This study investigated some key components of SDL activities, the sharing of SDL between cohabiting partners, and the influence of social networks. This observation led to the tenn 'learning domain' which represented the ownership of SDL activities.
Rationale for this Study
In an educational setting, Candy shows how the responsibility of learning shifts from people who formally instruct learners to learners who take that responsibility for themselves.
Research Objectives
Qualitative research techniques would specifically explore: .. a) the individualistic nature of SDL by exploring the key components of SDL;. Chapter three details the methods used to conduct the study, while chapter four provides answers to specific questions about SDL and documents the nature of collaborative SDL.
Chapter Two
LITERATURE REVIEW
Tough's Contribution to SDL
After reviewing repeated studies of Tough's work, there is now a better understanding of the limitations of learning project research. It was the realization within adult education of the limitations of learning project research that encouraged a reconsideration by researchers of the nature of SDL.
New Perceptions of the Concept of SDL
- SDL Incentives
- The Self-Planned Nature of SDL
- Assistance with SDL: Planning and Information
- Evaluation and SDL
From the literature on SDL research, four components of SDL are important to understanding its nature. Four components of SDL (incentives, planning, assistance and evaluation) were discussed to define the nature of SDL activities.
Broader Social Contexts and SDL
- Heterosexual Cohabitation and SDL
- Learner Social Networks and SDL
This section on the wider social context of SDL revealed a notable lack of research in this area, particularly on heterosexual coexistence and learning social networks. Social contexts of SDL, including heterosexual cohabitation and learning social networks, have also been examined.
Chapter Three
Qualitative Research
The reality of qualitative inquiry based on the phenomenological paradigm is "socially constructed through individual or collective definitions of situations" [original italics]. The purpose of qualitative research is "to understand [original italics] a social phenomenon from the perspective of actors through participation in the lives of these actors.".
Description of the Study Area
Further, individual perceptions of their environment reveal connections between them and the environment, which are significant. The importance of people's perceptions is embodied in the phrases expressed by individuals and the richness of people's stories.
- Snowball Sampling, Definition and Access
- Interviewing Procedures
Of the approximately 200 households in the area, 100 are in Waiau township (Pettigrew and Pettigrew, 1989). The procedures used to collect information about SDL activities and sample behavior are explained in the following section.
Relationship Between Interviews and Interview Topics
One question focused on the impact of naming couples on SDL activities. The interview data were separated into two separate groups: the main interview part, which is part of the core components of SDL, and the rest of the data.
Chapter Four
FINDINGS
SDL Incentives
Their responses were grouped into three categories of stimuli: the social environment, the physical environment and personal initiatives.
The Frequencies of SDL Incentives
Social Environment
So he sent me the papers and 1 filled them in." Another example came from Couple C. The man from Couple H described how he became treasurer of the school: "I was co-opted, they put me in when the previous treasurer had the farm of his. in the market." The man from Couple K when he became Vice President of the rugby club: "It twists my arm. I just got voted out actually." The Couple J man explained how he became the golf club's cashier: "It kind of crept in I guess you could say.
Physical Environmental
All activities discussed under the social and physical environment were stimulated by the student's perception of an incident in their social or physical environment. In the next heading, the responses categorized as personal initiative were not caused by external cues, but by the individuals themselves.
Personal Initiative
The Benefits of SDL Activities
Unanticipated Insights
The Freguencies of Benefits from SDL Activities
It was a kind of involvement in the tourism industry in New Zealand.” His partner continued, “We learned a lot about what people expect when they go on vacation, when they rent a house [hospitality expectations].” Their statements revealed unexpected insights about the organization itself and what standards customers expect from this type of housing. That's what we did learn." The woman revealed an unexpected insight about organizing a social event of this magnitude, and not just its religious significance. The fact that he oversaw the construction of the house while she was ill , honestly surprised her: “I was very surprised about [my partner] because I didn't think he would show that much interest.”
Learning Directives
It was a trial." They would continue the activity but make adjustments for the next season. The man from Couple I commented on his grazing experiments from the previous year in his decision to buy a direct seeder: "The results from last year. year's experiments worked ." In all three examples, the benefit of the activity resulted in a judgment of whether to continue with the original goal, i.e. the rationale for not selling land; the justification for continuing with bobby calves; the reason for buying a new seed drill. The man from Par I listed several possibilities for his silage wagon venture: "I learned the price of new ones and what second;,.hands were and what we could rent them for." The woman from couple B explained the possibilities of house renovation: "I think I learn about the different quality of the products: different types of fabrics and surfaces and things you can use.
