Journal of K-12 Educational Research 45 In order to understand how professional development has changed, it is important to delve into the history of professional development, including its purpose, origin, purpose, and evolution over time. Examining its roots helps to grasp the foundational principles that underpin this concept and shed light on its initial intent when implemented. Moreover, it helps to comprehend how professional development has adapted to address participants’ evolving needs, including opportunities for traditional, blended, and virtual professional learning opportunities. Research Design The purpose of the current study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of blended professional development and their motivations for implementing new knowledge in the classroom. An ample amount of research documents the importance and perceptions of online student learning (Hwang et al., 2015). However, understanding the perceptions of the teachers who receive online learning is not documented well. Building knowledge in this area has implications for filling the literature gap to document teachers’ perceptions of online professional learning. The current study’s design was qualitative. Using qualitative data, the researcher hoped to understand the perceptions of teachers who completed online learning and their decisions to use the knowledge gained and learning experiences within their classrooms or learning spaces. Researchers use this type of design to understand the data they collect (Creswell & Poth, 2018). Data from teachers who participated in either online professional learning or face-to-face professional learning were analyzed. The researcher used semi-structured, open-ended interviews for selected participants. A collection of predefined open-ended questions provided the framework for the semi-structured interviews, with additional questions arising naturally from the conversation between the researcher and the participants. Participants in the current study included elementary, middle, and high school teachers. The goal of a researcher completing a qualitative study through interviews is to gather data to comprehend participants’ experiences with a particular subject. The researcher is the main tool for gathering and interpreting data. Therefore, for the interview to be effective, the researcher must pay close attention to the participants’ responses while also asking probing questions to bring out more information and encourage a deeper discourse. Figure 2 displays the data analysis process that was utilized in the current study. Summary of Findings and Interpretation of Results Qualitative interviews were conducted to gather data and address the primary research inquiries. The researcher engaged in interviews with 15 kindergarten–12th grade teachers, representing diverse regions across the United States. A semi-structured interview format was employed, with participants responding to a set of seven open-ended questions. Follow-up probing questions were utilized to delve deeper into participants’ perspectives. The interview questions aimed to explore teachers’ viewpoints on the effectiveness of online and blended professional development and their experiences in implementing the acquired knowledge from these learning opportunities. The questions were thoughtfully designed to uncover valuable insights related to the research objectives. Figure 2 Data Analysis Process Note. Adapted from “The Art of Coding and Thematic Exploration in Qualitative Research” by M. Williams and T. Moser, 2019, International Management Review, 15(1), 47. In the public domain.
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