Dissertation

"To just reach farther": communication, collaboration, and credibility--empowering marginalized youth with 21st century skills

This participatory action research examines students' perceptions of how intentionally taught 21st century skills have transformed their lives. Personal Development Education (PDE) encompasses interpersonal and interaction skills that are required for students to function and succeed in global-oriented 21st century colleges and careers. Emergent research indicates that all students need to be prepared for both college and career, and PDE is essential in both settings. PDE is particularly critical for first-generation college-educated students. Since these students are academic pioneers in their families' quest for formal education and professional opportunity, such skills are essential. The study focused on students' perceptions of how PDE influenced their ability to communicate more effectively and work collaboratively with a range of peers and others. Through a series of interviews and focus groups, the researcher built on previously established, classroom-based relationships to engage students in further examination of their perceptions of PDE. The researcher and students co-constructed a deeper understanding about the role of PDE: Students now see themselves as more credible and capable of moving fluidly between their home, communities and the larger world. The main findings from the study are that communication is the gateway skill to the rest of the 21st century skills, and participants perceive code-switching (the ability to change language depending on the audience) as an added-value skill for effective communication; participants appreciate the art of collaboration, recognize the challenges and successes inherent in people-management and interpersonal relationships, and believe their credibility is increased as an outcome of learning effective communication techniques. This seminal study reveals a high level of student sophistication on the value of soft skills and offers educators a new understanding about the power of PDE. A key finding of this study is that teacher training programs be strengthened by embedding PDE. New teachers would learn practical implementation of behavioral 21st century competencies for both academic content and classroom management.

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