Becoming an Orientation Leader: A Catalyst for Self-Authorship Development

Orientation Leaders (OLs) are current college students charged with helping to facilitate the college transition process for new students. This role has the potential to affect OLs, particularly as it relates to how they self-author. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways that serving as an OL affects self-authorship development and in particular, what aspects of the experience serve as a catalyst for self-authorship. This qualitative study investigated the experiences of four selected OLs working at the same institution during the same period of time. Data was collected from three sources, including individual interviews, field observations, and training course journals. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative process resulting in seven themes being identified. These themes included: understanding and respect for diversity, leadership and decision making, interdependence of the OLs, personal development and growth, training becomes real, community among the OLs, and purposeful experiences. Findings of the study indicated that being an OL affected development toward self-authorship and that being an OL served as a catalyst for self-authorship development. Although the effect of being an OL varied among participants, all participants indicated that being an OL helped propel them toward being better able to self-author. Study findings offer implications that may be useful to other higher education institutions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Secondary Education

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Akron

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Tankersley, Christopher James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stuart, Denise

• Educational Leadership
• Education
• Self-Authorship
• Student Development
• Orientation
• Leadership

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365413596

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:akron1365413596