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The purpose of this study was to explore the practices, perceptions and needs of nurses in relation to their participation in continuing professional development. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted guided by Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory as the conceptual framework. Data collection was done using a structured self-administered questionnaire with a sample of 178 nurses. The findings revealed that the respondents perceived continuing professional development as important. However the study found minimal involvement of nurses during the initial stages of designing continuing professional development programmes and this may lead to incorrect identification of learning needs. Personal, organisational and professional factors were identified as barriers to nurses’ participation in continuing professional development. Preparation of nurses in advance and the use of teaching strategies that recognise past experience and adults as resources were found to increase nurses’ participation in continuing professional development programmes / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the phenomenon of the conflicting roles, such as parent, spouse, employee, caregiver, and community member/volunteer, associated with the lives of nontraditional college students and to reveal how these conflicting role obligations influence these students' persistence toward the attainment of an undergraduate degree. This study provides a brief history of adult education in the United States as well as the study context, a continuing studies division of a privately endowed research institution located in the southern United States. The participants in this study were nontraditional students who were also recent graduates of this continuing studies unit. This study drew upon the literature of nontraditional students in higher education, as well as literature on role theory, adult development theory, adult learning theory, and student persistence theory. This study used a phenomenological qualitative approach as a means of discovering the lived experiences of nontraditional students as these experiences relate to the conflicting roles of nontraditional students and their decision to persist toward the attainment of a bachelor's degree. Several important findings were discovered. In order to negotiate their conflicting roles, these students used several strategies as a means of helping them to balance their roles. This study also found several motivational factors that prompted nontraditional students to pursue a bachelor's degree at this time in their lives. The obstacles and challenges that these students confronted were also revealed, and in order to overcome these obstacles and challenges these students relied on several support systems. The reputation and prestige of this university was also found to be an important factor in the students' decision to attend college at this stage in their lives. Additionally, the various forms of assistance that this continuing studies unit provided encouraged students to persist.

This study investigates information literacy and scholarly communication within the processes of doctoral research and supervision at a distance. Both doctoral candidates and supervisors acknowledge information literacy deficiencies and it is suggested that disintermediation and the proliferation of information may contribute to those deficiencies. Further to this, the influence of pedagogic continuity—particularly in relation to the information seeking behaviour of candidates—is investigated, as is the concomitant aspect of how doctoral researchers practise scholarly communication. The well-documented and enduring problem for candidates of isolation from the research cultures of their universities is also scrutinised. The contentious issue of more formally involving librarians in the doctoral process is also considered, from the perspective of candidates and supervisors. Superimposed upon these topical and timely issues is the theoretical framework of adult learning theory, in particular the tenets of andragogy. The pedagogical-andragogical orientation of candidates and supervisors is established, demonstrating both the differences and similarities between candidates and supervisors, as are a number of independent variables, including a comparison of on-campus and off-campus candidates. Other independent variables include age, gender, DETYA (Department of Education, Training & Youth Affairs) category, enrolment type, stage of candidature, employment and status, type of doctorate, and English/non-English speaking background. The research methodology uses qualitative and quantitative techniques encompassing both data and methodological triangulation. The study uses two sets of questionnaires and a series of in-depth interviews with a sample of on-campus and off-campus doctoral candidates and supervisors from four Australian universities. Major findings include NESB candidates being more pedagogical than their ESB counterparts, and candidates and supervisors from the Sciences are more pedagogical than those from Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, or Education. Candidates make a transition from a more dependent and pedagogically oriented approach to learning towards more of an independent and andragogical orientation over the duration of their candidature. However, over tune both on-campus and off-campus candidates become more isolated from the research cultures of their universities, and less happy with support received from their supervisors in relation to their literature reviews. Ill The study found large discrepancies in perception between the support supervisors believed they gave to candidates in relation to the literature review, and the support candidates believed they received. Information seeking becomes easier over time, but candidates face a dilemma with the proliferation of information, suggesting that disintermediation has exacerbated the challenges of evaluation and organisation of information. The concept of pedagogic continuity was recognised by supervisors and especially candidates, both negative and positive influences. The findings are critically analysed and synthesised using the metaphor of a scholarly 'Club' of which obtaining a doctorate is a rite of passage. Recommendations are made for changes in professional practice, and topics that may warrant further research are suggested.

This field study examines the comparative effectiveness of traditional and humanistic teaching methods. In part I the origins of humanistic teaching and their relationship to Gestalt therapy are considered. The influence of Humanistic education adult learning theory is also discussed. Part I concludes with an assessment of humanistic teaching. Part II: To measure the comparative effectiveness of the humanistic and traditional teaching methods, three groups of first year students in General English classess in a College of Technical and Further Education were selected. The effectiveness was measured in terms of differences in 1. Self-esteem. 2. Spelling Ability. 3. Attrition rates. 4 Academic Results. It can be concluded that there is: No difference in measures of self-esteem between groups, on the basis of the teaching method used. A large increase in the measure of self-esteem was observed in one of the groups that was taught with humanistic teaching strategies. Spelling measures showed no significant changes in any of the groups. Attrition rates were significantly reduced in groups that received humanistic teaching. Academic results of students completing the course showed no significant differences.

