Narrative inquiry was the qualitative method utilized to collect stories related to former migrant African American females who transformed their lives from migrant workers and found alternative career paths. Sustained poverty among migratory workers created a disenfranchised culture of uneducated citizens. A large part of this labor force was women. It was expected that this culture of poverty would perpetuate itself through generations. The universal stereotypes associated with impoverished migrants were so ingrained that overwhelmingly the majority of migrants accepted a life of poverty as prophesy. However, some former migrant African American women defied odds and rose above the cumulative effects of poverty. The major findings of this study revealed factors that significantly contributed to their success in a variety of professional careers: consistent family support, adaptive coping skills, catalyst for change, transformative learning, and meaningful relationships with non-family members, and commitment to community service. Sub-findings emerged that revealed that these additional factors also contributed to their success: value placed on education, strong belief in God, and leadership skills. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T14:32:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Martha Maria Prata Linhares.pdf: 11107574 bytes, checksum: 1db1bd1e71a37d90dd4f5c65bbf4c32f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-04-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research investigates how art contributes to the pedagogic development of higher education professors. The theoretical basis is rooted in a proposal for teacher development, which has transformative learning as its fundamental characteristic. The investigation was carried out during participative observation of a post-graduate specialization course in University Teaching. The research was carried out under a qualitative approach of the ethnographic type. The registers of the teachers that took part in the course during the pedagogic development as well as after it were analyzed. The documents include registers of in-class meetings, and registers posted in the virtual learning environment used during the course. The data collected point to the fact that some characteristics were important in this process: the presentation of art; environments that promote dialogue; critical-reflection and transformative learning. It is possible to observe that art is an element that furthers the transformation of the real meanings of what we know and the meanings that we give to what we know. We concluded that to work with art is not only a way of creating presentations or products, it is a manner of creating our lives, broadening our consciences giving form to our characteristics, satisfying our search for meanings, establishing contact with others and sharing culture. We draw attention to the fact that the development of university professors does not mean a simple acquisition of knowledge, but a transformation of the whole person, the teacher. The introduction of art allowed for the development of environments in which differences were promoted and not excluded, it offered a great opportunity for understanding and development of social awareness, it strengthened imagination helping the docents in the interpretation of their practices and the transformation of the real meanings of what we know and the meanings that we give to what we know. Our analysis showed that inclusion of art in the higher education professor development is a new element that can provoke change and contribute to the pedagogic growth of university professors / Esta pesquisa investiga como a arte contribui para a formação pedagógica de professores do ensino superior. Seus fundamentos teóricos estão alicerçados em uma proposta de formação de professores que tem como característica fundamental a aprendizagem transformativa. A investigação se desenvolveu a partir da observação participante de um curso de especialização em Docência Universitária. Para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa optou-se por uma abordagem qualitativa do tipo etnográfica. Foram analisados registros dos professores que participaram do curso tanto durante o período em que a formação pedagógica aconteceu como posterior a essa formação. Os documentos compreendem registros de encontros presenciais e registros postados no ambiente de aprendizagem virtual usado durante o curso. Os dados coletados apontam que algumas características foram importantes nesse processo: a introdução da arte; o uso de ambientes que promovessem o diálogo; a reflexão crítica e a aprendizagem transformativa. Observamos que a arte é um elemento que favorece a transformação de sentidos e significados que damos ao que sabemos. Pudemos concluir que trabalhar com as artes não é somente uma forma de criar apresentações ou produtos, é uma maneira de criar nossas vidas expandindo nossas consciências, dando forma às nossas características, satisfazendo nossas buscas pelos sentidos , estabelecendo contato com outros e compartilhando cultura. Chamamos a atenção para o fato de que a formação de professores universitários não se trata de uma simples aquisição de conhecimentos, mas de uma transformação da própria pessoa, do professor. A inclusão da arte favoreceu o desenvolvimento de ambientes onde as diferenças foram promovidas e não excluídas, proporcionou uma oportunidade maior de entendimento e leitura de mundo dos professores, potencializou a imaginação auxiliando os docentes na interpretação de suas práticas e a transformação de sentidos e significados que damos ao que sabemos. A nossa análise mostrou que a inclusão da arte na formação do professor universitário é um elemento novo que pode mudar e contribuir para a formação pedagógica dos professores universitários

