ETD RECORD
Transformative development of healthcare faculty in online learning :a grounded theory
Citation
Howlett, Bernadette.. (2009). Transformative development of healthcare faculty in online learning :a grounded theory. Theses and Dissertations Collection, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections. https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/etd/items/etd_382.html
- Title:
- Transformative development of healthcare faculty in online learning :a grounded theory
- Author:
- Howlett, Bernadette.
- Date:
- 2009
- Keywords:
- Medical teaching personnel--Attitudes Health occupations schools--Faculty--Attitudes Distance Education
- Program:
- Education
- Abstract:
- Health professions faculty members are caught between competing forces: demand to increase access to education via online learning (driven by health professional shortages) and expectations to invest time in other endeavors (research, publication, etc.). A critical consideration is that students in medically underserved regions are more likely to practice in their communities if they can remain there during their training. To increase the number of providers in underserved regions it may be requisite that more instructors adopt online learning. However, merely increasing usage of online learning may not have the desired result. The quality of online instruction is a paramount concern.;Adult learning (andragogy) provides part of the solution to online course quality. Courses that employ andragogy are likely to meet established quality benchmarks. However, most educators are not formally prepared in the field of andragogy. A small population of educators, nonetheless, has forged a path into quality online instruction, one that has often involved transformative professional development experiences. There exists a gap in theoretical understanding about this phenomenon. Understanding their experiences may illuminate the route to increasing usage of online learning.;The purpose of this qualitative study was to generate the theory that explains the transformative professional development experiences of healthcare faculty who take an andragogical approach to online learning. The grounded theory method was used. Data included interviews and observations of faculty members and their courses. Verification procedures included persistent observation, triangulation, peer debriefing, member checks, and rich/thick description. Ten orienting and nine formal interviews were performed. One participant withdrew from the study to return to clinical work. Audio recorded interview data files were transcribed and coded according to Glaser's method. Participants were selected through a theoretical sampling process, until categorical saturation was achieved, which then resulted in substantive theory development. The substantive theory proposed from this study is that effective online health professional educators become learner-centered through their own adult development experiences. They are learner-centered teachers because they are self-directed, independent learners themselves. Some went through a stark transition between undergraduate and graduate education, but for most it was gradual and driven by professional experiences.
- Description:
- Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, April 2009.
- Major Professor:
- Roger L. Scott.
- Defense Date:
- April 2009.
- Type:
- Text
- Format Original:
- ix, 165 leaves :ill. ;29 cm.
- Format:
- record
Rights
- Rights:
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted. For more information, please contact University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu.
- Standardized Rights:
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/