Identifying Professional Development Needs of High School Teachers Tasked with Online Course Design

Professional Development Needs of High School Teachers Tasked with Online Course Design by Debbie J. Lugar M.Ed., The Pennsylvania State University, 2003 BS, Millersville University, 1989 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University February 2017 Abstract To satisfy demand for online learning opportunities at the high school level, 3 school districts in the northeast United States established a consortium to share resources to develop and deliver online courses. High school teachers who volunteered to develop courses for the consortium attempted the task without previous training in online course design and facilitation. High school students enrolled in the courses often did not successfully complete them, which obstructed the mission of the consortium. The purpose of this qualitative single critical case study was to explore teachers’ experiences with and perceptions of designing and developing online courses without accompanying professional development. The iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses (v2) and technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) served as the conceptual frameworks for the study. Five teachers who developed and facilitated an online course for the consortium, without companion professional development, volunteered to be interviewed. Data were reduced using NVivo software and analyzed using a priori codes based on NACOL standards then open-coded for emerging themes. Results indicated that other than content expertise, teachers did not believe they had sufficient competencies in any of the areas identified in the iNACOL standards. Based on these results, an online professional development course for teachers was designed to provide introductory training and to model elements of quality online course design using the Moodle learning management system. Positive social change may be achieved if teachers have the knowledge and skills required to develop high-caliber, innovative, and convenient education opportunities that encourage students’ course completion which leads to learning and academic success.To satisfy demand for online learning opportunities at the high school level, 3 school districts in the northeast United States established a consortium to share resources to develop and deliver online courses. High school teachers who volunteered to develop courses for the consortium attempted the task without previous training in online course design and facilitation. High school students enrolled in the courses often did not successfully complete them, which obstructed the mission of the consortium. The purpose of this qualitative single critical case study was to explore teachers’ experiences with and perceptions of designing and developing online courses without accompanying professional development. The iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses (v2) and technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) served as the conceptual frameworks for the study. Five teachers who developed and facilitated an online course for the consortium, without companion professional development, volunteered to be interviewed. Data were reduced using NVivo software and analyzed using a priori codes based on NACOL standards then open-coded for emerging themes. Results indicated that other than content expertise, teachers did not believe they had sufficient competencies in any of the areas identified in the iNACOL standards. Based on these results, an online professional development course for teachers was designed to provide introductory training and to model elements of quality online course design using the Moodle learning management system. Positive social change may be achieved if teachers have the knowledge and skills required to develop high-caliber, innovative, and convenient education opportunities that encourage students’ course completion which leads to learning and academic success. Identifying Professional Development Needs of High School Teachers Tasked with Online Course Design by Debbie J. Lugar M.Ed., The Pennsylvania State University, 2003 BS, Millersville University, 1989 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University February 2017 Dedication I dedicate this doctoral study to my husband, Tom. It was through his encouragement and unwavering belief in my abilities that I endeavored to take on the completion of a doctoral degree. It was through his continuous support that I was able to persist through the process and achieve this goal. Acknowledgments I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to all of my friends and family who cheered me on during this doctoral journey. I spent a tremendous amount of time working on this and I deeply appreciate everyone’s understanding and acceptance of my absences from—life, during the past few years. We have some catching up to do! I also wish to extend sincerest appreciation to my doctoral chair, Dr. Roberta Albi, who has not only been my mentor, but also my sounding wall, my source for comic relief, and my friend. Dr. Albi was phenomenal when it came to intensely scrutinizing my draft submissions and very quickly providing feedback. I would also like to thank Dr. Irene McAfee and Dr. Mary Howe for their expert guidance and advice. Finally, I would like to recognize Walden University for all of the support they have in place for students. I have been impressed not only with the rigor and organization of their online courses, but also the immense number of resources available to students. This online program has been a source of inspiration as I continue to develop my own knowledge and expertise in developing and offering online education programs.