The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes that adults entering an adult basic education program went through while they learned to read and write. Two research goals were used to examine six individuals while attending The Literacy Project, Inc., Greenfield, Massachusetts. They were, (1) To examine the relationship between learning to read and write and learning to adapt to change among adults considered illiterate; and (2) To examine how local and community conditions including those of the program as community, affect a literacy program and its curriculum. This study utilized ethnographic methods. The data for the case studies was collected from observations, teacher log entries, student writings, student folders, and interviews with clients, teachers, and aides. The setting of the study was The Literacy Project which is a non-profit community based program which uses a whole-language curriculum. Teaching is also done in groups. A head teacher is in charge and several volunteers are used as aides. Changes were discovered across the case studies. Students went through at least four changes: (1) The Initial Change, (2) Change In Old Strategies: Conning, (3) Change in Self Confidence, and (4) Change in Student/Teacher Relationships, including the way in which students perceived the role of the teacher. The implications for curriculum and programs are described in Chapter 5. They were: (1) A need for teachers to broaden their ideas and concepts of curriculum to include students with opportunities to participate in the developement of curriculum. (2) A need for teachers to broaden their ideas of learning. Learning needs to be viewed as an interactive pursuit. (3) There is a need for community to be developed in the classroom. (4) There is a need for continuity in programs which includes the need for continuity in teachers.

This study was designed to analyze the text of autobiographical writing using three stage theories of constructive developmental psychology. The writing samples examined in this study were twenty (20) "prior learning portfolios", work-related autobiographies of adult students seeking credit for life experience. The students were undergraduates enrolled in the University Without Walls program of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The developmental variables employed in the study were social perspective-taking as defined by Basseches (1984), subject/object balance from the self psychology of Kegan (1982), and self-knowledge development as discussed by Weinstein and Alschuler (1985). The writing analysis was patterned after the oral interview scoring processes commonly used in determining cognitive developmental stage levels: codable items in the text were reviewed to obtain an overall stage score for each of the three developmental models. The developmental scores were then compared with academic credit awards assigned to the portfolios. Significant results were found in statistical analyses correlating increases in credit award with increases in stage scores for social perspective taking and subject-object balance. Other significant findings included a positive correlation between social perspective-taking and subject-object balance. Moreover, increases in the external knowledge of another's internal processes were matched by increases in one's own self-knowledge. The study's success in conducting constructive developmental analyses of narrative writing has potentially positive implications for lifespan developmental psychologists, educators, and writers.

The purpose of this dissertation is to describe how school library media specialists can realize a new role of resource persons for teachers and each other. The re-definition of their role from reactive to proactive enables then to plan and team teach with classroom teachers and to integrate library media and research skills programs into the classroom curriculum, using the cooperative learning model. In addition, a library media specialists' peer support group has been developed for professional growth. The positive ramifications of this for teaching and learning is described. Literature on the role of advisor, library media standards, effective teaching, procedural models, and cooperative learning are reviewed to identify characteristics and methods necessary for school library media specialists to become proactive resource persons and catalysts for change within their schools. Many of these same objectives, characteristics, skills and programs are identified by the American Library Association's (1988) guidelines, Information Power. This qualitative research study involves six library media specialists over a period of three years. Data are collected through observations, questionnaires, field notes, interviews, transcriptions of meetings and document analysis. Conclusions drawn from these data indicate that it is possible for library media specialists to realize their potential as resource persons who co-plan and implement instruction in collaboration with classroom teachers. Other conclusions indicate that a peer support group is extremely valuable for self-directed professional growth and development. The study concludes with recommendations for further research in the areas of beliefs and behaviors of practitioners, support groups and teaching models.

The general purpose of this study was to obtain information about foreign language teachers' instructional practices, evaluation procedures, and attitudes. The specific purposes were: (1) To obtain relevant demographic and attitudinal data pertaining to the in-service training needs of selected foreign language teachers. (2) To apply data obtained to in-service training program planning initiatives. (3) To study the relationships between demographic and attitudinal data obtained and in-service training program planning. The study outcomes present a demographic profile which suggests a generally healthy climate for foreign language education in the state as evidenced by teachers' professional involvement, awareness of current practices, concern about issues, and agreement with a proficiency-oriented approach to foreign language education. The data suggest areas of concern and future direction for officials of the state department of education and the state foreign language association as they do long-range planning to meet global and student needs in foreign language education, and to meet the specific needs of the foreign language teachers in Massachusetts. Officials of other state departments of education and foreign language associations might look to the results of this study to assess the professional growth and development needs of foreign language teachers.

Typical parent education programs expect that parents of teenagers can (1) be empathetic listeners, (2) identify and express their own inner feelings, thoughts, and opinions, etc., (3) tolerate diversity of ideas, (4) set limits for their teenagers, and (5) take a perspective on their parenting processes. In other words, such programs assume that all parents of teenagers have the same abilities and are at the same developmental level. This study challenged this assumption and addressed the issue of readiness for parenting. Robert Kegan's subject-object theory was used as a context for the study. Twenty parents of teenagers were interviewed using Kegan and colleagues' subject-object interview. The interviews were used to determine how parents were thinking about their parenting experiences, or, in other words, how these parents were structuring meaning around their parenting experiences. The analyses of these interviews, which were done by a certified subject-object assessor and myself, determined what was "subject" and what was "object" in the parents' meaning-making structure. We found subject-object data that represented six different meaning-making structures, or in other words, six different developmental levels. The subject-object data demonstrated abilities and kinds of enmeshment specific to the developmental level. My research suggests that identification of abilities and specific kinds of enmeshment can be useful to helping professionals. This kind of identification which is defined from subject-object developmental levels can; (1) locate the source of authority in the parenting, (2) utilize a language that matches the enmeshment, (3) anticipate the kind of projections that will be generated by the parents, and (4) estimate the level of skill mastery in these four areas: empathetic response and active listening; communication of inner process and leveling; conflict resolution and problem solving; and, limit setting.

