Secondary Education Commons^™

Making The Case For Career Academies In Shaping Pre-Collegiate Students For Stem Career Pathways, Felix Quayson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career academies are increasingly important in preparing pre-collegiate high school students for STEM pathways by connecting academic learning, technical skill development, career identity, and postsecondary readiness. STEM-focused career academies function as structured bridges between secondary education, higher education, and the labor market. Through small learning communities, interdisciplinary curricula, employer partnerships, work-based learning, and early exposure to college and career expectations, career academies help students understand STEM not only as school subjects but as possible futures. Research suggests that career academies can improve student engagement, support school persistence, and strengthen labor market outcomes when implemented with fidelity. The article concludes that …

Perceptions Of Novice Career And Technical Education Teachers Regarding Teacher Evaluations, Felix Quayson, Chris Zirkle

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

As states expand funding for alternative teacher-licensure pathways, this qualitative descriptive case study examined how 38 novice Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers in a Midwestern research university’s alternative licensure program perceived teacher evaluation during their first years in the profession. Analyses yielded ten major themes with three subthemes each, which were synthesized into the DEEPS conceptual evaluation framework: Development, Evaluation, Engagement, Partnerships, and Skills. We arranged the acronym DEEPS based on data analysis for conceptual coherence rather than order of occurrence. Participants described evaluation as misaligned with the specialized demands of CTE instruction and called for tools that better …

Pa 146: What Is Clear, What Is Fuzzy, And What Should We Do Next?, Jenelle Williams, Nicole Peterson

Michigan Reading Journal

Michigan’s Public Act 146 (PA 146), the state’s K–12 Literacy and Dyslexia Law, establishes new requirements for screening, evidence-based instruction, structured literacy practices, professional learning, and strengthened multi-tiered systems of support to improve reading outcomes. While the law provides detailed and prescriptive guidance for elementary schools—particularly regarding decoding-focused instruction aligned to the science of reading, universal screening, and intervention planning—its implications for grades 4–12 are less clearly defined. This article examines what is explicit in the legislation, what remains open to interpretation in secondary contexts, and how districts can move forward strategically as they prepare for full implementation by 2027–2028. …

Joyful Literacy Experiences: Insights From The Pei In Multicultural Ya Literature, S. Rebecca Leigh, Taraneh Matloob Haghanikar, Danielle Alexander, Yujie Mao, Kim Stein, Maria Mendola, Xunmei Luo, Quigxian Wang, Yonghong Li

Michigan Reading Journal

The primary focus of this qualitative study was to determine how we could apply the theory of emotion and transactional reader response theory to the experience of coding and analyzing emotion in multicultural young adult literature. Seven graduate students in a doctoral class in the Midwest participated in the study for one academic semester, including their instructor and another faculty member from a different Midwestern university. Data included coding and analysis of eight Coretta Scott King medal and honor-winning novels and the Protagonist Emotion Inventory (PEI). Chapters were coded for eight basic emotions and the constant comparative method (Corbin & …

Assessing Media Literacy Competence In Secondary Education: Towards A Rubric Based On A Systematic Review, Steijn Jan Van Der Craats, Jason Simon, Romy Andrieu, Bo Sichterman, Stan Van Ginkel

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

Developing media literacy competence is an essential objective in secondary education. However, a validated instrument aimed to encourage the development of media literacy amongst students formatively is lacking hitherto. This review aims to identify relevant studies on media literacy competence or components thereof and their assessment strategies. Further, this study synthesizes these findings into a set of principles for constructing a formative assessment instrument fostering media literacy competence. Seventeen publications from the last 15 years were selected through a systematic search in scientific databases. All studies were categorized concerning crucial characteristics of assessment instruments. Furthermore, the synthesis of this study …

Exploring Speaking Skills Among Upper-Secondary School Students In Rojava: A Qualitative Inquiry Of Challenges And Strategies, Civin Abdulrehman Segvan, Karwan Mustafa Saeed

The Qualitative Report

In Rojava region, the interplay between sociopolitical factors and educational infrastructures complicates the landscape of English language speaking skills development among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. This qualitative study explores the factors that hinder EFL students from developing their English-speaking skills. It primarily aimed at reporting teachers’ voices on the challenges in the context of Northeast Syria (NES) known as Rojava. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven EFL teachers and two English educational supervisors (EES) to explore the challenges facing students in the context of this study. Using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis, …

Textbook Publishing For Secondary And Higher Education, Sherry Roberts, Lucy Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Success By Design? A Combined Outcome And Process Program Evaluation Of California’S Early And Middle College High Schools, Brooke N. Martin-Gill

Education Dissertations

Early and Middle College High Schools (EMCHS) expand college access for

underrepresented students by integrating high school and college coursework within

community college settings. Despite strong reported outcomes, some EMCHS face

substantial student attrition. Limited research examines how EMCHS organizational

structures influence student persistence. This mixed methods outcome and process

evaluation seeks to address this research gap. Quantitative analysis (paired samples-t-

tests) examined statewide enrollment data (2017-2025) to determine whether significant

differences exist between Year 1 and Year 4 cohort enrollment. Qualitative analysis was

conducted through a deductive discourse analysis of Western Association of Schools and

Colleges (WASC) Self-Study reports …

Finding Aid For The Mississippi Science Teachers Association Collection (Mum00949)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

The collection contains programs, minutes and conference materials related to the Mississippi Science Teachers Association Collection

From Skilled Labor Pipeline To College-Prep Track: A Study Of Admissions, Access, And Intent In A Massachusetts Vocational High School, Jennifer Ferland

Educational Studies Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the effectiveness and equity of vocational high school admissions in Massachusetts, focusing on an oversubscribed regional vocational high school and its largest urban comprehensive feeder school. Although vocational schools were created to provide equitable, high‑quality career and technical education, and to prepare students for skilled employment, most vocational students now pursue postsecondary academic pathways, contributing to shortages in the trades. At the same time, traditional admissions criteria—focused on grades, attendance, and behavior—have historically limited access for English Learners, students with disabilities, low‑income students, and students of color. The purpose of this study was to investigate …

Understanding How Teachers Define And Employ Civics Education In Non-Elective Social Studies Classrooms, Joseph Kyle

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study explored the perceptions of civics and civic education held by secondary school teachers of non-elective social studies classes in four schools within the same school district. Using a qualitative approach, this study examined how veteran teachers understood and defined civics, the ways in which they employed civics education in their teaching methodology and daily lessons, and the challenges or obstacles they perceived, if any, incorporating lessons reflecting a progressive experimentalist methodology. The study was undertaken in response to popular and governmental rhetoric reflecting a lack of civil discourse and alleging a lack of civics in public education, as …

Defying The Catholic Secondary School Enrollment Decline: A Case Study Exploring Strategic Enrollment Management Practices In An All-Boys Catholic High School, Traci A. Koval

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Catholic secondary schools in the United States continue to face persistent enrollment decline, closures, and consolidations, creating an urgent need for sustainable and mission-centered strategies. This qualitative case study examined Hillcrest Catholic High School, an all-boys Catholic secondary school in the Mideast region, as a best-practice model for enrollment resilience. Guided by Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Theory, the study explored how SEM principles were operationalized across eight pillars: mission and branding, institutional strategy, culture and belonging, programs and outcomes, family engagement and retention, tuition and financial strategy, marketing and recruitment, and selection and onboarding. Data were collected through interviews, focus …

Multi-Dimensional Scaling Of Web-Scraping Results From The A.A Zalizniak Grammatical Dictionary And The Russian National Corpus. Creating A Corpus Fragment Of All Possible Word-Forms Of Modified Russian Sound Verbs Using Web-Scraping Methodology. Compilation Of A Summary Table For The Participle Forms, Irina V. Ivliyeva, Perry Koob

Research Data

English Abstract:

This study investigates the development of multi-dimensional morphological profiles of Russian verbs of sounds, namely their participles, by integrating web-scraping methodologies and advanced digital visualization tools that is convenient and effective for a linguistic researcher.

The study demonstrates the potential of combining computational techniques such as web-scraping and digital visualization to enrich the understanding of complex, multi-source lexicographic phenomena.  The main task at this stage of the research was to collect, compile (combine results), analyze and present a summary index of all participle forms of sound verbs, recorded in electronic versions of  A.A. Zalizniak Grammatical Dictionary of the …

Queer Ballroom In 1980s-90s New York City: Connections To Joy And Education, Maya A. Gary

