By the time I wrote my Chapter 5, I was one step closer to becoming part of the 2% of the population in the United States with a doctoral degree. I was connecting my findings to the theoretical framework I used in my study and the latest research on the topic. This chapter allowed me to interpret my findings by analyzing what had been discovered before my study and adding my findings to academic knowledge. This was powerful! I was finally writing with my voice based on my own research.
However, I had to be careful. I could not overextend my findings; the responsibility of a scholar carries significant weight. Looking back, when reading the findings of previous studies, I also had to consider the participants and the extent to which those findings could be generalized. Most findings, including mine, cannot be widely generalized. We need to be realistic and clear in our writing about this. Limited research does not mean it is invaluable; on the contrary, it serves its purpose to inform and leave the door open for further research. Academia is built this way—from case studies to longitudinal studies and everything in between, each has value in informing and providing stepping stones for the next study.
So yes, my study had limitations. Participants were few, and due to the pandemic, there were no observations (as originally planned, but I had to adapt to move forward). My research still yielded very interesting and needed information in the field of biliteracy and K-3rd grade teachers’ self-efficacy with English Language Learners. Hence, my recommendations in this chapter included studying these topics with more participants (and from more grades) and, based on my findings, including mainstream teachers in professional development sessions about biliteracy (if you read my dissertation, this will make more sense).
This brings me to the importance of implications. My recommendations are geared towards other scholars who would like to study the topics I covered. The implications of my study are geared towards stakeholders, those affected by these issues. This section brings me back to my initial thought process: Why did I engage in this topic in the first place? What did the literature say? What kind of impact do I want to bring? What now? Hence, I stated doable actions that might be considered because my findings, supported by the literature and my conceptual framework, back them up. These implications also have to be measured by the extent covered in my research—no more, no less. Just keeping it real, useful, informed, ethical, and professional.
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The Process... 