Dissertations / Theses: '160104 Professional development and adult education'

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Beaulieu, Evelyn H. "An Exploration of the Use of Professional Development Standards in Adult Education Professional Development." Fogler Library, University of Maine, 2007. http://www.library.umaine.edu/theses/pdf/BeaulieuEH2007.pdf.

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Stewart, Carmine. "Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in Adult Literacy Education." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1357933502.

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Ioannou, Nicoletta. "Professional development and professionalization of adult education in Cyprus : views and perceptions of adult educators." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51517/.

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Adult educators have been identified in the academic and policy literature as crucial to the success of national and regional strategies to deliver quality teaching to adult learners who require new knowledge and skills to meet changing social and economic needs. However, the majority of adult educators are part time practitioners who frequently lack any formal training or specialized expertise for teaching adults (Andersson, Köpsén, Larson and Milana, 2012; Jarvis, 2004). Across the world, limited attention is given to their professional development, leaving the majority of them to assume this responsibility by themselves. This is the case in Cyprus. The Cypriot adult education sector is characterised by part-time practitioners with low pay, limited professional development opportunities and uncertain career prospects. The professionalization of the sector and the development of adult education as a recognised profession has not been a priority. This study used a mixed-methods approach rooted within the pragmatic paradigm. This allowed a range of opinions to be heard, analysed and interpreted, and for some conclusions to be drawn regarding the ‘essential features’ of professional development and how these can contribute to the professionalization of the adult education sector in Cyprus. Questionnaires and group interviews were used to understand the perceptions of adult educators regarding their professional development and to identify emerging issues relevant to their professional identity and to the professionalization of the adult education field in Cyprus. Policy-makers and academics were also interviewed. The findings demonstrate the high levels of motivation that adult educators have to participate in professional development both to improve their teaching competences and to meet the needs of their learners. They reveal the personal fulfilment that adult educators gain from their work, despite their low professional status and uncertain prospects. The research shows that adult educators seek professional development focused upon classroom-based and didactical skills that can make them better teachers of adults. The establishment of a supportive environment, identification of adult learners’ needs, acknowledgment of adult educators’ prior experience, placing the learner at the centre of the teaching process, reflective practice and experiential learning, are seen as important components of professional development. The research findings have important implications for policy and practice in Cyprus. They inform recommendations for systematizing the adult education sector, defining its philosophical framework and priorities, and establishing a responsible body to monitor the professional development of adult educators and the sector in general. There are implications for practice; that the developmental needs of adult educators can be met through systematic professional development provision and that this should draw upon key stakeholders (adult educators, academic organizations and professional development providers) for its design. Finally, the research contributes to professional practice and academic discipline by providing a better understanding of adult educators working in this sector, the challenges they face, how they define their professional identity and their perceptions on how to improve their professional future. By offering insights into professional development and professionalization from the perspective of adult educators, it is hoped that the research can contribute towards positive change for adult education in Cyprus, to the advantage of educators and learners, and thereby to the advantage of Cypriot society in general.

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Trentham, Joan. "Continuing Professional Education: Priority Resources for Leadership Development." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1992. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2811.

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The purpose of this study was to determine those resources that selected leadership development experts rated as most effective in discovering and fostering the continuing professional development of leaders. In this descriptive study, three research questions were formulated. A modified version of Hunter's reputational technique was used to collect data through a snowball sampling of the selected population. In phase 1 of the study, a survey was developed, validated, and mailed to 56 LEADership directors in all 50 states, yielding 34 (64%) returns, which were used in creation of the final questionnaire. In phase 2 of the study, the final instrument, including 256 identified resources, was developed, validated, and mailed to 220 experts in leadership development identified in the initial survey. A return of 88 (40%) of the questionnaires identified leadership development resources that selected experts rated as effective. The 19 instruments, 128 books or other printed materials, 32 audio or video tapes, and 77 programs identified through the initial survey were rated either "not effective", "somewhat effective", "effective", or "very effective" on a likert-type scale.

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McGuinness, Meghan Ann. "Adult Learning-Focused Professional Development for Dental Hygiene Clinical Instructors." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1907.

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At a dental hygiene program within a community college in New York State, clinical instructors are hired based on their expertise as practitioners. Most clinical instructors lack a background in adult learning theory and practice, which is an issue because their students are adult learners whose average age is 26. The instructors' lack of knowledge in this area challenges their effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore dental hygiene instructors' views about what kind of professional development offerings related to adult learning might help improve their teaching effectiveness. The conceptual framework for this project study was Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 part-time clinical instructors from the same academic department. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes emerged from data analysis: participants' commitment to teaching, experience with students' attitudes, desire for communication, satisfaction with students' successes, and need for professional development. These findings led to the design of a professional development program that includes content on behaviorism, humanism, social cognitive theory, cognitivism, constructivism, and experiential learning theory. The goals of the program include providing clinical instructors with a background in adult learning theory and identifying ways to implement adult learning theory into clinical instruction. In potentially improving the teaching effectiveness of clinical instructors, this study may result in the better preparation of dental hygiene students and, ultimately, lead to improved patient care.

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Taylor, Suzanne. "Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of Continuing Professional Development Opportunities." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/558.

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With the growth in healthcare research and rapid changes in technology, nurses' participation in lifelong learning is a critical factor in providing excellent patient care. However, many nurses encounter difficulties engaging in continuing professional development (CPD) activities. The purpose of this case study was to understand pediatric nurses' perceptions of CPD opportunities at a tertiary, freestanding, children's hospital in Southern California. Social cognitive theory was the framework for the study. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with a purposeful sample of 39 nurses comprised of day- and night-shift nurses plus nurse managers. The data were coded into categories and themes to explain the findings; the resulting 7 themes illustrated how these nurses perceived CPD. The nurses identified motivators and barriers that influenced their involvement in CPD activities. Most nurses reported that they were able to incorporate new knowledge into their practice and produce excellent patient outcomes but some nurses expressed instances of resistance and practice not supported with evidence-based approaches to care. Although the nurses found the programs adequate, they recommended ideas for improvement, including a need for leadership and management development. A project aimed at providing nurse managers with professional development in leadership was created to improve CPD. The project could improve the nursing profession by helping educators enhance CPD to support nurses in delivering high-quality patient care, thus supporting the healing and well-being of children under their care.

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Moore, Susan S. Jr. "Continuing Professional Education for the Dietitian: A Critical Analysis of the Professional Development 2001 Model from an Adult Education Lens." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36805.

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Professional Development 2001 has been proposed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration as a new system for recredentialing dietetic practitioners to better ensure professional development. Changes include self-directed learning and reflective inquiry, new, unfamiliar concepts to this profession. To date, neither the Commission on Dietetic Registration nor the American Dietetic Association have offered a systematic review of these concepts and their implications for practice. As practitioners begin to consider this proposal in relation to their practice, the broader perspective of adult education research and theory can provide insight, depth and context to enlighten its use. A critical analysis was undertaken to demonstrate how Professional Development 2001 embodies the concepts of self-directed learning, reflective inquiry, and lifelong-learning and why these concepts are important as a means of assuring professional competence. Implications for practice are discussed.
Master of Science

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Glynne, Michele Theresa. "Exploring the Efficacy of School-based Professional Development." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1620.

