Education Commons^™

The Journey To Becoming-Authentic From The Voices Of Nursing Students Living With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Sheryl Lynn Allen

Dissertations

Research and literature on nursing students living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in higher education is deficient in supporting the needs of a growing population. The aim of this study sought to uncover the essence of nursing students’ experiences through a hermeneutic phenomenological approach and promote deeper understanding of the meaning of lifeworld experiences through the lens of critical social theory (CST). CST sustains freedom from ideological restraints to allow exploration into individual experiences. The voices of student participants provide the medium for articulating meaning. An integrative approach using van Manen’s (1990) and Munhall’s (2012) methods guided this study. …

Perceptions Of Student-Teacher Relationships And Ged Completion: A Correlational Study, Melissa Hairston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study took an in depth look at student-teacher relationships as one institutional barrier affecting GED completion among adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of student-instructor relationships, specifically Instructor Connectedness and Instructor Anxiety, and its effects on adults seeking GED completion. Data from approximately 120 students who attended classes for at least 20 hours at the Regional Learning Center were surveyed using the Student-Instructor Relationship Survey in Portsmouth, Virginia. A quantitative design utilizing correlational statistics to produce Pearson's r was used to determine if correlations existed among Instructor Connectedness and Instructor Anxiety with the following …

Increasing Access To Post-Secondary Education: A Mixed Methods Study Of The Charleston Clemente Program, Mariane A. Doyle

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There is an economic gap that favors adults who have higher levels of educational attainment (United States Department of Labor, 2010). With more than 9.3 million Americans over the age of 25 facing unemployment as of June 2012 and over 79% or 7.4 million of those unemployed Americans having attained less than a Bachelor’s degree (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012), the current need for college access measures and programs that address the adult population is an imperative one.

The Charleston Clemente Program provides a tuition-free course in the Humanities to economically-disadvantaged adult students for a total of two-semesters. Along with …

Learner-Centered Instructors' Beliefs About Adult Learning: A Phenomenological Study, Sarah Scherling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The population of adult learners in higher education continues to increase. In many cases, the majority of faculty teaching adult learners are adjunct instructors. These instructors bring a rich background of experience and expertise to the classroom, but may lack experience in designing and implementing effective instructional practices for adult learners. Instructional practices of adjunct instructors are influenced by their beliefs about teaching and learning. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine learner-centered adjunct instructors' beliefs about adult learning and how these beliefs influence their instructional practices. The study used written reflection, interview, and classroom observation data …

Book Review Of, Cautionary Tales: Strategy Lessons From Struggling Colleges, Karen J. Haley

Educational Leadership and Policy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The article reviews the book "Cautionary Tales Strategy Lessons from Struggling Colleges," by Alice W. Brown.

Efficacy Of Adult Education Programs Of International Non-Governmental Organizations, Jill Zarestky, Mary V. Alfred

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this paper is to present an exploration of the efficacy of international NGOs’ adult education programs for social change, empowerment, and transformation by examining a theoretical model and analyzing the application of the model to specific case studies.

A Comparative Perspective On Community Access To Digital Media And Technologies: Chicago And Philadelphia, Kyung-Hwa Yang, Shivaani Selvaraj

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper explores the potential of participatory media education to engage socioeconomically disadvantaged adults in learning and social justice by comparing two experiences of offering courses in Chicago and Philadelphia.

Who’S Teaching Now?: Investigating The Critical Public Pedagogy Of The Sci-Fi Series Doctor Who, Robin Redmon Wright

Adult Education Research Conference

No abstract provided.

We Make The Way By Walking: Spiritual Pilgrimage And Transformative Learning While Walking The Camino De Santiago, Elizabeth J. Tisdell

Adult Education Research Conference

After grounding the discussion in prior research that led impetus to doing a spiritual pilgrimage, this paper primarily provides an auto-ethnographic account of the major insights about spirituality, culture, and transformative learning gleaned from walking the nearly 500 mile pilgrimage route of the Camino de Santiago.

Navigating The Margins: The Journey Of A Cohort Of Non-Traditional Students On The Path To College, Donald Stoddart, Michelle A. Johnson, Debbie Change

Adult Education Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Black Women As Learners: Adult Education And Family Literacy Program Participation Among Primary Caregiving Grandmothers, Mattyna L. Stephens, Mary Alfred

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this study was to examine how Black grandmothers who are the primary caregivers promote literacy for themselves and for the grandchild or grandchildren in their care. The findings were situated into a three category model (author developed). Implications for research and practice are also provided.

Sense Of Self: Adult Korean Adoptees’ Reunion Journeys, Sujin Son

Adult Education Research Conference

This study uses a qualitative approach to explore how Adult Korean Adoptees relationships with their birth families affect their developing sense of self. From in-depth interviews with the participants, four themes emerged. Two conclusions were drawn from these findings that provide implications for adult educators and practitioners.

Discovering The Unexpected: A Comparative Review Of Creativity Frameworks In Organizations To Creativity Learning In The Adult Education Domain, Soni Simpson, Matthew Rohde

Adult Education Research Conference

Theorizing from the creativity literature within the adult education & organizational management domains, there is a relationship between society, the individual, those in power & the organization. At the intersection of these, Creativity manifests. This introduces the SIPO Creativity Relationships Model.

Unlearning Colonialism: Storytelling And The Accord, Jim Sharpe

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper outlines the process of storytelling to unlearn colonialism and recover indigenous traditions. It starts with the framework of the “Accord on Indigenous Education” and provides examples of the power of storytelling from the Idle No More movement and the Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Hope And Community (Dis)Engagement Of Afghan Women, Oleksandra Sehin, Trae Stewart

Adult Education Research Conference

the purpose of this study was to learn about Afghan women levels of community engagement and to describe their life experiences. This study will increase the level of awareness regarding the current situation with Afghan women realities and will describe the obstacles to their participation in community life.

Contemporary Historical Research In 21st Century Adult Education, Lori Risley

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper presents contemporary historical research on one leader in adult education, and the value of similar research using this methodology. This report is a call to action for the field of adult education.

Terms Of Engagement: Adults’ Experience In Higher Education, Amy D. Rose, M. Cecil Smith, Jovita Ross-Gordon, J. Schwartz, Amy D. Hitchcock

Adult Education Research Conference

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data were re-analyzed to look for differences between traditional and nontraditional-age students. Surprisingly, no significant differences were found for five NSSE Benchmarks, including Supportive Campus Environment. Differences were found in subsequent analysis of two scales of academic engagement identified through follow-up factor analysis

The Impact Of Preferred Conflict Management Tactics On Performance Within A Virtual Leadership Simulation, Paul G. Putnam

Adult Education Research Conference

The pace of technological advancements available to adult educators is progressing faster than the research examining the efficacy of these tools. This study helps address this challenge by examining a disruptive technology, namely a virtual leadership simulation, and factors that impact adult learner performance within a specific virtual leadership simulation.

How Involvement In Adult Education And Family Literacy Programs Shapes Women’S Social Networks, Social Support, And Mental Health, Cathy Kassab, Esther Prints

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper uses quantitative data from a mixed-methods study to examine how attending adult education and family literacy (AEFL) programs influenced women’s (n=31) social networks, social support, and mental health. The complex, counter-intuitive findings are discussed. We conclude that relationships within AEFL programs must be cultivated, not assumed.

At Risk Students At Urban And Rural Community Colleges, Laura C. Peck, Pamela D. Dietz, Sarah J. Fishback

Adult Education Research Conference

Research conducted at one urban and one rural community college illustrated factors that lead to persistence in completing educational goals, what specific factors put the students at risk, and how formal and informal actions taken at community colleges can improve successful completion for first generation college students living in poverty.

Literature Review: Barriers To Participation In The Online Learning Environment: The Role Of Race And Gender, Glenn A. Palmer, Lorenzo Bowman, Pamela Harroff

Adult Education Research Conference

As the number of adults participating in online learning continues to grow, it is important that adult educators, curriculum designers and the administrators of those programs understand the nature and characteristics of the adult learners filling those programs. Just as there are concerns about the efficacy of learning within traditional classrooms, there needs to be equal concerns about the effectiveness of learning in the online environment. An important question to be addressed--What is the significance of race, ethnicity and gender in the online learning environment?

