Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / W. Franklin Spikes / Eduard Lindeman (1926) stated, “the approach to adult education will be via the route of situations” (p. 8, emphasis in original). Training professionals often face situations that require them to develop and present training programs on subjects for which they have limited or no previous content expertise. This occurs even though the literature stresses the need for trainers to be experts or masters on the material they present (Bernthal et al., 2004; Brookfield, 1990; Draves, 1984, 2000; Galbraith, 1990; Houle, 1984; Long, 2002; McArdle, 1993; McCain, 1999; Slusarski, 1994; Symonds, 1968; Wlodkowski, 1999). Although there is considerable literature on the roles and responsibilities of trainers (McLagan & Suhadolnik, 1989; Nadler & Nadler, 1989), self-directed learning (Candy, 1991; Knowles, 1975; Tough, 1979), and developing training programs (Caffarella, 2002; Long, 1983; McCain, 1999), very little links these areas with the knowledge acquisition process trainers use. This dissertation describes the phenomenological inquiry into the nature of the process trainers use to acquire the knowledge necessary to develop and present training programs for which they have little or no previous content expertise. The population was selected because of the researcher’s background in training and adult education. Criterion, snowball, convenience, and maximum variation purposeful sampling techniques were used to identify trainers who met the criterion of the study. Potential participants were contacted by the researcher and asked to participate in the study. Data was collected via semistructured interviews until thematic saturation was reached. Constant comparison was used to analyze the transcripts of the interviews. Twenty-six common themes were identified during the study and were categorized into six different categories. The six categories are self-directed learning, the training and development process becomes part of the trainer’s life, the needs assessment is part of knowledge acquisition, knowledge acquisition is a continuous part of the trainer’s life, understanding the importance of adult learning principles, and reflection. The results of this study have implications for the adult education, self-directed learning, program planning, human resource development, and training literature.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Adult and Continuing Education / Jacqueline D. Spears / This study focused on the professional development experiences of teachers in the Altai Republic, Russian Federation. Russia is a country in flux, transitioning from a totalitarian state into a democracy reflective of its unique ethnic composition, geographic context, and history. The Russian educational system is currently undergoing computerization and teachers are learning to integrate educational technology into classroom practice. In this setting, teachers are beginning to learn how to integrate educational technologies into their classroom practices. This qualitative study explored the potential for transformative learning associated with this type of learning and experience. Transformative learning theory (TLT) was used to explore if and how the world views and perspectives of teachers is changing with respect to their educational philosophies and classroom practice. The study utilized multiple sources of evidence (interviews with program and school administrators, school teachers, observation) and multiple units of analysis (federal/republic levels of training and support, school level training and support, informal experiences, teachers, administrators). Findings indicated that the methods used to train teachers have a high likelihood of being facilitative of transformative learning. It also found that teachers are beginning to think and act in new ways based on their experiences with educational technology. Teachers are also collaborating in this learning process, which provides an important support for continued learning and growth. Findings also indicate that TLT is a useful framework for exploring transformative learning in this setting and helped to uncover the elements of transformative learning which are culturally determined. Further research is needed to further our understanding of how transformation occurs and is experienced in this setting. Collaboration with local experts and researchers is necessary to uncover the cultural differences related to perspective change. Many future pathways are available for continuing to explore transformative learning in this context. They include continued work with teachers, a general exploration of transformative learning, and work with university students.

