Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is more important than ever since the Pandemic ravaged our nation's medical resources and personnel. This exploratory study, intended to establish and characterize potential identifiers and markers of student interest development in an inquiry-driven learning…

Each teacher brings different strengths and beliefs to the classroom through instruction. When teachers implement the same curriculum, pacing guides, training, and support, their instruction still varies, as does student learning. The Action Research study sought to improve the connection between teacher self-efficacy and teacher perceptions in…

The following designed-based implementation research (DBIR) study explores the impacts of a research-practice partnership (RPP) on two fifth grade ELA teachers and the researcher as they engaged with the designing and implementation of two critical literacy pedagogy (CLP) units through the adaptation of mandated New York State Common Core (NYSCC)…

Project-based learning is gaining popularity as a student-centered approach to education. It provides a multitude of benefits, especially compared to the practices surrounding standardized testing. The purpose of this action research study was to examine and improve teaching practices related to project-based learning at the elementary school…

The importance of accurate reading assessment data cannot be overstated. Data is used to make decisions that directly impact student learning. The problem this study addressed was that 66% of fourth-grade students in Missouri were scoring below grade level on reading achievement assessments (NAEP, 2019). However, most high-stakes reading…

This mixed-methods action research study investigated the impact of makerspaces on student creativity. Seventy fifth-grade students were exposed to makerspaces for 12 weeks. Quantitative data were collected using two assessment instruments. Prior to the experience, the students were given a preassessment of their creative potential using the…

This action research study describes a problem of practice derived from the identification of students in fifth-grade that lack reading skills to be classified fluent readers as identified by Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills-Next Edition Oral Reading Fluency (DIBELS Next ORF). This problem of practice led to the development of an…

Elementary teachers can help students develop a critical literacy lens and learn how to question, analyze, and challenge assumptions. In turn, this can develop an inclusive classroom. My teacher action research looks at how critical literacy impacts both me, the teacher, and my fifth-grade students, in a predominantly White suburban public school…

State and national standards, including the Common Core State Standards, state that students should be expected to learn to discuss and analyze texts, comprehend ideas in increasingly complex texts, and justify their thinking. Literature circles are an instructional practice suggested by many educational writers as an instructional practice that…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to use an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach to discover generative instructional and assessment practices of teachers in the language arts classroom at a 5th and 6th grade low socioeconomic public school campus in Texas that earned five distinctions or three consecutive years. The study sought to design a…

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in teacher perceptions of RTI based on years of teaching experience and educational setting, and the correlation between teacher perceptions and student performance on the third through eighth grade MAAP ELA and mathematics assessments. Data was obtained directly from participants, utilizing a…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine small group, peer-led discussion as it connects to meaning-making of informational texts for diverse learners. Since students in the United States are currently struggling to meet informational text requirements outlined by the Common Core State Standards (National Governors Association…

This exploratory case study aims to better understand the interactions between and literacy activities, practices, and actions of fifth-grade students, their teachers, and learning environments during a student-directed extended inquiry unit (the Kids Inquiry Conference--KIC) where students propose their own topics to be researched. This study…

The public school system in the United States is facing severe criticism. There exists today, a constant stream of negative messages through media coverage, news articles and charter school marketing campaigns claiming the failing of the public school system specifically in the content area of mathematics. Current research exposes alarming…

The development of the Internet allows for hybrid models of instruction that marry face-to-face and online learning (Osguthorpe & Graham, 2003). The purpose of this study was to explore blended learning and traditional instruction in three fifth grade literacy classrooms, examining the teaching and learning students engaged in during the…