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa Andrea Viana.pdf: 1072100 bytes, checksum: 6f8d3fc02d07898e6a125c5b06c47b24 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08-15 / The aim of this study was to understand the individual and social learning process happening between subjects participating in a social programme called Doutores Cidadãos, organized by the non profit organization Canto Cidadão. Moreover, it was meant to identify, analyse and describe what and how those subjects learn and how they apply those learning experiences in their personal and work life, based on the following question: What and how the volunteers learn individually and collectively when applying their volunteering activities? Therefore, it was designed three specific objectives: the first one was to identify, describe and analyse the individual learning processes this group of volunteers apply so as to develop their volunteer activities. The second one was to describe and analyse the social interactions role inside the environment where the volunteer activities happen, as well as their impact in the development of the learning process. The third and last one was to identify, describe and analyse what those volunteers apply regarding the volunteering experience learning in their formal and informal activities at work. It was carried out a basic or general qualitative study in the interpretational paradigm. The data were collected from the testimonial of 15 volunteer subjects participants in the project through semi structured interview, and analysed based on the template analysis proposed by Nigel King. We were based on the fact that the learning process must be looked at according to a social focus, and not as mere individual phenomena. On the other hand, it happens from human actions and interactions. The results analysis goes back to the social learning theory of Bente Elkjaer and the transformative learning theory of Jack Mezirow, and the focus was on the individual and collective learning. The results show that the volunteering experience was responsible for the transformative learning experiences the subjects have faced, through changes in the personal reference charts. It was also stated informal and social learning processes, indicating a relationship between being a volunteer and acquiring new learning experiences. / Este estudo teve como objetivo geral compreender o fenômeno da aprendizagem individual e social que acontece entre indivíduos participantes do projeto social denominado Doutores Cidadãos, organizado pela ONG Canto Cidadão. Visou a identificar, descrever e analisar o quê e como esses indivíduos aprendem e a forma como aplicam essas aprendizagens em suas vidas pessoais e no trabalho, a partir da seguinte questão orientadora: O que e como os voluntários aprendem individual e coletivamente no exercício de suas atividades voluntárias? Para o alcance do objetivo geral, foram definidos três objetivos específicos. O primeiro: identificar, descrever e analisar os processos de aprendizagem individuais que esse grupo de voluntários utiliza para desempenhar as suas atividades de voluntariado. O segundo: descrever e analisar o papel das interações sociais dentro do ambiente onde ocorrem as atividades voluntárias e a influência dessas experiências no desenvolvimento da aprendizagem. E o terceiro e último objetivo específico: identificar, descrever e analisar o quê esses voluntários aplicam a partir da aprendizagem na experiência voluntária em suas atividades formais e informais de trabalho. Foi conduzido um estudo qualitativo básico ou genérico inserido no paradigma interpretacionista. Os dados foram coletados a partir dos depoimentos de 15 indivíduos voluntários - participantes no projeto - por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, e analisados com base na categorização temática de análise de templates proposta por Nigel King. A pesquisa partiu do entendimento de que a aprendizagem deve ser olhada segundo uma ênfase social, não sendo considerada um fenômeno meramente individual, mas que ocorre a partir das ações e interações humanas. A análise dos resultados articula a teoria da aprendizagem social de Bente Elkjaer e a teoria da aprendizagem transformadora de Jack Mezirow, considerando como foco o processo do aprender em nível individual e coletivo. Os resultados mostram que a experiência do voluntariado proporcionou aos indivíduos aprendizagens transformadoras por intermédio de mudanças nos quadros de referências pessoais. Foram constatados ainda processos de aprendizagem informal e social, indicando que há relação entre o exercício das atividades voluntárias e a aquisição de novas aprendizagens.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Claudine Brunnquell.pdf: 1435362 bytes, checksum: b2f6a5318afde1a1aa27da0111ad9002 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The discussion of sustainability has been gradually incorporated into the teaching agenda of business schools from around the country, which requires changes to the content traditionally taught in business schools agenda. In this way, the teaching of sustainability, facing a critical and transformative learning, are intended to guide students in reflection and action as people engaged in sustainability discourse, seeking to empower them to act as changing-agents within organizations and society . This dissertation sought to make a contribution by proposing a study that sought to describe and analyze the proposals to incorporate sustainability in different disciplines of Administration courses at Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Brazil, according to the concepts of critical reflection and transformative learning. The intention was to observe in the experiments reported, the extent to which teaching strategies used in the classroom represented assumptions of critical and transformative way. To this end, we conducted a basic interpretive qualitative study from the documentary analysis of 32 cases qualified for the second stage of an entrepreneurial contest that awarded education initiatives for sustainability in business and economics. Interviews with 10 teachers participating in the contest were conduct from different higher education institutions in the country. The theoretical framework was supported by discussions of Education for Sustainability, bringing the assumptions of critical reflection, discussed mainly by Springett (2005) and Tilbury and Wortman (2004), and transformative learning, based on Mezirow (2003) and Taylor (2010). To analyze the relevant actors to the teaching of sustainability, this study relied on Cortese (2003), Wright (2002, 2004) and Grennspoon (2008) researchs, as well as Kearins and Springett (2003), Gonçalves-Dias, Belloque and Herrera (2011), Melo (2012), Welsh and Murray (2003) and Stubbs and Cocklin (2008) to discuss the experiences in the classroom. With regard to interdisciplinaries approaches, this study was based on Fazenda (2011), Barbieri and Silva (2011) and Demajorovic and Silva (2012). As a result, the experiments revealed both positive and innovative initiatives of teachers, but also clear limitations. On the one hand, the contest instigated meaningful experiences and promoted the debate of sustainability into the classroom. As limitations, most of education proposals presented an instrumental character, with objectives that are not allowed to establish a discussion that evoke some aspect of critical reflection and transformative learning. Even so, many proposals were not only limited by pragmatic aspects of sustainability debate, since these goals were intended to promote a reflection of a role about business organizations in a society that should be sustainable, as well as values, culture, ethics, corporate social responsibility, with the clear purpose of involving students in discussion and their responsabilities as a transforming agent of unsustainable reality that we live. The experience clarified sometimes the lack of support from colleagues and the HEI itself in the conduct of the proposal. Furthermore, the inclusion of the theme was not institutionalized nor remained in the curricula after the contest in all cases. Finally, the study showed a picture of a set of educational actions for sustainability in different disciplines of Administration, which may serve for future studies aiming to discuss the issue in the light of the ideals of critical reflection and transformative. / A discussão sobre sustentabilidade vem sendo paulatinamente incorporada na agenda de ensino de escolas de Administração de todo país, o que impõe mudanças no conteúdo tradicionalmente ensinado em escolas de negócios. Nesse sentido, o ensino da sustentabilidade voltado para uma aprendizagem crítica e transformadora se propõe a guiar os estudantes na reflexão e na ação como pessoas engajadas no discurso da sustentabilidade, buscando capacitá-los para agir como agentes de mudança dentro das organizações e na sociedade. Esta dissertação pretendeu dar sua contribuição ao propor um estudo que buscasse descrever e analisar as propostas de incorporação da sustentabilidade em distintas disciplinas dos cursos de Administração em Instituições de Ensino Superior no Brasil, à luz dos conceitos de reflexão crítica e aprendizagem transformadora. A intenção foi observar, nas experiências relatadas, até que ponto as estratégias de ensino utilizadas em sala de aula representavam pressupostos de natureza crítica e transformadora. Para tanto, conduziu-se um estudo qualitativo interpretativo básico, a partir da análise documental dos 32 casos práticos classificados para a segunda etapa de um Concurso empresarial que premiou iniciativas de educação para sustentabilidade em Administração e Economia. Além disso, foram conduzidas entrevistas com 10 docentes participantes do Concurso de diferentes instituições de ensino superior do país. O referencial teórico se sustentou pelas discussões de Educação para Sustentabilidade, trazendo os pressupostos de reflexão crítica, discutidos principalmente por Springett (2005) e Tilbury e Wortman (2004), e aprendizagem transformadora, baseado em Mezirow (2003) e Taylor (2010). Para analisar os atores relevantes ao ensino da sustentabilidade, esta investigação se apoiou nas pesquisas de Cortese (2003), Wright (2002; 2004) e Grennspoon (2008), bem como em Kearins e Springett (2003), Gonçalves-Dias, Belloque, Herrera (2011), Melo (2012), Welsh e Murray (2003) e Stubbs e Cocklin (2008) para discutir as experiências em sala de aula. No que se refere às abordagens interdisciplinares, esta pesquisa apoiou-se em Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Fazenda (2011), Barbieri e Silva (2011) e Demajorovic e Silva (2012). As experiências revelaram tanto aspectos positivos e inovadores das iniciativas docentes como também claras limitações: o Concurso fomentou experiências significativas e impulsionou o debate da sustentabilidade para dentro das salas de aula, porém, a maioria das propostas de ensino apresentou um caráter instrumental, com objetivos que não permitiam estabelecer uma discussão que evocasse algum aspecto da reflexão crítica e da aprendizagem transformadora. Muitas propostas não se limitaram a aspectos pragmáticos do debate da sustentabilidade, uma vez que os objetivos se pretendiam promotores de uma reflexão sobre o papel das organizações empresariais em uma sociedade que se pretende sustentável, bem como valores, cultura, ética, responsabilidade social corporativa. As experiências deixaram transparecer, por vezes, a falta de apoio de colegas e da própria IES na condução da proposta. A inserção do tema não foi institucionalizada nem permaneceu nos currículos após o concurso em todos os casos. O estudo apresentou um retrato de um conjunto de ações educacionais voltadas para sustentabilidade em distintas disciplinas de Administração, que podem servir para estudos futuros que pretendam debater o tema à luz do ideário da reflexão crítica e da aprendizagem transformadora.