The purpose of this study was to question a selected group of 28 adult undergraduate students to gain an understanding of the thoughts and experiences that led to their full time enrollment (12 semester hours or more) in a public, four-year postsecondary educational institution. Students targeted were age 25 or older and enrolled as full-time freshmen.Telephone interviews were conducted with 28 students. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions were then analyzed to look for emerging themes. The interviews were semi-structured and based upon an interview guide that was designed containing a section of open-ended questions and a set of demographic questions. Questions were developed largely using the findings of previous studies found in adult education and higher education literature. The Chain-of-Response Model (Cross, 1981) was used as a conceptual framework for the study.Findings indicate that the underlying reasoning behind adult participation was the realization of what a college degree would bring in terms of career opportunities. However, it was life transition that brought the participation at this particular time. Many of the adults have had a positive attitude about what education could do for them ever since high school. However, especially for the women, family responsibilities were what had deterred them to this point in their lives. Changes in those responsibilities, primarily the children getting older, provided the opportunity for them to participate. For others indicating life transition the change occurred largely due to health reasons. Many of these participants were forced to explore other work opportunities due to a current disability or the realization that they could not always perform the physical nature of the work they were doing. Beyond those deterred by life transition, respondents reported a realization over time that college could bring career opportunities that were not available without a degree. Many were simply shortsighted earlier in life and now have come to realize it is not too late. For these students, attitude changes coupled with increased goal expectations were key. / Department of Educational Leadership

No description available.

Project (D. Min.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1991. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 218-241).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Philip Fey. Dissertation Committee: Kathleen Loughlin. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 312-322).

Thesis (M. Ed.), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1999. / Bibliography: p. 62-67.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 217-140).

Historically, immigrants to Canada arrive, learn the language, search for satisfying work and lead productive, meaningful lives. However, the barriers are immense. Recently, Vancouver Community College at the King Edward Campus has tried to meet the needs of adult immigrant learners. The diagnosis of learners needs has a high priority in adult education. The general form of the Education Participation Scale (EPS) describes reasons why people partake in adult education programs. However, because the data collected to complete the general EPS was drawn from a middle class population, it did not reflect the reasons tendered by disadvantaged learners. Also, the language used on the instrument was too difficult. Subjects in this study were Adult Basic Education (A.B.E.) students, enrolled in programs at Vancouver Community College, predominately at King Edward Campus. During the first step 150 students were asked about why they were enrolled. These reasons were listed, edited and combined with the general form of the E.P.S. Care was taken to ensure that the items and the instructions could be read at a grade seven level. The 120 item instrument was then administered to a different group of 257 participants at the college where the items had originated. Factor analyses produced a seven factor solution of 42 items with each factor containing 6 items. The seven factors are: Communication Improvement; Social Contact; Educational Preparation; Professional Advancement; Family Togetherness; Social Stimulation; Cognitive Interest. For test retest reliability purposes the instrument was administered twice (with a four week interval between administrations) to 63 participants. Reliability coefficients for each factor, as well as the entire scale, were calculated. The instrument was deemed to be reliable over time. The motivational orientations of people from Canada were compared to those from the Middle East, Asia, East Europe, West and South Europe, Latin and South America and other places. There were significant differences in the mean scores (by country of birth) on the Communication Improvement, Professional Advancement, Social contact and Family Togetherness factors. It appears that a case can be made for arranging unique educational experiences for people with different motivational profiles. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

No description available.

This qualitative case study sought to better understand the complexity of developing executives to lead in a landscape of disruption and uncertainty, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of the development intervention in a world that is constantly changing. The purpose of this study was to explore how executives make meaning from what they learned in a development program, how these executives transferred the learning to lead their teams in today’s dynamic world, and how their organization benefitted (if at all) from having leaders with increased capabilities in leading through change. The researcher chose a single-case study design to evaluate the long-term impact of an executive development program within a bounded organization by looking at three key areas for the research questions: individual development, facilitators and barriers to learning transfer, and organizational outcomes. The 13 study participants were a subset of a cohort from an Executive Development Program (EDP), designed to harness the power of disruption to prepare leaders to navigate their teams through a constantly changing landscape with care, curiosity, and courage. The EDP took place at Global Financial Analytics & Insights (GFAI,), a pseudonym, which is a firm providing essential information to the global financial markets to inform decision-making. The data collection methods leveraged to conduct this case study were semi-structured interviews with the 13 participants and program architect, and a review of archival program documentation. The data were coded and organized according to the research questions and conceptual framework. Analysis, interpretation and synthesis of the findings were organized into four analytic categories: (1) individual shifts in mindsets or behavior; (2) enabling factors of learning transfer; (3) barriers to learning transfer; and (4) tangible or intangible benefits for the organization. This study revealed that all 13 leaders in EDP experienced a shift in their leadership style in at least one of the three lenses of care, curiosity, or courage. It also revealed that all participants encountered facilitators and barriers to learning transfer, which were grouped into the themes of individual motivation, work environment, and program design. All leaders were able to describe at least one way that GFAI benefitted from the investment in the EDP, with the top benefit being an engaged and committed network of leaders who could rely on each other to solve problems across the firm. Recommendations are offered to practitioners who aspire to build highly capable leaders prepared to navigate a dynamic and disruptive world, including: (1) leverage measurement tools to understand a leader’s ability to adapt to complexity; (2) design learning experiences that provoke new perspectives to enable transformation; (3) evaluate programs over time to allow for participants to apply their learning and for others in the organization to recognize the shifts the leader is making; and (4) engage the Executive Team (the level of leadership that reports directly to the CEO) as program sponsors and champions early in the design process and clearly articulate what is expected of them as organizational leaders and role models. Recommendations for future research are also included.

No description available.