"Formation for Vocation: Revitalizing Recruitment Practices of the Lala" by Erich Schaller (0009-0008-0571-4519)

Formation for Vocation: Revitalizing Recruitment Practices of the Lalanne Program for Catholic School Teachers

Date of Award

12-12-2024

Degree Name

Ed.D. in Leadership for Organizations

Department

Department of Educational Administration

Advisor/Chair

Matthew Witenstein

Abstract

The University of Dayton’s Lalanne program forms especially qualified and committed teachers for service in Catholic K-12 education. Members commit to living in intensive faith community with fellow participants during two years of mentored classroom teaching in under-resourced Catholic schools, while earning a fully-funded master’s degree. Recruitment has fluctuated dramatically, with 2022 bringing the smallest-ever influx of new members. This practical action research study scrutinizes 25 years of recruitment experiences, establishing that personalized and networked recruiting practices emphasizing the alignment of career advantages and growth in communal life were the most influential. Interpretive thematic analysis of open-response survey data indicates that a deeper understanding and better articulation of the multi-faceted appeal of program life holds enormous potential for improving future recruitment. An intervention strategy is proposed which targets improvement in practice by consolidating research findings with proposed remedies, while recommending follow-on investigation of themes covering all aspects of Lalanne program life. Plan objectives further entail leadership actions to bolster wellness resources in household communities and initiate a formal process of continual evaluation for program operation and improvement.

Keywords

Catholic education, teaching formation, teacher recruitment, teacher training, faith community, thematic analysis, practical action research, critical realism, phenomenology, census survey

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2024, author.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS