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1 Problem of Practice Needs Assessment Preliminary Site Information The National Center for Education Statistics ([NCES], 2021) provides demographic information and statistics for districts and schools across the United States. Norwood Elementary School will serve as the research site during this study. According to the NCES (2021), Norwood Elementary is located in an urban school district in the state of Alabama, which is the fifth largest in the state. The district, which was established in 1874, serves almost 22,000 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade, who attend 42 schools. The district employs about 2,700 certified and classified personnel and has an annual budget of $302 million dollars. The majority of the students (70%) are Black. About 24% are White and 4% are Hispanic. Another 1% are Asian and 1% are from two or more races. Most of the students in the district (94%) speak English as their first language. Approximately 6% of the students’ first language is not English. About 9% have been identified with a disability as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ([IDEA], 2004). Norwood Elementary is a midsize school. According to the NCES (2021), of the 307 students who attend Norwood Elementary School, 17 are enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten and 47 are in kindergarten. An additional 37 are enrolled in the first grade; 64 are enrolled in the second grade; 49 are enrolled in the third grade; 43 are enrolled in the fourth grade, and 43 are enrolled in the fifth grade. The majority (274) of the students who attend the school are of African American descent. Hispanics represent the second highest number (27) of the students enrolled. The remaining students are White (3), students of two or more races (2), and American Indian/Alaska Natives (1). The medium annual income of students’ families in the district is $34,127 dollars. Just over 37% of the students in the district are from families who live below the

2 poverty level and 47% of the students’ parents/guardians receive assistance from the state government for food. All students who attend the school are eligible to receive free meals. Therefore, Norwood Elementary is categorized as a Title 1 School and receives federal funding to improve students’ outcomes in reading and in mathematics (NCES, 2021). Approximately 66% of the families are renters of their housing facilities compared to 34%, who are homeowners. Only 30% of the students are from homes with married parents. About 57% of the district’s students reside in female-led household where no husband is present and 7% live in male-led households where no wife is present. The majority of the students’ parents/guardians includes either some college or an associate degree (40%). About 31% of the students’ parents/guardians hold a high school diploma or its equivalent and 12% did not finish high school. Only 17% of the students’ parents/guardians hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (NCES, 2021). The 19 teachers who are employed at the school provide instruction to approximately 307 students in Pre-K through fifth grade, 164 who are male and 143 who are female. Certified staff members include two Pre-K teachers, two kindergarten teachers, two first grade teachers, two second grade teachers, three third grade teachers, two fourth grade teachers, two fifth grade teachers, one special education teacher, one gifted education teacher, one ESL teacher, one Physical Ed teacher, one Math Coach, one Instructional Curriculum Coach, one Reading Coach, one Reading Interventionist, one Media Specialist, one music teacher, one band teacher, and one principal (NCES, 2021). Gratin (2021) reported that in December of 2020, the COVID-19 positivity rate for the district was 18%. As a result, the district went to all virtual learning. Then, in February of 2021, the COVID-19 positivity rate for the district decreased to 9%. On February 19, 2021, the

3 district’s superintendent directed all employees to return to work in-person on March 1, 2021. The same day, students were informed that they would be provided the option to choose to continue receiving instruction virtually or they could participate in blended learning beginning March 8, 2021. Students who chose blended learning were divided into two groups. Students in Group A received instruction in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students in Group B received instruction on Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, students worked independently to complete assignments at home. Currently, approximately 12 or 3.94% of the 307 Pre-K-5 students enrolled at Norwood Elementary School continue to participate in virtual learning fulltime (S. Porterfield, Personal communication, December 12, 2021). There or 97 or 31.59% of the students who have opted to participate in blended learning (S. Porterfield, Personal communication, December 12, 2021). The remaining 198 or 64.49% of the school’s Pre-K-5 students come into the physical classroom each day to receive face-to-face instruction (S. Porterfield, Personal communication, December 12, 2021). It should be further noted that because of the district’s adoption of the no-touch virtual learning policy, physical sharing or contact through technologies such as paper, books, computer tablets, phones, and other devices is not permitted (Birmingham City Schools, 2021). Instead, teachers are permitted to only use online platforms to provide instruction and to evaluate student learning (Birmingham City Schools, 2021). In turn, all students must use online platforms to receive instruction and to complete and upload assignments. Teachers and students who are physically present in the classroom must use their own computer devices (Birmingham City Schools, 2021).

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4 Statement of the Problem The problem of practice that will be addressed is Norwood Elementary School teachers’ lack of efficacy for providing virtual instruction that addresses the math performance of first through fifth grade students as measured by the iReady Math Assessment. At Norwood Elementary School, teachers administer the iReady Assessment to students in grades one through five. The purpose of the iReady Math Assessment is to identify students’ mastery of math concepts and operations. The assessment is administered three times each year, once at the beginning of the school year and again in the middle and at the end of the year. The scale scores vary by grade level and by intervals. Each scale score is categorized into one of three categories or placement definitions and then color-coded as either green, yellow, or red. An iReady Math Assessment Score is color-coded as green if the student is emerging or performs either on or no more than one year below grade level. The score is color-coded as yellow if a student performs two levels below their current grade level. A score that is color-coded red indicates that the study performed three or more grade levels below their current grade. Results from the latest iReady Math Assessment indicate that significant in 2020, significant numbers of students who attend Norwood Elementary School earned scores that were categorized as red and therefore performed three or more grade levels below their current grade in math. Moreover, within many grade levels, although the numbers and percentages of students who earned scores that were categorized as red more than doubled after the emergence of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the numbers and percentages of students who scores were categorized as green decreased by more than 50%. The decrease in the numbers and percentages of K-6 students at Norwood Elementary School, whose earned scores that were categorized compared to the increase in the numbers and percentages of those whose earned scores that were categorized as red on the iReady Math

