The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to discover how novice teachers describe their self-efficacy as contributing to their sense of classroom readiness after completing their teacher training programs in Texas. This helps to understand the experiences of novice teachers in which data was collected using a questionnaire,…

This study examined the impact of action research conducted by five science teaching methods course instructors on their students' perceptions of the classroom learning environments at a large public university in Texas. The study analyzed the results from 133 students who completed two administrations of the What is Happening in this Class…

Student retention and lack of encouragement are post-secondary institutional barriers that play a critical part in why African Americans are represented in small numbers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (National Science Foundation, 2017). Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have always promoted a supportive…

The concept of 'flexible seating' has emerged as a possibility to meeting the goals of an active learning classroom. Recent scholarship has suggested that numerous student learning predictors are enhanced when interacting with flexible seating. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature by investigating the effects of flexible seating from a…

This article examines the language ideologies associated with the sense of self-efficacy of bilingual preservice teachers about their Spanish-language skills. Current teacher shortages in the field of bilingual education and increased professional demands placed over pre- and in-service bilingual teachers compel teacher education programs to adapt…

Career trajectory for any individual is a challenge. However, when it comes to Black women achieving a senior administrator position, it presents even greater challenges than what the average candidate endures. Limited research has attributed being Black and female as a rationale for career stagnation. The purpose of this phenomenological…

Feedback is essential to enhance students' performance in an online learning environment, although this is influenced by how feedback is delivered. Feedback is an assessment of learning and promotes motivation to the learner. With the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching and learning rapidly shifted to online learning, and the importance of instructor…

Given that much of the research on classroom libraries focus on elementary school classrooms, this study sought to examine classroom libraries at the middle school level. Access to books is especially important for middle school students given the persistent decline in reading engagement at this level. The research questions guiding this…

In this exploratory mixed methods survey study, we assess preservice teachers' (n=379) experiences with and beliefs about their high-stakes testing experiences and analyze how they relate to their beliefs about the role and efficacy of high-stakes testing in education and their future profession. Using Likert, vignette, and open-ended response…

This phenomenological study follows an asset-based approach to understand how Latinx families utilize their cultural wealth in their children's education, and how teachers activate families' capitals to support their engagement. Data collected through focus groups reveal that the seven Latinx parents in the study use aspirational capital by…

Students require experiences that reflect the difficult decision making found in the real world. A current and future challenge for today's students is understanding the balance between economic pressures and ensuring environmental conservation. Using problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical vehicle, 10 groups of upper elementary students…

In this paper, we investigate the effect that parents' language use (English, Spanish-English or Spanish) had on self-perceived proficiency, frequency of use, language anxiety, code-switching and cultural orientation of 206 Spanish-English bilinguals and multilinguals who were students in Texas where there is a strong presence of Spanish, the…

With the recent changes in student demographics in the United States and the development of technology, virtual professional development (VPD) for teachers of English learning students(ELs) has become a valuable means to support teachers and their students. We developed a federally funded, five-year VPD program, Project Massive Open Online…

Using data is foundational to school leadership; however, when "data" are narrowly construed as academic outcomes, important data perceived as tangential to academics can be backgrounded, ignored, or unused. Today's school leaders must also attend to data around chronic absenteeism, discipline, learning climate, and social, emotional,…

Current literature has identified a growing achievement gap experienced by students raised in poverty. However, some students from poverty can defeat the odds and succeed academically with advanced degrees. Nine graduate students self-identified as being raised in poverty participated in this study. The home-related experiences that led to their…