Building The Foundation For Stem In Toddler Classrooms: Practical Strategies For Novice Teachers, Melissa L. Johnson

Spark! Innovations in Early Childhood Education: A Research-to-Practice Journal for Educators

Young children are natural explorers, and even in the toddler years, they demonstrate the inquiry behaviors foundational to later science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. However, early STEM experiences are often underutilized in toddler classrooms, primarily due to misconceptions about children's capabilities and a lack of developmentally appropriate resources. This article, written for novice educators, offers practical strategies and examples to help integrate STEM into toddler classrooms. Drawing on current research, national standards, and classroom-based implementation strategies, this piece outlines how to create engaging environments that support toddlers' curiosity and emerging STEM thinking across science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Leading With Heart: How New Directors Can Build Trust And Morale Among Child Care Staff, Kamille Watson, Cynthia Dicarlo

Spark! Innovations in Early Childhood Education: A Research-to-Practice Journal for Educators

For both new and seasoned directors, leading a new childcare center requires navigating the complex work of building staff trust and sustaining morale, particularly when teams have endured repeated leadership changes or existing internal concerns. Because early childhood programs rely heavily on relational, emotionally demanding work, effective leadership must be rooted in connection, transparency, and compassionate engagement. This article provides a practical framework to help novice directors cultivate strong, trust-based relationships that support both staff well-being and program quality. Drawing from current research on compassionate leadership, emotional intelligence, and organizational consistency, the article outlines actionable strategies for building rapport, fostering …

Second Annual Advances In Business Education Conference 2026 Proceedings, Kelsey Metz

Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference Proceedings

Conference Overview: The Second Annual Advances in Business Education (ABE) Conference was held on May 21–22, 2026, at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Hosted by the LMU School of Business, the ABE Conference exists to promote teaching excellence, scholarly inquiry, and regional engagement through innovation and collaboration in business education.

With a focus on fostering meaningful dialogue among educators, researchers, students, and industry professionals, the conference welcomed more than 70 attendees representing 11 institutions from across the Appalachian region and beyond.

The event was structured around four key tracks:

Pedagogy and Teaching Excellence: Showcasing innovative teaching methods, instructional technologies, …

Cultivating Healing: Understanding Pinay Adolescent Social And Emotional Well-Being, Dylan R. Francisco

Doctoral Dissertations

The Filipina/x/o American community is the third largest Asian American ethnic community in the United States (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2023). Among the population, adolescents in particular have been identified as being in a pivotal period, as adolescence in the Asian American community marks the unfolding of identity development, in addition to increasing familial and societal pressures (Choi et al., 2018).  Existing research has identified Filipina/x/o American adolescents in particular to have higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, teen births, depressive rates, and thoughts about suicide. Despite these growing concerns, limited studies have been conducted on this specific ethnic community …

Book Review - Everyday Christian Teaching: A Guide To Practicing Faith In The Classroom, Greg Veltman

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

A review of Smith, D. I. (2025). Everyday Christian teaching: A guide to practicing faith in the classroom. Eerdmans. (ISBN: 9780802883001. Softcover. 227 pages.)

Effects Of An International Teaching Experience On Pre-Service Teacher Self-Efficacy, Janet George, Jared Johnston

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This study investigated the effect of faculty mentoring on the self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teacher (PST) candidates. Between 2023 and 2024, eight PSTs took part in a two-week international teaching experience. The overall experience was built on Bandura’s sources of self-efficacy (1997). For the study, we used Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk-Hoy’s Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (1998) to measure the PSTs’ sense of self-efficacy before and after the experience. We utilized a convergent mixed-methods research design to gain a comprehensive understanding of the effect of faculty mentoring upon the PSTs’ sense of self-efficacy. The results of our study showed that faculty …

Can We Digitize A Soul? A Study Of Ai And Ethics, Spirituality, And Humanity, Debra S. Espinor, W. Scot Headley, Linda Samek

