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 study is to investigate how the US-based First-Year Composition (FYC) instructors understand and facilitate metacognition in their classes and assess students' metacognition through exploratory, mixed methods approaches. I argue that even if we understand the importance of metacognition generally for student populations, we…

Reflective practice is extensively discussed in the field of teacher education, and it is rapidly increasing in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). However, reflective practice is still underrepresented in the literature of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction. The purpose of this study is to understand…

Calls for history teachers to adopt inquiry methods continue to go unabated in educational research and curricular initiatives. In recent years, there has been increased recognition of the important role teacher reflection plays in managing the uncertainty that accompanies such pedagogy in history classrooms. Accordingly, this dissertation was…

This qualitative study explores the case of an elementary school known for its high levels of collaboration. The participants included two classroom teachers, a literacy interventionist, and a literacy coach. The purpose of this collective case study was to examine the influences of mediation on decision-making and determine how this influenced…

Teachers in a new school setting tend to display lower teacher efficacy, which negatively affects teaching performance and student learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of teacher efficacy in pre-service teachers and explore key factors influencing the perceptions as a result of pre-service training.…

This comparative case study analyzed two styles of coaching, team and individual, and the perceived impact each style has on instructional practices. This study was conducted in two elementary schools that are part of the same charter organization in California. The study identified the challenges and benefits of each style through interviews with…

Preparing the next generation of teachers to prepare students for the 21st Century is a challenging endeavor. Teacher candidates need to possess critical thinking and evidence-based pedagogical skills. It is believed that teacher reflection is the cornerstone to making informed decisions and timely modifications to daily instruction…

The purpose of this study was to understand what knowledge, skills, and practices teacher leaders learn from exercising leadership with other teachers in their school settings and how, if at all, they learn from experience and in communities of practice (CoPs), that is, groups of people with shared interest in a particular domain (Lave &…

Increasingly large populations of English Learners (ELs) attend public schools within the US and teachers are held accountable for the academic performance of these students. Unfortunately, multiple studies have concluded that teachers graduating from teacher education programs are not equipped with the competencies to clearly identify the…

This qualitative, multiple case study examined teachers' perceptions and strategies used to elicit emotional expression in students' piano playing. Since much of the existing literature depicts the relationship between emotion and music (Juslin, 1997; Perrson, 1993; Tait, 1992), yet little exists which explores conceptualizations of emotion…

A variety of computing devices are available in today's classrooms, but they have not guaranteed the effective integration of technology. Nationally, teachers have ample devices, applications, productivity software, and digital audio and video tools. Despite all this, the literature suggests these tools are not employed to enhance student learning…

This one-year long ethnographic case study seeks to add to the body of literature on EFL teachers' identities in Colombia by drawing on ethnographic methods and sociocultural theories to examine the identity construction of four EFL teachers at the university level. Specifically, this study explores how EFL teachers' identities shaped and were…

For the inclusive education indicated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to occur at the high school level, teachers must be prepared to teach students with multiple ability levels and learning profiles in one classroom. Since the passage of IDEA, large numbers of students with mild to severe learning needs have been placed…

This case study of a single school district aims to identify teachers' perceptions of how their professional practices have been affected after four years of receiving Cognitive Coaching. Cognitive Coaching was used in participants' professional development as a part of an Alternative Teacher Professional Pay System and included three…