Andragogy as a means to develop the communicative competence through lexical approach in immediate context: synchronous online course

Teaching a foreign language to adults should be done by implementing the Andragogy approach and translanguaging as a strategy since adults use the L1 to bring their life experiences to class and learn with them. This project seeks to answer what is the impact of the implementation of songs on the learning of lexical chunks in English in older adults..

MIND THE GAP: A QUALITATIVE STUDY TO UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCE OF GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS ON THE DEFICIENCY GAP IN ENTRY LEVEL HIGHER EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS

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Long-Term Effects of Teacher Training and Other Intervening Factors on Teaching Styles of Foreign-Language Instructors

This study investigated the long-term effects of a learner-centered-oriented-teacher training on teaching styles of foreign-language instructors at a multilanguage institute to assess the relationship between the training and the teaching practice. A mixed-method design was employed, and the data were collected from 165 participants who took the Principles of Adult Learning Style (Conti, 1978, 2004) and who provided their written reflections on the training, in addition to follow-up interviews with 12 language instructors. Results of one-sample t tests showed statistically significant differences between the teaching styles of language instructors at the institute and the general population of adult educators indicating that the overall teaching approach of foreign-language instructors falls on the teacher-centered side of the scale. On the subscales, the instructors also reported more teacher-centered approach on learner-centered activities, personalizing instruction, climate building, and flexibility for personal development, but they showed more learner-centered practice on relating to experience, assessing student needs, and participation in the learning process. Kendall\u27s Tau-b rank correlations revealed that the teaching style is associated with some demographic variables, and ordinal-logistic-regression suggested that teaching style could be predicted from the time when the instructor took the training, satisfaction with the training, education, gender, age group, and the language category. Analysis of instructors’ reflections and the interviews supported the instructors’ self-reporting about their teaching practices, and thematic analysis resulted in several factors that are accounted for the teacher-centered practice such as the preassigned curriculum, lack of preparation time, lack of inschool support, lack of motivation to use the learner-centered approach, lack of conviction in classroom applicability of the training, resistance to change, influence of native culture and teacher-centered schooling, explanation of language form, and the achievement-oriented teaching. The instructors acknowledged that the teacher training helped them with language-teaching methods, experiential setting for construction of knowledge, and formulation of teaching vision. The study concluded that there is a need to strengthen the association between the learner-centered-oriented-teacher training and the instructors’ classroom practices, and recommendations are made to address the intervening factors that tip the teaching practice toward teacher-centered approach. Also, possible areas of future research are suggested to corroborate the findings from this study

Culture as a System of Shared Meaning: Exploring Intercultural Leadership Identity Through Practical Application

This explorative, inductive, applied research study aims to examine the intersection of intercultural communication of values and leadership identities and capacities. Using existing and guiding cultural value theories, experiential learning techniques, meaning making ideologies, and adult learning principles, a two-and-a-half-hour intensive workshop was designed for a group of twenty-eight leadership and entrepreneurship students, predominantly Mexican nationals at the Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, City. Specifically, the study demonstrates how culture affects leadership identities and capacities using the agreed-upon symbols, rituals, heroes and values that make up each culture’s perspectives, practices or applications of culture in everyday life. The expressed values of the individual help inform their leadership capacities, and therefore help contribute to the whole nation state’s idea of what is desired and what is not. These desired symbols, images, and behaviors reproduced in the media reflect that culture and enforce values, norms, expectations and practices therein (Trend, 2016). This exploration is a way to decipher those values they are personally held that inform leadership as well as more widely held values that are perpetuated through institutions and media. An interdisciplinary approach combining sociology, psychological anthropology, adult learning theory, and leadership theories are used to analyze the effects and themes of the experience of the undergraduate students in order to inform further research in this area. Historical literature and critiques were examined in order to create a concrete rationale and purpose for further work in this field. Cultural values, intercultural communication, meaning-making and the impact of the workshop itself are analyzed based on self-observations, written evaluations of the participants and the theoretical principles aforementioned. Workshop outcomes, themes, suggestions for further research as well as a personal reflection of the practitioner experience concludes the study

Effects of an Online Skills Program on ELA Achievement Among GED Students

K-12 schools are more commonly using online learning to supplement traditional classroom learning. Previous online adult education researchers have found no significant differences between traditional and online learning outcomes. However, little research has been done with regard to online General Educational Development (GED)-level learning for adults. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the effect of the Skills Tutor program compared with traditional learning on GED student achievement in reading/language arts. The Skills Tutor program was used as a means to address the low GED graduation rates at an adult education program through Memphis City Schools. This research was based on the constructivist learning theory. The research question examined the effect of an online skills program on English/language arts scores among GED students. Scores from the pretests and posttests of 40 adult education students were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to determine statistical differences between 2 groups. One group (n = 20) received the intervention of the online skills program, Skills Tutor, along with traditional instruction, whereas the other group (n = 20) received traditional instruction delivered by the teacher only. The results indicated the traditional group\u27s adjusted mean scores were significantly higher than the Skills Tutor group scores. Recommendations included additional research with larger samples of students, for a longer period, and focused on the fidelity of implementing of the Skills Tutor program at the local site. Implications for positive social change include providing research findings to the local administration on the current GED program and recommendations for continued research on the instruction that best supports adult learning