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No method exists for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development (PD) for teachers in Boston Public Schools. Often PD does not contribute to teacher quality, which can hinder student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of PD among K-8 teachers and to examine the alignment of PD in the schools with the 4 prerequisites of professional learning outlined by Learning Forward. These 4 prerequisites served as the conceptual framework. Of the research questions, 4 reflected the topics of the 4 prerequisites: commitment to students, readiness to learn, collaboration, and learning styles. The fifth research question was based on PD in general. In this case study, data from interviews from nine teachers were analyzed typologically. Key teacher perceptions included a commitment to students, overall lack of relevance and usefulness of PD and therefore lack of readiness to learn, failed efforts to promote collaboration, and lack of attention to teachers' learning styles. Strained partnerships with colleagues and lack of time hampered the effectiveness of the PD. Based on these outcomes, a professional learning opportunity for administrators was created to teach them how to develop effective professional learning for teachers based on the 4 prerequisites. This professional learning opportunity can be implemented at the local level to promote the design of more effective professional learning in Boston Public Schools. By improving the effectiveness of professional learning and subsequently teacher quality, social change in the form of improved student outcomes can be initiated.

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Hooks, Laura Sebastian. "Towards More Effective Teacher Professional Development Initiatives." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1586.

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The No Child Left Behind Act (2002) and Race to the Top (2009) legislation have forged new school accountability measures and led to a sharp increase in demand for teacher professional development (TPD). However, data revealed that there is a disconnection between the training that teachers receive and its implementation, limiting its impact on student achievement. This qualitative case study's purpose was to reveal major barriers to TPD implementation and provide suggestions for crafting more impactful TPD. Based on the social constructivist foundation, this study sought to address the factors that increase teachers' receptiveness to more effective teaching techniques. It explored middle school teachers' perceptions of TPD, its connection to student achievement, and factors influencing implementation. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions helped to identify emergent themes. Nine participants were purposefully selected to gather data from perspectives across race, gender, and various teaching experiences. This study took an inductive approach using the constant comparison methodology of data analysis. Participants identified influencing factors regarding TPD, such as the inclusion of a follow-up component for accountability and feedback. Also, the participants insisted that TPD must be seen as non-punitive, relevant, engaging, and non-hypocritical; for example, a lecture cannot teach teachers about the ineffectiveness of teaching via lecture. These findings encourage positive social change by providing insight into crafting more impactful TPD. Ultimately, improved TPD encourages better teaching methodologies, increased teacher morale, and higher student achievement.

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Durr, Mary Sue. "Special Education Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Around Assessment." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6419.

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The significance of professional development (PD) is acknowledged in research studies as essential to implementing rigorous state standards. Although the literature recognizes that PD is a crucial component in improving teachers' knowledge and skills, some teachers at a midsized urban public elementary school in the southern United States did not see the benefit of attending PD. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary special education teachers' perceptions of PD around assessment. Guided by a framework based on Chen and McCray's whole teacher approach to teacher PD, this basic qualitative study was designed to understand how these elementary special education teachers viewed the PD activities related to assessment at the local site. In-depth interviews were conducted with elementary special education teachers at LMP Elementary School who had attended PD about assessment. Interview data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Overall, findings revealed concerns regarding the quality of PD, lack of training, lack of evidence-based practice, teachers' intrinsic motivation and commitment, and teachers' autonomy. Findings were used to design a 3-day PD workshop that engaged learning techniques for special education teachers to assess and implement instructional methods to augment students with disabilities' academic achievement. Ultimately, this study has implications for creating positive social change by advocating and providing for special education teachers to be maximally engaged in PD aimed at enhancing outcomes for the students with disabilities they serve.

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Burgess, Debra Ann Paton. "Effects of adult developmental stages on the professional education of teachers." Scholarly Commons, 1995. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2482.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the stages of teaching careers and staff development preferences within the context of Levinson's (1978) adult development theory. This study found that adult development theory affects teachers' view of their careers and identified four themes across the teaching career: isolation, low perceived status, student relationships, and support networks. Additionally, this study describes what constitutes sound staff development activities. Semi structured group and individual interviews were used to collect data from 31 practicing elementary teachers in two rural northern California schools districts. The sample was selected from autobiographical and professional data questionnaire completed by 159 teachers. Grounded theory was used to analyze data and integrate into a description of teaching careers that spans a range of 30+ years of experience. Four teacher career stages were identified: early, early middle, late middle and veteran. The four themes identified in this study were constant across the teaching career, but the significance varied at each developmental stage. Results supported a differentiated model of staff development based on teacher career stages. A career long, articulated model of teacher staff development was developed, incorporating adult learning principles, reflective practice, and the role of mentor at each career stage. The recommended model in this study focuses on the needs of the teacher at each career stage and views the teacher as a fully, functioning professional. Thus, a major conclusion in this study is the need for a paradigm shift in current staff development practices that focuses on teacher rather than institutional or societal needs. Schon's (1983, 1987) model of reflective practice of conscious reflection before, during and after practice is described to promote teacher growth at each developmental career stage. Finally, this study concludes that support networks are a vital element in teacher professional development and describes the changing role of the mentor throughout the career cycle to assist in the professional growth of the individual teacher.

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Bowers, Okema S. "Adjunct faculty perception of professional development and support services." Thesis, Regent University, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3571529.

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The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the adjunct faculty's perception of professional development and support services offered and needed at Tidewater Community College, a multicampus community college. This study involved adjunct faculty only. A survey was created and contained 58 survey questions. The majority of these were Likert-like items based on a scale from Strongly Agree, indicating a very important need or value for the adjunct, to Strongly Disagree, indicating a not important at all level of perceived value. In order to determine if other factors influenced the perception of professional development or support services, other questions asked for demographic information, such as education level, age, number of years in the professional field, and discipline/department. Except for education level, each of the independent variables accepted the null hypothesis that there is no statistically significant difference between adjunct faculty perception of institutional supports and the professional development and support services offered in terms of the independent variables. Findings from this study indicated that adjunct faculty perceived that professional development and support services are significant in improving their teaching and important to their role and success. Adjuncts want to better serve students and connect with the institution. Orientation and mentoring are highly regarded and requested to help integrate adjunct faculty into the college. The data indicated that adjunct faculty members want professional development that meets their specific instructional and student-centered needs that is offered during more accommodating times. The current professional development offerings are not well-attended and do not seem to meet the specific needs of this adjunct population. It behooves the administration to further investigate what is currently being done to support adjuncts and to address a means to improve the delivery and execution of all institutional supports. While this study provides useful information related to one community college, it is important that each community college examine closely its personal investment relative to the institutional support it provides to adjunct faculty members.

