How do learners describe the educational sessions at the residency?

Tiffany and Patrick attended some of the past residencies at Capella University, and both had similar or different feelings on what they have accomplished. Participation in scholarly/creative endeavors with peers and faculty members doing a set period of time. A vehicle for socializing into the shared professional community. Acquisition of inquiry skills, research methodology development, and professional values integration. (Attended Residency)

Tiffany

Yes, I have completed 2 residencies. During the residencies, great help was given in the area of extended knowledge. (Attended Residency)

The instructors were knowledgeable and willing to share their thoughts in order for you to succeed.  (Knowledgeable Instructors)

My research skills were the same as before the residency. My research skills were acquired through my previous degrees and my employment. (Research Skills)

During the two residencies, my dissertation topic has been approved. (Topic Achievement)

Having my topic approved after three major changes, the accomplishment I feel is that I can overcome any roadblocks sent my way. (Accomplishment)

 After crying fits and meltdowns, I was able to regroup and finish my assignments properly. Mental strength comes to mind. (Self-Determination)

In the 2nd residency, the combination of two assignments was due by the 4th week, in the 3rd week I had a brand-new topic, (a topic I knew nothing about, nothing), so basically after a years’ worth of research on another topic, I had to start over from scratch, and I had a week to complete the previous 2nd week's assignment and the current assignment that was due to the end of the 4th week. (Overcoming Challenges)

 The outcome – topic approval. (Topic Achievement)

 You get so busy with school and life, that everything kind of blurs together.  (Overcoming Challenges)

I am just sticking with it the approved topic. After pulling this new topic together in a week’s time, ~70 articles later, I am keeping it. It was obviously meant to be. (Topic Achievement)

It’s not my choice of topic, honestly would have never thought of it, but seems to be interesting.  So we will run with it.  (Topic Examination)

Patrick

Yes, I have. I have completed Two. (Attended Residency)

I felt that they help me to drill down on my research topic for my dissertation and think about my potential design methodology. (Research Skills)

I feel that I can use the library's research databases more efficiently and filter through a lot more topics and weed out what I don't need. (Topic examination)

I established my topic and my methodology (Topic Achievement)

After my last residency, residency two my dissertation topic and methodology are more focused. (Accomplishment)

Catching Covid-19 and still have to read and complete my assignments and discussions. (Overcoming Challenges)

I took my first residency when the pandemic hit in 2020 and I pushed through. (Self-Determination)

While my symptoms would be considered mild, where I did not have to be hospitalized, I had to reach down deep within and push through. Looking at a computer screen and fighting the headaches was surreal. (Self-Determination)

Part II

How do learners describe the educational sessions at the residency?

Attended Residency

· Tiffany and Patrick attended some of the past residencies at Capella University, and both had similar or different feelings on what they have accomplished. Participation in scholarly/creative endeavors with peers and faculty members doing a set period of time. A vehicle for socializing into the shared professional community. Acquisition of inquiry skills, research methodology development, and professional values integration.

· Yes, I have completed 2 residencies.

· Yes, I have. I have completed Two.

Knowledgeable Instructors

· During the residencies, great help was given in the area of extended knowledge.

· The instructors were knowledgeable and willing to share their thoughts in order for you to succeed. 

Research Skills

· My research skills were the same as before the residency. My research skills were acquired through my previous degrees and my employment.

· I felt that they help me to drill down on my research topic for my dissertation and think about my potential design methodology.

Topic Examination

· It’s not my choice of topic, honestly would have never thought of it, but seems to be interesting.  So we will run with it. 

· I feel that I can use the library's research databases more efficiently and filter through a lot more topics and weed out what I don't need.

Topic Achievement

· During the two residencies, my dissertation topic has been approved.

· I am just sticking with it the approved topic. After pulling this new topic together in a week’s time, ~70 articles later, I am keeping it. It was obviously meant to be.

· I established my topic and my methodology

Self-Determination

· After crying fits and meltdowns, I was able to regroup and finish my assignments properly. Mental strength comes to mind.

· I took my first residency when the pandemic hit in 2020 and I pushed through. 

· While my symptoms would be considered mild, where I did not have to be hospitalized, I had to reach down deep within and push through. Looking at a computer screen and fighting the headaches was surreal. 

Overcoming Challenges

· In the 2nd residency, the combination of two assignments was due by the 4th week, in the 3rd week I had a brand-new topic, (a topic I knew nothing about, nothing), so basically after a years’ worth of research on another topic, I had to start over from scratch, and I had a week to complete the previous 2nd week's assignment and the current assignment that was due to the end of the 4th week. 

· You get so busy with school and life that everything kind of blurs together. 

· Catching Covid-19 and still have to read and complete my assignments and discussions. 

Accomplishments

· Having my topic approved after three major changes, the accomplishment I feel is that I can overcome any roadblocks sent my way.

· After my last residency, residency two my dissertation topic and methodology are more focused. 

What Is the Experience of Expressing Will?

Self-Assertion

The expressing of will includes some movement or action that upon reflection is motivated by the desire for self-growth. There is an intuitive knowing that the movement or action is a statement of the self. It is clearly stated as a personal experience that is not influenced by others. In many cases, self-assertion occurred in spite of what others thought or said. It was repeatedly identified as something that the person did for him-or herself.

"Will is being true to yourself. Being true to oneself. To do the things that are truly good and beneficial for the person in question. Yourself."

"A motivating factor in developing will was wanting to improve myself."

