Internships are an impactful form of workplace learning that helps undergraduate engineering students acquire and enhance competencies to improve their employability. However, the nuances about what makes an internship successful are not well understood. Furthermore, learning during engineering internships has not been thoroughly researched.…

Introduction: This dissertation focuses on how informal educators learn through conversations during meetings, planning sessions, and other discussions with colleagues. These on-the-job learning experiences remain relatively understudied, and this dissertation aims to illuminate the dynamics of informal educator relationship-building within…

This dissertation seeks to understand the ways in which software developers and managers of software developers perceive workplace learning for software developers. Across three studies, researchers investigated: perceptions of software developers about workplace learning for software developers, perceptions of managers of software developers…

My research inquiry is centered on the larger project of building a transformational, empowerment model of worker voice in workplaces. The purpose of my research is to explore/illuminate the question, "How can I use workers' stories to center and advance collaborative worker voice on the job through peer-driven training initiatives?" I…

This dissertation investigated the learning required for individuals to onboard into self-managing organizations (SMOs). Using a qualitative case study approach, 15 participants from various SMOs were interviewed to gain insight into their experiences. In addition, data were collected from a document review and focus group. The study found that:…

This action research study implemented an intervention, the Learn at Work program, for operational employees in facilities management at William & Mary earning less than $19 an hour. One of eight dimensions in the Workplace Inclusion Scale, developed by Lennox et al. (2022), is "access to opportunity" (p. 27). This study's…

America's fire departments are busier than ever, responding to both emergency and non-emergency calls that have dramatically increased over the last several decades (National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], 2021b). This dissertation in practice analyzed the on-duty training model of a mid-sized fire department in the northwestern United…

Despite the increase in international twinning programs in Indian higher education since the mid-1990s, there is little understanding of how institutions facilitate faculty learning or adopt organizational refinement strategies, or how organizational learning contributes to institutional capacity. The purpose of this study was to understand the…

This interpretative phenomenological analysis study explored how the lived experiences of seven sheriffs residing in Louisiana, while transitioning through various training phases in their careers, influenced their progression, perceptions, and leadership practices. After reviewing both the President Executive Task Force on 21st Century Final…

Despite the well-established benefits of technological advances, a lack of adequate tacit knowledge sharing is one of the major setbacks affecting the development of human capital in technology industries. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the experiences technology managers will need to support the transfer of…

The purpose of this study was to understand the learners' experience in corporate engineering virtual synchronous technical training. A literature review revealed that there was a gap for this topic, population, and this research design and methodology. The research previously conducted was predominantly either quantitative or mixed design. The…

With e-learning being increasingly recognized as effective in supporting professional and organizational performance, much needs to be known about e-learners' experiences and its influence on the performance on individual and organizational levels. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study explored learning experiences of e-learners…

Adoption, acceptance and, more recently, continued use of information technology (IT) in workplace contexts have been researched extensively over the last three decades. As acceptance and use of IT underlie its ability to fulfill expected business benefits, it is unsurprising that researchers have sustained a great interest in the topic. While…

Information technology (IT) project success depends on having a project manager with effective decision making, leadership, and project management skills. Project success also depends on completing the project in a given budget, time, and scope. Despite these critical qualities of a successful project manager, little research has explored the…

The purpose of this study was to generate a "transfer of training" assessment of a Certified Occupational Safety Specialist (COSS) certification training course provided by the Alliance Safety Council, a non-profit organization which provides COSS training throughout the United States targeting individuals who work in the safety and…