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Simpson, Catherine. "Academic advisers| Perceptions of training and professional development at community colleges." Thesis, Capella University, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3558575.

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This qualitative case study utilizing in-depth interviews examined academic advisers' perceptions of training and professional development resources at a Midwestern U.S. community college. In addition, the study examined the availability and accessibility of training and professional development resources at the community college. The study sought to gain a better understanding of influences that shaped academic advisers' perceptions. Four themes emerged from the interviews: Educational Experiences, Adviser Participation, New Advising Resources, and Funding. Findings of the study indicated that perceptions of training and professional development varied. However, there was a consensus among advisers that training and professional development opportunities existed on- and off-campus. However, there were divergent perspectives regarding availability, accessibility, and advisers' ability to participate. The findings also indicated that advisers' ability to participate and obtaining new advising resources were tied to funding. The findings of the study can be used by advising managers, administrators, and policymakers to improve advising practice, better serve a changing student population, and fulfill institutional goals and missions.

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Pete, Elizabeth. "Online Training Impact on Adjunct Faculty Compliance and Satisfaction With Professional Development." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2041.

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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 69 adjunct faculty members who had been randomly assigned to an online (experimental group; n = 39) or on-campus (control group; n = 30) professional development workshop. A chi-square analysis showed that compliance levels were significantly higher for participants in the online professional development workshop compared to those who participated in an on-campus workshop. An analysis of variance found that the overall satisfaction level was higher for participants in the online workshop compared to those who participated in the on-campus workshop. The project resulting from the study was a policy recommendation report. Online professional development can positively influence social change by increasing adjunct faculty participation and facilitating the creation and maintenance of networks of health educators. Additionally, direct and indirect costs currently associated with traditional professional development may be reduced through the use of online professional development.

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Weber-Mayrer, Melissa Margaret. "Early Childhood Professional Development: An Experimental Study of Adult Teaching Practices Derived from Adult Learning Theory." The Ohio State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1467133461.

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Brown, Sandra Kay. "Exploring Part-Time Teacher Professional Development and Best Practices on Adult Learners' Outcomes." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3590.

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The issue of limited part-time teacher professional development and its effect on adult learners' success at an adult education center in the northeast United States was addressed in this study. At the research site, almost 50% of the teaching staff are adjuncts. Professional development opportunities have been limited, with only 1 opportunity recorded during the 2014-2015 school year. When teachers are provided appropriate and relevant support for the curriculum and student needs, they realize their own craft growth, with measureable student achievement as a result. Knowles's adult learning theory served as the conceptual framework and provided structure for exploring and understanding nontraditional students. Using a qualitative exploratory case study design, the research questions focused on part-time teachers' perception of professional development on their teaching and instructional practice. Purposeful sampling was used to select 8 adjuncts to participate in semistructured interviews. Data analysis involved an inductive study of coded data retrieved and explored 5 themes: barriers to delivering an excellent teaching plan, teacher knowledge of student needs, administrative concerns, sense of community, and professional development needs. Themes were examined to develop a 3-day adult education training program. Implications for positive social change at the local level include information for educational administrators to design and promote appropriate and relevant professional development opportunities for adjuncts. This advancement of ongoing professional development could improve teaching and learning for adjuncts that may result in their craft improvement, positively impacting their nontraditional students.

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Kerl, Mary Ann. "Online Professional Development for College Faculty to Support Dyslexic Students| A Multiple Case Study." Thesis, Northcentral University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10975404.

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The topic for this study was online professional development for college composition teachers that may help support dyslexic learners. Two populations samples, both impacted by the problem, were chosen for this qualitative multiple case study. The populations were college composition faculty and college dyslexic learners or graduates. The samples were collected from composition instructors at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, and people with dyslexia living in the U.S. The dyslexic participants needed a formal diagnosis of dyslexia and either were in college, or had some college, or graduated from college. Besides two populations, two theories were addressed: the Experiential Learning Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model. The purpose of this study was to explore how online professional development for college composition faculty can build dyslexia awareness and identify writing strategies for college dyslexic students. Four research questions based the study. Three instruments were used: online surveys, modules and a discussion focus group. The participants? responses to the questions resulted in extracting seven themes, after the data was collected, coded and analyzed. Findings showed no faculty participants had training on dyslexia; the five dyslexic participants and about half of the seven faculty participants associated dyslexia with not only reading but also writing problems; and both groups had found some self-regulated writing strategies, showing potential for helping college dyslexic students in an inclusive classroom. Conclusions were online PD programs on college students with dyslexia and writing strategies should be available for college composition faculty. A gap exists in this area. Thus, the researcher recommends study replication, for future research. For practice, the researcher encourages college composition instructors try the writing strategies in this study to hopefully help future college dyslexic learners to learn academic writing.

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Kingery, Linda S. "Understanding E-Learning as Professional Development for Rural Child Welfare Professionals." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4928.

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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 Midwestern private child welfare agency participated in semi-structured interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A pattern matching logic model was used to extrapolate relevant themes. The themes from this study were that work environment, irrelevance of content, and emotional aspects of child welfare work were barriers to engaging in E-learning during a work day. The implications for positive social change are that using E-learning as a delivery system for training in child welfare needs to be combined with a concerted effort to develop programs that first consider the work environment of the child welfare professional and the relevance of content. Providing more effective training is expected to result in better trained workers, which leads to more effective child welfare interventions. More effective child welfare interventions are needed to resolve the current crisis within the field of child welfare, which protects one of society's most vulnerable populations.

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Chaudary, Imran Anjum. "Designing for better pedagogy : a case study of professional development of teachers of adults in Pakistan /." Connect to thesis, 2009. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/4885.

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This qualitative, ethnographic case study explores the professional development opportunities for teachers of adults in Pakistan in order to understand how these are currently experienced and what changes can be made to make them more effective.
This study took place mainly in Lahore, Pakistan. The study engaged six practitioners from different colleges, universities and government education departments: three teachers of adults, two professional development providers, and a professional development designer. Their perspectives were gathered in their indigenous languages - Urdu and Punjabi - using semi-structured interviews. The data collected was analysed using a Miles and Huberman (1994) style matrix which revealed five themes: unhappiness, school-based provision, social learning as the pedagogy, personalised generic teaching skill formation, and evaluation. These themes were explored to produce results which were used to generate a model of effective professional development. The results of this study indicated that teachers of adults, in Pakistan, wanting for change in their professional development practices, believe in school-based provision of professional development with social and reflective learning as the pedagogy.
Accordingly, this study contributes to the understanding of teachers of adults’ professional development needs, the types of professional support that they need, and how these should function within their own workplaces in Pakistan.

