Date of Award

5-2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School

College of Education and Human Services

Department/Program

Teacher Education and Teacher Development

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Monica Taylor

Committee Member

Emily Klein

Committee Member

Jeremy Price

Abstract

This dissertation presents findings from a qualitative case study of two K-12 science teacher leader fellows involved in a corporate grant funded professional development program. I specifically examined how teacher leaders used social capital as they facilitated professional development in their schools. I explored the following question: How do teacher leadership activities facilitated by novice teacher leaders who participate in a grant funded teacher leadership professional development program rely on social capital to enact change? The following main themes emerged in the data: (a) intentionality plays a critical role in teacher leadership; (b) teacher leadership activities require an introspective lens; and (c) teacher leaders need to navigate the activity pathway to enact change. The findings highlighted the fluidity and multiplicity of teacher leadership activities and drew on activity theory through a social capital perspective to examine and understand the interconnected nature of relationships among community members (teacher leaders, teachers, administrators, and university faculty) within a teacher leadership activity pathway.

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