Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
9-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Department
Organizational Leadership
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Maria Boeke Mongillo
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Amy Barrios
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Julie A. McElhany
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to solicit pre-K teachers’ perceptions about professional development and its influences on instructional methodology, classroom management skills, and student outcomes. Interviews conducted with 11 teachers from childcare centers in a major urban city of Illinois provided insight into experiences of types of PL and development engagement, such as online courses, webinars, learning communities, coaching, mentoring, professional conferences, and content selection. Other experiences involved social-emotional learning, lesson planning, project-based learning, and how to teach children with special needs. The interview data collected from the participants yielded five themes using Colizzi’s data analysis method. The themes were (a) commitment to continuous learning, (b) instructional innovation, (c) improved classroom structure, (d) improvement in instruction, and (e) knowledge of child development. The findings led to some recommendations to help improve pre-K teachers’ professional learning and development activities: (a) Teachers should receive guidance on selecting content that aligns with the pre-K curriculum, (b) early childhood education program directors must develop long-term professional learning and professional development models for teachers, (c) training based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Guidelines on the Curriculum, (d) implement follow-up mentorship programs, (d) prioritize engagement-driven learning by incorporating interactive workshops like learning communities, and (e) real-time instructional mentoring and coaching to enhance teacher knowledge and development. The recommendations aligned with major themes identified in this study and added to the knowledge about teachers’ perceptions of professional influence on classroom instructional methodology, classroom management skills, student outcomes, and alignment with developmentally appropriate teaching. The participants recognized that engagement in professional learning and development activities could lead to improved teaching methods, innovative teaching strategies, practical classroom management skills, improved teacher knowledge in child development, and developmentally appropriate teaching, which could lead to better student outcomes in all developmental domains and the acquisition of skills for kindergarten readiness.
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Recommended Citation
Korsah, Victoria A., "Pre-K Teachers’ Perceptions About Professional Learning: Influence on Instructional Methods, Classroom Management Skills, and Student Outcomes" (2025). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 936.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/936