The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in…

This article discusses the current contradictory policies surrounding the push for phonics instruction in Texas schools. Focusing on this current iteration of the reading wars, this article seeks to help teachers develop a historical context for reading instruction, review existing research on learning to read, and turn that knowledge into…

This qualitative study examined the perceptions of faculty members who use technology in undergraduate higher education traditional classrooms in research-focused regional universities in South Texas. Faculty members at research-focused regional universities are expected to divide time judiciously into three major areas: research, service, and…

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the essence of developmental education faculty experiences with the placement of students in their classrooms as a result of the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA). The interviews from this study were used to give developmental education faculty a voice and insight into…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of master of music education degree program directors and alumni from selected schools regarding the ways in which their music education master's programs balance the varied needs of program participants. Findings are presented in the two broad categories of improvement in P-12 teacher…

The increased focus on school accountability has led districts to implement instructional coaching positions on campuses. A close review of literature revealed that teacher perceptions can impact program effectiveness and reinforced a need for additional study of teacher perceptions of instructional coaching. The researcher designed this Q…

As members of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), universities across the United States are restructuring EdD programs to better prepare professional practitioners with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to improve the educational environments that they serve. The hallmark of these programs is often the…

The lack of self-advocacy for students with disabilities in higher education is a concern (Becker & Palladino, 2016). A recent influx of students with disabilities has prompted higher education institutions to take a closer look at their previous practices in an effort to reach these students. This qualitative research study examines faculty…

Attrition among new teachers with fewer than 5 years of experience was high in an urban high school in Texas. The high attrition rate is a problem for students, because high teacher turnover can result in teachers with low expertise. In this study, the conceptual framework used was Hord's professional learning community (PLC) model, which…

This article explores how critical pedagogy unfolds in the everyday interactions between teachers and students. Specifically, Freirean constructs of critique and dialogue were explored in two key literacy events drawn from an ethnographically informed case study of one fourth-grade classroom. The events were first examined from an ethnographic…

This study's purpose was to determine if a teacher home visit program implemented by a Texas-based charter school system resulted in differences in K-12 students' classroom behavior, academic achievement, and parent involvement in school. Study findings indicate positive behavioral, academic, and parent involvement outcomes for students who…

Persistence and graduation rates of African American students have become discussion topics of national, state, and educational leaders (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). Many African American students enroll in postsecondary education but do not persist to graduation (Harris, 2016). The purpose of this study was to explore African American…

This qualitative study focused on high school social studies teachers' understandings of and perspectives about vocabulary acquisition and instruction. The research questions were the following: (1) What do high school social studies teachers understand about vocabulary instruction? and (2) How do high school social studies teachers support…

Failure to adequately prepare teachers of emergent bilingual (EB) students could have devastating consequences for student achievement, EB reclassification, and eventually, high school and college completion. To enhance the policy discourse, we explore how teacher certification requirements relate to both EB student achievement and teacher…

This study examined the attitudes of nine teachers in a two-way dual-language program in regard to using technology to support the linguistic and academic development of emergent bilinguals. Using a phenomenological, multiple case-study approach, teachers' perceptions about using technology in education and the potential of technology to advance…