The integration of technology to the elementary school classroom presents teachers with both new opportunities and challenges. Effective integration of classroom technology involves much more than merely giving students access to computers and mobile devices, as teachers' attitudes and beliefs about technology are important in facilitating…

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to investigate educators' perspectives on their professional preparedness, the effectiveness of their teaching methods, and the challenges encountered while providing homebound education within a mid-sized school district in North Texas. Semi-structured interviews with 8 teacher participants were…

This research aims to examine current practices in gifted and talented educator professional learning, as well as teacher attitudes, beliefs, and experiences towards gifted education in order to explore opportunities to further develop and improve professional learning structures. Through a qualitative methodology following the…

This study was designed to explore the impact of professional development in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) of secondary mathematics teachers using The DuFour PLC model in one Southeast Texas School District. Descriptive statistics were compiled based on survey data from 19 participants. Internal consistency reliability was analyzed…

Through this study, we examined a university-district sponsored leadership academy to explore the perceptions of assistant principals, who participated in a yearlong professional development and coaching program, on how the program supported them in improving their leadership capacity and advancing their career. Using a single qualitative case…

Elementary teachers are generalists, usually with a reading background. As such, a number of teachers have low self-efficacy about teaching mathematics for conceptual understanding. Researchers suggest that some major categories associated with this problem are not enough adequate professional development (PD) addressing conceptual understanding…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) has proven itself through substantial research, to provide a positive impact on the U.S. economy and the job market in its college and career preparedness of high school students. However, the ability of school districts in retaining competent CTE teachers is not as reassuring. The progressive years for any…

This study investigated the relationship between principal self-efficacy and campus accountability rating and whether there were any differences in self-efficacy and outcome expectancy based on campus rating. 29 public school principals in Texas elected to participate in the study which included demographic questions, a question related to outcome…

This exploratory, descriptive study sought to determine the perceptions of special education (SPED) directors and their respective SPED teachers regarding self-efficacy in meeting the diverse needs of students who have English learning challenges and have been identified as having special learning needs. Also, general information regarding the…

This qualitative narrative research study aimed to address the problem of students' low enrollment numbers in a historically low number of college-bound areas in South Texas. The theoretical frameworks utilized to explore this topic were self-efficacy and social capital. The proposed theories explored students' level of self-efficacy, social…

Determining how to increase practicing elementary teacher science instruction self-efficacy through ongoing professional development has been a problem in one urban Texas school district. Existing literature indicated science instruction self-efficacy could be built using professional development. However, there is a gap in the literature…

This study was designed to evaluate a teacher-focused professional development program intended to provide educators with tools needed to combat mathematics learning loss created by the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued disruptions to learning that followed. This project-based dissertation-in-practice surveyed 23 secondary math teachers and…

This research explores how faculty members' conceptions of assessment and confidence in assessment change as a result of an instructor training course. Based on a sample of 27 faculty members enrolled in a semester-long instructional development course, this survey-based study provides initial evidence that faculty members can develop confidence…

The purpose of this qualitative inquiry study examined principal perceptions of self-efficacy and EB's student achievement. This study collected interview data from a purposeful sample of six elementary, six middle school, and six high school principals from the Region 4 Education Service Center, Harris County area, in the state of Texas utilizing…

The central purpose for this dissertation in practice was to explore the practices, challenges, and recommendations of P-12 instructional coaches in a mid-sized public-school district in the state of Texas regarding job efficacy and factors that influence attrition. This phenomenological study involved 10 instructional coaches with at least one…