In this dissertation, I examine three perspectives on a collaborative action research project centered on revising the "Foundations of Education" course in George Mason University's Secondary Education (SEED) program for students seeking a Master of Education degree and/or initial teacher licensure. This course revision project was…

Service-learning is defined and applied in myriad ways across the world. While the roots of this pedagogy lie in the well-intentioned acts of addressing unmet social needs and, in general, helping people, this has not always been the outcome of the interactions. In many cases, engaging in service-learning has led to harmful reproductions of…

This participatory action research study took the conceptual framework of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), collaboration merging through solid relationships to analyze the realities of the teacher on special assignment (TOSA) role and the job description. This study involved individual interviews and a focus group; both were coded using inductive…

This qualitative action research study sought to evaluate and improve an early childhood special education program designed to meet the needs of students presenting with social emotional and behavioral skill deficits that impact their ability to participate in the general education setting. Participants in the first cycle of research included…

The effects of high teacher turnover reverberate across a school. This study sought to investigate the impact of high teacher turnover on the teachers who remain. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of five teachers, who had remained at the school for a collective 30 years. The teachers who remained found themselves in a cycle of…

This mixed-methods study delves into the intricate relationship between pedagogy, pedagogical measures, and equity concerns in education, focusing on implementing Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) principles. The findings underscore the necessity for educational institutions to navigate legal constraints while prioritizing…

This action research study investigated the effects of the attributes and characteristics of what works well in high school college campus models. High school college campus models have shown to be effective in enabling student learning and academic achievement. What was missing from the research were the noted effective practices that made this…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve the implementation and utilization of technology in online learning environments for the subject of at a post-secondary institution located in Boston, MA. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of interviewing students, faculty, and administrators who engaged in…

This practitioner action research study explored features of NGSS-based pedagogies to improve secondary education student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. It examined ways that constructivist pedagogies might encourage students to understand science by putting their skills and knowledge into practice as young…

This study examined the impact of instructional conversations about peer observations on the collaboration and perceptions of teachers at a western New Jersey middle school. This study's impetus comes from previous work of the same impact on an elementary school in Pennsylvania. The study focused on these conversations' reflective nature, and the…

New teachers are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. To retain them, school systems need comprehensive supports and collaborative school cultures that help teachers navigate the complexity of learning to teach. This action research study investigated the problem of new teacher turnover within a school-university partnership context. The…

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing reflexive photography as a means for a transformative community-based learning (CBL) experience. CBL is an experiential teaching pedagogy that helps prepare college students for a rapidly changing and diverse society that fosters social, health, and cultural…

Collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity are skills most needed by students who are developing in a 21st century global society. The primary objective of this action research study was to gain an awareness of the degree of 21st Century Learning Skills demonstrated at Crusader High School. At the same time, the research sought…

This descriptive, quantitative action research was designed to investigate teachers' perceptions about working with campus instructional coaches at one intermediate campus. More specifically, three research questions were developed to focus on teacher perceptions about the campus' instructional coaching model in the areas of communication and…

This action research study examined the effectiveness of the process implemented by Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Schools Charter Management Organization to develop their school leader evaluation system in collaboration with current PUC school leaders. The development of the leadership evaluation system included the collective voices of…