Date of Award
Fall 11-7-2018
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)
Department
Educational Leadership
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Ivan Jorrin-Abellan, Ph.D.
Committee Chair
Susan Stockdale, Ph.D.
Second Committee Member
Daphne Hubbard, Ph. D.
Third Committee Member
Anete Vasquez, Ph. D.
Abstract
The current model of mass professional development for all teachers does not address the individual needs of each teacher (Berckenmeyer, 2014; Darling-Hammond et al., 2009; DeMonte, 2013). This case study research focused on reaching a deeper understanding of an on-site, ongoing, individualized professional development innovation implemented at Rural Charter School for eight primary teachers as they began to apply a new instructional model; the integration of English-Language Arts standards into the science, social studies, and mathematics. My role within the study fluctuated between that of the researcher, an informant, and a teacher leader in delivering the personalized professional development.
Two research questions guided this study: 1. What were the benefits (if any) of implementing on-site, ongoing, and individualized professional development programs to sustain change? and; 2. How did on-site, ongoing, and individualized professional development impact teachers’ daily practice? The benefits of on-site, ongoing, and individualized professional development included an individualized plan of support; relevant resources for current curriculum; continuous communication, support, and feedback; and on site collaboration with researchers and team members. Three impacts on daily practice were also noted. Finally a bottom up model for on-site, ongoing, and individualized professional development is presented.