Education Commons^™

Motivation, Learning, And The Workplace: A Study Of Community College Student Affairs Professionals And Continued Professional Learning, Joseph M. Ginese

Theses and Dissertations

Continued professional learning is a consistent focus of attention for the field of student affairs within higher education. Yet, very little research has been conducted on the factors that influence the motivation of student affairs professionals to pursue continued professional learning, especially professionals within community colleges. This study utilized a quantitative research design to examine the physical and psychological factors of the work environment that can influence a community college student affairs professional’s motivation to pursue continued professional learning. Through the theoretical lens of Lewin’s Field Theory and Eccles’ Expectancy-Value Theory, I designed a 58-item survey (N = 41) …

Promoting Teacher Wellbeing: A Book Study, Katy Cooper

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to present a professional development curriculum that promotes teacher wellbeing through a book study. The curriculum was developed considering the following research question: How can a book study be used to support strategies for teacher wellbeing? The frameworks used to answer the research question and create the curriculum were PLC Book Study Guide (FLDOE, n.d.) and Professional Book Study (UFT Teacher Center, n.d.). The proposed book study is planned to take place over a six-month period and includes four meetings. A list of pre-selected books that promote teacher wellbeing, a sample book study invitation, …

Higher Education Professionals Are Not Prepared To Support Students' Growth And Exploration Of Religion And Worldviews, Matthew Gibson

Culminating Experience Projects

Religion and worldview development is often ignored within higher education. Whether inside of the classroom or in initiatives towards diversity, equity, and inclusion, religions and worldviews are kept out. This project looks at why this is the case and uses the Interfaith Triangle as a theoretical framework to provide a possible solution to this problem. This project was completed in three chapters. The first provides an introduction into why religion and worldview identity development are left out of higher education and how this project will address the issue. The second is a literature review that uses the Interfaith Triangle to …

From Empathy To Social Empathy: A Journey In A Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Workplace Graduate Certificate, Francesca Ferrari, Lisa M. Woodrum

Dissertations

This study aimed to explore and understand the impact of the Graduate Certificate in Workplace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI Graduate Certificate) on master’s and doctoral students’ social empathy (SE) development. The participants in this certificate engaged in several online activities that increased their knowledge of microaggressions, privilege, and unconscious bias while building their social empathy. This certificate provided various tools and skills to its participants so that they might value diversity, look at the world from another’s perspective, and start a dialogue to promote social change. This case study involved 19 participants. To answer our research questions, we used …

Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences Professional Development Opportunities And Their Impact On Perceptions Of Career Preparedness, Jessica L. Wesson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A student’s undergraduate education is an imperative part of developing career skills that will prepare them to transition from academia to the professional world. Experience outside of the classroom and course material taught in a formal class experience are both important. Their experiences and classes, in college, allow them to develop skills and increase their chances of being successful in the workplace (Suvedi et al., 2016).

Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Student Development were used to help explain the process of student development. A quantitative survey was sent to DBCALFS faculty, staff, and administrators, and a different quantitative survey was sent …

The Sadie Alexander Project: A Professional Development Mandate For Student Affairs Professionals, Lauren Sealy

West Chester University Master’s Theses

In this thesis, I address the lack of professional development and the absence of resources provided for student affairs professionals. By utilizing critical action research, I propose an intervention of creating a professional development mandate for all student affairs professionals called the Sadie Alexander Project. The Sadie Alexander Project uses holistic and collaborative division efforts with a focus on supporting and advocating for student affairs professionals. The proposed intervention also promotes continuous education initiatives for student affairs professionals and ensuring that institutions have up-to-date resources for students in need. I emphasize the importance of evaluating employee satisfaction and highlight the …

Cracking The Bamboo Ceiling: Examining The Academic And Professional Identity Development Of Asian American Women Faculty, Christine Whang Kang

CGU Theses & Dissertations

While Asian American faculty account for almost half of all full-time professors of color in the U.S., Asian American women account for only 3.84 percent of all full-time professors. Researchers speculate that Asian American women are often motivated to choose majors and careers considered “culturally valued”; majors that are focused more on STEM areas and careers that allow flexibility for them to manage their familial responsibilities. The implied message, that Asian American women should pursue a career guided by familial needs, hinders many Asian American women aspiring to pursue advanced professional careers in academia. Since traditional career development models have …

Increasing Collaboration Between Noncredit Staff And Credit Faculty, Dimitra Fotopoulos

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) focused on two specific stakeholder groups within a liberal arts postsecondary institution in western Canada: the noncredit faculty (NCF) and academic faculties. A third group, the external community, is also a key stakeholder that will benefit from the OIP through relevant programming for work-ready graduates. The NCF, in which noncredit certificates, diplomas, and professional development programs are offered, is tasked with revenue generation. It is an outward facing arm of the organization, with a strong focus on building relationships with the business and nonprofit community. The goals of the academic faculties are to develop and …

The Relationship Between The Perceived Value Of Professional Development, Job Satisfaction, And Intent To Leave, Wendy Marie Wells

Dissertations

Organizations striving to remain competitive compete in the war for talent in order to recruit and retain employees. Studies assessing intent to leave and turnover suggest numerous strategies to mitigate the revolving door of employees quitting jobs (Allen, 2008; Allen, Bryant, & Vardaman 2010; Lee, Hom, Eberly, & Li, 2018). This study assesses the relationship between the perceived value of professional development, job satisfaction, and intent to leave. Results of the study reveal as one finds professional development, valuable job satisfaction increases. In assessing the relationship between professional development and intent to leave, the results of the study suggest that …

Exploring The Impact Of Diversity Training On The Development And Application Of Cultural Competence Skills In Higher Education Professionals, Kendra Cabler

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the terms diversity and inclusion have become major buzzwords across industries and fields of study. Within the field of education broadly, and higher education in particular, a shifting student demographic can be seen across the country. Issues of equity and inclusion have become central complexities for present day educational strategists, and organizations committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion must do so with intentionality. In the context of higher education, this often requires the intentional development of professionals within a particular college or university. There has been a great deal of research concerning the development of cultural …

Using Interpersonal Process Recall (Ipr) To Examine The Effects Of Equine Assisted Activities On The Personal And Professional Development Of Student Therapists, Dianna Isabel Giraldez

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The Introduction to Equine Assisted Family Therapy course offered at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) provides Master’s and Doctoral level student therapists the opportunity to learn how to conduct an equine session and how to utilize horses as part of the therapeutic process. Students learn about the underlying theories and framework behind the equine activities and methodology, as well as participate in the equine activities themselves. For the purpose of this study, classroom discussions centered around processing the students’ experiences and were further enriched by viewing photographs and videos that had been taken of the students conducting the equine activities. The …