Semester Award Granted
Summer 2025
Submission Date
July 2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Jennifer L. Bloom
Thesis/Dissertation Co-Chair
Cristobal Salinas Jr.
Abstract
This qualitative case study examined the professional development of peer advisors trained using the Appreciative Education theory-to-practice framework. Peer advisors are typically undergraduate students who help fulfill various academic advising roles (Gordon et al., 2008). Appreciative Education’s theory-to-practice framework focuses on uncovering individual and organizational strengths to deliver high-quality education (Bloom et al., 2013a). To date, there is no research on the potential of Appreciative Education being applied to the design and delivery of peer advisor professional development training or how peer advisors are influenced by and apply it in their peer-to-peer relationships (Stephanes, 2017).
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how peer advisors are influenced by the peer advisor professional development training at the University of Snowfall and how peer advisors apply the Appreciative Education framework in their peer-to-peer relationships. In addition, this study investigated how Appreciative Education has been applied to the design and delivery of the peer advisor professional development training. This case study included 15 interviews, direct observations, and document analysis. Each participant took part in one 60-minute semi-structured interview either in person or through the Zoom virtual platform. Notes about observations and analyzed documents were captured using observations and document analysis guides. Participants were asked to member check their interview transcripts following their interview. Data was analyzed using Saldaña’s (2016) two coding cycles of descriptive coding and in vivo coding.
Four findings with 12 total themes emerged from the analysis that described how peer advisors are influenced by the training, how they apply the framework in their peer advising relationships, and how Appreciative Education has been applied to the design and delivery of the training. Findings from this case study expand on the understanding of peer advising and Appreciative Education while also addressing the gap in the research literature about the impact of Appreciative Education as an adaptable theory-to-practice framework for training and developing peer advisors. This study may also inform higher education institutions, administrators, peer advising programs, and researchers on how to infuse Appreciative Education into training peer advisors and other student leaders and provide them with impactful professional development opportunities.
Recommended Citation
Hursh, Bryan Duffy, "APPRECIATIVE PEER ADVISING: THE INFUSION OF APPRECIATIVE EDUCATION INTO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PEER ADVISORS" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 123.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/123