I believe in higher education’s role for the success of civilization, so I want to do what I can to further the operation and ultimate success of this important enterprise.

Profile for
Michael Ponton, Ed.D.
Professor

  • Faculty
Department of Higher Education and Learning Technologies
Contact Michael
Office
Young Education North 102
Related Department
Department of Higher Education and Learning Technologies
Hometown
Newport News, VA
Curriculum Vitae

Michael Ponton, Ed.D., began his adult working life as an engineer after studying physics and mechanical engineering at the undergraduate level. He spent most of his early career performing experiments on supersonic jet flows at the NASA-Langley Research Center studying turbulence, noise generation and methods of acoustic suppression; vital to both military and commercial aircraft. To this end, he earned a master's degree in aeroacoustics and performed some doctoral level work in engineering as well.

Eventually, his personal and professional interests evolved into the study of higher education administration. He earned a Doctor of Education degree while still working as a full-time NASA engineer. His 4-year transition period from engineer to educator happened at the University of Mississippi. After 16 years as a professor at Regent University, he is quite happy to complete his career at East Texas A&M!

A Conversation with Dr. Ponton

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending East Texas A&M?

I would encourage them to attend! Since I began teaching here in fall 2019, I have met wonderful faculty and staff who are not only professionally competent but also friendly and concerned about student success. Thus, I think students at East Texas A&M receive a fine education in a nurturing environment.

What draws you to your discipline?

I believe in higher education's role for the success of civilization, so I want to do what I can to further the operation and ultimate success of this important enterprise. Specifically, though, I perform research and theorizing on human agency; that is, how people act intentionally to accomplish desired ends. This is precisely what I attempt to achieve in my teaching: the enablement of my students to be able to accomplish whatever they want to accomplish in life through learning.

What has been your favorite course to teach?

I created a course titled Agentic Learning in which I assign the reading of myriad publications of my own for students to learn about how I have theorized the role of human agency, autonomy, and self-directedness in understanding learning. This understanding can inform how faculty design instructional strategies that prepare students for lifelong learning, which is essential for creating productive, fulfilling lives long after leaving formal education.

Tell us about a project you are currently working on or recently completed.

Recently, I have extended current theorizing on individual learner autonomy to group contexts. I believe that organizations as manifestations of particular values and abilities engage in intentional learning activities essential for evaluation and decision making. This emerging dialogue may prove useful to improve organizational performance.

Educational Background

Awards and Honors

Research Interests

  • Learner autonomy
  • Social cognitive theory
  • Human agency

Professional Organizations

Selected Publications

  • Ponton, M. K. (2025). Self-evaluation: A theoretical discussion of a critical self-directed learning subfunction. International Journal of Social Science Research, 13(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijssr.v13i2.22912
  • Ponton, M. K. (2023). Long to Confessore to Ponton: A line of self-directed learning theorizing. International Journal of Self-Directed Learning, 20(1), 1–15. https://www.sdlglobal.com/journals
  • Ponton, M. K., & Dondlinger, M. J. (2022). A sociocognitive discussion of learning resource selection in self-directed learning. International Journal of Learning and Development, 12(2), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v12i2.19924
  • Ponton, M. K. (2021). Weak self-efficacy versus strong self-inefficacy: A comment on the conceptual difference. International Journal of Social Science Research, 9(2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijssr.v9i2.18244
  • Ponton, M. K. (2021). A teaching strategy based upon a model of agentic learning. Journal of Studies in Education, 11(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.5296/jse.v11i1.18125
  • Ponton, M. K. (2020). Group learning through the lens of learner autonomy. International Journal of Learning and Development, 10(2), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v10i2.17144
  • Ponton, M. K. (2019). Organizational behavior and agency: A conceptual analogy with individual agency. International Journal of Education and Social Science Research, 2(5), 185–191. http://ijessr.com/uploads2019/ijessr_02_210.pdf
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