The document describes a phenomenological study on transformation experienced by young adults through a GED program. Eight participants ages 18-22 who experienced transformation based on staff referrals were interviewed. Two major themes emerged: 1) Transformation in confidence and viewing the GED positively, and 2) seeing the GED program as more supportive than high school. The study provided empirical extensions to transformative learning theory and identified recommendations for future qualitative and quantitative research on GED programs and student transformation.
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Why don’t Students join to the communicative activities?
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Across the country schools face a multitude of challenges related to student discipline and school climate that potentially impact social and academic outcomes for students. Schools are continually changing and the demands that students face daily have increased at a rapid rate. When students are ill-equipped to face such demands, and traditional reactive approaches to discipline are employed, there is an increased likelihood that they will drop out, or will face punitive measures that do not ultimately improve behaviors (Morrissey et al., 2010). Choosing to dropout of high school may cause serious repercussions for students, their communities and families. Although many interventions currently used to decrease the number of dropouts do not have strong evidence to support their effectiveness (Freeman et al., 2015), several studies conducted in the past 20 years indicate that improved outcomes for students graduating high school have occurred through various interventions. School of Life (SOLF) is a intervention offered as an alternative to in school detention and suspensions. Although other dropout prevention programs have been evaluated, SOLF is a time and resource efficient method for targeting dropout and students who have participated in this intervention over the past three years have seen positive results, including higher rates of graduation (Baggaley, 2015). The purpose of the current study was to answer the following three research questions: 1. What is the effect of the SOLF on grade advancement/dropout rates? 2. What is the effect of SOLF on attendance? 3. What is the effect of SOLF on school connectedness and student motivation?
The Responses of Non-English Major Students with Visual Learning Style of Wri...idhasaeful
This research is conducted towards the students of non-English major with visual learning style and writing preference. There are 14 students, which are taken to be the respondents. Questionnaires are the instrument used to gather the data in this research. This research employs descriptive qualitative method in analyzing the data.
The result portrays that 3 major findings: (1) most of the students find it difficult to accomplish the oral English test which is natural and normal due to their preference skill in writing, (2) in spite of the difficulty of the oral English test, the majority of the students consider the test to be challenging, accommodating and satisfying (3) a large number of the students get the benefit from the effectiveness of the feedback that they get in the form of rubrics.
How do teachers determine the special needs of the Students?:
Why don’t Students join to the communicative activities?
SLOGAN: The secret is in our Students.
Across the country schools face a multitude of challenges related to student discipline and school climate that potentially impact social and academic outcomes for students. Schools are continually changing and the demands that students face daily have increased at a rapid rate. When students are ill-equipped to face such demands, and traditional reactive approaches to discipline are employed, there is an increased likelihood that they will drop out, or will face punitive measures that do not ultimately improve behaviors (Morrissey et al., 2010). Choosing to dropout of high school may cause serious repercussions for students, their communities and families. Although many interventions currently used to decrease the number of dropouts do not have strong evidence to support their effectiveness (Freeman et al., 2015), several studies conducted in the past 20 years indicate that improved outcomes for students graduating high school have occurred through various interventions. School of Life (SOLF) is a intervention offered as an alternative to in school detention and suspensions. Although other dropout prevention programs have been evaluated, SOLF is a time and resource efficient method for targeting dropout and students who have participated in this intervention over the past three years have seen positive results, including higher rates of graduation (Baggaley, 2015). The purpose of the current study was to answer the following three research questions: 1. What is the effect of the SOLF on grade advancement/dropout rates? 2. What is the effect of SOLF on attendance? 3. What is the effect of SOLF on school connectedness and student motivation?
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Presented at the 2015 RGV Lead Regional Conference, December 3-4, 2015 at the Hilton Garden Inn at South Padre Island, Texas. Contact author for details and permissions.
Nan L. Kalke MWERA presentation October 19, 2017Nan Kalke
How Faculty Assessments of Degree Completion Likelihood Shape their Advising Relationship with Doctoral Students. Paper presented at the Mid-Western Educational Research Association (MWERA) Annual Meeting by Nan L. Kalke on October 19, 2017
What Successful College Students Do DifferentlyJC Cruz
Presented at the 2015 RGV Lead Regional Conference, December 3-4, 2015 at the Hilton Garden Inn at South Padre Island, Texas. Contact author for details and permissions.
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Discover the videos and other sessions from the OECD Disrupted Futures 2023 conference at https://www.oecd.org/education/career-readiness/conferences-webinars/disrupted-futures-2023.htm
Find out more about our work on Career Readiness https://www.oecd.org/education/career-readiness/
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The following draft presentation is centered on supporting educators who are working towards ensuring students are developing mastery in content, cognate, and cognitive learning outcomes in their classroom. The presentation focuses on strategies, underpinned by research, that elevate a teachers practice to inspect daily instructional and assessment strategies, build and inspect curriculum to enable surface and deep level knowledge construction, and to design a learning environment that builds the capacity of and involves learners in understanding their learning and taking action to constantly improve.