Master of Science / Department of Educational Leadership / Sarah Jane Fishback / This study was influenced by the desire to better understand the factors that influence the salary County Extension Agents in Kansas who are employed by K-State Research and Extension. The purpose of the study was to determine factors or the correlation among factors that influence salary compensation. Information was retrieved regarding the 241 County Extension Agents employed in Kansas. Demographic data was compiled on the Extension Agents as well as the ten factors that could influence their salary compensation. The factors are as follows: 1. area within the state; 2. county population; 3. number of agents in the county; 4. director responsibilities; 5. gender; 6. months of Extension employment; 7. years of equivalent service outside of Kansas Extension; 8. change of county employment within Kansas Extension; 9. position type; and 10. level of education. Variable selection through backward elimination was performed identifying area, population, the number of Extension Agents in a county/district, whether the Extension Agent was a director, previous years of experience in an equivalent position outside of K-State Research and Extension, whether an Extension Agent was employed by K-State Research and Extension prior to their current position, months of experience in their current position with K-State Research and Extension, and whether an Extension Agent has a Master's degree and if that Master's degree was obtained prior to the start of their current position to be the most significant influences on salary. Multiple regressions of the data were then performed to determine the significant relationships among certain variables. The population-position-gender correlation was found to be significant as well as the correlation among position types and genders. Recommendations for further research were given including studying the affect of performance evaluations and cost of living on salary compensation. In addition, recommendations for further practices include an annual review of the salary gap among position types and gender to ensure equity of salary compensation. Furthermore, recommendations were given regarding the dispersion of the level of education and timeliness of completing a Master's degree salary compensation data.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Brian P. Niehoff / The purpose of this thesis was to provide recommendations for improving the existing Farm Credit of the Virginia's, ACA (FCV) "Training of Today’s/Tomorrow's Association Leaders" (TOTAL) leadership development program. In the wake of pending retirements and increased competition for experienced and talented leaders, FCV has developed the TOTAL leadership development program. TOTAL is a competency based program designed to enhance the interpersonal skills of high potential leaders. An extensive literature review was performed to identify leadership development best practices. The best practices identified were as follows: having an organizational culture of leadership development, leaders developing leaders, 360-degree feedback, coaching and mentoring, and job assignments and action learning. An analysis of the existing TOTAL program yielded the identification of strengths, opportunities, and challenges. Finally, recommendations for improving the effectiveness of TOTAL were provided.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Steven R. Harbstreit / There has been little research conducted related to the National FFA Alumni Association since its establishment in 1971. The purposes of this study were to determine the demographic characteristics of the membership of the National FFA Alumni Association, determine whether differences exist regarding members’ motivation to join and engage themselves in the local FFA Alumni affiliate, and whether differences exist in members’ loyalty to the FFA Alumni at the national and local levels based on their level of engagement. This descriptive study utilized survey research to accomplish the purpose, assessing the motivational functions for volunteering and measuring loyalty to the local FFA Alumni affiliate and the National FFA Alumni Association. The population of this study was the membership of the National FFA Alumni Association for the 2009-2010 membership year (N = 49,589). A proportional stratified random sample (n = 1,000) was used to identify study participants and ensure representation from the four membership regions of the National FFA Alumni Association. Based on a final usable sample (n = 913), the researcher obtained a final response rate of 43.7% (n = 399). The National FFA Alumni Association is comprised of predominantly white, male, college-educated, actively engaged former FFA members with an average age of 49.6 years. The results of independent sample t-tests indicated a significant difference between male and female members in the importance they place on six motivations for volunteering. Female members were considerably higher in the motivational functions of values, understanding, enhancement, social, career, and protective. A correlation analysis also indicated that age of the respondents played a role in the motivation to volunteer. Older members were less motivated in the areas of career, understanding, values, and enhancement. Paired samples t-tests determined members were significantly more loyal to the local FFA Alumni affiliate than the National FFA Alumni Association. There was also a significant difference in the loyalty of members based on their level of engagement with a local FFA Alumni affiliate with more highly engaged members expressing more loyalty to the association.