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Interrupting the Reflective Practitioner: Discovering the Espoused Philosophies and Theories and Theories-In-Use of 13 Adult Educators

Lehman, Michele Alene
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1049304371

Abstract Details

2003, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Policy and Leadership.
This study sought to discover the espoused philosophies and theories and theories-in-use of 13 adult educators who received graduate education in adult learning theory and who have been practicing professionally in the field for at least two years. Data was obtained by using a mixed methodology of one traditional instrument; Zinn's (1983) Philosophy of Adult Education Inventory (PAEI) to define the personal educational philosophy of the participants including liberal, progressive, behaviorist, humanist, and radical; and a qualitative collective case study that incorporated direct observation, interviewing, and document collection from an adaptation of Hunt's (1987) workshop on identifying theory-in-use. Four of the 13 participants were observed teaching in their natural environments, all 13 took the PAEI and were interviewed about the instrument, their graduate education, and professional experience in the field. Document collection was obtained from 10 of the participants' written exercises from the workshop. Four areas in theory to practice issues were explored: 1. personal espoused philosophy and theory, 2. theory-in-use, 3. congruency between espoused philosophy and theory and theory-in-use, and 4. patterns and relationships between espoused philosophies and theories learned in graduate school and practice. Interpretive findings of the study were co-created between the 13 participants and the researcher. The findings reveal that the dominant espoused philosophy and theory and theory-in-use of the participants is progressive. Along with one of the tenets of this philosophy, these educators feel strongly that they need to adapt their teaching styles in the classroom due to the fact that individuals process information differently and have different learning needs. In addition to learners' needs, external mandates impact practice. There is a favorable response by most of the participants when they talk about similarities between the philosophies and theories they learn in graduate school and practice. However, an incongruency does seem to occur in the practical application of theories and philosophies studied in their graduate program. The participants and the researcher recommend that this graduate program design and implement a reflective practicum, allowing the students to explore how philosophies and theories work in real life practice and allowing practitioners to share philosophies and theories gained from experience.
Robert Rodgers (Advisor)
369 p.
Educational Theory and Practice

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lehman, M. A. (2003). Interrupting the Reflective Practitioner: Discovering the Espoused Philosophies and Theories and Theories-In-Use of 13 Adult Educators [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1049304371

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lehman, Michele. Interrupting the Reflective Practitioner: Discovering the Espoused Philosophies and Theories and Theories-In-Use of 13 Adult Educators. 2003. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1049304371.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lehman, Michele. "Interrupting the Reflective Practitioner: Discovering the Espoused Philosophies and Theories and Theories-In-Use of 13 Adult Educators." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1049304371

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.