Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Higher & Adult Education

Committee Chair

Edith Gnanadass

Committee Member

Alison Happel-Parkins

Committee Member

Michelle Glowacki-Dudka

Abstract

The purpose of this narrative study was to describe how older women of rural Appalachia learned their cultural ways of care and caregiving. Using Situated Learning (Lave & Wenger, 1999; Lave, 2019), Care Focused Feminism (Noddings, 1984, 2002) and Bonding Social Capital (Putnam, 2000) theories, four women of rural Appalachia narrated stories from all stages of life. Findings supported the presence of Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) (Lave & Wenger, 1991) as the primary method of learning as the women learned types of care and caregiving while in participation with family and friends. Types of care analyzed from the narratives were provision, protection, presence, and play. Conclusions drawn from the analysis demonstrated that participants felt more cared for when ‘presence’ was a dominant type of care. This was described as being seen and heard or validated for their authentic self. The research lends itself to Adult Education practitioners by increasing our knowledge in what learners see as valuable care.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.”

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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