This study explored the problem of student attrition in beginning courses of an Intensive English Program (IEP) that may affect the sustainability of the IEP. The purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions of continuing students and the factors that influenced their motivation and engagement to persist studying in the IEP. Constructivism and behavioral social learning theory guided this study. The research problem addressed the need for students to remain in IEPs and achieve second language acquisition. The research questions were designed to learn what instructional approaches motivated and engaged participants to persist in successive introductory courses. A qualitative case study design, guided by interpretive epistemology, was used to collect students' opinions, perceptions, and suggestions on their experiences in their first course. The target population was beginners in a second IEP course at a community college. A purposive sample of 16 participants took part in 2 focus groups, individual interviews, and open-ended surveys for data triangulation. Constant comparative analysis using open and axial coding was used to aggregate data themes for inquiry. The findings revealed that poor student engagement, lack of mentorship qualities in instructors, and little inclusion of technology have been persistent reasons for their dissatisfaction. The project, a collaborative professional development effort, was designed for IEP instructors to gain awareness on past and current research about the andragogical framework of student-centeredness which culminated with the cooperative elaboration of a set of best practices. The social impact of the study comes from benefits that sustainable IEP programs could offer to communities with large populations of immigrants and to international visitors to empower them to achieve immersion into English-speaking societies.

Current trends and research in education indicated that teacher learning is a crucial link to student achievement. There is a void in the research regarding teacher preferences for delivery models in professional development Determining teacher preferences is an important component in professional development planning and the driving inquiry for this research. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to determine teacher preferences in delivery models for professional development and whether delivery models influenced teacher behaviors in the classroom. The primary theory for this study was based on andragogy, and the research was conducted under the conceptual framework of constructivist principles. Data collection included interviews with 10 classroom teachers using open ended questions. Data analysis included the extraction of themes and subthemes emerging from the interviews. Findings indicated teachers' preference for hands on professional learning opportunities and technology use in delivery models. Teachers also expressed an interest in being given a choice in the delivery model of their professional learning opportunities. Implications for positive social change focus on professional development planners and facilitators, who are encouraged to seek preferences from teachers to best meet the needs and interests of educators in order to advance changes in teacher behavior and subsequent improvement to student achievement.

Researchers have connected student achievement to teacher collaboration; however, there is a paucity of studies conducted on how teachers use identified advantages and disadvantages of cross grade level collaboration to improve collegial interactions to achieve better student performance, professional development, teacher effectiveness, and job satisfaction. The purpose of this case study was to investigate how rural southeast Georgia elementary school teachers use identified advantages and disadvantages of cross grade level collaboration to improve collegial interactions. The theory of collegial coaching provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on improving teacher effectiveness and student learning via collaborative dialogue. Data were collected via interviews, observations, and archival records from 14 teachers and administrators (maximum variation used) and analyzed for overarching emergent and dominant themes, patterns, issues, topics, ideas, relationships, cases, cross-cases, and concepts. Hatch's typological analysis was employed to decipher the data. Ethnograph v6.0 and QDA Miner 4.0 were used to code the data for triangulation. Quality control and validation were achieved through triangulation and member-checking. The findings illustrated the merits of ongoing collaboration and effective collegial interaction for teaching and learning. They also highlighted the potential of meaningful discussion in achieving effective collegial interaction. This study can lead to positive social change by providing teachers, administrators, and collaboration facilitators 2 models that can be used as guides for planning quality collegial interaction opportunities and in justifying time to collaborate across grades.

Evidence suggests that a disconnect is growing between the information provided in Christian sermons and the life challenges faced by those church attendees. To bridge that divide, the purpose of this study was to better understand the characteristics of a sermon that enhance learning for churchgoers in Christian churches. The guiding question focused on churchgoing adults' perception of the sermon. Additional sub questions explored the relationship of the principles of adult learning, communication theory, and ambient teaching with churchgoers' and preachers' experiences with sermons. A qualitative case study design included one-on-one interviews with 5 preachers, 5 focus groups with 9 churchgoing adults in each group, and observations of the physical characteristics of 5 worship centers. A constant comparative method was used to identify the key themes. The key themes that emerged were: (a) sermons should be applicable, challenging, and comprehendible and (b) the preacher must be perceived as authentic. The study contributes to positive social change by suggesting a model that preachers can use to improve the qualities and delivery of a sermon to affect listeners' lives in a positive way.

The relatively little amount of time that some college students spend reading their textbooks outside of lectures presents a significant threat to their academic success. One possible solution to this problem is the use of digital games as an alternative to outside-of-class textbook reading, but a review of previous research did not reveal much information on their efficacy when compared to traditional textbooks. Using Astin's theory of student engagement as a framework, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine whether a significant difference in engagement, as indicated by mental effort and time on task, existed for college students who used a digital game-based textbook versus students who used a traditional print-based textbook. The 54 undergraduate college students in this convenience sample were randomly assigned to one of the two textbook types and completed an activity session at an individual workstation. Time on task was measured with a stopwatch and mental effort with the Mental Effort Scale. The results showed a statistically significant difference in engagement between participants in the digital game-based and traditional print-based textbook groups, Hotelling's T2(2, 52) = 25.11, p < .001, D 2=1.86. In the post hoc analyses, the digital game-based group had significantly higher time on task scores than the traditional print-based textbook group (t = 34.61, p < .001). The mental effort difference was not significant, although the mean mental effort score was higher for the digital game-based group. These results provide evidence of a digital game-based textbook's utility, and may inform college educators in their efforts to support a more diverse group of learners.