The slide deck goes further, providing guidance to site and district leaders to develop systems of deeper level learning.
Core outcomes of the presentation:
- Understand specific practices that limit the impact potential of problem and project based learning in the substantial enhancement of student learning
- Understand specific practices that have a high probability of enhancing student learning in the learning environments that utilize problem and project based learning.
- Understand underlying cognitive principles and specific strategies teachers may utilize to create a learning community to discuss learning, design and implement projects to ensure surface and deep level knowledge, and work collaboratively to review the impact of learning with students.
- Understand key tactical approaches that support site and district leaders in building and sustaining deeper learning systems.
1. PHENOMENOLOGY OF TRANSFORMATION THROUGH PARTICIPATION
IN A GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
A Dissertation Defense
EDUC 990 Course
By Sherrie LeMay Mitchell
2. Purpose Statement
• The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe
how young adults experienced transformation through
participation in a federally funded GED program located within
a small urban area in the southeastern region of Georgia. The
transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 2000) which involves
a paradigm shift of the participants was referred to throughout
this study. Transformation was defined by the processes and
outcomes of transformation experienced by the eight
participants in this study.
3. Participants
Participant identified as experinecing
transformation through the GED program
and included in study.
Participants
self-attested to
transformation
on survey.
Participants
referred by
GED program
staff who
witnessed
transformation.
Eight individuals who
experienced transformation
through the federally funded
GED program located within
a small urban area in the
southeastern region of
Georgia,
Identified as experiencing
transformation through third
party referrals and
volunteered to participate in
study,
Ages 18-22,
Documented barriers
(standards set by the funding
agency).
Figure 1: A graphical representation of participant selection process to identify
participants as experiencing phenomenon of transformation using a two stage filter
process to reduce researcher bias (Baker, 2012; Snyder, 2008).
4. Data Collection/Data Analysis
Data Collection
Using triangulation to acquire
rich, thick, in-depth
information, rigorous and
varied data collection
techniques will be
employed including:
• Interviews
• Focus group interview
• Documentation
Data Analysis
Interviews were transcribed
verbatim by me.
Coded primarily utilizing ATLAS ti,
• Meanings were distilled further
using the free imaginative
variation (Kleiman, 2004).
• Then displayed into textural and
structural themes (Moustakas,
1994).
• A composite of the textural and
structural descriptions were
synthesized to depict the essence
(Husserl, 1925/2011; Moustakas,
1994).
5. Saturation
• I determined that saturation was reached
when no new codes or information was
returned from the data during data analysis. I
also established that saturation was reached
when the coded data yielded information that
began to overlap, themes began to repeat,
and the findings became redundant (Mason,
2010).
6. Theme One: Transformation in Confidence
• Entering the GED program with hope, the
participants’ feelings of insecurity and
uncertainty transformed into believing that
everything is possible: Their confidence had
transformed by being motivated to believe in
themselves.
• Subthemes include: (a) self-confidence, (b)
confidence in accomplishing goals, (c) confidence
in future possibilities, and (d) confidence in
education and job abilities
7. Theme Two: Transformation into Autonomous Individuals
• The participants expressed a change in
autonomy (independence, making decisions,
being more responsible, and creating plans).
• Subthemes: Autonomy and Patience and
Time.
8. Theme Three: Perspective of the GED Changed
• The third textural theme was how the
participants viewed the GED credential and
the GED program. All of the participants
demonstrated a perspective shift in their
original thoughts concerning the GED.
9. Theme Four: The GED Program was the Best Option
• The participants came to the GED program with the
view that it was their best option and for some their
last option because of various dilemmas:
(a) kicked out of high school; (b) aged out of high
school; (c) other programs took too long to finish or
were not compatible; (d) incarcerated; (e) unable to
get back into high school; (f) withdrew from school
because of truancy issues; (g) unable to return to
regular school; and, (h) experiencing the job market
without a GED or high school diploma.
10. Theme Five:
Compared the GED School as More Positive Than High School
• The participants described the GED program
as more positive than their high school
experience.
11. Theme Six: Influence of Others to Transform
• The final structural theme that emerged was
how the participants’ transformations
involved the influence of others. Each
participant uniquely described how an outside
entity drove them towards transformation.
12. RQ1. How did young adults in a federally funded GED
program understand transformation?
Transformation
Happens
in Steps
Learned
Gradual
Helps
Big
change
Are
made
Domino
Effect
Become
Different
A Life
Turned
Around
13. RQ2. How did participants describe their experience of
transformation in a federally funded GED program?
