Designing Engaging Learning Experiences in Programming

In this paper we describe work to investigate the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. Background research informed the design of four fieldwork studies to explore how programming tasks could be framed to motivate learners. Our empirical findings from these four field studies are summarized here, with a particular focus upon one – Whack a Mole – which compared the use of a physical interface with the use of a screen-based equivalent interface to obtain insights into what made for an engaging learning experience. Emotions reported by two sets of participant undergraduate students were analyzed, identifying the links between the emotions experienced during programming and their origin. Evidence was collected of the very positive emotions experienced by learners programming with a physical interface (Arduino) in comparison with a similar program developed using a screen-based equivalent interface. A follow-up study provided further evidence of the motivation of personalized design of programming tangible physical artefacts. Collating all the evidence led to the design of a set of ‘Learning Dimensions’ which may provide educators with insights to support key design decisions for the creation of engaging programming learning experiences

A case study examining the transformative impact of a civil discourse program at a Midwestern state university

Adopting the first five phases of Mezirow's transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978; 1990; 1994; 1997; 1998; 2009; 2018) as a framework, this study examined the impact of a Midwestern university civil discourse program on participants' transformative learning. The study sample included participants who attended the Talk Together program over multiple sessions since its inception in fall 2015. The participants were surveyed or interviewed. Findings revealed survey participants at least agree or slightly agree with experiencing the first five phases of transformative learning, evidenced by responses to items connected to the transformative learning framework. Most interview participants also experienced the first five phases of transformative learning. While transformative learning was undetermined from the observation data, findings led to recommendations that impact the facilitation of the Talk Together program, which, subsequently, impact potential transformative learning for future participants.Includes bibliographical references

Phenomenological Study of African American Female Partners in Top U.S. Corporate Law Firms

This doctoral dissertation delved into the intricate experiences of African American female law partners, seeking to unravel the diverse array of factors that shaped their ascension to the pinnacle of their legal careers. Employing a rigorous qualitative research methodology, this study undertook an extensive exploration of narrative data derived from in-depth interviews, with the overarching aim of addressing the research questions articulated at the outset. These questions revolved around understanding how African American female law partners perceived the factors influencing their professional promotion and how race and gender impacted their leadership journeys and broader careers within the legal profession. The culmination of this research endeavor resulted in the emergence of five overarching themes: (a) continuous race and gender challenges, (b) exceptional job performance, (c) relationship builders, (d) the firm’s environmental context, and (e) the tenacious doers. The narratives shared by African American female law partners in this study provided a rich tapestry of experiences that directly addressed the core research inquiries. Their journeys to partnership unveiled a complex interplay of racial and gender factors that significantly molded their professional identities, decision-making processes, and ultimate successes. These narratives offered profound insights into the multifaceted ways in which race and gender exerted influence on their careers, thereby presenting a valuable perspective on the challenges they faced and the strategies they employed as African American women within top-tier corporate law firms. Notably, job performance emerged as a pivotal mediator of success in attaining partnership status. “Being a good team member” emerged as a critical concept that intersected with supervisor and peer support, mentorship, and sponsorship. It signified a constructive engagement with colleagues and reflected a profound commitment to institutional objectives and practices. In this capacity, it acted as a conduit to sponsorship opportunities and, by extension, partnership status. On the other hand, “Being the Best in the Room” resonated with the theme of “Tenacious Doers,” amalgamating the categories of “Success Motivated” and “Overachievers.” This category epitomized the surpassing of preconceived expectations and limitations through meticulous skill and expertise, representing the zenith of professional development. Importantly, it countered stereotype threats, as evidenced by the narratives shared by study participants. In a broader theoretical context, the utilization of self-determination theory (SDT) provided a comprehensive framework for comprehending the intricate experiences and pathways of African American female law partners within top U.S. corporate law firms. Aligning the emergent themes with SDT’s constructs offered a layered understanding of how autonomy, competence, and relatedness played pivotal roles in shaping these unique professional journeys. In summary, this dissertation illuminated a constellation of factors that intersected to influence the professional advancement of African American female attorneys in the elite corporate legal environment. Through their lived experiences, these women navigated a labyrinthine career path characterized by systemic barriers and enriched by mentorship, sponsorship, and networking opportunities. Their narratives served as inspirational anecdotes and crucial data points for fostering organizational change, underscoring the imperatives of inclusion and diversity within the legal profession. These findings shed light on the challenges faced and the resilience and strategies employed by these remarkable individuals, thereby providing a roadmap for future scholars and practitioners seeking to comprehend the intricate interplay of race and gender in professional settings

A Prescriptive Model for Utilizing Character and Personality in Assessing Leadership Effectiveness Amongst Departmental Directors of the Ontario Conference

Problem. The Ontario Conference is growing rapidly, from 10, 970 in 1980 to its current membership of 29,174 in September 2010. The exponential growth has placed increased demands and challenges on the conference leaders. From a constituency of primarily black West Indians and white Canadians this conference is now multi-cultural and multiethnic in its composition. Membership growth and diversity has added to the complexity of the decision-making process. Consequently, it may be expedient for the executive officers of the conference to tap into the expertise of selected departmental directors to access additional support for conference administration. Methodology. This study explores use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument to determine the personality types, personal preferences and skills of current departmental directors of the Ontario Conference. It also investigates how the personal attributes revealed by the MBTI could be invested to help conference administrators meet the challenging and diverse administrative needs of the rapidly expanding conference. The MBTI instrument is used to identify basic preferences in each of four areas of opposing and preferred methods for receiving information and making decisions. The opposing pairs of preferences studied are: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving. Study results are used to determine each director’s capacity to support administrators to minimize disruption of services to the established church body, while meeting the additional demands of rapid church growth. Results. The MBTI instrument highlights the directors’ personality strengths and preferences in different areas of responsibility, and their preferred style of dealing with leadership issues. Some directors are shown to be action-oriented individuals who have a special capacity for dealing with crisis. Others demonstrate the ability to critically analyze complex problems, generate creative solutions, and think globally and strategically. Still others demonstrate personality types suited to building relationships; they enjoy interpersonal interaction and excel at problem solving assignments. Although, the MBTI instrument identifies natural leadership strengths, problem solving capabilities, project management skills, and natural mentorship skills among the participating directors, their elected positions do not consistently provide opportunity to use or further develop these skills. Conclusion. The directors’ personality types, personal preferences and skills, demonstrated by the MBTI instrument, could be effectively employed in leadership positions within the Ontario Conference. Although the directors’ performance in their respective elected positions meet expectations, study results show that each has additional valuable skills, commensurate with the needs of the rapidly growing Conference. Administrators could tap into the directors’ personality types, personal preferences, additional skills, knowledge and experience as a source of complementary resources to support the effective running of the conference. The MBTI assessment tool could be incorporated into the continuing human resources needs assessment process. By encouraging employees to participate in MBTI personality type assessments, administrators can identify areas for staff professional development that would be beneficial both to individual staff members and to the organization. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument is a valuable tool for making more strategic staff placements to optimize efficiency and job satisfaction