Examining Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development: A Qualitative Case Study
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Authors
KING, LASONYA
Issue Date
2025-09
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Educational Leadership & Learning Lifelong
Alternative Title
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to explore how teachers described the influences of in-service professional development on their instructional practices. Understanding teacher perceptions is essential to the overall effectiveness of professional development schemes. The theoretical foundation of this study was Vygotsky’s constructivist learning theory, which requires teachers to engage in processes designed to improve instructional techniques through professional development. Specifically, Vygotsky interpreted learning as an active, collaborative process of combining new knowledge with prior knowledge to construct a deeper understanding of content. The research questions guiding this study asked about how reading and math teachers perceived the in-service professional development they received influenced their instructional practices. The purposive sampling method was used to select 14 participants from a southern school district in Maryland. A total of 6 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted, along with two focus group discussions involving 8 additional participants. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis method was used to analyze data collected from interviews and focus groups. The study findings provide insight into how teachers perceive the impact of in-service professional development on their instructional practices and student achievement.