Date of Conferral
2019
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Education
Advisor
Dennis E. Beck
Abstract
Community college faculty need to learn and understand the technology that is available in their classrooms so that they can teach students how to use these tools. Professional development workshops are one way that faculty members acquire knowledge of classroom technology. However, little is known about the usefulness of technology professional development workshops using active learning in a community college setting as a development option. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify faculty members' perceptions and beliefs regarding technology professional development that incorporated active learning as a learning method. The conceptual framework included the concepts of transformative and active learning. Participants for this study included 5 faculty drawn from full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty who registered for a technology professional development workshop featuring active learning at a community college in the U.S. Midwest. Data sources included interviews conducted before and after the workshop. Data were analyzed using NVivo software and inductive coding to identify patterns and themes. The findings of this study indicated that faculty prefer active learning to self-study or problem-based learning when learning technology because of the collaboration available within the workshop setting. This study contributes to social change because it provides insights on how teachers believe they best learn technology. Educational leaders can use this knowledge to maximize quality in future technology trainings.
Recommended Citation
Refe Rymarczyk, Jo-Michele, "College Teachers' Perceptions of Technology Professional Development" (2019). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 6654.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6654
