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Challenging The Deliberative Consensus: Participatory Strategies, Transparency And Citizen Trust Across Municipal Contexts, Fadel Al-Marsoumi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the relationships between participatory governance strategies and multidimensional citizen trust in municipal contexts. Although local governments have implemented deliberative forums, digital platforms and hybrid participation approaches to restore declining public confidence, inconsistencies between theoretical predictions and empirical outcomes have raised questions about participatory governance effectiveness. Motivated by this gap between deliberative democracy theory's optimistic predictions and limited empirical support, the study investigates the psychological, political and contextual mechanisms that shape trust formation through civic engagement. Drawing on an integrated framework combining organizational trust theory and deliberative democracy frameworks, the research conceptualizes trust as a multidimensional construct involving …

Aiw26s: Prompt Engineering, Ila Lama

Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications

This workshop introduced participants to prompt engineering and how to effectively communicate with AI systems. Led by Ila Lama, the session covered key strategies such as defining goals, providing examples, setting constraints, and refining prompts to improve AI-generated outputs.

Participants explored applications of AI across domains, including education, business, and social media, while also discussing responsible AI use. The workshop emphasized that strong prompt design leads to more accurate, structured, and useful results, and that AI should be used to enhance human creativity and decision-making.

Secondary English Teachers’ Perceptions And Experiences With The Ela Guidebooks Curriculum: A Phenomenological Study, Bodie Dufrene

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As standards-based curriculum reforms expand across the United States, school districts have increasingly adopted scripted curricular materials to promote coherence across classroom practice and strengthen alignment to standardized assessments. Within Louisiana, efforts to align English instruction to the Common Core State Standards manifested in the creation of the ELA Guidebooks curriculum by the Louisiana Department of Education. Guidebooks provides teachers with sequenced units of instruction organized around a central novel, explicit directions, pacing guidance, and cumulative writing tasks aligned to central unit questions. This qualitative study explored how secondary (i.e., grades 6-12) English teachers perceived and described their experiences implementing …

Teaching Children Money Management, Melanie Jewkes, Amanda Christensen, Andrea Schmutz, Vincenza Vicari-Bentley, Kelan Combe, Rochelle Allen, Lauren Olsen, Jenny Weller, Mckenzie Walsh

All Current Publications

Don't fret if, as a parent, you don't feel qualified to teach your children about money. Talking about money and choices made with money (for better or worse) is a great place to start. This publication covers what and how to teach children about money management skills, and gives every-day parents ideas to start the conversation.

Fierce Leadership-Perspectives Of Black Women Educational Leaders: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Janice Taylor, Dianne Reed

Tapestry: Journal of Research in Education

The authors of this transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Black women based on their perceptions, values, and beliefs about the complexities of leadership and the kind of leadership required to succeed in their respective roles, as educational leaders. This study was framed by the adaptive leadership theory. Adaptive leadership recognizes the need for leaders to stay flexible and resilient in fast-paced environments (Nelson & Squires, 2017). The three Black women leaders in this study were fierce adaptive leaders. The information acquired from this study is significant and highlights how Black women educational leaders developed the …

What Do Preservice Teachers Know About The Scoring And Interpretation Of A Reading Fluency Assessment?, Miranda L. Sigmon, Jeremy Lopuch

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Literacy instruction is a crucial topic in preparing future educators. Literacy skills are a continued concern as reported by the nation's proficiency scores (NAEP, 2024). Teacher preparation regarding effective literacy instruction should involve literacy assessment, including the purpose, administering, scoring, and interpretation of assessment data. This study addressed the following question: what is preservice teachers' knowledge, accuracy in scoring, and analysis of results for a reading fluency assessment? Participants learned about oral reading fluency (ORF) assessment, practiced administering and scoring, and noted strengths and weaknesses of assessment data from a recorded second-grade assessment. Results show understanding of the assessment tool …

Stoicism For Teacher Well-Being, Jessica L. Richardi

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

An approach to improving educator retention is to promote teacher well-being. The ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism is an apt resource for teachers to mine for tools to maintain emotional equanimity. Stoic principles underlie modern cognitive behavioral therapy, and recent studies examining the relationship between stoic attitudes and wellness have yielded promising results. Importantly, Stoicism is accessible, practical, and adaptable to teachers' needs. While Stoicism cannot eradicate the very real challenges teachers face day-to-day, adopting stoic practices can help individual educators protect their well-being while on the job.

Using Constructivist Practices To Build Preservice Teachers' Understanding Of Personalized, Competency-Based Learning, Lindsay Yearta, Lisa Harris, Julia Wilkins, Christine Lotter

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

As teacher educators, we have always been certain of the active, iterative nature of learning, and we strive to facilitate experiences that allow our preservice teachers to learn in robust, authentic ways. When, three teacher educators from three universities situated in a southeastern state and one education associate from a state department of education, started working together in the fall of 2022 with the desire to help our preservice teachers better understand personalized, competency-based learning (PCBL), we knew how important it would be to center our learners and, in doing so, facilitate active, reflective learning experiences for them...

