Interpersonal Communication Predispositions for Lifelong Learning: The Case of First Year Students

Yıl 2019, , 77 - 94, 25.01.2019

Tanju Deveci

https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.358529

Cited By: 7

Öz

The idea
that learning continues throughout life, and cannot be confined to a particular
age or place is a fact. This has led to the argument that individuals need to
be active agents of their own learning. This has caused learning to be viewed
as an individual attainment, with little attention to the role of interpersonal
communication in advancing lifelong learning skills. With an attempt to bridge
this gap, this paper focused on 205 college students’ and five professors’
thoughts on the interplay between our communication with others and lifelong
learning. Considering their views as well as literature on interpersonal
communication and lifelong learning, a thirty-item scale with four sub-domains
was developed: learning reciprocity, perseverance, engagement with instructors,
and motivation. This scale was then used with a total of ninety-two of first
year students on two communication courses in the UAE. Results revealed that
the students’ scores were above average, indicating their relatively developed
predispositions for interpersonal communication supporting lifelong learning.
The project-based nature of the courses the students were registered in was
thought to influence students’ scores. Results are discussed, and
recommendations are made for both classroom instruction and future research.

Anahtar Kelimeler

interpersonal communication, lifelong learning, first year students, project-based learning

Kaynakça

• ABET (2014, November). Criteria for accrediting engineering programs. Baltimore, MD: Engineering Accreditation Commission. Retrieved from http://www.abet.org/ uploadedFiles/Accreditation/Accreditation_Process/Accreditation_Documents/Current/eac-criteria-2012-2013.pdf
• Alusine, M. & Kanue, D. A. (2011). Experiencing interactive interpersonal communication. The USA: Xlibris.
• Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M .K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
• Anderson, P. (2009). Nonverbal communication. In H. Reis & S. Sprecher (Eds.). Encyclopedia of human relationships. New York: Sage Publication, Inc.
• Bienvenue, M. J. (1971). An interpersonal communication inventory. Journal of Communication, 21(4), 381–388.
• Berman, A., Kozier, B. & Erb, G. L. (2015). Kozier and Erb’s fundamentals of nursing. Melbourne: Pearson.
• Bowman, C. W. (1997). Lifelong learning for professional engineers. Engineering Issues, 6, 1-2.
• Braithwaite, D. O., Schrodt, P. & Carr, K. (2015). Meta-theory and theory in interpersonal communication research. In D. O. Braithwaite & P. Schrodt (Eds.). Engaging theories in interpersonal communication: Multiple perspectives (pp. 1-20). California: Sage Publication, Inc.
• Brandt, C. & Dimmitt, N. (2015). Transfer of learning in the development of peer tutor competence. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: Gulf Perspectives, 12(2).
• Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K. & Floyd, K. (2016). Nonverbal communication. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Burnett, P. C. (1999). Children’s self-talk and academic self-concepts. Educational Psychology in Practice, 15(3), 195-199.
• Canter, L. (2006). Lee Canter’s classroom management for academic success. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
• Commission of the European Communities. (2005). Proposal for a recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Councils on key competences for lifelong learning. Brussels Retrieved from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2004_2009/documents/com com_com(2005)0548_/com_com(2005)0548_en.pdf
• Coskun, Y. D. & Demirel, M. (2012). Lifelong learning tendencies of university students. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 42, 108-120.
• Crowder, J. A., Carbone, J. N. & Demijohn, R. (2016). Multidisciplinary systems engineering: Architecting the design process. London: Springer.
• Davis, H. A. (2001). The quality and impact of relationships between elementary school students and teachers. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 26, 431–453.
• Demirel, M. (2009). Lifelong learning and schools in the twenty-first century. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 1, 1709-1716.
• Deveci, T. & Ayish, N. (2017a). Engineering students’ well-being experiences: A freshman year experience program. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching & Learning Journal, 9(3).
• Deveci, T. & Ayish, N. (in press). Personal responsibility and interpersonal communication skills of freshman students in a project-based course. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research
• Deveci. T. (2014). Lifelong learning orientations of freshman engineering students and faculty members, Journal of Higher Education, 4(1), 14-22.
• Deveci, T. (2013). Promoting lifelong learning, The Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Articles, 7, 4-19.
• Devos, N. J. (2016). Peer interactions in new content and language integrated settings. London and New York: Springer.
• Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking and the educational process. New York: D.C Heath.
• DiDomenico, C. F. (2010). Lifelong learning, engineering and the community college. Paper presented at Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration, Palm Springs, California. Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~ciec/Proceedings_2010/ Papers/ETD/ETD443_ DiDomenico.pdf
• Dukmak, S. (2010). Classroom interaction in regular and special education middle primary classrooms in the United Arab Emirates. British Journal of Special Education, 37(1), 39-48.
• Duck, S. & McMahan D. T. (2017). Communication in everyday life (2nd Edition). Singapore: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Duman, A. (2007). Adult education. (2nd Edition). Ankara: Utopya.
• Dunne, E. (1999). The learning society: International perspectives on core skills in higher education. London and New York: Routledge.
• Edwards, R. (2001). Meeting individual learner needs: Power, subject, subjection. In C. Paechter, M. Preedy, D. Scott & J. Soler (Eds.). Knowledge, power and learning (pp. 37-46). London: Open University.
• Edwards, G. & Stimpson, P. (2003). Environmental citizenship education. In M. Williams & G. Humphrys (Eds). Citizenship education and lifelong learning: Power and place (pp. 89-99). New York, NY: Nova Science Publisher, Inc.
• Erdogan, D. G. & Arsal, Z. (2016). The development of lifelong learning trends scale. Sakarya University Journal of Education, 6(1), 114-122.
• Furrer, C. J., Skinner, E. A. & Pitzer, J. R. (2014). The influence of teacher and peer relationships on students’ classroom engagement and everyday motivational resilience. National Society for the Study of Education, 113(1), 101–123.
• Gilton, D.L (2012). Lifelong learning in public libraries: Principles, programs, and people. Plymouth: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
• Guo-Dong, X. (1994). Lifelong Education in China: New policies and activities. International Review of Education, 40(3/5), 271-281.
• Hargie, O. (2016). Skilled interpersonal communication: Research, theory and practice (Sixth Edition). London and New York: Routledge.
• Head, A. J. (2016). Staying smart: How today’s graduates continue to learn once they complete college. Seattle: University of Washington, Project Information Literacy Research Report. Accessed through http://projectinfolit.org/images/pdfs/2016_lifelonglearning_fullreport.pdf
• Jarvinen, A. (1998). Consultative and learning approaches in the context of organizational process and innovations. In C. Griffin, J. Holford, & P. Jarvis (Eds). International perspectives on lifelong learning (pp. 291-302). London and New York: Routledge.
• Jarvis, P. (2009). Lifelong learning: A social ambiguity. In P. Jarvis (Ed.). The Routledge international handbook of lifelong learning (pp. 9-18). London and New York: Routledge.
• Johnson, D. W. (1978). The importance of interpersonal skills. In S. L. Tubbs & R. M. Carter (Eds.) Shared experiences in human communication (pp. 21- 49). New Jersey, NJ: Hayden Book Company, Inc.
• Hurst, B., Wallace, Randall & Nixon, S. B. (2013). The impact of social interaction on student learning. Reading Horizons, 52(4), 375-398. Kaiser, H. F. (1974). An index of factorial simplicity. Psychometrika, 39, 31-36.
• Kember, D. & Leung, D. Y. P. (2005). The influence of active learning experiences on the development of graduate capabilities. Studies in Higher Education, 30(2), 155-170.
