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Adult Learning PhD


Isabel C. Farrell, PhD student in Counselor Education, won first place for her poster presentation at the 13th Annual Graduate Student Research Colloquium hosted by the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

Isabel C. Farrell places first for her poster presentationFarrell was encouraged to apply by Counselor Education alumna Amanda DeDiego (’16). She said, “I almost didn’t apply to the colloquium because my topic is focused on counselor education programs, so I thought most people wouldn’t understand the implications. However, I was surprised to see that many people outside of the program related to the topic and understood the importance.”

Isabel C. Farrell “I felt extremely honored and surprised! I read the email about 10 times to make sure I was reading it right. There were so many talented scholars there, and I am honored that my research was chosen.”

Her poster was titled “Counselor, Instructor, Supervisor, Classmate: Managing Multiple Relationships in Doctoral Programs.” The presentation reported the preliminary results of a qualitative, grounded theory study that investigated how doctoral students remained genuine and connected while navigating multiple relationships and boundary crossings and implications for counselor educators. This research is being conducted along with Casey Barrio Minton, associate professor.

Farrell thanked Casey Barrio Minton, associate professor, for all her support and guidance and Lauren Moret, assistant professor, for inspiring her to do this type research. She said, “I think we (in this college) are so lucky to have such amazing and supportive faculty. Also, to all students, your research is important and valuable! I keep learning that through the course of this degree.”


The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling was honored to have other participants present at the 13th Annual Graduate Student Research Colloquium.

Lezli Anderson | School Psychology
– poster presentation
“Critical Thinking: A Predictor of School-Bases Academic and Social Success”

Emily Gray | Adult Learning
– oral presentation
“Student and Instructor Experiences with Types of Teaching and Learning in a Computer Course”

Jessica Osborne | Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement
– poster presentation
“Assessing Impact: Measuring Student Perceptions of Development Through Participation in Academic Support Programs”

Victoria VanMaaren | School Psychology
– poster presentations
“Reducing Hallway Disruptions through Group Contingencies and Explicit Timing: A Variation of the Timely Transitions Game”
“The Effect of Anonymous Versus Confidential Extra Credit Contingencies on Course Evaluation Submission Rates”

Laura S. Wheat | Assistant Professor
– faculty spotlight


The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from ten of our programs who earned their degrees during the fall 2016 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Alyssa Michelle Adorati
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

John Lyman Ayers
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Rochelle Butler
PhD in Counselor Education

Lakita Renae Dawston
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Amanda Christine DeDiego
PhD in Counselor Education

Melisa Renee Donahue
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Brittany Harris Elkins
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Raven Kirby Gibson
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Emily Carter Gray
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Collaborative Learning

Melissa Ann Harness
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

DeAnna Lynn Hawtin
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Shannon Rae Huffman Frias
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Lena Karin Logan
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Courtney Myers McInturff
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Stacy Lynn O’Connell
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Cory Lemont Parker
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Annalise Christine Romeiser
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Roseanne Michele Sasso
PhD in Education – Instructional Technology

Emily Pendergrast Taylor
PhD in School Psychology

Jason Tyler
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Christina Valiquette
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Dammika Lakmal Walpitage
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Kevin Wayne Webster
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

David Austin Willis
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.


Adult Learning

Sara is currently seeking her PhD in educational psychology and research, with a concentration in the Adult Learning program. Originally from Tehran, Iran, she received her BA in English literature and MA in educational psychology from Allameh Tabatabaei University and joined UT Knoxville in 2013. We asked her to reflect on some past and current experiences. Read her responses below.

Awards
  • Travis Hawk Fellowship, Educational Psychology and Counseling Department, University of Tennessee, for outstanding academic credentials and success in academic journey. $1000. 2015
  • Alexander N. Charters Adult Education Research Grant-in-Aid, Syracuse University. Co-principal investigator with G. Ruttencutter. Grant awarded to conduct archival research for Exploring the intersection of adult education and critical theory. $1,850. 2014

Accomplishments

Presentations
Nasrollahian Mojarad, S. (2016). Action comes first and foremost in Iran. 4th Action Research Network of the Americas Conference. Knoxville, Tennessee.

Simarasl, N. & Nasrollahian Mojarad, S. (2015). How Self-directed are Iranian Women Entrepreneurs? Global Issues Conference: International Women’s Rights. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Nasrollahian Mojarad, S. (2015). Self-directed learning and brain executive functions. 29th International Self-Directed Learning Symposium. Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Nasrollahian Mojarad, S. & Ruttencutter, G. S. (2014). From Russia with Love. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education 63rd Annual Conference, North Charleston, South Carolina.

Ziegler, M., Ferris, E. J., Overton, M. D., Nasrollahian Mojarad, S. & Ruttencutter, G. S. (2014). Live Online: Possibilities and Pitfalls of Synchronous Online Teaching and Learning. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education 63rd Annual Conference, North Charleston, South Carolina.

Overton, M. D., Bailey, A., Nasrollahian Mojarad, S., Seidler, A. E. & Shih, C. K. (2014). Jump-Starting Self-Directedness in Adult Learning Using Mobile Apps. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education 63rd Annual Conference, North Charleston, South Carolina.

