Date of Award
11-23-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Timberly Baker
Second Advisor
Gary Tiffin
Committee Members
Natalie Johnson-Leslie
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2023 R54
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how future teachers can be better prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners. This study applied the theoretical framework of andragogy to the diversity strategies used in a teacher education program at a university in southeast Missouri. This qualitative case study included two research questions 1) How can andragogy be applied in a teacher education program to promote a better understanding of the needs of diverse learners for future teachers? 2) What diversity strategies can be used in a teacher education program to enable future teachers to better meet the needs of diverse learners? To answer the two research questions a faculty questionnaire, a recent graduate questionnaire, a faculty interview protocol, and a recent graduate interview protocol were developed and administered. Additionally, for triangulation, syllabi were collected from the faculty of the university education program. Once this data was collected, it was coded for themes. For research question 1 the themes that emerged were the methods of instruction utilized by faculty members, the best methods of instruction for adult learners, the methods of instruction for adult learners that are effectively implemented at the university, and improving the implementation of andragogical practices at the university. For research question 2 the themes that emerged were the definition of diversity, the lack of diversity, the extent to which diversity is addressed in the teacher education program, and the most effective strategies for learning about diversity. The results of this study emphasize previous research about the impact of employing andragogy within adult education and highlights the importance of diversity strategies in shifting the perspectives of future teachers to help them better understand and meet the diverse needs of their future students.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Riggs, Kellie, "The Influence of a Teacher Education Program on Preparing Future Teachers to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners" (2023). Student Theses and Dissertations. 147.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/147
