Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, whole-school reforms will continue to be a prominent strategy for improving student outcomes in low-performing schools. As reform models have proliferated, so has research evaluating the impact in reform schools. However, previous evaluations have rarely examined unintended spillover effects in nonreform…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to examine the thoughts and feelings of teachers when utilizing video-assisted micro-teaching to reflect on their practice. Research questions included how, and in what ways video-assisted micro-teaching helps teachers reflect on their teaching and in what ways video reflection…

Teacher interactions with students in the classroom have an influential impact on students' social, emotional, academic, and behavioral development. The problem was that teachers are not prepared for the social interactions experienced in the classroom. The specific problem was that more research is needed to understand the significance between…

Novice teachers improve substantially in their first years on the job, but we know remarkably little about the nature of this skill development. Using data from Tennessee, we leverage a feature of the classroom observation protocol that asks school administrators to identify an item on which the teacher should focus their improvement efforts. This…

Collective bargaining agreements are documents used by unionized workers to outline the scope of their job role and in many educational settings are perceived as a hindrance to improving teacher quality and thus student performance. The problem addressed by this study was that the restrictions of the collective bargaining agreement impede the time…

As large expenditures are made every year to support the professional learning of teachers, it is critical to know if these endeavors are effective. Mathematics coaching has become an avenue that is believed to be an effective form of professional development in supporting mathematics teachers in their own improvement of teaching mathematics.…

This dissertation presents the findings of a qualitative improvement science study aimed at identifying an effective professional development structure to enhance teacher efficacy in the context of post-COVID-19 education. The study's approach was guided by improvement science, a systematic exploration of the problem, facilitated by a driver…

Educator Lauren Porosoff discovered the value of contextual behavioral science by accident, when accompanying her psychologist husband at a professional conference. Additional study of the subject convinced her of its benefits to educators and students -- and showed her the value of study outside her field. She encourages educators to seek out…

Background: Many education systems internationally expect schools to participate in continuous instructional improvement programmes. One tool used within these processes is the structured, rubric-based classroom observation, focused on the evaluation of teaching. Such observations are a common feature of formative evaluation systems, teacher…

This study aims to identify the need to develop an integrated model of the readiness of mathematics teachers as agents of change. Teachers' readiness is crucial for the effectiveness of the teaching process and the enhancement of pedagogical innovation. This study employs a qualitative methodology. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 14…

This transformative autoethnography focuses on the authors' learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a result of their participation in university diversity-related book clubs and subsequent extensive dialogue with one another. The paper features three implementation vignettes where the authors engage in critical self-reflection…

Teacher retention continues to be a concern in public education. The concerns related to this negative trend were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and schools and school districts are finding themselves in a precarious position. Many states and local school districts are creatively utilizing alternative certification methods to increase the…

Purpose: This qualitative study extends jigsaw lesson study (JLS) by focusing specifically on the impact of feedback on teacher candidates' (TCs') professional knowledge and instructional growth in the teacher-educator classroom. Design/methodology/approach: For this study, JLS took place in two different methods courses and followed the lesson…

Community college adjunct faculty, who teach a majority of first-year courses at community colleges, face varied challenges related to limited access to ongoing support. This qualitative study examined the effects of an instructional coaching program on community college adjunct faculty's self-efficacy and ability to enhance instructor presence in…

Research suggests that beginner teachers face challenges when transitioning from pre-service to in-service teaching. Both international and local research found that transitioning from preservice to newly qualified teachers can be problematic. This study explores the learning experiences of beginner foundation phase Grade R teachers. The study…