Nasrollahian Mojarad, S., & Tullier, J. D. (2014). Self-Directed Learning and Cognitive and Metacognitive Capabilities in Adult Learners. 28th International Self-Directed Learning Symposium, Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Publication
Nasrollahian Mojaran, S. (2015). Book Review. [Review of the book Adult learning: Linking theory and practice.] Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 63(1), Spring, 67-68.

Current Occupation

Graduate Research Assistant
Tennessee Teaching and Learning Center
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Personal Interests

I enjoy watching movies and following on my country’s cinema. My other favorite non-academic activity is to record my voice while reading books every mornings in order to send it to my dear ones back home.

As the oldest and only daughter of the family, I have a lot of responsibilities in regard to my parents and brothers that I take care of them even from here, that is thousands of miles away from home. This long distance hasn’t been able to undermine my care and love for the ones who are inseparable parts of my heart and identity and I am even more deeply connected to them from my new home.

Future/Vocational Goals

I am a social activist at this time and I will definitely preserve this social identity in my future profession and processes.

My goal is to become a faculty and researcher in the future and I want my students to identify me as a researcher and then an educator.

What is the best tidbit/find you have about UT/Knoxville?

I started my journey as a PhD student and also in the United States in Knoxville and I am so happy with my experience here. Knoxville is a beautiful city with kind and precious people who were very welcoming from the very first day I entered the city and made me feel at home. This was also true about UT Knoxville, as I could conveniently settle down and adapt to the new system and academic environment that I was in.

What do you think has been the most rewarding/challenging about this program?

I owe much of my accomplishments here to my supportive and understanding adviser, Ralph Brockett, my lovely and wholehearted best friend, Gwen Ruttentcutter, and all of the considerate and appreciative faculty members and colleagues from whom I have learned a lot. My most important take away from this program will be the confidence that it gave me through its learner-centered approach to teaching and learning. I am now much more self-reliant than the beginning of my journey and have taken important steps in developing my academic and consequently social identity so far.


The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from nine of our programs who earned their degrees during the summer 2016 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Frederick Lagmay Acosta
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Valerie Karen Ambrose
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Sheri K. Anderson
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Karen Lea Baker
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Breanna Paige Banks
PhD in Counselor Education

Dareen Basma
PhD in Counselor Education

Megan Amber Blonder
PhD in School Psychology

James Call
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Anthony Lavern Capers Jr.
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Jamie Michelle Cyphers
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Andrea McMahan Damewood
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Sherrie Lynn Fairchild-Keyes
MS in Education – Cultural Studies of Educational Foundations

Lynda M. Forrester
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Elizabeth Ann Hays
PhD in School Psychology

Taotao Long
PhD in Education – Instructional Technology

Ashley Rai Roberts
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Joel Eddie Simmons Jr.
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Adam Forrest Stephens
PhD in Counselor Education

Cheryl Ann Tays
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Eleanore Claire Trant
PhD in School Psychology

Laurie Ann Wade
MS in Counseling – Rehabilitation Counseling

Tiffany Lynn Watson
PhD in School Psychology

Beth Ann White
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Destiny Nichole White
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.


The Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling wants to congratulate the graduates from nine of our programs who earned their degrees during the spring 2016 semester.

To see photos of our recent graduates, please go to the “EPC Graduates” album on our EPC Facebook page.

Jeffrey Beard
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Laura Healy Betz
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Lindsay Jo Bock
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Douglas Canfield
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

John Creighton Cummins
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

Jamie Cyphers
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Natalie Ann Fabino
MS in Educational Psychology – Applied Educational Psychology

Christine R. Hannon
PhD in Counselor Education

Hui Huang
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

Madelyn Jackson
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Sara Jean-Philippe
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Sara Elizabeth Keller
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Hannah Olivia Kincaid
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Wenshu Li
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Evaluation, Statistics & Measurement

Patricia Randall Long
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Alejandra Maria Morales
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Nicole Elyce Mullinax
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Christine Kay Patti
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Glen Robert Roberts
MS in Educational Psychology – Adult Education

Anne Leslie Skutnik
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Rebecca Campbell Smeltzer
PhD in Educational Psychology and Research – Adult Learning

Brian Kelleher Sohn
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

Mary Frances Street
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Jian Su
PhD in Education – Learning Environments and Educational Studies

Nancy Elaine Thacker
MS in Counseling – Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Duren J. Thompson
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Angela Kathlene Trunzo
MS in Education – Instructional Technology

Madison Danielle Williams
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

Natalie Diane Yancey
MS in Counseling – School Counseling

*If you are one of the graduates listed above and would like to have your photo added to our EPC Graduates Facebook album, then please email your picture to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu.

**If you were an Educational Psychology and Counseling student who graduated during this time frame, yet have unintentionally been omitted from this list, please send your name, degree, and major/concentration to Synthia Clark sclark41@utk.edu. We will add you to the list after receiving this information from you and confirming your graduation status.