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / Charles R. Oaklief / This ex post facto research was conducted using parametric and non-parametric analysis to determine if the mass retirement of community college presidents between 2001 and 2007 had precipitated a diminution in educational qualifications, a reduction in pre-presidential community college experience, or a change in presidential career paths of first time community college presidents by era (before and after 2001). Seven hundred eighty-five currently serving presidents of comprehensive community colleges were surveyed. The overall return rate of the survey was 53.25%: the useable return rate was 49.30%. Parametric (independent samples t-test) and non-parametric (Mann-Whitney and chi square) tests were used to determine if there were significant differences in educational qualifications, pre-presidential community college experience, and presidential career paths of first time community college presidents by era (before and after 2001). The study found: - A diminution of the educational qualifications after 2001 with fewer presidents holding doctorates at the time of their first presidential appointments compared to presidents appointed before 2001; - A significant increase in pre-presidential community college experience of presidents appointed after 2001 at the time of their first presidential appointments compared to presidents appointed before 2001; - A significant difference in presidential career paths by era. Specifically, presidents appointed after 2001 were significantly less likely to have entered the community college system from K12 or from non-educational management positions. Presidents appointed after 2001 were also significantly less likely to have served as a community college Chief Academic Officer and significantly more likely to have served as a community college Primary Academic Officer, Chief Students Affairs Officer, or Vice President.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Educational Leadership / W. Franklin Spikes / The United States (U.S.) response to events in Africa in the 1990s—warlords in Somalia, the genocide in Rwanda, the crisis in Burundi, and the destruction of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania—was the development of the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) followed by the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program. This study examined the impact of the command and staff operational skills portion of the ACOTA program to determine how well it prepared Ghanaian commanders and staff officers to conduct peace support operations under the auspices of a legitimate mandate. The importance of this program was revealed in its wide acceptance by the African leaders of 24 participating nations, by its ongoing support by the U.S. State Department, and by the budgetary increases it has received from the U.S. Congress over the years. This case study used qualitative methods to capture and analyze the self-reported perceptions of the course participants. Findings discovered that the students perceived the program as effective; team building was a perceived strength; U.S.-Ghanaian cultural differences were not perceived as effecting training; the teaching methodology instilled confidence to perform the mission; and course reference material, books, and CD-ROMs were valued. Results also showed that the time allowed for the course was insufficient; contingency training did not familiarize students with their mission area; students required timely notification to attend the course in order to properly prepare; and the course benefited the junior officers more than the senior officers.

Current understandings of aging and the life course are largely based on taken-for-granted hetero-normative assumptions. Gay men lack aging road maps that are unique to their life course experiences and which consider the changing contextual and social conditions that shape their participation choices in family and community roles. This is particularly so for gay men aging in rural environments as most studies of aging gay men focus on the urban experience. This study adds to understandings of aging and the life course by examining the lives of three gay men aging in rural environments. I use a life history approach to shed light on how sexual identity development and marginalization within rural environments intersect with shifting social contexts to shape the aging process in terms of engagement in social role opportunities, namely, community and family participation. As a life course researcher, I pay particular attention to the tensions between individual agency and structural constraints and how they are revealed through the life histories. Epistemological and methodological assumptions based on social constructivism, critical and queer theory inform the study while my own lived experiences as a gay man and an occupational therapist practitioner and educator ground the study. Cross-cutting themes identified in the life narratives reveal connections between sexual identity development and the coming out processes with patterns of social relationships and the gay aging process. These themes are then discussed in terms of their relevance to broader aging and life course constructs including generativity, social capital and gay aging; agency and structure in identity development; and expanded notions of family and social support for gay men. Findings from this study have implications for current explanations of ageing and life course processes; challenge limiting stereotypes of older gay men; inform health and social service professionals who work with older gay people; and provide examples of alternative queer life pathways for gay people of all ages.

