Technology has been brought into the educational milieu changing the way teachers and parents communicate. It allows teachers and parents to communicate conveniently while also facilitating the sharing of a variety of media (i.e., photos or video). Photos paint a visual picture of learning in the classroom, allowing families a glimpse into their…

The problem addressed in this study is that novice early childhood educators (ECEs, Grades kindergarten through 3) underestimate the challenges of teaching. Researchers have shown that although over three million teachers are employed in public schools yearly, on average 23% and up to 50% of newly inducted teachers leave the profession within 5…

This study explored challenges non-Indigenous educators face in centering Indigenous histories and experiences in anti-racist professional development (PD) workshops for PK-12 educators. It addressed the process of transforming anti-racist PD and the significance of learning from Native American community members. The invisibility of Indigenous…

There is an increased awareness concerning the need for educators to utilize more culturally responsive practices, particularly in early childhood education (Allen & Steed, 2016). As the number of culturally diverse students enrolled in early childhood programs rises, preschool programs must embrace this diversity and provide enriching…

This dissertation explored teachers' perceptions of achieving grade-level foundational reading literacy skills. Despite the recognized significance of reading literacy, many students struggled to attain proficiency, prompting an investigation into teachers' perspectives. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design, with PreK-Middle School…

Due to the increased use of technology in people's lives, digital media literacy has become increasingly more important in young children's early experiences. When used appropriately, children discover how to use digital media in ways that enhance their learning, preparing them for the positive benefits of technology use across their lifetime. The…

The number of children attending state-funded early childhood education (ECE) programs, centers, or school-based preschool programs has increased over the last two decades and continues to rise steadily. These ECE programs use play as the main learning tool for their young students. Research illustrates the many benefits of using play as a…

Research on Theory of Mind (ToM) and reading comprehension is a lively and active field with numerous publications a year. ToM describes a child's ability to identify and reason about the mental states of others (e.g., think, believe, intend, want). The burgeoning findings from this research suggests ToM plays an important role in the reading…

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are experiencing high turnover, resulting in lower teacher retention rates. High turnover hinders program quality, creates financial strain, and adversely affects program sustainability. Despite efforts to increase educator retention, a rural midwestern ECEC program's administrative team continues…

This study examined how current kindergarten teachers promote learning and early success throughout a child's educational trajectory, including middle and high school. Narrative inquiry identified concepts and methods of promoting social emotional development and learning for the duration of a student's schooling. The research gave voice to Latina…

Concerns regarding social competence skills in preschool and kindergarten students and the impact to the disruption of learning within the classroom is a growing area of concern within public schools. Decreased social competence skills lead to increased difficulty in engagement and cooperation in the classroom, disrupting the learning environment…

The problem addressed in this study was kindergarteners in public, rural schools struggle with phonemic awareness, causing their reading development to be delayed. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry study was to explore through the stories of kindergarten teachers whether students from a public, rural setting struggled with a lack…

Knowledge supports all aspects of reading including decoding, fluency, and comprehension (Cervetti & Hiebert, 2015; Cervetti & Wright, 2020; Duke & Cartwright, 2021; Kintsch, 1988, 1988; McNamara & Kintsch, 1996; Priebe et al., 2012). Early knowledge predicts reading growth, and science knowledge and reading have a mutually…

The purpose of this Dissertation in Practice was to explore the relationship between cultural intelligence and burnout in teachers. This purpose was rooted in a growing trend of teachers reporting a significant degree of burnout and education frequently being noted as one of the most stressful professions in the job market (Johnson et al., 2005;…

The purpose of this Action Research study was to investigate and improve preschool program maintenance and decision-making processes as understood by teachers, parents, administrators, and community members. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of interviews with two teachers, one current and one former, and three former parents…