• Korkut-Owen, F. & Bugay, A. (2014). Developing a communication skills scale: Validity and reliability studies. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 10(2), 51-64.
• Kumar, A. (2012). Philosophical background of adult and lifelong learning. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/education/aladin/paldin/pdf/course01/unit_03.pdf
• Lewis, R. B. (1981). The philosophical roots of lifelong learning. Abstract retrieved from ERIC database, (ED213356).
• Lewittes, H. (2009). A critical thinking rubric as the basis of assessment and curriculum. In C. S. Schreiner (Ed). Handbook of research on assessment technologies, methods, and applications in higher education (pp. 22-46). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
• Longworth, N. & Davies, W. K. (2013). Lifelong learning: New vision, ne implications, new roles for people, organizations, nations and communities in the 21st century. London and New York: Routledge.
• Matheson, D & Matheson, C. (1996). Lifelong Learning and lifelong education: A critique. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 1(2), 219-236.
• Martin, A. J. & Collie, R. J. (2016). The role of teacher-student relationships in unlocking students’ academic potential: Exploring motivation, engagement, resilience, adaptability, goals, and instruction. In K. R. Wentzel & G. B. Ramani (Eds.) Handbook of social influences in school contexts: Social engagement, motivation and cognitive outcomes (pp. 158-177). New York and London: Routledge.
• OECD. (2004). Internalisation and trade in higher education: Opportunities and challenges. Paris.
• Ozturk, F., Deveci, T., Gunister, E. & Simmons, R. J. (2015). Innovative instructional strategies for teaching materials science in engineering. In H. L. Lim (Ed.) Handbook of research on recent developments in materials science and corrosion engineering education (pp. 100-117). PA: IGI Global.
• Patil, A. & Eijkman, H. (2012). Megatrends in engineering and technology education: A call for the communicative imagination. In A. Patil, H. Eijkman & E. Bhattacharyya (Eds.). New media communication skills for engineers and IT professionals: Trans-national and trans-cultural demands (pp. 1-8). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
• Riemer, M. J. (2007). Communication skills for the 21st century engineer. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 11(1), 89-100.
• Roncaglia, I. (2016). A practitioner’s perspective of multidisciplinary teams: analysis of potential barriers and key factors for success, Psychological Thought, 9(1), 15-23.
• Rovai, A. P. (2003). In search of higher persistence rates in distance education online programs. Internet and Higher Education, 6, 1-16. Reilly, S. (2008). The submissive goal-setting journal. Fayetteville, NC: DV8 Publishing.
• Sarvaiya, M. (2013). Human communication. Mumbai: Lulu.
• Sayılan, F. (2015). Some critical reflections on lifelong learning policy in Turkey. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 12(3), 156-170.
• Skinner, K. L., Hyde, S. J., McPherson, K. B . A. & Simpson, M. D. (2016). Improving students’ interpersonal skills through experiential small group learning. Journal of Learning Design, 9(1), 21-36.
• Solomon, D. & Theiss, J. (2013). Interpersonal communication: Putting theory into practice. London and New York: Routledge.
• Tenopir, C. & King, D. W. (2004). Communication pattern of engineers. New York, NY: Wiley Interscience.
• Titmus, C. (1979). Terminology of adult education. Paris: UNESCO.
• Turner, J. H. (1988). A theory of social interaction. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
• Uzunboylu, H. & Hürsen, Ç. (2011). Lifelong learning competence scale (LLLCS): The study of validity of reliability. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 41, 449-460.
• Weeden, P., & Winter, J. (1999). The learn project: Learners’ expectations of assessment for learning nationally. Report for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Bristol: University of Bristol, Graduate School of Education.
• Williams. S. (n.d.). Listening effectively. Retrieved from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/ LeaderLetter/listening.htm Yong, A. G. & Pearce, S. (2013). A beginner’s guide to factor analysis: Focusing on exploratory factor analysis. Tutorials in Quantitative Methods for Psychology, 9(2), 79-94.