The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the use of live actor improvised simulations as an innovative teaching tool in the development of social justice advocacy competencies for school counselors in training (SCITs). The feminist theoretical framework that guided the design of this study is from the challenges of bell hooks in her…

Innovative learning environments are increasingly built and implemented in schools, but are not necessarily being used according to designers' intentions. The goal of this study was to examine teacher perceptions of the innovative learning spaces they were charged with using and to determine if they were being used effectively and as designed. The…

Innovations in technology are changing not only everyday life for many individuals around the world but are also influencing the expansion of online learning opportunities at an accelerated rate (Collins & Halverson, 2018; Mah, 2016). Online learning platforms allow for scalability, flexibility, greater global access, and innovative and new…

Special education administration faces a myriad of challenges in regular times, exacerbated during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This dissertation investigates how special education administrators navigate and resolve problems amid significant institutional constraints and unprecedented global disruptions. The research focuses on the…

This qualitative, phenomenological case study addresses a notable gap in the existing research literature on the impact on the end-users of a creativity training course with a simulated field experience to support public school teachers' creativity development. Specifically, the study examined the phenomenon of creativity of two K-12th grade…

This qualitative study investigated the experiences of learning technology professors with National Science Foundation (NSF) external grant funding focused on education. The study investigated stories related to using NSF grants by learning technology professors across the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It enumerated the…

Public school campus administrators shape and build the campus learning environment through the policies and structures that they develop. Clarity through campus expectations and alignment to a common set of standards allows faculty and staff opportunities to align efforts - trainings, modeling opportunities, support networks - and exposure to…

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted educational systems, leading to significant learning loss and credit deficiencies among high school students, particularly in California's comprehensive high schools. This research addressed these challenges by exploring innovative strategies through a social-ecological model and ecological systems theory to improve…

The aim of this study is to explore the extent of, and reasons for, the adoption of an educational innovation among post-secondary education practitioners at an open access institution in the Southeastern United States. Informed by Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations and Kezar and Eckel's (2002) mobile model for transformational change in…

A new paradigm of music teaching and learning has emerged in secondary schools in the United States. Music educators are taking advantage of innovations in digital technologies by organizing courses in which students learn about and demonstrate music concepts through music technology. Despite the growth of such classes, technology-based music…

The study investigated how schoolteachers and administrators perceive innovative and engaging teaching practices in Southeastern U.S. high schools. Perceptual data was collected from high school teachers to determine whether they believe their professional development adequately prepares them to use innovative and engaging instructional practices…

This research deployed a predictive model to determine the influence of the factors of communication, culture, leadership, assessment, and innovation on successful implementation of an integrated institutional effective (IE) plan. Increasingly, accrediting agencies are requiring higher education institutions (HEIs) to implement integrated IE…

In the context of a first-year composition course at an HBCU, I explored the potential of Open Educational Resources (OER) and OER-Enabled Pedagogy (OEP) to better understand how the resources and the pedagogical practices surrounding their use might innovate teaching and learning. In this study conducted with 14 participants from online, hybrid,…

Social emotional development is crucial for all young children. Children who develop age-appropriate social emotional skills engage in positive peer relationships, establish friendship skills, and have competent problem-solving skills. Without adequate social emotional skills, young children are at risk for detrimental long and short-term…

The COVID-19 global pandemic caused unprecedented disruption in higher education institutions across the United States, closing college campuses and transitioning instruction to remote learning. During the spring of 2020 and upon the return to campus in the fall, faculty adjusted their teaching of in-person courses to accommodate the disruption.…