Social and emotional learning (SEL) has many benefits to students, and previous studies have focused on public and private, in-person learning environments. The homeschool environment has not been studied to determine the benefits of SEL, including increased academic outcomes. The problem was the poor student academic achievement due to the…

This dissertation aims to bridge the gap between validity theory and the practice of validation. The dissertation employs a three-article approach. Following the introduction in Chapter I, three independent manuscripts representing three empirical studies are presented (i.e., Chapters II - IV). Each chapter is a stand-alone publishable manuscript,…

Educational technology evolves constantly, in line with the innovative technologies we implement, but always catering for the improvement of teaching and learning. For this, Smart Learning Environments (SLE) emerge as an optimal alternative to traditional teaching as, through ergonomics, an inclusive outlook which is bound to enhance the…

We are 21 years into the 21st century, and educational practices across North America were woefully unprepared to 'flip the switch' to online learning; at times no education occurred at all, not online or onsite. The COVID-19 pandemic disruptor storm peeled off the layers of blindfolds time accrued in an instant. Issues included three areas. Area…

As the world reckons with the existential threat posed by climate change, the US remains deeply divided about the need for action. The solution to this problem, many have argued, begins with teaching environmentalism in primary and secondary schools and fostering receptivity to environmental issues and environmental science among the next…

This paper is an experimental effort to look at a fairly traditional "gender diversity curriculum" that the authors assembled together over 2 years (Woolley & Airton, 2020). The aim of the curriculum assembled is to teach--presumably an in-service or pre-service K-12 teacher--how to incorporate gender diversity into their own taught…

Purpose: This study explored the different manifestations that school principals attribute to their sense of loneliness, with reference to their career seniority. The study posed two questions: (1) what are the various interpretations that school principals attribute to their sense of loneliness, in regard to the way in which it is manifested in…

In today's schools, the ability to integrate technology into the teaching and learning environment is a necessary and crucial skill. Many K-12 classroom environments are technology-rich, with 1:1 devices, blended learning, and even distance instruction taking place. However, new teachers often enter the classroom unprepared to successfully utilize…

In this qualitative study, we examined the perspectives of four urban K-12 principals on what hinders and helps their vitality. Grounded in 60 minute interviews, 10 monthly, full-day observations, and document analysis with each participant, we identified three themes hindering their vitality: (a) illusion of control of productivity strategies and…

Although metal detectors, guards, and law enforcement officers are intended to protect students and maintain a safe educational environment, the actual effectiveness of such measures is unclear, especially when it comes to protecting Black students. Charles Bell interviewed Black students from urban and suburban schools across Michigan and learned…

There is a great need for applied studies at the K-12 level on how creative problem solving skills can be developed in out-of-school environments and what kind of learning activities can be used. Therefore, in this study, the effects of inquiry-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities on students' STEM awareness and…

The aim of this study is to review the studies conducted on school-aged children in Türkiye between 2000 and 2023 based on the McMaster Family Functioning Model. In this study, a systematic review method was used and the studies that used the McMaster Family Assessment Device as a measurement tool were found through academic search engines. A…

The purpose of the current qualitative study was to explore the characteristics of high-performing Title 1 schools that narrow the poverty-related achievement gap employing an extreme sampling case design. The study examined four case schools that were selected based on 2019 CAASPP data as published on the California School Dashboard with the…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore K-12 administrators' descriptions of their instructional leadership of teachers serving students with severe disabilities in North Carolina. The principal instructional leadership framework, leader's framework for supporting new special educators, and self-efficacy theory were used…

School principals are essential to the implementation of culturally relevant practices in schools. The need for culturally relevant, responsive, and competent leadership is significant given the increase in the number of children representing a diversity of racial, ethnic, and linguistic populations (Horsford et al, 2011). Schools are becoming…