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This master's thesis project delivers a concise history of the development of Queer Ballroom in the 1980s–1990s in Harlem, New York City, primarily focusing on low-income Black and Latino queer individuals and how they created spaces of belonging and joy during the HIV/AIDS crisis. This work illustrates how ballroom culture functioned as both a space of refuge and a network for mutual aid, outreach, and advocacy. In addition to the historical analysis, this project includes a free-to-use educational website and lesson plans aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning for grades 6 and 11. This work demonstrates the importance of …

Why Become A Teacher? Perspectives From Undergraduate Students Majoring In Secondary Mathematics Education, Benjamin E. Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation was an exploration of the motivations and factors influencing undergraduate students to pursue a degree in secondary mathematics education through traditional route teacher preparation programs. Grounded in a pragmatic theoretical framework, the researcher attempted to respond to increasing teacher shortages by seeking to understand why students continue to choose the teaching profession despite documented challenges. Prior research indicated two driving forces students consider when choosing a major: intrinsic influences and extrinsic factors. Semi-structured interviews with six undergraduate students from three Southeastern Conference, R1 land-grant universities were conducted. Four academic advisors from four Southeastern Conference, R1 land-grant universities, …

Ontario High School Teacher Perspectives On Failure: Bridging Policy And Practice, Dan Guadagnolo, Kelly Li, Klea Mosho, Megan Anderson, Nicole Laliberte, Fiona Rawle

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study explores teacher perceptions of the role of failure in secondary school education. Our case study analysis, based on 23 interviews in Ontario, Canada, suggests secondary school teachers understand failure as a core element of the learning process. However, teachers do not feel they can easily use failure as a pedagogical tool. Teachers perceive Ontario Ministry of Education guidelines regarding student success to have created an institutional culture within which student failure is administratively burdensome and is framed as external to the learning process. These success narratives in government assessment guidelines have created a situation wherein teachers often feel …

The Impact Of Participation In Career And Technical Education (Cte) On High School Graduation, College-Going Status, And Entry Into The Workforce, Paul Wambugu

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the relationship between high school students' participation in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and three postsecondary student outcomes using the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). CTE participation was measured by the number of Carnegie credits earned in CTE. Three student outcomes were analyzed: on-time high school graduation, college enrollment, and workforce entry. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariate logistic regression models were estimated while controlling for socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, sex, disability status, and academic performance indicators. Results indicated that CTE concentrators who earned 3 or more Carnegie credits in CTE had higher odds of graduating …

Factors That Contribute To Unemployment In The School-To-Work Transition, Brittany Verrette

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

This paper explores the problem of unemployment for Black or African American high school graduates as well as Latinx graduates. As college increasingly becomes a risk of return on investment, more young adults intend to enter the workforce immediately after high school graduation; however, many Black and Latinx graduates experience difficulty in transitioning from school to work. Using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, this paper explores the contributing factors that make gainful employment difficult for high school graduates of color.

Keywords: unemployment, school-to-work transition, high school graduates, career education, K-12, workforce development

Virtualizing Practical Science Education: A Sociological Analysis Of Undergraduate Teaching And Learning, Sina J. Fakoyede, Femi E. Babalola, Oluwatoyin T. Obateru, Oluwayemisi D. Akomolafe, Deborah O. Alabi, Stella K. Ekundayo

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The study aims to investigate the perspectives of university teachers and students on integrating practical science teaching with virtual learning in a multicultural and diverse society, specifically within the context of southwestern Nigeria.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving data collection from 100 university lecturers and 400 undergraduate students across 10 universities. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with lecturers and focus group discussions with students. Quantitative data were obtained via structured questionnaires, allowing for triangulation and comprehensive analysis.

Results: Findings revealed that certain lecturers showed preferential support influenced by students’ cultural backgrounds or academic behavior during …

The Role Of Teacher Education Programs In Shaping Tennessee Novice Secondary Social Studies Teachers’ Civic Education Ideologies, Clarence Dean Burress

Ed.D. Dissertations

Researchers documented how American students often received minimal exposure to democratic knowledge and practices necessary for meaningful civic participation, particularly justice-oriented civic learning. Teachers played a central role in shaping civic instruction, as their civic beliefs and ideologies, personally responsible, participatory, or justice-oriented, influenced how civic content was interpreted and enacted in classrooms. Prior research on civic education ideologies focused largely on preservice teachers or veteran educators. Accordingly, this interpretive qualitative study explored how teacher education programs influenced the civic education ideologies of novice secondary social studies teachers in Tennessee, as framed by the typologies of personally responsible, participatory, and …