This research was carried out to examine the serial mediation role of mathematics self-efficacy and metacognition for problem-solving in the effect of reading comprehension on problem-solving. The relational research model, one of the quantitative research designs, was used in the study. A total of 699 middle school students studying in official…

COVID-19, social distasting, and synchronous versus asynchronous learning have continued to widen gaps in students' knowledge. Teachers have largely been responsible for closing those gaps with little to no additional resources, except for what new state mandates have in place such as House Bill 4545 in Texas. Previous research has shown that new…

Teachers' job satisfaction and teacher self-efficacy in teaching are two of the main factors driving STEM teacher shortages in teaching students who are English Learners (ELs). This study investigated the impact of teachers' perceptions of school climate and professional development (PD) participation on teacher self-efficacy in teaching and job…

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of middle school math teachers, as captured by survey ratings, of the frequency and quality of professional development programs. The study further examined the relationship of these perceptions to the degree to which professional development increased self-efficacy and social connections.…

The purpose of this study was to explore character education related to the perceptions and sense of efficacy of selected central Mississippi private and public elementary and middle school teachers. This research questioned 140 elementary (1st through 4th grades) and middle school (5th through 8th grades) teachers using the Character Education…

This study examined academic self-efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between family functioning and learning engagement by constructing a structural equation model. The participants were 817 students from public junior high schools in rural China. The data were collected by measuring family functioning, academic self-efficacy, and learning…

Teachers set the tone for their classrooms, but what teacher beliefs shape students' sense of belonging? We investigate how teachers' mindsets--or their beliefs about learning and school--relate to adolescents' individual and collective reports of classroom belonging. Our pre-registered analyses include a multilevel design of how 1,200 US middle…

Teachers in American public schools have been challenged with implementing effective instructional practices for students with disabilities (SWDs) in inclusive classrooms. Among the broad category of SWDs, students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) are among those whose social and academic progress continues to be of concern. The…

This study examined the impact of Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (PASL), a school based social emotional reform implemented in the Broward County Florida Public Schools. Taking advantage of a phased roll out of PASL, we analyzed data collected during the first implementation year (2017-18) and compared 205 9th grade…

This study aims to develop and validate a scale measuring emergency remote teaching self-efficacy of teachers. The scale was given to 190 teachers during the scale development stage. Four factors were extracted as a result of exploratory factor analysis. The final 24-item version of the scale was tested on 234 teachers during the scale validation…

We investigated environmental supports, an understudied aspect of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), with rural Appalachian youth, an understudied population. We developed a new measure of proximal influences that bolster the pursuit of postsecondary education, the Assessment of Postsecondary Supports (APSS). Across 3 studies, we develop and…

The current study aimed to contribute to the literature by implementing an intervention that examines the effects of explicit metacognitive strategy training and prompts embedded within a Game-Based Learning Environment (GBLE), "Missions with Monty," on metacognitive monitoring accuracy, game performance, and science knowledge of…

Numerous studies have explored the important role of achievement goals, as well as factors such as interest and self-efficacy, for academic performance of students of various ages. Such studies usually focus on the influence of one or two of these factors that are known to be associated with performance. At the same time, achievement goals…

This three-manuscript dissertation used a rapid PDSA to improve teacher efficacy concerning designing and teaching an unleveled 9th grade science class. Leveling and tracking can lead to inequitable outcomes and experiences for minoritized students. However, designing and implementing effective heterogeneous, unleveled classes that meet the needs…

We examined the effectiveness of the "Say Something Anonymous Reporting System" (SS-ARS) program in improving school safety in a cluster randomized control trial among over 700 students in 19 middle schools in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The SS-ARS is a program that emphasizes youth engagement and trains youth to recognize…