Government initiatives for strengthening the safety of the United States led to increased requirements for military linguists' knowledge of foreign languages. This study explored the development of professional training for instructors at a military language school to address the gap in teaching services. The purpose of this single case study was to explore best teaching practices for engaging adult students' foreign language learning following andragogical principles. Knowles's theory of andragogy provided the conceptual framework. Data were collected using anonymous responses to an online survey from 26 instructors who answered 3 open-ended questions. Data were analyzed by coding answers to the research question and indicated that approximately one third of participants preferred language-centered practices for engaging their students' foreign language learning. Another third of the respondents noted learner-centered approaches, and the remainder listed both language- and learner-centered approaches among best teaching practices. The proposed curriculum might facilitate discussion about the benefits of each approach to promote teaching and learning at the site. Participating in suggested training that is grounded in the theory of andragogy and local data may bring about positive change by advancing instructors' expertise, improving educational services, and resulting in increased students' proficiency.

Quality professional development is essential to enhance and sustain teacher efficacy. In a Southeastern school district, content-based, job-embedded professional development was not practiced or available for secondary school choral teachers. The purpose of this research was to discover the perceptions that choral teachers possess about what constitutes quality professional development. Guided by Bruner's constructivist approach, Knowles' concept of andragogy, and DuFour's professional development practices, this study examined the connection between these 3 ideas and supplied the foundation for the development of a professional development program. Using a case study design, data were collected through interviews and lesson plan documents from 9 secondary school choral teachers. The data were coded by hand and analyzed using an inductive approach. The key results were that the secondary school choral teachers desire quality professional development, characterized by content-based subject matter and collaborative delivery methods. A project of customized content-based choral music was constructed using teacher collaboration and mentoring as critical components of the delivery system. This study has implications for positive social change by providing professional development that addresses the needs and desires of the educators and increases their knowledge and skills. The project can perform as a prototype for professional development in other academic disciplines.

This thesis seeks to understand the past and present state of engineering education and to plot a course for its future evolution. This research is limited to engineering education as it has taken place in North American universities during the last half of the 20th century. Within this context, broad trends are described. The description is supplemented with a case study of a unique and innovative engineering programme. The trends and case study form the foundation of a synthesis, and alternative vision, for higher education and engineering education. The intended audience of this thesis includes those who teach, design curriculum, or administer engineering education programmes. The description of the current state of engineering education contains analyses of the state and of the gaps within it. Both of these analyses are based almost exclusively on publicly available documentation. The present state of engineering is drawn from accreditation criteria. Critiques of the current state and suggestions for future change are drawn from reports commissioned by groups affiliated with professional engineering. The discussions identify recurring themes and patterns. Unlike the analysis of the literature, the case study merges interview evidence and personal experience with the available documentation. The synthesis and visions continue the trend away from formal sources towards experiences and beliefs. Engineering education research is in its infancy and shows few signs of maturing. There is no documented, common framing of engineering education nor have there been any efforts in this regard. Few sources address broad issues and those that do lack theoretical rigour. The visions for engineering education are simple amalgams of visions for the profession and for general higher education. The Department of Systems Design Engineering has enjoyed great past successes because of its unique vision that combines the theories of systems, complexity, and design with the discipline of engineering. Its recent decay can be traced to its faculty having collectively lost this vision. The original vision for Systems Design Engineering holds promise as a means to reinvent and reinvigorate both the engineering profession and engineering education. For this renaissance to be successful a theoretically rigorous research programme assessing the past, present, and future of engineering and engineering education must be developed.

Quality professional development is essential to enhance and sustain teacher efficacy. In a Southeastern school district, content-based, job-embedded professional development was not practiced or available for secondary school choral teachers. The purpose of this research was to discover the perceptions that choral teachers possess about what constitutes quality professional development. Guided by Bruner's constructivist approach, Knowles' concept of andragogy, and DuFour's professional development practices, this study examined the connection between these 3 ideas and supplied the foundation for the development of a professional development program. Using a case study design, data were collected through interviews and lesson plan documents from 9 secondary school choral teachers. The data were coded by hand and analyzed using an inductive approach. The key results were that the secondary school choral teachers desire quality professional development, characterized by content-based subject matter and collaborative delivery methods. A project of customized content-based choral music was constructed using teacher collaboration and mentoring as critical components of the delivery system. This study has implications for positive social change by providing professional development that addresses the needs and desires of the educators and increases their knowledge and skills. The project can perform as a prototype for professional development in other academic disciplines.