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.

Christian women's organizations in Zimbabwe have a long history. Prior to independence, both the Catholic church and the major Protestant denominations had mother's unions or women's clubs. These groups met at the congregational level weekly for prayer, singing, Bible study and support. Education was also an important function of these groups. After independence, many ecumenical and non-denominational Christian women's groups were formed. The purpose of these groups was to assist in national development and in women's development. This dissertation explores the role of these women's organizations in facilitating women's participation in development. The premise of the study was that the church in Zimbabwe plays a large role in development and that women are heavily involved in church life. It was not clear, however, that women's involvement resulted in their benefiting from the church's development activities and efforts. It was assumed that women's organizations would be one way that women could access those activities and the resultant benefits. The literature review includes feminist theories, women in development (WID) and women's organizations. This provided a foundation for exploring the theoretical underpinnings of WID efforts and women's organizations, as well as the appropriateness of those theories, efforts and organizations for women in Zimbabwe. The field research consisted of in-depth interviews with the heads of various types of Christian women's organizations as well as leaders within the Christian Council of Zimbabwe. Unpublished documents produced by the organizations were analyzed. And observations were done of one indigenous community development organization and one church-related women's club. The data revealed that women are benefiting from church development efforts and that women's organizations are largely responsible for that. Also, that women's organizations on their own contribute greatly to community development. Christian women's organizations in Zimbabwe have a major role to play in facilitating the full participation of women in development.

This study presents the perceptions of Foster Care Providers in one western Massachusetts county who are integrating one or more adults with developmental disabilities into their family. This arrangement is called "Adult Foster Care," "Shared Living," or "Supportive Living." It is a new model in the health care field, and no studies have documented the perceptions of providers who have the responsibility of twenty-four hour care of individuals with cognitive disabilities and physical handicaps. Little is known about how providers make sense of their role or what pressures and tensions they are facing as they interact with their new family member. The major findings of the study centered around the difficult and evolving role that shared living providers play in today's health care system for individuals with developmental disabilities. Providers occupy a precarious middle ground between natural family units and more rigidly bureaucratic agencies and institutional systems. In a series of interviews, the following themes emerged as central concerns or issues for the shared living providers who participated in this study: Personal, family and work history; what is it like to be a provider; relationships between providers and individuals with developmental disabilities; organizational issues and tensions, and support systems for providers. Most providers entered the role expecting to work directly with their new family member outside of the regulations and restrictions imposed by group home mandates. They became frustrated and disillusioned by the increasing bureaucratic pressures and need for accountability. In their relationships with individuals with developmental disabilities, they sought to establish new patterns of interactions and to promote greater personal independence. At the same time, they struggled with the community's conception of developmental disabilities. Many reported that inadequate day programs and respite care supports blocked their efforts to build a new concept of health care delivery.

Learning English as a foreign language (EFL), a highly valued skill in the Chilean marketplace, is an arduous and complex personal endeavor requiring high student motivation. Reflecting this challenge is the heightened anxiety among EFL students, whose work has been associated with historically meager results. Blended learning, the fusion of face-to-face and online content delivery and assessment, offers a promising solution to EFL learner reticence. Evidence suggests that an active online teacher presence in a blended EFL course can enhance student engagement. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of EFL instructional specialists concerning (a) student involvement and engagement in online portions of blended courses, (b) marginal teacher presence in the online portions of blended courses, and (c) ways to improve student involvement in the online portions of the blended courses. Results of a systematic qualitative analysis, employing constant comparative data analysis of individual interviews with a sample of 10 voluntary EFL instructional specialists, indicated teachers need to take part in design of blended EFL courses to address these issues. The findings, coupled with theoretical frameworks of social-constructivism, transactional distance, diffusion of innovation, and universal design for instruction, served as the background for a proposed teacher training project resulting from this study. The study can contribute to positive social change by inviting EFL teachers to become more involved in blended course design, increasing their sense of ownership, sharing best practices for blended EFL teaching and learning, and creating conditions for more successful upward social mobility opportunities for Chilean university students who have acquired certifiable English language skills.

Onboarding ensures learning success through sharing and acquiring knowledge to remain competitive. However, little is known about new Information Technology (IT) hires' learning needs in the absence of onboarding; therefore, the purpose of this case study was to examine, increase, and retain their technical knowledge at the Unified Communications Company (UCC). Following the theoretical model of knowledge management, which holds that knowledge is the key to confirm learning and knowledge sharing, the research questions were used to examine how the company assessed and increased their technical knowledge and how they taught their culture in the absence of onboarding. A qualitative instrumental case study design was employed with a purposeful sample of 4 former employees who were former new IT hires at the UCC. These employees contributed to the study using journals, surveys, and interviews drawn from their experiences as new IT hires at the UCC. Reoccurring themes regarding formal learning were extracted from the data, validated through peer and member checking, and then triangulated with each round of data collection and the themes described in the literature. The themes of culture, onboarding, training, and experience/feedback consistently emerged as areas needing improvement and indicated a need for formalized training. Based on these findings, a job aid was created to provide enhanced performance and learning to offer knowledge throughout training. Companies employing new IT hires can use the results from this study to provide onboarding in addition to their current orientation. The use of these data would positively affect social change by enhancing company competitiveness and job retention while reducing overall unemployment and the skills gap.