The transition from face-to-face, in-person learning to distance learning during COVID-19 happened from one day to the next and was not easy or smooth (llona Huszti et al., 2021). Consequently, teachers were largely unprepared for the online platforms they were forced to use as their single means of teaching and for maintaining student engagement…

There has been a declining interest in science by adolescents as they mature in the American school system (Anderman & Young, 1994). Inquiry-based teaching is a supported practice with the aim of shifting science teaching to better engage students. This study offers a qualitative analysis of teachers' perceptions and implementation of…

Classroom management is a key component of a successful learning environment. To support first-year teachers, mentors, administrators, and other educators need to understand how first-year teachers perceive their self-efficacy in classroom management. This study explored how first-year teachers perceived their self-efficacy with classroom…

This dissertation explores the development and implementation of a community-based educational program, iDREAM, aimed at teaching minoritized youth about Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an emphasis on ethics and social justice. Partnering with two NGOs, this study integrates Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) and Critical Computational…

The current model of teaching where one teacher works individually with a group of learners in a classroom in an alternative educational setting promoted unrealistic expectations by assuming individual teachers working alone could meet the needs of all students. To address this problem, I conducted an action research study in which I explored the…

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing student response technology (SRT) and case studies into a largely populated university undergraduate course would influence student engagement. When student engagement is influenced the potential for positive learning outcomes occurs leading to a higher likelihood of student success (Swap…

A novel intervention to introduce undergraduate students to bioinformatics, provide authentic research opportunities, and support student retention in science majors and careers is presented in the Characterizing Our DNA Exceptions (CODE) project. The need to increase the number of qualified STEM graduates, particularly in the fields of…

After school programs are held in many schools nationwide. This research reviews the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences related to staff's ability to provide active and engaging activity plans to the students enrolled in the Los Angeles Expanded Learning Program. The study utilized mixed methods via both a survey and focus groups.…

Reading aloud is an important instructional activity for helping young children learn early literacy skills and develop content knowledge. When teachers ask questions during a read aloud, they can help students notice and think more deeply about information in the book. Despite the benefits of read alouds, some teachers do not engage students in…

This quantitative study examined teacher perceptions on the relationship between technology, student academic behaviors, and performance in blended 9th-12th grade settings through pre-COVID-19 Pandemic and post-COVID-19 Pandemic learning experiences. This replicate study explored the relationship between teacher perceptions of student motivation…

Teacher self-efficacy has been linked to positive student outcomes. This mixed methods study aimed to examine the beliefs of regular education teachers concerning their ability to educate student with special needs. The modified Teacher Self Efficacy Survey was administered to 51 general education teachers, and 9 teachers participated in focus…

During the spring of 2020, a South Georgia school implemented distance learning due to COVID-19, with little administrative support for the teachers for online instruction. This quick transition may have impacted teachers' self-efficacy beliefs about teaching online. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore middle school…

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effectiveness of a college access program created to improve college application and acceptance rates for underserved students. The program is targeted toward low-income, first-generation students, many of whom are minorities and reside in a rural area. The schools that the students attended…

This qualitative exploratory case study focused on the achievement gap in mathematics that exists in one urban North Carolina middle school and the strategies used by school personnel to narrow this gap. The goal of this research was to determine effective instructional strategies and best practices used to engage students in learning that will…

"Closing the loop" is a commonly used phrase in discussing cyclical processes, such as the area of outcomes assessment in higher education. Increased interest in accountability and a shift in accreditation focus have necessitated that higher education institutions are closing the assessment loop and creating a culture of evidence to…