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This research is a formative evaluation of personal learning networks to determine their applicability for professional development in the architecture and design industry. The researcher seeks to find a catalyst toward discipline-wide realization of integrated design practices. This research initiative was spurred by leaders in the field who indicate that a swift transformation to integrated design practice is required in the discipline in order for the practice of architecture to remain effective in today's global economy. The AIA knowledge community has designated this issue a primary focus for professional development, yet innovative solutions for timely and effective knowledge transfer at a discipline-wide scale do not currently exist. Concurrently, there is active research in computer-based organizational learning within the social sciences, education and the human computer interaction disciplines, indicating its potential as an effective method for the dissemination of knowledge. The research strategy draws upon the human computer interaction discipline's user-centered design philosophy to harness the disciplines knowledge by actively engaging experts in a formative evaluation of personal learning networks using the Delphi method. / Ph. D.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the community of practice model in providing professional development to improve K-12 teacher’s knowledge, skills, self-efficacy with regard to the implementation of personal learning. The study also examined the extent to which the community created value for individuals and the organization. The study employed two theoretical frameworks: Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and Wenger’s communities of practice. The study employed a concurrent mixed methods approach. Eighteen teachers participated in a 9-month blended learning professional development focused on the implementation of personal learning. Participants took pre and post self-efficacy tests. In addition, qualitative data was collected from feedback surveys, online postings, a research journal, and individual interviews. The teachers demonstrated greater levels of self-efficacy with regard to the implementation of personal learning after their participation in the professional development community. Teachers reported increased confidence with regard to personal learning in the areas of planning, risk-taking, implementation, making modifications for continuous improvement, and sharing their knowledge with others. The teachers also reported learning about themselves, their students and colleagues, as well as gaining knowledge of content related to teaching, and personal learning. Participants reported the development of a variety of skills including design and problem-solving skills, technology skills, and facilitation and PL strategies. They also reported changes in certain dispositions such as flexibility and open-mindedness. The community created value for both the individuals and the organization. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2018

Overall, 11% of high school students leave school without a diploma, and the percentage is higher for at-risk populations. High school graduates earn higher salaries and are healthier and more law abiding than dropouts. Research is limited on the motivation of at-risk students to graduate from high school related to their technological identity to include technology and social media in their learning schema. This qualitative case study explored at-risk students' perceptions of social media, personal learning networks, and informal learning in facilitating their graduation. Pink's concept of motivation, Siemens's connectivism theory, and Bingham and Conner's theory of engagement and social learning provided the conceptual framework. Interviews were conducted with 11 at-risk students identified by one Charter school: 4 students at-risk of dropping out, 3 dropouts planning to return, and 4 dropouts who had returned to high school. Open coding was used to identify rich themes and patterns that may help at-risk students succeed in school. Of the 5 themes identified 4 related to technology identity: transference to learning, relationships with personal learning communities and social networks, bridging technologies, and connected knowledge. Relationships with instructors and the school community also emerged as a theme. Connecting familiar and accessible technologies with formal learning could provide additional means of supporting academic success. Permitting the use of smart phones and social media to provide technological access to learning materials and instructors may create a motivating learning environment where students are willing to remain in high school to obtain a degree. Potential social and work benefits beyond high school may accrue for students.

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the role of dispositional characteristics in effective mentoring relationships. A learning and development framework was incorporated to examine the relationships of protégé and mentor characteristics, mentoring provided, and developmental mentoring outcomes. First, relationships between individual characteristics and mentoring provided were examined. Second, relationships between individual characteristics and partner developmental outcomes were examined. Third, mentoring provided was examined as a mediator of individual characteristics and partner developmental outcomes. The final sample consisted of 93 protégé-mentor pairs. Protégés and mentors were asked to complete an online survey measuring learning goal orientation, locus of control, self-efficacy for development, mentoring received/mentoring provided, and multiple assessments of relationship effectiveness. In general, the hypotheses were not supported, but supplemental analyses provided support for the importance of examining individual characteristics. Key findings contribute to the mentoring literature by illustrating the role of learning goal orientation and self-efficacy for development in effective mentoring relationships. Future research should investigate additional underlying mechanisms that further explain the mentorship learning exchange processes.

The post-9/11 security environment is one that confronts the United States, and specifically the U.S. Army, with complex problems that require development of leaders with improved knowledge, skills, and attributes to meet the challenges of defending the nation. The problem confronting the U.S. Army is that Army leaders lack a learning environment or methodology that enables effective self-development throughout their career. Research suggests that PLNs (PLNs) and a connectivist approach may address that problem, but these have been limited to civilian educational environments. This qualitative case study explored the use of PLNs with a connectivist approach for leader self-development in Army organizations. The case in this study was that of a cohort of 22 officers in a U.S. Army unit. Each officer developed a PLN and then employed a connectivist approach to connect, curate, create, and share knowledge. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed with a focus on themes that could inform future decisions by Army senior leadership on the self-development of leaders, and that could enable decisions that will reduce loss of life and destruction in wartime. The major themes developed in this study account for the approach and challenges to Army self-development, the motivation for and execution of connected learning, and the structuring and desired characteristics of self-development that employs PLNs and connectivism. Recommendations included integrating a semistructured approach to self-development into emerging educational approaches to Army leader development. More prepared Army leaders can respond to crises more effectively, reducing adverse effects, damage, and loss of life