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Johnson, Audrey D. "Professional Development that Enhances Pedagogy| Perceptions of Teachers in a Rural High School." Thesis, Piedmont College, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3607658.

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The purpose of this study was to provide insight into teacher perceptions as to if and how professional learning communities (PLCs) promote and support effective professional development in a rural high school. Effective professional development should enhance pedagogy, which is defined as improving educational practices of teachers through opportunities that increase knowledge and improve skills (No Child Left Behind, 2001, Section 9101). A case study approach and qualitative data collection methods were selected for the study due to the real-life context in which the inquiry occurred. Data collection began with surveys in order to acquire a broad view of teachers' perceptions, focus groups provided more specificity to teachers' perceptions, and finally individual interviews afforded the most detailed information.

The themes that emerged indicated that collaboration is the most important characteristic of a professional learning community in terms of usefulness, flexibility, and professional growth. Most teachers indicated that due to participation in a PLC they had grown professionally and their students had also benefitted. A major theme throughout participant responses was the need for both job-embedded professional development (PLCs) and traditional professional development (workshops, conferences, etc.). Teachers, administration, and board members of similar rural school districts may benefit from this study by understanding teachers’ perceptions of effective professional development that impacts classroom instruction.

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Donnelly, Jilian K. "Understanding Educational Choice Processes of Retired Professional Hockey Players." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2014. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/260106.

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Educational Administration
Ed.D.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the processes and influences that underlie the choice of retired elite athletes to further their education and assume the adult learner role. In the current study, focus was applied specifically to professional ice hockey players who were in a period of retirement from active play. Elite athletes often retire at a time when most other professions are just beginning or reaching a level of stability. Research suggests that many retired elite athletes experience a difficult transition to an early retirement from athletics that is fraught with depression and unemployment. A select number of these elite athletes choose to further their educations after their careers have expired. The literature suggests that some of these retired elite athletes find educational programming a valuable coping strategy in the often traumatic post-athletic career adjustment. Unfortunately, this choice is made by only few athletes. It would be desirable to encourage more retired athletes to consider and engage in educational activities; however, currently, there is only very little knowledge on the processes underlying athletes' choice to participate, or not to participate, in education in their retirement years. Using a theoretical framework that includes adult learning theory and adult development theory, in conjunction with expectancy-value theory of motivation, the impact of individual characteristics and environmental opportunities on post-athletic career choices made by professional athletes may be better understood. The primary instrument for data collection was a personal interview with ten retired professional hockey players, conducted over a consecutive six-month period resulting in significant data. Utilizing the constant-comparative method for data analysis, common themes were identified as indicators of educational engagement: Informal Mentorship, Head Injury Related Retirement, and Pre-Transition Planning. In addition to these themes, the findings reflected an alternative adult developmental model possibly unique to professional hockey players. The findings of this study are valuable to the larger conversation regarding adult learners, adult development, and elite athlete career transition.
Temple University--Theses

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Kennedy, Rosary-Joyce Melonie. "How Ohio Adult Literacy Instructors View Themselves as Adult Learners Within Professional Development: Learning Style and Motivation Assessment in the Negotiation for Activity Selection." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1422363423.

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Quattlebaum, Simon F. "Designing Professional Development for Elementary School Teachers." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1549.

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Within a Northeast urban school, there is little empirical evidence to indicate the effectiveness of the district professional development (PD) program. Elementary teachers at the study site reported that they encountered problems accessing professional development programs applicable to their needs. The purpose of this case study was to examine teacher perceptions of district PD programs and to discover teacher perceptions of PD best practices. Knowles' adult learning theory provided a frame of reference for this study. The research questions assessed teachers' perceptions of the format, content, and process of professional development programs and examined how teachers applied new knowledge, concepts, and skills offered in professional development training. A case study design was used to gather focus group data from a critical case sample of 6 elementary teachers who were participating in PD training or who had participated in PD within the past 3 years. Emergent themes were identified from the data. Findings were developed and validated with member checking. The findings indicated that these 6 teachers desired more involvement in planning relevant PD, greater time allocated to collaborative activities, and more grade-level customized programming. Implications for positive social change include improved district professional development opportunities that align with best teaching practices for effective student instruction and increased student achievement.

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Crawford, Paula Hickman. "Exploring the Development of Teaching Expertise: Novice and Expert Teachers? Reflections upon Professional Development." NCSU, 2003. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-11172003-140523/.

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The purpose of this study was to examine novice teachers? (n=7) and expert teachers? (n=7) learning experiences and how these experiences were integrated into the teachers? practices. The participants reflected upon experiences from professional development and their classroom during a semi-structured audiotaped interview. Data were analyzed using concept maps and matrices to distill the multipage interview transcriptions into manageable and comparable elements. Theoretical constructs underlying the analysis drew from expertise and situated learning theories. Comparisons between novice and expert teachers found that the acquisition of the knowledge bases in developing teaching expertise is a nonlinear process and that there are many factors upon which this development is predicated. The knowledge bases that are constructed as a part of developing teaching expertise are not acquired in a certain sequence, after a designated amount of time, nor as a result of particular experiences in a teacher?s practice. While there are distinct differences between novice and expert teachers, the findings indicate that most teachers seek guidance from colleagues rather than from staff development opportunities. Novices and experts both expressed concern regarding lack of time and that student academic diversity demands impact the quality of their job. Novices? concerns included classroom discipline, inability to level lessons for student needs, and insufficient time to observe more experienced teachers. The most significant difference between novices and experts was the directly inverse proportional relationship between experts? abilities to properly level instruction and manage the classroom and the novices? inability to do so.

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Puente-Ervin, Leslie. "How High School Teachers Perceive the Quality of Professional Development." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3063.

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New Jersey is 1 of 46 states to enroll in President Obama's Race-to-the-Top Initiative. Participating states must adopt national standards, revise teacher evaluation procedures, and administer new state assessments. States are prioritizing quality professional development (PD) to prepare teachers for these rapid shifts. The overall problem studied was how high school teachers perceive the quality of PD in a high school in New Jersey. While substandard PD alone is not enough to lose tenure, it has recently become one of the evaluative measures for teacher performance according to a new tenure law signed in 2012 by Governor Chris Christie. Such added pressures could impact teachers' attitudes toward their professional growth. The study was based on Mezirow and Knowles' theory of adult learning as well as social constructivism. Several questions guided this study, such as how can teachers' perceptions shape the current PD program in the featured high school and if the current shifts in educational reform affect their perception. A case study was used as the research design, and interviews were employed as the main method of gathering qualitative data. Subsequently, 7 educators in various content-specialties were interviewed. Once the interviews were analyzed, transcribed, and coded, 5 significant themes emerged: (a) organized and relevant training, (b) in-class support, (c) continuity and constructive feedback, (d) accountability of transference, and (e) a culture of respectful collaboration and partnership. The implications for social change for this project would be that an effective PD program at the high school might improve the high school teachers' attitudes toward their own professional growth. Improved attitudes might motivate teachers to apply new knowledge, which will increase student performance, faculty morale, and community & family relations.

