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Teacher Integrators: Exploring How And Why K-12 Teachers Integrate Boundaries And The Effects Of Boundary Integration On Feelings Of Self-Determination, Stephen Tarsitano

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Using portraiture, I explored how and why four K-12 public school teachers integrated boundaries between home and work and how this integration supported and was supported by self-determination. After recruiting four teachers who engaged in high levels of integration, I created portraits of each participant. Next, I analyzed across portraits using SDT as a lens to understand the commonalities of teacher boundary integration and identified five cross-portrait themes: Doing What Works for You: Autonomy and Integration; Connection is Everything; Boundary-less Vision: Seeing in a Different Way; Teaching as Therapy and Service: Role Identity Salience with a Twist; and A Balancing …

Determining The Impact Of Administrative Feedback On The Nctei On Alternatively Licensed Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Lauren P. Hayes

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Alternatively licensed teachers are becoming more present in today’s classrooms. Additionally, teacher evaluation processes are often completed for compliance instead of a meaningful practice. Research shows that when teachers receive high-quality, effective administrative feedback, they experience higher self-efficacy levels. The study aimed to determine the impact of administrative feedback given on the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Instrument on alternatively licensed teachers’ self-efficacy. The study utilized a Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale that was distributed to alternatively licensed teachers in a medium-sized North Carolina school district. Teachers were asked to participate, and six participants were randomly selected to participate in individual …

Perception Of Middle School Counselors About How To Increase The Enrollment Of Minority Students, Specifically African American And Hispanic, In The Health Science Curriculum At Empire High School, Charles S. Robertson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study explored the perceptions of middle school counselors regarding strategies to increase enrollment of minority students, specifically African American and Hispanic, in the health science curriculum at Empire High School. Utilizing a mixed methods convergent parallel design, this research integrated both quantitative and qualitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of counselor viewpoints, existing barriers, and potential solutions. Lewin’s Change Model, as outlined by Burnes (2019), provided the theoretical framework for the analysis, guiding it through the stages of unfreezing existing mindsets, implementing change, and refreezing new practices. Quantitative data were collected via surveys administered to middle school counselors …

The Influence Of High School Teacher Perceptions Of Plcs On Eoc Scores In A Rural South Carolina School District, Marsharika M. Moody-Henegan

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods convergent parallel study addressed high school teacher perceptions of the impact professional learning communities (PLCs) have on teaching practices and Biology I end-of-course assessment scores of students. This study is modeled after a study conducted by Dawkins (2020). Research participants in this study were science teachers from three high schools in one rural school district in South Carolina. Anonymous online teacher surveys captured quantitative data using Likert scales and qualitative data using open-response questions. Additional quantitative data were collected from a state-mandated Biology I end-of-course assessment. DuFour’s (2004) model of a PLC provided the conceptual framework, and …

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Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

A Retention Model You Will Actually Use: The Development Of A Retention Model Grounded In Research And Designed For Practice, Steve Conn

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring Of Childhood Is Causing An Epidemic Of Mental Illness, Aaron J. Howell

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Pornography Use Reduction Program, Justin Heth, John Foubert, Andrew Courtner

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Pornography use has been shown to be highly common among young men, with numerous documented deleterious effects. Though the dangers of pornography use are well documented, few studies have attempted to determine what methods can be used to decrease use, including use among men attending Christian colleges. The present study began to address this gap by studying different groups of men who sought to decrease their use. Implications of these results are discussed.

The Impact Of Using Practicum Portfolio On Early Childhood Student Teachers' Reflective Practice, Buad Khales, Afif Zaidan, Fathi Ihmeideh

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

: This study aimed to investigate how the use of practicum portfolios impacts early childhood student teachers' reflective practice in Palestine. The study utilized qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze student teachers' perspectives on using practicum portfolios for their professional development. The main focus was to understand the student teachers' stance on reflective teaching and their engagement in different stages of the reflective practice cycle. The study involved 16 student teachers at Al-Quds University in Palestine. Data were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that the portfolio helped student teachers assess their work and improved …

Mentoring Experiences Of Student Teachers During Teaching Practice In Nigeria, Osita Victor Ossai, Sarita Ramsaroop

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

A growing number of stakeholders in teacher education in Nigeria have raised concerns about the quality of mentoring in schools. In this study, we aim to explore the mentoring experiences of student teachers during their field experiences. Using a mixed-methods study, data were collected from student teachers in the education faculty at a University in Nigeria. Quantitative data on student-teacher mentoring experiences were collected using the Student-Teacher Mentoring Experience Questionnaire. Qualitative data comprised individual interviews and was analysed thematically. Findings indicated that student teachers lacked adequate mentoring and support and without timely evaluations and quality feedback, their ability to reflect …

