Teacher Roles in Emerging Middle-Grades Personalized Learning Environments

• In Event: Middle-Level Teacher Knowledge

Abstract

Personalized learning initiatives spreading across the country’s middle and high schools strive for personalized learning environments (PLEs) which are personally relevant to students, individually paced, blended, and can occur anytime and anywhere. Although these characteristics resonate with beliefs about effective middle schooling, teachers developing PLEs confront significant shifts in their traditional roles. This qualitative study examined interview transcripts from 22 middle grades teachers for the roles they adopted while initiating PLEs. Two research questions guided the study: How do middle grades teachers perceive their roles in PLEs? What roles do teachers adopt when transitioning into PLEs? A number of roles clearly emerged from the interviews and may guide the work of middle grades teachers, school leaders, teacher educators and researchers.

Authors

• Katy Farber, The University of Vermont

• John M. Downes, The University of Vermont

• Penny A. Bishop, The University of Vermont