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Plummer, Elizabeth. "A survey of preK-12, university and adult online language educators’ background, experiences, training and challenges." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6249.

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This study focused on investigating the background, experiences, challenges and training of current online language teachers. An online survey was sent and completed by a total of 264 current online language teachers consisting of a total of 40 questions. Findings show online language teachers are highly experienced in face-to-face classrooms as reported by their years of experience and level of their advanced degrees but typically have less than five years of experience teaching online. They also teach in a variety of contexts including grade levels from early childhood education to adult education; in twenty different countries around the world; as well as twenty languages from commonly taught to less-commonly taught languages. The majority of respondents reported participation in some form of training for teaching online with just over half indicating they had participated in training focused on teaching language online. The area respondents reported having the most training in was technology with assistive technology and professional practice as areas where they report the least amount of training. The most common provider of training was an employer with formats that ranged from a one-time session to ongoing training. Data suggest the practice areas current online language teachers struggle with most in teaching language online are: technology, student autonomy and online language pedagogy. Preferences for professional development in meeting challenges were primarily dependent on if a respondent expressed having a challenge ‘to a great extent’ or ‘to some extent’ with respondents in the former generally preferring structured and the latter unstructured professional development. In suggesting recommendations for training individuals to teach language online, respondents reported that online pedagogy and online language pedagogy should be covered in formal teacher preparation programs in addition to the typically covered areas of technology and facilitation. Relationships across grade levels and languages taught are presented using chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests of significance, independent sample t-tests as well as binary linear regression are utilized in exploring the strength of the relationships among the variables in the present study. The study concludes with a discussion of the educational and theoretical implications and directions for future research.

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Foor, Ryan M. "Job Satisfaction of Agricultural Communication, Agricultural Leadership, Agricultural Teacher Education, and Extension Education Faculty." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1235501317.

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Harris, Marilyn McLeod. "Professional Development of Head Start Teachers in Emotional and Instructional Support." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2561.

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In the southwest region of Tennessee, a local Head Start program classroom assessment scoring system's (CLASS) scores fell in the lowest 10% among national Head Start programs in emotional and instructional support. Since 2012, the Office of Head Start has released reports showing that the average Head Start program has low performance CLASS emotional and instructional support scores. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the professional development of local Head Start teachers with low CLASS scores in emotional and instructional support. Knowles's adult learning theory of andragogy was the overall conceptual framework and the concentrated theory of this study was Mezirow's transformative learning theory. The key research question focused on how the professional development of Head Start teachers contributed to successful CLASS scores in emotional and instructional support as perceived by Head Start education specialists and teachers. Data collection methods included observations, previous CLASS scores, 2 focus group interviews of 5 teachers, and 1 focus group interview of 4 education specialists. NVivo 10 was used in detecting trends, ideas, and displaying connections from which the themes of coaching, mentoring, individual learning plans, and observations emerged. Findings showed that although viable professional development strategies were used, learning transfer activities were unsubstantiated. A professional development program was created to increase learning transfer into the classroom. An implication for positive social change could result in achieving maximum emotional and instructional CLASS scores in the Head Start community, providing the highest quality of services recognized by the Head Start Office.

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Ross, Celia Mary. "Facilitating Environmental Enrichment in Senior Care Activities with Professional Development." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3203.

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There is little known about the current state of professional development and continuing education practices for empowering activity professionals to better enhance environmental enrichment in long term care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the activity professional's perceived role and best strategies for professional development to enrich the long-term care environment. The study used social cognitive theory as its theoretical framework to develop research questions focused on the views of activity professionals concerning professional development and continuing education to support care for long-term care residents. Using a narrative approach, 9 activity professionals were recruited through networking at the 2015 NAAP Education Summit in Kentucky, LinkedIn, and snowball sampling. Eligible participants who provided informed consent were interviewed by phone from August 2015 to February 2016. Data were analyzed using both hand coding and NVivo 10.0 software. Results showed the value of relevant certifications and the importance of training in a range of topics, especially dementia care. Connection to others and the environment emerged as key themes. This study is significant because it explores professional development in the long-term care environment, which can facilitate positive social change to provide the elderly, especially those in cognitive decline, with a comforting environment for special needs. This study contributes to the knowledgebase to inform the development of educational and training opportunities for activities professionals, especially those caring for individuals with severe / end-stage dementia.

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Goerke, Leah Flores. "A Summative Program Evaluation of Online and Hybrid Military Professional Development Courses." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3161.

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Instructors at a U.S. Military School transitioned traditional courses used for professional development (PD) of military and civilian personnel to fully online and hybrid formats that combine online and face-to-face instruction. No evaluation of student satisfaction or instructor experiences during the transition has been conducted. The purpose of this sequential mixed methods summative program evaluation was to evaluate hybrid and online delivery of 2 PD courses by analyzing student satisfaction data and instructor experiences. This study was grounded in Knowles, Holton, and Swanson's adult learning theory and Anderson's and Salmon's online learning theories. Data from 96 course evaluations from students who completed traditional, online, and hybrid versions of the PD courses, and interviews with 4 instructors who taught the courses were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis analyses of variance tests were used to examine student satisfaction ratings for significant differences. Student satisfaction narrative and instructor interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis and axial coding to find themes. There were no significant differences in student satisfaction ratings among course delivery methods. The courses were not relevant to jobs, contained little interaction, and identified technology challenges as common themes in the student comments and the instructor interviews. Based on the findings of this study, an evaluation report was drafted with recommendations to incorporate job-related activities, interactive teaching strategies, and technology orientation sessions for future course transitions. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change by informing military officials and faculty to guide future course transitions from traditional to online and hybrid delivery.

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Lowe, Nicole Marie. "Creating Professional Learning Programs that Recognize Teachers as Adult Learners." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/416.

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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 themes. Participants revealed that voice, choice, effective professional development, time, collaboration, school climate, and the district's professional development program were instrumental in creating a supportive environment. These results suggest that creating professional learning programs that incorporate the attributes of effective professional learning and encourage teacher participation are important at all points of the process. A professional learning plan project was designed in response to the study findings and recommendations. This study may lead to social change by providing the target school district and its building level administrators with a plan for professional learning based on teacher input, effective practices, and adult learning theory to use as a viable method to retain effective educators that, in turn, may result in improved student performance.

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Young, George R. II. "Training Staff's Experiences, Perceived Needs, and Suggestions for Professional Development in a Military Training Organization." Scholar Commons, 2019. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7991.

