Education Commons^™

Re-Conceptualizing Ethical Practices In Adult Education In Contemporary Society Using An Ethics-Centered Practice, Mitsunori Misawa, Patricia J. Higgins

Adult Education Research Conference

This presentation will focus on re-conceptualizing and exploring ethical practices in adult education from the previous literature on ethics and developing an ethics-centered practice for modern adult education.

Was It A Dream Or Nightmare? A Narrative Exploration Of Adult Refugee Learners’ Experiences In A Community College, Patricia J. Higgins, Mitsunori Misawa

Adult Education Research Conference

Refugees enter the United States seeking a safe place to rebuild their lives after surviving life-threatening situations. In this journey, education is seen as a bridge from instability to self-sufficiency. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to better understand the experiences of adult refugee learners as they navigate higher education in the United States. The research questions were: How do adult refugee learners’ prior life experiences influence the transition to higher education? How does the intersection of ethnicity and immigration status influence the higher education experience? and What strategies do adult refugee learners employ to navigate higher education?

A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis For A Theory Of Interfaith/Interreligious Learning Through Dialogue, Elizabeth M. Pope, Nadira K. Charaniya, Jane West Walsh

Adult Education Research Conference

Interfaith/interreligious (IF/IR) dialogue offers a context through which individuals within various religious communities can learn from and with each other. There are unique aspects to this learning environment. First, learning through conversation. Second, learning through conversation about a difficult topic. And third, learning from and with a religious other. To best understand what learning through IF/IR dialogue is, researchers would benefit from a nuanced understanding of the complexities of the learning environment and the participants within it. In this qualitative meta-synthesis, we examine current research on IF/IR dialogue to outline a theory of dialogical IF/IR learning.

Paulo Freire As Learning Theorist, John Holst

Adult Education Research Conference

I defend the thesis that Paulo Freire had a theory of learning. Contrary to what learning theorists sustain, I present a theory of learning in Freire’s work.

Understanding E-Learning As Professional Development For Rural Child Welfare Professionals, Linda S. Kingery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ongoing professional development is an integral part of a child welfare agency's strategy toward the provision of services to children and families involved with a child welfare intervention. Electronic learning (E-Learning) is popular as a fiscally responsible and flexible way to deliver such trainings. There is a gap in the research addressing the problem of how child welfare professionals are motivated to engage in the E-learning process. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of child welfare professionals regarding their motivation to use an agency provided E-learning program. Eight child welfare professionals employed by a …

Perceptions Of Faculty Using Mymathlab In Traditional, In-Seat Math Classes, Kathleen Gromilovitz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

MyMathLab, an online interactive and educational system by Pearson Publisher, was implemented in 2 lower-level, traditional in-seat algebra courses to provide supplemental, instructional support to students in the fall of 2015 at the college under study. After the first year of use, no significant change in student success was reported, although more students passed intermediate algebra without first taking elementary algebra. The problem addressed in this study was that student results suggested there might be benefits to using MyMathLab that should be investigated. Knowles' theory of andragogy was used in this qualitative case study to gather perceptions of 7 2016-2017 …

College Instructors' Perceptions On Coteaching, Theresa Da Costa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coteaching is a teaching strategy that requires 2-teachers to collaborate in developing a course syllabus, selecting materials, and assessing students' work. The research problem, addressed in this study, was an appeal to educate the diverse adult population whose needs could not be addressed through traditional instructions at Rex College. Because of a high number of enrolled adult students, coteaching at Rex College was used to improve student success for academically underprepared students in a Set for Success program. The purpose of this study was to examine the coteaching strategies used at Rex College so that teaching guides and/or professional training …

The Pedagogy Of Play: The Joy Of Living, Learning, And Riding Motorcycles, Jeffrey Zacharakis

Adult Education Research Conference

This research explores how the theoretical construct of lifelong learning is enriched through play, and proposes that the pedagogy of play might be an important new adult learning theory.

A New Research Direction Of Authentic Leadership In The Field Of Adult Education, Jihye Oh, Soo Jeoung Han

Adult Education Research Conference

This research reviewed authentic leadership and learning-related outcomes at workplace from the perspective of adult education/learning. Over the past decade, authentic leadership has been investigated only from performance-oriented perspective at workplace, despite its learning-oriented concept and component. Therefore, this research provided new insight and direction into the field of adult education/learning at workplace through integrated literature review of authentic leadership.

Exploring Adult Learners’ Knowledge Construction Of Social Foundations Content: One Higher Education Context, Susan Yelich Biniecki, Royce Ann Collins

Adult Education Research Conference

This qualitative study explores adult learners’ knowledge construction of social foundations content within a Master of Adult Education program, broadening the understanding of the tenets of constructivist learning.