Personal Skills
Benefits were often a list of resources that could be used to persevere in achieving the goal. We spent quite a bit of time figuring out how to articulate the description of the game." In both cases, the benefit was the ability to engage in an intellectual task. 34; [Finding out who the] better players are and who fits best with everyone else, and [everyone].
Unsure
Assistance in the Organising of SDL Activities
To examine Tough's claim of advance planning, the question about SOL organization and planning was designed to find out how partners planned their SOL. Partners stated that they did not sit down and pre-plan their SOL before engaging in activities. This observation refocused the scan of the transcripts for phrases that indicated how SOL was assisted.
The Freguencies of the Forms of Assistance
Consultation
34;Table 4
The Frequencies of the Forms of Consultation
We walk in each other's garden (friends) and talk about what we are doing." All three statements show that the nature of the help was often random. He described a meeting to solve his drainage problems: "We had an expert visit us and prepare plan and explained what we were going to achieve.” Another example came from the man in Couple 1. The man felt that professional guidance was needed to achieve the goal of keeping everything legal in the separation of the family farm.
Facilitation
When focusing on the context of consultation, it was found that only formal consultation encouraged SDL planning. These were social occasions where the circumstances allowed discussion of the partner's topic, but the planning of SDL was secondary to the context in which the activity took place. Both categories involved activities in which a specific event or person played an important role in planning or organizing the activity.
Cooperation
The Influence of Resources and Time on SDL Activities
Resource Factors
Partners either generated or spent their own money or managed money for a community organization. When discussing their own situation, couple B said that their SDL activities were only carried out if the money was available. The meaning of this statement is about the fact that nine couples have built or renovated their homes in the past year.
Time Factors
Evaluation of SDL Activities
Of the 103 selected activities, 74 described external changes as a result of the activity, while 29 described a personal change. Partners' responses were scored for sentences indicating how they evaluated their SOL activities. The loaded nature of the question, which linked evaluation to the goal of the activity, may explain this observation.
External Evaluation
Self Evaluation
Summary of the Key SDL Components
The primary findings from each subsection showed that the majority of fanning pair SOL activities are performed in a problem-solving or heuristic manner rather than a pre-planned manner. The results in this section depict a general picture of the nature of SOL activities for farming couples. SOL partners act as a pair and provide descriptions of the motivations that prompt partners to share each other's SOL activities and the circumstances that prompt partners to assist in each other's SOL.
Motivation for Sharing SDL
This acceptance was illustrated in a candid insight from the woman in Couple H: “I am married to my husband and my husband is married to the farm.” This comment emphasized a ready acceptance of the way in which the farming profession dominated the cohabitation relationship. Several other younger women actively learned about farming from their partners and two of the older women had their own farming projects on the farm. Living together in a rural environment encouraged women to accept the importance of farming and learning about agriculture.
Ownership of SDL Activities
This couple shared SDL, and this involved handing over responsibility for activities from one partner to the other. Ownership of SDL activities was attributed to the partner responsible for the majority of SDL for a particular activity. In most joint activities, one partner contributed more of himself to the activity than the other.
The Frequencies of SDL Activity Ownership
- Summary of Shared SDL
- Social Networks and SDL
- Overview of Findings
- hapter Five
The tendency to judge people by the nature of their SDL activities influenced how the rest of the community interacted with the learner. Statements about the group provided evidence of the serious nature of the social interaction during group visits. Many of the key components of SDL have been responses to, and are often controlled by, circumstances external to the partners.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Current Understanding of SDL in the Light of this Research
A major theme to emerge from the findings of the components of SOL corresponded to other modem studies of SOL. A major contribution of this study to understanding SOL is the importance of social dimensions. The task-oriented nature of SOL activities identified in this study (eg household management, farm or community involvement) corresponded to several.
Understandin2 the Nature of SDL Activities En2a2ed by Farmin2 Couples
Limitations of this Study and Future Research
The exploratory nature of this study combined with the sample size and the qualitative research approach provided a basic picture of SDL, cohabitation and social networks in a rural community. The conclusions offered by this study are related to the sample used, although it is reasonable to expect that some of the key aspects of SDL identified here will be relevant to other farmers. On a broader level, this study has shown that farming couples provide an excellent opportunity to examine the different life transitions experienced by men and women living together in rural communities.
Implications for Policy and Practice
The next section presents some recommendations for policy and practice regarding SDL in rural communities. The distribution of computers to rural schools can be the most effective way to introduce new information technology to farming couples. The use of approaches that involve other family members as well as social networks (eg farm discussion groups) in promoting ideas within rural communities is part of the philosophy proposed by Rogers (1992).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Appendix 1
How do you know you are progressing with your learning towards achieving your goals?. How did you check that you are learning what you need to achieve your goal? In what circumstances did you involve people in your community in your learning activities last year?
