This study examined the assessment needs of faculty and assessment practitioners in higher education. Sergiovanni's (2000, 2004) lifeworld-systemsworld framework (LSF) and Clandinin and Connelly's (2006) commonplaces of narrative inquiry (CNI) were the theoretical lenses to investigate this topic. Through 20 in-depth, semi-directed interviews (15…

The pipeline of college students seeking teaching positions is shrinking. The teacher shortage makes finding and retaining new teachers even more challenging. The cost of replacing existing teachers who leave is tremendous, and new teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate. This dissertation explored the lived experiences of new teachers…

Rural, economically disadvantaged students in Southern Appalachia experienced numerous situations that could negatively affect them socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically. Educators who routinely worked with rural, economically disadvantaged students should understand the difficulties these students experienced, as well as employ…

The problem addressed in this qualitative grounded theory study was that there are different curricula designs for online biology courses resulting in students having significant challenges. The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to use the theories of Mezirow (1990) and Tomlinson (1996) as the theoretical framework to explore…

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) has been viewed as a movement that links several academic fields across various academic departments in different institutions. WAC has emerged as a powerful pedagogical tool for improving students' learning outcomes and critical thinking. While the practice of WAC as an independent learning unit is not formally…

Students who struggle to build strong relationships with their teachers are more likely to drop out of school. This problem directly impacts high school graduation rates in urban areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore best practices urban high school teachers in NYC used to develop positive relationships with their students…

For years, researchers have been vocal about teacher burnout; however, to date, no legislation is in place to reduce or curtail burnout of the people responsible for shaping this world's future. While we would agree that we sometimes need good stress or "eustress" to push us to our maximum potential, it is a concern that bad stress or…

The current study examined teachers' perceptions of online and blended professional development and their implementation of acquired learning in the classroom. Interviews with K-12 teachers from across the United States revealed key themes and implications for professional development practices. Collaboration emerged as a crucial element, with…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to investigate the teacher's perceptions of their principals performing as rural instructional leaders in Alabama school systems based on the gender of the principal, years of acquaintance with the principal, and teachers' work experience. Influential instructional leaders practice…

This quantitative study investigated the relationship between teacher self-efficacy, maximizing decision-making tendencies, and utilization of educational technology resources. The study utilized the Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES), the Maximizing Tendency Scale (MTS-7), and teacher use of educational technology surveys to determine if…

The aim of this research was to study teachers' learning management experience in teaching science after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 66 senior pre-service science teachers, who carried out fieldwork in the school, and 53 in-service science teachers; the selection was conducted by purposive sampling. The instrument of this…

Practice makes perfect…this saying is a popular cliché, but it has validity when referencing the abundance of practice necessary to learn and master a new technique or skill. Like playing a game, honing a skill, or using a new technique, teaching requires practice to learn and improve. Working with preservice STEM teachers (PSTs), my goal was to…

Teacher education programs have the dual task of teaching specific subject content while also providing examples of how this content can be taught in schools. This task is especially important, and also problematic, when it comes to technology and science education, where hands-on components such as design/construction exercises, laboratory…

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' perceptions of preparedness for English learners in Mississippi content area classrooms. Specifically, the study examined the feelings and experiences teachers had on their preparedness for English learners. While researching teacher perceptions, the study also attempted to discover the reasoning…

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a gap in the preparation for virtual instruction and an effective use of technology. As teachers used technology and digital resources, perhaps unfamiliar to them, in response to the pandemic, there became an apparent need to determine what technology-related professional development, if any, teachers were provided…