At some point or other in their academic careers, most tertiary-level students will become engaged in the planning and execution of research projects. It is a fundamental part of further education that many students find daunting, which need not be the case. First steps in research uses the most current perspectives in the field both locally and internationally to provide theoretical and practical guidelines on how to conduct and report on research at undergraduate and postgraduate level. First steps in research brings together the views of academics, theorists, researchers, and practitioners. It presents perspectives and theory on how to facilitate the understanding and application of theories, goals, methods, and strategies. The book is easy to read and use without diluting the conceptual and terminological complexities of the field. It examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of qualitative, quantitative, and integrative (integrated) or mixed methods of conducting research, and suggests how these three approaches may be used most appropriately. It also elaborates on the methodological dimensions of action research processes and exemplifies participatory reflection. First steps in research is aimed at scholars, academics, researchers, and Master's and doctoral students conceptualising and conducting research as well as undergraduate students or junior postgraduate students who are encountering research methodology for the first time.

Wikus Lombaard is 'n nice ou. Hy is kaptein van die eerste rugbyspan en met sy dodelike skopskoen het hy sy span al meermale uit die verknorsing gered. En sy meisie, Marissa, is die mooiste in die skool. En al sukkel Wikus nou so 'n bietjie met die wiskunde, is dit ook nie die ergste nie. Met Marissa by hom en die rugby wat voorle, is dinge doodreg – hy weet mos immers waaroor dit gaan in die lewe, veral noudat hy in die vakansie met sy suster se vriendin gevry het – behoorlik gevry. All-the-way. Maar in hierdie laaste skooljaar van hom, kort voor sy deelname aan die Cravenweek, loop dinge skeef. Lelik skeef. Vir die eerste keer ontdek Wikus dat die lewe ook reels het. En dat dit nie net in rugby is dat 'n ou van die veld afgejaag kan word nie.

This book sets out to provide context for innovating counseling for self- and career construction. It gives readers insight into the theory underlying an innovative, integrative qualitative-quantitative approach to career counseling. Three key ideas recur throughout the book. First, the idea of not dispensing "advice" to people-instead, enabling them to advise themselves. Second, the idea of listening for instead of to people's stories to help them choose and construct careers and themselves and shape their career identities. Third, the idea of helping people connect what they know about themselves consciously with what they are aware of subconsciously. The book confronts some of the main challenges posed by Work 4.0 on the workplace but also foreshadows the imminent advent of Work 5.0. It endeavors to promote career counselors' ability to help people "thrive" at a time when many speculate that work itself is at risk, occupational contexts no longer "hold" workers in the way they used to, and the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the workplace.

This book sets out to provide context for innovating counseling for self- and career construction. It gives readers insight into the theory underlying an innovative, integrative qualitative-quantitative approach to career counseling. Three key ideas recur throughout the book. First, the idea of not dispensing "advice" to people-instead, enabling them to advise themselves. Second, the idea of listening for instead of to people's stories to help them choose and construct careers and themselves and shape their career identities. Third, the idea of helping people connect what they know about themselves consciously with what they are aware of subconsciously. The book confronts some of the main challenges posed by Work 4.0 on the workplace but also foreshadows the imminent advent of Work 5.0. It endeavors to promote career counselors' ability to help people "thrive" at a time when many speculate that work itself is at risk, occupational contexts no longer "hold" workers in the way they used to, and the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the workplace.

This book examines how the career counselling profession should respond to the changes in the world of work that have resulted from the increasing need to communicate faster and disseminate information more efficiently. It emphasizes the twin aims of enhancing a persons' career adaptability and helping them to become more employable, rather than linearly trying to find a job and remaining in one organisation for their entire career-lives. The book shows that, to achieve these aims, people need to acquire career resilience, especially since the world of work no longer provides workers with work-holding environments for the duration of their career-lives. It takes into account historical analyses which show that whenever major technological change has occurred and widespread job losses have ensued, people have managed to use the new technology to create new employment opportunities. Readers from career psychology and management research, vocational and professional career coaching, and students of career psychology will find this book delivers sound, updated theory demonstrating how perceived threats in the 21st century can conceivably be turned into opportunities.

Current career counselling needs a shift away from the practice of modern counselling approaches, and narrative therapy is likely to be particularly appropriate, since it is part of the culture and way of life of the majority of our clients. For the very first time, current approaches have been brought together in one publication. Eminent scholars, including Larry Cochran, Mark Savickas, and Norm Amundson, Paul Hartung and John Winslade, contributed to the publication. Personal narratives of some exceptionally eminent people, including Robert Sternberg are also included. The publication is concluded by Reuven Bar-On and Maurice Elias, who delineate the connection between storied counselling and social and emotional learning. This book provides a priceless resource for scholars, academics, researchers, psychologists, teachers and clients. It critically analyses germane questions, such as "How vital and feasible is it to build on life stories in career counselling?" examines the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of hermeneutic-narrative, postmodern and constructivist approaches to career counselling provides practical guidelines on the practice of narrative counselling in different contexts presents ideas on how to engage clients actively suggests ways of using life story counselling (including the Career-Story Interview) to produce new identities for career practice Professor Kobus Maree (Editor) is Professor in Educational Psychology at the Pretoria University (UP) and Editor of the SA Journal of Psychology. Internationally acknowledged for his work in career counselling, he has received a number of awards for his work. "This book inspires hope that making meaning is empowering, illuminating and develops the self, especially with regard to career and life choices" (Birgit Schreiber, Journal for Psychology in Africa). "Not since Cochran's landmark book ... has there been such a solid effort to advance the narrative approach. Maree should be thanked for a modest approach that may well prove to be monumental" (Chris Briddick, Counselling Today). "The book presents us with a vision and offers inspiration and guidance as to how to begin some work with a student in planning to move forward by building upon looking backward within a story or narrative paradigm" (Michael Pomerantz, Gifted Education International). "Shaping the Story should be commended for addressing the relative paucity of career development approaches for different cultural groups and for the power of language and ... the contributions of emotional and] social emotional intelligence in career development. (Anna Lichtenberg, Australian Journal of Career Development).