LEARNING THROUGH REFLECTIVE PRACTICE: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGERS
Open Access
- Author:
- Milheim, Karen Lorraine
- Graduate Program:
- Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Education
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- September 30, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Patricia Angelica Cranton, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Elizabeth Jean Tisdell, Committee Member
Dr Kimetta R Hairston, Committee Member
Roy Clariana, Committee Member - Keywords:
- adult basic education administration
phenomenology
adult basic education
adult literacy
professional development
reflective practice
ABE
adult education
adult basic education management - Abstract:
- Reflective practice is a means towards professional development. Research has focused on various approaches toward reflective practice, emphasizing factors including overall goals of professional development, process, action which is taking place (or took place), and approaches related to thinking through problems or making decisions. In the field of adult basic education (ABE), research focusing specifically on the professional development of managers of these programs is scarce. Also, research linking reflective practice and the professional development of managers of ABE programs is practically non-existent. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to: 1) explore ABE managers’ perceptions of how they develop professionally, and 2) explore the role of reflective practice in their professional development process. Ten managers of ABE programs were interviewed through one-on-one, semi-structured questions, and data was analyzed through analysis of transcriptions. The data was further triangulated through follow-up e-mails, member-checking, and an electronic field journal. Findings of this study found that professional development of ABE program managers occurs through reflective practice. In particular, five kinds of reflective experiences emerged as the most prevalent among all of the participants, including: 1) reflective dialogue, 2) reflection on practice, 3) reflection on self, 4) reflection on decision-making, and 5) reflection on values. These experiences led managers to develop professionally in a variety of areas of practice, including: working through difficult situations, developing relationships, discovering multiple solutions, self-management and monitoring of skills, understanding the importance of commitment, building trust in others, formulating opinions, developing an understanding of politics, reaffirming decisions, developing humility and introspection, and taking action. Based on these findings, a discussion focusing on implications for theory and practice is presented.