Many post-secondary schools across the country offer adult working students an opportunity to obtain at least partial credit for work and life experiences in their curriculum through portfolios. The primary goal of this project was to design, develop and evaluate a portfolio course for adult students at a small independent university. Design emphasized adult learning theory and incorporated instructional design best practices throughout. Also significant to the design was the implementation of the Quality Matters ™ Rubric. The project focus was to intertwine the six assumptions of adult learning theory while implementing best practices and effective instructional strategies, and to conduct formative and summative evaluations. The study incorporated a pre-test - post test instrument and satisfaction questionnaire for quantitative data collection. The results of this project are positive based on the evaluation data collected during this project.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the beliefs of 5 experienced instructors about the ways adults learn in online professional development (OPD) courses, beliefs about creating online learning environments, and beliefs about instructional strategies for facilitating adult learning. The following questions guided this study: 1. What are the instructor’s beliefs about the ways that adults learn in online professional development courses? 2. What are the instructor’s beliefs about creating an online learning environment for adult learners? 3. What are the instructor’s beliefs about the use of instructional strategies to facilitate online learning with adults? The setting for the study was the professional development program of a large metropolitan school district in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through interviews, discussion board postings, and instructor journals and analyzed using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). The following themes emerged from the data: • Adult learning in OPD courses is an active process of making connections and applying knowledge and skills. • Learning for adults in OPD courses must be useful, meaningful, relevant, practical, adaptable, and applicable to the work setting. • Learning for adults in an OPD course requires more effort and commitment than learning in face-to-face professional development settings. • Adult learners in OPD courses need a comfort zone where they can feel “safe” communicating and interacting with learners and the instructor. • Adult learners need varying amounts of encouragement, support, guidance, and nurturing within a positive online learning environment(OLE)that supports and sustains them. • Instructors believe that collaboration is an effective strategy for facilitating learning with adults in OPD courses, yet existing barriers limit collaboration. • The OPD instructor is a flexible facilitator of learning who uses different types of feedback to confirm, correct, and inform learning with adults.

There is a lack of empirical research on the motivational regulation and reactions of higher education students enrolled in blended courses. Studies that target this focus with nontraditional adult learners enrolled in the community college are even more difficult to locate. In this mixed-methods exploratory case study, I explored in what ways nontraditional adult learners' motivational regulation and their motivational reactions to course design relate to their perceived learning experience in a blended technology course with a flipped design. Specifically, I investigated how nontraditional community college students described their goals for participating in a blended course prior to the start of the class, in what ways they utilized motivational regulation strategies within the course, how they described their motivational reactions to a blended course developed with a flipped design, and how they perceived their goal accomplishments at the end of the course. The following A Priori questions guided my research: 1. In what ways do five nontraditional community college students describe their goals for participating in a blended technology course with a flipped design prior to the start of the class? 2. How do these students describe their motivational regulation experiences in the blended technology course on their responses to the Motivational Regulation Strategies Questionnaire? 3. How do these students perceive the motivational aspects of the course design as measured by the Course Interest Survey? 4. In what ways do these students perceive they achieved their described goals at the end of the course? I collected quantitative and qualitative data in the Fall semester of 2017 from five purposefully selected nontraditional adult community college learners who voluntarily engaged in the inquiry. I used several data collection instruments throughout the study. I collected quantitative data via three questionnaires: (1) a Demographics, Goals, and Interest Survey (2) the Motivational Regulation Strategies questionnaire, and (3) the Course Interest Survey. I gathered qualitative data through (1) participant electronic journals, (2) semi-structured interviews and (3) a researcher's reflective journal. There are both practical and theoretical implications to this study. The results of this research suggest guidelines on how to design an effective blended course for nontraditional students enrolled in the community college arena. The information gleaned might be used to further develop and redesign future blended courses for nontraditional community college students who seek alternative modes of content delivery for the purposes of continued learning and convenience of integration into their busy lifestyles. The findings from this study contribute to at least two bodies of empirical research literature: (1) motivational regulation strategies employed by nontraditional community college students and the (2) development of blended courses with motivational design to help nontraditional community college adult learners obtain their learning goals.

The purpose of this study was to explore the practices, perceptions and needs of nurses in relation to their participation in continuing professional development. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted guided by Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory as the conceptual framework. Data collection was done using a structured self-administered questionnaire with a sample of 178 nurses. The findings revealed that the respondents perceived continuing professional development as important. However the study found minimal involvement of nurses during the initial stages of designing continuing professional development programmes and this may lead to incorrect identification of learning needs. Personal, organisational and professional factors were identified as barriers to nurses’ participation in continuing professional development. Preparation of nurses in advance and the use of teaching strategies that recognise past experience and adults as resources were found to increase nurses’ participation in continuing professional development programmes / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

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