Nearly one-fifth of U.S. children attend rural schools; however, these students have fewer opportunities for high-quality STEM learning. Rural students are also less likely to attend college and less likely to enroll in STEM majors than their urban and suburban peers. In conjunction with these factors, female students are also less likely to…

The problem addressed in this study was that White teachers often hold views of Black students that could negatively impact these students' educational experience and academic outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative, narrative inquiry study was to explore White teachers' attitudes toward Black students, their preferred teaching styles, and…

The purpose of this research project was to investigate the effect of the Think Through Math (TTM) online tutorial on student achievement in mathematics and student self-perception in mathematics ability. The treatment group consisted of 140 fifth grade students who received general instruction and daily access to TTM. The control group consisted…

Research suggests that current teachers' writing instruction does not prepare students for the demands of college and career writing, a problem that has persisted for decades. The purpose of this survey study of third- and fifth-grade teachers (N=159) across the U.S. was 1) to determine changes in teachers' frequency teaching writing using a set…

With the 2015 change in science standards to align more closely with the Next Generation Science Standards, as the district STEM coach, I saw a need for professional development that addressed the lack of understanding and skill needed to teach the Science and Engineering Practices, specifically the practice of Scientific Augmentation. This…

According to national standardized test results, American students are failing at an alarming rate. Research suggests that teachers are not prepared to teach in inclusive classrooms. Research also suggests that a teacher's efficacy rating can impact student achievement. This study explores how teachers of inclusive classrooms are attempting to…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve the student learning experience by understanding how Grades 4 & 5 educators in a Title 1 suburban-urban school district perceive, comprehend, and apply the CASEL framework for Social Emotional Learning (SEL) to improve learner motivation and academic achievement. Using…

Each teacher brings different strengths and beliefs to the classroom through instruction. When teachers implement the same curriculum, pacing guides, training, and support, their instruction still varies, as does student learning. The Action Research study sought to improve the connection between teacher self-efficacy and teacher perceptions in…

The purpose of this two-phase, sequential explanatory mixed-methods research study was to examine the correlation between kindergarten through fifth-grade teachers' self-efficacy and the impact on literacy achievement to determine how professional development (PD) positively impacted teachers with high self-efficacy. The study was conducted in a…

With large-scale wicked problems threatening our world, the integration of sustainability into teacher professional learning is systemically lacking in the United States. The purpose of this case study was to understand the impact of a multi-session, sustainability-related professional learning program on twelve PreKindergarten-8th grade educators…

The current study aimed to contribute to the literature by implementing an intervention that examines the effects of explicit metacognitive strategy training and prompts embedded within a Game-Based Learning Environment (GBLE), "Missions with Monty," on metacognitive monitoring accuracy, game performance, and science knowledge of…

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative, non-experimental study was to determine if there is a difference in reading self-efficacy and perceived learning among fourth- and fifth-grade inner city students who participated in experiential learning and those that did not participate in experiential learning. Experiential learning is…

Black and Latinx students, along with those in special education programs, are suspended and expelled at rates higher than their peers. Exclusionary discipline can lead to poor academic performance, high dropout rates, and incarceration. Restorative practices (RP) promote a positive school culture, reduce punitive discipline, and build strong…

Research suggests that math anxiety correlates directly with individuals' views of mathematics-related experiences. Research also suggests that math anxiety may begin in early elementary grades and remain into adulthood. This study examined how teachers' experiences, perceptions, and mathematics confidence levels influence mathematics instruction.…

There is a noticeable deficit in the research examining how a motivational intervention such as a robotics curriculum might provide a possible route to positively impacting elementary students' interest, attitude, and self-efficacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and their persistence and interest in pursuing a STEM…