Teacher in transition: A case study of the change process in a teacher changing from skills-based toward whole language instruction
Abstract
The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological case study was to understand the nature of the change process in a teacher who made a decision to change instructional practices in the development of literacy from traditional, skills-based methods to whole language methods. This focus led to understanding the change process from the teacher's perspective and served to document the changes taking place from a participant observer's perspective. The following research questions were addressed: (1) What is the decision-making process that leads a teacher to change literacy instructional practices from skills-based to whole language instruction? (2) What is the change process a teacher goes through when adopting new practices? Through data sources such as observations, interviews, and artifacts, an understanding of one teacher's change process developed. After data collection and analysis, a metaphor, roller coaster, described this teacher's change process. One major theme that emerged as part of this teacher's change process was personal ambition. Subthemes that supported personal ambition clustered into three groups that led to defining the change process as a three-stage model. First, dissatisfaction and opportunity were intertwined to form the decision-making stage of the change process. Then, subthemes of challenge, risk-taking, and growth and learning formed the beginning stage of the change process. Finally, the subtheme motivation, supported by student achievement and a personal support system, formed the continuation stage of the change process. These three stages formed the lived experience of this teacher's change process.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
O'Brien, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Curricula|Teaching|Literacy|Reading instruction|Teacher education
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