Abstract
The skills students will need to be successful in an unpredictable future differ from those needed to thrive today. Where the teachers of today were acculturated in systems of knowledge acquisition through systems of transmission, the future of learning requires active processing of new information. Students will need to meta-learn to upskill and reskill in an ever changing environment. Learning environments need to shift in order to support students to learn these skills requiring teachers to adjust traditional systems of structuring learning. This transcendental phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of secondary educators who have undergone a transformative shift in their pedagogical premise. The study, structured by Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory, investigated the disorientation, reflective processes, and contextual supports that sustain a premise transformation in educators. Semi-structured interviews of seven experienced educators uncovered five structural themes: disorientation with current classroom outcomes, recognizing the role student individuality plays in learning, confronting systemic barriers, undertaking the challenge of pedagogical change, and the critical role of support structures in sustaining change. Participants described experiences which redefined their teaching identity as they worked to foster deeper student engagement, autonomy, and metacognitive skill. The findings of this study highlight the importance of educator agency and professional autonomy coupled with administrator and collegial support in approaching new practices. This research contributes to the literature on the experiences of educators in adult learning and professional development by illuminating the internal and external dynamics of educator transformation. It offers insights for educational leaders looking to support educators through the disillusionment of transformation to retain passionate, adaptive educators in a time of cultural and technological disruption.
Date Dissertation Completed
10-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education
Department
Education Studies
Dissertation Advisor
Steven Baule
Dissertation Committee Members
Steven Baule, Joel Traver, Stephanie Bohlman
Location
Winona, Minnesota
Recommended Citation
Flugum, Matthew J., "Transforming Educators: Uncovering Factors in Secondary Education Premise Shift to Active Processing Structures Using a Transcendental Phenomenological Approach" (2025). Education Doctorate Dissertations. 31.
https://openriver.winona.edu/educationedddissertations/31
Unique Identifier
WSUEDD-2025-Flugum-Matthew
Rights
All rights reserved.