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

The rapid advancement of computing technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping both society and the educational landscape. This study examines faculty experiences and attitudes toward the role of AI in teaching and research within the distinct context of Christian higher education. While recognizing the potential of AI to drive educational innovation, this research also addresses significant faculty concerns regarding the implications for academic integrity, critical thinking, and intellectual property. Specifically, the study investigates faculty perspectives on data security and privacy, the reproduction of creative expression in art and music, and the broader impact of AI on the liberal …

Teacher Identity Formation In A Christian University: Expectations And Experiences, Heather J. S. Birch

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This qualitative phenomenological study examines the alignment between applicants’ expectations and graduating candidates’ lived experiences in a teacher education program at a Christian university. Drawing on data from 166 participants collected during application interviews and final capstone conversations, the research explores how candidates anticipated and later reflected on the program’s faith integration, community, and professional formation. Findings reveal that most candidates’ expectations were met or exceeded, highlighting three key shifts: faith experienced as lived values within an inclusive community; unexpected depth of relational support from faculty and peers; and meaningful professional and personal growth rooted in the faith-explicit context. The …

An Editorial: If I Should Fall, Patrick Otto, David Weir

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Abstract

The future of Christian higher education will be determined by whether today’s leaders can identify and train successors who are called to the mission and vision of each institution. The task of transitioning to a new generation of leaders has become more complicated as research shows that the church in America is in decline. The increased use of adjuncts adds to the dilemma because it takes time and a single-minded focus to prepare high-level leaders.

We are at a critical time finding the right people to replace the Baby Boomer generation, which has led well past retirement age. As …

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 …

An Analysis Of Professional Development Preferences, Needs, And Engagement Among Family And Consumer Sciences Teachers In Illinois, Sally E. Arnett

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The purpose of this study was to identify the professional development preferences, needs, and engagement of family and consumer sciences (FCS) teachers in Illinois. Signature pedagogy and its three theoretical elements served as a foundational framework for structuring respondents' professional development considerations. Using a descriptive research design, data were collected through an online survey completed by 45 (42%) Illinois FCS teachers. Findings indicated that teachers preferred professional development that was offered in person, located within geographical proximity, and scheduled during contracted working hours. Respondents identified discipline-specific FCS content, effective lab management, and the integration of AI in an FCS classroom …

Building Capacity And Inspiring Change: The Impact Of Louisiana’S Ucedd Across The Lifespan, Alicia Kowitz, Constance Alphonse, Phil Wilson, Maria Blanco

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Human Development Center (HDC), as the state’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), serves as a catalyst for inclusive systems change through interdisciplinary training, community engagement, and evidence-based service delivery. This manuscript highlights the breadth and impact of HDC’s initiatives across early childhood, education, transition, and community inclusion. Through programs such as Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood, PAYCheck, and LEND, HDC builds capacity among professionals, empowers individuals with disabilities and their families, and strengthens systems to be more responsive and equitable. The stories and outcomes shared illustrate how intentional, collaborative efforts …

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. …

Empowering Pedagogical Practice Through Autoethnography Within The Context Of Family Literacy Projects, Sarah M. Johnson

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

Family Literacy Projects being used in the high school setting to promote cultural and linguistic identities. The Family Literacy Project is used to bridge the gap between student identities at school and the identities at home. The purpose of this study was for the teacher to reflect in an autoethnographic study of herself in relation to the context of community, pedagogy, and the perceived needs and changes of the project for both students and the school’s culture. Through the autoethnographic study, the focus of the Family Literacy Project is in its importance to the school, community, students, and teachers was …

Write To Lead: A Document Analysis Of Leadership Communication, Rosenda B. Minella

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This qualitative study examined how executive leaders at an urban community college in the Southwestern United States used motivating language in written communication. Community colleges face increasing complexity, including enrollment declines, limited resources, and heightened expectations for student success. In this context, written leadership communication helps align organizational goals, build trust, and reinforce institutional values. Motivating Language Theory served as the primary coding framework, with findings interpreted through the lens of Authentic Leadership and informed by AACC Leadership Competencies. Using qualitative document analysis and an AI-assisted workflow to support coding consistency, the study analyzed publicly available executive communications produced over …

