SELECTING TELCOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION (CPEE) PROGRAM DELIVERY: A Study Of The Elements In Decision-Making Within 20 High Technology Manufacturing Companies
Open Access
- Author:
- Graybash, Jr., Peter J.
- Graduate Program:
- Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Education
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- February 07, 2003
- Committee Members:
- Gary Edward Miller, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Eunice May Askov, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Melvin Blumberg, Committee Member
William Austin Welsh Jr., Committee Member - Keywords:
- Continuing Education
Engineering Education
Managerial Choice
Decision Making
Distance Education
Selecting Telecommunications Technology - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT This study focused on identifying issues addressed by high-technology businesses as they chose the media for delivering distance education and training, particularly continuing professional engineering education (CPEE). The main issue of study related to those elements in decision-making perceived to dictate organizational choices in the context of higher education and business. The participants in this study rank as Fortune 500 companies and maintain membership on the National Technological University advisory board. Eighteen individuals participated in the study: education and training managers, engineering training managers, a distance learning manager, an instructional media developer, a director of instructional resources, and other continuing education managers. Additionally, this study investigated the involvement of CPEE professionals in the development and selection phases of the decision-making process and how their roles differ within the various corporate decision-making environments. Organizationally relevant cost effective programs dominated program importance and involvement, with application of adult education theory ranking in the last position. Conversely, responses indicated a high level of involvement championing adult education theory, particularly in all selection activities. Participants practiced CPEE during a time when the high-technology industry stood on the cusp of technological evolution and innovation. Their companies all chose emerging satellite-based programs. Meanwhile, the continued emergence of cutting-edge technologies and the waning economy brought about many changes affecting the process of choosing telecommunications media. Survey data was used to place each company into newly described categories: judicious, rational and pragmatic - resulting in several conclusions. First, CPEE professionals seem more involved and achieve more in rational companies for all kinds of development activity. Secondly, the judicious setting also offers many opportunities for CPEE professionals to engage in search and design. Third, pragmatic corporate environments tend to limit CPEE professional involvement to consulting. Fourth, CPEE professionals take part to an even greater degree in the selection phase, and achieve maximum involvement in judicious and rational environments. Fifth, CPEE professionals have high participation in the final approval and authorization of delivery media decisions in judicious and rational environments. Sixth, CPEE professionals also have the greatest potential to affect decisions in judicious and rational environments. Finally, hierarchy typically tends to dominate the team and multiple-group decisions in a pragmatic setting. Additionally, the study indicated that companies have shifted to a more judicious environment, which means that CPEEs might have a future of greater involvement in the development phase of decision-making. Current in-house adult educators now view themselves as project managers and knowledge brokers rather than deliverers of education, and believe that serving as a project manager signals a new strategy for greater use of self-directed learning at the workstation, and increasing involvement in business decisions. However, much discussion always returned to the present state of continuing education as affected by the economy and the technology. Twenty sub-components of the balance within the economy and technology theme are listed.