Date of Conferral
7-6-2026
Date of Award
July 2026
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Education
Advisor
Cathryn Walker
Abstract
The problem that was investigated through this study was the gap in literature about civilian faculty’s perceptions of the writing skills needed and how best to support student success in graduate-level professional military education (PME) university programs. Grounded in schema theory and transfer theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of PME civilian faculty regarding the writing skills needed and recommendations thereof to strengthen the writing skill support in PME university programs. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight PME civilian faculty members with at least 3 years of experience. Qualitative content analysis was used to employ both a priori and open descriptive coding to identify codes, categories, and themes. The emergent themes were (a) prior education builds foundational writing skills but leaves critical gaps in advanced academic convention; (b) military communication norms transfer into academic settings, hindering graduate-level argumentation; (c) students underestimate writing complexity, requiring explicit process-based instruction and consistent feedback; (d) explicit instruction, modeling, and iterative feedback are essential to developing academic writing proficiency; and (e) dedicated institutional writing support resources are critical to PME graduate student success. The study findings may inform key stakeholders regarding ways to strengthen the systems supporting graduate students enrolled in PME university programs thereby enhancing the communications skills of these students, building stronger future military leaders.
Recommended Citation
Zimmerle, Katherine, "Perceptions of Civilian Faculty in Professional Military Education Regarding Graduate Students’ Development of Writing Skills" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20345.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20345
