AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF CHRISTINE E. WIGGS, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in EDUCATION, presented on October 19, 2012, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: UNDERSTANDING READING THROUGH THE EYES OF THIRD-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS MAJOR PROFESSORS: Dr. Marla H. Mallette / Dr. Lynn C. Smith Within the vast research base on struggling readers, very few studies address the nature of struggling readers from their own perspectives; that is, how struggling readers experience reading instruction. The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to gain a deeper understanding of how three third-grade struggling readers viewed themselves as readers and how they experienced reading instruction in their classroom setting. In turn, this study captured their realities of being a struggling reader from their own perspectives. Data sources included measures of reading affect (i.e., attitude, motivation, and self-perception), interviews, classroom observations, work samples, records, and drawings. Data for each of the three cases were first analyzed separately using Boeije's (2010) Spiral of Analysis model, and then through a cross case analysis. In looking across the three cases, the unique and complex perceptions of each student were situated in three broad similarities: (a) their perceptions of reading centered on the idea that reading is about hard words, (b) their perceptions of themselves as struggling readers revealed their internal struggles, and (c) their sensitivity to the social in their perceptions of others' perceptions of them. The findings capture the important and often missing voice of the students, a major stakeholder in their own education, which leads to educational implications for reading instruction.

This thesis examines the potential of a change analysis of student beliefs and attitudes about mathematics to inform teachers' reflective practice and provide the basis for modifying classroom practice. The author and two colleagues were involved in Math4theNines, a collaborative inquiry project for Ontario Grade 9 Mathematics. As part of that project, they developed an online survey to track the impact of their classroom practice on how students felt about mathematics and how students felt about themselves as learners of mathematics. The teachers reported that the before-and-after course survey and the accompanying change analysis that indicated any shifts in their students' attitudes and beliefs toward mathematics provided some unique and revealing perspectives on their practice. This study is a retrospective of that experience and an attempt to reproduce the results with three volunteer teachers. Although the results were mixed, there is some evidence to suggest that this approach has the potential to enhance teachers' focus on the new social-emotional strand in Ontario Grades 1 to 9 mathematics which presently is neither evaluated nor reported on. There is also potential to inform teachers in their efforts to develop the positive attitudes that have been shown to improve academic achievement and encourage entry into STEM fields.

In the past decade Higher Education Institutions have experienced tremendous growth in enrollments. To meet this demand, many higher education institutions have embraced online education and its requisite technologies. Online education has matured, and studies focusing on the cognitive domain indicate that distance education is as effective as the traditional face-to-face instructional modality. However, there is a scarcity of affective domain studies due to: a) the need for the institutions of higher education to perform quantitative studies to establish the quality of online education b) the affective domain's inherent subjective nature, and c) the educational research environment has slow recognition of the validity and value of qualitative research. This scarcity of research has created a reluctance to engage in online education on the part of a large number of private and public mission-driven educational institutions. Historically these institutions place great emphasis on the affective domain and currently believe that the affective domain cannot be effectively promoted in the online environment. Therefore, the conclusion is drawn that if online education cannot provide the affective component, then it is counterproductive to the mission of the institution desiring to provide a transformative education. This reluctance threatens the existence of many mission-driven institutions by falling behind in the distance education market place. Quality research is needed in the area of the affective domain in distance education to convince these institutions that the affective domain can effectively be taught in the online environment. This grounded theory study of an established online Bachelors of Radiography Program has developed a theory as to why students report a strong sense of mission when compared with other like institutions in the Mission Engagement Consortium for Independent Colleges (MECIC). Through a series of interviews with eight students, two alumni, four faculty, and the requisite coding, six contributing pedagogical phenomena and three central categories emerged. The three central categories, Instructor Persistence, Synchronous Encounters, and Integrated Institutional Mission, when working together, were found to have created continued and significant impact on the affective domain for the students of the Radiography program. Further research will be needed to quantitatively test the theory developed in this study and establish a baseline of best practices in promoting the affective domain in the online learning environment.

This research explored the common experiences, values, and beliefs of three science teacher educators with elementary teaching experience and how these commonalities influenced their thinking about teaching preservice elementary teachers. This qualitative study used a life story approach and included an autobiographical component. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and archival records. The findings were shared in eight chronologically ordered vignettes that portrayed an individual representing a composite of the participants. The participants shared numerous life experiences including: growing up in small towns, having older parents, being part of a two sibling family, having strong female role models, learning science through everyday occurrences, and having successful experiences in school math and science. They also placed a high value on education, responsibility, spiritual development, and contributions of diverse groups. Two beliefs stood out in the data. First, each participant believed that she had been a "good" elementary teacher. Second, each participant believed in the importance of attending to the affective domain within teaching and learning environments.These findings represent an extension of the existing limited literature base regarding qualifications and characteristics of science teacher educators. The findings direct our attention to the need for changes in science teacher education programs with regard to recruitment and design in order to attract more applicants with elementary teaching experience and understandings of the elementary school culture.

