The problem that was addressed in this study is the high rate of teacher attrition at a K--8 Title I school in Arizona. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the teachers who have chosen to remain at this school rather than leave. The theoretical framework of the study was based on Herzog's motivational…

It can be hard for leaders to find inspiration and joy when times are as stressful as they have been in the last two years. Coaching can help principals step back and rediscover their motivation or find new sources of inspiration. Coaching is a powerful approach to assist principals in being leaders of high-performing schools where students and…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine if, or to what extent, a correlation existed between teachers' collaboration and the intrinsic, extrinsic, and general job satisfaction of K-12 teachers in the Southwestern United States. The sample of this studied consisted of 113 K-12 public school teachers, in Arizona, that…

The United States currently faces a teacher shortage in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This research study focused on Arizona's STEM teacher shortage, aiming to gain a better understanding of the issue from the perspective of STEM teachers. The study explored job satisfaction and retention intention and identified strategies to…

The purpose of this case study was to determine if there is an increase in third through eighth grade teacher job satisfaction and self-efficacy following participation in the informal science education STEM Science Teacher Residency (STaR) program held at a science center. Through this study, cohorts of third-eighth grade educators in Arizona's…

This study explored what K-12 teachers believe are the most important skills and attitudes of an effective principal and how these attributes contribute to their job satisfaction. It then examined whether these valued attributes evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. A case study methodology was utilized to investigate the perceptions of 12…

Our classrooms haven't kept pace with innovation. The Ford Model T represented breakthrough technology in its day--more than 100 years ago--but it wouldn't serve us well today. Likewise, our traditional classroom model from the same era doesn't work well for far too many students and teachers. In fact, as a result of this outdated model, it is…

Arizona State University's Sun Devil Fitness and Wellness department plays a vital role in enhancing the physical health and well-being of its student population. However, the demanding responsibilities placed on campus recreation professionals, combined with the high expectations for student engagement, have led to a concerning rise in employee…

Teacher occupational burnout has been a long-standing problem for K-12 educators. COVID-19 further exacerbated this dilemma as school districts nationwide tried to solve the crisis and provide quality education to students nationally. The international health scare created an atmosphere of stress, confusion, and emotional and physical trauma…

Positive motivation to perform work tasks has been associated with better performance and outcomes in both the organizational and informal education literature. In environmental education (EE), this means that more motivated instructors are likely to provide better programs for their participants. In this exploratory study across 15 states in the…

Teacher attrition is one of the driving contributors to the shortage of effective teachers internationally and in the United States. The common factors that spur teachers worldwide to leave the profession include low salaries, quality of teacher preparation programs, overwhelming workload, and poor working conditions. In this study, we analyzed…

Schools across America are losing teachers at an alarming rate. Changing workforce demographics forecasted some level of loss decades ago. More recently, however, it has been noted declines are now reaching a crisis level across parts of the United States for a variety of reasons. Today the prevailing professional literature addressing public…

Quality teaching is essential to providing children with the knowledge and skills necessary for a high quality of life. It's essential to the economy, as well. Business thrives when it has ready access to an educated workforce, allowing Arizona to compete for the best industries and companies. Quality teaching helps build the society in which we…

In public schools, the principal's role is of paramount importance in influencing teachers to excel and to keep their job satisfaction high. The self-efficacy of leaders is an important characteristic of leadership, but this issue has not been extensively explored in school principals. Using internet-based questionnaires, this study obtained…

The immediate benefits of research experiences for undergraduates have been documented. However, little has appeared about the long-term impacts of these experiences on participants' career trajectories and their level of career satisfaction. In addition, many studies of undergraduate research lack a comparison group. This article reports a…