Date of Award

2014

Degree Name

Curriculum and Instruction

College

College of Education

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Lisa A. Heaton

Second Advisor

Ronald B. Childress

Third Advisor

Teresa R. Eagle

Fourth Advisor

Edna M. Meisel

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how prepared students are to learn the competencies outlined in the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for English Language Arts and how prepared teachers are to teach those same competencies as perceived by West Virginia English Language Arts teachers in grades six through twelve. In addition, this study examined differences, if any, between student preparedness and teacher preparedness as well as differences among respondents with different demographic or attribute variables. Finally, this study described effective instructional strategies and beneficial professional development topics identified by respondents. Data obtained from responses to the online survey, College and Career Readiness Standards for English: How Prepared Are Students and Teachers were compared using descriptive and inferential statistics as well as sorted, coded, organized, and analyzed to identify emergent themes. The study had a population of 1,274 West Virginia English Language Arts teachers employed to teach English in grades six through twelve during the fall semester of the 2013-2014 school year. Four hundred twenty-four teachers representing all eight Regional Education Service Agencies in West Virginia responded to the survey. Teachers’ perceptions of student preparedness and teachers’ perceptions of teacher preparedness were significantly different based on the different demographic and attribute variables. This study can support efforts that focus on ensuring that all teachers of English Language Arts, regardless of sex, years experience, certification, programmatic level, and Regional Education Service Agency feel fully prepared to teach the competencies outlined in the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards.

Subject(s)

College preparation programs - West Virginia.

School-to-work transition - West Virginia.

Education, Secondary.

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