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:26:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Emanuel Jones X Freitasprot.pdf: 1202683 bytes, checksum: 0dfd375604d225c3868e4fc95cccfc2f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Studies in Business Administration, and more specifically those concerned to discuss the challenges of education in Business Administration, has sought in recent years to understand the methodologies adopted for the development of educational strategies that enable a more critical reflection to the administrator, especially in relation to sustainability. In this scenario, this thesis concerned to understand how teaching happens from the viewpoint of students in Business Administration. This course focus on sustainability approach as stated in its Political Pedagogical Project Course. This is a basic interpretive qualitative research (MERRIAM, 1998) that aims to understand the views of Business Administration students in respect of sustainability. The research takes the evidences that direct these views based on the principles of transformative learning theories Jack Mezirow (1981, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998) with contributions from Cranton (1994, 1996), critical reflection and engagement (Springett, 2003, 2005) geared towards sustainability (STERLING, 2001, 2010). The survey results indicate the relationship to the theory when it points different areas of learning and reflexivity by the students. Moreover, it indicates that students recognize a classic approach of theoretical contents, leading to an understanding too centered on content rather practical experience since social action spaces are not made to the scope of transformative learning by the University. Students who declare formal or informal experiences, previous or parallel to the experience in the classroom are excluded from this survey. The survey results point to the existence of an ideological struggle to address the issue of sustainability, which in the context of post-modernity, it becomes even more challenging, complex and contradictory. This work outlines Educational Development Strategies contributions consistent with the development of critical reflection on the part of the Administration students, also highlighting the importance of consistency between what is made in the classroom and what presents the Political-pedagogical Project of the Course in Business Administration. / Os estudos em Administração, e mais especificamente aqueles preocupados em discutir os desafios da formação nesta área, tem buscado nos últimos anos colocar em debate propostas e estratégias educacionais que viabilizem uma formação mais crítica do administrador, sobretudo, em relação à sustentabilidade. Neste cenário, a presente dissertação preocupou-se em compreender a forma como os alunos do curso de Administração, matriculados em uma Instituição de Ensino Superior que declara em seu Projeto Político Pedagógico de Curso, enfoque na abordagem da sustentabilidade, se apropriam do debate socioambiental. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa interpretativa básica (MERRIAM, 1998) que tem como finalidade observar e analisar se há e como se evidenciam no relato dos discentes, elementos de reflexão crítica e aprendizagem transformadora tendo em vista o propósito de educá-los para trabalharem no contexto da sustentabilidade. Para tanto, parte-se dos princípios estabelecidos nas teorias de aprendizagem transformadora de Jack Mezirow (1981, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998), com contribuições de Cranton (1994, 1996) e Sterling (2001, 2010), bem como das dimensões de reflexão, crítica e engajamento no ensino de sustentabilidade defendidas por Springett (2003, 2005). Os resultados da pesquisa, à luz destas teorias, apontam diferentes domínios de aprendizagem e reflexividade pelos alunos. Identifica-se, sobretudo, um domínio conceitual dos alunos sobre sustentabilidade, gerando uma reflexão por demais centralizada no conteúdo, uma vez que não são constituídos espaços de ação social para o alcance da aprendizagem transformadora pela IES, tal qual defende a literatura na área. Exclui-se deste cenário, no entanto, os alunos que declaram experiências formais ou informais, anteriores ou em paralelo à vivência em sala de aula, o que indica que o espaço da sala de aula que foi objeto deste estudo, tem sido insuficiente para provocar uma reflexão no nível dos processos e dos pressupostos. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam para a existência de uma luta ideológica entre o paradigma social dominante e as necessidades do desenvolvimento sustentável, traçada para a abordagem do tema sustentabilidade, que no contexto da pós-modernidade, se torna ainda mais desafiante, complexo e contraditório. O presente trabalho esboça contribuições para desenvolvimento de estratégias educacionais que impulsionam o desenvolvimento da reflexão crítica por parte dos alunos de Administração, evidenciando igualmente a importância da coerência entre o que é feito em sala de aula e o que apresenta o Projeto Político-pedagógico dos Cursos de graduação em Administração.

