The purpose of this Action Research study was to examine the phenomenon of "having an accent" in the workplace as a Teaching English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL) teacher. The phenomenon was examined among the members of an educational organization located in the U.S. that offers professional learning and networking for language…

Teachers in high-poverty middle schools need additional supports from administrators to build collective teacher efficacy. Supportive leadership is the driving force in leading collective teacher efficacy in high-poverty middle schools. A qualitative, instrumental case study was utilized to explore how teachers perceive administrative supports…

This dissertation investigates the impact of a pedagogical class and a Community of Practice (CoP) on the implementation of reading strategies by faculty at a community college. It explores the types of reading strategies instructors plan to use, their integration into classroom practices, the factors enabling or impeding this implementation, and…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how novice elementary teachers in the southern United States describe the role of spontaneous and conscious decision-making to influence their instructional practice. Two research questions were developed using the cognitive experiential self-theory and decision-making theory which…

The study investigates the journey of the PRDE's PADE Academy accelerated English teacher preparation program, in preparing special recruitment and permanent PRDE teachers for the English content area re/certification. Through qualitative research using a case study design, the research examines various aspects of the program, including academic…

Professional learning and growth for teachers is essential for effective teaching and the learning of students. Teachers receive formalized professional learning at the beginning of their careers through structures such as teacher education and induction programs. Beyond the novice years, professional growth opportunities for teachers vary and can…

This mixed methods action research study was conducted in a Title I, K-12 public charter school with the purpose of exploring teachers' capacities to implement student-centered learning after participating in effective professional development (PD). Participants attended a PD cycle where the staff chose the topic, learning was sustained over a…

The particular issue presented in this research intersects tensions surrounding critical race theory (CRT) in the classroom, using the social studies classroom as a high area of contention. Antiracist educators have faced extreme scrutiny from state policies, administrators, and white parents who have misinterpreted the importance of understanding…

The purpose of this self-study was to investigate the implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the music classroom without a district-level music administrator. With two guiding research questions, the study involved using culturally responsive music education and a community of practice to implement DEIB music…

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the US-based First-Year Composition (FYC) instructors understand and facilitate metacognition in their classes and assess students' metacognition through exploratory, mixed methods approaches. I argue that even if we understand the importance of metacognition generally for student populations, we…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how experienced elementary educators in Central Montana described their use of new knowledge from research evidence to inform their teaching practice. Data sources included 15 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups. The Cognitive Affective Model of Conceptual Change was…

This dissertation examines the role of reflective practice in the development of teacher candidates during their final internship in a teacher preparation program at a state college in Southwest Florida. Grounded in Dewey's and Schon's theories on reflective practice as well as Vygotsky's social learning theories, this mixed methods explanatory…

Elementary teachers continue to endure increased pressure as additional weights are pressed from state requirements and recommendations, local and national social burdens heighten, and confrontation with increased student needs persist; yet support structures devised for teachers to be able to enact transformational leaps lack. Questions guiding…

Teacher leadership reflects leadership in schools that is distributed across the organization; is collaborative in nature; and is enacted through a process of influence. Although teacher leadership is important not only in effective school leadership but also in the development, autonomy, and well-being of teachers, existing elementary school…

This dissertation explores the experiences of disabled students in higher education and strategies for creating more accessible learning environments. Despite increasing enrollment, disabled students remain marginalized in diversity efforts, with current approaches focusing on individual accommodations rather than systemic barriers. The research…