In this study, we investigated how secondary students interpret algebraic expressions that contain literal symbols to stand for variables. We hypothesized that the natural number bias (i.e., the tendency to over-rely on knowledge and experiences based on natural numbers) would affect students to think that the literal symbols stand for natural…

With growing demand for online courses, it is important to assess the efficacy of quality online virtual instruction. This study investigates the impact of Edmentum's Courseware Algebra I on student achievement using data on 1,205 ninth-grade students from a large urban school district in the Midwest during the 2020-2021 school year. Utilizing a…

The researcher investigated the effects of learning in an integrated curriculum environment in a Midwestern urban school among 7th grade students. The control group consisted of students who were enrolled in just a 7th grade social studies class. The test group consisted of students who were enrolled in both a social studies class "and"…

In the present study, we explore the perceptions of urban middle school students' representations of nature using participatory photography and their nature connectedness. Preadolescents (N = 108, 6th grade, age 11-13) were asked to take a photo of what nature is to them and write a short description of what is in the image. In a mixed method…

Close home-school communication benefits children, their families, the teacher, and the school community. Throughout the school year, teachers interact with families in a variety of ways, in person and electronically. In this study, the researcher investigated how twenty-two middle and high school urban teachers initiated and maintained…

There is a growing emphasis on social justice pedagogy as a predominantly White teacher labor force infiltrates classrooms in urban schools. Using "critical race theory" (CRT)--and the construct of interest convergence--this study examines how White teachers working in an urban school apply and enact teaching for social justice during…

While scientific vocabulary is important, it can often become problematic for students. Sometimes, those words can become a barrier to participation or act as a gatekeeper to success in the science classroom. Under the Next Generation Science Standards, middle school students are expected to model Earth-Moon-Sun motions to explain Moon phases,…

A number of kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) administrators face challenges promoting culturally responsive learning environments. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-12 administrators' perceptions of the challenges faced in using leadership practices and strategies that promote culturally responsive learning…

While much has been studied addressing the topic of academic resilience, few researchers have examined adolescent perceptions of the factors that contribute to school success. This qualitative interpretive study explored individual protective factors that can promote academic resilience in urban middle school students. One-on-one interviews (N=20)…

This dissertation presents the results from a mixed methods study designed to understand what beliefs urban middle school general education teachers hold when it comes to supporting students with disabilities (SWDs) in an inclusion classroom including classrooms that implement the integrated co-teaching (ICT) model. The quantitative portion of…

Determining the factors that influence implementation of school-based wellbeing and health programs is essential for achieving desired program effects. Using a convergent mixed-methods, multiple informant design, this study considered factors that influence implementation of health programs for ninth grade students and in what ways implementation…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of parents with students with a high incidence disability (HID) and barriers that hinder their involvement in their children's education. Students with HID have significant educational needs, necessitating special education services or support coupled with…

This study investigated the interactive effects of maternal and paternal warmth as well as behavioral control on adolescents' anxiety in Ghana and whether these linkages varied between adolescents in rural and urban contexts. Participants were 211 junior high school students (61% girls; 39% boys; M[subscript age] = 13.43; SD[subscript age] = 2.03)…

This study examined the impact Restorative Justice (RJ) practices had on black boys and the teachers who teach them school experience. The setting of this study was an urban inner city middle school, located in the Northeast region of the United States. This study examined the experiences of these two distinct groups, and ultimately how their…

There exist passionate debates about the best way to teach children to read. Since the Bush administration, school districts receiving federal funds have been required to have research evidence justifying their methods of teaching reading, and in recent years the need for evidence-based practices have intensified with the "Science of…