TEACHER PREPARATION IN A VIRTUAL K-12 CONTEXT: THE PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL LEADERS CONCERNING TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Enrollment in cyber schools has increased steadily from their inception in 1996 through 2019. Despite this increase there is a limited understanding of how to train teachers to teach in virtual classrooms. Most virtual professional development is created and delivered by leaders of cyber schools. Therefore, to contribute to the literature on teacher training for online schools, this dissertation explores what school leaders of a cyber school perceive about the skills required to teach online and how they address these skills through the preparation and ongoing development of their new and veteran teachers. All 30 members of the focal school’s leadership team were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire, and additionally, they were invited to participate in an interview. The data were analyzed via frequency calculations and coding. Conclusions were focused on the knowledge gaps of new teachers, what defines a successful professional development experience, the state of teacher training at cyber schools, and the extent school leaders are involved with the creation of professional development at their school. I found that the knowledge gaps of new teachers depend on their prior teaching experiences, with the teachers who have more experience in brick-and-mortar schools having the most gaps. The most effective professional development activities were characterized to be engaging, relevant, timely, and a good example of what teachers should do in their own classrooms. The focal school uses several forms of professional development to meet the needs of new teachers: an in-person onboarding, induction, and mentorship. At the focal school, veteran teachers are provided with grade-level weekly workshops and a content-level professional learning community. Involvement in the creation of professional development is dependent on an individual’s title and role.