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An Investigation Into The Influences Leading To Special Educator Attrition; A Professional Development Approach, Kimberly Miller

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examined the differences within special education preparation and professional development support and the association with special educator feelings of self-efficacy and burn-out. The dissertation is organized into three separate papers. Paper 1 is a review of the research literature on the causes of special educator attrition. Paper 2 utilized the causes of attrition identified in Paper 1 and outlined research to further identify potential causes, and potential solutions. Paper 3 provides an outline of proactive solutions for districts to implement, in order to support special educators through meaningful professional development.

The literature review identified specific factors impacting special …

The Effect A School District’S Inservice, About The Implicit Curriculum Of School Functioning, Has On Educators’ Attitudes Towards Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Louise Barton

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Educators’ attitudes affect the success of their students. When children have a variety of challenges, such as children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), educators’ attitudes towards these children are specifically influenced, affecting the success of the child. Research has shown that professional development can improve the educator’s attitudes, therefore increasing the success of the students. School functioning skills, such as obtaining knowledge from a variety of formats and following class rules that vary from teacher to teacher and setting to setting, are especially difficult for children with ASD because such skills are not usually taught. They are part of the …