Date
4-7-2026
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Rachel Hernandez
Keywords
andragogy, adult learning theory, rural schools, secondary math teacher, teacher attrition, teacher migration, teacher retention, professional development
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Cooper, Tanya L., "Professional Development in West Virginia's Rural Public Schools Relating to Secondary Math Teacher Retention: A Phenomenology Through the Lens of Andragogy" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8165.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8165
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of factors related to professional development that influence the retention of secondary math teachers in West Virginia’s rural public schools. The theory guiding this study was adult learning theory, specifically Knowles’ andragogy, as it explains the perceptions of secondary math teachers from their perspective as adult learners. The Central Research Question was: What are rural secondary math teachers’ perceptions of factors related to professional development that influence retention? This phenomenological study was conducted in rural areas of West Virginia, examining the perceptions of ten secondary math teachers through multiple data collection methods, including individual interviews, letter-writing prompts, and physical artifacts. Data was analyzed using Moustakas’ method of constructing individual textural and structural descriptions to identify the meanings and essences of the experience, resulting in emerging themes. The participants’ perceptions reflected that retention is positively influenced when professional development policymakers (1) treat secondary math teachers as professionals with the autonomy to select needed PD, (2) view secondary math teachers as the experts in selecting relevant PD for their classroom, and (3) facilitate PD experiences that create teacher leaders who are involved in planning and evaluating PD. This study’s findings explicitly provide an andragogical framework for professional development policymakers to ensure that the professional development experiences of secondary math teachers in West Virginia’s rural public schools are positively influencing retention.
