In the first part, we investigate Birman, Ko, and Lee's left canonical form of a braid and give a new diagrammatic approach. We use the left canonical form to characterize almost strongly quasipositive braids. In the second part, we investigate students' confidence in mathematics and problem solving skills. Every math instructor has heard students…

Though job opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) continue to expand in the United States, people on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) while in school are continually disadvantaged in future STEM-based career possibilities. Studies have shown that students on IEPs are far less likely to major in a STEM degree…

Microaggressions remain a pertinent subject of study due to their subtle yet impactful nature, as evidenced by their potential to accumulate over time and yield negative consequences. Leveraging the Racial Microaggression Scale and the Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale, this study offers valuable insights into measuring both microaggressions…

Organic chemistry is accepted as a crucial part of science higher education funneling students into many career opportunities such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical industries. Students attempting organic chemistry courses in higher education are among a plethora of majors including biology, chemistry, health science, and engineering.…

This purpose of this study was to examine the effects of game-based learning and the coherence principle on student outcomes and self-efficacy compared to a multimedia tutorial. The relationship between perceived self-efficacy posttreatment and student outcomes was also explored. Participants included 99 undergraduate students in the information…

The diversity and number of cultures represented within a classroom seems to be continually fluctuating. In light of this, and the growing global community, the need for teachers to be confident in their ability to be relevant to all students' cultures and build upon their students' unique cultural background and knowledge is immediate. Despite a…

Instructors of post-secondary level courses sought novel ways of conveying content to a diversifying set of students. Likewise, the growth of computing and information technologies opened more avenues for instruction. Constructivist theories of education gained support in instructional efficacy. Instructors needed to balance the need of covering…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) strategies upon English language learners' (ELLs) self-efficacy and academic performance in the mathematics classroom. Being able to face academic challenges, while maintaining a high level of motivation and enjoyment in mathematics is…

This mixed-methods study examined the factors contributing to teachers' self-efficacy in teaching for conceptual understanding and investigated the impacts of a targeted intervention on their self-efficacy to work toward all students having equitable access to teaching that builds their conceptual understanding. This three-manuscript dissertation…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational predictive study was to examine if, or to what extent, gender, years of experience, and instructional modality predicted self-efficacy among community college instructors teaching in the Southwest region of the United States. The theoretical framework for this study is grounded in Bandura's theory of…

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used for education and training, raising questions about how to assess the degree to which people feel competent learning through VR. In 2022, Saville and colleagues developed the Virtual Reality Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (VRLSE). The current experiment builds on their work. VR can be used for a wide…

Progress in educational research and theory has led to the recognition that teachers need to integrate culturally responsive pedagogy practices into their instructional teaching to make genuine relationships with their students. The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which Michigan teacher candidates were familiar with CRT…

This study explores the impact of providing dedicated time and professional learning focused on cross-curricular lesson planning on teacher efficacy and pedagogy. Grounded in Bandura's theory of Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) and guided by Root-Bernstein and Root-Bernstein's concepts of interdisciplinary problem-solving, this research aimed to…

This study explored the relationship between multiple teacher factors and shifts in teacher technology integration practices for the development of 21st-century student skills. More specifically, through a multiple regression analysis, teacher technology knowledge, teacher technology skills, school culture, and teacher self-efficacy were examined…

Professional development is ubiquitous in education, with over 90% of teachers engaging in professional development activities, yet often with limited perceived impact on their practice. This dissertation situates itself at the critical juncture of professional development quality and teacher self-efficacy, investigating the transformative…