The U.S. is more racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse than ever before. The number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners continues to increase in K-12 classrooms. The problem this study addressed is that many White teachers are not disposed to implement the culturally responsive teaching (CRT) framework due to their…

In the United States, educators are tasked with responding to the increased needs of diverse K-12 students in mainstream classrooms through co-teaching roles that require collaborative partnerships. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand how students in teacher preparation programs within the United States describe the…

This dissertation in practice (DIP) uses a quantitative survey research design to understand the impact of the teacher education program (TEP) at Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) on preservice teachers' cultural proficiency growth. This research is important because the racial and ethnic diversity of the nation's public school student population…

Teaching that attends to and builds on students' resources and treats students as capable mathematical sense makers has been referred to as responsive teaching. A body of research reports teachers' tendency to overlook students' mathematical thinking when their answer is correct and to correct it procedurally when students make a mistake. This…

Understanding fractions, especially their magnitude, is essential for success in mathematics. Unfortunately, fractions are one of the most challenging mathematics concepts to teach and learn. Several studies have examined preservice teacher (PST) knowledge of fractions, but very few studies have looked for ways to improve this knowledge. This…

In 2017, the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development examined the relevant evidence regarding social-emotional learning (SEL) across various disciplines. The commission concluded that social and emotional competencies are essential to developmental growth, and overall success in school and life. This qualitative case…

This study presents the role of pre-service teacher training in developing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) levels. The study had two main objectives. The first was to analyze the role of pre-service teacher training in enhancing teachers' TPACK levels, and the second was to compare the two training routes (traditional and…

A large percentage of teachers in U. S. public schools are White. In contrast, most students in U. S. public schools are students of color. The racial imbalance results in a cultural mismatch creating a cultural gap between teachers and the students of color they are assigned to teach. Although teacher preparation programs produce teachers with…

This mixed methods embedded case study investigated a pre-service professional learning community (PLC) model's ability to transform the teaching and perceptions of six pre-service science education students. The PLC utilized in this study was developed through the National Science Foundation Noyce Track 2 program, Developing Leaders in Science…

The intended outcome of this qualitative study was to provide valuable information that could improve pre-service teacher education programs and inclusion professional development programs, as well as help guide school-based administrators on how to better support co-teaching at the secondary level. In order to accomplish the outcome, the purpose…

Harmful and inaccurate narratives about the nature of mathematics, and about the mathematical incapability of historically marginalized groups, are pervasive and longstanding. The persistence of these narratives, and their documented negative impacts in school, the discipline, and beyond, have led some scholars to conclude that there is something…

This purpose of this study examined the effectiveness in technology integration among Texas educator preparation pathways and identified successful approaches in developing the technology competencies of preservice teachers. Existing data collected by the Texas Education Agency's Exit Survey by preservice teachers completing an educator…

Instruction for students classified as English Learners (EL-classified) in the US has been dominated by formalist orientations to language that focus instruction on acquiring decontextualized linguistic forms often as a prerequisite to mainstream classroom learning (Valdes et al., 2014). Many language scholars argue that these formalist…

The high attrition rate of novice K-12 teachers has been a longstanding issue of concern for districts and school administrators. The purpose of this action research was to study contributing factors of social-emotional resilience in educator well-being, and how transformational conversations could support Teacher Preparation Program (TPP) leaders…

This study explored preservice teachers' (PST) perceptions to implement technology interventions for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Technology avails unlimited potential for students with ADHD yet remains relatively untapped. The conceptual framework was based on Bandura's social cognitive theory of self-efficacy:…