Browsing by Author "Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair"

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Caught in the Middle: Understanding Perspectives of Business and Economics Teachers in Kazakhstan in the Face of Cultural Change
(2006-12-08) Shamblin, Leigh; Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair; Timothy Hatcher, Committee Member; Julia Storberg-Walker, Committee Member; Darryl McGraw, Committee Member
This qualitative study examines the impact of cultural change on the perspectives of business and economic teachers in Kazakhstan, a country that has experienced tremendous change since gaining its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. During this study, eighteen participants completed semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using an approach derived from phenomenography. Six changes in society, as well as specific changes in students, were identified as significantly impacting participant?s teaching. Participants stressed that, as a result of the changes taking place, a new world was opening for them and a new model of higher education was emerging in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. While some teachers found a renewed interest in teaching, most found teaching more difficult as a result of cultural change, with some deciding to leave the profession altogether. The study's participants also shared their understandings of effective teaching, identifying two goals and describing six approaches effective teachers use in teaching. Differences emerged between Soviet and post-Soviet teachers with respect to their commitment to the curriculum, their ability to adapt to changing teaching situations, and the effect of increased economic pressure on them. The study concludes that: (a) participants' normative expectations, or their roles, relationships, and responsibilities were most affected by change; (b) participants' pedagogical procedures were largely determined by how they learned to teach; (c) participants desired and were able to change their pedagogical procedures to adapt to changing contexts; (d) Soviet teachers had more difficulty adapting their teaching practices than their post-Soviet colleagues; (e) the context for teaching constrained teachers in their ability to adapt to cultural changes; and (f) while most beliefs about teaching were rooted in Soviet Kazakhstan, beliefs about teacher's roles and relationships were changing in response to changes in Kazakhstan.
Factors Related to Motivation to Learn and Motivation to Transfer Learning in a Nursing Population
(2005-04-07) Ayres, Helen Williams; Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair
This study tested the Ayres' model of factors influencing learner motivation in continuing professional education for nurses. The model was applied to nurses who participated in continuing professional education programs. Analyses of data included factor analyses, path analyses and model testing. Factor analyses examined the construct validity of the items in the constructs. Path analyses assessed the relationships of factors to motivation to learn and motivation to transfer. Model testing, using hierarchical regression techniques, evaluated the interactive effects among the factors in this study. Motivation to learn 1 contained outcomes related to gaining 1) a pay raise, 2) a promotion, 3) special recognition, 4) job security, 5) respect of boss, and 6) respect from peers. The variables of career utility and peer support showed a significant relationship to motivation to learn 1 in path analyses. In assessing for interactive effects of these variables (model testing), career utility was the only variable identified as significant in a hierarchical model of motivation to learn 1 (external factors). Motivation to learn 2 contained outcomes related to 1) gaining feelings of accomplishment, 2) improving self-confidence, 3) gaining greater job autonomy, and 4) improving job competence. Initial formal nursing education (negatively correlated), reason for attending the CPE program, previous CPE learning, previous CPE evaluation, job utility, career utility, and peer support all showed significant relationships to motivation to learn 2 in the path analyses. In assessing for interactive effects of these variables (model testing), previous CPE evaluation, career utility, initial formal nursing education (negatively correlated), highest formal nursing education, and the degree of advancement in formal nursing education (negatively correlated) were the variables identified as significant in a hierarchical model for motivation to learn 2 (internal factors). Path analyses identified a significant relationship between motivation to transfer and the key variables of 1) motivation to learn 1 and motivation to learn 2 (combined), 2) pre-training self-efficacy, 3) previous CPE evaluation, 4) job utility, 5) peer support, 6) post-training self-efficacy, and 7) reactions to the CPE program. Post-training selfefficacy and previous CPE learning (negatively correlated) had significant relationships with motivation to transfer in model testing.
Perceptions of Transfer Climate Factors in the Macro and Micro Organizational Work Environment.