In the educational model of the University of Concepcion, Chile, affective domain is developed during the third and fourth year of studies. This research presents theexperience of Biology career. In it, the strategy of reflexion is used to develop the affective domain of generic competencies with 13 students. Results show that there is a change in the way that students conceive generic competencies, from being a tool for good performance to be a fundamental part of professional training. / La dimensión afectiva de las competencias genéricas (CCGG), es fundamental para formar profesionales integrales. En el modelo educativo de la Universidad de Concepción de Chile, la dimensión afectiva se desarrolla en tercer y cuarto año de carrera. En esta investigación se presenta la experiencia de la carrera de biología. En ella se utiliza la estrategia de reflexión con trece estudiantes para desarrollar la dimensión afectiva de las competencias genéricas. Los resultados muestran que hay un cambio en la forma en que las conciben, pasando de ser una herramienta para el buen desempeño a ser parte fundamental de la formación profesional. / A dimensão afetiva das competências genéricas (CCGG) é fundamental para formar profissionais integrantes. No modelo educacional da Universidade de Concepção no Chile, a dimensão afetiva é desenvolvida no terceiro e quarto ano de carreira. Esta pesquisa apresenta a experiência da carreira de biologia. Utiliza a estratégia de reflexão com 13 alunos para desenvolver a dimensão afetiva das competênciasgenéricas. Os resultados mostram que há uma mudança na forma como são concebidos, passando de ser uma ferramenta para um bom desempenho, sendo uma parte fundamental do treinamento vocacional.

Background: Implementation of evidence-based knowledge in healthcare is challenging with success rates less than optimal at times. This is particularly true in the area of pressure ulcer prevention. Attention to use of the affective domain in educational interventions to implement best practices may be part of the solution. Purpose: The ultimate purpose of this study was to compare the use of two different educational interventions on medical-surgical nurses' behavioral intent to use evidence-based practice in preventing pressure ulcers. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework for this study was the theory of planned behavior. Methods: This study proceeded in three phases and collected both qualitative and quantitative data for instrument development and instrument testing. The resultant instrument was used to collect data for hypothesis testing in a cluster randomized experiment. Results: The theory of planned behavior was not fully supported in this study. Attitudes toward pressure ulcers were predictive of behavioral intent. Nurses who experienced the affective domain educational intervention showed significant improvements over the control group on attitude and perceived behavioral control. Behavioral intent and subjective norm were not impacted. Conclusions: A reliable and valid theory of planned behavior derived instrument was created. The theory of planned behavior was partially supported. An affective domain intervention has the potential to favorably impact nurses in valuing pressure ulcer prevention, despite any barriers.