There is a critical need for college students to receive an education that fosters global learning in preparation for life in an increasingly interdependent and interconnected world. Universities recognize this need and endeavor to provide a range of programs that target global knowledge and skills, and meet the needs of traditional and non-traditional students. Domestic foreign language immersion programs can contribute to student global learning and development by providing students with an opportunity to participate in a rich global learning experience in the U.S. While some researchers have investigated impacts of domestic foreign language immersion on language proficiency, few studies of other kinds of global learning outcomes are available, and research is needed to gain an understanding of program impacts and make improvements. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which participation in a domestic foreign language immersion program was perceived to influence global learning and development. The study used a mixed-methods design that incorporated as a key instrument a retrospective survey of former participants in a university-level domestic foreign language immersion program. Perspectives from short-term study abroad, foreign languages, transformative learning, and global citizenship informed the research. The study found that participants in a domestic foreign language immersion program perceived influence in all three domains of global development. The degree of perceived influence was similar in the three domains except in the area of social responsibility, which received a significantly lower rating. Finally, student characteristics, including age, language level, prior international or other intercultural experience, and on/off-campus residence were not associated with perceived program influence. A qualitative analysis helped explain these findings.

Preparing college students to be contributing members of local and global societies requires educators to analyze the capabilities and needs of their students and to adjust instructional content and practice. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was twofold: (a) to explore how classroom approaches designed to facilitate students' questioning of assumptions and beliefs regarding different cultural beliefs, social structures, and practices might influence Japanese college students' self-reported development of intercultural competence, and (b) to investigate whether or not the students developed their potential for intercultural competence. Mezirow's transformative learning theory informed this study. Archival qualitative data were from 137 Japanese undergraduate students' journals from a course with approaches designed to facilitate questioning their assumptions and beliefs. Multilevel coding was used to support thematic analysis. Archival quantitative data of students' pretest and posttest scores on the Intercultural Adaptation Potential Scale (ICAPS) were too few for meaningful analysis. Limited trend interpretations of the quantitative data helped support the qualitative data findings. Key findings included students identifying the importance of opportunities to discuss conflicting cultural beliefs, social structures, and practices; several questioned their assumptions and enhanced their intercultural competence. Expanded research into the challenge of enhancing cultural competence is needed. Positive social change is possible when intercultural competence and understanding the importance of dealing with cultural conflicts in an informed manner are enhanced. Students who expand their comfort levels and understandings will gain membership into multiple societies, reflect critically on their worldviews, and be able to take positive actions during conflicts.

This qualitative case study addressed the problem at a West Indies theological college that lacked the ability to provide courses for spiritual care training by using the teaching methodology of clinical pastoral education (CPE). CPE is an experiential process using a clinical method of learning to interpret human conditions. Spiritual care training through CPE teaches clerics how to help persons find meaning in life's situations and make connections with their God. Guided by the frameworks of transformative learning and critical theological reflection, this study explored the lived experiences of 5 purposefully selected CPE students who participated in 1 unit of CPE training at the college. Interview data were coded and analyzed to uncover emergent themes. The findings revealed these overarching themes: (a) personal empowerment, (b) increased pastoral care competencies, (c) increased sensitivity to suffering, and (d) connectivity to self-care and ministry. The interview data provided the impetus for the developed CPE Orientation (CPEO) to help students obtain basic skills in pastoral/spiritual care and critical theological reflections. It is recommended that persons with advanced CPE training could conduct the CPEO training, negating the need for a certified CPE supervisor expertise. Positive social change may occur when pastoral/spiritual care training is provided to clergy and laity to improve basic pastoral/spiritual care skills by helping clergy and parishioners respond to stressors in a healthy manner. Theological education that promotes spiritual care for persons in crisis may benefit the world and presents an avenue for social change to occur in the communities where clergy serve.

