This mixed-method study examined the perceptions and lived experiences of pre-service teachers engaged in a specialized Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program at a private university in the Pacific Northwest. Through a thorough investigation guided by two primary research questions, this research aimed to examine pre-service teachers'…

The problem of practice under review was that novice teachers struggle with classroom management because they do not have the skills to intentionally build positive relationships with students; and therefore, a significant need for professional development exists. The purpose of this action research study was two-fold. Firstly, this study aimed to…

This study aimed to examine the initial pre-service teacher outcomes for a newly developed mental health training (i.e., "Training In Mental health for Educators -- Pre-service Teachers" [TIME-PT]). For the development of the TIME-PT, an expert panel and a focus group with pre-service teachers were conducted to inform of any changes and…

University supervisors perform a variety of roles and functions as they support teacher candidate growth. However, supervisors receive little training, resulting in misunderstandings about assessment expectations, perceived position roles, and teacher candidate coaching or feedback inconsistencies. This study was an examination of how…

The quality of teachers is crucial for students' learning and human development, particularly in modern multicultural classrooms and rapidly evolving environments. A key focus of teacher preparation is to transform classroom discourse and promote problem-solving skills and critical thinking. In order to foster critical thinking and facilitate…

The culminating experience of the student teaching internship provides the preservice teacher (PST) a unique opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. It is a time to develop critical thinking skills, pedagogy and practical knowledge learned from their courses (Rhoads et al., 2013; Turvey & Hayler, 2017). A quality internship…

Although the education system is beginning to recognize the impact of personal and social contextual factors by incorporating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), it often neglects the sociocultural contextual factors which are vital to the development of students from marginalized groups. The current training practices of preservice teachers…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of time in Mixed-Reality Simulations (MRS) on anxiety levels and coping for pre-service teachers (PSTs). A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was utilized for this study. The quantitative portion of the study used a convenience sample of 10 PSTs enrolled in one of two practice-based…

When teachers develop strong and effective partnerships with families, children experience significant benefits (see for example, Anthony, Williams, Zhang, Landry, & Dunkelberger, 2014; Fan & Chen, 2001; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Jeynes, 2007; Weiss, Lopez, & Rosenberg, 2010). However, collaborating with families remains an area in…

The purpose of this teacher-practitioner research study was to examine how elementary teacher candidates engaged in sensemaking about the learning process within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and to further examine how they engaged in sensemaking about NGSS teaching and curriculum development. Interviews and course artifacts from 14…

The reasons particular people enjoy science, pursue science, and see themselves as science people, or not, are diverse and complex (Brickhouse, et al., 2000). The ways that teachers present science and value particular ways of knowing and doing in the classroom can influence which students see themselves as science people (Carlone et al, 2011).…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers do not continuously develop self-efficacy as they progress through their preparation programs. One long-standing challenge in teacher preparation is providing adequate opportunities for self-efficacy development. There is a causal correlation between teacher self-efficacy, teacher preparation…

Creativity is an important part of education. Teachers need to be able to understand and develop creativity to be able to successfully model it for their students. They can achieve this through pre-service training. Past research has provided implications in pre-service training that helped pre-service teachers develop creativity, albeit from a…

Drawing from queer perspectives, critical and abolitionist teaching and practices, and somatic embodiment, my dissertation calls attention to historically embedded practices of the invisible and every practice of the lived experience. My dissertation explores the development and rendering of learning design encompassing cognition and intellect as…

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of a professional development program aimed at enhancing early childhood education (ECE) teachers' abilities to identify and address developmentally appropriate versus maladaptive behaviors in young children. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study involves pre- and…