This case study examined how a group of young girls at a secondary school in northern England made sense of their participation in a gender specific vocational education initiative designed to encourage female interest in skilled trade education and professions. The investigation consists of a qualitative case study that included ‘practical’ and historical components. On the practical side, the study looked at a gender specific initiative (girls only) aimed at Year 9 students (12-14 years old) at Garden Road Community and Technology School. The one-day sessions were held at local area colleges or vocational education and training (VET) training facilities and covered skilled trade fields that are traditionally male-dominated (e.g. automotive, construction and engineering). My methodology for the study consisted of two data sources, interviews and a review of public VET policy-related documents. The data was gathered using two methods, with individual and group interviews as the primary one, and public VET policy-related document analysis as the secondary one. In total, 13 current, 2 former and an additional 2 formerly registered (now graduates who decided to pursue non-traditional vocational education and professions) students at the school were interviewed. Beside former and current students, interviews were conducted with 2 instructors and 1 senior administrator at the school. The selection of government policy-related documents covered 2002 to 2011. The study is framed by a feminist informed genealogy that invokes Foucault’s (1990) notion of ‘biopower’ and Pillow’s (2003) notion of the ‘gendered body.’ Meanwhile, Ted Aoki’s (2003) concepts of curriculum-as-plan and curricula-as-lived are used to analyze and discuss the review of UK government policy-related documents and participant narratives. The theme-based presentation of student narratives centred on the girls’ understanding and experience of: the session process and content; gender; non-traditional VET as educational and occupational options; and the impact of the sessions on their educational and professional choices. The student narratives suggest several things that relate to their understanding of gender and non-traditional VET. First, the sessions proved to be both interesting and informative and students expressed an interest in taking part in more (and) varied gender-specific sessions. Second, traditional constructions of gender and gendered behavior are commonly used in job-related discourse as evidenced by the use of the terms ‘boys jobs’ and ‘girls jobs’ among the students. In addition, students had limited opportunities for exposure to non-traditional VET education and professions; and what knowledge they do have is generally dependent upon family knowledge and experience in the area. From a document review standpoint, the findings show that government commitment in terms of interest and financial backing for VET has been inconsistent. Resultantly, schools are left to identify and maintain a range of community-based partnerships that may not always see gender segregation in VET as a major concern. The significance of this study rests in the presentation of the girls’ ‘lived curriculum’ and ‘gendered’ experiences as points that can offer insight into what transpires within vocational education initiatives and settings. Furthermore, from a feminist perspective the research also highlights the continued need to work with schools on how gender is presented, discussed and understood among students. Failure to consider the gendered nature of discourse about education and professional options that takes place within school and class settings limits students’ perspectives about what is available and possible.

Education is one of the deciding factors for poverty alleviation and economic growth. Governments of developing countries is struggling to meet the demand for qualitative education and the nation of Namibia is no exception. Namibia is struggling with the lack of a skilled workforce and the lack of access to qualitative higher education has been identified as one of the prime causes. ICTs have been identified as a potential enabler for an increased access and quality of education in Namibia. This study employed a qualitative approach to examining the success factors and challenges that applies to e-learning at the University of Namibia (UNAM). The study identified a multitude of critical factors within 5 different areas: i) Access, ii) User motivation, -attitude and -awareness, iii) Systematic approach, iv) Evaluation and analytical challenges, and v) Transforming the education. This rapport will discuss the role of e-learning at UNAM, the factors that are critical for e-learning at the learning institution and how this correlate with previous findings made by the scientific community on similar issues.

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Den våldsamma konflikten på Moluckerna (1999-2002) porträtteras ibland i termer av motsättningar mellan kristna och muslimer. Denna studie problematiserar den bilden genom att analysera flera konfliktfaktorer som belyses ur två perspektiv.Det första syftet med denna studie var att jämföra tidigare forskning gällande konfliktfaktorer i Moluckerna med lokala ungdomars perception. Det finns en forskningslucka rörande ungdomarnas upplevelser av konflikten, vilket denna studie syftar till att överbrygga. Ett andra syfte var att analysera diskrepansen mellan den akademiska litteraturen och ungdomarnas underifrånperspektiv.Det avslutande syftet var att applicera teorin om kollektiv skuldkänsla för att förklara och analysera ungdomarnas minnen och uppfattningar om konfliktfaktorerna i Moluckerna. En kvalitativ fallstudieansats har valts eftersom den kan inkludera både djupintervjuer och en litteraturgenomgång. Sex djupintervjuer genomfördes i Indonesien som utforskade ungdomarnas uppfattningar. Den källkritiskt granskade litteraturgenomgången användes för att erhålla data från sekundärkällor angående samma konfliktfaktorer, som undersöktes I samband med intervjuerna.Den första delen av analysen visade att det finns en diskrepans mellan de två perspektiven när det gäller några av konfliktfaktorerna. Analysen av kollektiv skuldkänsla visade att ungdomarna bara upplevde en begränsad känsla av kollektiv skuld. Detta berodde på att alla strategier som minskar den kollektiva skuldkänslan var representerade i ungdomarnas uppfattningar. Den mest använda strategin var att beskylla några "svarta får", eller i detta fall, några provokatörer för skadan den egna gruppen orsakat den motsatta gruppen. / The violent conflict in the Moluccas (1999-2002) has occasionally been portrayed in terms of animosities between Christians and Muslims. This study problematizes that statement by analysing several conflict drivers seen through two perspectives.The first purpose of this study was to contrast previous research regarding conflict factors in the Moluccas to the perceptions of the local youths’. There is a research gap regarding the youths’ experiences of the conflict, which this study aims to bridge. A second purpose was to analyse discrepancy between the academic literature and the youths’ bottom-up perspective. The final purpose was to apply the theory of collective guilt to explain and analyse the youths’ memories and perceptions regarding the conflict factors in the Moluccas. A qualitative case study approach was adopted since it could include both in-depth interviews and an assessed literature review. Six in-depth interviews were conducted in Indonesia which explored the youth’s perceptions. The critically assessed literature review was used to obtain data from secondary sources regarding the same conflict factors, as was explored by the interviews.The first part of the analysis exposed a discrepancy between the two perspectives regarding some of the conflict factors. The collective guilt analysis found that the youths only seem to experience a rather limited feeling of collective guilt. This is because all strategies to reduce collective guilt were represented in the youths’ perceptions. The most used strategy was to blame a few ‘black sheep’, or in this context a few provocateurs for the harm inflicted by the in-group, towards the out-group.