Challenges in the South African education system arise from inter alia inadequate training, social and environmental problems, parental inefficiency, insufficient professionalism among teachers, as well as negative attitudes of learners. An urgent need exists to establish “a moral underground, an army of volunteers” (Jansen, 2012) who would be willing to provide another chance to “abandoned children” in poorer schools to develop their full potential for a brighter future. To assist learners to achieve a better future, this study focused on teacher-students and to enhance their learning experiences and consequently their teaching performance. By motivating the teacher-students to develop their potential in order to achieve better, they could, in turn, break the barriers of mediocrity in the learners they taught. The aim of this study was to uncover how a social network service (SNS) like Facebook could be used as an academic tool to support and enhance the affective learning experience of open distance teacher-students in the rural Eastern Cape. The main research question which guided this study was: How can the affective learning of open distance learning teacher-students in the rural Eastern Cape be supported through academic Facebook? The research intervention which elicited data, comprised coaching and scaffolding of the learning content relating to research methodology, as well as guiding the participants to engage with an SNS as a learning technology in an academic environment. The researcher created a support group on Facebook where participants could, at any time, interact with peers and the facilitator. Non-probability purposive sampling selected the participants according to the following criteria: isiXhosa home language speaking teacher-students from the rural areas around Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, enrolled with NWU for a BEd Honours degree, and who owned cellular phones which could connect to the Internet. While 74 teacher-students were invited to participate in the research, only 34 attended some of the coaching and scaffolding sessions, and 22 joined the FaceFunda group page. This qualitative bounded case study was conducted from a postmodern pragmatic view. Data were collected through individual interviews, a focus group interview, text from the FaceFunda group page and the researcher’s reflective diary. The data were analysed with Atlas. ti™. Three patterns emerged which described participants’ affective experiences: (i) emotions while learning with technology, (ii) experiences with technology, and (iii) need for support. In each case, the patterns related to emotions of competence (codes that captured positive and enabling experiences), and emotions of incompetence (codes that captured negative and incapacitating experiences). A secondary analysis of the findings uncovered the guidelines for the academic use of Facebook for rural distance teacher-students. Four themes emerged as guidelines: i) coaching and scaffolding support, (ii) technological support, (iii) peer support, and (iv) communication with the higher education institution. The guidelines highlighted that the affective learning of open distance learning of rural teacher-students in the Eastern Cape can be supported through the academic use of Facebook. ODL teacher-students require support coaching and scaffolding in order to adopt the use of SNSs for academic purposes. Adult learners should be supported to overcome technophobia to enable engagement with learning content. With adequate supportive measures, SNSs can contribute towards positive learning experiences of rural students. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Challenges in the South African education system arise from inter alia inadequate training, social and environmental problems, parental inefficiency, insufficient professionalism among teachers, as well as negative attitudes of learners. An urgent need exists to establish “a moral underground, an army of volunteers” (Jansen, 2012) who would be willing to provide another chance to “abandoned children” in poorer schools to develop their full potential for a brighter future. To assist learners to achieve a better future, this study focused on teacher-students and to enhance their learning experiences and consequently their teaching performance. By motivating the teacher-students to develop their potential in order to achieve better, they could, in turn, break the barriers of mediocrity in the learners they taught. The aim of this study was to uncover how a social network service (SNS) like Facebook could be used as an academic tool to support and enhance the affective learning experience of open distance teacher-students in the rural Eastern Cape. The main research question which guided this study was: How can the affective learning of open distance learning teacher-students in the rural Eastern Cape be supported through academic Facebook? The research intervention which elicited data, comprised coaching and scaffolding of the learning content relating to research methodology, as well as guiding the participants to engage with an SNS as a learning technology in an academic environment. The researcher created a support group on Facebook where participants could, at any time, interact with peers and the facilitator. Non-probability purposive sampling selected the participants according to the following criteria: isiXhosa home language speaking teacher-students from the rural areas around Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, enrolled with NWU for a BEd Honours degree, and who owned cellular phones which could connect to the Internet. While 74 teacher-students were invited to participate in the research, only 34 attended some of the coaching and scaffolding sessions, and 22 joined the FaceFunda group page. This qualitative bounded case study was conducted from a postmodern pragmatic view. Data were collected through individual interviews, a focus group interview, text from the FaceFunda group page and the researcher’s reflective diary. The data were analysed with Atlas. ti™. Three patterns emerged which described participants’ affective experiences: (i) emotions while learning with technology, (ii) experiences with technology, and (iii) need for support. In each case, the patterns related to emotions of competence (codes that captured positive and enabling experiences), and emotions of incompetence (codes that captured negative and incapacitating experiences). A secondary analysis of the findings uncovered the guidelines for the academic use of Facebook for rural distance teacher-students. Four themes emerged as guidelines: i) coaching and scaffolding support, (ii) technological support, (iii) peer support, and (iv) communication with the higher education institution. The guidelines highlighted that the affective learning of open distance learning of rural teacher-students in the Eastern Cape can be supported through the academic use of Facebook. ODL teacher-students require support coaching and scaffolding in order to adopt the use of SNSs for academic purposes. Adult learners should be supported to overcome technophobia to enable engagement with learning content. With adequate supportive measures, SNSs can contribute towards positive learning experiences of rural students. / MEd (Learner support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

As sustainability challenges increase in both frequency and magnitude, there is a growing need for leaders who can deal with such complexity. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) develops knowledge,skills, and attitudes to enable the development of such leaders. This thesis focuses on the elusive “attitude” piece, more widely referred to as the affective domain. The research team interviewed experts on affective learning in either higher education or ESD contexts. Additionally, staff members from the case study organisation, Teach for Austria (TFA) were interviewed to determine how affective learning can be further developed within their fellow program. The five-level model (5LM) was employed to frame the findings of each interview set to provide recommendations for TFA. A feature of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, the 5LM provides a strategic planning approach that allows for easier adaptation and implementation of the findings for other programs that wish to learn from this research. Therefore, this thesis serves to provide recommendations for developing affective learning in sustainability leadership programs. Making affective learning explicit and empowering one to reflect their own affective domain and their perspective on the world can have a positive impact on their life, as well as on their environment.

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