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The purpose of this exploratory case study was to understand the individual and organizational training needs of a military training organization (MTO), which trains battle staffs to inform professional development program design. The study findings might lead to an improved trainer professional development program design, which fully supports the organization’s and trainers’ efforts to deliver effective adult training. The exploratory questions used in this study were: (a) in what ways do participants in MTO perceive trainer and professional development experiences throughout their military and professional careers; (b) what are participants’ perceptions of training needs in MTO; (c) what are participants’ ideas for developing and implementing a trainer professional development program to meet these needs. The theoretical frameworks for this research were based on Knowles’s adult learning principles (2015), Lawler and King’s (2002) Adult Learning Model for Faculty Development, and the U.S. military’s Instructional Systems Design (ISD or ADDIE) model. The data in this study were documents and artifacts, semi-structured interviews, and a researcher reflection journal. The exploratory case study revealed six major themes: (a) trainer experiences, (b) professional development experiences, (c) organizational issues, (d) training issues, (e) organizational solutions, and (f) professional development approaches and activities. MTO participants’ revealed perceptions of organizational issues related to leadership, mission and purpose, standards, personnel, and resistance to change which affected training performance. They also identified training performance issues in material development, delivery, and evaluation due to knowledge and skills deficiencies in instructional design and adult learning principles. MTO participants suggested various professional development approaches and activities for the organizational and training issues needs identified. The study’s results suggested the professional development recommendations and implications might inform changes to MTO’s existing professional development program and generate organizational inertia to further explore and address the organizational and training issues identified. The results also add to the body of literature on adult training, professional development, and training needs analysis.

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Antalek, Lisa K. "A Professional Development Approach to Improve Practice at an Upstate Community College." ScholarWorks, 2014. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/47.

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A federal Call to Action was mandated to reform community colleges across the nation, challenging college officials to enhance instructional methodology on college campuses towards increasing student completion rates. In addressing this mandate, college officials at the upstate NY community college identified a need for professional development that would increase student learning and enhance the instructional methodologies of facilitating faculty through improved alignment. Accordingly, this study investigated the alignment of faculty instructional effectiveness with the institution's core mission. The purpose of this study was to examine faculty perceptions of the instructional methodologies used to facilitate student learning. Informed by Knowles's theory of andragogy, the research questions examined instructional strategies and existing professional development of the faculty members to explore the problem of faculty alignment. The study employed a qualitative intrinsic case study design, with a purposeful sample of 6 part-time and 2 full-time faculty participants. The data were collected and analyzed through the use of a semi structured Likert-type survey and open-ended interview questions. Utilizing an open coding format, data revealed a lack of computer-based instructional strategies and a need for implementation of technological professional learning opportunities at the college. Faculty expressed desire for professional learning. These findings may inform college officials as to the importance of a professional development growth plan policy, and may contribute to positive social change by increasing student completion rates at the college level.

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Lucas, Brian J. "Continuing Professional Education for Licensed Accountants in Tennessee." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3318.

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Accounting is a professional occupation that is continually evolving and requires a dedication to continuing education to meet the legal demands of new regulations and to maintain professional competency. Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is required by state boards for certified public accountants (CPA) to meet these requirements and to maintain professional competence. CPAs are responsible for complying with all applicable CPE requirements, rules, and regulations of state boards of accountancy, as well as those of other professional organizations. The purpose of this study was to determine the opinions of CPAs about the current requirements for CPE and to determine their level of satisfaction with the content and delivery of CPE instruction. CPE has come under scrutiny in recent years with some professionals questioning if the needs of accounting professional and the objectives of continuing education are being met. This survey research included 23 Likert-type items and 5 demographic questions. The survey was administered to 203 licensed certified public accountants to obtain their opinions about continuing education. The 5 dimensions of the survey were: Value (cost benefit), Delivery (methods and quality), Benefit to Self, Benefit to Others, and Barriers (to obtaining CPE). These dimensions were compared across the demographic variables of gender, years of experience, type of business, number of employees, and position with their employer. No significant differences were found among the 5 dimensions between gender or among different positions. Significant differences did occur among the Dimension of Value opinions based on years of experience, among the Dimension of Value opinions based on type of business, among Dimension of Benefit to Self based on type of business, among the Dimension of Value based on number of employees, and among the Dimension of Benefit to Others based on number of employees.

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Jeannin, Loïse M. "Professional Development Needs of Faculty Members in an International University in Thailand." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2187.

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In an international university in Thailand, with students coming from 92 different countries, faculty members reported a need for professional development (PD). The purpose of this study was to understand faculty members' needs and preferences in the undergraduate department to help the administration offer appropriate PD programs. In accordance with the situated cognition theory, professional learning was approached as a social process embedded in workplace interactions. Research questions pertained to teachers' perceptions about their learning needs, program preferences, and the relationship between PD and student learning outcomes. In this descriptive case study, data were collected from fulltime faculty members via a focus group of 5 participants and 8 individual face-to-face and email interviews. In accordance with a maximum variation sampling strategy, the sample included faculty members from varied academic and cultural backgrounds and diverse lengths of experience in the university. Thematic coding analysis revealed 4 themes: (a) a desire to learn specific content such as classroom management techniques, pedagogy for university-level students, assessment design, and instructional technology; (b) a desire to observe and apply new techniques to better engage diverse students in large classes; (c) a desire to learn collegially to share context-relevant information; and (d) expectations from the university administration. As a result of this study, tailored recommendations for this university were derived to contribute to social change. Appropriate PD programs can enable faculty members to hone their pedagogical skills and improve student learning experience in this multicultural setting.

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Miller, William D. "Teacher Beliefs About Scholarship in Education: A Measure to Inform Professional Development Programming." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1422106124.

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Tokarczyk, Kristy. "Workplace Learning of Professional Academic Advisors at Urban Universities: A Basic Interpretive Qualitative Investigation." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1357910072.

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Griswold, Wendy. "Transformative learning in a post-totalitarian context : professional development among school teachers in rural Siberia." Diss., Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/454.

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Nielsen, Norma-Jean J. "Community College Professors' Engagement and Perceptions of Professional Development in Remote Environments." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5913.

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Research shows that consistent, supportive, and relevant professional development (PD) is an action that empowers educators to change. In the east central region of Canada, the sustainability of community colleges had been linked to program collaboration and internationalization which requires implementation of high-quality PD for its professors. Guided by Mezirow's adult transformative learning theory, the purpose of this study was to understand the PD practices of full-time professors by investigating the connections between professors' level of engagement in PD and their perceptions of the resources and processes that may improve their instructional practices. This single-phased, concurrent mixed-methods study was conducted using a self-designed 39-item web-based survey to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. From a population of 600 full-time professors at 5 colleges, 120 surveys were completed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used for quantitative analyses. Findings indicated that professors with higher levels of engagement in PD perceived the importance of making use of online and face-to-face networking strategies as well as available online resources to improve instructional practices. Emergent themes from the qualitative data were coded and confirmed the value of networking in PD. Results were used to design a workshop to help community college professors in planning and supporting their PD activities via enhanced networking strategies and implementation of online resources for instruction. By providing college professors needed opportunities to engage in customized PD focused on networking and maximizing the use of available online resources, colleges may be better prepared to foster active, engaged, and highly trained faculty capable of producing positive social change benefitting the institutions and students they serve.

