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John Martin Porter II is a 2018 graduate of the PHD Program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.

Dr. John Martin Porter II with his Dissertation Committee at his Defense.

L-R [ Dr. Jon Wergin, Chair, Dr. John Martin Porter II, Dr. Elizabeth Holloway, Committee Member, Dr. Stephanie Davis, Committee Member]

Dissertation Committee

  • Jon Wergin, Ph.D. Committee Chair
  • Elizabeth Holloway, Ph.D., Committee Member
  • Stephanie Davis, Ph.D., Committee Member

Keywords

Post Secondary, Career Technical, Automotive, Technology, Laboratory, Improvisation, Instructor, Mechanic, Technician, Reflection, Artistry, IPR, Interpersonal Process Recall, Thematic Analysis, Schon

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

Educational researchers have conducted very few studies on the subjective experiences of both trained and self-taught auto mechanics (Barber, 2003, 2004; Nelsen, 1997, 2010). Further, no present studies explore the subjective experience of the automotive instructor as he or she experiences uncertainty in the automotive lab. This study addresses a gap in the current literature on career/technical instructor development. For this study, data were gathered by video recording automotive laboratory activities at three Midwestern automotive programs. Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) interviews were conducted with automotive instructors as they observed themselves navigating the lab environment. Data from the IPR interviews were analyzed using emergent thematic analysis. The research revealed that most instructors in this study were aware, after reflection, of the reasoning behind many of the intuitive and improvisational behaviors, and had an awareness of the nuances of skill assessment the importance of modeling behavior. This study also identified transfer of artistry as a concept of advanced skill attainment in automotive subjects. Transfer of artistry is the result of an instructor’s ability to manage several paradigms of the laboratory experience at once, to create the appropriate conditions for a student to develop the cognitive, spatial, and tactile skills necessary for performing advanced automotive diagnostics and repair. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Comments

Dr. John Martin Porter II

ORCID Scholar ID # 0000-0003-3064-5240

John is an accomplished professor, curriculum developer, and academic program assessor. During his 18 years teaching automotive technology at Sinclair College he has engaged in leadership practice related to distance learning, curriculum and assessment, cross-disciplinary program review, and academic policy.

Following an 11-year career as a master certified automotive technician, he moved into his current teaching position where he has focused on developing curriculum and teaching specialized subjects such as automatic transmissions, automotive electronic systems, and advanced hybrid drivetrains.

As a part of his doctoral research, he created a career/technical education reflective practice model through the observation and interviewing of automotive technology instructors as they interacted with individual students and small groups during laboratory vehicle diagnosis and repair. This conceptual model provides automotive educators with important context when developing laboratory experiences for students or developing professional development activities for lab instructors.

He holds a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts in Leadership and Change from Antioch University, a Master of Science in Education and Allied Professions from the University of Dayton, and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Training and Human Resources Development from the University of Louisville.

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