Addressing the Problem of Preparing Teachers to Design and Facilitate Online Instruction

Karen M. Roper

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2021 forced teachers and students of the research site (given the pseudonym Roxy High School) into an online learning environment. Neither the school nor the teachers had previously experienced such a high demand for online courses, and many did not recognize the differences between online and face-to-face instruction. Consequently, the problem of practice of this study focused on a lack of the preparedness of teachers at Roxy High School, a medium-sized, mid-Atlantic high school in a predominantly agricultural area, in designing and facilitating instruction in an online classroom. Four characteristics describe a problem of practice: urgent, actionable, feasible, strategic (Perry et al., 2020). Urgency stemmed from the organization’s need to educate students regardless of circumstances. Actionability necessitated that interventions could be developed to meet concrete goals. Feasibility arose from my access to the stakeholders and the organization. Strategic interventions supported the organization’s mission and goals. This study followed a systematic process pursuant to the guidelines of the Performance Improvement/HPT Model. Roxy High School lies within the K–12 educational system. The Performance Improvement/HPT Model provided a systematic phase-by-phase process through which to examine the problem of practice as it existed within this system. The four main phases of the process included (a) performance analysis; (b) intervention selection, design, and development: (c) intervention implementation and change management; and (d) evaluation (Van Tiem et al., 2012). Following this analytical process allowed for a thorough examination of the problem of practice. The performance analysis phase consisted of environmental and organizational analyses which involved collecting performance data and conducting a gap analysis and a root cause analysis. During the first part of the performance analysis phase, I studied the environment and the organization in which the teachers worked. During the environmental analysis, I collected data and organized this information into a matrix according to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). During the organizational analysis, I collected data and organized this information according to the categories of the Updated Behavior Engineering Model (BEM). The second part of the performance analysis phase consisted of the gap analysis. Data gleaned from the environmental and organizational analyses informed the gap analysis. The gap analysis revealed the differences between the actual level and the desired level of teacher preparedness. An analysis team identified multiple gaps and prioritized one to address first: the low degree of student engagement in the online learning environment. The third and final part of the performance analysis phase consisted of a root cause analysis. The analysis team, of which I was a member, focused on the prioritized gap. As a team, we created a Fishbone diagram to expose the causes of low student engagement. Additionally, the team determined that the causes included a deficiency of teacher training in online instruction, a lack of feedback to teachers about their instruction, an absence of teacher accountability stemming from a lack of expectations, teachers’ inconsistent use of the learning management system (LMS), and teachers not having enough time to develop online instruction. Except for time to develop instruction, the analysis team determined that the absence of clear processes and procedures led to low student engagement. The second phase in the Performance Improvement/HPT Model consisted of intervention selection, design, and development. Research and information from performance improvement experts informed the intervention selection. The team determined that a job aid in the form of a manual to assist teachers in course design would be the preferred method to address this problem of practice. A self-evaluation rubric would accompany the manual. Research provided design examples for the manual, and the Successive Approximations Model guided the intervention development process. I consulted subject matter experts (SME) in the development of the intervention. The third phase in the Performance Improvement/HPT Model consisted of intervention implementation and change management. During this phase, teachers began to use the manual and the self-evaluation rubric. The school’s instructional coach assisted in implementation of the interventions. As use of the intervention began, I managed change through a deliberate process: the ADKAR Model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement). The communication plan included emails to introduce or to document communication. Communication occurred in-person whenever possible to support the relationship between stakeholders and the data collection processes. The fourth phase of the Performance Improvement/HPT Model consisted of evaluation. Although a distinct phase, evaluation occurred throughout intervention design and implementation. Three types of evaluation comprised this phase. Formative evaluations confirmed the accuracy of the information in and the design of the manual and rubric. A focus group of teachers and SMEs conducted the formative evaluations. Summative evaluations confirmed the usability of the manual and rubric. A different group of teachers and administrators performed the summative evaluation. Plans for confirmative evaluation and maintenance of the manual conclude the discussion of the intervention. The benefits of this study have applications beyond this single high school. Determining how to support teachers’ growth in alternative instructional modalities can position schools at any level to be better prepared to respond to situations requiring online instruction. These situations could include extended emergencies such as another pandemic or could enhance the school’s ability to offer instructional options to students.

Addressing the Problem of Preparing Teachers to Design and Facilitate Online Instruction

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Addressing the Problem of Preparing Teachers to Design and Facilitate Online Instruction

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