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Taylor, Thomas J. "Perceptions of community college adult basic education faculty regarding faculty professional development in Alabama community colleges." Thesis, [Tuscaloosa, Ala. : University of Alabama Libraries], 2009. http://purl.lib.ua.edu/2165.

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Bartlett, Colleen Kay. "Exploring the Impact of Wyoming's Pathways to Professional Development Program on Childcare Providers and Quality Early Childcare." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1434.

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Childcare programs that provide high quality care can strengthen children's early development. One component of a quality program is having providers who are knowledgeable in child development; however, despite the understanding of these known predictors of child development, Wyoming does not require childcare providers to complete any training before beginning to work with children. Guided by the constructivist theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Dewey, and Bruner, this objectives-based program evaluation investigated the Pathways to Professional Development program to determine participants' perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the program. A researcher-produced survey was created based on the objectives of the program and consisted of open-ended and Likert scale questions. This survey was completed by 35 childcare providers who completed the 3 modules of the Pathways program. Data analysis began by identifying potential categories, comparing and contrasting emerging themes, and looking for emerging patterns in participant responses. Key results indicated that the participants of this program gained knowledge about child development and developmentally appropriate practice. The implications for social change from this research are directly related to the early childcare providers, children, and ultimately the communities of Wyoming. By increasing the knowledge of childcare providers, higher quality care can be provided, leading to positive relationships, stimulating learning experiences, and to a greater likelihood of children reaching their full potential.

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Hannah, Kerry. "A Qualitative Assessment of Professional Development in a Competency-Based Education Model." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/7872.

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Competency-based education (CBE) is increasingly important in higher education, both in volume and pervasiveness, which increases the need for comprehensive, systematic, and effective program-based support and instruction for faculty and staff. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to gather expert opinions about competency-based best practices in professional development, support, and training resources in order to effectively implement a CBE method at a university. The conceptual framework comprised of adult learning theory and competency-based education. Eight experts in competency-based education completed 2 rounds of anonymous questionnaires with open- and closed-ended questions. Data analysis involved a systematic process of coding and identifying themes. Results included a list of effective best practices for the professional development, support, and training resources that might be used to develop a community of practice online learning site for effective implementation of CBE methods. The results were further used to deliver a position paper that provided the research site with concrete descriptions of the important factors and mechanisms for CBE, as well as recommendations for action, including increased emphasis on Communities of Practice. Implications for positive social change include aiding higher education institutions in understanding the needs of faculty professional development, support, and training resources in a CBE method. In turn, adult learners who enroll in a CBE model will be able to attain a degree in less time and cost than in a traditional model, providing the learners with an opportunity to make an economic difference in society.

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Fields, James B. "A Study of the Effectiveness of the School Leadership Response Team Professional Development Process in Helping Tennessee Schools Move Toward Shared Leadership." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1993. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2909.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of the School Leadership Response Team Development Process in helping school personnel move toward shared leadership and to determine if it was an appropriate model for the adoption of shared leadership within Tennessee's public schools. This descriptive study systematically reviewed documents related to the project and used a questionnaire to elicit information from training participants. The population was the 196 school personnel and others from 31 schools across the State of Tennessee who obtained leadership training in 1991 as part of this grant. The follow-up questionnaire was responded to by 124 (63%) of the trainees who represented 28 (90%) of the schools that participated. Six criteria derived from the literature on shared leadership served as guides for the study. According to the literature, shared leadership within schools was indicated by; use of shared decision making, existence of leadership teams, increased self-esteem among teachers and students, increased participation in leadership activities by school personnel, improved communication between involved parties, and better identification of needs. It was evident from the data that shared leadership was being adopted more within the schools that participated. There were indications of expansion of teams, development of new mini-leadership teams, increased self-esteem among some teachers and students, improved communications between all parties, and better needs assessment. The major conclusion was that the School Leadership Response Team Development Process was successful in helping schools move toward shared leadership and that it was an appropriate model to use in Tennessee schools.

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McCue, Cheryl A. R. "Professional Development to Enhance Instructional Leadership and Practice of Central Office Administrators." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2560.

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Professional Development to Enhance Instructional Leadership and Practice of Central Office Administrators by Cheryl A. R. McCue M. Ed., Lehigh University, 1990 BS, Kutztown University, 1987 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University June 2016 Decades of research and practice suggest that educational administrators need to experience opportunities for professional development and continuous learning. This project study addressed the problem regarding the lack of a formal or systemic plan for professional development of central office administrators in a large suburban school district in northeastern United States. Supported by Lave and Wenger's communities of practice model and the work of Bandura in social learning theory, the research question investigated the ways in which central office administrators experienced continuous learning and professional development opportunities and the perceptions regarding the effectiveness of those practices as a vehicle for enhancing their knowledge of instructional leadership and practice. A descriptive qualitative case study design using the purposeful sampling of 18 central office administrators was used to collect data via an open-ended survey, plan analysis, and document reviews that were coded and analyzed for common themes. Themes that emerged revealed participants thought that collaborative and reflective practices were important to continuous learning and professional development and necessary to enhance knowledge of instructional leadership and practice. Study findings supported the need for increased time and an identified structure for professional development opportunities as well as an improved culture of learning for the district's central office administrative team. Providing a structure for more systemic professional development for central office administrators may lead to more quality instruction and leadership practice, thus influencing student learning in this district as an aspect of positive social change.

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Hirsch, Ellen Riina. "The Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Professional Development Program." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1701.

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Ineffective professional development is a longstanding problem in education. Locally, the school district in the study lacked a comprehensive system for evaluating their secondary level professional development programs. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the district's professional development program, specifically examining its perceived strengths and weaknesses. The conceptual framework of the study was systems theory and the adaptive schools reform model. The research questions examined the perceptions of various school personnel on their experiences with the current professional development program at the study district's high school. Individual interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 3 teachers, 4 teacher-facilitators, 1 professional development committee member, and 1 school administrator. Interview data were concurrently analyzed using inductive analysis and typologies derived from the literature. The results were used to create a project consisting of a comprehensive policy proposal that provides detailed guidance and procedures for every stage of the school's professional development program cycle. The study project was designed to assist educators, administrators, and school districts in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing professional development programs that are tailored to meet the needs of local educators. This study promotes positive social change through facilitating the development of improved professional development programs that increase teacher quality and student achievement.

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Sauer, Eve R. "Teacher Preferences for Professional Development Delivery Models and Delivery Model Influence on Teacher Behavior in the Classroom." ScholarWorks, 2011. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/942.

