Abstract: A cohort of K-12 teachers from a rural, remote county in Tennessee participated in a distance Reading Education course as part of reading specialist training. Some of the teachers resisted the new mode of learning, especially the course requirement of video-mediated reflection on classroom practice. This study draws upon Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), New Literacies, and multiple realities perspectives to better understand the teachers’ contexts as well as their own identities as causes of resistance. Data sources included observations, field notes, course documents, and interactive interviews. A grounded theory approach was used to develop an initial case study report. Then, CHAT’s heuristic tools were used to graphically depict the tensions of joint activity between the teachers’ school system and the university course setting. Findings suggest implications for future work with classroom teachers in distance education.