Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2
Filtering by
- All Subjects: Educational technology
Description
Effectively educating students with autism is a necessary element in providing all students with a free and appropriate public education, and as the number of students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder continues to increase in both public and private educational settings, providing successful and satisfactory professional development opportunities in the area of autism is becoming increasingly essential. This study explored the experiences of twenty-three educators in a suburban southwest K-12 public school district, as they participated in a fifteen-hour professional development course in an online or face-to-face format, and collaboratively problem-solved their challenges in educating students with autism. Qualitative data was collected from participants' weekly written reflections and comments from a pre- and post-survey on attitudes, to determine quality of and satisfaction with collaboration in relation to course format. Results indicated that the online format produced higher-quality collaboration when it came to presenting one's own situation(s) to the group, finding group discussions helpful, having enough time to collaborate, providing feedback/suggestions to group members, and perceiving suggestions for one's own situation as helpful (as evidenced by the number of suggestions that participants said they would likely implement). The face-to-face format produced higher-quality collaboration when it came to in-depth problem-solving regarding a situation, implementing suggestions for one's own situation, and relating course content to collaborative activities. Participants' attitudes about using technology as a means of collaboration showed little change overall from pre- to post-survey. Though slight increases in positive attitudes concerning technology were found in various areas, many participants still thought highly of a face-to-face format for collaborative purposes, even after participating in the online professional development course. Findings may be of use to educational institutions developing online or face-to-face professional development opportunities in the area of autism.
ContributorsWozniak, Renee M (Author) / McCoy, Kathleen M. (Thesis advisor) / Puckett, Kathleen (Committee member) / Gehrke, Rebecca (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The main purpose of this action research study was to understand the most appropriate methods to replicate expertise and expert performance in an ever-changing and dynamic global organization. It was also meant to empower team members in becoming more decisive experts within their respective fields/domains. In this study, ten (10) “snackable” videos were created to support microlearning on expertise. Interviews were conducted with experts across Microsoft spanning the United States, Latin America, and Europe. Using knowledge management theory, deliberate practice, and organizational learning theory helped create the framework. Phenomenological inquiry, narrative inquiry, and digital storytelling supported the enactment of the study. The Expert-to-Expert Practice Framework (E2EPF) is a capability that was created to connect outsider knowledge with internal requirements using sensemaking, knowledge creation, and team building. It was developed to address the many challenges of building and fostering expertise within a hybrid workplace. The study was conducted during a six-month period starting from March 2022 to September 2022. Ten Microsoft experts, six team members, and one leader participated in this study that included interviews, expert panel discussions, surveys, and the development of the next generation of expert profiles. The qualitative data from this study provides a much richer understanding of the phenomenon of expertise within a global workplace. Insider experts identified that the E2EPF was able to create a differentiated experience for their practice within a relatively short time frame. Four phenomenological themes and the essence of expertise emerged from the data which indicates the effective utilization of the practice framework.
ContributorsMcLean, Leroy (Author) / Wolf, Leigh-Graves (Thesis advisor) / Hall, Allison (Committee member) / Fitzloff, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023