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Current trends and research in education indicated that teacher learning is a crucial link to student achievement. There is a void in the research regarding teacher preferences for delivery models in professional development Determining teacher preferences is an important component in professional development planning and the driving inquiry for this research. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to determine teacher preferences in delivery models for professional development and whether delivery models influenced teacher behaviors in the classroom. The primary theory for this study was based on andragogy, and the research was conducted under the conceptual framework of constructivist principles. Data collection included interviews with 10 classroom teachers using open ended questions. Data analysis included the extraction of themes and subthemes emerging from the interviews. Findings indicated teachers' preference for hands on professional learning opportunities and technology use in delivery models. Teachers also expressed an interest in being given a choice in the delivery model of their professional learning opportunities. Implications for positive social change focus on professional development planners and facilitators, who are encouraged to seek preferences from teachers to best meet the needs and interests of educators in order to advance changes in teacher behavior and subsequent improvement to student achievement.

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Hodge, Edward. "Perceptions of Air Force Civilians Regarding Participation in Nonresident Professional Military Education." ScholarWorks, 2016. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2407.

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In spite of a 2009 memorandum from senior Air Force leaders calling for civilian employees to participate in nonresident Professional Military Education (PME) courses, employees' PME completion rates have remained low. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of nonresident PME held by 12 employees at an installation with a nonresident PME completion rate of less than 3% in 2013. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior guided the 5 main questions that asked participants to describe their familiarity with nonresident PME course content, availability, and structure; as well as their perceptions of organizational support for PME course participation, their capacity to complete PME courses, the role of nonresident PME in their leadership development, and the importance of PME completion for attaining their career goals. The data were manually coded and organized according to the emergent themes and subthemes. None of the participants identified any external barriers to nonresident PME completion, but factors such as supervisor support, prior participation in enlisted PME, personal interest in PME course content, and inconsistent hiring practices influenced participants' perceptions of nonresident PME for their professional development and career progression. The findings and prior research suggest the Air Force should educate PME eligible civilians regarding the benefits of nonresident PME, conduct focus groups to discover employees' specific learning needs, and assist supervisors in establishing effective mentoring relationships. These actions have the potential to enhance employee motivation, to align employee development with organizational goals and objectives, and to increase supervisor-subordinate collaboration.

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Dawkins, Yvonne. "Enhancing the teaching quality of part-time faculty in a Jamaican adult education institution : (with a focus on continuing professional development)." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2011. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/12080/.

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Typically, adult educators in Jamaica are part-time employees who are either trained in pedagogy or are employed because of their advanced training or skills in a particular discipline. As adult education in Jamaica and the Caribbean undergoes change, policy focus has concentrated on identifying the discipline with lifelong learning rather than adult literacy. Although the importance of the role of adult educators to the change process is acknowledged, the changes in adult education are not yet focussed on the role of the adult educator and equipping the adult educator to function in this dynamic environment. This study of an adult education institution in Jamaica aims to explore the perceptions of stakeholders, teachers, students and administrators, on how adult education is viewed, the role of part-time faculty in adult education, the quality of teaching they offer and measures to enhance teaching quality in this institution and others like it. I argue that the equipping of adult educators is important for successful adult education, part-time faculty who make up the significant majority of the cohort of adult educators deserve special attention and that Continuing Professional Development is a useful tool that serves the interest of equipping both individual teachers and institutions. Data was collected and analysed by means of a qualitative methodology utilising interviews, focus groups and qualitative questionnaires in two centres of the case institution. The study finds that teachers are crucial to successful adult education. Because of the ambivalence of adult learners and their needs for emotional as well as cognitive support, the onus is on teachers to provide learning environments in which adult learners can make best use of a learning opportunity. Many teachers, however, do not have specialist training for this task. Part-time faculty in the study want professional development although they do not think traditional methods of professional development suit their circumstances. They do have clear ideas of the kind of CPD support that they think will meet their needs. The study suggests guidelines for developing a model of CPD that is suitable for part-time faculty in adult education.

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Donovan, Samantha Jane. "Professional development supporting the integration of dance in the primary classroom." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2007. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/16389/1/Samantha_Donovan_Thesis.pdf.

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In 2002, the Queensland Schools Curriculum Council launched the Years 1-10 Arts Syllabus as one of the eight Key Learning Areas. This syllabus requires primary teachers to provide arts learning programs in the areas of Dance, Drama, Media, Music and Visual Arts. This syllabus was a landmark for arts education in Queensland as it became a mandate for primary teachers to teach each strand of the arts. This move is one of many recent changes in arts education evident across the globe reflecting a common move towards a broad arts education in schools. In alignment with the mandatory requirement of the Years 1-10 Arts Syllabus, primary teachers are now required to teach Dance, a subject which most have had little to no training or professional development in. This thesis will explore the research question, 'Which strategies used in professional development build competence and confidence in primary teachers to integrate dance in the primary classroom?' Through a series of school-based professional development workshops conducted at two Gold Coast primary schools, the research project utilized an action research approach (Kemmis, 1988) to investigate the effectiveness of this professional development approach. After collating and analyzing the data gathered from these two research sites, a number of key themes emerged around the initial resistance factors to dance professional development and the integration of dance learning in the classroom as well as the impact and influence of this professional development on teachers' competence and confidence. The research identified a range of professional development strategies including learning experiences, structures, resources and conditions that have impacted on the effectiveness of this professional development. Some of these strategies are dance specific while others are more generic and have broader implications for the development and facilitation of professional development of Queensland primary teachers.

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Donovan, Samantha Jane. "Professional development supporting the integration of dance in the primary classroom." Queensland University of Technology, 2007. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16389/.

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Abstract:

In 2002, the Queensland Schools Curriculum Council launched the Years 1-10 Arts Syllabus as one of the eight Key Learning Areas. This syllabus requires primary teachers to provide arts learning programs in the areas of Dance, Drama, Media, Music and Visual Arts. This syllabus was a landmark for arts education in Queensland as it became a mandate for primary teachers to teach each strand of the arts. This move is one of many recent changes in arts education evident across the globe reflecting a common move towards a broad arts education in schools. In alignment with the mandatory requirement of the Years 1-10 Arts Syllabus, primary teachers are now required to teach Dance, a subject which most have had little to no training or professional development in. This thesis will explore the research question, 'Which strategies used in professional development build competence and confidence in primary teachers to integrate dance in the primary classroom?' Through a series of school-based professional development workshops conducted at two Gold Coast primary schools, the research project utilized an action research approach (Kemmis, 1988) to investigate the effectiveness of this professional development approach. After collating and analyzing the data gathered from these two research sites, a number of key themes emerged around the initial resistance factors to dance professional development and the integration of dance learning in the classroom as well as the impact and influence of this professional development on teachers' competence and confidence. The research identified a range of professional development strategies including learning experiences, structures, resources and conditions that have impacted on the effectiveness of this professional development. Some of these strategies are dance specific while others are more generic and have broader implications for the development and facilitation of professional development of Queensland primary teachers.

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