School leaders enrolled in CPED-influenced and practitioner focused doctoral programs require specific research-based skills and knowledge that bridge both educational scholarship and practice in order to be relevant for both their dissertation process and school practice. In doing so, these doctorate in education (EdD) programs must critically…

There is an increasing need for cross-cultural qualitative studies in an era of globalization. A focus group of five researchers, who were involved in a large international research project, identified effective strategies and challenges associated with five key domains of qualitative research with key informants: identification, recruitment,…

Autoethnography is a form of qualitative inquiry intended to connect the lived experience of a researcher to the larger social and cultural world (Ellis, 2004) and it can be a valuable methodological tool for adult educators and learners. This paper explores the use and value of autoethnography as a qualitative methodology and explores the…

This study provides formative evaluation results from a pilot peer mentorship and teaching support program designed, implemented, and evaluated at a school of social work located in a major Midwestern Carnegie research I (RI) university over a 3-year span. Through utilizing an adult learning approach, the Teaching Excellence and Academic…

Purpose: This paper analyzes critically four selected learning theories and their role in online instruction for adults. Design/methodology/approach: A literature review was conducted to analyze the theories. Findings: The theory comparison revealed that no single theory encompasses the entirety of online instruction for adult learning; each…

This research synthesis analyzed qualitative depictions of adult literacy learners and identified five ways in which they are typically characterized: the Heroic Victim, the Needy (Problem) Child, the Broken (but Repairable) Cog, the Pawn of Destiny, and the Capable Comrade. These types do not capture the diversity or complexity of all adult…

When academics, who occupy a traditional position of power and privilege, engage with community members whose thinking, attitudes, and responses have been shaped by ongoing sociohistorical oppression and disadvantage, democratic participation is not easy to attain. Yet, unless community members feel able to participate freely, the valuable local…

Houle conducted one of the first studies about adult learner participation. In 1961, Houle wrote "The Inquiring Mind", which describes three distinct learning types: goal-oriented, activity-oriented, and learning-oriented learning. For more than fifty years, The Inquiring Mind has been read, referenced, and reviewed. Several scholars…

America's democracy is dependent on citizens to engage in ways that address public concerns which range from volunteerism to electoral participation to running for elected offices. Each of these activities is necessary for sustaining a thriving democracy and the communities within it. Rural communities throughout the United States are faced with…

Adult learners represent a significant, and growing, portion of enrollment at higher education institutions. Despite their growing enrollment, adult learners are not retained at nearly the rate of their "traditional" peers, leaving colleges and universities with the need to identify programs and services that specifically address the…

Adult learners often experience uncertainty, isolation, and, in graduate school, angst about meeting program requirements. Therefore, graduate students created and facilitated a seminar series and preliminary examination study group. The experience, however, transcended seminars and study meetings to build relevant and meaningful community. The…

The practice of using teacher leaders to support and develop teachers from within the educational organization is gaining support from research. The Trainer of Trainers (TOT) model of professional development is one practice used to develop educators. This study focused on the perceptions of teacher leaders within the TOT model. Teachers'…

Many unemployed or underemployed workers find it difficult to attain wages that support them and their families. Due to a skills gap, a program evaluation was conducted using a qualitative case study methodology and was intended to determine the efficacy of a workforce training and education program in Maryland. The study was designed to gain…

Reflective case narratives are a practical mechanism for conveying lessons learned for practice improvement. Their ability to transform experience into knowledge in a colloquial, narrative style positions reflective case narratives as a powerful learning tool with pedagogical benefits for the evaluation community. However, one criticism of…

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is based on the principle that valuable learning, worthy of recognition, takes place outside formal education. In the context of higher education, legislation provides an enabling framework for the implementation of RPL. However, RPL will only gain its rightful position if it can ensure the RPL candidates'…