Browsing by Author "Colleen Wiessner, Committee Member"

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An Exploration of the Relationship Between Instructor Learning Styles, Instructional Models, Roles, and Strategies.
(2005-01-16) Stevenson Jones, Leslie Kay; Diane Chapman, Committee Member; Colleen Wiessner, Committee Member; Paula Berardinelli, Committee Chair
There has been considerable research done concerning online learning for the student, but a look at how learning styles of instructors might help or hinder the student learning experience are less visible. What is the relationship between instructor learning style, instructional role, and strategy in an online course? What are the learning style strengths and areas for development of an online course instructor? What instructional roles and practices support instructor-learning styles in relation to online course? What strengths and areas of development can be identified from a literature review of Kolb?s learning style theory that will assist online instructor development? Universities, colleges, other educational, or training orientated interests, and the business community would benefit from a practical tool that merges instructional models, roles, and strategies with adult learning styles. This tool would also specify instructor strengths and areas to enhance instructor professional and personal development. For the greatest number of students with a variety of learning styles to have their styles met by their instructors, the instructor should strive to enhance and develop expertise in all four of the learning style modes (Kolb, 1999). An instructor should strive to develop practical application if not expertise in all the learning style arenas. Exploring each learning style and practicing each instructor role enhances personal and professional development for the instructor and the student. Whether an individual is new to instruction or not does not matter. To most, online instruction is new. To meet the needs of all the learners, no matter what the age level, an instructor must be flexible and strive to move effortlessly between the styles and roles. People grow and develop affectively, symbolically, behaviorally, and perceptually throughout their lives. If a beginning online instructor's learning style is in the acquisition stage and focuses on mainly one mode and the instructor/learner is aware of the need to develop the other modes, then over time the level of complexity and skill sophistication will increase to specialization and integration (Kolb, 2000). The purpose of this research is to create a model linking learning styles, instructional models, roles, and strategies to assist in the educational development of instructors of online courses. Such a model provides a map for areas of needed development per learning style and a resource for practical application of strategies for the matching instructor role. Possible outcomes of this study include contribution to the literature and a tool for the instructor depicting models, roles, strategies, and instructor learning style. A model was developed using Kolb's Learning Style Inventory as a base with the researcher adding instructional models, roles, strategies, and practices gathered from many resources. The researcher suggests that if an instructor takes Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and then compares their results with the model, a plan for their individual professional development that would meet their learning needs and that of their students would present itself. Expanding a personal view of one's learning style allows understanding and the ability to provide appropriate instruction for the learning needs of students.
Factors Related to Burnout in North Carolina Public School Teachers
(2007-11-09) Gates, Carmaletta Harris; Colleen Wiessner, Committee Member; Lance Fusarelli, Committee Member; Terrance O'Brien, Committee Member; Duane Akroyd, Committee Chair
The intent of this study was to propose and test a conceptual model based on Maslach's theory of burnout that would identify factors in teacher working conditions that influenced burnout components in North Carolina public school teachers, as well as to determine current burnout levels for North Carolina public school teachers. Research questions focused on determining current levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment of North Carolina public school teachers and determining the predictive ability of the independent variables of social support, classroom climate, and demographic variables. T-tests based on the responses of 307 North Carolina public school teachers, found these teachers to be slightly more emotionally exhausted than teachers in the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) 1996 norms. North Carolina teachers were significantly less depersonalized and had significantly higher scores on personal accomplishment than the teachers in the 1996 MBI norms. Multiple regression analysis found emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment to be significantly predicted by guidance, having access to advice or information within the school; reassurance of worth, having a perception of other's recognition of their competence, skill, and value; and years of teaching experience. Environment, having positive learning environments exist within the school and classroom, significantly predicted depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Order, having orderly classroom and well behaved students, and leadership, having administrators who provide instructional leadership within the school and classroom also significantly predicted depersonalization. Workload, the number of students a teacher worked with daily, was also a significant predictor of depersonalization. The model was moderately effective at predicting emotional exhaustion (21%), depersonalization (23%), and personal accomplishment (23%). Findings, supported by current research, call for greater administrative support and mentoring of teachers, better recognition of teacher competence, creation of positive learning environments, greater teacher retention efforts, and smaller class size. Proactive approaches for preventing teacher burnout are suggested.
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.
The usefulness of Wenger's framework in understanding a community of practice
(2008-12-02) Bozarth, Jane; Diane Chapman, Committee Co-Chair; Bonnie Fusarelli, Committee Member; Colleen Wiessner, Committee Member; Julia Storberg-Walker, Committee Co-Chair
ABSTRACT BOZARTH, JANE. The Usefulness of Wengerâ€™s Framework in Understanding a Community of Practice. (Under the direction of Julia Storberg-Walker and Diane Chapman.) ABSTRACT BOZARTH, JANE. The Usefulness of Wengerâ€™s Framework in Understanding a Community of Practice. (Under the direction of Julia Storberg-Walker and Diane Chapman.) Communities of practice (CoPs) are self-managed groups of individuals who share a common interest, often a work role, and interact with the intention of improving practice. As 21st-century American businesses face global expansion and the exodus of the Baby Boomer generation from the workforce, developing new knowledge management strategies, particularly those capable of capturing hard-to-document tacit knowledge, is a critical need. Extant literature deals heavily with the formation and attempted management of communities of practice, but is sparse on what actually takes place inside them; that is, how they â€œwork,â€ information that could prove invaluable to business leaders. Etienne Wenger (1998) is widely cited for his work on the topic of communities of practice. However, the framework he developed in his seminal book Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning and Identity is overlooked in the academic and popular business press, where the focus is most typically on managing a community of practice, rather than understanding their internal dynamics. Further, no study since the book was published has ever tested Wengerâ€™s framework to see whether, or the degree to which, the framework is useful when applied to another context. This instrumental case study is an attempt to fill this gap in the research literature. It tested the framework to determine the extent to which it was useful in understanding the internal dynamics of a community of practice. While the findings of this study confirmed a generic adequacy of Wengerâ€™s framework, the study suggests important enhancements to the Wenger framework for future researchers. A refined framework for understanding the internal dynamics of a community of practice was generated in this study. This refined framework contributes to the existing knowledge of CoPs by extending the understanding of how a successful CoP â€œworks,â€ informs new means for transmitting tacit knowledge, establishes new guidelines for future researchers, and paves the way for the eventual development of a fully operationalized theory of CoPs. Implications for practice may include consideration of the CoP not only as possessing knowledge which might be harnessed, but as a means of retaining high-performing staff by providing them a space in which they can excel. It is hoped that future research on communities of practice will be influenced by the refined framework generated by this study. Further, scholars and practitioners now have research findings that support a shift in focus from managing a community of practice, to nurturing and understanding the significant internal dynamics of learning, meaning, and identity.