This study followed mindset changes in elementary teachers as they transitioned from traditional grading to standards based grading during the earliest stages of the change process. A pre- and post-survey of mindsets of participants, individual interviews, and a focus group interview were conducted. While the results of the pre- and post-survey…

This dissertation documents and analyzes the successful efforts of four experienced Black teachers in a high poverty urban school to develop and sustain ambitious teaching practices. These four focal teachers were part of a larger department learning community that also included three new teachers and a full-time instructional coach, of various…

A number of national directives and successful case studies, focus on the need for change in teaching and learning, particularly emphasizing increasingly rigorous STEM learning tied to the use of ICT and digital tools for technological literacy and future workforce development. This action research study investigated the role of instructional…

The importance of principal preparation in special education has increased since the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed in 1975. There are significant financial reasons for preparing principals in the area of special education. Recent research also shows that all children learn better in an inclusive environment. Principals who…

Teachers routinely report they are under-prepared for the classroom management challenges of the modern classroom and pre-service training programs are an important point of intervention. However, few studies have investigated classroom management training at the pre-service level. The present study compares two different training approaches…

The current study examines the effects that a coaching intervention has on the occurrences of scaffolding language techniques in a teacher's instructional delivery, in addition to the possible influences that a coaching intervention has on the teacher's ability to reflect on scaffolding language. More importantly, the study considers whether…

A common belief in United States culture is that "...sports can provide opportunities for personal growth and social development." (Ewing, 1997). Unfortunately, more recent research has suggested there is a growing trend to the contrary. As a result, those whose work it is to develop an athlete's morality should seek out strategies that…

The numbers show that more students with LD/ADHD are gaining college admission (Madaus & Shaw, 2010; Pryor, Hurtado, DeAngelo, Blake, & Trane, 2010). Even so ever-increasing issues face colleges and universities in the retention and graduation rate of these students (Anctil, Ishikawa, & Tao Scott, 2008; Getzel & Thoma, 2008).…

The role of school superintendent has become increasingly complex. As school district leaders deal with new curriculum standards, increased accountability, and limited financial resources, they are in need of quality professional development tailored to their needs. This qualitative study explores personal, cultural, and structural factors that…

The current study evaluated the effects of short-term, structured teacher training in Active Reading on student outcomes in listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. Active Reading is an approach to whole group read aloud that incorporates interactive shared reading and rich vocabulary instruction. Participants included…

The field of executive coaching has grown in popularity as a developmental tool for leaders. With the potential for a leadership continuity gap and the desire for organizations to strengthen leadership talent pools to prepare for succession planning, there is a need for empirical research regarding the effectiveness of executive coaching. The aim…

Pre-service teachers (PST) clinical experiences are critical for transfering theory to practice (e.g., Brownell, Ross, Colon, and McCallum, 2005) and these experiences require effective mentoring, coaching, and supervision from university supervisors and cooperating teachers (e.g., Leko, Brownell, Sindelar, & Murphy, 2012). Yet, many special…

Immersion programs face a variety of challenges that are common to the field, such as lack of materials appropriate for students' language abilities, assessment, teacher recruitment and retention, balancing content and language, and relevant, high quality professional development for teachers. However, within specific micro-contexts, other issues…

Employers seek employees with skills that have been correlated with specific credentials including academic certifications, industry certifications, and college degrees. In order to meet these demands, policymakers are pressing higher education institutions to facilitate higher rates of credential completion among college students. This requires…

Instructional coaching has been a professional learning opportunity that many school districts have employed to support teacher practice. Pairing instructional coaching with on-going workshops is a relatively new approach to professional development. Participants for this study include fourteen middle school teachers that teach either mathematics…