Critical pedagogy is a teaching approach that aims to develop students' critical thinking, political and social awareness, and self esteem through dialogue learning and reflection. Related to the teaching of EFL, this pedagogy holds the potential to empower non native English speaking teachers (NNESTs) when incorporated into English teacher…

Increasing numbers of "teaching-only" staff are being appointed in higher education institutions in the UK. At one research-intensive university, a new category of academic staff was recently introduced: University Teachers, who are required to engage in scholarly activity as part of their conditions of employment. For many this…

This study implemented an exploratory mixed-methods design to better understand how the characteristics of a principal, specifically the strategies, behaviors, and actions, lead to the perception of empowerment as perceived by the teachers themselves. An expert panel identified three "highly successful" principals assigned to elementary…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' knowledge and professional opinions concerning state policy changes for college and workplace preparation, state curricula requirements and standards, student tracking, graduation rates, and the implication these elements have in the mathematics classroom. A qualitative…

Since the 1980s many educational systems have undergone decentralisation. This trend has expanded the role of school principals and redesigned their relationship with teachers. To improve schools, educational reformists expect principals to empower teachers and increase their participation in school governance. Yet the implementation of such a…

In the large and complex landscape of pedagogy, the focus seems to have turned away from the concept of teaching and towards a stronger emphasis on learning, probably supported by neo-liberal ideology. The teacher is presented more as part of the force of production than as an autonomous performer of a mandate given to him/her by society. He/she…

This case study is part of a larger project which aims to determine the usefulness and validity of a model of a pre-service content and language integrated learning (CLIL) teacher education programme inserted in a Master's degree, whose main pedagogical option is to achieve teacher empowerment through cycles of collaborative teaching and shared…

The goal of this study was to examine whether the leadership style of principals affects teacher and student performance. The study includes an elementary, middle, and high school principal along with two teachers from each school who worked at schools that were in good standing from 2007-2011. Each school made adequate yearly progress (AYP) each…

Professional development is an ongoing process, one that evolves as teachers assess and reexamine their teaching beliefs and practices. This article highlights some reasons for teachers to pursue professional development. It also suggests techniques that help teachers feel empowered and motivated in their English language classrooms. She includes…

The purpose of this concurrent, mixed-methods study was to examine the professional empowerment qualities of mid-career (years 4-8), science teachers. I used the construct of professional empowerment as the theoretical frame to explore K-12 mid-career science teachers' career trajectories and consider how they can be supported professionally and…

This dissertation was an in-depth investigation of successful online teaching in the context of higher education. It is presented in nontraditional dissertation format as approved by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Iowa State University. This dissertation includes three publishable journal articles that would represent Chapter 2, 3…

This paper introduces The Expanded Reflection Cycle for Transformative Professional Learning as a professional learning model for practicing teachers completing their graduate studies that includes expanded opportunities for peer support and collaborative reflection. Through the model, teachers engage in systematic self and collaborative…

At the onset of the 21st century, education faces a crisis in our data-driven environments. Teachers feel limited by the adopted scripted curriculum designed to raise test scores, because it is not adequately engaging students. However, educational research in the US and in other countries indicates that teacher collaboration with administrative…

Teachers understand and apply citizenship education differentially in traditional western democracies. But what of Asian countries where democracy is more recent and treated differently and where countries have traditions of highly controlled education systems? Do teachers have and demonstrate independence of thought in civic matters? This article…

In 2000, the author took over the leadership of a large elementary school located in a small community in western Pinellas County, Florida. During her first year, the student population was around 950 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Today the school population is around 750 students, with 93 percent being white students who live in…