Réalisé en collaboration avec l'équipe de l'Unité de jour de diabète de l'Hôtel-Dieu du CHUM: Hortensia Mircescu M.D., Françoise Desrochers, Michelle Messier et Stéphanie Chanel Lefort. / BUT : Cette étude longitudinale a pour objectif d’évaluer l’impact à court terme des programmes d’enseignement sur l’autogestion du diabète dispensés par l’équipe multidisciplinaire de l’Unité de jour de diabète (UJD) de l’Hôtel-Dieu du CHUM. L'UJD offre une formation de 4 jours (F4), avec une intervention mixte de type individuelle et de groupe, et une autre de 2 jours (F2), avec une intervention de groupe uniquement. MÉTHODE : En plus des mesures liées au contrôle métabolique (hémoglobine glyquée, indice de masse corporelle), des outils validés ont été retenus afin d’évaluer le niveau de littératie des patients, de même que les connaissances, les comportements d’autogestion et les attitudes par rapport au diabète à 0, 1 et 6 mois d’intervalle. Un total de 43 patients a été recruté, dont 13 en F2 et 30 en F4. RÉSULTATS : Âgés en moyenne de 59 ans, 77% des participants aux formations ont une scolarité de niveau collégial et plus. Cela les situe à un niveau satisfaisant de littératie, c'est-à-dire au regard de l’aptitude à comprendre et à utiliser l’information écrite dans la vie courante. En revanche, 64% des patients qui ne se sont pas présentés au cours (N=11) avaient un niveau de scolarité équivalent ou inférieur à un secondaire cinq. Les données analysées à l’aide de tests non-paramétriques montrent que les formations permettent à court terme une amélioration significative du contrôle métabolique des patients (p=0,042; N=33) et une perte pondérale moyenne de 2,4 kg (p=0,004; N=27). Les deux types de formations favorisent l’augmentation des connaissances sur la maladie (p=0,000 2jrs/4jrs) et contribuent à faire progresser favorablement les attitudes, soit de façon significative dans le cas des participants à la formation de 4 jours (p=0,000). La formation de 2 jours s’avère particulièrement efficace pour améliorer les comportements d’autosoins comme la prise de glycémie et les soins des pieds, alors qu’elle n’a eu que très peu d’effet sur les comportements liés au mode de vie. CONCLUSION : Les résultats de cette étude sont en faveur d’une intervention de type mixte et d’un plus grand nombre d’heures de contact entre les éducateurs et éducatrices et la ou le patient. Les données suggèrent finalement que bien que les interventions soient efficaces, ce sont les patients déjà fortement scolarisés qui tendent à participer à ce type de formation structurée. / OBJECTIVES : The objective of this longitudinal study is to evaluate the short term impact of diabetes self-management programs given by the multidisciplinary team of the CHUM Hôtel-Dieu Diabetes Day-Care Unit over 2-days (T2) or 4-days (T4) training sessions. METHODS : A total of 43 patients were recruited; 13 in the 2-day program, providing only group intervention and 30 in the 4-day program, providing both group and individual interventions. Besides measures of metabolic control (glycated haemoglobin, body-mass index), validated tools were used to evaluate literacy, as well as knowledge, self-care behaviours, and attitudes towards diabetes (at 0, 1 and 6 months). RESULTS : The average age of patients participating in the training sessions is 59 years old, and 77% have reached collegial or higher educational levels. This gives them sufficient literacy skills in terms of capacity to understand and use written information in everyday life. However, 64 % of the patients that did not show up or complete the training (N=11) had educational levels equal or lower to secondary 5. Outcome data, analyzed with nonparametric tests, show that diabetes self-management education programs of the Hôtel-Dieu CHUM lead to significant short-term improvement of metabolic control in patients (p=0,042, N=33) and result in a average weight loss of 2.4 kg (p=0,004, N=27). Both types of training increase patients knowledge of the disease (p=0,000 F2/F4), and the 4-days training session significantly contribute to positive attitudes towards the disease (p=0,000). The 2-days training program is particularly effective in improving self-care behaviours such as blood glucose monitoring and foot care, but it had very little effect on behaviours related to lifestyle. CONCLUSION : These results show that the 4-day program has proven more effective in improving self-management competency suggesting that the duration of interaction time between educators and patient seems to be a good predictor of the impact of the training. Although interventions are found to be effective, outcomes ultimately suggest that it is mostly patients with higher education that tend to participate in this formal training.

