Teachers in high-poverty middle schools need additional supports from administrators to build collective teacher efficacy. Supportive leadership is the driving force in leading collective teacher efficacy in high-poverty middle schools. A qualitative, instrumental case study was utilized to explore how teachers perceive administrative supports…

This dissertation investigates the impact of a pedagogical class and a Community of Practice (CoP) on the implementation of reading strategies by faculty at a community college. It explores the types of reading strategies instructors plan to use, their integration into classroom practices, the factors enabling or impeding this implementation, and…

Systemic structures designed to make pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) exclusive to dominant culture, typically employ practices of exclusion or isolation of Black people. As such, the demand for more Black people, particularly Black teachers, in STEM has increased the demand for teacher preparation programs…

"Designing Our Own Support: Grassroots Course Design Efforts for Social Justice in Technical and Professional Communication" is a multi-stage participatory project that focuses on supporting instructors who emphasize social justice in their TPC courses. Working cross-institutionally with five instructors, I developed a prototype tool for…

This qualitative case study investigates the ways stakeholders in a senior/seminar teaching practicum construct and engage in reflection. It also explores the ways these modes of reflection intersect with pre-service dance teachers' development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and critical consciousness (CC). Specifically, the study…

This study was prompted by a desire to understand the relationship between reflective practice using classroom instructional video observations and teacher perception of effectiveness. This was a mixed methods study in which quantitative data were collected from a pre- and post-survey using a Likert scale and qualitative data from weekly pre- and…

Mathematics has a reputation as a frustrating and complex field, and all undergraduates must take at least one mathematics course to graduate. Since mathematics is mandatory, the teaching involved needs to accommodate students with varying mathematical success. This study aims to document and analyze mathematicians recognized for their teaching as…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to explore how novice elementary teachers in the southern United States describe the role of spontaneous and conscious decision-making to influence their instructional practice. Two research questions were developed using the cognitive experiential self-theory and decision-making theory which…

The purpose of this case study was to examine the utility of Digital Video Reflection (DVR) as a mediational tool to self-analysis; an investigation if DVR is an effective means of reflective practice for first-year teacher's adaptive expertise development. Participant was formally enrolled in a graduate-level education literacy specialist…

This qualitative case study conducted in a higher education institution in Guyana aimed to address a need for more transformative approaches to professional learning and development given that accelerated transformation of the education system is required to meet the fast-paced national economic development. Through the lens of the Transformative…

This qualitative descriptive study explored how K-12 special educators describe how their use of cultural competence--awareness, knowledge, attitude/beliefs, and skills-- influences how they assess and address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the US. The critical multicultural education competency model is the…

This quantitative study was conducted to examine if teacher reflective practices had an impact on student engagement, teacher-student relationships, and student engagement. Survey data were collected from 356 middle school teachers and students. Data concluded no significant relationships among the reflective practices of teachers, student…

The study investigates the journey of the PRDE's PADE Academy accelerated English teacher preparation program, in preparing special recruitment and permanent PRDE teachers for the English content area re/certification. Through qualitative research using a case study design, the research examines various aspects of the program, including academic…

Professional learning and growth for teachers is essential for effective teaching and the learning of students. Teachers receive formalized professional learning at the beginning of their careers through structures such as teacher education and induction programs. Beyond the novice years, professional growth opportunities for teachers vary and can…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the impact of peer-teacher coaches on teacher evaluation ratings. One grand tour question guided this study: How are Indiana elementary teacher evaluation ratings influenced by the partnership between a peer-teacher coach and a teacher? 12 educators from three schools across Indiana were…