5 Assessment Scores from 2019 to 2020, indicate that the virtual math instruction provided by teachers on-site has been less effective than the math instruction provided in-person. The problem of practice that will be addressed are the numbers and percentages first through fifth grade students at Norwood Elementary School, who earn scores categorized as red as determined by the iReady Math Assessment. The decline in Norwood Elementary students’ performance on the iReady Math Assessment from 2019 to 2020 indicates a gap between teachers’ effectiveness for providing virtual instruction that improves math proficiency among first through fifth grade students and the students’ actual performance. In addition, there seems to be a gap in the school principals’ expectation regarding the teachers’ ability to use online math instruction that fosters the academic needs of students who attend Norwood Elementary School and the teachers’ perceptions of their lack of self-efficacy for providing online math instruction that fosters the meets the academic needs of students their students. Since the onset of COVID-19, teachers at Norwood Elementary School have not been provided with adequate professional development offerings that will improve their efficacy for providing virtual instruction to their students that will improve their math performance. However, even before the onset of COVID-19, researchers have found that virtual learning presented challenges for teachers and for students ( Livy et al., 2021; Mills et al ., 2021; Rahayu, 2020). Researchers Buentello-Montoya (2021), Knake et al. (2021) and Polly et al. (2022) also found that accommodating the learning needs of students who receive virtual instruction has been challenging and that helping students perform at optimum levels while receiving instruction online requires more attention to teaching strategies and students learning. However, lowered student performance throughout the nation, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, has prevented even greater challenges and the need for news

6 skills of teachers and school leaders for identifying and utilizing innovative pedagogical approaches to accommodate the academic needs of their students through virtual learning (Darling-Hammond et al., 2019). Despite the reopening of Norwood Elementary School on March 8, 2021, amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, K-65 teachers and students continue to participate in virtual teaching and learning. Data and Evidence Virtual instruction provided by Norwood Elementary School teachers from 2019 to 2020 proved to be ineffective for improving the math performance of first through fifth grade students. The data and evidence are documented by both quantitative and qualitative data sources: (a) The iReady Math Assessment scores; and (b) teachers’ responses to questions to a questionnaire on professional development. Data and evidence from the iReady Math Assessment scores verify an increase in the numbers and percentages of K-6 students at Norwood Elementary School, who performed three or more grade levels below their current grade, and the numbers and percentages of students who performed either on or no more than one year below their grade level. The iReady Math Assessment scores also provide evidence that the numbers and percentages of students whose scores were categorized green and who performed at or above grade level diminished from 2019 to 2020. 2019 and 2020 iReady Math Assessment Scores The first set of data used to provide data and evidence for the need to improve teachers’ effectiveness for providing math instruction virtually are the 2019 and 2020 iReady math assessment scores for students in grades first through six. Although the 2019 iReady math assessment was administered at Norwood Elementary School, the students completed the 2020 iReady math assessment within their homes during school closure. Although the differences in

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7 the environments where students took the test in 2019 and in 2020 may have been a factor that influenced students’ outcomes on the 2020 iReady math assessment, during this problem of practice, the environments where students took the test in 2019 and in 2020 will not be considered. The students whose iReady math assessment scores provide data and evidence were grouped into Cohorts A, B, C, and D and tracked from 2019 to 2020. Cohort A is represented by 38 first students during the 2018-2019 school year and in 39 second grade students during the 2019-2020 school year. Cohort B represents the 44 students who were in the second during the 2018-2019 school year and the 39 students who were in the third grade during the 2019-2020 school year. Cohort C is representative of the 45 students who were in the third grade during the 2018-2019 school year and the 43 students who were in the fourth grade during the 2019-2020 school year. Cohort D is representative of the 48 fourth grade students who were in the fourth grade during the 2018-2019 school year and in the 45 students who were in the fifth grade during the 2019-2020 school year. The iReady Math Assessment Scores for two groups of students enrolled at Norwood Elementary School for the school years of 2018-2019 and 2019-20 were not considered. First, the students who were in the fifth grade were not included in this study because they were in the sixth grade during the 2019-2020 academic year and no longer attended Norwood Elementary School, which serves only students in grades Pre-K through five. The scores for the 30 students who were in the first grade during the 2019-2020 academic year were not considered because the data in this section is limited to 2020. Prior to the school closure in the district due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in March 2019, 222 students who attended Norwood Elementary School took the iReady Math Assessment. Of

8 the 38 students in Cohort A, who were tested in March 2019, five earned scores that were categorized as red; 20 earned scores that were categorized as yellow; and 13 earned scores that were categorized as green. The iReady Math Assessment was not administered to students in Cohort A again until May 2020, when the students were in the second grade. From 2019 to 2020, the number of students whose scores were categorized as red and who were three or more grade levels below their current grade level in math increased from 5 (13.15%) to 23 (58.97%), a rise of by 18 students or by 45.82 percentage points. From 2019 to 2020, the number of students whose scores were categorized as yellow and who performed two levels below their current grade level in math decreased from 20 (52.63%) to 15 (35.89%), a difference of four students or 33.26 percentage points. The same academic years, the number of students whose scores were categorized as green and who performed performs either on or no more than one year below grade level in math decreased from 13 (34.21%) to 2 (5.12%), a difference of 11 students or 29.09 percentage points. Table 1 displays 2, and 3 display the differences in the numbers and percentages of students at Norwood Elementary School by cohort who scored at each proficiency level on the 2019 and 2020 iReady Math Assessments.

