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Deborah Lynne Moy, Ed.D. is a 2023 graduate of the Ed.D. program in Educational and Professional Practice at Antioch University.

Disseration Committee

  • Stephen Brookfield, PhD, Chairperson
  • Michael Raffanti, EdD, Committee Member
  • Laura Dresser, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

worker stories, worker voice, participatory action research, community based participatory research, labor-management partnerships, psychological safety, centering, peer driven change, peer mentoring, digital storytelling, workforce development, positive organizational change, organic leadership, scholarly personal narrative

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

My research inquiry is centered on the larger project of building a transformational, empowerment model of worker voice in workplaces. The purpose of my research is to explore/illuminate the question, “How can I use workers’ stories to center and advance collaborative worker voice on the job through peer-driven training initiatives?” I frame this general research inquiry around two key questions: (a) How do I create authentic spaces for workers’ stories to emerge from the heart? (b) How do I use workers’ stories to create the environment needed for workers to become peer teachers/leaders of their own training initiatives? This study’s intended audience is any practitioner who seeks to center workers’ experiences/stories as the fulcrum for transformational workplace change. My research method is Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). SPN is a sustained exploration of one’s own narrative experiences of dealing with a particular question, problem, or dynamic that has broader social significance. It entails analyzing that experience through the lens of relevant research and theory. I have chosen a hybrid video/written format for my SPN, to create a first-person storytelling experience for the viewer/reader that replicates my methodology with workers at their worksites. The video segments of this dissertation can be found at http://debmoy.weebly.com/. My findings document the key elements needed to be an effective change agent supporting organic leadership in organizations through workers’ stories. My dissertation can influence the effectiveness of California Transit Works (CTW), the statewide consortium bringing my approach to scale nationally. My dissertation can bring academic recognition to key roles that third-party neutrals, or “intermediaries,” can play in building worker voice empowerment within labor/management partnerships. Finally, I hope this dissertation inspires and guides workers and change agents to take an holistic view of what it means to have our own voices and be our own best allies in transforming our communities. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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ORCID No.: 0009-0009-8599-9880

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