Dissertations

Date of Award

Fall 9-18-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership

Advisor

Dr. Bruce Bryant

Abstract

The purposes of this dissertation were two-fold. First, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects by subject area taught between educators in high schools versus educators in middle schools on the Abstract Conceptualization, Active Experimentation, Concrete Experience, and Reflective Observation learning modes measured by Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory in one central Arkansas school district. The independent variables for Hypotheses 1-4 were educator teaching level (high school versus middle school) and subject area taught (mathematics/science, literacy/social studies, and other). Second, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects by degree level between educators in high schools versus educators in middle schools on the Abstract Conceptualization, Active Experimentation, Concrete Experience, and Reflective Observation learning modes measured by Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory in one central Arkansas school district. The independent variables for Hypotheses 5-8 were educator teaching level (high school versus middle school) and degree level (Bachelors, Masters, Masters plus additional hours).

Hypotheses 1-8 were tested using a 2 x 3 factorial between-groups design to analyze the interaction effect and main effects of educator teaching level, subject area taught, and degree level on four separate independent variables that were learning modes. The results of this study were mixed. The interaction between subject area taught and educator teaching level on Concrete Experience learning mode from Hypothesis 3 and the interaction between subject area taught and educator teaching level on Reflective Observation learning mode from Hypothesis 4 were found to be statistically significant. However, neither the interaction effect nor either main effect was found to be statistically significant in Hypothesis 1, Hypothesis 2, Hypothesis 5, Hypothesis 6, Hypothesis 7, or Hypothesis 8. For Hypothesis 3, results indicated high school mathematics/science educators scored significantly higher compared to educators who teach other grades and subjects, and there was a significant difference, in general, in the Concrete Experience learning mode of high school and middle school educators who teach literacy/social studies. For Hypothesis 4, results indicated the high school literacy/social studies educators scored significantly higher compared to educators who teach other grades and subjects, and there is a significant difference, in general, in the Reflective Observation learning mode of high school and middle school educators who teach literacy/social studies.

The review of literature modeled how learning theories have developed and evolved over time to not only include children but adult learners. In the field of education, narrowing the focus to job-embedded professional development through professional learning communities, instructional coaching, and assessment and data disaggregation, administrators, trainers, instructional coaches, and facilitators have multiple researched-based strategies to guide adult learning. Just as each educators’ background and experience will be different, those providing professional learning must understand that educator learning styles will be different and adjust professional learning experiences to be purposeful and effective for K-12 educators.

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Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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