This research investigated West Virginia teachers' perceptions of online, on-demand professional development. The researcher used a mixed-methods, nonexperimental study that utilized a 16-item survey and a six-item follow-up survey to examine teacher perceptions. A convenience sample was used and was comprised of participants of the West Virginia…

Challenging student behavior can have negative consequences for both educators and students. Although effective behavior management strategies can improve student behavior, they are not consistently implemented with fidelity. The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods study is to investigate which resources educators and other school personnel…

"Middle-skills" jobs require more education and training than that provided by a high school diploma but less education and training than a four-year college degree. Employers struggle to find workers with the needed combination of knowledge and skills to fill middle-skills jobs; this search for workers is particularly pertinent to the…

Teacher professional learning is often disjointed and not aligned with the curricula teachers use in daily instruction. This lack of preparation has led to fragmented approaches to teaching young students to read, in part because initiatives lose momentum, teachers modify the instruction beyond recognition, and programs are soon eclipsed by newer…

This multi-case analysis uses video-cued multi-voiced ethnography in two culturally distinct regions of a Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) U.S. state with high levels of accountability to explore how cultural and demographic differences within state borders might impact how teachers view UPK curriculum and standards, how they teach, and how they…

Students in rural schools have the potential to achieve at high levels; however, they need support to develop this potential. Research indicates a particular need in the area of STEM education. This study looks at how to enhance school-wide instruction, collaboration, and assessment related to increased student participation in coding and computer…

Makerspaces have the potential to improve the learning outcomes of students in both middle and high schools. They support science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) style initiatives, as well as promote natural creativity among students who tend to struggle in expressing it. This study aims to gain significant insight from…

This report presents results of teacher and student surveys on how powerful Mathematics Design Collaborative practices are shifting how teachers teach. It also summarizes student achievement data from schools using the strategies in four states. In vignettes and testimonials, teachers who completed Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)…

The purpose of this research is to share findings about the perceptions of beginning teachers and mentor teachers throughout West Virginia regarding the professional development topics and skills that are most critical to the success of new teachers. In addition, this study provides data regarding perceptions of goals that are most important in…

The focus on improving children's readiness for kindergarten has intensified globally. While most studies examine this issue prior to children entering kindergarten, little is known about how education stakeholders make sense of readiness once children enter kindergarten. This article addresses this gap by examining how a range of stakeholders…

Coaching is a promising method for providing professional development, which takes many forms. One such form is real-time coaching through bug-in-ear technology. This study explored the social validity of bug-in-ear coaching when provided as a form of professional development with preservice and in-service early childhood educators. Data from two…

Coaching is a promising method for providing professional development, which takes many forms. One such form is real-time coaching through bug-in-ear technology. This study explored the social validity of bug-in-ear coaching when provided as a form of professional development with pre-service and in-service early childhood educators. Data from two…

Classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) is an emerging strategy for increasing youth physical activity, as well as improving academic achievement and on-task behavior. This paper describes the rationale, development, implementation, and evaluation of a professional development training designed for classroom and physical education teachers to…

Gifted students see both educational benefits and barriers as a result of living in rural communities. Benefits include increased individual attention and community engagement; barriers include limited curricular options (Lawrence, 2009). Acceleration is an option that has positive academic outcomes but is underused, especially in rural areas.…

Teachers today operate in highly politicized accountability environments where quick results, typically measured by K-12 test scores, are demanded. Although focusing on student learning outcomes is critical, equally essential is assuring that teacher learning opportunities which can strengthen instruction are available to teachers. A decade ago,…