Les tendances de la participation à la formation des adultes au Canada n’ont pas évolué depuis des décennies, malgré les nouvelles influences économiques qui ont stimulé l’augmentation et la diversification permanente de la formation des employés et malgré les initiatives plus nombreuses en faveur de l’apprentissage des employés en milieu de travail. Il est donc nécessaire de ne plus se contenter d’étudier les prédicteurs de la formation déjà connus dans les profils des employés et des employeurs. Il est, en revanche, indispensable d’étudier les antécédents de la participation des employés à la formation, y compris les aspects et les étapes du processus qui la précède. Cette étude porte sur les antécédents de la participation des employés aux formations dans un important collège communautaire urbain en Ontario. Afin de préparer le recueil des données, un cadre théorique a été élaboré à partir du concept d’expression de la demande. Ce cadre implique l’existence d’un processus qui comporte plusieurs étapes, au cours desquelles plusieurs intervenants interagissent et dont la formation est susceptible d’être le résultat. Les résultats de l’enquête sur le profil d’apprentissage ont permis de conclure que le comportement des employés et de l’employeur est conforme aux modèles de prédicteurs existants et que les taux et les types de participation étaient similaires aux tendances nationales et internationales. L’analyse des entrevues d’un groupe d’employés atypiques, de leurs superviseurs, ainsi que de représentants du collège et du syndicat, a révélé d’importants thèmes clés : l’expression de la demande n’est pas structurée et elle est communiquée par plusieurs canaux, en excluant parfois les superviseurs. De plus, la place de l’auto évaluation est importante, ainsi que la phase de prise de décision. Ces thèmes ont souligné l’interaction de plusieurs intervenants dans le processus d’expression de la demande d’apprentissage et pendant la prise de décision. L’examen des attentes de chacun de ces intervenants au cours de ce processus nous a permis de découvrir un désir tacite chez les superviseurs et les employés, à savoir que la conversation soit à l’initiative de « l’autre ». Ces thèmes clés ont été ensuite abordés dans une discussion qui a révélé une discordance entre le profil de l’employeur et les profils des employés. Celle-ci se prête à la correction par l’employeur de son profil institutionnel pour l’harmoniser avec le profil dispositionnel des employés et optimiser ainsi vraisemblablement son offre de formation. Ils doivent, pour cela, appliquer un processus plus systématique et plus structuré, doté de meilleurs outils. La discussion a porté finalement sur les effets des motivations économiques sur la participation des employés et a permis de conclure que, bien que les employés ne semblent pas se méfier de l’offre de formation de l’employeur et que celle ci ne semble pas non plus les décourager, des questions de pouvoir sont bel et bien en jeu. Elles se sont principalement manifestées pendant le processus de prise de décision et, à cet égard, les superviseurs comme les employés reconnaissent qu’un processus plus structuré serait bénéfique, puisqu’il atténuerait les problèmes d’asymétrie et d’ambiguïté. Les constatations de cette étude sont pertinentes pour le secteur de la formation des adultes et de la formation en milieu de travail et, plus particulièrement, pour la méthodologie de recherche. Nous avons constaté l’avantage d’une méthodologie à deux volets, à l’écoute de l’employeur et des employés, afin de mieux comprendre la relation entre l’offre de formation et la participation à la formation. La définition des antécédents de la participation sous la forme d’un processus dans lequel plusieurs intervenants remplissent plusieurs rôles a permis de créer un modèle plus détaillé qui servira à la recherche future. Ce dernier a démontré qu’il est indispensable de reconnaître que la prise de décision constitue une étape à part entière, située entre l’expression de la demande et la participation à la formation. Ces constatations ont également révélé qu’il est véritablement indispensable que le secteur de la formation des adultes continue à traiter les questions reliées à la reconnaissance de la formation informelle. Ces conclusions et la discussion sur les constatations clés nous ont inspiré des recommandations à appliquer pour modifier les retombées du processus précédant la participation des employés à la formation. La majorité de ces recommandations ont trait à l’infrastructure de ce processus et ciblent donc principalement l’employeur. Certaines recommandations sont cependant destinées aux syndicats, aux superviseurs et aux employés qui peuvent aider l’employeur à remplir son rôle et favoriser la participation efficace de tous à ce processus. Les recommandations qui précédent impliquent que ce sont les antécédents de la formation qui gagneraient à être plus structurés et non la formation elle même. La structuration de l’infrastructure de l’apprentissage présente cependant des risques à elle seule. En liaison avec ce phénomène, une étude spécifique des effets de la nature, de la qualité et de l’asymétrie de la relation superviseur employé sur la participation des employés à la formation serait bénéfique. Mots clés : formation en entreprise, formation professionnelle continue, antécédents à la participation, employés de soutien / Trends in adult learning participation in Canada have