9 Table 1 2019 and 2020 Numbers and Percentages of Students at Each Math Proficiency Level on the iReady Math Assessment -Norwood Elementary Cohort Number Tested Color Source: 2019/2020 iReady Math Assessment School Reports Teacher Questionnaire In July of 2021, the 12 teachers from Norwood Elementary School completed an openended questionnaire which focused on their participation in professional development related to virtual instruction. The main purpose of the questionnaire was to identify the teachers’ professional development needs that would lend to their self-efficacy for providing virtual instruction to improve student outcomes in all subject areas, including math. Another purpose of 2019/2000 Category 2019 2020 Differences A 38/39 Red 5/13.15 23/58.97 -18/-45.82 Yellow 20/52.63 14/35.89 - 6/-16.74 Green 13/34.21 2/5.12 -11/-29.09 B 4/41 Red 4/9.09 15/36.58 +11/+27.49 Yellow 17/38.63 20/48.78 -3/- 10.15 Green 23/52.27 4/ 9.75 -19/-42.52 C 45/43 Red 5/11.11 18/41.86 +13/+30.75 Yellow 15/33.33 23/53.48 - 8/-20.15 Green 25/55.55 2/4.65 -23/-50.90 D 48/45 Red 6/12.50 20/44.44 +14/+31.94 Yellow 19/39.58 24/53.33 +23/+58.97 Green 23/47.91 1/2.22 -22/ -45.69

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10 the questionnaire was to collect information regarding the teachers’ opinions about the quality of the professional development provided relating to Clever, iReady Math, iReady Reading and Nearpod, digital platforms used at Norwood Elementary to complete such tasks as recording data relating to student attendance, communication with parents, grades and assessments. The questionnaire was distributed via email by the school’s principal. The principal also collected the teachers’ responses and collaborated with the school’s leadership team to analyze the results. An analysis of the teachers’ responses to the questions indicated that overall, while they had been informed that the forum for which they provided instruction would change from in person teaching and learning due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, they had not previously used virtual platforms to teach the state curriculum using only a virtual platform and were not adequately prepared to do so at the onset of school closure. Responses also indicated that none of the 12 teachers at Norwood Elementary School had participated in professional development that focused on effective strategies for teaching the benchmarks from the state curriculum only using a virtual platform. Responses from the questionnaire further noted that as of July 2021, there had been no consensus among district administrators or the Norwood Elementary School leadership team about specific guidelines that should be used to provide online instruction. The 12 teachers also provided responses to questions regarding their satisfaction with professional development digital platforms used at Norwood Elementary. Clever, an internet based digital platform is used to track student attendance, communication with parents and grades. Findings indicated that five (42.5%) out of 12 teachers were satisfied with the training experience regarding Clever. The teachers also indicated that Clever was instrumental for designing virtual lessons and student assignments. Professional development on the use of

11 Clever had also helped to reduce their uncertainties about navigating virtual learning platforms. To the contrary, some teachers indicated being dissatisfied with the Clever platform because they were unable to use it to complete tasks crucial to their consequent role in providing virtual learning. Schoology was another digital platform that classroom teachers used to create specific learning tasks and virtual classroom management. The teachers also provided their perceptions about Schoology. Schoology is a digital platform used for classwork, homework, assessments and contained district resources. The survey showed that six (50%) teachers being satisfied with using Schoology to organize curricula content. Teachers’ responses regarding Schoology also indicated that they perceived the platform to be easy to organize and arrange instruction and user-friendly for students. Six (50%) of the teachers reported having positive experiences using iReady Math. iReady Mat is a computer software program that offers self-paced differentiated instruction and provides students with skill practice and benchmark assessments. Most of the teachers reported being proficient with using iReady Math and noted that it useful for assigning instruction to students and evaluating them based on their performance. Teachers’ also provided information about their use of Nearpod. Nearpod is an online platform that allows students to take ownership of their learning. Results from the questionnaire indicated that that three (24%) of the participants exhibited some satisfaction with the use of Nearpod. Five (45%) of the teachers reported that main problem using Nearpod were difficulties with the internet speed at the school, which did not have adequate broadband for downloading information from the website. The 12 teachers’ overall responses from the questionnaire indicated that additional professional development on the use of Clever, iReady Math, iReady

12 Reading and Nearpod, might be necessary in order to improve their effectiveness for providing virtual instruction to students at Norwood Elementary School. Potential Root Causes Findings from the 2019 and 2020 iReady Math Assessment scores and from teachers’ responses provided on the questionnaire indicated a need for Norwood Elementary School teachers to improve their online instructional delivery. The district’s adoption of the transition from total virtual delivery of instruction and student learning due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and later the transition to a blended learning approach without adequate professional development led to a decline in teacher instruction and ultimately negatively students’ performance. The root of the practice problem seemed to be that many of Norwood Elementary School teachers’ have not been offered nor participated in professional development that lends to their efficacy for providing virtual math instruction that fosters the learning needs of their K-6 students. The casual analysis diagram (see Appendix B) illustrates the factors interacting during the pandemic and impacting education delivery through online training. Teachers’ inability to accommodate the learning needs of their students through virtually may also be caused by personal factors. Personal factors are those that involve the lack of knowledge about strategies used to engage students in online learning, downloading disruptions, and training assessment completion, determine the teachers’ learning outcomes (see Appendix B). The diagram was developed by analyzing the contextual factors interacting in a virtual educating setting. The Casual Analysis (see Appendix B) displays the results and challenges classroom teachers encountered with their training experiences and outcomes in online learning. Due to personal factors, virtual teaching may be challenging, especially for teachers who have limited experience providing virtual instruction.

