Date of Award

6-15-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Teaching and Learning Sciences, Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Norma L. Hafenstein

Second Advisor

Aaron Schneider

Third Advisor

P. Bruce Uhrmacher

Fourth Advisor

Brette Garner

Keywords

Career development, Curricular career spiral, Educational connoisseurship and criticism, Gifted adults, Social entrepreneurs, Social entrepreneurship education

Abstract

This dissertation describes a qualitative research study that grows our understanding of the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of social entrepreneurs who are gifted adults (SEGA) so that we may nurture the career development of future SEGA. Research questions for this study probed the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of SEGA and the shared social value they create. The conceptual frameworks for this study are the ecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); the theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016); social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994); the perceived instructional arc (Uhrmacher et al., 2017); and my curricular career spiral of social entrepreneurs. The methodological frameworks for this study are a collective case study of the quintain of SEGA (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Stake, 2006) and my collaborative connoisseurship and critique (CC&C), which incorporates methodologies from educational connoisseurship and criticism (C&C; Eisner, 2017; Uhrmacher et al., 2017). A systematic review of qualitative literature explores themes of social entrepreneur education in the United States. A recruitment survey consisting of the Ksiazak Adult Giftedness Scale (KAGS; Ksiazak, 2010) and the Social Entrepreneurship Orientation Scale (SEOS; Dwivedi & Weerawardena, 2018) supported intensive purposeful sampling of five participants. Each SEGA participated in interviews, artifact collection, an observation, and a focus group that fostered CC&C. Collective case study descriptions are reported and incorporate opening and closing vignettes (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Uhrmacher et al., 2017). Key findings included that learning about gifted neurodivergence positively develops self-awareness; self-awareness and curiosity impact self-education, which influences self-efficacy; frustration with work experiences spurs positive disintegration of career paths; intellectual knowledge and creativity help SEGA innovate a career for social good; a strong value system and career supports help SEGA develop a career ideal; business acumen or partnerships are necessary to build a sustainable enterprise; a collaborative network provides inspiration, encouragement, and guidance; investments by others help form, grow, and sustain social enterprises; and feedback helps social entrepreneurs understand their impact and refine their work. This study illuminates a gap in the literature by creating an academic understanding of the educational and career development experiences of gifted adults who are social entrepreneurs in the United States, how they achieve secondary integration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016) of a career ideal, and the shared social value they create. This study informs gifted people, education, business, and psychology through CC&C of collective cases to nurture the career development of both social entrepreneurs and the gifted.

Copyright Date

6-2024

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Joi Lin

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

454 pgs

File Size

2.2 MB

Download



Share

COinS