Highlighting Leadership Competencies On Principal Practices In A Rural School District, Shannon Goodacre, Jeremy Watts

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this research was to describe how high school principals in rural, high-performing high schools in Fee County Schools practice leadership to promote a positive school environment. The emphases on high-performing schools and a rural school district are inclusive to why these leaders were chosen. Assuming the leaders who influence the learning environment in these schools could be considered experts, the researchers endeavored to understand what these experts notice about their leadership methods that positively affect the learning environment. The goal of the study was to determine what skills high school principals employ to promote a positive learning …

Using Concept Maps And Reflective Narratives As Authentic Assessment Of Readiness For Inclusive Classrooms, Jeremy Lopuch, Christopher O'Brien, Debra Lockwood, Sequita Lipscomb

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this study was to continue a line of inquiry into the usefulness of quantitative and qualitative analyses and interpretations of concept maps for assessing preservice teacher candidates' knowledge of inclusive teaching. Specifically, there is little published data on the qualitative analysis of concept maps measuring instructional knowledge and skills associated with teaching in inclusive classrooms. Using a convenience sample of 13 teacher candidates enrolled in a teacher education program, participants were asked to create a concept map of their knowledge about students with disabilities and a reflective narrative statement on the first and last day of the …

Full Issue: Volume 19, Number 1, Winter 2025, Judith Collazo, Suzanne Horn

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

From Childhood Reads To Classroom Needs: Reading, Identity, And Emotional Navigation Of A Black Woman Scholar In Education, Samantha Asbury

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This qualitative study examines how a Black woman college student navigates academic stress, racialized gender expectations, and emotional well-being in a predominantly White Education program. Using Critical Race Theory, the study explores how identity-affirming reading practices and intentional social media boundaries serve as both resistance and survival strategies. Findings reveal how systemic marginalization demands emotional labor from Black women while also highlighting their resilience, agency, and creative coping strategies. The study calls for more culturally responsive practices that nurture rather than diminish marginalized students' voices and wellbeing.

From Third Grade To The State House: An Interview With Mr. Craig King, Rebecca Raab

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This interview with SCATE member Mr. Craig King—former third-grade teacher, advocate, public speaker, and founder of Craig King Group—offers a powerful exploration of what it means to lead through service in today's educational landscape. Mr. King currently serves as the Columbia College Call Me MiSTER Site Coordinator and the Director of Teacher Leadership for the Palmetto State Teachers Association (PSTA), where he mentors aspiring educators and champions teacher voices at the local and state levels. Recently named one of South Carolina's "12 Black Leaders to Know." In this conversation with Dr. Rebecca Raab, Mr. King underscores the importance of teacher …

Technology In The Classroom: Opportunity Or Obstacle?, Amariya Benson, Kinzly Cohen, Gretchen Whitman

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The issue of technology in the classroom holds much significance because technology is continuing to advance at a rapid pace. As it is being woven more and more into the fabric of classroom learning, its impact is becoming increasingly profound. This growing integration needs to be studied because it brings up significant questions regarding the most effective ways to support and enhance the learning process with each new digital advancement...

Are People Of Color Accurately Represented In American History?, Alexis Sibley, Gretchen Whitman

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

If education is the steppingstone to one's compass of identity, how is it that the history of a certain race is left out? People of Color are not being properly represented in American history. Omitting the history of an entire race, or races, tells students that they are not important. This pattern creates problems for all of society because students are not fully educated about the history and struggles, therefore dooming them to repeat the mistakes of the past...

Coping After Covid: College Student’S Use Of Coping And Engagement Strategies Post Covid-19, Chelsey R. Simmons, Michael Mckenzie

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this pilot case study was to support student wellbeing by assessing the prevalence of mental health disorders among students, the types of treatment used, and the coping strategies used and preferred by students at a small university. The study aimed to address a gap in the literature surrounding the preferred coping strategies for college students. In the current study, participants were asked about their use of engagement and disengagement coping strategies and the likelihood they would participate in training aimed at improving their use of engagement coping strategies...

Impacts Of Limiting Diverse Literature And Curricula In South Carolina Public Schools, Julia P. Kuehn, Keonya C. Booker

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This research explored what teachers and librarians identified as the impacts of limiting diverse books and curricula in South Carolina public schools. As book banning and censorship increase across the county, the amount of self-censorship that teachers and librarians partake in also increases. Through a mixed-methods approach, surveys were completed by local librarians and teachers to investigate their opinions on the limiting of diverse novels and curricula in South Carolina public schools. This research indicated that educators and librarians overwhelmingly believed that restricting diverse literature negatively affects students' ability to relate to what they read or learn, reduces their understanding …

Full Issue: Volume 18, Number 1, Fall 2024, Suzanne Horn, Judith Collazo

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Authentic Assessment Using Concept Mapping In Multiple Modes Of Instruction For A Special Education Teacher Education Course, Jeremy Lopuch, Christopher O'Brien

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of concept maps to evaluate the depth of inquiry and knowledge for pre-service educators. Participants included undergraduate general education teacher candidates enrolled in an introductory special education course. Through the use of a pretest and posttest design, the authors collected quantitative and qualitative data using concepts to evaluate teacher candidate knowledge. Based on the results, the authors concluded concept maps were a practical tool to estimate essential conceptual knowledge. Implications and suggestions for future research will be discussed.