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13 An analyzation of the iReady Math Assessment scores and teachers’ responses on the professional development questionnaire indicate a gap in the principals’ expectation regarding the teachers’ ability to use online math instruction that fosters the academic needs of students who attend Norwood Elementary School and the teachers’ perceptions of their lack of self- efficacy for providing online math instruction that fosters the meets the academic needs of students their students. Further, there is a gap between the professional development offerings, provided by the district and school administrators, which related to virtual delivery and teachers’ professional needs regarding online instructional delivery. For example, during a meeting with the school’s principal, she informed that during school closure, the teachers had been unable to select the most viable online platforms for providing instruction to their students, which in placed the responsibility for meeting the students’ virtual learning needs solely on the instructional faculty. The principal specifically stated: We have multiple apps and platform options, from which teachers have the discretion to choose to develop their online teaching content. However, we have had cases of some teachers getting students on platform, then realizing that there are things they had planned that cannot happen on these apps. (S Porterfield, Personal communication, October 05, 2021) The principal went on to explain that it was at the teachers’ discretion to use any of the several online programs offered by the district and by the school but noted that some of the platforms were insufficient for adequately addressing virtual teaching and learning needs during school closure. She shared:

14 We have had so much time wastage in this context, with students skipping some aspects or teachers having to figure out ways to deliver them physically. If we are to avoid such issues next year, we need our teachers to know what they are doing before the year starts. (S Porterfield, Personal communication, October 05, 2021) The problem of practice is needed in order to address the gap between the differences between Norwood Elementary’s principal and teachers’ perceptions about the professional development offerings previously provided on using a virtual platform to teach the benchmarks listed in the state curriculum. Organizational Context Analysis History of the Problem Norwood Elementary is categorized as Title 1 public school. Title I Schools are those which receive federal funding to improve the math and reading scores of K-12 students who are from low socioeconomic backgrounds as determined by their ability to qualify for reduced-price or free meals. However, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 100% of the students who attended Norwood were eligible to receive free meals. Furthermore, prior to the pandemic, due to inadequate funding, Norwood Elementary teachers and students did not have school-issued electronic devices to support virtual learning, nor did they have training on how to use virtual platforms. Instead, students were offered the Accelus Program as a virtual option. The Acellus Program is an interactive self-paced learning program that uses pre-recorded individualized lessons to improve student skills based on curriculum requirements. However, teachers were not trained how to use the Acellus Program on a virtual platform. The decline in Norwood Elementary’s teacher effectiveness and students’ math

15 performance begin when teaching and learning platforms suddenly changed from a traditional face-to-face in person platform to a totally virtual method due to COVID-19 Pandemic. In response to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 transmissions and related deaths the United States, including in Alabama. Nevertheless, some parents supported the transition from in-person to online learning during the pandemic, but others opposed the new method and cited concerns associated with the lack of childcare, reliance of free meals, the lack of technology, and support for the children who were identified as having special needs. In response, the districts school superintendent mandated on that due to the adoption of no-touch and virtual learning, all teaching and learning take place online. It was expected that the delivery of quality instruction would ensue and that optimal learning and student performance would reflect positive academic outcomes. However, the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic presented new challenges for teachers who adopted a new method for instructional delivery, a virtual learning platform. Organization Mission and Values The mission of Norwood Elementary School is to ensure that every child will succeed academically in a safe learning environment with varied experiences, a dedicated staff, and an involved community (Norwood Elementary School, 2021). Norwood's mission is to provide quality education to all students (Norwood Elementary School, 2021). The mission is reflected in the school's predominant population, students who come from families living below the poverty line. The free lunch program also aids in the school's mission and ensures all students have at least two meals a day. Norwood Elementary School's staff and faculty are guided by values, which include equality, nondiscrimination, and service to all students. The teachers at Norwood Elementary School take pride in educating their students to use their knowledge to become productive citizens.

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16 Organizational Culture Norwood is a Title 1 school established under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Title 1 schools remain the largest federally funded programs. Fostered by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, ESEA was enacted to aid underprivileged children to easily access education and meet the stringent academic standards in the states. Norwood Elementary community stakeholders enjoy political and socio-economic goodwill as a Title 1 school. The classroom teachers also want a feeling of approval and support from the community. This learning institution fulfills the core mandate of Title 1 schools, which is to help low achieving students living in poverty to achieve the stringent state academic requirements. Usually, Title 1 schools receive funding for traditional learning and teaching methods, i.e., in person education. Assumptions Regarding the Problem District and Norwood Elementary School stakeholders assumed that when teachers’ instructional delivery method changed from face-to-face in person learning the quality instruction lend to positive teaching and learning outcomes. However, such was not the case and teachers’ ability to meet the academic learning needs by relying solely on a virtual platform declined. As much as the COVID-19 prompted a shift in the way teachers' learning was conducted, the educational delivery shift also presented educators to consider new and innovative ways of for providing online instruction. Further, the shortage of funding to train the teachers meant that they explored new areas without the requisite training. Navigating the online platforms and disseminating material to students initially proved very difficult. Teachers have become gradually accustomed to online distance learning due to the prolonged subsistence of the pandemic. Teachers and students’ low level of participation in virtual teaching-learning training

17 sessions remains a crucial concern for the leadership team of Norwood School. The challenge of teacher training may be perceived not as a problem but as adapting to future trends. The reaction of Norwood Elementary teachers to the global pandemic has shown that distance learning has become part of contemporary learning, and it should not be perceived only as a pandemic remedy. Assumptions of the Leadership Team The leadership team at Norwood Elementary School thinks the solution or interventions discussed in this analysis will have the desired effect because the solutions and interventions will enhance student learning across the curriculum. The school's leadership believes that teachers are responsible for setting the tone for learning in an educational environment. The school administration thinks that virtual teaching may remain challenging for teachers with limited digital experience. The management believes that it is necessary to engage teachers in designing virtual teaching-learning platforms. The school's leadership, especially the principal, was instrumental in instilling an awareness of virtual training for online instruction in the teachers and members of staff. Teachers in the school found it difficult to transition from teaching students through traditional approaches and embracing virtual educational strategies. Norwood Elementary School teachers reported that digital learning caused interruptions in the teaching process due to certain factors. Some teachers have inadequate digital experience and operate electronic devices. Teachers faced difficulties when exposed to remote learning because some of the teachers had limited digital technology experience. However, teachers cannot manage their learning curves because of the challenges with digital learning. The teachers that had little technology experience had a complex time learning. In addition, the school’s management assumed that training teachers on virtual platforms will improve their proficiency in

18 digital instruction, digital classroom resources, digital tests, digital platform-based physical activity guides, and basic computer skills. Assumptions of Other Stakeholders Despite teaching virtually without training or practice, the leadership expects teachers to achieve maximum student participation and encourage collaborative learning while providing instruction virtually to students. Therefore, teachers should learn in a comfortable environment in an ideal educational setting. The management at Norwood School contended that teachers must be satisfied with their learning curves. The administration team at Norwood Elementary School sets the demos for virtual teaching to enhance the teachers’ ability to conduct virtual classes due to minimal or no technical disruptions experienced. The leadership team believes that teachers will be comfortable and involved in the training program if the school district’s administrative team is entrusted with the training program. The school management assumed that if teachers learn how to troubleshoot connectivity challenges to online platforms and other variables, then troubleshooting challenges will reduce the number of disruptions in teaching. The management at Norwood Elementary School's efforts are to increase teachers' knowledge of the use of digital platforms could enhance their teaching abilities and increase on students’ online classroom engagement and performance Supportive Organizational Factors Virtual instructional was a novel concept for the many of the 12 teachers at Norwood Elementary. Their responses provided to questions on the instrument regarding the professional development offerings related to virtual teaching and learning were used to identify various were supportive organizational factors needed to improve teachers’ proficiency for providing online instruction. The principal and the membership team, including yours truly at Norwood

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19 Elementary School have identified the need for Norwood Elementary teachers to receive professional development on effective virtual instructional strategies. In response to the teachers’ professional development needs, the leadership has vowed to host professional development one day each week during the school year. The leadership team will also collaborate with teachers, instructional curriculum coaches, and other stakeholders to gather valid and significant data to continue providing ongoing professional development and teacher support. Potential Organizational Barriers Certain organizational barriers may impede teachers’ abilities to improve their proficiency for providing online instruction. Among these potential organizational barriers are identifying and obtaining human and material resources that provide effective virtual instructional strategies for engaging students in online learning such as printed materials and manipulatives used for teacher demonstrations and those for student actives that require tactile activities. Another potential barrier may be downloading disruptions associated with the low bandwidth both at the school and at the students’ homes. Providing effective virtual instruction and improving student learning also requires additional funds to be channeled towards equipment such as additional computer hardware and software. Obtaining additional funding for such a transition involves a lengthy bureaucratic process that can curtail the rapid success of the transitional process from traditional to online learning. Apart from financial requirements, another barrier is to engage teachers and students in the frequency and quality of professional development. Norwood Elementary’s leadership team should proactively commit to identifying the organizational barriers the impede teachers’ abilities to improve their proficiency for providing online instruction and student learning.

20 Scope and Significance of the Problem This section describes the importance of the scope of research in context to the problem identified. The scope of the problem is a group of 12 teachers who need virtual training at Norwood Elementary School. The teachers' self-reported technological deficiencies were perceived as a hindrance in the educational process by teachers and leaders. The training program might improve teaching effectiveness in teachers at Norwood School through virtual platforms. There are 307 students potentially impacted by the intervention. The significance of the problem is that the low-level technical competency level of the teachers affected upbeat, educational delivery in virtual settings for hundreds of students. Initially, there were 12 teachers with little to no training to teach in a virtual capacity. The training is expected to bolster teachers' self-taught skills and increase their delivery of lessons to students. Virtual training will benefit Norwood classroom teachers in many ways, such as learning new technology skills, virtual interaction with students, accessing various learning platforms, and collaborating with other classroom teachers. Nevertheless, the proposed training programs might impose a financial burden on the school administration. The leadership team at Norwood Elementary School continues to seek to identify human and material resources that provide effective virtual instructional strategies for improving virtual teaching and online learning. The resources sought are based on the teachers’ self-reported needs for professional development and other sources of materials and information related to the organization’s goals, which is to improve the overall quality of education. Hence, the management at Norwood Elementary will provide regular help to troubleshoot technical issues. The virtual training is expected to enhance classroom teachers by raising the academic bar, students’ awareness of needs, and allowing teachers to be creative with engaging activities. Additionally, during the subsistence of the pandemic, the administration

21 resolved to evaluate teachers at least three times per year to ascertain their progress in the efficient delivery of class material. Theory of Action The problem of practice that will be addressed is Norwood Elementary School teachers’ inability to provide virtual instruction that improves the math performance of first through fifth grade students as measured by the iReady Math Assessment. An analyzation of the iReady Math Assessment scores and teachers’ responses provided on the professional development questionnaire, there seems to be a gap in the school principals’ expectation regarding the teachers’ ability to use online math instruction that fosters the academic needs of students who attend Norwood Elementary School and the teachers’ perceptions of their lack of self-efficacy for providing online math instruction that meets the academic needs of their students. Childress and & Marietta (2008) offered an eight-step problem-solving approach to designing and implementing a strategy for remedying an organizational problem. The steps are: (1) identify the problem; (2) analyze the problem and diagnosis its cause; (3) developing a theory of action; (4) designing the strategy; (5) plan for implementation; (6) implement the strategy; (7) access the progress; and (8) adapt and modify for continuous improvement. Analyzing the problem Norwood Elementary School teachers’ inability to provide virtual instruction that improves the math performance of first through fifth grade students and diagnosing its causes were previously reported in the Data and Evidence Section. The implementation of the theory of action by the Norwood Elementary teachers and leadership team is expected to improve virtual teaching and learning. This section focuses on the theory of action. Developing a theory of action entails determining how a problem will be solved by attacking its causes.

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22 Proposed Approach to the Problem of Practice In order to address the problem School teachers’ inability to provide virtual instruction that improves the math performance of first through fifth grade students, the following steps will be taken. One proposed action by the leadership of Norwood Elementary School is to address the teachers’ self-reported deficiencies for providing virtual math instruction. In that case, the instructional curriculum coach will provide professional development for 12 classroom teachers to decrease their deficiencies in information technology related to teaching-learning over virtual platforms. The teachers will receive teaching strategies for increasing their efficacy for providing virtual math instruction. Another plan of action is to obtain additional funding to support teachers’ improvement on virtual math instruction through professional development and additional human and material resources. The leadership team will revisit the school’s budget in order to determine which funds can be redirected to support online instruction and student learning. Obtaining additional funding for the purchase of such technologies as student manipulatives and teacher demonstrations may be used to more readily engage students in online learning. In addition to revisiting the school’s budget, the leadership team will identify potential grant sources which support online teaching and learning and will apply for at least two per year. The leadership team will collaborate and compile and distribute two online survey instruments for parents/guardians and students at Norwood Elementary School. The parent/guardian survey will be used to collect information about parents’ perceptions regarding currently used online teaching strategies and student learning and to assess their needs for supporting their children’s virtual learning performance. The student survey will be used to collect information about students’ perceptions regarding how teachers can best support their

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23 online learning experiences and performance. The information from the two surveys will be used to make future budgetary decisions and to alter instructional strategies as needed. Additionally, the information will be used to inform district administrators about Norwood Elementary teachers’ and students’ successes and continued challenges related to virtual teaching and learning. Another problem identified was the absence of adequate broadband for downloading information from the website. To address this problem, the leadership team will collaborate with the technology specialists on site and at the district level to identify solutions for increasing the school’s broadband. The leadership team will also collaborate with local and district-level technology specialists to address issues concerning low internet connectivity and software updates the lend to interrupted teaching through virtual platforms. Table 2 displays the leadership team’s plan of action to addressing the problem of Norwood Elementary School teachers’ efficacy for providing virtual instruction that improves the math performance of first through fifth grade students. Table 2 Plan of Action for Addressing the Problem of Teacher Efficacy Relating to Virtual Instruction-Norwood Elementary The Problem Identified: 1. Teacher deficiencies for providing online math instruction 2. The lack of funding for additional Plan for Addressing the Problem: 1. The math curriculum coach will collaborate with the leadership instructional team and teachers to identify and provide professional development to decrease barriers to teaching and learning using virtual platforms. 2. The leadership team will revisit the school’s budget in order to redirect funds that

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24 human and material resources support virtual math instruction support virtual math instruction. 3. The leadership team will create and distribute a survey to collect parents’ perceptions about the types of resources and support need for improving their children’s math performance while receiving virtual instruction. 4. The leadership team will compile and distribute a student survey to collect information about their how their teachers can best support their virtual online learning and math performance. 5. The leadership team will collaborate with the district and on-site technology specialists to identify and incorporate solutions for increasing the school’s current broadband width. 6. The leadership team will collaborate with the school’s technology specialists to identify and incorporate solutions for increasing internet Connectivity. 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . The lack of parental input concerning their children’s virtual learning needs The lack of students’ input concerning their need for online engagement and support to improve their math performance Inadequate Internet Broadband Width Low Internet Connectivity Speed Alignment of the Doctoral Project to Your Specialization A strong collaboration is necessary to improve training, assessment, instruction, and curriculum among crucial stakeholders related to the integration of online and offline teachinglearning platforms in elementary education. This doctoral project section elucidates the need for developing teaching skills over online tools. The iReady Math Assessment scores, teachers’ responses to questions to a questionnaire on professional development, and a meeting with the principal of Norwood Elementary School indicated a gap between the goals of the Norwood School’s senior leadership team on the quality of teaching through virtual platforms and the teachers’ self-reported perception in terms of competency after attending the necessary training. The proposed project aligns with the competency of teachers in information technology

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25 for facilitating teaching-learning at the elementary school level. The challenges and opportunities faced by elementary school teachers and the necessary training requirements for teaching through virtual platforms were established in this project. Obtaining computer skills, professional development, online training, teaching resources, and instructional material can improve teaching perceptions of virtual teaching platforms. The doctoral project aligns with the mission of ensuring quality education in terms of instruction and assessment. Therefore, the gaps, barriers, and competencies are related to virtual teaching and learning platforms used by elementary school teachers. Teachers were afraid of virtual teaching due to their low competency levels and no prior training. An analyzation of the teachers’ responses from the needs assessment indicated that the content and context of information technology those facilitate curriculum development, instruction level, and assessment methods in elementary school education. Different facilitators enable elementary school teachers the requisite competency and the positive attitude for adapting to online training and virtual instruction. Therefore, this project is significant for improving virtual teaching and student learning. Responses from the surveys also revealed the expected outcomes of the ideal competency level of teachers, which is defined by their knowledge and ability to complete the virtual task stated in this analysis. Therefore, it is essential to conduct virtual training to enhance virtual learning, especially during COVID-19 pandemic times, with the goal of student achievement. The plan of action for this project supports the need to improve virtual teaching and learning for Norwood Elementary School’s teachers and students. The school’s leadership team will identify and address the technological deficiencies that impede the quality of online teaching by the teachers. Teachers should receive professional development in training on the platforms