The Effects Of Behavior Skills Training To Teach A Clinician To Implement A Structured Work System, Megan E. Bowling

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Many children with autism spectrum disorder present with deficits in completing daily living tasks, which may be due to the sequencing of information required to complete these skills. Structured work systems present a support for children to visually organize and sequence events, though they are most used in the classroom setting. The study tested the effectiveness of behavior skills training to teach a behavior support clinician to implement a structured work system via least-to-most prompting. Data was collected on the clinician’s percent of accurate implementation, which was then analyzed across three daily living behaviors in a multiple probe design. Results …

Interprofessional Collaboration: A Survey Study Focusing On Pre-Service Professionals, Megan L. Bell

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) are bound by an ethical code to engage in appropriate means of interprofessional collaboration for the best interest of their clients. Training in this has been increased during graduate coursework to ensure BCBAs are intentionally following through on this notion to allow for stronger professional relationships with other related service providers and are holistically providing the best care possible for their clients. The goal of this survey was to better understand how these changes compares to other related services providers and their goals of collaboration, when working with individuals with disabilities. A survey was disseminated …

A Colonial Past Revisited: An Authethnography Of Outsider And Insider Identities In Indigenous Education Communities, Tara L. Deyoung

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In the late 90s, at Rehoboth Christian school, a small private boarding school in northwest New Mexico, I had four different English teachers in my four years of high school. All but two of my teachers at that time would be considered outsiders to the community in which they taught. Teacher outsiders leave schools and districts at higher rates than insiders to a community; this is especially true for rural and remote areas (Hudson et al., 2020). The purpose of this autoethnographic study is to analyze my history as a cultural outsider and insider in relation to my core beliefs …

Development And Preliminary Effectiveness Of Sel-Based Puzzle Media For Improving Emotional Regulation In Second-Grade Elementary Students, Kun Widya Nurfiani, Diana Septi Purnama

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study developed and evaluated the feasibility, practicality, and preliminary effectiveness of the Social Emotional Learning (SEL)-based Puzzle Expression Emotion media to improve emotional regulation among second-grade elementary school students. The study used a Research and Development design following the ADDIE model. Feasibility was assessed by subject-matter and media experts, practicality by classroom teachers, and preliminary effectiveness through a one-group pretest-posttest field trial involving 51 students from two public elementary schools in Surakarta. Data were collected through interviews, observations, validation sheets, practicality questionnaires, and an emotional regulation instrument. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, followed by a paired-sample t-test and N-gain …

Leadership Regarding The Support And Implementation Of Collaborative Teacher Teams To Advance District Equity Goals, Deborah Holman

Educational Studies Dissertations

Educational leaders increasingly prioritize equity reform processes; however, many struggle to enact sustainable change that addresses persistent disparities in student outcomes. Existing research on district effectiveness identifies key improvement practices but offers less insight into how leaders operationalize these practices effectively. The growing body of research on professional learning communities (PLCs) offers emerging evidence that job-embedded, focused PLCs are a mechanism that can positively impact student outcomes. This study addressed the connection between the improvement practices and PLCs by exploring how school and district leaders leverage collaborative teacher teams as a mechanism for equity-minded reform. Using a constructivist grounded theory …

Through A Pedagogy Of Play: Kindergarten Teachers' Professional Identity, Self-Efficacy, And Well-Being, Jennifer L. Berube

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

This convergent parallel mixed methods study examined how kindergarten teachers who implement a play-based pedagogy describe its influence on their professional identity, self-efficacy, and well-being. Kindergarten represents a critical educational juncture where tensions between developmental practice and academic acceleration are most pronounced, yet existing research has not adequately examined how pedagogical approaches affect the teachers who implement them. While extensive research documents the benefits of play-based learning for children’s development, the experiences of the teachers who facilitate that learning remain largely unexamined. This study addressed that gap through three integrated frameworks: Self-Determination Theory, Seligman’s model of well-being encompassing positive …

