I would also like to thank my co-supervisor, Associate-Professor Doug Hill of Charles Sturt University, who also provided continuing assistance and counsel during this period. Thirdly, I want to acknowledge the outstanding support of my wife, Colleen Tuovinen, who suffered as a .. thesis-widow" over many months, and had to contend with the many extra tasks. Also my children, Kim and Heidi, who had less fatherly attention over this period than I would have wished. My thanks also to the

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... students and staff ofWagga Wagga Technology High School who allowed me to conduct one of the experiments described in this thesis at their school. My thanks also to my students at Charles Sturt University who participated in two of the experiments described in this thesis. My thanks also to Mr. Andrew Wallace of Charles Sturt University for sharing with me some of his survey research material used in experiments one and two. Finally, a warm thanks to all the staff and students of the UNSW School of Education Studies, and the Charles Sturt University School of Education who have assisted me in many ways throughout my study period, including two semesters of study leave granted to me by Charles Sturt University.