Numerous research showed having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect families in many ways (Brace, 2009; DeGrace, 2004; Fantaroni, 2012). The primary types of impact include family relationship (spousal and sibling relationships), finances, and access to resources and services to assist with caring for the social, emotional and academic development of a child with autism (Grindle & Remington, 2014; Harper et al., 2013; Koydemir & Tosun, 2009; Ludlow, Skelly, & Rohleder, 2011; Montes & Cianca, 2014). While extensive studies have shown similar findings of the impact of autism on family quality of life in America and other places in the world, such as Africa, East of England and London, Jamaica, Toronto and Turkey, limited or no research has shown the impact of autism on family quality of life in The Bahamas. This study expands those findings and identifies parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child or children with ASD in The Bahamas. The purpose of this study was to identify parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in The Bahamas. This study employed the Beach Center on Disability (2006) Family Quality of Life Survey to collect data from a purposive and chain sample of 56 parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder in The Bahamas. The data from the survey was statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, skewness, kurtosis, and correlation, and inferential statistics such as multiple regression, and coding for the four open-ended questions. The results of this study revealed the family quality of life for parents raising a child with ASD in The Bahamas was overall satisfactory with family interactions, parenting, and physical/material well-being being the areas of most satisfied, while emotional well-being and disability-related support were the least satisfied. The predictors for parenting, and emotional well-being were statistically significant for severity level, and educational level, respectively. The predictors for parenting a child with mild (p = 0.01) or moderate (p = 0.05) autism were higher than raising a child with severe autism. The predictor for emotional well-being for families with mother/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree were the highest predictor and was statistically significant (p = 0.02). However, the predictor for emotional well-being for families with father/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree was lower than father/guardian’s education level of a graduate/professional degree, which was statistical significant (p = .03). The correlation analysis revealed there was a positive and strong relationship between family interactions and physical/material well-being (p = .0003), and a positive and strong relationship between physical/material well-being and disability-related support (p = .0001). Emotional well-being and disability-related support also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001), and emotional well-being and physical/material well-being also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001). Educational workshop was identified as the dominant resources, but many indicated the lack of available resources. Evidence-based intervention (applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy) were identified as intervention/therapy services received, but most indicated the lack of available intervention/therapy, financial distress paying for these services, and dissatisfaction seeking resources and intervention services for their child with ASD. This study was significant as it highlighted and added to the knowledge relevant to parent perceptions of family quality of life raising a child with ASD. Identifying these perceptions would be useful toward improving services for families of children with ASD in The Bahamas. In addition, information gathered would assist in further development of effective programming initiatives specific for this population.

This study has adopted the metaphor of �mind-forged manacles� to explore adolescent transformation within an educational context. It does this by examining the experiences of two groups of people who participated in an intensive, one-off personal development program for adolescents, known as Discovery. The first study involves secondary school students for whom the program was part of the school curriculum. The second study consists of an older group of people who did the program during their adolescence and outside the formal education system. The third study is a contemplation of transformation derived from my experience as researcher during the course of completing this thesis. In an attempt to reflect the perspectival worldview from within which the study is created I have drawn on a range of theorists. To integrate their ideas I created three different �lenses� or ways of viewing the data. The first lens is developed from consciousness theory, the second from process philosophy and complex self-organising systems theory, and the third from individual humanistic psychology. The educational pedagogy is holistic and embraces developmental models of thinking and learning. The study uses participant reflection to argue that a program of intentionally focussed challenges, combined with the support that enables these challenges to be successfully met, can be transformational for many young people. It suggests that the complex postmodern world requires teachers to be aware of their own and their students� consciousness, and demands learning experiences that are deliberately focussed on helping the process of consciousness transformation rather than only on achieving predetermined outcomes. Transformation is understood as a shift to a different order of consciousness in which it is how one sees rather than what one sees that changes. With each shift towards a new order of consciousness the mind-forged manacles are loosed and individuals accept increasing responsibility for their lives and how they live them. Educational programs can be developed to assist this process.