The Learning Projects Of Municipal Elected Officials, Rebecca Campbell Smeltzer

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the learning projects related to the governmental role of a selected sample of elected municipal officials in a geographic region of a Southeastern state. The study includes the revision of Tough’s (1975) learning projects interview schedule and the addition of eight demographic items.

Participants were selected by using a random number generator to choose 12 cities from seven population groups, creating a stratified sample of 68 elected officials, 41 of whom agreed to be interviewed. Demographic information revealed that the participants were a mix of mayors (26.8%), vice-mayors (19.5%), and city …

Online Training Impact On Adjunct Faculty Compliance And Satisfaction With Professional Development, Elizabeth Pete

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed by this project study was low levels of adjunct faculty compliance and satisfaction with the professional development program at a local college. The purpose of the study was to determine if an alternative delivery method would yield higher levels of compliance and satisfaction than would a traditional professional development workshop. The guiding research question was whether an alternative delivery method would yield higher levels of compliance and satisfaction than a traditional professional development workshop. The theoretical base included andragogy, self-directed learning, and connectivism. Using an experimental design, the project examined archival data concerning compliance and satisfaction for …

Haitian Adult Immigrants As Learners And Parents, Dayana Octavien Philippi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Haitian immigrant parents often face challenges to visibly engage in their children's education in the United States due to social, cultural, and economic factors. This study addressed parent involvement (PI) among Haitian immigrant parents of adolescents in a Florida community. The purpose of this exploratory, multiple-case study was to better understand connections between immigrant Haitian parents' beliefs and learning experiences and their experiences supporting their adolescents' learning. Three research questions were developed to explore Haitian adults' lived experiences and perceptions of themselves as keepers of knowledge and as learners, their experiences and perceived roles as parents, and the resources they …

We Shall Not Be Moved: Adult Learners’ Intransigent Attitudes About Group Projects, Judy K. Favor, Mark Harvey

Adult Education Research Conference

This study explored the effectiveness of a structured group project planning process designed to improve accountability, communication, satisfaction, and attitudes about group projects with adult learners.

Conscientization Through The Context Of A Book Club: Adults’ Experiences Of Consciousness-Raising, Rachel M. Cassity

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the lived experiences of consciousness-raising for adults through the context of book clubs. Research about adult participation in book clubs remains scarce. Therefore, this study seeks to highlight how these contexts might promote adult learning and Conscientization.

Theorizing Transformative Education: An Exploration Into Marcuse’S Aesthetic Dimension, Adrienne Pickett

Adult Education Research Conference

In this paper, I propose that the underlying quality of transformation is what Herbert Marcuse calls the aesthetic dimension. I use aesthetic language to understand better the nature of transformative education.

Culturally Responsive Teaching With Adult Language Learners, Christy M. Rhodes

Adult Education Research Conference

This study examined how frequently adult education English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teachers in Florida used specific culturally responsive teaching practices and how important they believed those practices were to their teaching. Using Ginsberg and Wlodkowski’s Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching, an online survey of 17 teaching practices was developed, validated, and administered to 143 adult ESOL and EAP teachers in Florida. This article describes the findings of this study, examining which practices were used with the highest and least frequency, as well as the practices described as most and least …

How Is U.S. Adults’ Health Related To Literacy, Numeracy, Technological Problem-Solving Skills, And Adult Education? A Piaac Analysis, Esther Prins, Shannon Monnat, Carol Clymer, Blaire Willson Toso

Adult Education Research Conference

This paper uses U.S. data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to analyze the relationship between self-reported health and (a) literacy, numeracy, and technological problem-solving skills, and (b) involvement in adult education, and to determine whether those relationships vary by race/ethnicity and educational attainment.

Validating Community Of Inquiry Framework In Adult Learningfindings From An Empirical Investigation In A University Organized Literacy Programme In Nigeria, Kester Osegha Ojokheta

Adult Education Research Conference

Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework is one of the leading models guiding online teaching and learning. There is the general consensus that the framework enhances learning outcomes and provides meaningful support among learners. This study was conducted to ascertain the validity of the CoI in adult literacy programme in Nigeria.

