In this study, we investigated Texas teachers' perceptions of instructional coaches' (ICs) practices that improve professional learning communities (PLCs) to enhance teachers' instructional capacities. The study's participants included 67 teachers from rural, urban, and suburban school districts across the state of Texas. They enrolled in a…

The purpose of this study was to examine graduate students' perceptions regarding student-led discussion forums in online classes. Qualitative data were collected from 2014 to 2021 from 65 doctoral students enrolled in a cohort model, fully online doctoral program focused on administration and leadership in education at a doctoral research…

The recent turn toward core practices and practice-based teacher education has been accompanied by a growing literature on the definitions, pedagogies to teach, and assessments of core practices. Despite these developments, the field lacks core practices performance assessments designed to be used across course sections, courses, and subjects.…

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which traditional and alternative preparation programs differ in terms of their program components, as well as whether program type was related to different levels of self-efficacy in novice reading teachers. This exploratory study collected data from 83 novice elementary reading teachers in a…

The purpose of this study was to describe novice band directors' perceptions of (a) the importance of skills/knowledge competencies, (b) the difficulty of acquiring skills/knowledge competencies, (c) differences between teaching competency importance and acquisition ratings, (d) benefits of university coursework, and (e) potential improvements to…

Since 1985, when Texas passed the first dyslexia law, there has been a profusion of dyslexia legislation across the country, with a rapid increase in recent years. Including Texas, which has multiple laws, 42 states have passed dyslexia legislation focused on identification, intervention, accommodations, funding, and/or dyslexia specialists. Seven…

COVID-19 forced a rapid and significant shift in education at all levels, but in the K-12 setting, tested the capacity and adaptability of current teachers and challenged the readiness of student teachers. Related school closures effectively terminated what research finds as the most crucial part of the teacher preparation experience: student…

This study was organized to examine the impact of a field experience for elementary preservice teachers working with young children enrolled in a summer academy focusing on early mathematics. The academy was designed to provide engaging learning experiences to support the development of early number concepts for pre-K students from an elementary…

Mathematics teacher quality has become a major focus in national education reform efforts. In addition, there is an increasing interest in the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs and the undergraduate preparation of elementary mathematics teachers. Empirical evidence suggests that teacher attitudes, behaviors and values, or dispositions,…

Introduction: This study was intended to explore and identify the experiences and perceptions of teachers of students with visual impairments who are blind concerning their accommodation needs and to establish their opinions on what improvements can be made. Method: A qualitative case study design was used and was collected through interviews,…

This mixed methods descriptive study examined the effects of job-embedded professional development (JEPD) in reading on the content knowledge and instructional practice of teachers of English learners (ELs). Four first-grade teachers of ELs at one urban elementary school received JEPD over the course of a year. Results of pre- and posttests of…

Educators by definition are now required to utilize a variety of student data to shape the decisions they make and design the lessons they teach. As accountability standards become more stringent and as teachers face increasingly diverse student populations within their classrooms, they often struggle to adequately meet the needs of all learners.…

Profile analyses were used to investigate differences in the self-efficacy growth of teachers with more and less mathematics background as the teachers participated in professional development across two summers. Professional development activities were associated with increases in teachers' self-efficacy; however, without considering mathematics…

The purpose of this study is to investigate how international teachers, who were from overseas but taught in the United States, rate effective teacher qualities in three domains; personal, professional, and classroom management skills. The study includes 130 international mathematics, science, and computer teachers who taught in a multi-school…

Part-time faculty teach approximately 58% of U.S. community college classes and thus manage learning experiences for more than half (53%) of students enrolled in community colleges (JBL Associates, 2008). Often referred to as "contingent faculty," their work is conditional; the college typically has no obligation to them beyond the…