Teacher preparation programs are ever evolving based on research and student needs. The use of technology, such as virtual reality (VR), is at the forefront of education to help provide opportunities for teacher candidates to practice teaching in a semi-authentic classroom environment of students with and without exceptionalities. VR is a way for…

The climate crisis is an environmental issue that affects people of all walks of life but has disproportionate effects on those living in impoverished communities. The climate crisis therefore is not only an issue of environmental justice, but also social justice. However, incorporating environmental issues within education has typically been left…

Teacher education programs have the responsibility of preparing future educators to teach in ways that support student learning and foster deep understanding of subject matter. For this reason, it is important teacher education programs support preservice teachers' development of subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. One of…

Progress in educational research and theory has led to the recognition that teachers need to integrate culturally responsive pedagogy practices into their instructional teaching to make genuine relationships with their students. The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which Michigan teacher candidates were familiar with CRT…

This dissertation investigates the impact and reported and intended use of educators' culturally responsive and sustaining (CR-S) practices. Conducted in California, one of the most diverse states in the U.S., the dissertation summarizes information so that the pressing need for educators to incorporate CR-S practices to support a diverse student…

The goal of this comprehensive literature review is to show the importance of using multicultural and international children's and young adult literature as a needed resource within classrooms across grade levels in order to develop and maintain societies of people around the globe who are knowledgeable of, empathetic toward, and accepting and…

This dissertation combines three complementary studies that focused on the assessment and determined the quality of the written performance feedback practices and processes used by university supervisors with special education teacher candidates (SETCs) to improve their practice during field experiences. In the first study, a systematic review of…

Assessment is currently seen not only as a means to evaluate students' performance but also as a crucial tool for identifying learning needs and facilitating student progress, while simultaneously aiding teachers in refining their instructional methods. This paper presents findings from an in-depth study conducted through online surveys involving…

Current research indicates that inclusive classrooms with students with disabilities are rising, and schools are challenged with shifting their structures and curriculums towards inclusion. This doctoral dissertation aims to understand pre-service program models and how they prepare teachers for inclusive environments, including their knowledge…

As classrooms become more diverse and inclusive, classroom management is a consistent issue that new teachers, in particular, special education teachers report being ill-prepared for. The enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015) and continued punishment referral patterns have given rise to concerns regarding the overuse of…

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 4.9 million public school students in the United States are emergent multilingual students (also referred to as English language learners or ELLs), and by 2025, it is estimated that one in four U.S. students will be an emergent multilingual student (NCES, 2019). Research on preparing…

"Qik'rtam Litnauwistai" (Island's Teachers) was a multi-tiered, community-based, participatory action research project initiated as a direct response to both community and institutional recommendations to "grow our own" Alutiiq educators. The study (a) examined current departmental practices in teacher education at Kodiak…

Education in the United States is a different experience depending on where students live and go to school. The achievement and opportunity gaps illuminate disparities in the quality of education students of color and students living in poverty receive. When research is embedded within the practice of teaching, or practitioner inquiry, it has…

The critical shortage of qualified teachers in hard to staff urban schools has been a persistent issue in the U.S. for decades. Teachers and researchers have pointed to the inadequacy of teacher preparation programs to prepare teacher candidates to address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students and special education students…

How do multitextual reflection experiences impact reflective practices for pre-service art education teachers? The research conducted for my dissertation was guided by this research question. My interest was to find out if multitextual reflection experiences might impact reflective practices for pre-service art teachers and in what ways those…