school leadership‟s management strategies to implement intervention programmes to the benefit of learners in need, since schools are required to accommodate and support all learners in partnership with the wider school community. To understand how these amendments influence disadvantaged schools, an in-depth qualitative inquiry was conducted with 10-13 different leaders, selected through purposive sampling, at each of three disadvantaged primary schools in Port Elizabeth that are directly responsible for teaching learners with barriers to learning. During the data-collection, individual interviews, group interviews and an observation were used. The process of content analysis was implemented to analyse the data. This entails coding, categorising, comparison and conclusion of the information. Four main themes emerged, namely: barriers to learning experienced in these disadvantaged schools; insufficient infrastructure in these schools; dealing with the problem at present; and possible interventions and guidelines, which were closely associated with the four sub-questions of the study – and eventually answered the research questions.

Retention is a concern for colleges and universities nationwide. The focus of this study is what a small private liberal arts college does well in terms of retaining students by examining the students who left the college for a minimum of one semester and then returned to finish their degree. A survey instrument was used to examine the positive impact the faculty, academic advising, academic program, student services, technology, and the living environment had on the return of reactivated students to Jamestown College (JC). The survey instrument was also used to find out the reasons students attended JC initially, why they left, why they came back, what they like the most, and what they like the least about JC. The faculty and staff of JC had the most positive impact on reactivated students returning to JC. Other factors that positively impacted the students included academic advising and programs of study.