SCHOOL CHANGE: ADOLESCENTS TRANSITIONING FROM CONVENTIONAL SCHOOLING TO HOME-BASED ONLINE EDUCATION By Harvey Lee Klamm Liberty University A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University April, 2012 SCHOOL CHANGE: ADOLESCENTS TRANSITIONING FROM CONVENTIONAL SCHOOLING TO HOME-BASED ONLINE EDUCATION By Harvey Lee Klamm A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA April, 2012 APPROVED BY: SAMUEL J. SMITH, Ed. D. Chair MARILYN GADOMSKI, Ph. D. Committee WILLIAM WHEELER, Ph. D. Committee SCOTT WATSON, Ph. D. Associate Dean. Advanced Programs ABSTRACT Harvey Klamm. SCHOOL CHANGE: ADOLESCENTS TRANSITIONING FROM CONVENTIONAL SCHOOLING TO HOME-BASED ONLINE EDUCATION. (Under the direction of Dr. Samuel Smith) School of Education, April, 2012. This hermeneutic phenomenological research explored the lived experiences of six recently graduated adolescents to extrapolate the valued essence of their transitional encounters in changing from conventional school to home-based online schooling. The homeschool research shifted the emphasis from the outcome-based academic achievement studies prevalent during the past 20 years to a focus on internal and external factors impacting student learning within this technological instructional process. Findings produced from analysis and interpretation of reflective adolescent lived experiences revealed rich truth regarding the internal emotions, environmental adaptations, academic ramifications, and social adaptations encountered when changing from conventional schooling to home- based online school. Cognitive, maturational, and social skills showed reported gains in the move from conventional school to home-based online school. Gender differences were not reported as major contributing adjustment factors. The greatest transitional ramifications were noted by participants who made a geographic move while simultaneously enrolling in home-based online school. The magnitude of the loss in social capital was accentuated by the geographic move. Adolescent attitude in acceptance of the move was a defining element, leading to successful re-establishment of new social capital or resulting in social and psychological withdrawal. Acknowledgements Undertaking a project of this magnitude would have not been possible without the loving support of my family. Special thanks go to my wife Irene for knowing when to push me and when to back off and pray. You are truly a gift from God. Thank you my children, Annette, Christy, and Michael. You were cherished faithful cheerleaders. Heartfelt appreciation is offered to Michael for your technology expertise and unbelievable patience in helping me resolve numerous writing formatting frustrations. The love and prayers of my mother, my siblings and their spouses, and countless numbers of relatives and friends provided the faithful encouragement and spiritual support I needed to complete the work. Special praise is offered to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for answering all prayers. Your guidance helped me through many times of writer block. A special thank you is offered to the participants who made this study possible. Your willingness to contribute provided personal encouragement. The depth and breadth of this work would not have materialized without the rich and honest transparency of your stories. Grateful thanks also go to dissertation committee members Dr. Marilyn Gadomski and Dr. William Wheeler for never giving up on me during the long writing process. A special thank you goes to Dr. Samuel Smith for chairing the committee and for guiding me in this venture through patience, understanding, and wise counsel. Thank you! iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY ........................... 1 Background ............................................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................... 3 Focus of Inquiry ........................................................................................................................ 4 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 4 Research Question .................................................................................................................... 4 Guiding Questions .................................................................................................................... 5 Research Plan ............................................................................................................................ 5 Operational Definition of Terms ......................................................................................... 6 Assumptions ........................................................................................................................ 7 Delimitations ....................................................................................................................... 7 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ................................................................ 10 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................... 12 Review of the Literature ......................................................................................................... 13 Adolescent Theories and Research ................................................................................... 13 Sources of Adolescent Stress ............................................................................................ 21 Adolescent Self-Development in Context ........................................................................ 22 Changing Schools ............................................................................................................. 29 Homeschooling ................................................................................................................. 37 Influence of Technology ................................................................................................... 54 iv Summary of the Literature Review ......................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY ................................... 60 Research Question .................................................................................................................. 60 Research Design...................................................................................................................... 62 Participants .............................................................................................................................. 64 Selection of Site ...................................................................................................................... 66 Procedures ............................................................................................................................... 67 Personal Biography and Researcher Role ............................................................................... 69 Data Collection ....................................................................................................................... 72 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 81 Trustworthiness ....................................................................................................................... 85 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................ 89 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 90 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS/FINDINGS ................................................................................. 92 Demographics and Setting ...................................................................................................... 93 Discontent that Propagated a Decision ................................................................................. 101 Marquise’s Story ............................................................................................................. 101 Stephen’s Story ............................................................................................................... 102 Leigh’s Story ................................................................................................................... 105 Ben’s Story...................................................................................................................... 107 Chuck’s Story.................................................................................................................. 109 Ann’s Story ..................................................................................................................... 110 Themes .................................................................................................................................