Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 27 of 27

Full-Text Articles in Education

Forced Isolation In An Era Of Inclusion Within U.S. K-12 Public School Communities, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea Wilson Mar 2023

Forced Isolation In An Era Of Inclusion Within U.S. K-12 Public School Communities, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront disparities and inequities in U.S. K–12 public school systems that affected both educators and the students they served—not only during school closures but also after in-person instruction resumed. The purpose of this scholarly essay is to shed light on the levels of isolation that occurred during the pandemic and still affect educators in K–12 public schools as they seek to foster academically rigorous and inclusive school communities. Recognizing, and then quickly responding to, historic events by implementing strategies that take into account the social determinants of learning and health is the starting point …


Teacher Perspectives Regarding Low Teacher Retention In Rural Primary Schools In Tanzania, Tumaini Urio Morgan Jan 2023

Teacher Perspectives Regarding Low Teacher Retention In Rural Primary Schools In Tanzania, Tumaini Urio Morgan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tanzania, similar to other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been experiencing a severe teacher shortage. The problem that was addressed is that factors influencing rural primary school teachers’ decision to continue teaching in Northeast Tanzania are unknown. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions on teaching in rural primary schools in Northeast Tanzania and the reasons why they remain. This study was guided by self-efficacy theory, a subset of Bandura's social cognitive theory. This descriptive qualitative study explored how rural primary school teachers in northeast Tanzania describe the challenges that cause them to consider abandoning …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Current School District Administrators’ And Math Teachers’ Perspectives Of Teacher Buy-In For Problem-Based Learning In Middle School Math, Kelly Riley Hastings Jan 2022

Current School District Administrators’ And Math Teachers’ Perspectives Of Teacher Buy-In For Problem-Based Learning In Middle School Math, Kelly Riley Hastings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project-Based Learning (PBL) in middle school math classrooms is a topic that has not been well-researched, even though math scores in the United States have been declining. In a school district in the Southcentral United States, the local problem was that teacher buy-in for PBL in middle school math classes was unknown, as current literature regarding administrator and teacher perspectives on teacher buy-in is limited. The purpose of the study was to explore current school district administrators’ and math teachers’ perspectives of teacher buy-in for PBL in middle school math in a Southcentral U.S. state. Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory contributes …


Middle School Teachers’ Use Of Differentiated Instruction Strategies, Felecia G. Prince Jan 2021

Middle School Teachers’ Use Of Differentiated Instruction Strategies, Felecia G. Prince

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMiddle School Teachers’ Use of Differentiated Instruction Strategies by Felecia George Prince MEd, Troy University, 2010 BS, Georgia Southern University, 1988 AA, East Georgia College, 1984 Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University June 2020Abstract The administrators at the study site were concerned that teachers struggle with differentiated instruction (DI) in their classrooms, which involves strategies to support students’ levels. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to learn what DI strategies teachers used at the study site. The conceptual framework of Tomlinson on the differentiated strategies …


Instructional Leadership Practices Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Teachers Of English Language Learners, Omolola Tumininu Wright Odusoga Jan 2020

Instructional Leadership Practices Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Teachers Of English Language Learners, Omolola Tumininu Wright Odusoga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this project study was that K-12 school principals in international schools located in the Middle East were inconsistently implementing instructional leadership practices to support teachers who teach English language learners (ELLs). The purpose of this study was to understand how K-12 school principals were implementing instructional leadership practices to support teachers who teach ELLs. The research question involved instructional leadership practices K-12 school principals implement in international schools in the Middle East to support teachers who teach ELL. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership theory of Murphey, Hallinger, Weil, and Mitman. For this basic qualitative …


Survey Of Teachers’ Use Of And Preferences For Professional Development Regarding Available Technology, Shannon Main-Petelka Jan 2020

Survey Of Teachers’ Use Of And Preferences For Professional Development Regarding Available Technology, Shannon Main-Petelka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in a medium-sized school district is the lack of data regarding what currently accessible technology and technology learning activities (TLAs) teachers use, have access to, and for which technology and TLAs they desire professional development (PD). There is a gap in practice in that technology directors lack data-based plans for PD. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to analyze teachers’ ratings of technology access, use, and desire for PD including the correlation between teachers’ use of technology and their previous PD hours as well as between teachers’ desire to use technology and their location in their …