Exploring The Experiences And Relationships Of First-Year Teachers And Mentors, Melanie Jane Strey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators have a moral imperative and job-embedded expectation to effectively teach all students, which requires a commitment to continued personal growth. The purpose of this instrumental project study was to explore the lived experiences of first-year teachers and their mentors who teach in a culturally-diverse school district. The conceptual framework was based on supporting adult learning methods through the theories of critical thinking, constructivist perspective, the theory of mentoring, and culturally-instructional teaching. The guiding research questions addressed the perceptions of 5 first-year teachers and 5 mentors regarding individual and shared learning as a result of mentor-mentee relationship. A constant comparison …

Creating Professional Learning Programs That Recognize Teachers As Adult Learners, Nicole Marie Lowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent research, approximately 40-50% of teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years, creating a constant need for teachers. There is evidence that creating a supportive working environment through effective professional learning, drawing on adult learning theory, may reduce teacher turnover and increase student performance. This study explored teachers' perceptions about the professional development offerings available to them, how these perceptions influence their decisions to remain at the school, and what types of professional learning experiences teachers want to experience. Fourteen high school teachers participated in individual interviews and 2 focus groups, which were analyzed inductively for …

Perceived Academic Needs Of Military Veterans Within A For-Profit, Yvonne Rose Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of recent U.S. military veterans attending college has increased due to the Veterans Education Assistance Act; however, retention and graduation rates for this population have declined. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the experiences and academic needs of recent military veterans as they transition from the military to academic life at a for-profit, proprietary college. In addition, this study identified differences in the problems faced by male and female veterans and explored whether veterans understood the resources available to them as they enrolled in higher education. Schlossberg's transitional theory was the conceptual framework used in …

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 …

Effects Of Implementing A Formative Assessment Initiative, Thomas A. Stewart

Dissertations

This dissertation supports the work of Black and Wiliam (1998), who demonstrated that when teachers effectively utilize formative assessment strategies, student learning increases significantly. However, the researchers also found a “poverty of practice” among teachers, in that few fully understood how to effectively implement formative assessment in the classroom. This qualitative case study examined a series of voluntary workshops offered at one public middle school designed to address this poverty of practice. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews. The researcher used constant comparative analysis to discover patterns in the data for the following four research questions: (1) What role did …

The Characteristics Of Learning In Social Movements: A Pilot Study Of An Environmental Organization, Jihyun Kim

Adult Education Research Conference

This qualitative study addresses the distinctive characteristics of learning in social movements in terms of learning content, motivation, format, and outcomes. Based on the researcher’s constructivist stance on knowledge, social movement activists in a currently active local environmental organization, the Protect Elica Island (pseudonym, PEI), were interviewed. The study showed that PEI activists learned skills and knowledge about the movement, as well as suggestions for more successful organization activities. Participants reported learning about the nature of social movement participation from reflection, and the significance of their social movement activities in more passionate, self- directed, self-controlled, and self-rewarding ways than in …

A Transformative Learning Perspective On Workplace Safety, R. Bruce Dodge

Adult Education Research Conference

Workplace injuries and illness are a problem of epidemic proportion yet safe workplaces can be created. Using the lens of transformative learning this case study, informed by ethnography, examined the experience of a long term seniors’ living facility which had dramatically reduced injury rates and costs. The study sought to understand the apparent perspective transformation of senior leaders and how that change impacted the organization. Disorienting dilemmas, discourse and critical reflection were seen as contributing to a new frame of reference which guided the actions of leaders.

Structural Model Of Simulation – Social Constructionist Perspective, Bo Chang

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this study is to establish a viable structural model of simulation in learning from the social constructionist perspective. The study is based on one of my empirical studies about knowledge construction in learning community and also the researches on simulation from the interdisciplinary fields. The findings indicate that simulation is a process of designing and practicing a model generated from the representational structure of the real world and modifying the model according to the specific contexts. Simulation is useful for gaining analogous knowledge, knowledge that has similar or relevant structures between the simulatee and simulator.

Expanding The Conversation On Adult Learning Theories: Theorizing African American Women’S Learning And Development In Predominantly White Organizations, Marilyn Y. Byrd, Dominique T. Chlup

Adult Education Research Conference

This study is a qualitative, interpretative examination of nine African American women’s (AAW’s) experiences while working in a leadership position at a predominantly White organization and the learning experiences that emerged from these encounters. Black feminist theory (BFT) is used as a sociocultural framework to explain how the participants learned from these experiences. Three main learning themes emerged: learning from influential sources, learning through divine guidance, and learning through affirmation of self. We posit that sociocultural theories derived from AAW’s ways of knowing is necessary to move the field of adult education toward more inclusive ways of theorizing learning.

Participatory Adult Learning Professional Development Strategy: Evidence And Examples, Carol M. Trivette

Carol M. Trivette

No abstract provided.

How To Stay A.L.I.V.E. In A World Of Ever-Changing Technology: Keeping Up With Adult Learning In A Virtual Environment, Donna Mancuso, Dominique Chlup, Rochell Mcwhorter

Adult Education Research Conference

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the benefits and barriers for adult learning within virtual environments.