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Dissertation
Professional development fo white teachers of racial minority students: A phenomenological study
University of West Florida Libraries
Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida
2024
Abstract
Professional development does not provide White teachers the ongoing professional development experiences needed to improve their ability to teach racial minority students. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological study was to examine the professional development experiences of White teachers of racial minority students to determine if they contributed to perspective transformation, equipping White teachers to be more successful at teaching their racial minority students. Mezirow’s (1978) transformative learning theory (TLT) framed the study and informed the research questions, which focused on the specific experiences TLT purports as necessary for perspective transformation to occur. Mezirow’s (1978) TLT has been used as a framework to explain and predict adult learning. The theory is comprised of four constructs: the disorienting dilemma, critical reflection, rational discourse, and action. Six veteran teachers from a school district in north Georgia, who self-identified as White, shared their professional development experiences through semistructured interviews and written reflections. Data were analyzed using principles of phenomenology, resulting in the identification of 12 emergent themes. The findings indicated that professional development that includes experiences with disorienting dilemmas; critical reflection; and gains in competency, confidence, and resources were desired and necessary elements of perspective transformation for White teachers of racial minority students. Implications of the study support the need for White teachers of racial minority students to be aware of the biases they hold, to understand the impact of those biases on their students and their teaching practices, and to reflect critically on those biases to challenge and change them successfully.
Details
- Title
- Professional development fo white teachers of racial minority students
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Contributors
- Mark Malisa (Committee Member)Catherine C Willoughby (Committee Member) - University of West Florida, School of EducationWisdom Y Mensah (Committee Co-Chair)Paula Taylor-Greathouse (Committee Co-Chair)
- Publisher
- University of West Florida Libraries
- Format
- pdf
- Number of pages
- 196
- Identifiers
- 99380569897306600
- Academic Unit
- School of Education
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- Education; University of West Florida; Doctor of Education (EDD)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Education (EDD), University of West Florida