Teacher education programs strive to promote social justice and critical thinking among candidates. However, limited attention is given to ableism and disability rights. This study investigates how special education teacher candidates discuss disabilities and the future of students with developmental disabilities, as well as their motivation to…

This research explores the cognitive dissonance experienced by novice teachers when entering the teaching profession, specifically around cultural competence while teaching in the urban core. The study builds upon previous research by Adam Eckard, who investigated the impact of teacher preparation programs on teacher identity development in urban…

In this qualitative research study we illustrate how implicit biases held by college personnel hinders the educational success of Latino men attending urban community colleges in Texas. In particular, we identify how often well-intentioned educators are (un)aware of how often they perpetrate racial microaggressions against Latino men. Interviews…

This quantitative and cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between college students' perceived satisfaction of three psychological needs and learning outcomes that were measured by perceived learning gains and online learning satisfaction, as well as the mediating effects of three types of engagement on the relationships. The study…

Researchers have long recognized the importance of what teachers need to know, be able to do, and how their beliefs influence their professional decision making and practices. We also know that context matters in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to explore the nuance between practice, belief, and context. We examine whether change…

Concerns about teacher burnout, compassion fatigue, and retaining early career professionals have prompted teacher education programs to seek out ways to promote mental and emotional health during pre-service teacher training. This two-year, educational design study explored pre-service teachers' experiences with the implementation of two…

Leading school turnaround has been conceptualized as a school-level issue focused on immediate change. There has been little consideration about how district leaders change systems to sustain school turnaround successes. This case study research conducted through the lens of Change Theory explores the leadership struggles of one mid-sized urban…

Examining linked academic transcripts from urban community colleges and their feeder high schools, we identify math course-taking patterns that span sectors. We highlight stifled mobility and chronic repetition of math coursework in the transition to college, and we identify "math traps" from which students do not escape. Math mobility…

Baltimore City Public Schools includes approximately 30 high schools, and the characteristics of each school's graduates vary systematically according to schools' admissions policies, curricular areas of focus, and resource availability, which depend on school size, management type, and leaders' priorities. This report summarizes trends in…

Our study examined novice urban teachers' abilities to impact student learning and development. We interviewed 19 graduates, collecting narratives of critical teaching incidents. Analysis revealed the importance of (a) connecting with learners and of (b) receiving support. Teacher education programs were helpful in preparing graduates to set high…

A team of teacher-researchers in a large urban school board is working in partnership with researchers from a leading Canadian university to use action research to broaden and deepen environmental education in their teaching practice. This research-informed approach involves teachers, students and their communities in collaboratively deepening…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to discover how an institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission provided follow-up and continual training to develop faculty designers (designers-by-assignment; DBAs) for the instructional design process. A gap to fill in the literature regarded evidence-based data that report on the range…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of co-requisite education on gateway mathematics, predicated on the Reinforced Instruction for Student Excellence (RISE) model, at a large urban community college (LUCC) in North Carolina. The research study explored the success rates in gateway mathematics courses in relation to the…

This chapter highlights mindfulness and meditation practices at two metropolitan universities and includes a discussion of programming challenges, classroom teaching practices, and suggestions for expanding offerings for non-traditional learners.

This study examines the impact of a polytechnic high school model designed in collaboration with a research-intensive university and industry/community partners. Aimed at urban settings and focused on minoritized youth, this model replaces traditional subject-specific classes with industry-driven design project cycles. As design-based integrated…