Publication Date

8-2016

Date of Final Oral Examination (Defense)

6-20-2016

Type of Culminating Activity

Dissertation

Degree Title

Doctor of Education in Educational Technology

Department

Educational Technology

Supervisory Committee Chair

Ross Perkins, Ph.D.

Supervisory Committee Member

Patrick R. Lowenthal, Ph.D.

Supervisory Committee Member

Brett E. Shelton, Ph.D.

Abstract

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of new teachers regarding an online version of a new teacher induction program. The need for the study is based on (a) the increased need to train new teachers, (b) the limitations of traditional new teacher induction programs, and (c) the affordances of an online version of an induction program. Although teacher induction programs have been studied for two decades, online versions of these specific programs are appropriate for current study because they are relatively new and those who implement such programs would benefit from knowing more about their best practices. In 2013, the Riverside County Office of Education began implementing an online version of its induction program as an alternative choice to its face-to-face program in order to meet the needs and demands of new teachers in a flexible and individualized manner. The population of 331 participants in the online version of the new teacher induction program was the focus of this study.

The research question asked how educators in an online K-12 teacher induction course on pedagogical practices perceived the effectiveness of instructional practices used in the course and to what extent those practices affected their own teaching. The data collected and analyzed in the study came from a survey of all program participants, interviews with a subset of participants, and archival documents provided by the program administrators. The results of the study revealed (a) 33-year-old to 42-year-old age group was significantly more satisfied with the induction program than any other age group, (b) females were significantly more likely than males to be “very satisfied” with the induction program, (c) participants who rated themselves as “very satisfied” with the induction program were significantly more likely to remain in teaching, (d) participants in the fully online program were significantly more likely than the distance model participants to remain in teaching, and (e) participants in the fully online program were significantly more likely than the distance model participants to make changes in their teaching practice as a result of the induction program.

The findings indicate a need for further study of age and gender and how they relate to program satisfaction and to teacher retention. Additionally, the results suggest a need for more research on how the affordances of online learning can affect the outcomes of an online teacher induction program.

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