A Mixed-Methods Study of Applying Andragogical Practices to an Online TESOL Teacher Training Course at a Midwestern University

Preservice teachers needed to be prepared to teach culturally and linguistically diverse learners, because English learners continued to enroll in new geographic areas. In response to the reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, requirements for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students were added to teacher certification programs at the state level. Universities offering teacher certification programs addressed new program requirements in different ways, including adding competencies to existing courses or creating new courses. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the knowledge, pedagogical skill, and self-efficacy levels of preservice teachers and their perceptions of English learners while enrolled in an online TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher training course using an application of the principles of andragogy in a Midwestern private university. Since this TESOL methods course was a new addition to required curriculum, preservice teachers were surveyed before and immediately following the course to measure their knowledge, pedagogical skill, and self-efficacy levels for teaching English learners and their perceptions of English learners. As an adjunct professor of this TESOL methods course and a full-time public school teacher of English learners, the researcher was aware of the necessity of this certification requirement. Future teachers will have English learners in their classrooms, and they needed to be prepared to teach them. The research results were used to guide curriculum development and instruction at a Midwestern private university. This study added to the body of research regarding the application of the six principles of andragogy to an online TESOL teacher training course, specifically investigating three principles: (a) self-concept of the learner and the learner’s ability to be self-directed; (b) prior experience of the learner; and (c) readiness to learn. Flexibility and growth as an educator were requirements in the modern field of education. Teachers needed to adapt and adjust in response to changes in policy and procedural changes, essential skills learned and developed during teacher training and on the job. Using a course design with an application of andragogical principles facilitated growth in self-directedness and eased the transition from college student to classroom teacher