• Compared the GED school as more positive
than their experiences in high school,
• The GED instructor forced them to function
autonomously, encouraged them, and
fostered their learning which in turn
transformed them in multiple domains.
14. RQ3. What transformation(s) were described
and perceived from the GED program?
• Confidence,
• Autonomy, (independence, understanding how to
balance life, self-management, responsibility),
• Reintegration back into being a student,
• Interpersonal skills,
• Patience,
• Perspective of GED credential and program, and
• Outlook on self and the world.
15. RQ4. What circumstances were involved with
the experience of transformation?
• GED was viewed as their best option.
• Their transformations were influenced by
others.
16. Transformative learning processes
and outcomes took place quickly;
the GED program was 20 days.
Comparisons between high school
experience and GED classroom
experience.
The participants were young adults
who did not come to the GED
program with many skills, but
experienced multiple
transformations quickly.
The GED program became the
shelter for the participants to
reintegrate back into learners and
to experience transformations.
Takeaways:
17. Comparisons the Participants Made Between Their High
School Experience and the GED Classroom Experience:
High School Experience
• Fighting between students,
• Arguing with teachers,
• Loud,
• Could not concentrate,
• Fell asleep,
• Bored,
• Did not pay attention,
• Had trouble learning,
• Skipped,
• Compulsory: Suspension/consequences when absent
or late,
• Had to change to different buildings for classes,
• Felt like teachers did not cared,
• Four years,
• Unnecessary subjects.
GED Classroom
Experience
• Home like atmosphere,
• Calm,
• Peaceful,
• Entire class was held in one classroom,
• Found the topics interesting,
• Paid attention,
• Gained patience,
• Able to learn from GED instructor,
• Non-differentiated; everyone was kept on the same
page.
• Did not miss class-enjoyed going,
• Non-compulsory, the students were informed that
they were grown: no consequence for missing class,
• Felt like teachers cared,
• 20 days,
• Real world topics,
• The basics (Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies).
18. Contribution to Transformative Learning Theory Literature
• Specific elements of transformative learning were
corroborated: e.g., Dirkx (2012) concept of self-
formation, Gunnlaugson’s (2007) idea of presencing [sic]
Taylor’s (2000) elements of confidence and increased
interpersonal skills.
• Self-articulations of their own transformations took place
(Fetherston & Kelly, 2007; Snyder, 2008).
19. Mezirow’s ten phases of transformative learning
Phase 1: Disorienting dilemma,
Phase 2: Self-examination,
Phase 3: Critical assessment of assumptions,
Phase 4: Recognition that one’s dissatisfaction and the process of
transformation are shared,
Phase 5: Exploration of options for new roles, relationships, and actions,
Phase 6: Planning a course of action,
Phase 7: Acquiring knowledge and skills for implementing one’s plans,
Phase 8: Trying new roles,
Phase 9: Building self-confidence and competence in new roles and
relationships,
Phase 10: Reintegrating into life dictated by new perspectives.
20. Empirical Literature Extensions
• I found an extension in the concept regarding
urban youth’s perception of the GED
(Schwartz, 2014).
• Improved family relationships, interpersonal
skills, self-esteem, and setting goals for future
aspirations (e.g. Illeris, 2014; Stevens-Long et
al., 2012).
21. Limitations
Validity
• Researcher as data analysis
instrument,
• Potential biases,
• Identification of
transformation,
• Limited by recollections of
the participants.
• Interviews: human
interaction.
Reliability
• The specific regionalism,
• The particular curriculum of
the GED program,
• The individuality of the
participants,
• The uniqueness of the GED
instructor, and
• The participant referral
process.
22. Recommendations for Future Research:
Qualitative
• Phenomenological study at a different GED program
site.
• Change the participant selection process in a future
phenomenological study.
• A case study would be helpful to provide an in-depth
description of an intact cohort of GED students, the
GED instructor, and the GED program.
• Focus on specific transformative outcomes that
emerged in the finding through this study.
• Design a future study to understand the differences
between high schools and GED programs as the
phenomenon to study.
23. Recommendations for Future Studies:
Quantitative
• A comparison could be made between GED
programs that vary in the length of time in a
future study.
• Research designed to compare correlations
between different aspects of GED programs that
lead to transformational experiences by looking
at different independent variables.
• Measure transformation quantitatively before
and after participation in GED program.
• Compare different GED teachers and measure for
significance.
Editor's Notes
Processes would be the journey of transformation and the outcomes would include the change in mind set of participants.
To increase triangulation and to gather rich, thick, in-depth information varied data collection methods will be used:
Primarily interviews using open ended questions;
Focus groups to allow participants to share their experiences and hopefully both the participants and I will gain even more insight.
Enrollment documents, written works, and counseling notes are maintained for a minimum of a year on each GED participant ; these docuements will be included for analysis.
Pictures taken (with consent) during the program and program sponsored activities will also included to provide more information.