#Becoming: Emergent Identity of College Students in the Digital Age Examined Through Complexivist Epistemologies

This dissertation explores the possibilities and limitations of conducting research on college student identity in the digital age. Utilizing philosophical theories from complexity theory, post-qualitative research, and new materialisms, I interrogate, question, disrupt, and challenge current theories and models of college student identity, largely developed from a positivist, modernist, empiricist perspective. Conducting research on college student identity in the twenty-first century may benefit from discarding the old ‘developmental’ language of the twentieth century, replacing this discourse and understanding with a language drawn from complexity theory. In this regard, I believe educators, researchers, and practitioners should begin talking about identity emergence and becoming. I explore how to embrace more complexivist epistemologies, moving educators, practitioners, and researchers away from traditional research methodologies. Drawing on emerging theoretical work of post-qualitative researchers, particularly Karen Barad (2008a), Alecia Youngblood Jackson and Lisa Mazzei (2012), my post-qualitative research agenda explored in this study used processes of digital immersion, interviewing, theoretical reading, and online blogging tools to create a research process viewed as a living system, exploring college student identities in the digital age as an emergent phenomena. This research highlights seven college students actively engaged in multiple distributed social media spaces. I refer to these seven college students as human becomings. In addition to following and intra-acting with these students in distributed social media spaces, I also conducted two interviews: issues of identity, digital practice(s), digital presentation(s), meaning-making, digital materiality, agency, and discourse were discussed. I conducted a process of dat(a)nalysis, highlighting dialogue, conversation, and observations on each human becoming. Further, I begin a process of entangling with theoretical, philosophical, and discursive research, creating the complexivist epistemologies so critical to understanding research on identity in the digital age. I end this dissertation discussing cyber-currere: viewing digital social media spaces as educational spaces where the processes of human becoming and subjectification occur as emergent phenomena: nonlinearly, non-hierarchically, and synchronously. In my closing remarks, I articulate how educators, particularly college student educators and curriculum theorists, might view digital spaces as always authentic, partial, and ontological – and what such an approach means for practice and future research

EDUCATION IN ‘LATE’ MODERNITY A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF NEW LABOUR REFORM, 1997-2007

New Labour entered into government in 1997 with a stated intention to develop a new consensus in education. This was to be practical rather than ideological in its basis, and was to provide a modernising and radical approach to reform that would go beyond the debates of the past. This study assesses the basis for this new consensus and the extent to which it appeared in New Labour’s agenda of education reform between 1997 and 2007. Discussion draws attention to the dichotomised nature of debate that existed surrounding the future direction for education reform between market-oriented or democracy-based approaches, contextualised in the ideological bases of the social democratic Left and the New Right. However, the weaknesses of each suggested a need to develop alternative perspectives and strategies for the future. Drawing upon the work of Anthony Giddens the possibilities for such an alternative approach are explored, pointing in particular to the nature of the contemporary period as one of ‘late’ modernity. Here the possibilities presented, as well as the risks created, present an urgent need for new approaches to government and individual life. New Labour’s attachment to Giddens’s ideas are examined through their take-up of the Third Way as a label for a project of modernisation. Analysis of the developing education policy agenda considers how change and continuity in the approach to reform was informed by the Third Way. Drawing upon an extensive research literature the limitations, conflicts, and tensions in this Third Way approach are also assessed. It is argued that whilst New Labour’s policy agenda contained modernising appeal and potential, it failed to establish itself as a coherent new framework. Thus, it also failed to build a basis for radical reform. The study concludes by arguing that a broader Giddensian perspective on ‘late’ modernity offers potential in a contribution to the nature and necessity of future reform. However, whilst it guards against simplistic approaches to utopian prospects, it must similarly recognise the complexity of realising such hope in practice

The Competency-Based Movement in Student Affairs: Implications for Curriculum and Professional Development

Post Print version of an article that appeared in Journal of College Student Development Volume 57 Issue 5 pages 573-589.This paper examines the limitations and possibilities of the emerging competency-based movement in Student Affairs. Utilizing complexity theory and postmodern educational theory as guiding frameworks, examination of the competency-based movement will raise questions about over-application of competencies in graduate preparation programs and continuing professional development, particularly in relation to complexity reduction. Following this discussion, possibilities of utilizing the Student Affairs Competencies to increase complexity and create postmodern curricula will be examined.Educatio

Point of operation safeguarding - a metal forming system approach

The mechanical power press in its application in the metal stamping and forming industry has been misinterpreted as a selfcontained metal forming system. Examination of the production routines involving the press show that this machine is actually only one elemental component of the metal forming system and not the total production unit. Authoritative codes and standards pertinent to the mechanical power press have reflected this misinterpretation by not including system considerations in their contents. These omissions have resulted in the providing of safeguards which do not properly reflect the particular characteristics of the metal forming system to which they are applied. This has resulted in the continuing occurrence of point of operation (die closure area) injuries. Product liability litigation resulting from point of operation injuries has increased substantially in recent years. This has been caused in part by two related factors: the application of non-system oriented codes and standards in judging the propriety of metal forming system performance and the exclusion of statutes of limitations on machinery involved in industrial accidents based on date of manufacture. These two factors have created unrealistic demands on the performance requirements of the power press and have resulted in less than adequate success in properly determining liability and directing economic recovery for point of operation injuries. Revisions in present codes, standards and statutes of limitations are necessary if permanent reductions in point of operation injuries are to be realized