Date
11-2021
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)
Chair
J. Vance Pickard
Keywords
Academic Accommodations, Concussions, Return-to-learn, Teaching Relationships, Cognitive Recovery
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Burton, Julie-Ann E., "Concussion Knowledge and Experiences of Local Secondary School Teachers Implementing Academic Accommodations" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 3266.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/3266
Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to understand the concussion knowledge and experiences of local secondary school educators as they implement return-to-learn academic accommodations for students recovering from a concussion. The theories guiding this study was Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Bem’s theory of self-perception as it sought to understand what perceptions and behaviors educators had when implementing academic accommodations for the concussed student. The study design used an ontological philosophical assumption with a constructivist paradigm to guide the study. There were four research questions that focused on understanding the experiences: training, role, handling a concussed student in the classroom, and administrative assistance, teachers have when implementing academic accommodations for the concussed student. Ten teacher participants from a public school district in Central Florida were interviewed individually, completed journal responses, and participated in the focus group interview. Data collected was analyzed utilizing NVivo12, a qualitative data analysis software. Six themes emerged from the data found that the participants implemented academic accommodations for a concussed student from previous positive experiences dealing with academic accommodations and relationships with their students and teacher colleagues even though there were deficient implementation protocols, varying administrative support, barriers to implementing academic accommodations, and a need for best practices when implementing the academic accommodation. Results from this study may concurrently contribute to research of implementation of concussion academic accommodations in secondary schools and address the implementation gap for the concussed student’s academic recovery.
