Publication Date

2018

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Cohen, James A.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction (CI)

Abstract

In this dissertation, the retrospective perspectives of five Ecuadoran English

teachers regarding their experience in a seven-month professional development program in the

US were investigated. Attention was given to how they believed the program impacted their

identity, self-efficacy and how they perceived the program functioned as a community of

practice (CoP). Data were collected through interviews using stimulated recall based on

classrooms observation notes and memos in the teacher participants’ Ecuadoran schools.

Findings included that the Ecuadoran teachers felt they were positively impacted by the program.

They perceived themselves as more legitimate speakers of English and more effective educators;

however, there were areas in which they believed the program did not meet their needs. The five

teachers perceived that the program was frequently not contextualized for the Ecuadoran system

of education. Additionally, none of the five teacher participants believed that there was a

collective CoP; however, four of the five teacher initiated small communities of practice, which

they felt were significant in their success in the program. Once back in their Ecuadoran schools,

these five teachers created small CoP with their colleagues and in their classrooms. The fifth

Ecuadoran teacher believed that his Kichwa identity was not understood within the context of the

program and that this inhibited his inclusion into any community.

Extent

192 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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