Braswell, M.C. (2003) Conflict as a learning barrier: An examination of conflict styles in adult learning program students. Master of Arts thesis, Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC.

This study examines whether individual conflict management style can act as a barrier to academic achievement. Thirty students in an Adult Learning Program (ALP) designed to help them complete their high school education and 28 comparable non-ALP students were given the Work Conflict Checklist to determine their conflict style. Non-ALP students were more than twice as likely to use the “competitive” style of conflict management than the ALP students.

Butler, J.L. (2004) Tools with no warranty: The state promotion of entrepreneurship training in Saskatchewan. Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK.

In order to understand more clearly the role of entrepreneurship training programs (ETPs) in promoting the enterprise culture, and contributing to the changing face of entrepreneurship, findings are presented from a study of nine state-sponsored ETPs for marginalized individuals located throughout Saskatchewan. A multi-method approach was used, with both survey and interview data collected to explore the training agencies and their programs, and participants' experiences before, during, and after their training. The findings show that ETPs play a central role in promoting the enterprise culture. Despite the fact that the majority of participants were seeking alternatives to employment (rather than adopting wholeheartedly the tenets of the enterprise culture), their ETP infused them with feelings of optimism about entrepreneurship. Participants looked forward to the benefits of control, independence, and (for females) flexibility and personal fulfillment that they believed small business ownership offered. The ETPs contributed to the changing face of entrepreneurship by providing an opportunity for individuals not traditionally involved in entrepreneurship (women, Aboriginal peoples, and economically marginalized individuals) to do so. However, numerous barriers blocked participants' chances for entrepreneurial success. For those who had gone on to start their own business, their optimism waned in the face of the harsh realities of small business operation and failure. The agencies offering the ETPs attributed small business failure to participants' individual flaws and/or presented it as part of a valuable process of lifelong learning and personal development. As a case study, the research supports the conclusion that the expectations of entrepreneurship may be over-inflated, and consequently, the new self-employed are at risk to become part of a new underclass.

Carlton, S. & Soulsby, J. (1999) Learning to grow older & bolder: A policy discussion paper on learning in later life. Leicester, UK: NIACE Accessed November 21, 2005, from http://www.niace.org.uk/publications/L/LngOlder.asp

NIACE believes that participation in learning sustains active, independent lives and empowers citizens. The Older & Bolder initiative believes that older people have a huge contribution to make from their accumulated experience, valuable to younger generations and to the whole community. Older & Bolder recognizes the absence from most educational provision of large groups of society, including those over 50, women, and members of black and minority ethnic communities and those without a history of any significant involvement in adult education are even more markedly absent.. Much of the learning that has been taking place over the last 10 years involving older people has been provided by a wide range of non-traditional education providers. This very diversity, whilst being extremely innovative in delivery and content, has not necessarily made the best use of other resources and local expertise to ensure continuation and further development of that provision. Older people are becoming an increasingly larger proportion of society and they are slowly being recognized (by example) as having much to offer the whole community.