Impact of a Geography-Literature Collaborative on Secondary School Pedagogy John Matthew Cm Cormick Walden University
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2019 Impact of a Geography-Literature Collaborative on Secondary School Pedagogy John Matthew cM Cormick Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Education Commons, and the Geography Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Education This is to certify that the doctoral study by John Matthew McCormick has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Heather Caldwell, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty Dr. Jesse Richter, Committee Member, Education Faculty Dr. Barbara Schirmer, University Reviewer, Education Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2019 Abstract Impact of a Geography-Literature Collaborative on Secondary School Pedagogy by John Matthew McCormick MLS, West Virginia University, 2012 M.Ed., Concord University, 2010 BA, Concord University, 2005 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University April 2019 Abstract Geography education has been relegated to a subset of social studies standards in most of the United States and has been overshadowed by a history-centered curriculum. Student achievement in geography has not improved for several decades due to the focus on history content in the social studies curriculum. Rooted in a conceptual framework encompassing elements of self-efficacy and the whole teacher approach, the purpose of this case study was to examine the impact of the West Virginia Geographic Alliance (WVGA) professional development workshop on teachers’ practices in delivering cross- disciplinary geography education. The research questions addressed teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in delivering cross-disciplinary geography and literature instruction and the long-term changes they made to their classroom pedagogy. Data collection involved open-ended, semistructured interviews with 6 teachers (3 geography and 3 literature) who attended the WVGA training. Analysis of interview transcripts with open and axial coding revealed that teachers perceived geography as an important discipline and an effective means of enhancing literature instruction. Perceived obstacles to cross- disciplinary geography instruction included rigid content standards, scheduling conflicts, and time constraints. Findings indicated that future geography professional development should be relevant to teachers’ needs and based on state standards for geography instruction. Findings may be used to promote cross-disciplinary geography instruction through professional development. Impact of a Geography-Literature Collaborative on Secondary School Pedagogy by John Matthew McCormick MLS, West Virginia University, 2012 M.Ed., Concord University, 2010 BA, Concord University, 2005 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University May 2019 Dedication This doctoral study is dedicated to my children, Cricket, Daisy Bea, Reed, and Rose. I hope that you all strive to live up to your full potential. Most of all, I hope that you do what makes you happy. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Heather Caldwell, Dr. Kathleen Montgomery, Dr. Jesse Richter, and Dr. Barbara Schirmer for their guidance and patience during the drafting of this project. This process would not have been possible without the understanding and encouragement offered by my family, and so I extend a special thank you to my wife, Nicole McCormick; my father, John McCormick; my mother, Reda McCormick; my mother-in-law, Donna Darnell; and my sister, Nikki White. I also want to acknowledge Chip Lambert, Jenny Persinger, and Annette Yurkovich Brichford for offering proofreading and editorial advice. I would like to thank my friends, Donald Schafer, Garrett Conner, Dave Webb, Garred Haynes, and Adam Storick, for their support over the last few years. A very special thank you goes out to Doug Laxton, who has been one of my most ardent supporters since I began this project, and offered both encouragement and a shoulder to lean on more times than I can count. Table of Contents Section 1: The Problem ........................................................................................................1 The Local Problem .........................................................................................................1 Rationale ........................................................................................................................9 Definitions of Terms ....................................................................................................11 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................14 Research Questions ......................................................................................................16 Review of the Literature ..............................................................................................17 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................18 Social Cognitive Theory and Teacher Self-Efficacy ............................................ 18 Whole Teacher Approach ..................................................................................... 21 Changes in Perceptions Regarding Geography as a Discipline ...................................23 Geography’s Integration and Subsequent Loss of Identity ................................... 24 Redefining Geography’s Purpose in an Integrated Setting ................................... 28 Obstacles to Teaching Geography as an Integrated Discipline ............................ 31 Geography Curriculum and Pedagogy .........................................................................34 Geography and Literature ..................................................................................... 34 Improving Geographic Pedagogy Using Professional Development ................... 35 Importance of and Challenges in Interdisciplinary Studies .................................. 39 Implications..................................................................................................................42 Summary ......................................................................................................................43 Section 2: The Methodology ..............................................................................................45 Research Design and Approach ...................................................................................45 i Participants ...................................................................................................................49 Data Collection ............................................................................................................53 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................................56 Limitations ...................................................................................................................63 Data Analysis Results ..................................................................................................65 Discrepant Findings .............................................................................................. 69 Evidence of Quality .............................................................................................. 70 Member Checking ................................................................................................. 70 Peer Debriefing ..................................................................................................... 71 Summary of the Findings .............................................................................................72 Relevance to Learning Goals/Objectives .............................................................. 72 Usefulness of Geography/Literature Cross-Disciplinary Instruction ................... 76 Obstacles to the Coteaching of Geography/Literature .......................................... 80 Self-Efficacy for Implementation of Geography/Literature Instruction ............... 84 Summary in Relation to the Literature.................................................................. 89 Deliverable as an Outcome ................................................................................... 92 Section 3: The Project ........................................................................................................95 Introduction ..................................................................................................................95 Rationale ......................................................................................................................96 Review of the Literature ..............................................................................................97 Self-Efficacy and Content Knowledge ................................................................