Self-paced eLearning for Multinational Organizations

This portfolio seeks to explore how multinational organizations can create self-paced online learning for adults that localizes the information to provide meaningful learning no matter the adult learner’s cultural background—utilizing academic journals and online resources specifically centered around andragogy, constructivism, globalization, localization, and best practices for computer-based training. This portfolio seeks to provides instructional designers with definitive examples of how to create meaningful and effective self-paced online learning for adult learners that may have English as a second language, as well as provides training materials that can be used to develop a better understanding of using localization, andragogy and globalization skills to create online learning

Empowering Educators: Enhancing Teacher Efficacy In Rural Schools Through Innovative Professional Development For Teachers Of English Language Learners

The National Center for Educational Statistics’ [NCES] 2021 annual report indicates that there are currently over five million English Language Learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools. Of additional importance to this statistic is that the growing wave of diversity is no longer primarily settling in the larger metropolitan areas, but ELLs and their families are more recently finding themselves in geographically rural areas. The school systems in these rural areas face unique challenges in meeting the needs of the growing diverse populations, with many teachers in these systems lacking best practice knowledge and the confidence and competence needed to meet the diverse academic, social, and emotional needs of their new students. Offering learning opportunities for teachers is the typical response from administrators when the call for professional growth arises. Unfortunately, the traditional professional development methods used are often ineffective for adult learners, resulting in the limited influence of transferring the new learning into practice. This study aimed to determine how learner agency, through innovative professional development methods, influenced teachers’ self-efficacy to implement new knowledge into classroom routines

CRT And Educational Equity: Professional Development At The High School Level

The research question addressed in this project was, how can I create professional development designed to help teachers implement culturally responsive pedagogy in the classroom? It documents one teacher’s creation of a 20 week, 10 module, professional development surrounding the topic of culturally responsive teaching. The project and paper integrate combined knowledge of culturally responsive teaching, best practices for teaching adults, best practices for enacting effective professional development, as well as instructions for deep and thoughtful reflection. The author documents the details of the creation of the professional development sessions as well as the literature and research methods involved. She discusses both the successes and the struggles of implementing professional development focused on CRT and concludes that all teachers are capable of moving forward on the continuum of cultural responsiveness through dedication and honest reflection

Experienced Elementary General Educators’ Professional Development Perspectives Regarding Inclusion of Students with Disabilities

At an urban elementary school in a northeastern state in the United States, the problem in this study is that despite professional development (PD) provided to elementary teachers to support students with disabilities, (SWDs), in inclusionary classrooms, elementary teachers have not been prepared to effectively meet instructional needs of SWDs. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine experienced general education elementary teachers’ perspectives of PD needs and instructional supports to implement inclusive models for SWDs in the study district. Guskey’s model of teacher change and Knowles’ andragogy model served as conceptual frameworks to explore educators’ perspectives of PD needed to effectively implement inclusion, and how inclusionary PD may best support SWDs’ instructional skills in elementary settings. Interviews with seven purposefully sampled general education teachers who had participated in district inclusion PD, experience with inclusionary settings, and a minimum of 5 years of experience were conducted. Qualitative analysis was conducted using a priori and open coding. Educators’ perspectives were synthesized into three themes related to the content and format of PD as well as administrative support systems needed for collaborating and shifting perspectives to implement inclusion. The resultant PD project will contribute to positive social change by implementing PD, thereby developing educators’ skills to provide collaborative support for inclusion of SWDs and strengthen students’ instructional skills

A Phenomenological Study of the Linkage Between Chinese Students’ Undergraduate Experiences in the U.S. and Their Career Choices and Planning

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to discover Chinese alumni’s perceived learning and the impacts of their undergraduate studies in the United States on their career goals and preparation. Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Knowles’ theory of andragogy as a theoretical framework, this study helped answer the central research question: How do Chinese students’ undergraduate experiences in the United States affect their career choices and planning? Sub-questions have further explored the participants’ relationship to academic and social engagement in college. The purposeful sampling included 10 Chinese students who have studied in the United States, received an undergraduate degree from the same U.S. institution, and were living and working globally. Data was collected through individual Zoom interviews with the participants, two focus groups, and artifact elicitation journaling, and was analyzed according to Moustakas’ phenomenological procedures. Collected data was synthesized following Moustakas’ four-step approach: epoché, phenomenological reduction, imagination variation, and meaning synthesis. All data collected was carefully reviewed and examined by the researcher for accuracy and quality control. The primary findings revealed that the values of a U.S. undergraduate degree to Chinese students were the expanded global career possibilities, clearer vision and direction for future career, and credibility that increases graduates’ future academic and career success. Implications from the study revealed the need for student-centered advising, industrial connections in academic programs and advising, and internship and campus jobs opportunities for international students