Užsienio kalbų mokymasis – specifinis dalykas, reikalaująs pastovaus kalbos vartojimo, nuolatinio tobulinimo, todėl būtini gebėjimai mokytis savarankiškai bei išlaikyti įgytus mokėjimus. Šiuo metu suaugusiųjų mokymasis užsienio kalbų tampa tiesiog būtinybe, norint sėkmingai išlikti ir prisitaikyti prie nuolat kintančių socialinių ekonominių sąlygų, nes dabartinė situacija lemia greitus darbo rinkos pokyčius. Todėl suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvacijos tyrimai yra itin aktualūs. Tyrimo objektas – suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvacija. Tyrimo tikslas – išanalizuoti teorinius ir praktinius suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvacijos ypatumus. Numatytam tikslui įgyvendinti keliami šie uždaviniai: o išanalizuoti mokymosi motyvacijos koncepciją; o atskleisti suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvacijos teorinius ypatumus; o išsiaiškinti suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvus. Užsienio kalbų mokymąsi lemia pažintiniai, socialiniai pareigos ir perspektyvos motyvai: karjera, galimybė vartoti užsienio kalbas praktiškai, įdomumas, akiračio plėtimo svarba. Šiame tyrime buvo patvirtintos hipotezės. Buvo naudojamasi lietuvių ir užsienio mokslininkų darbais, tyrimais. / Learning foreign languages is a specific subject that requires a permanent use of the language and constant development. Therefore, abilities to study self-suffiently and to conserve the acquired knowledge are essential. Nowadays adults‘ foreign language learning is becomming a necessity if willing to acclimatize in the unstable labour market. This is the reason why the surveys of adults‘ foreign language learning motivation are relevant. The object of this work is motivation of adults’ foreign language learning. As a consequence, the purpose of this work is to evaluate the theoretical and practical peculiarities of adults’ foreign language learning. The tasks of this paper have supposed the relevant structure of this work: initially, the reader is primed about the concept, essence and types of motivation; after that the analysis of motives to learn foreign languages is presented; furthermore the methodology for accomplishing a questionnaire survey is formed; at last the results of accomplished surveys are analyzed. The analysis of scientifical literature lets to make a statement that learning of foreign languages is determined by cognitive, social obligation and prospect motives, that include career, the ability to use language practically, interest, the importance of broadening attitude. Seeking to confirm scientifical decisions, a survey was accomplished. This survey has confirmed hypothesis. Various scientifical literature, information and sociological researches in... [to full text]

