A Naturalistic Inquiry of a Distance Learning University TESOL Program for In-Service Teachers

Abstract

In this naturalistic inquiry, I explore a professional development program which provided Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) graduate coursework from a university in Northeast Kansas to in-service teachers in Southwest Kansas through distance learning. Data sources included interviews, participant observation, and document and records review. Interviews were conducted with 63 participants, including program directors, instructors, and evaluation team members at the university in Northeast Kansas and in-service teachers, project coordinators, school administrators, and English as a second language coordinators in Southwest Kansas. Data analysis conducted through the constant comparative method indicate five broad areas of interest; the context of the university, the context of Southwest Kansas, the Kansas context, KPD courses, and concepts of success. By providing a nuanced narrative of the complexities, contradictions, and constraints of the program I explore how the program is negotiated as the participants interact with each other, their educational contexts, and communities. The results of the study contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the professional development of teachers and the role of universities and districts in this effort.