Amplifying Teacher Voice to Improve the Design of Student Engagement-Focused Professional Development
Gess LeBlanc, Ph.D.
Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic occurred almost four years ago, many educators continue to face challenges in supporting the needs of youth who have experienced declines in their engagement in school. Studies have found that one critical way in which teachers can be supported is through professional development. However, these studies also indicate that for such professional learning opportunities to be most impactful, they must be responsive to the current experiences of teachers. In this qualitative study, 126 teachers’ perceptions regarding the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their students were obtained and analyzed. Employing van Es and Sherin’s noticing framework, findings revealed that teachers identified declines in affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement but needed guidance and support with the development of instructional strategies aimed at fostering student engagement. The implications of the findings for designing teacher professional development programs that focus on fostering student engagement are explored.