"If other people were trying to talk me out of making a certain decision, I would not let that happen. If I thought it was something good for me and I really wanted to do it, I would follow through with it."

"When I am seeking this meaning through expressing will and it seems positive, I am the one who is creating the goal. It is definitely slow in a smoother way, and I feel more whole when I am going toward something that I feel is positive. I mean, I feel my body, I know I am thinking, I feel spiritual . . ."

"To me it seems like it [will] is a deliberate, concentrated effort toward fulfilling my own potential."

Self-Examination

Throughout the expression of will, people tend to scrutinize their way of being in the world. There is a lot of thought pertaining to identity, what the person really wants, and what changes are desired. The self-reflection and self-dialogue have the quality of self-examination about meanings and purposes in their lives.

"I believe strongly in choice, but sometimes in my life I start to move in a direction where everything around me starts to shift, and then I get kind of caught up. And, now I have to make some kind of decision. Other factors are happening in my life. And, most often I am looking at how best to take care of myself and have some happiness, have some serenity in my life. So it is kind of like stopping and re-evaluating all the time."

"Where am I in this process? Am I just being swept along or is it revolving around me?"

"And, asking myself, ‘Is this what I want to continue to do?’ And thinking, ‘No.’ Then how do you get over this? Be responsible, be an adult, and practice what you preach."

"I found out that I was capable of doing a lot more and that I was much more skilled than I actually believed myself to be."

"I needed to find a direction in life that would provide security and a meaningful existence."

Planning and Organization

Inherent in the process of expressing will is cognitive planning and organizing. Much of this involves making priorities and scheduling time. There appears to be a procedure of identifying possibilities and selecting what practical steps need to be taken in order to reach the purposed goal.

". . . if I had six hours to work on three different assignments, I had to choose two-and-a-half hours on this one, one-and-a-half hours on the second one, and two hours on the third—if that was what I felt I needed to do. And, it required that I finish the part that I had targeted for that one-and-a-half hours, in one-and-a-half hours. There was a mechanical sense about it. But it had to be done that way in order for me to finish."

"I figured out that I would put everything in storage, pay rent to my brother, which would be greatly reduced from what I was already paying. I would have to throw my tenant out. I would lose the income from him, which was going to make it really tough . . ."

"And, I thought, well, the only way that you can really do that is to set aside some of this other stuff, and think about what it is that you want to do . . ."

"I think that part of what I am doing is coming up with a game plan. Little pieces of the game plan were . . . not as New Year's resolutions, but kind of like goals for myself. I decided that I was going to become more involved with this group called The Farmington Single Professionals."

Internal Conflict

There is a back-and-forth movement that happens during the expression of will, which is created by an internal conflict. Sometimes, this conflict is seen in the form of questioning and uncertainty about which direction to choose. At other times, it is obviously incongruence between the intellectual functioning and the emotions. The person experiences an internal struggle or battle that moves towards a resolution as the process unfolds.

"I was thinking that quite often the expression of will is something that starts as a struggle within. Not so much something I feel outside of myself, but an internal conflict."

". . . a lot of thought. Feeling a lot of negative, up and down, back and forth."

"I am having this conflict in my head, going back and forth. Trying to convince myself which way I am going to go. And, that is what it is. I am trying to convince myself which path to take. It is like a fork in the road. I am either going to go this way or I am going to go that way. Which way am I going to go? I am sitting there thinking about it, going back and forth . . ."

". . . it is almost like a fight with myself."

Determination

There is an effort that is extended by the person during the experience of expressing will. This effort takes courage, fortitude, strength, commitment, and, at times, sacrifice. These qualities put together take the form of determination. Determination as a part of the process was mentioned many times in regard to overcoming personal and worldly obstacles.

"That took will and I just kept saying to myself, the end results will pay for it."

"The outside world is not as important. It intrudes with necessities such as dentist appointments and oil changes; however, I can organize it so that it does not interfere with my goals."

"I see will as having the courage to make a commitment and follow through on it, regardless of the difficulties."

"It is staying strong and in control all the time. It is time consuming and takes energy."

"I made the commitment and I tried to make the best decision in the best way of expressing it or moving toward it and again. It is always a matter of choice and will and determination."

"So I went. I took the risk. I was determined to get out. I set this goal. I worked for it for so long. I could not give up now. So I continued."

Transformation of Feelings

During the experience of expressing will, there are periods of intense or uncomfortable feelings. These feelings are explicit throughout the process, however, the feelings gradually change. In the beginning, the feelings are experienced as uncomfortable. The feelings range from anger, despair, guilt, fear, loneliness, hurt, and anxiety. Later, the feelings are described as confusion, self-doubt, sadness, and being overwhelmed. As the process continues, there appears more expression of joy, hope, happiness, and excitement.

"The emotional experience I went through from closing that place down was that of losing a loved one. It was the exact same emotional experience . . . . It is depressing. When you are faced with being at the point where you are going to lose everything, you have got to come up with an answer fast or you are going to lose everything."

"It is almost like that is a resource, that out of loneliness, out of anxiety, some wonderful things can take place."

"The fear left at that point."

"The strong feelings would come and go. They would appear stronger after a disappointment and then anger at myself would start the desire for a better life."

"At first, there is a lot of self-condemning and as the change is in process the internal dialogue takes on a more positive tone."

"At first, it was uncomfortable, but now I am affirming myself for using my will."

References

Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. London, UK: Sage Publications.

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.