Traumatic experiences have the potential to influence neurological development which can change the way a person behaves, learns, and builds relationships. While the footprint of trauma has always been prevalent, the mental health of America's children has rapidly declined and has been described as a crisis. PreK-12 classroom teachers are working…

A practicum is a field experience that provides opportunities for preservice teachers to implement academic understanding and practical training in an authentic classroom environment. Though practicum experiences are one of the most common and crucial aspects of teacher preparation programs, there is limited research to promote understanding of…

This study investigated how early childhood special education teacher candidates described their professional identities. Professional identity is how individuals think about and act as members of the profession, and it has the potential to impact instructional practice and decisions to stay in the field. Through a qualitative thematic analysis of…

In the United States, there were 7,999 bachelor's degree programs in education in 2014 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2014). A minority of these programs were early childhood education (ECE) degree programs, of which there were approximately 1,200 as of 2009 (Hyson et al., 2009). Hyson et al. questioned the quality of ECE degree…

Integrating contemporary artmaking practices, specifically approaches to matter (which includes materials, objects, bodies, spaces, etc.) within PK-12 art education, has potential to open pathways for artmaking, meaning, and identity formation. However, art education literature suggests that translation of contemporary artmaking practices into…

Multilingual learners (MLs), or students in the United States who are learning English as an additional language, possess knowledge from their lives outside of the classroom that science teachers can draw upon when giving instruction. This three-paper dissertation examines teacher use of these unique sources of knowledge, known as funds of…

Elementary teachers' mathematical self-efficacy is abundantly important in the mathematical growth in students. Research suggests early career teachers have a low level of self-efficacy in implementing arts integration. The purpose of this study was to examine perceived changes in teacher self-efficacy in implementing arts integration after…

This dissertation study delved into how three undergraduate teacher education programs were preparing pre-service teachers with the skills necessary to implement standards-based grading in PK-12 educational environments. As educational assessment has evolved toward systems that emphasize mastery, equity, and transparency, it became critical for…

Researchers have found young children's academic skills and life outcomes are correlated to teachers' postsecondary education. Despite this, 60% of infant/toddler-PK4 teachers who work in center-based settings in the District of Columbia do not have postsecondary education beyond the high school level. The purpose of this basic qualitative study…

Higher education faculty members make decisions to use experiential learning techniques such as service-learning as a method of teaching and learning. Some choose to teach P-16 (preschool through higher education) service-learning courses, which include a higher education course, P-12 (preschool through grade 12) course, and a community partner.…

Intermediary organizations seek to make change in the world by strengthening the practice or building the capacity of direct service providers. In the education sector, these types of organizations often play important roles as technical assistance providers, capacity builders, additional administrators, investors, or funders. At the core of this…

The purpose of the study was to investigate preservice teachers' (PSTs) attitudes and beliefs towards their PK-12 field trip (FT) experiences as students, their memories, influences in their lives, impact on their educational approaches and career choices, as well as how, as future teachers, they would implement FTs to their future students to…

This research explored the transformative potential of technology in special education, informed by the researcher's extensive experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Highlighting the case of a nonspeaking student with autism who made significant academic progress using an augmented alternate communication (AAC), device, the study…

Traditionally, teaching global competency to preservice teachers serves as a pedagogically sound stratagem to equip preservice teachers to teach, mentor, and empower culturally, socially, and linguistically different yet equally gifted P-12 student populations. A quantitative, cross-sectional content analysis of course learning outcomes (N=631)…

An ethic of care is central to the role of teaching and educational outcomes. Many Kindergarten-College institutions have "developing caring students or teachers" as a primary goal in their mission or vision statements. However, teachers need to know how to care. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the behaviors that…