A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Veteran K-5 Teachers' Experiences with State-Mandated Literacy Training

The problem addressed in this study was that most opportunities for professional learning in the field of education have been created and assigned without the teacher giving input through a needs assessment. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the experiences of veteran K-5 teachers who participated in an online state-mandated literacy training on foundational literacy and the science of reading who were not provided with an opportunity to give input through a needs assessment. The conceptual framework for this study was the application of andragogy to differentiated instruction, an approach typically applied to K-12 students. Criterion and snowball sampling were employed to achieve a sample of 15 veteran teachers working in the four main urban areas of Tennessee. Qualitative data collection included four open-ended questions presented in an online Qualtrics survey, a one-to-one interview recorded on Zoom, and member checking of transcripts sent through Google. Thematic analysis was completed with NVivo and aligned to the three research questions. The research findings aligned with the conceptual framework, as each participant addressed at least one of the components of differentiated instruction in their responses. The responses collected for this study indicate that the teachers in the research sample found value in the training because it included high-impact practices. Implications indicated a need for leaders in education to build a system of support to sustain new learning from the training that encourages collaboration without adding additional burdens to these professionals. This study provides insight to the perception of veteran teachers regarding standardized training and how leaders in education could prevent teacher burnout and attrition by differentiating professional learning while addressing gaps in content-based pedagogy and adaptive skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]