Basic Skills Of 21st Century Teachers, Ömer Cem Karacaoğlu

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study aims to determine the basic skills that 21st century teachers should have. The study is based on the opinions of 79 teachers working in different disciplines on four different campuses in Izmir. The qualitative study used storage technique and content analysis. The opinions of the participants were evaluated to clarify the skill expressions, create themes and determine data categories. The study found that teachers prioritized several core competencies, including creativity, empathy and communication, critical thinking, problem solving and crisis management, and collaboration, curiosity and digital literacy. Other skills were determined as reading comprehension, learning to learn, patience, emotional …

Assessment Of Initial Teacher Education From The Evaluated’ Perspective: A Literature Review, Carla E. Förster, Andrea Ruffinelli, Tatiana Cisternas, Francisca Donoso

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Many quality assurance policies for teacher education are linked to the assessment of their training and although this is widely studied, the subjects’ perspectives have not been taken into consideration. This study sought to answer: how do the subjects perceive these education assessments and how do those assessments influence their training? A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) search was conducted, rendering the selection of 12 articles. The results indicate that the studies incorporating the subjects' opinions were limited to two instruments: the edTPA from the United States and LANTITE from Australia. Both the performance-based format (edTPA) and the measurement of literacy …

Teaching In Racially Diverse Schools: Towards A Racial Competency Framework, Tebeje Molla, Kerri Garrard, Tim Corcoran

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Safe learning environments foster the wellbeing, engagement, and educational outcomes of students. To develop resources that enable schools to create safe learning environments, we conducted focus group discussions with teachers and African heritage students in selected public schools in an Australian state. This paper reports insights from our discussions with the school staff. The findings indicate that teachers face ‘relational uncertainty’ in dealing with racial issues impacting their engagement with these students. To address these challenges, we propose a racial competency framework, featuring distinctive dimensions, drivers, and domains. The framework emphasises the need for schools to support racial value awareness, …

Effects Of Generative Reflection On The Professional Development Of Trainee Teachers: Social Representations Emerging From Practicum Tutorials, Andrea Ruffinelli, Carolina Álvarez, Macarena Salas, Victoria Andrea Ruffinelli Vargas

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Although reflection is recognized as a driving force for teachers' professional development, which is the reason for its incorporation into Initial Teacher Education (ITE), there is still little clarity about its effects on teachers' professional development. This article seeks to understand the Social Representations (SR) of tutors and practitioners of the IDF of two Chilean universities, on the effects of reflection, promoted in tutorials and its link with the strategies used to promote it. Individual interviews were conducted with four dyads -tutor and pre-service teacher-, and group interviews with tutors and interns. The analysis was inspired by Grounded Theory. The …

Tackling Australia’S Male Teacher Shortage: Insights From Initial Teacher Education (Ite) Completion Data, Loan Dao, Jeanne M. Allen, Darren Pullen, Scott Cowie

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The under-representation of males in the Australian teaching profession has been an issue of concern for some time. With predictions that the situation will worsen due to an aging male teacher population and the enduring perception that teaching is females’ work, this paper explores trends in male initial teacher education (ITE) degree completion in a sample of Australian ITE programs from 2001 to 2021 to gain insights into which types of teaching degrees and delivery modes of study are most likely to attract potential pre-service male teachers. Open access and non-identifiable male ITE completion data were obtained from the Australian …

What Mentorship? Pre-Service And In-Service Teachers’ Experiences Of A Teaching Practice Mentorship Programme, Puleng Constance Letloenyane, Matseliso Mokhele-Makgalwa, David Maleho Letloenyane

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Mentoring during teaching practice plays a crucial role in teacher training as it exposes pre-service teachers to an authentic teaching and learning environment, under the guidance of qualified in-service teachers. Although mentoring has the potential to enhance the preparation of pre-service teachers and to improve the development of in-service teachers, the experiences are not always positive. The present study seeks to explore pre-service teachers’ and in-service teachers’ experiences of one university’s teaching practice mentorship programme. This single case study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from one in-service and pre-service teacher in one suburban school. The collected data indicate that …

Unveiling Raciolinguistic Ideologies: Pre-Service Teachers’ Insights On Refugee Integration In Schools, Tuba Yilmaz, Rosanna Ellis

