This was a qualitative case study design that used a questionnaire with semi-structured open-ended questions regarding the use of evidence-based strategies in co-taught settings with students who have high-incidence disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine what strategies were being used by co-teachers in science and social science…

Science classrooms often marginalize students of color, particularly Black and Brown boys, by devaluing their perspectives and supporting narratives that reinforce long-lasting deficit mindsets that sustain practices that keep Black and Brown boys in the margins. Using a Critical Participatory Action Research methodology, this qualitative research…

This dissertation focuses on how the MAT program in Earth Science at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH MAT), a one-of-a-kind, museum-based urban teacher residency, conceptualized and enacted the project of learning to teach science for urban school contexts. The AMNH MAT is situated within the two nested contexts. The first context is…

All students must graduate high school with the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to succeed in today's world. One of the most current educational reform efforts to meet this goal is the development and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which guides learners to achieve success in solving real-world problems…

To remain competitive in an innovative world, American classrooms are promoting careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by utilizing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students are engaged in inquiry by applying scientific practices like argumentation. However, science teachers are finding it difficult to…

This study explored ways in which the development and implementation of an online professional development experience for secondary science teachers might shift teacher perspectives, understandings, and practices surrounding the integration of socio-ecological justice learning (SEJL) into their classrooms, courses, and curricula. This…

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…

Practical work involving laboratory experiments is agreed upon to be an essential component of secondary science education. Practical work encompasses a broad range of activity types. The different forms of practical work are not equal in terms of cognitive demand and learning benefit. Inquiry-based investigations provide experience of cognitive…

The curriculum used in educating young people has the ability either to serve as a catalyst for the development of a science identity or potentially sway individuals away from the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This study critically analyzed gender representation across 10 secondary education biology/life science…

This study explored experienced high school science teachers' perceptions of their positive experiences with professional learning and their impact on pedagogical beliefs and classroom practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six high school science teachers from six different high schools representing four different public school…

Science teacher shortages are reaching critical capacity across the United States and New Jersey. Emerging teacher identity research highlights the impacts that subject matter plays in the development and retention of today's teachers. Strong personal and professional connections to the content area of science directly impact a person's decision…

With little to no literature found exploring dual enrollment/dual credit (DE/DC) offerings in Career Technical Education (CTE) and Health Science core courses/programs this study provides an examination of the perceived driving forces behind the recent expansion of DE/DC into CTE and Health Sciences. The development of a deeper understanding…

By the end of the nineteenth century, the momentum for the idea of a more practical education better suited to life in a modern, technological world brought the first educational reform movements in the nation. Concurrent reform efforts at the state and national levels influenced both the historical development of Earth science education and the…

This dissertation is comprised of three studies that define and subsequently evaluate different antecedents to STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) anxiety in elementary, secondary, and tertiary faculty. The literature review developed a framework of antecedents to anxiety in STEM classrooms or contexts. This was accomplished…

The emergence of the pandemic, which saw the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus, temporarily disrupted teaching with traditional education models changing the way Health Science instruction and training are presented. Secondary and postsecondary schools were unprepared to follow health mandates that restricted group gatherings and…