What Keeps Early-Career Special Education Teachers Going?, Matt Collier, Carol Hoyle, Amanda Walkup

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Our educational system continues to grapple with significant special education teacher job satisfaction, burnout, and attrition. While studies have identified factors related to burnout and attrition, there are not many studies focused upon identifying factors related to teacher success and retention. This study sought to identify such factors through qualitative analysis of surveys and interviews of graduates from a Southeastern university from 2016-2021. Identified factors included: support from others; support from self; support from the love of one's students; a general overload of work expectations; and eventual movement from special education teaching to a special education-related field.

Full Issue: Volume 17, Number 1, Summer 2024, Judith Collazo, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Are People Of Color Accurately Represented In American History?, Alexis Sibley, Gretchen Whitman

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Throughout history, people of color have been misrepresented in different aspects of American life. The representation of people of color (POC) in American history has been discussed and criticized for decades (Chaudri & Schau, 2016; Giarrizzo, 2012). One educational tool that remains at the forefront of the issue is the textbook. American history textbooks influence students' perceptions and attitudes about history. Many students are taught American history with textbooks that include a limited narrative (Chaudri & Schau, 2016). When student access and learning tools are limited and disconnected from reality, we see the effects of misrepresentation and the cycle that …

Deconstructing Culturally Responsive Teaching/Learning: Preservice 20 Teachers' Perspectives, Winston Vaughan

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This article examines the positive impact of an exercise in which a group of pre-service teachers enrolled in a cultural diversity course at a Midwestern University deconstructed the contents of a video to better understand how culturally responsive teaching can significantly impact the teaching learning process especially with marginalized student populations. Preservice teachers were required to watch a video on culturally responsive teaching and engage in a "free write" based on the contents of the video. After that, students were asked to respond to two prompts based on content from the video. Data analysis from their "free writes," prompts responses, …

Full Issue: Volume 16, Number 3, Winter 2023, Judith Collazo, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Building Individual Relationships With Students In Today's Classrooms, Kelley Mayer White, Katie Swart

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

Research has documented associations between high quality teacher-child relationships and children's social skills, self-regulation, and school readiness (Baker et al., 2008; Nguyen et al., 2020; Spilt et al., 2018). High-quality relationships are often defined as those in which the teacher and child experience a sense of closeness. Closeness is characterized by positive interactions, open communication, and warm feelings between teachers and children (Mashburn & Pianta, 2006). In contrast, children in teacher-child relationships regarded as high in conflict often perform poorer academically, are less engaged in learning, and report liking school less (Baker, 2006; Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Hamre & Pianta, …

Implementing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Within An Undergraduate Classroom Management Course: A Teacher-Student Reflection, Carlos E. Lavin, Audra E. Mitchell

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This article makes a case for culturally relevant pedagogies as one solution to the current cultural gap between teacher and student body in public education. To make this argument, we present our self-reflection and positionality of a research project on culturally relevant pedagogies. These reflections include our backgrounds and reactions to the project. Additionally, we present four of the most meaningful quotes from the study representing the barriers to implementation and the advantages of implementing culturally relevant pedagogy as a teaching framework.

Creating A Teacher Preparation Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Course: Three Assessments For Effective Instruction., Mary-Celeste Schreuder, Lauren Adams

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

In January of 2022, I (Mary-Celeste) walked into the first meeting of EDUC 210: Communication in Diverse Classrooms, a required course for education majors. I asked the 30 students to complete a Google survey with questions related to their own identities and beliefs about teaching for diversity. A hush fell over the class as each student worked through the survey. After a few minutes, one young woman raised her hand to ask me a question. She was confused about the survey question asking how she identified her sexuality – offered answers included heterosexual, gay, lesbian, pansexual, etc. She pointed to …

Full Issue: Volume 16, Number 2, Summer 2023, Judith Collazo, Christine Leblanc, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.

Expert Roles Reconsidered: What Was Learned About The Mentor/Intern 4 Experience During A Global Pandemic, Courtney Clayton, Kristina Peck, Christy Irish, Melissa Wells, Janine Davis

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

In the early months of 2020, the United States was hit with a pandemic of global proportions. Schools, including universities, were forced to close all on-campus activities. The campus where we teach was no exception. Therefore, our interns (student teachers) went from face-to-face classroom internships to virtual internships. Over the summer, we decided to examine how virtual instruction impacted our interns' year of student teaching, knowing that instruction at all schools for their internship year was going to start virtually, and, for the foreseeable future, be virtual. We focused on our mentor teachers' perceptions of what their interns were experiencing …

Full Issue: Volume 15, Number 2, Summer 2022, Judith Collazo, Christine Leblanc, Timothy Lintner

Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina

This file contains the full issue of TEJSC, including front matter, table of contents, editorial notes, and articles.