Quantitative Comparison Of Novice And Veteran Teachers' Cultural Beliefs, Janet Adrienne Riley Jan 2019

Quantitative Comparison Of Novice And Veteran Teachers' Cultural Beliefs, Janet Adrienne Riley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor scores on standardized tests on the part of African American students are a problem at an urban high school in the U.S. Midwest. A factor potentially contributing to this problem is that teachers' cultural beliefs may not be well matched to those of students. This gap is important because cultural beliefs have an influence on the academic achievement of students. The cultural mismatch may be reduced as teachers gain experience with students' cultures and diversity, but it is not known the extent to which experience is beneficial in the Midwest urban high school setting. The purpose of this quantitative …


Teachers' Perceptions Of African American Middle School Males' Reading Performance, Louis David Figueroa Jan 2019

Teachers' Perceptions Of African American Middle School Males' Reading Performance, Louis David Figueroa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators at a middle school in the northeastern United States lacked understanding regarding reading services and teaching strategies to improve African American middle school (AA MS) males' performance on standardized state reading assessments. English language arts (ELA) teachers' perspectives on and experiences of teaching reading to AA MS males at the target site were explored using Kolb's model of experiential learning. A qualitative intrinsic case study with an anonymous survey was used to collect data at the target site. Fifteen individuals who met inclusion criteria of being 6th- or 7th-grade ELA teachers at the target site were recruited using …


Mentor Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Mentoring Strategies, Paula Tomlinson Jan 2019

Mentor Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Mentoring Strategies, Paula Tomlinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators at a public high school in Southeastern United States depend on mentor teachers to minimize the attrition rate among beginning teachers, yet the strategies implemented by mentors lack definition and clarity. The purpose of this study was to explore mentor teachers' perceptions of effective mentoring strategies and their needs when mentoring new teachers. Maslow's humanistic learning theory guided this bounded basic qualitative study. The research questions focused on the mentoring strategies mentor teachers perceived as effective and the needs of the mentors. Ten high school mentor teachers, who currently mentor new teachers, were purposefully selected to participate in individual …


Strerss On Educators At A Discipline Alternative Education Program, Anthony G. Murray Jan 2019

Strerss On Educators At A Discipline Alternative Education Program, Anthony G. Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interaction with their students during classroom instruction is often a source of stress among many teachers. The academic setting of Disciplinary Alternative Educational Programs (DAEP) poses a risk factor for teachers to experience stress, given that student disruptive behavior has been associated with higher stress levels among teachers. The problem underlying this study was that most studies on DAEP have focused on the experiences of students, with limited information available about the experiences of teachers in this type of academic setting. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the role of job-related stress and coping on the …


Principal Leadership Style, Teacher Motivation, And Teacher Retention, Willie E. Williams Jan 2018

Principal Leadership Style, Teacher Motivation, And Teacher Retention, Willie E. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem of teacher turnover in the United States has received significant attention from policymakers and district leaders. Improving teacher motivation is a concern and challenge for principals because they are faced with retaining highly qualified and capable teachers in the classroom. Researchers have indicated that principals can play a crucial role in motivating teachers. This nonexperimental correlational study used Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory and the leadership theories of Burns, Avolio, and Bass as a framework to address 2 research questions. The first research question examined the relationship between principal leadership style and teacher motivation, and the second question …


Relationship Between Prekindergarten To Grade 12 Teachers' Mindfulness And Self-Efficacy, Ketra Gardner Jan 2018

Relationship Between Prekindergarten To Grade 12 Teachers' Mindfulness And Self-Efficacy, Ketra Gardner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers throughout the United States show low levels of self-efficacy which not only affects their own well-being in the profession but also their students' opportunity to learn. The gap in the literature addressed by this study is the relationship between self-efficacy and mindfulness. Grounded in Shapiro's model of mindfulness and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between prekindergarten to grade 12 teachers' 5 facets of mindfulness scores and their perceived level of self-efficacy score at Regional School District (RSD, a pseudonym). The study is a nonexperiemental correlational design for which 130 prekindergarten …