O desenvolvimento das telecomunicações e tecnologia da informação leva hoje uma parcela significativa da humanidade a ficar exposta a informações continuamente por meio da internet. São exemplos destas tecnologias inovadoras que estão revolucionando o acesso e proliferação de informações por meio das redes sociais e outras tecnologias como o Google, Facebook, YouTube, TED, Wikipedia entre outros. Desta forma, tornou-se viável com base nestas tecnologias o desenvolvimento de plataformas de ensino aprendizagem que vemos em MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course) como edX, nos EUA, e Veduca, no Brasil e os jogos sérios colaborativos com múltiplos jogadores (collaborative multiplayer serious games). Evidentemente estas tecnologias inovadoras de ensino-aprendizagem ainda estão no seu nascedouro e ainda têm muito potencial e desafios para vencer. Por outro lado, a universidade, a \"escola dos adultos\", também está longe da excelência de ensino e aprendizagem, embora o ambiente acadêmico no Brasil tenha evoluído muito em termos de ensino e pesquisa nos últimos anos por meio da atuação da CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) e outros fatores, fica claro que ainda há uma grande lacuna a ser preenchida. Qualquer um que frequente o ambiente acadêmico no Brasil percebe uma situação comum onde há alunos pouco interessados em aprender e professores pouco motivados a ensinar. O INEP (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas do Ministério da Educação) apresenta no Censo da Educação proporções alarmantes quanto ao número de concluintes em relação ao número de ingressantes. Neste contexto, esta pesquisa busca identificar como a percepção de importância de métodos de ensino está relacionada com a experiência de aprendizagem do estudante, além de verificar a associação dessas características com as competências do gestor de projetos. Para cumprir tais objetivos foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória descritiva em uma amostra de conveniência, com a aplicação de métodos combinados para a análise dos resultados. A percepção da importância dos métodos de ensino foi avaliada com uma escala de soma constante, enquanto a experiência de aprendizagem foi medida de acordo com a proposta de Ojiako et al (2014). Já as competências do gestor de projetos foram avaliadas de acordo com a proposta do PMI (2007). Os principais métodos utilizados na análise dos resultados foram análise de variância (teste de igualdade de médias para a percepção de importância das técnicas de ensino), análise fatorial (redução das dimensões que compõem a experiência de aprendizagem), análise de clusters (verificação da interelação entre experiência de aprendizagem e percepção de importância das técnicas de ensino). Com os grupos identificados na análise de clusters, foi realizada uma análise de correspondência para verificar a associação entre os grupos e a percepção do nível de competência adquirida para gerir projetos. Os resultados indicam que as técnicas ativas de ensino ainda apresentam baixa percepção de importância quando comparadas aos métodos tradicionais e que a experiência de aprendizagem está relacionada com essa percepção. Por fim, o perfil de aprendizagem e valorização das técnicas de ensino está associado com a percepção de competências adquiridas. / In a context with growing participation of technology and active learning techniques, this research verifies how importance perception of teaching techniques is related to student\'s learning experience and also asses how this characteristics are associated with project management competences. To accomplish its goals, an exploratory and descriptive research was conducted using a non aleatory sample, with multiple methods combined to data analysis. Importance perception of teaching techniques was evaluated wtih a constant sum scale, while learning experience was measured using Ojiako et al (2014) proposal. Project management competences were evaluated with PMI (2007) framework. Methods used in data analysis were analysis of variance (to assess mean differences in importance perception of teaching techniques), factorial analysis (dimension reduction of learning experience), clusters analysis (verify relationship between importance perception of teaching technique and learning experience). With groups identified in cluster analysis, a correspondence analysis was conducted to verify association between groups and project competences level perception. Results indicate that active techniques are still under evaluated when compared with traditional teaching techniques and learning experience is related with this perception. Finally, learning profile is related with competence perception.

This thesis aimed to uncover age-related differences in a coach’s approaches to facilitate learning for Masters athletes (MAs) and youth athletes, using the Andragogy in Practice Model (Knowles et al., 2012) as a guide. Data in this instrumental case study were gathered from three semi-structured coach interviews, four focus group interviews (two with each cohort), and moderate participant observation (Spradley, 1980) to inform interview content. Results of qualitative analyses suggested, through the coach and athletes’ perspectives, that the coach oriented her approaches differently between MAs (aged 27-70) and youth (aged 14-15). She allowed the MAs to self-direct and make decisions, and encouraged them to ask questions collaboratively. Comparatively, she held a directed control and structure for the youth’s training influenced by highly competitive expectations. Despite differences, we acknowledge andragogy’s usefulness with both cohorts, and suggest that coaches recognize nuances between age groups that may influence how they orient their approaches.

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.

Recent literature suggests that communicative language tasks widely used by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to try and improve Japanese students’ learning have had little effect on improving their language ability and their intrinsic motivation to improve. Consequently, a number of teachers are now using interactive technology in the classroom although it has not been systematically implemented or widely studied. Understanding the approaches of successful EFL teachers—specifically, how teachers using an andragogic approach through experiential learning might affect student engagement—was the purpose of this qualitative study. The conceptual framework focused on student-centered learning and included Knowles’s theory of andragogy and Kolb’s experiential learning. The perceptions of 10 EFL teachers chosen through purposeful sampling and who regularly used technology in the classroom were gauged through structured interviews, direct observations, and document analysis. Emergent themes were extracted from the data through interpretive analysis. Results supported the fact that andragogic-based tasks with technology increased student engagement in the Japanese EFL university classroom by directly improving interaction between students and by stimulating communication and autonomous learning. The outcome of the study was a professional development program that was designed to provide better teacher training on facilitating technology-based lessons that engage learners and improve their language skills. Positive social change will result from providing better teacher training that focuses on facilitating technology-based lessons that engage Japanese university learners’ full potential and improve their language skills in more meaningful ways.

No description available.