Literally unfinished : a qualitative single case study exploring the factors impacting Texas teachers' responses to unfinished learning in reading due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic created unfinished learning in reading for K–12 students (Curriculum Associates, 2021; Lambert & Sassone, 2020). A survey of public school administrators showed that half of their students were behind grade level in at least one subject area; of those, 64% believed the COVID-19 pandemic instigated unfinished learning (Institute of Education Sciences, 2023). In Texas, the 2020–2021 STAAR reading test showed an overall learning loss of -0.12, which equated to just over three months of loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Crowe & Field, 2021). This study explored the factors impacting how four Texas teachers combatted unfinished learning in reading caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research utilized Bandura's (1978) reciprocal determinism theory. Considering the voices of teachers in a central Texas school, the qualitative holistic single case study examined how behavioral, environmental, and personal factors impacted the teachers in their journey to combat unfinished learning post-COVID-19 pandemic. To collect data, I used one questionnaire and a one-on-one semi-structured interview. I conducted a thematic analysis using Bandura's (1978) reciprocal determinism theory to analyze the factors impacting teachers in their classrooms while they combat unfinished learning in reading caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this study identified how teachers' behavioral, environmental, and personal factors impacted their ability to help their students' unfinished learning in reading. Teachers noted three themes related to environmental factors. Teachers stated that returning to the classroom heavily impacted students' engagement directly after the pandemic, altering their environmental factors due to the restrictions set to keep everyone safe. The teachers in this study also noted that they were given ample resources to combat the pandemic's negative impact on students' reading. Still, unfortunately, those resources took too much time. As a result, the teachers chose to alter the curriculum to engage their students better and combat the unfinished learning in reading, a behavioral factor. As a personal factor, teachers felt that building relationships with their students positively impacted student engagement, thus decreasing unfinished learning in reading. Findings from this study have implications for researchers, district administrators, the Texas Education Agency, and teachers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Oldfield-Jackson, Taylore D., 1990-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• O'Connor Marsano, Erin.

• Behavioral factors.
• Environmental factors.
• COVID-19.
• Learning loss.
• Literacy.
• Literacy learning loss.
• Pandemic.
• Reciprocal determinism.
• Social cognitive theory.
• Unfinished learning.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/13160

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/13160