Date
8-9-2024
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Sarah Walsh
Keywords
COVID-19, Middle School, Special Education Teachers, New Jersey, Teaching Virtually, Special Education Students, Virtual Learners, Stress and Anxiety, Depression, Pandemic
Disciplines
Special Education and Teaching
Recommended Citation
Henderson, Yolanda, "The Experience of Middle School Special Education Teachers in New Jersey Teaching Virtually During COVID-19" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5875.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5875
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of middle school special education teachers working remotely in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conceptual framework that guided this study was Schlossberg’s Transition Theory. Schlossberg's Transition Theory refers to events that result in a change of relationships, routines, assumptions, or roles. This theory allowed me to see the various phases such as moving in, through, and out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing how the pandemic affected the relationships, routines, and roles of teachers made it easy to understand how this theory related directly to the pandemic. The data collection was gathered through interviews. I based the interviews on those participants who qualified for this study and responded appropriately to surveys. I ensured that the participants understood the purpose of the study and that being a participant in this study was strictly voluntary. There was no monetary compensation. The participants were given the DASS and SWLS scale prior to conducting the interview. The researcher reviewed and scored the scales prior to conducting interviews. The researcher read through the interview transcripts and identified the commonalities of the data. Coding was also utilized and allowed the researcher to analyze the data, identify themes, and see commonalities. The researcher established the relationship among the various data points by organizing the data into codes to remain objective. The researcher established the most important themes that were identified and discussed by the participants. The themes identified in this study were the lack of social interaction, the overall ongoing technology issues, the difficulties of having students consistently attending school on a daily basis while remaining engaged and focused, and stress and anxiety amongst the teachers.