The post-9/11 security environment is one that confronts the United States, and specifically the U.S. Army, with complex problems that require development of leaders with improved knowledge, skills, and attributes to meet the challenges of defending the nation. The problem confronting the U.S. Army is that Army leaders lack a learning environment or methodology that enables effective self-development throughout their career. Research suggests that PLNs (PLNs) and a connectivist approach may address that problem, but these have been limited to civilian educational environments. This qualitative case study explored the use of PLNs with a connectivist approach for leader self-development in Army organizations. The case in this study was that of a cohort of 22 officers in a U.S. Army unit. Each officer developed a PLN and then employed a connectivist approach to connect, curate, create, and share knowledge. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed with a focus on themes that could inform future decisions by Army senior leadership on the self-development of leaders, and that could enable decisions that will reduce loss of life and destruction in wartime. The major themes developed in this study account for the approach and challenges to Army self-development, the motivation for and execution of connected learning, and the structuring and desired characteristics of self-development that employs PLNs and connectivism. Recommendations included integrating a semistructured approach to self-development into emerging educational approaches to Army leader development. More prepared Army leaders can respond to crises more effectively, reducing adverse effects, damage, and loss of life

Ce travail a pour principal objet d’étude la dynamique sociale développée dans le cadre des activités d’apprentissage des langues en ligne en contexte institutionnel. En s’appuyant sur les propositions faites par la théorie de l’activité, cette thèse présente une analyse de la finalité, du cadre instrumental et du cadre social de l’activité d’apprentissage des langues en ligne en contexte institutionnel et de leur évolution dans le système de l’activité.Cette recherche fournit également une méthode d’analyse permettant d’évaluer l’impact de différents types de tâches et d’environnements virtuels d’apprentissage sur l’intensité de la dynamique sociale développée au sein des groupes d’apprenants d’une langue en ligne en contexte institutionnel. La méthode d’analyse utilisée s’appuie aussi bien sur l’analyse quantitative des traces écrites des communications/productions des apprenants que sur l’analyse du contenu de ces traces.Nous montrons qu’il est possible de développer une dynamique sociale de communauté virtuelle au sein de groupes d’apprenants d’une langue en ligne en contexte institutionnel. Le développement d’une telle dynamique est favorisé par la mise en œuvre de tâches d’apprentissage des langues et d’environnements virtuels d’apprentissage permettant l’action sociale authentique dans des cadres sociaux qui dépassent le cadre formel de l’institution éducative. / Drawing on the proposals made by the activity theory, in this study, we considered learning as a conscious act directed toward a goal. This goal can be achieved through the use of appropriate artifacts and the participation of the individual within a social community. In this perspective, we studied the purpose, the instrumental framework and the social framework of online language learning activities in institutional context and their evolutions in the activity system.We showed that the evolution of the purpose of the act of language learning (development of language competence) inevitably involves the evolution of educational artifacts (language learning tasks), that of technical artifacts (virtual learning environments), as well as the nature of the social dynamics of the learning activity.We particularly focused on social dynamics developed in online language learning activities in the institutional context. In this perspective, we conducted a field study to analyze the intensity of the social dynamics developed through three learning activities involving three different combinations of tasks and virtual environments. The results of the field study confirmed the theoretical foundation of our thesis. Indeed, the types of tasks and virtual learning environments that we presented in the theoretical part as consistent with learning through authentic social action proved to promote significantly more intense social dynamics in the specific context of our field study.

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In this paper a review of the concept of Personal Learning Environment (PLE)of the scenarios that have been used, the main issues and findings are made. Studies on self-regulated learning and PLE, as well as studies on epistemological beliefs and online learning to propose them as individual variables related to the construction and use of a PLE are reviewed. Subsequently a proposal on the activities to promote the use in these environments, which should be taken intoaccount in the development of instructional situations, is made. / En el presente trabajo se realiza una revisión del concepto de Entorno Personal deAprendizaje (EPA), de los escenarios en los que se han utilizado, de las principales problemáticas y hallazgos. Se revisan los estudios sobre aprendizaje autorregulado y EPA, así como los estudios sobre creencias epistemológicas y el aprendizaje en internet para proponerlos como variables individuales relacionadas con la construcción y uso de un EPA. Posteriormente se realiza una propuesta sobre las actividades a fomentar al utilizar en este tipo de entornos, las cuales se debentomar en cuenta para el desarrollo de situaciones instruccionales. / O trabalho que apresentamos relaciona-se com uma revisão do conceito deAmbiente Pessoal de Aprendizagem (EPA), dos cenários que têm sido utilizados, dos principais temas e conclusões. Estamos revisando estudos sobre a aprendizagem auto-regulada e EPA, bem como os estudos sobre as crenças epistemológicas e a aprendizagem on-line para propô-las como variáveis individuais relacionadas com a construção e utilização dum EPA. Posteriormente, realiza-se uma proposta sobre as actividades para promover a utilização nesses ambientes, que devem ser levados em conta na hora do desenvolvimento das situações de instrução.