Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
4-2024
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6123-6206
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Karan Duwe
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
John Harrison
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
John Kellmayer
Abstract
The problem of novice teachers leaving the profession in the first few years of their career represented a global issue and an increased attrition rate. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the perceptions of novice U.S. teachers and effective systemic supports provided to new teachers through the lens of social capital. For this study, the intangible components of social capital emerged through the development and fostering of mentoring relationships in an induction program. The methodology used was a qualitative descriptive study using a survey, interviews, and thematic analysis of the survey and interview data collected. The sample of participants consisted of 14 new and experienced teachers currently involved in the induction program. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was a technique that was used and produced information-rich stories about participants’ interview responses. Thematic analysis interpreted various forms of examination and identified recurring themes and patterns of data.
The themes that emerged were: (a) connectedness, (b) community, (c) confidence, (d) self- efficacy, and (e) job satisfaction. Findings indicated that mentoring experiences and supports provided the initial year had a positive effect on the self-efficacy of novice teachers. Teachers with high levels of self-efficacy were open to new teaching methods, adjusted their teaching strategies to improve students’ academic performance, and exhibited a greater level of commitment to the profession. Although the district’s induction program was considered a comprehensive program where various levels of support were provided, it only supported novice teachers in the first year. The results from this study benefitted the induction program by adhering to the district’s goal of continuous improvement and provided the necessary supports to increase teacher retention, instill confidence, develop teacher self-efficacy, and acquire strategies and best practices tailored to meet the specific needs of a novice teacher.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Dixon, Tonya, "A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring the Perceptions of New Teacher Induction Supports" (2024). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 777.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/777
Included in
Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Higher Education Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons, Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons