This mixed method investigation looked at induction year teachers' perceptions of their needs and the match between these needs and the support offered by their induction year programming. Research demonstrates induction year teachers need many levels of support during their critical induction year, and without it, many new teachers leave the profession. The purpose of this study was to determine whether induction year teachers' perceptions of their concerns match the induction year program components identified as effective by the current research.
The conceptual framework guiding this study was the work of Vygotsky and his proposal that challenging tasks can ultimately be mastered if first done under guidance (Ormrod, 2003). To compliment Vygotsky's theory, this study also reflects upon Katz's developmental stages of teachers and the work of Lave and Wenger; whose work on situated learning with legitimate peripheral participation also supports the idea of apprenticeships or working under the tutelage of an expert. The concept that learning is intrinsically social and interactive is also embraced by Lave and Wenger (1991) in their work on situated learning with legitimate peripheral participation.
Thirty-four induction year teachers completed a pre and post-survey and an induction year team focus group over a three month period. The program coaches were also interviewed in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed for data triangulation.
Qualitative data was derived from interviews with the team coaches, focus group interviews, and a document analysis of the induction year handbook and relevant resources available to all program participants. Quantitative data from the induction year surveys was also analyzed. The quantitative data collection utilized a single-group pretest-posttest design using data from a pre- and post-survey completed by the induction year teachers. For the qualitative data, the researcher used an inductive analysis to synthesize the group interviews.
The data from this study showed the perceived needs/concerns of the induction year teachers did indeed align with the components described in the literature. The more critical point being that they identified areas of needs/concerns identified in the literature but missing from the induction year programming available to them