Date of Award

Spring 4-10-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Laurie Goodman

Second Advisor

Len Hightower

Third Advisor

Jonathan Greenberg

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 educators’ perceptions of the impact on low-income students returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 12 K6 teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: After analyzing data, codes, and themes the researcher concluded with 8 major findings related to low-income students returning to school after being online for 2 years in regard to mindset, behavior, social connections, and academic achievement. The findings indicated teachers modified instruction in response to students as they exhibited decreased motivation, a lack of independent learning, decreased confidence, decreased persistence, and a fixed mindset impacting their self-efficacy. Furthermore, the participants strongly indicated that a student’s home environment made an impact as they returned to the classroom and their risk-taking behavior decreased along with an increase in helpless behavior.

v

Conclusions: This study supported the literature and affirming that self-efficacy serves as the basis for motivation and accomplishment. Self-Efficacy helps an individual overcome obstacles that may interfere with using one’s abilities to achieve goals. When a student’s self-efficacy is affected it can negatively impact their mindset, behavior, social connections, and academic achievement.

Recommendations: The researcher recommends that a strategic plan be developed stakeholders to address the changes in student confidence, all staff at the district or school site do a book study or professional development to address decreased motivation as well as increasing behavior and risk-taking, form professional learning communities (PLCs) for performance data and next instructional steps, and incorporate and promote a growth mindset schoolwide. These strategies should continue to help and support low-income students and enhance their self-efficacy skills since returning to campus.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Download

Share

COinS