Teachers' Perceptions Of School Training On Positive Behavior Supports For Behavior Intervention And Discipline, Kyle Gibson Jan 2018

Teachers' Perceptions Of School Training On Positive Behavior Supports For Behavior Intervention And Discipline, Kyle Gibson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School staff was concerned that disruptive student behaviors at an urban, middle school in central Ohio had continued even with positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation and professional development (PD) for more than 4 years. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perspectives of school training on the implementation of the PBIS system. Skinner's reinforcement theory and Bandura's social learning theory served as the conceptual frameworks for this study. Specifically, this study explored the training of teachers using the PBIS framework in diminishing students' negative behaviors. This study used triangulated data from interviews, observations, and document analysis. …


Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Data Decision-Making For Instructional Practice, Joy Simon Swain Jan 2018

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Data Decision-Making For Instructional Practice, Joy Simon Swain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At an elementary school in the northeastern region of the United States elementary teachers struggled with using data to make instructional decisions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers' perceptions about how their teaching experiences prepared them to use data to make lesson decisions. The theoretical-conceptual frameworks of this study were Bandura's self-efficacy, a theoretical framework of data use at the building level, and organizational routines framework. The data collected from interviewing eight elementary teachers revealed their perceptions of having to use data to make lesson decisions and how these perceptions influence their teaching practices. The …


Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette Jan 2018

Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem in this study involved the student cycling, or recidivism, problem associated with specialized education environments. In particular, alternative education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are cycling in and out of alternative and regular education at a concerning frequency. This student recidivism problem affects the services of teachers who are trying to transform them into permanent regular education learners. The purpose of this study was to obtain specific information from these teachers, via the research questions, as it applies to the theoretical foundation of Bandura's self-efficacy construct, and methodological design of the study. The qualitative method of …


International Students' Use Of English Language-Learning Strategies At A Private High School, Bobetta Young Jan 2018

International Students' Use Of English Language-Learning Strategies At A Private High School, Bobetta Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International students in the United States enroll in private and public high schools with a goal to graduate and attend an American university. This goal is often difficult to achieve because these students are not acquiring the academic English necessary to be successful in a post-secondary setting. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate what language-learning strategies (LLS) a group of East Asian international students at a private American high school had self-regulated and what strategies their content area teachers had taught them to use to become proficient in academic English. The conceptual framework was Oxford's findings …


Teachers' Perceptions Of Student Engagement In A Hybrid Learning Environment, Dimika N. Smith Jan 2018

Teachers' Perceptions Of Student Engagement In A Hybrid Learning Environment, Dimika N. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Today, educators in several U.S. states use a variety of instructional tools in their classrooms to engage students in a hybrid learning environment. The problem for this study was a disconnect in teachers' perceptions of student engagement in a hybrid high school learning environment. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of student engagement in a hybrid learning environment in 10th-12-grade classes. The conceptual framework was derived from Astin's theory of student involvement and the idea that student engagement is instrumental in academic performance. The central research and sub-questions addressed how teachers perceive student engagement affects hybrid …


Predictors Of U.S. Teachers' Use Of Metacognition In Mathematics Instruction, Regina Lewis Jan 2016

Predictors Of U.S. Teachers' Use Of Metacognition In Mathematics Instruction, Regina Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American schools have been struggling with improving achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for decades. For the last four decades, the overall mathematics performance of 17 year-olds on the National Assessment of Educational Progress has not shown any significant improvement. Mathematics teachers can use metacognitive techniques to make immediate adjustments in instruction that may assist students in becoming more skillful problem solvers. The purpose of this study was to provide new knowledge about the potential predictors of mathematics teachers' use of the six subfactors of the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory for Teachers. The inventory was administered to 120 K-12 grade …


Teachers Perceptions Of Barriers To Universal Design For Learning, Mary Elizabeth Jordan Anstead Jan 2016

Teachers Perceptions Of Barriers To Universal Design For Learning, Mary Elizabeth Jordan Anstead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been identified as a contemporary instructional model for promoting inclusion and equitable opportunities for diverse and struggling learners. However, research regarding teachers' perceptions of UDL and its effective implementation is limited, making planning, implementing, and providing professional development difficult for administrators. Guided by the constructivist views of Vygotsky and Piaget, this qualitative case study was designed to understand teachers' knowledge and perceptions of how UDL can be used to promote equitable inclusive instruction, implementation barriers, educational applications for UDL, and perceived needs to implement UDL. Participants were teachers who had implemented UDL from a …