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigates pre-service teachers' ideologies about refugee students' belonging and integration in Türkiye and examines how these ideologies shape their anticipated pedagogical practices. Using the framework of raciolinguistic ideologies, the study highlights how linguistic and cultural hierarchies influence educational practices, often perpetuating systemic exclusion. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 13 pre-service teachers from various educational programs, utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological design. The findings reveal a predominant reliance on deficit-based perspectives, with refugee students framed as linguistically deficient and culturally "othered." While participants expressed professional commitments to inclusivity, their approaches often emphasized assimilation into Turkish norms, reflecting cultural …

Australian Education Research Organisation And Teacher Education, Bruce Haynes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Australian Education Research Organisation was created to initiate, collate and disseminate reliable evidence-based research to the Australian school system. It uses the latest cognitive psychology to advocate the use of explicit instruction and phonics to lift outcomes of Australian schooling. These practices are reflected in the new ‘core content’ for Initial Teacher Education programs that were identified by the Teacher Education Expert Panel to be mandated in national accreditation processes for tertiary providers delivering initial teacher education. Mandating these practices is problematic and marks a further shift towards authoritarian processes in Australia.

Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers’ Preparedness For Professional Experience Placement And Employment: Authentic School-University Partnership Opportunities, Stacey E. Jones, Deb Clarke

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The transition from university learning to classroom application presents a challenge in initial teacher education. This transition results in ‘praxis shock’; a term coined to describe the confronting exposure to the gritty realities of the classroom. This case study investigated a school-university partnership that drew on authentic learning activities using a team-teaching model to address the praxis shock challenge. Data were gathered over five years from pre-service teacher subject experience surveys, journal reflections, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that this authentic approach significantly enhanced pre-service teachers’ understanding of the Australian Professional Standards for teachers, their classroom readiness, confidence, and …

“My School Makes Even The Smallest Students …. Feel Included And Happy To Be There” Student Perspectives On Inclusion., Charles Ag Kemp, Umesh Sharma, Louise Mclean

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The objective of this study was to examine student perspectives on what inclusion means to them and what students believe to be critical school based inclusive practices. The study utilised a mixed method approach to collect data from a sample of 40 Year 9 and Year 10 students from a small school in rural Victoria.  Qualitative data were analysed using a three-stage process of thematic analysis.  Students emphasised that inclusion could be enhanced when relationships are prioritised, school environments are more participatory, when teachers know what students need to be successful, and, when teachers actively monitor and encourage the engagement …

Using Children's Picture Books To Teach Mathematical And Numeracy Concepts: An Exploration Of The Aesthetic Value Of Mathematics For Preservice Teachers’ Dispositions, Mellie Green, Lorraine Gaunt, Georgina M. Barton

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Evidence suggests that preservice teachers tend to have negative dispositions towards the teaching of mathematics and/or numeracy. In response, this paper describes the work of three experienced teacher educators using high-quality children’s picture books to teach mathematical and/or numeracy concepts as well as foregrounding the aesthetic value of mathematics. The purpose of this type of reading is to support and improve preservice teacher dispositions towards mathematics and/or numeracy with children’s picture books. Using metalogue as methodology, the researchers discussed mathematical and/or numeracy concepts and explored the aesthetic value of mathematics within selected picture books. They used the Australian Curriculum’s General …

The Beautiful Struggle: A Counter-Narrative Study Of African American Male School Leaders, Jamie Crosen Mr

Dissertations of Practice

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of African American male high school principals in urban and suburban schools across the Chicagoland area. Using critical race theory (CRT) and counter-narrative methodology, the study centers the voices of ten African American male principals to examine how race, systemic inequities, and social justice shape their leadership practices, professional identities, and navigation of racially charged educational environments. These leaders consistently confront institutionalized biases and racialized expectations that limit their professional advancement while reinforcing deficit narratives about African American leadership. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, three primary research questions guided this study: (1) …

Nourishing Flourishing: Elevating Elementary Educator Jouissance, Julie T. Siemianowski

Dissertations of Practice

This study was conducted, predicated on the following theories: Nel Noddings’s ethics of care, Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory (social cognitive theory), and positive psychology’s Martin Seligman’s PERMA (well-being). For the purposes of this study, Seligman’s PERMA (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment) theory encompasses both Kerry Howells’ gratitude and David Chan’s gratitude and subjective well-being. Qualitative methodology, specifically, the combination of narrative inquiry and case study guided and informed my data collection. Through semi-structured interviews and story-telling, teachers and literacy leaders shared their stories of external distressers and internal factors contributing to their professional jouissance or lack thereof.

