Attendance Matters: A Qualitative Descriptive Design on Teachers’ Instructional Strategies for Accommodating Chronically Absent Students
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Authors
Coleman, Joyce Harrison
Issue Date
2025
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The problem addressed was that teachers who work in urban elementary schools lack the instructional strategies to accommodate chronically absent students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive design was to obtain the experiences and perspectives of urban elementary teachers on accommodating instructional strategies for chronically absent students. The theoretical framework that structured this study is based on Bandura’s social learning theory. This theory emphasizes that observation serves as the foundation for learning to take place in an environment in which individuals learn by modeling and imitating the behaviors of others. Bandura’s process of observation and imitation helped to facilitate insight into how learning occurs in a social context. Twelve participants who met the eligibility criteria embodied the sample population. Each was purposefully chosen based on availability. Data was gathered from an open-ended questionnaire and descriptive responses. An inductive analysis was applied by coding and categorizing to identify themes based on the responses of the participants. Six themes originated from the findings. The participants acknowledged the benefits of tailored instruction, differentiated instruction, and multiple instructional models and strategies to accommodate the instructional needs of chronically absent students. The participants also stated that the lack of instructional time, the disengagement of students, and the lack of administrative support were significant factors that contributed to the struggles teachers confront when accommodating the instructional needs of chronically absent students. The teachers also voiced a compelling need for more collaboration and a desire for more support outside the classroom, like professional learning opportunities. Future research should include longitudinal studies on why students who regularly attend school come to school.