| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of virtual mentoring and coaching (VMC) on in-service teachers’ professional growth and perception through participation in Project ETELL (Empowering Teachers of English Language Learners, Grant
Award No. T365Z160229). In Chapter II, I conducted a systematic review to better understand the research on synchronous VMC on in-service teachers. The findings indicated that VMC had a positive effect on instructional practices as well as perceptions through the literature identified.
In Chapter III, I examined mentored teachers’ professional growth over six weeks using a mixed-methods approach. Pre and post-classroom observations were collected during the six weeks of intervention and analyzed using a validated classroom observation instrument. Additionally, mentees’ perception of their VMC experience was analyzed through a post-course mentoring survey. Quantitative and qualitative results suggested that VMC impacted teachers’ professional growth. Specifically, the data indicated growth in the use of dense language content during instructional observation videos and overall positive perceptions of the VMC intervention.
In Chapter IV, I further investigated the VMC experience by analyzing five recorded sessions between mentors and in-service teachers. I compared the types and frequencies of interactions during the VMC sessions using Interaction Process Analysis (IPA). The majority of the codes were identified as Positive Reactions, while Negative Reaction codes were not present. VMC sessions facilitated opportunities for mentoring dyads to have constructive interactions and result in positive teacher self-perception. Additionally, through the use of thematic analysis of the transcriptions, I identified the following themes: emergent bilinguals (EBs), COVID impact, instructional self-reflections, and establishing mentor-mentee relationships. I concluded with implications and recommendations for future research and practice. | |
