Matching Items (3)
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- All Subjects: Collaboration
- Creators: Henriksen, Danah
Description
New teachers quit the profession at high levels, particularly in rural and urban schools. These high rates of turnover create staffing issues, particularly in high-needs areas like math and special education. High levels of stress and dissatisfaction with the profession have been cited as common reasons teachers exit the profession within the first few years. However, positive interventions from the field of positive psychology as well as mindfulness have been used in the workplace and have been found to support increasing wellbeing as well as reducing stress. This study defines workplace wellbeing as a construct of positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning/purpose, achievement and health within the workplace. In this mixed methods quasi-experimental study, 26 new teachers within a large suburban schools were sorted into experimental (n=13) and a control (n=13) groups. The experimental group was provided with a mindfulness training (in-person or virtually) as well as was asked to journal twice a week about three things that went well during the week, why those things went well, and what impact that had on students. The experimental group was invited to share their journals with their Teacher Induction and Support Program (TISP) coach in-person during their weekly confidential meetings. The control group was asked to write down any three things that occurred over the week (positive, negative, or neutral) and was also invited to share this with their TISP coach. Participants completed journals for the months of November, December, and January. All participants took a workplace wellbeing survey (developed by Peggy Kern and used with permission of Dr. Kern) at October, December, March and June. Additionally, five participants from the control group and five participants from the control group were interviewed about their experiences as new teachers and their experiences using the interventions. Participants in the control group experienced decreases in their workplace wellbeing throughout the year whereas participants in the control group experiences steady or increases to their workplace wellbeing, particularly in the areas of positive emotions, relationships, meaning, and self-efficacy. Participants in the experimental group also reported mindfulness practices increased their confidence and promoted positive emotional regulation that supported a positive classroom, despite challenging student behaviors. While this study uses a small sample size, these findings were confirmed in qualitative data, quantitative data, and are consistent with findings in related literature. While the findings are consistent with findings in related studies utilizing positive interventions and mindfulness within the workplace, these findings run counter to studies on the emotional experiences of teachers which assert that teacher’s (particularly new teachers) experience high levels of negative emotions and stress, particularly during the middle of the year. The findings from this dissertation suggest positive interventions and mindfulness may bolster new teacher’s workplace wellbeing and self-efficacy during the first year.
ContributorsHallquist, Rachel Anne (Author) / Henriksen, Danah (Thesis advisor) / Frias, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Zollinger, Rona (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution require a workforce prepared to collaborate on the creation of new products, processes, and services in a rapidly changing economy. Driven by this context, higher education is challenged to prepare graduates with the requisite transferable skills they will need to succeed in their careers. The purpose of this action research study was to better understand how co-curricular leadership educators can prepare undergraduate students with the transferable skill of group creativity. An innovation, the Creative Leadership Design Studio (CLDS), was designed using the theoretical and conceptual frameworks of play and improv comedy to introduce students to group creativity. A design studio application allowed students to collaborate to creatively address a problem in their organizations. Through a qualitative multiple case study design, the CLDS was delivered to two groups of undergraduate students. Four sources of data were used to answer the research questions including video observations, written student reflections, researcher journal, and semi-structured interviews. Major findings suggest that the innovation helped students identify and practice the skill of group creativity. Furthermore, play and improv comedy were viewed positively as a way for students to strengthen group bonds and improve creative thinking. In reflection, students indicated that the innovation held relevance to their future careers in preparing them with multiple transferable skills including collaboration, creativity, communication, confidence, and adaptability. These findings indicate that co-curricular leadership workshops using play and improv comedy can positively influence student’s transferable skills growth.
ContributorsHill, Jessica (Author) / Marsh, Josephine (Thesis advisor) / Henriksen, Danah (Committee member) / Homayoun, Sogol (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
In today’s interconnected and multidisciplinary design practices, collaboration as pivotal. It’s not only a fundamental aspect of successful design outcomes but also influences the way designers work and connect with others. This dissertation delves into the intricacies of collaboration in design, spanning both educational and professional realms. The research is segmented into four studies, each offering unique insights.The first study, drawing upon students’ experiences with Participatory Design (PD), underscores how the iterative and feedback-driven nature of PD fosters a deeper understanding of collaboration from students’ perspectives. Students transition from mere designers to facilitators, negotiators, and learners, emphasizing the significance of trust, empathy, and empowerment. The second study offers a glimpse into the intricacies of collaboration in strategic design live projects. Here, facilitation and communication skills are pivotal, enabling students to work alongside clients. This study magnifies the importance of a designer’s role in effectively interfacing with clients and understanding multifaceted team dynamics. Moving from the educational realm to the professional domain, the third study delves into the demand for co-design skills in the industry. Contrary to expectations, terms associated with ‘co-design’, or ‘participatory design’ were sparsely present in design job postings, identifying a significant gap between academic collaboration terminology and industry practice, this highlights the need for bridging academic discourse with practical applications. The fourth study presents an exploration of collaboration in professional design practices. It reveals collaboration as a symbiotic blend of diverse skills, knowledge, emotions, and shared objectives. This study addresses the essence of collaboration in design from the professionals’ perspectives and identifies both the barriers and facilitators when designers understand and prepare others in collaboration.
Collectively, this dissertation not only provides a comprehensive view of collaboration in design but also seeks to bridge design education with the profession. Recommendations for design education emphasize the integration of real-world collaboration dynamics, equipping future designers to navigate professional collaboration challenges adeptly. By shedding light on how designers navigate their interactions with various stakeholders in both educational and professional spheres, it can provide invaluable insights for design educators and professionals, advocating for an enhanced collaborative ethos in the design domain.
ContributorsXie, Yumeng (Author) / Mejía, G. Mauricio G.M.M. (Thesis advisor) / Takamura, John (Committee member) / Henriksen, Danah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023