remained unchanged for decades. This is despite emerging economic pressures to increase and widen continuous employee participation in learning and despite increased efforts towards employee learning in the workplace. This means that there is a need to go beyond examining the already well-established learning predictor profiles of employees and employers. There is in fact a need to examine the antecedents to participation, including aspects and steps of the process that precedes participation. This study set out to research the antecedents to participation in employer-sponsored learning among the support staff population in a large, urban community college in Ontario. In preparation for the data collection, a theoretical framework was developed based on the concept of expression of demand. This framework implies that there is a multi-step process involving interactions between several parties and wherein participation may be the outcome. Based on the results of the Learning Profile Survey, the employees and the employer were found to be behaving according to existing predictor models and the rates and types of participation were similar to national and international trends. The analysis of the interviews conducted among a group of atypical employees, their supervisors, as well as with representatives from the college and from the union, revealed important key themes: informality of the expression of demand through multiple channels, sometimes excluding the supervisors, the reliance on self-assessment, and the importance of the decision-making phase. These themes reinforced the fact that there are several parties interacting during the process of expressing demand for learning and during decision-making. By examining the expectations of each party during the process, we uncovered a tacit desire by the supervisors and by the employees to have “the other” initiate the conversation. The key themes were then discussed in relation to the research and knowledge gaps identified as the basis and context for this study. In this light, the misalignment between the employer and the employees’ profiles revealed some opportunities for the employer to address its institutional profile in order to better match the employees’ dispositional profile and thus be more likely to maximize the employer’s learning offer. The deconstruction of the antecedents to participation in learning activities provided insights along the same lines. Here there are opportunities for the employer, the supervisors and the union to better support the employees in the identification of their learning needs and the articulation of their learning demand by providing a more systematic, more formalized process with better tools. This would once again be a better match for the employees’ situational and dispositional profile. Finally, the discussion examined the impact of the economic drivers on the employees’ participation and concluded that even though the employees did not appear suspicious or deterred by the employer’s offer of learning, there are indeed issues of power in play. Those manifested themselves mainly during the decision-making process, and in this regard, both the supervisors and the employees agree that a more formalized process would be beneficial as a way to mitigate the issue of asymmetry and the issue of ambiguity. The findings of this study have implications for the field of adult education and workplace learning, particularly in regards to research methodology. We found that the use of mix methodology capturing the employer and the employees’ voice was beneficial in providing new insights about the alignment between the offer and the uptake. The recognition of the antecedents to participation as a process involving several, multi-faceted actors allowed for the creation of a more detailed model useful for further research. It identified the need to separate decision-making as a stand-alone step between the expression of demand and participation in learning. The findings also reinforced the need for the field of adult education to continue to address issues related to the recognition of informal learning. Based on the results and the discussion of key findings there are several recommendations that can be considered if we are to affect the outcome of the process preceding employee participation in learning. Most of the recommendations pertain to the infrastructure that supports the process and therefore are largely targeted at the employer. However, as the employers consider the implementation of a more solid infrastructure and the use of more intervention methods, there are recommendations for unions, supervisors and for employees that can assist the employer living up to its role and facilitate everyone’s effective participation in the process. The above recommendations imply that it is the antecedents to learning that could benefit from greater formality, not the learning itself. On the other hand, there are risks associated with formalizing even the infrastructure for learning. Future research should further explore the new type of workplace learning participants for whom participation is an expression of control and power over their work. In relation to this phenomenon, a specific study on the impact of the nature, quality and asymmetry of the supervisor-employee relationship on employee participation in learning would be beneficial. Keywords: workplace learning, antecedents to participation, support staff