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Professional development

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A Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color In Predominately White K–12 Environments, Torine S. Champion Sep 2022

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color In Predominately White K–12 Environments, Torine S. Champion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers of color and identify commonalities within the lived experiences of teachers of color employed in predominately White K–12 schools. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis as viewed through the White racial frame lens. There were 15 participants that were included in this research study. Participants were teachers of color with at least 5 years of teaching experience in predominately White K–12 environments. Data collection procedures included confidential virtual, semistructured interviews that included specific information the researcher wanted to explore. Six themes were revealed: (a) cultural advocacy, …


The Infinity Mirror: Learning To Lead Through Action-Oriented Inquiry, Robert D. Evans Jan 2022

The Infinity Mirror: Learning To Lead Through Action-Oriented Inquiry, Robert D. Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation-in-practice is a reflective self-study exploring the lived experience of the current researcher as a leader of Lesson Study (LS) over 2 years. Drawing on the concepts of perspective and engagement articulated by Wenger-Trayner and Wenger- Trayner (2016) in their Learning in Landscapes of Practice conceptual framework, the study is organized around the primary critical question: How has my perspective on what it means to be a teacher leader been transformed through my engagement with LS in the context of a US community of educational practice? Working within the paradigm of first person action-oriented inquiry, the method of self-study …


Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning To Support 21st Century Learners, Nikki Hensley Dec 2020

Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning To Support 21st Century Learners, Nikki Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand teacher perceptions of blended learning as an instructional methodology for addressing the needs of diverse learners. The researcher explored the perceptions of teachers who were participating in an ongoing professional development program within their school district. This program focused on improving teaching and learning through the implementation of a blended learning approach. The researcher examined the experiences of teachers as they learned to adapt pedagogical practices to address the learning needs of 21st century students through blended learning. The researcher sought to gain a better understanding of how teachers perceived that …


Alliances And Accomplices Rise: A Critical Look At A Partnership With A School Serving An Indigenous Community, Alicia Brianna Saxe Jan 2019

Alliances And Accomplices Rise: A Critical Look At A Partnership With A School Serving An Indigenous Community, Alicia Brianna Saxe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conventional research in the social sciences roots itself in the colonial surmise behind the supremacist ideologies of Western and White knowledge, ways of living, people, and institutions. The well-established hegemony of the Western positivist research paradigm encourages a paternalistic and asymmetrical researcher-researched relationship, which reserves “legitimate” knowledge creation for an elite few. In this way, research traditions have largely functioned to uphold the status quo, especially when conducted with Indigenous peoples. Community-based research challenges the positivist empire by emphasizing community knowledge in researcher-community collaborations for the sake of taking action on community-identified issues. Mutually-beneficial researcher-community partnerships are especially relevant to …


Factors Relating To The Multicultural Efficacy And Attitudes Of Teachers, Donna L. Strickland Jan 2018

Factors Relating To The Multicultural Efficacy And Attitudes Of Teachers, Donna L. Strickland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted to examine the relationship between factors of professional development in diversity issues, teachers’ years of experience, and experiences with diversity with teachers’ multicultural attitudes and multicultural self-efficacy. The research was conducted using a sample population from southeast Georgia. A multiple regression was conducted using survey data (Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES)) collected from Qualtrics. There were 209 responses. Demographic data and multiple regression results are discussed as well as recommendations for future research. Findings indicate no relationship between teachers’ multicultural efficacy and multicultural attitudes and their professional development in diversity issues, years of teaching experience and experiences …


Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija May 2016

Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry study informed the understanding of a professional development planning process within the National Writing Project Assignments Matter initiative sponsored by the Literacy Design Collaborative. Because little has been written about teacher-leaders in the roles of planning professional development for colleagues, this narrative inquiry used the three dimensions of situation, continuity, and interaction (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Dewey, 1938) to explore interviews, large and small group meeting recordings, and email communications among leadership team members during an initiative to plan professional development. Qualitative data analysis included coding of attributes, process, in vivo, and patterns (Saldaña, 2013). Pattern coding …


Teacher Perceptions Of Individual Professional Learning Plans, Jerry W. Ripley May 2016

Teacher Perceptions Of Individual Professional Learning Plans, Jerry W. Ripley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine PK-12 teacher perceptions of an individual professional learning plan (PLP). Specifically, the researcher examined the perceived benefits of the PLP as well as the whether the PLP helped focus teacher learning. Additionally, the researcher examined teacher perceptions of learning activities within the context of the PLP, teacher intent to implement new learning, and perceived impact on teaching practice. Participants in this study were teachers from 16 schools in a single eastern Tennessee school district. All data were collected using an online survey distributed to 525 teachers resulting in a 44% return …