First Advisor

Farber, Matthew

First Committee Member

Holmes, Michelle

Second Committee Member

McConnell, Christine

Third Committee Member

Larkins, Randy

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

5-2024

Department

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Teacher Education, Teacher Education Student Work

Abstract

Contemporary research pertaining to the experiences of flow in education is scarce and that which does exist in the literature often focused on the teacher-student relationship. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological approach (IPA) study was to examine the lived experiences of secondary school counselors as related to occupational and team flow in one school district. Through the lenses of occupational and team flow, the developing rate of work-related burnout and overall job satisfaction were addressed by examining the lived experiences of five counselors across four Student Service departments. An IPA approach was implemented to approach the research questions. Data were collected via 15 in-depth phenomenological interviews along with one focus group during the fall 2023 academic semester. To reach the essence of the experience of occupational and team flow in one school district, categories of themes emerged from the research data: Occupational Flow, Team Flow, and Lived Experiences. Additionally, a new category of optimal experience related to flow, termed Meaningful Flow, emerged from the data. Meaningful flow is a state of mind where one is immersed in the fulfillment of purposeful tasks of personal and professional significance—an emotional mindset of role satisfaction. The findings have implications for secondary school counselors, administrators, and future flow research in one Rocky Mountain region school district.

Abstract Format

html

Extent

205 pages

Local Identifiers

Fedor_unco_0161D_11214.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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