Self-directed learning journeys of Canadian teachers around the science of reading

The popularization of the science of reading (SoR) has been bolstered by the bottom-up, grassroots work of teachers who are engaging in independent learning about the evidence base around reading development and instruction. Canadian teachers, like many of their colleagues in other parts of the world, have undertaken self-directed learning (SDL) about SoR; such a large number of educators independently choosing to learn about the same topic is an uncommon phenomenon in education. We conducted five focus groups with a total of 21 Canadian educators, using a qualitative descriptive design to investigate how educators characterized their SDL journeys, how what they learned shaped their subsequent learning and practice, and what factors they believed impacted the implementation of their learning. Findings indicate that participants' initiation of learning tended to be problem-focused and that their motivation to continue learning was sustained through perceived gains in student achievement and new questions that arose as a result of their ongoing learning. The extent to which educators were able to implement shifts in practice was either constrained or supported by school, district, and provincial contexts.