Teachers need to maximize technology to support student learning by drawing upon varying pedagogical orientations; however, teacher-centered, highly structured approaches that foster low-level thinking is more prevalent. Although highly structured approaches help develop students' foundational skills and content knowledge, student-centered,…

My study was to discover the perceptions of general secondary senior high school biology teachers about the application of curriculum 2013. Their further opinions of biology topics and the instructional practices in the class have supported the findings of this study. In addressing this study, general senior secondary school (GSSS) biology…

International tests indicate that students in the United States rank lower in mathematical achievement than students in many other countries (NCES, 1998; OECD, 2014). More than one-quarter of American 15-year-olds do not reach a baseline proficiency in math and do not have the requisite skills to effectively participate in day-to-day life…

Using non-experimental, cross-sectional predictive design, this study sought to examine the relationship between the type of training faculty receive and the pedagogical practices employed when teaching academic coursework in post-secondary music conservatories. The study also sought to identify the types of training and development activities in…

Over the past thirty years, policies have been enacted at the local and state levels to reform mathematics instruction to be student-centered (see Cohen & Ball, 1990; Resnick, Stein, & Coon, 2008). Despite the wave of instructional reforms, several critical gaps remain in our understanding of student-centered mathematics instruction.…

Grading is one of teachers' greatest challenges and most important professional responsibilities. For more than a century, grades remained the primary indicator of how well students performed in school and stayed the basis for making important decisions about students (Guskey, 2015). Traditional grading practices are subjective at best and do not…

Self-service design tools are flooding K-12 environments and altering the way instruction can be designed and delivered. As a result, schools are utilizing existing academics to both design and teach their own curriculum. These academics, called "designers-by-assignment", tend to have limited training in instructional systems design and…

This two-phased action research study first explored obstacles to learning among second-language learners in a UAE undergraduate, social work course. This knowledge was then used in the modification of a flipped class approach to understand how this approach could influence student engagement and comprehension. This study was grounded in a…

For decades, American policy leaders have focused efforts on improving opportunities for ALL students, including the most disadvantaged. Educators work tirelessly to ensure that every student grows into a self-sufficient, contributing member of society--no matter his or her starting point. This charge becomes increasingly complex for American…

Those supporting contemporary reform efforts for mathematics education in the United States have called for increased use of technologies to support student-centered learning of mathematical concepts and skills. There is a need for more research and professional development to support teachers in transitioning their instruction to better meet the…

The focus of this study was on identifying the challenges faced by teachers and school personnel at a middle school in educating the whole low socioeconomic status (SES) child academically, socially and emotionally to enhance positive educational outcomes. The unmet academic, social, and emotional needs of the low SES student in the middle school…

This applied dissertation was designed to verify the effectiveness of professional learning communities (PLC), as it relates to the participation of administrators and teachers. Prior studies have emphasized the importance of continuing learning experiences for school administrators while working. Chiptin (2013) pointed out the importance of a…

This quantitative study used a web-based questionnaire to assess the attitudes and perceptions of online and hybrid faculty towards student-centered asynchronous virtual teamwork (AVT) using the technology acceptance model (TAM) of Davis (1989). AVT is online student participation in a team approach to problem-solving culminating in a written…

Creekside High School is a high-performing public high school where students who are not White or Asian face a racialized school environment. This dissertation examines the school's initiative to detrack its ninth grade Algebra class. Detracking is the process of placing students in heterogeneous classes instead of grouping students by ability.…

Introductory biology and chemistry courses have some of the highest attrition rates at Delaware Technical Community College. High attrition rates in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses are also present on a national scale (Chen, 2013). Research in student success points to a lack of student-centered…