The thesis examines the utility of a pre-developed conceptual framework for learning about the human resource development (HRD) needs in a national context. The literature review focuses on knowledge-building within the main development theories and paradigms, two mainstream approaches to building knowledge about HRD and education sectors in developing countries, namely the systems approach and the strategic approach, and the role of the researcher and expert-sources of data in the knowledge-building process in research related to HRD and educational policy. The methodology involved carrying out a case study on HRD in Nicaragua using a conceptual framework, and then studying its role in the process of learning about the subject. The data for the study of the learning process were generated through self-reflection in journal writing, textual analysis of the HRD case study, and common-sense. The conclusions are that (1) a researcher cannot know with certainty about the quality of his or her knowledge of the subject in conducting this type of research, (2) a conceptual framework can absorb the complexity of the process and make a researcher sound more authoritative than he or she might actually be about the subject, (3) researchers tend not to deal adequately with this lack of certainty and complexity in their discussions on the limitations of their work, (4) the sources of data directly affect the quality of learning, (5) a conceptual framework brings greater efficiency to the research act, (6) a conceptual framework reduces distortion and allows better communication between the research and the human sources of data, and (7) a conceptual framework adds greater value to the process of managing the research act than it does to learning about the subject.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.26723 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Bracegirdle, Peter. |
| Contributors | Lusthaus, Charles (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Arts (Department of Educational Studies.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001554867, proquestno: MQ29531, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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