Teachers' Perceptions Of The Use Of Small-Group Tutorial, Karen Y. Johnson Jan 2016

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Use Of Small-Group Tutorial, Karen Y. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed the implementation of the tutorial program currently in use at an urban school district in Mississippi. Because successful completion of assessments is a graduation requirement, the study site implemented the tutorial program to help at-risk students improve their academic outcomes on state-mandated assessments in Biology I, United States History, English II, Algebra I. The purpose of this study, guided by Bloom's theory of mastery learning, was to examine the perceptions of the teachers who served as tutors in the program. Using the narrative inquiry method, the research focused on the implementation of the tutorial program, the perceived …


Response To Intervention Teachers' Perspective Of Tier 2 Intervention Fidelity, Doretha Meissner Jan 2016

Response To Intervention Teachers' Perspective Of Tier 2 Intervention Fidelity, Doretha Meissner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban Texas school district, teachers and administrators were concerned about students' achievement and the teachers' knowledge and implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 2 interventions with fidelity. This study addressed teachers' perceptions of the reliability of the application of Tier 2 interventions at the study site, its influence on student achievement, and the appropriateness of current professional development at the targeted campus. The constructivist concept of how people learn and the implementation theory of scaffolding instruction, meaningful experiences, and active learning provided the framework for this study. The educators provided perspectives of how the quality and frequency …


Mentor Perspectives On Effective Mentoring For Beginning Elementary School Teachers, Betsy Holley Gross Jan 2016

Mentor Perspectives On Effective Mentoring For Beginning Elementary School Teachers, Betsy Holley Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The attrition of beginning teachers is an ongoing problem for public schools as it impacts campus moral, results in economic losses, and maintains the number of newly-hired teachers. Although induction programs for beginning teachers have been found effective in reducing novice teacher attrition, funding for many induction programs have been eliminated due to budget constraints, leaving local school systems with limited support of the mentors and no consistency as to expectations or outcomes. Compounding this problem is that little research has examined what is most successful and supportive for mentors to be able to function most effectively. Guided by Knowles' …


Beginning Teachers' Experiences And Use Of Time, Laura Marie Ahles Jan 2015

Beginning Teachers' Experiences And Use Of Time, Laura Marie Ahles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New teachers in a southeast Texas school district are having difficulty using their time effectively for instruction while balancing a multitude of tasks. New work responsibilities for teachers are contributing to teacher burnout and early attrition. The purpose of this study was to examine new teachers and administrators perceptions of novice teacher practices and their daily use of time. Apple s theory of intensification was used as the conceptual framework for this study. A case study design was employed to answer research questions regarding how procedures and policies affect teachers time, teacher perceptions about prior experiences with managing multiple responsibilities, …


An Analysis Of Teachers Who Teach Struggling Students, Brett Rankin Jan 2014

An Analysis Of Teachers Who Teach Struggling Students, Brett Rankin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After many years of reform efforts, educators are still searching for ways to better serve the needs of struggling students. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory (GT) that reflects teachers' perceptions of students' behavior, students' need for support, and students' skill deficiencies. Discovering the ways in which teachers address students' needs could sharpen teacher practices and promote support for struggling students. Guided by Weimer's research on learner-centered teaching, this GT study created a conceptual understanding of classroom experiences from teachers' perspective. Twenty teacher interviews began with the grand tour question, "Talk about teaching struggling students …


Educators' Perceptions About African American Student Referrals To Special Education, Ydeaira Erica Ely Jan 2014

Educators' Perceptions About African American Student Referrals To Special Education, Ydeaira Erica Ely

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The overrepresentation of African American (AA) students in special education is a problem in the United States, with concerns about the lack of uniformity in AA students' referrals to special education, and whether the referral process is applied consistently for all students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of teachers, school counselors, and school administrators concerning the special education referral process, and whether the process was applied consistently for all students. The 2 theories providing the theoretical foundation were critical race theory and zone of proximal development. Criterion sampling was used to select 6 …