Key words: …

Bridging Language Barriers: How Secondary Teachers Support English Language Learners In The Classroom, Mason Daniel Smith

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

English Language Learners (ELLs) represent a growing student population in U.S. secondary schools, yet many educators feel underprepared to support their unique needs effectively. This mixed-methods study examines how Pennsylvania high school teachers approach the teaching of ELLs, focusing on their self-efficacy, instructional decision-making, and strategies for fostering an inclusive classroom community. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, data was collected through surveys from a limited group of 40 high school educators followed by in-depth interviews with three participants. Findings revealed that while teachers express a strong desire to support ELLs, they often experience uncertainty and frustration due to …

Eng 110: Narrative Essay, Justine Matias

Open Educational Resources

This assignment asks students to compose a reflective narrative essay examining a significant moment in their language and literacy development. Drawing from literacy studies and linguistic justice frameworks, the assignment positions students' diverse language experiences—including multilingualism, code-switching, and various communication modes—as valuable resources for meaning-making rather than deficits requiring correction. Students select a meaningful personal moment related to language or literacy, develop it through rich sensory detail and narrative techniques, and analyze its broader social significance by connecting individual experience to larger cultural, educational, or societal patterns. The assignment incorporates Universal Design for Learning principles through multiple pathways for success: …

Through Their Own Eyes: A Mixed Methods Study On Perceptions And Reflections Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy Of North Carolina Elementary School Teachers, Bria C. Wright

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Historical inequities disproportionately impacting historically marginalized communities continue to persist in classrooms today. Culturally responsive teaching plays an important role in addressing these inequities by recognizing and affirming diverse cultural identities. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary school teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) perceptions. This mixed methods convergent parallel study examined CRTSE across five domains: culturally congruent instruction, cross-cultural communication, culturally relevant curricula, cultural diversity knowledge, and cultural caring learning communities. Quantitative data were collected from 147 North Carolina elementary teachers using the CRTSE Scale, and qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 16 participants. …

Educating The Educators: Six Frames For Three Identities, Eric Silberberg, Laura Cameron, Christina Jones, Amy James, Alison Lehner-Quam, Robin Ewing, Margaret Gregor

Publications and Research

Educating tomorrow’s teachers is a complex and evolving process. !ey are preservice teachers in undergraduate programs, current teachers pursuing career advancement in master’s programs, and aspiring educational researchers in doctoral programs. Perhaps nowhere else on campus does information literacy instruction have more potential to affect generations of information users than when librarians educate the educators as education students will, in turn, impart information literacy skills to the students in their classrooms for many years.

Education students inhabit three overlapping identities as they progress through degree programs: as students fulfilling assignments, professionals conducting evidence-based research, and future teachers responsible for teaching …

Strengthening Student Talk And Academic Discourse, Ashley Bushell, Amber White, Jamie Richardson

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This Professional Learning Module (PLM) on Strengthening Student Talk and Academic Discourse is designed to support K-12 grade educators in integrating student talk and academic discourse into their classrooms to improve student engagement. Grounded in research, this PLM provides participants with practical strategies and resources to use in their classroom through the integration of student communication. Regardless of your role in the school, this module will help you foster academic conversations in your classroom that can lead to your students gaining confidence and a deeper understanding of the content. By the end of this module, you will have taught a …

Integrating Ai In Instruction, Janet Evans, Melissa Mcclary, Jennie Handy

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

Integrating AI in Instruction is a Professional Learning Module (PLM) created to help educators feel more confident and informed about using artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. Many teachers feel unsure or even a little afraid of AI simply because it is unfamiliar. This module is designed to break down those fears by introducing practical tools, real classroom applications, and simple strategies that align with high-impact teaching practices. You will explore how to use AI in ways that are ethical and equitable, with a focus on student data privacy and digital citizenship. You will also reflect on how AI can …

Rooted In Connection: Using Ai To Strengthen Communication, Matthew Feuer, Betsy Hanks, Bradi Jordan, Brice Melton

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

Communication in the digital age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) may feel like a journey into a crowded forest for many educators. This professional learning module (PLM) aims to support teachers in their use of AI to communicate with families to provide a more rooted feel. The module is framed around the responsible use of AI and rooted in research on the importance of establishing effective communication and building relationships with students and their families. Teachers at any experience level will benefit from the use of this PLM. From beginning teachers hoping to reduce the overload of their new career, to …