The Effects Of Presentation And Processing On Explicit Memory In Older Adults, Felicia Oropeza

Adult Education Research Conference

Forty eight older adults watched words presented on a computer monitor and took a test of word recall. Results reveal a main effect for presentation, processing and an interaction of presentation and processing. These findings suggest the possible use of compensatory mechanisms for preserving memory by older adults.

Chasing Possibilities: First-Generation College Graduates Negotiate Past And Future Selves, Joann S. Olson

Adult Education Research Conference

The higher education literature highlights the retention and persistence of firstgeneration college students. This study explores the work-related experiences of firstgeneration college graduates. Findings suggest early-career first-generation graduates are engaged in a process of (re)understanding their past, negotiating their present work environment, and positioning themselves for long-term career satisfaction.

Learning From Within Ambiguity: Developing Adult’S Capacity For Generative Learning And Timely Action, Aliki Nicolaides

Adult Education Research Conference

In this paper I present a study with the purpose to deeply understand how adults learn when they encounter ambiguity. I focused my inquiry on developmentally mature adults: those who make meaning—cognitively, affectively, and interpersonally—with an extraordinary capacity for complexity.

Commodified Education Within The University Marketplace: Examining The Erosion Of Adult Education, Shelbee Nguyen

Adult Education Research Conference

Education for adults is complicated the time of global economic growth, domestic/international unemployment, and increased presence of higher education in the marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to uncover ways the adult learner is challenged and shaped by the context of commercial education. Motivations, perceptions of success (or lack of), and the overall experience are gauged.

Is It Worth It? Examining The Educational Benefits Of Synchronous Activities In An Online Theology Course, Fawn E. Mccracken, Joann S. Olson

Adult Education Research Conference

To explore the effect of adding synchronous activities to an online course, one section of a theology course was conducted in an asynchronous environment while the second section incorporated weekly Adobe Connect sessions. No significant differences were found on measures of academic achievement, student satisfaction, or classroom community.

A Chat-Based Case Study Of Informal Adult Learning And Technology: Barcamp, The Unconference, Sarah E. Martin, Susan J. Bracken

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper presents and discusses findings from a pilot case study about Bar Camps. BarCamps are an open technology movement collective learning event. They are gaining momentum as sites of resistance to the idea of ‘owning’ technology knowledge and known for cutting across boundaries to invite learners to learn through shared activities. The findings are organized and discussed based upon constructs of Cultural Historical Activity Theory, CHAT.

The Impact Of Engagement Model Academic Advising On Involvement, Academic Self-Efficacy, And Perceived Cohesion Of Online Adult Learners, Jeremy Schwehm, Elizabeth Giroir

Adult Education Research Conference

In this paper, the researchers present an ongoing study to better understand the faculty advisor role in guiding adult learners in online programs to degree completion. The researchers present a brief review of relevant literature, a research design, initial data analysis, and additional research questions that emerged from the data.

Patients’ Mental Models And Adherence To Outpatient Physical Therapy Home Exercise Programs, Jon Rizzo, Alexandra Bell

Adult Education Research Conference

Non-adherence to medical advice leads to costly physical and financial repercussions. Previous research suggests individuals’ mental models, comprising knowledge, beliefs, and prior experiences, may influence adherence behavior. This study explores these relationships by linking aspects of physical therapy patients’ mental models with their adherence to home exercise programs.

Diffusion Of Lifelong Learning Policy. The Case Of Recognition, Validation And Accreditation Of Learning Outcomes, Jungeun Lee, Talmadge C. Guy

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this study is to understand the diffusion and adoption of lifelong learning policy discourses at the global and national levels by examining the policies of recognition of learning outcomes across 35 countries in Europe, employing content analysis and statistical analysis. Findings, conclusions and limitations are discussed.