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26 for learning. Teachers should be motivated to carry out online knowledge, and they should be able to have access to the resources. The proposed doctoral project is aligned with the theory of action that will be used to provide solutions to the problem of practice including the deficiency of technology, improving the quality of online teaching by the teachers, and providing a faster and traffic-free website. This doctoral project will expand knowledge and inform practice within by providing information relating to virtual math instruction and student learning in online platforms. Rationale for the Project The rationale for the project complemented the importance of teachers training in virtual tools. One advantage of improving teachers’ competence in virtual teaching-learning platforms is to enhance the quality of education. The best way to address the problem statement is to implement interventions that are applicable to the action theory. The best way to address the learning challenges of teachers is to transition from a traditional learning approach to a virtual learning approach. Another benefit in managing the learning challenges is through training on virtual platforms. The decision could significantly reduce the cost of the school in bringing teachers and students. The learning need of the teachers on information technology-based teaching-learning platforms should guide the timeline and deliverables of the training curriculum. The best way to address the learning challenges of teachers is by developing tailormade training in an individualistic manner. The classroom teachers’ participation in the training program offers them the ability to provide creative solutions to other challenges within the elementary education settings. The proposed project intervention will occur within the first two weeks of EDD 9954, beginning on July 12, 2022.

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27 Another way Norwood Elementary classroom teachers benefit from the proposed virtual learning is by providing accessibility to school resources to all teachers. The proposed project is necessary for teachers as it aligns with Norwood Elementary teachers’ objectives and goals to ensure a productive and positive learning environment and maintain a diversified plan to provide a functional, efficient, safe, and satisfying school. Norwood's leadership and the classroom teachers must be committed to the project to see the completion and implementation of the proposed project. The importance of the school’s leadership commitment to the project is that they create an open environment for the classroom teachers to work. The other strength of leadership commitment to the project implementation is that they collaborate with the classroom teachers to improve the proposed project. Despite the challenges associated with virtual learning, information technology-based teaching is solicited for the new normal. Furthermore, for Norwood Elementary classroom teachers training to remain relevant during a pandemic when physical learning is impossible, they must adapt to virtual learning. Implementation of virtual learning enabled the students to learn when it is most convenient because they are from different locations and environments. The implementation of a virtual learning platform impacts Norwood Elementary in many ways. The school's benefit from the introduction of virtual learning is that it helps the leadership staff manage time. Virtual learning helps in time management by providing learning platforms, and the staff saves many hours weekly by not having to travel back and forth to school. The leadership and instructional curriculum coach will use the available data to support the proposed project to address teachers’ learning process. The leadership will encourage the classroom teachers to utilize the available data to drive their learning instructions, which is easier in a classroom setting than a virtual learning platform. Teachers were not prepared and had not

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28 planned to avail content virtually to students regularly, which will be available by the online learning platforms. Utilizing available data are more accessible in a virtual learning platform than in classroom settings because virtual teachers will not be preparing and planning to avail content to students regularly, which will be available by online learning. To further support the proposed project, the leadership at Norwood Elementary will regularly communicate with classroom teachers to provide them with opportunities to collaborate with their peers. Consequently, Norwood Elementary classroom teachers reduce virtual students’ challenges when ensuring legitimate student interaction. The leadership at Norwood Elementary will minimize the temptations to manipulate the system through routine observations, collaboration, and communication. This systematic collaboration and communication between the leadership and classroom teachers can occur online or in person through discussion groups, feedback, and digital messaging centers. Site Permission Norwood Elementary School’s leadership, Dr. Sakema Porterfield, and the 12 classroom teachers listed in this study provided conditional permission for this applied improvement project (AIP). This project site, Norwood Elementary School, does require Institutional Board Review for the doctoral project.

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29 References Birmingham City Schools (2021). Covid response guide. Retrieved from https://www.bhamcityschools.org/cms/lib/AL01001646/Centricity/Domain/4/Covid%20r esponse%20final%20draft%208_6.pdf Buentello-Montoya, D. A., Lomelí-Plascencia, M. G., & Medina-Herrera, L. M. (2021). The role of reality enhancing technologies in teaching and learning of mathematics. Computers & Electrical Engineering , 94 , 107287. Camacho, D. J., & Legare, J. M. (2021). Pivoting to online learning—The future of learning and work. The Journal of Competency-Based Education, 6 (1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbe2.1239 Childress, S., & Marietta, G. (2008). A problem-solving approach to designing and implementing a strategy to improve performance [PDF]. Public Education Leadership Project at Harvard University. https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/pelp/files/pel083p2.pdf Clever (Ed.). (n.d.). About clever, the most widely used SSO platform for K12 education . Clever. https://clever.com/about. Dengel, A., & Mägdefrau, J. (2018, December). Immersive training explored: Subjective and objective factors influencing training outcomes in immersive educational virtual environments. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Training for Engineering (TALE) (pp. 608-615). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/TALE.2018.8615281 D’Orville, H. (2020). COVID-19 causes unprecedented educational disruption: Is there a road towards a new normal? Prospects, 49 , 11-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-094750

