Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Silvia Bigatti
Abstract
Community colleges in Northern and Southeastern Virginia have struggled with enrollment and retention of adult learners. Addressing adult learners’ needs is an important focus for instructors, yet few studies have addressed how instructors can use andragogy, the art and science of adult learning, to influence their instructional practices to support adult learners. Based on self-determination theory, this quantitative, cross-sectional study examined the extent that 75 community college instructors’ perceived andragogical orientation predicted an autonomy-supportive instructional style controlling for instructor years of teaching, highest degree earned, and gender. Instructors from 10 community colleges in Northern and Southeastern Virginia teaching in the 2021-2022 academic year were asked to complete an online survey including the Principles of Adult Learning questionnaire and the Problems in Schools questionnaire to measure their self-reported andragogical orientation and autonomy-supportive instructional style, respectively. Results from a multiple hierarchical regression revealed that the constructs of andragogy: (a) Learner-Centered Activities, (b) Personalizing Instruction, (c) Relating to Experience, (d) Assessing Learner Needs, (e) Climate Building, (f) Participating in the Learning Process, and (g) Flexibility for Personal Development, predicted an instructional style that is more autonomy-supportive, particularly the assessing learner needs construct. Results of this study may contribute to positive social change by helping community college instructors make more informed decisions about course design to address the needs of adult learners.
Recommended Citation
Coley, Renea P., "The Relationship Between Community College Instructors’ Perception of Andragogical Orientation and Instructional Style." (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13273.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13273
