This dissertation explored the experiences of cisgender, gay male academic advisors in higher education. Using participant-generated photo elicitation and narrative interviews with 10 participants, the study revealed gay academic advisors were forced to negotiate their sexual identity in higher education. Through their negotiation, academic…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how Black faculty describe their experiences of belonging and how those experiences influence employee engagement and intention to stay at the community college. The theoretical framework focused on the belongingness theory and used a conceptual framework of belonging and the Black…

Job satisfaction and intent to stay in a nursing faculty position are critical in enhancing nursing education quality and addressing the current nursing shortage by attracting future nurses to the workforce. The unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic could have affected faculty members' job satisfaction and decisions regarding remaining…

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of teachers with respect to the professional development received on culturally responsive teaching and their perspectives on the influence this professional learning has had on teacher pedagogical development and student performance. The 30 licensed teachers in Massachusetts…

Framed by the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this descriptive phenomenological study described the experiences of general education teachers in inclusive classrooms and teacher preparedness to teach students with learning disabilities. The SCT allowed studying the behavioral, cognitive, and social aspects that helped comprehend teachers'…

This research study evaluated the effects of the Comprehensive Supports and Improvement (CSI) program on the performance of fifty-six participating schools after one year of school improvement technical assistance. Specifically, it investigated whether the geographic locations of schools, the percentage of inexperienced teachers, and school…

This study delved into the perceptions of educators regarding the impact of student trauma on teachers and how they coped within classroom settings. Through semi-structured interviews with 10 selected candidates in rural West Texas School Districts, the research aimed to shed light on the need for enhanced teacher training programs. The findings…

This study focused on automaticity, or the choices we make without conscious thought. Specifically, the study examined how math teachers improved their understanding of the practice and evolution of culturally responsive teaching by analyzing the lived experiences and metacognition of practicing middle school teachers as they assess student work…

The teaching profession has always been a difficult one. This reality has only continued since the COVID-19 school closures as many teachers were attempting to return to "normal." For novice teachers (within their first five years), they did now know what normal was and therefore could not return to it. This group of teachers continue to…

Traumatic events can alter the brain structure, affecting cognitive capacities and academic performance. Educators at all grade levels are responsible for supporting students through trauma-informed approaches. Previous trauma-informed research focused on K-12 education levels. Graduate-level occupational therapy educators' experiences and…

Teacher retention in rural Title I schools has declined drastically over the past several years. As more teachers leave the profession and turnover is climbs to astounding rates in these schools, the quality of education in the United States continues to decline. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the…

Teacher job satisfaction is important to retaining high-performing teachers. This study aims to investigate the effects of certain factors, such as age, gender, and years of experience, on overall job satisfaction. This study involved over 400 teachers from a West Tennessee school district, where the Job Satisfaction Survey was distributed. The…

Professional development and job satisfaction is a topic of great interest for all those who are involved in the field of early childhood education. Professional development is closely related to organizational development, both representing a result of continuous changes in education. At a personal level, professional development has an internal…

Teacher washout can disrupt teacher effectiveness and undermine the espoused pedagogy in teacher education programs. Teacher washout occurs once an individual occupies a teaching role after formal training but corresponds with the potency of teacher education programs and K-12 experiences. Teacher washout literature is limited and does not address…

Employee engagement is a critical component of a productive work environment. Female teachers have been found to exude lower levels of workforce engagement than their male counterparts based on a variety of quantitative studies completed in the past. Females dominate the field of education with nearly 70% of the workforce being comprised of women.…