(2010-11-29) Diggs, Byron; Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair; Gerald Ponder, Committee Member; Mark Wilson, Committee Member; Saundra Williams, Committee Member
Taking the Plunge: Experiences of In-country Language Immersion by Working Professionals
(2006-11-07) Gerber, Marjorie Lynne; Colleen Wiessner, Committee Member; Monica Rector, Committee Member; Kathryn Moore, Committee Member; Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair
Situated in the social constructivist view of learning that an individual learns from social action and interaction, this qualitative study explores ways in which twelve working professionals were influenced by their experiences with in-country language immersion programs. Through semi-structured interviews and a constant comparative interpretation of data, the author delineates a broader understanding of the figural aspects of in-country immersions utilized for the specific purpose of enhancing personal effectiveness in professional careers. The experiences of the 12 working professionals in this study demonstrate that in-country language immersion can facilitate language and cross-cultural learning among motivated, focused adult learners. The effectiveness of such programs rests on several factors. First, the learners are lifted from their daily lives and immersed in an environment where they are forced to communicate and are given the opportunity to concentrate on their learning objectives. Second, they learn not only from formal teachers in the immersion schools, but also from myriad others in the surrounding community and from the setting itself. Third, the authentic setting provides a "living laboratory" in which participants can both improve language ability through relevant practice and also gain valuable insights into the culture through which the language is shaped. Fourth, the progress each individual makes depends on personal and emotional factors and purposeful efforts of the individual learner. Fifth, experiences and encounters provide ongoing motivation to learn and produce changes in the way working professionals interact and see themselves and others. Finally, participants learn more than simply the mechanics of language; the learning during in-country immersion affects the whole person and occurs in three interrelated and recurring phases of isolation, interaction, and integration. The author urges prospective program designers and participants to utilize in-country language immersion as contextual learning that derives its primary benefits from intensity, focus, and environment. A list of guidelines is provided for practitioners and participants to explore the potential of in-country immersions as language and cross-cultural vehicles for working professionals.
Undergraduate Educational Experiences: The Academic Success of College Students with Blindness and Visual Impairments
(2009-11-05) Scott, Ricky; Susan Osborne, Committee Member; Carol Kasworm, Committee Chair; John Pettitt, Committee Member; J. Conrad Glass, Committee Member
The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how fifteen students with blindness and visual impairments experienced their engagement in undergraduate studies at four 4-year universities and perceived their success. They also provided their understandings of the impact of institutions, faculty, staff, and others on their academic success. Previous literature suggests that students with blindness and visual impairments as well as students with other disabilities were academically successful in college because of institutional support and the positive attitude of faculty and peers (Baggett, 1994; Branker, 1997; Enberg, 1999; Fichten, 2005; and Roy, 2000). Findings from this study demonstrate that participantsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ understandings and experiences with blindness varied and their subsequent adjustment and transition also differed. Participants described several factors that facilitated the creation of positive educational experiences during their undergraduate programs: positive exposure to a new region of the country, positive peers, supportive departments and professors, financial opportunities, and welcoming and diverse campus environments. As these students transitioned to the university, they utilized accommodations and services provided by Disability Students Services (DSS) to facilitate their access to the academic environment. The undergraduate students also described challenging experiences, including feeling academic discrimination, a sense of isolation, limited campus accessibility, and peer interaction issues. There were other support systems that facilitated participant academic success, such as mentors, family, administrators, and staff. This study concluded that blind and visually impaired undergraduate students were more likely to succeed academically when they felt a sense of connectedness with the university academic system. DSS is most responsible for facilitating that connectedness. Quality contact and collaboration with faculty were also important, as well as the attitudes of faculty, administration, and staff. The disconnectedness between study participants and the university system was fostered through inflexible bureaucratic procedures; the attitudes of faculty, staff, and administrators; and isolation from peers. Implications for policy include a recommendation for additional funding of technology-related assistance programs, in-service training on disability issues awareness for faculty and staff, and campus-wide committees on university accessibility. This study suggests future research is needed on the academic success of this population in community colleges and at the graduate level. There is a need for more empirical research and research on the populationÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s social integration. The study recommends that higher education programs develop self-advocacy programs for blind and visually impaired students, in-service training for faculty, and peer mentorship programs.