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30 Elshami, W., Taha, M. H., Abuzaid, M., Saravann, C., Al Kawas, S., & Abdalla, M. E. (2021). Satisfaction with online learning in the new normal: Perspectives of students and faculty at medical and health sciences colleges. Medical Education Online , 26 (1), 192090. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2021.1920090 Gannon-Leary, P., & Fontainha, E. (2007). Communities of practice and virtual learning communities: benefits, barriers and success factors. Barriers and Success Factors. eLearning Papers , (5). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1018066 Grantin, L. (2021). Birmingham City Schools announces return to in person work and blended instruction. WVTM13. https://www.wvtm13.com/article/birmingham-city- schoolsannounces-return-to-in-person-work-and-blended-instruction/35584897 Hwang, G. J., Xie, H., Wah, B. W., & Gašević, D. (2020). Vision, challenges, roles, and research issues of Artificial Intelligence in Education. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666920X20300011 Kong, H., & Yan, Q. (2014). The relationship between learning satisfaction and career competencies. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 4 (1), 133-139. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2014.05.0130278-4319 Kaner, S. (2014). Facilitator's guide to participatory decision-making (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/enus/Facilitator %27s+Guide+to+Participatory+Decision+Making %2C+3rd+Edition-p-9781118404959 Knake, K. T., Chen, Z., Yang, X., & Tait, J. (2021). Pinterest curation and student achievement: The effects of elementary mathematics resources on students’ learning over time. the elementary school journal , 122 (1), 57-85.

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31 Korkmaz, G., & Toraman, C. (2020). Are we ready for the post-covid-19 educational practice? An investigation into what educators think as to online learning. International Journal of Technology in Education and Science, 4 (4), 293-309. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijtes.v4i4.110 Lin, M. H., & Chen, H. G. (2017). A study of the effect of digital learning on learning motivation and learning outcome. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13( 7), 3553-3564. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.00744a Livy, S., Muir, T., Murphy, C., & Trimble, A. (2021). Creative approaches to teaching mathematics education with online tools during COVID-19. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology , 1-9. Mills, J. J. W., Quast, J. A., & Fields, M. (2021). COVID-19 Virtual Dilemma: Parents' Perspectives on Math Learning at Home. In Educational Recovery for PK-12 Education During and After a Pandemic (pp. 25-45). IGI Global. Minkos, M. L., & Gelbar, N. W. (2021). Considerations for educators in supporting teacher training in the midst of COVID 19. Psychology in the Schools , 58 (2), 416-426. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22454 Norwood Elementary School. (2021). Mission/Vision / main page. Mission/Vision / Main Page. https://www.bhamcityschools.org/domain/1626 Page, T., & Ha, J. G. (2006). Design education with support of a virtual learning environment. Korea Design Knowledge Society,3 (3), 89-95. https://www.dbpia.co.kr/journal/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE01781890

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32 Phungsuk, R., Viriyavejakul, C., & Ratanaolarn, T. (2017). Development of a problem-based learning model via a virtual learning environment. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 38 (3), 297-306. Polly, D., Colonnese, M., Bacak, J., Holshouser, K. O., & Lewis, W. (2022). Promoting Equity in Elementary School Mathematics: Vignettes From Virtual Learning Environments. In Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Diversity and Equity in a Virtual World (pp. 213- 232). IGI Global. Rahayu, G. D. S., Altaftazani, D. H., Kelana, J. B., Firdaus, A. R., & Fauzi, M. R. (2020, October). Analysis of elementary school students’ mathematical resilience during learning during the covid 19 Pandemic. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1657, No. 1, p. 012001). IOP Publishing. Rasmitadila, R., Aliyyah, R. R., Rachmadtullah, R., Samsudin, A., Syaodih, E., Nurtanto, M., & Tambunan, A. R. (2020). The perceptions of primary school teachers of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A case study in Indonesia . Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies , 7(2), 90. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/388 Serdyukov, P. 2017). Innovation in education: what works, what doesn’t, and what to do about it? Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 10 (1), 4-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-10-2016-0007 Surkhali, B., & Garbuja, C. K. (2020). Virtual training during COVID-19 pandemic: pros and Training and instruction in the hybrid virtual classroom: An investigation of teachers' engagement and the effect of quizzes. Computers & Education , 143 , 103682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103682 Torres Martín, C., Acal, C., El Honrani, M., & Mingorance Estrada, Á. C. (2021). Impact on the virtual learning environment due to COVID-19. Sustainability, 13 (2), 582.

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33 Appendix A Gap Analysis Current State Expected State Gap Action Plan Teachers exhibit limitations navigating online platforms and utilizing resources for curriculum delivery Teachers should select and utilize the most suitable platforms for their courses unaided   Subject platform matching skills Platform navigation capacities/ competency Additional training to address platform matching and navigation deficiencies Teachers are unable/ unwilling to engage support services on the platforms for continued development and effective platform utilization Teachers should be able to continue their skill and professional development on online content delivery through new resource testing and support   Help-seeking tendencies Awareness of support and development features in the individual platforms for online learning  Additional training to introduce and emphasize support and continuous development Teachers remain unsatisfied and uncertain of the extent of training they underwent for the transition to online platforms Teachers are satisfied with their online learning experiences, and they clearly understand their shortcomings in capabilities surrounding this area  Insufficient/ inefficient training exposure Additional training to meet required satisfaction and clarity levels

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34 Appendix B Causal Analysis The causal analysis depicts the potential root causes for teachers' competency or lack thereof during their engagement with the training program. Fundamentally, the figure shows areas like teacher training satisfaction, continued development, and online tool selection capabilities on the one hand. It also depicts the features that instructors should demonstrate, including classroom engagements, current capabilities to utilize integrated learning, and tool utilization efficiency. These aspects influence the interpretation of teacher competency.

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Writing Sample-A

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