Perceptions in a Changing World: Teachers' Attitudes Towards the Implementation of Educational Innovations with a Focus on Social and Emotional Learning

<p>The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ attitudes toward the implementation of educational innovations - with an explicit focus on social and emotional learning (SEL) and new teacher mentor (NTM) programs. Because teachers are primarily responsible for absorbing new information and implementing educational programs directly to students, their attitudes may influence how the program is perceived, the program’s delivery, and may also impact the program’s outcomes. Support for novice teachers is often regarded as necessary and warranted in many schools, and researchers unfailingly reveal findings that demonstrate the effectiveness of SEL; specifically in traditional school settings (Slaten, Irby, Tate, & Rivera, 2015). Due to the success of the programs, many Title I schools and districts have adopted both SEL and NTM programs, and incorporated them into their educational organizations to improve teaching and learning. Aiming to explore the effects of teachers’ attitudes toward the implementation of the aforementioned programs, a multiple case study approach was employed using semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gain an understanding of the perceptions of educators in elementary and middle Title I urban schools in the Southeastern region of the United States. Five elementary teachers have participated in an intrinsic case study addressing their perceptions and attitudes toward the implementation of social and emotional learning; while four middle school teachers have participated in an intrinsic case study addressing their perceptions and attitudes toward the implementation of a new teacher mentor program. All nine participants have been asked “open-ended questions minimizing categorical and yes-no questions” (Stake, 2010, p. 90), and have been observed in order for the researchers to directly see data relating to the story told during their interview. The four middle school teachers also participated in focus groups. The rest of the document is divided into five chapters. In each chapter, the components of case study one (SEL) will be described. A cross-case analysis of both case studies will be included in chapter 5 in order to address the common tension that has been identified in both cases.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership (Ed.D)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Holmes, Tiana

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Kimberly Gray
• Dr. Susan Stockdale

• social and emotional learning
• educational innovations
• urban
• title I
• teachers' attitudes
• multiple case study
• Educational Leadership

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/teachleaddoc_etd/19

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu:teachleaddoc_etd-1019