The purpose of this collected papers dissertation was to better understand the professionalization of academic advising. Advising can claim several features of widely-agreed upon professional components, but the question of whether academic advising constitutes a “profession” has caused much debate. Three primary obstacles stand in its way: advising is misunderstood and lacks a consistent unifying definition; there has not been a substantial literature to define the content and methodologies of the field; and there is insufficient empirical research demonstrating its effectiveness. Two studies were conducted. Study #1 was a structured literature review of higher education, student affairs, and academic advising to understand how these fields have conceptualized their professional status, especially with respect to clearly defining disciplinary boundaries given significant overlap with one another, and having insufficient knowledge bases. Findings were organized by field and revealed three themes in each. Obstacles for higher education concerned the diversity and rigor of its scholarship, the (mis)conception of being a singular field, and confounding the field with the industry of higher education. Themes that emerged from the student affairs literature were scholarship, professional preparation and development, and community. For academic advising, obstacles were scholarship, expansion of graduate programs, and community. Implications for the professionalization for these three fields are: loose boundaries separating the fields, interconnectedness between educational programs, practitioner’s credential lacks currency, inconsistent language used in fields, autonomy, and demonstrating effectiveness. Study #2, a phenomenological ethnography, sought to further clarify defining functions of academic advising and to elucidate how further definition of the scope of academic advising will help professionalize the field. To acquire a description of the essence of academic advising, approaches from phenomenological and ethnographic methodologies were used. The analysis revealed that through academic advising, students learn and develop, make meaning, and connect with a caring institutional representative. The findings from this dissertation will help inform NACADA: the Global Community for Academic Advising, to help move academic advising toward professionalization, further develop academic advisors and position them to be better scholars, to educate our constituents, and to add to the body of literature on professionalization in any field.

The purpose of this study was to explore the life and work of LaFayette, nonviolence and conflict reconciliation from an adult education perspective. This study explores LaFayette’s life from an early age through his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, his contributions to adult education, and his current views on social change. The nonviolence conflict reconciliation LaFayette teaches is based on the philosophy and strategies of Martin Luther King, Jr. During the last 50 years, LaFayette has been kidnapped, threatened, and survived ventures into hostile environments in his effort to teach nonviolence philosophy, strategies, and methods. This historical/biographical study used semi-structured interviews to obtain information from LaFayette directly and from a plethora of media, books, and articles about him. Semi-structured interviews were also used to interview his family members and colleagues. Despite the numerous awards and recognitions LaFayette has received, he had not been recognized in the field of adult education. Without realizing it, he incorporated some of the theories of adult education such as adult education agencies and categories during his workshop and encouraging institute participants to understand the first principle of the nonviolence training, which is nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. This study began with a review of LaFayette’s family ties followed by his spiritual upbringing. It briefly outlined LaFayette’s contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. LaFayette co-authored material and curriculum for the nonviolence training by codifying and creating a quality standard which has been used in important organizations he co-founded such as the Alternative to Violence Project and The Summer Institute at the University of Rhode Island Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies. In addition to these two major institutions, the study included his contributions to adult education in six other institutions. This study provides the most comprehensive, current, and overall picture of LaFayette’s life and contributions. Education institutions, prisons, and community agencies could benefit from the information provided in this study including information about the nonviolence conflict reconciliation training.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Instructional Systems Technology of the School of Education, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: A, page: 0152. Adviser: Thomas M. Duffy. "Title from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 8, 2007)."

This study looked at three groups of providers of Adult/Continuing Education (business, government agencies and educational institutions) to see what perceptions they had of the roles each group had assumed in making educational opportunities available to adults. The study also provided a historical perspective of the evolution of each group and their current roles as educators.The study population represented both purveyors and purchasers of education for adults and included officers of major corporations, government training officers, and chief administrative officers of major universities.The investigator used an 181 item questionnaire containing statements about perceptions these three groups of providers of education had about adult education, its administration, and their respective roles in providing that education. The questionnaire was analyzed on a percentage comparison basis. A median was also provided for each question by group.

This study was designed to determine attitudes of administrators, faculty, and students toward educational mobility for registered nurses. A second purpose was to determine if curriculum designs acknowledge previous learning for advanced placement in RN/BSN programs; and to determine if perceived needs of learners were met.Following the review of selected literature a questionnaire was designed to collect data from 45 RN/BSN programs accredited by the National League for Nursing in Indiana and the four contiguous states. A total of 214 responses from administrators, faculty, and students were obtained. Factor analysis of the instrument determined the five factors of curriculum, program need, learning, previous experience and function/role. The mean, standard deviation, and oneway analysis of variance was determined for the total and the five sub-scores individual and by group from the five participating states. Six null hypotheses were tested using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results based on the ANOVA, mean, and standard deviations of total group score indicated no significant difference in attitudes of administrators, faculty, and students involved in RN/BSN programs toward acknowledgment of previous learning. Total group sub-scores for the five factors were found to be different for curriculum and function/role.The ANOVA of each state by sub-scores indicated differences for Indiana as function/role, Illinois Michigan as curriculum, and Ohio as previous experience/practice.A variety of mobility programs have emerged over the past fifteen years, however administrators, faculty, and students differ in the perception of acknowledgment of previous learning, curriculum designs, and function/role for RN/BSN education.Major conclusions were: 1) There is agreement among administrators, faculty, and students for program need but the degree of flexibility in design does not meet learner need and the recognition of previous learning; 2) students do not agree with administrators and faculty in the perception of function/role; and 3) administrators and faculty do not agree with students in perceptions of curricular needs.