Transformational Shifts of Pedagogy Through Professional Development, Essential Questions, and Self-Directed Learning

This chapter describes transformational experiences of a faculty of teachers during a yearlong action-research case-study of professional development, infused with digital technologies intended to capitalize on self-directed learning strategies, in the use of essential questions specifically designed to target critical thinking in students. Teachers who began to adopt the essence of essential questioning into their teaching practice also began to seek ways to engage in personalized self-directed learning as they looked for avenues to continue development of successful practice. The ability to self-investigate and self-delineate pedagogy was critical for most of participant teachers. The faculty of teachers involved in the action-research case-study demonstrated statistically significant growth on the Measure of Questioning Skills, indicating the experience encouraged teacher growth in questioning abilities. Research data also reflected statistically significant student growth in STAR Reading and STAR Math scores, and an increase in student's Measure of Questioning Skills.

Exploring the Role of Adult Learning Theory in Understanding Employees' Participation in Non-Mandatory Training

The theme of employees' non-mandatory training participation intention has been viewed as being supported by limited theoretical foundations, specifically expectancy theory of motivation and perceived organizational support theory. Although contributions made by adult learning theory have long been acknowledged, it is important to recognize the unique role it has played by incorporating three theoretical pillars and consequently providing a strong foundation for employees' non-mandatory training participation intention. By identifying the relationship between employees' non-mandatory training participation intention and one of its closely allied fields, viz. adult education, this article argues that it is actually adult learning theory that provides a foundation and linkage for both fields.

The Role of Metacogntion and Knowledge Transfer in Self-Directed Learning

Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school. This quote by Albert Einstein embodies the essence of the relationship between metacognition and self-directed learning. It is important for students to remember what they learn in school, but many forget the information because they have not been taught metacognitive learning strategies. The learning strategies we teach students supports them in their effort to become good learners. In this chapter, we discuss the relationships between metacognition and knowledge transfer, critical thinking and self-directed learning. It brings together multiple perspectives on metacognition and knowledge transfer and discusses instructor strategies to engage students in metacognitive learning strategies.

MOOCs in TVET Sectors of Developing Countries

This chapter discusses about the recent innovation in the area of educational technology, which is widely known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Very few studies in the existing literature elaborated about the MOOCs in the developed countries, where the focus was on mainly asserting the nature of MOOCs platform and its possibilities. However, very less attention has been observed in relation to incorporate MOOCs in TVET sectors of developing countries. In order to fill this gap, this chapter has four main areas to discuss: provides general features of MOOCs platform; identifies benefits of incorporating MOOCs; presents emerging possibilities of using MOOCs; and identifies the challenges confronting TVET sectors for integrating MOOCs in any developing country. In order to improve the present constraints, this chapter further provides suggestions and recommendations that are useful for TVET stakeholders for formulating policies in relation to MOOCs.

Mobile CGPA Monitoring System

The digital age also referred to as information age is characterized with the ability to transfer information freely and quickly. This makes self-directed learning strategies to gain ground. Self-directed learning facilitate students or learners to take ownership of their learning. Individual academic performance monitoring is an essential part of self-directed learning. In order to achieve this, certain performance measuring technique is required to guide learners in monitoring their performance such as Cumulative Grade point average (CGPA). Students' Academic performance of is characterized by the overall performance in both test, course work and examinations each year which culminates in a grade point average. This has help in determining the academic standing of students. Therefore, this chapter proposed a mobile CGPA calculator to help students monitor and measure their performance during the learning process. The system is proven to be effective against the required functionalities.

Self-Directed Language Learning, Asian Cultural Influences, and the Teacher's Role

The purpose of this chapter is to identify cultural influences on self-directed language learning. Self-directed language learning may take place in the classroom environment, but mainly goes on outside of the classroom, and how students regulate this aspect of learning is crucial to their language learning and academic success. Autonomy is a key characteristic of western education while some aspects of collectivist culture appear to be impediments to autonomous learning. Culture influences learners' beliefs about the learner and teacher's relationship and their perceived roles in language learning. Students accustomed to more teacher-centered classrooms need to be given time and support to make the transition to new forms of learning. Teachers are suggested to provide guidance and assistance for learners, such as scaffolding, strategy teaching and self-assessment to encourage independent and autonomous learning to promote learners' self-confidence, motivation, abilities and skills for lifelong learning.

The Intersection of Andragogy and Dissertation Writing

Andragogy is a theory that attempts to explain how adults learn in contrast with pedagogy which attempts to explain how children learn. In many universities, doctoral students struggle to complete the final requirement for graduation, the dissertation. Little research has been conducted on this issue. Two studies were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the ten-year-old doctoral program in education at the author's university. The author believes that using andragogy theory it is possible to modify the doctoral program to allow a higher percentage of students to complete their dissertation and for all students to experience less frustration with the process. Both interviews and statistical analysis were used to better understand what was working, what was not, and to suggest potential modifications to the program. Certain variables such as dissertation advisor, emphasis area, and previous teachers proved to not be significant. A student's reported self-motivation emerged as significant.

Setting the Stage for Success in an Online Learning Environment

Online learning in higher education has become increasingly popular because of the convenience and flexibility that it provides. Self-regulated learning, which requires students to plan, monitor, and assess their own learning, has been recognized as a key predictor of academic achievement and motivation in student learning. Few students, however, naturally do this. In order to guide students to become self-regulated learners and for these experiences to be successful for both the students and the instructor, instructors should use pedagogical strategies that differ slightly from those they have used in traditional classrooms. The purpose of this chapter is two-fold: to identify some of the challenges presented to students in an online learning environment and to give an overview of some possible solutions that an instructor can implement in order to address those challenges and give students tools to help them to become self-regulated learners.