Elementary Residents And Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy In Mathematics, Quayisha F. Clarke

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative interpretive embedded case study examines how seven preservice elementary mathematics residents in a Northeastern teacher residency program identify and enact culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) (Paris and Alim, 2017) in their math instruction, and how their intersectional identities shape these enactments. Drawing on CSP, intersectionality, and discretionary spaces (Ball, 2018), the study explores how residents interpret, reason through, and make moment-to-moment decisions that affirm students’ learning in mathematics.

Data were collected across two semi-structured interviews, three classroom observations, post-observation debriefs, lesson plans, coursework artifacts, and a researcher's reflexive journal. Analysis followed a hybrid inductive–deductive approach, using thematic and axial …

Built For This: An Autoethonographic Study Of A Journey Through Leadership Rooted In Reflection, Resilience, And Reinvention, Weslie Etienne

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative autoethnographic study examined how leadership was experienced, enacted, and sustained by a Black woman navigating district-level leadership within predominantly White institutional contexts. Grounded in Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and Black Feminist Thought, this research centered lived experience as a site of knowledge production and employed longitudinal journaling and artifact analysis to capture leadership development as a temporal, relational, and embodied process. The study was guided by three research questions: (1) How did race, gender, and institutional structures shape leadership development and experience? (2) How were leadership identities constructed, negotiated, and sustained through self-authored narratives? and (3) How could …

Teacher Professional Development In Art Museums, Tamar Rosenfeld-Cohen

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study examines teachers’ professional development and learning experiences in art museums, attempting to bridge the gap in the literature regarding the links between teachers’ identities and learning experiences to their teaching, and the disparity between the needs and tenets of adult learning and the teacher professional development experiences that are offered to teachers (Mehta & Fine, 2019).

This study intended to identify the effective and meaningful features of art museum teacher professional development offerings, conceptualize teachers’ experiences in these programs and how art museums can support their own needs, personal preferences, and professional requirements. Based on a mixed-methods research …

Expanding Access To High-Quality Child Care For Infants And Toddlers With Disabilities And Their Families In Nevada, Turia M. Penkalski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Access to high-quality child care significantly impacts outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, yet persistent inequities remain. This dissertation employed an instrumental case study design (Stake, 1995; Stake & Visse, 2023) to investigate Nevada's state-level policies and procedures that shape the accessibility and quality of child care for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Using a triangulated approach that integrates document analysis, family interviews, and a survey with state leaders, this study explored the perspectives and experiences of diverse key players. The research illuminates how policy intentions align with or diverge from system-level perceptions and the experiences …

Examining The Relationships Among Collaborative Teaching Practices, Self-Efficacy, And Teachers' Self-Regulation In Charter School Culture, Melissa J. Seltenreich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examined the relationships among collaborative teaching practices, teacher selfefficacy, and self-regulation among 226 in-service K–12 teachers in Southern Nevada public charter schools. Teaching is a demanding profession that requires strong self-regulation (goal setting, monitoring, reflection, and adaptive strategies) and self-efficacy to sustain effective instruction, teacher well-being, and professional longevity. Collaborative teaching practices, which emphasize teamwork, shared planning, and peer support, were hypothesized to strengthen these psychological capacities within charter environments characterized by high autonomy and accountability. This research study focuses on 3 questions including demographic and situational variables that contribute to differences in teachers’ self-regulation, teachers with higher …

From Culture To Classroom: The Influence Of Professional Learning Communities On The Learning Organization And High-Cognitive Demand Instruction, Rebecca J. Tschinkel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

As schools face increasing pressure to prepare students for the complexities of the 21st century, the role of job-embedded professional learning has become paramount to school improvement. This study investigated the relationships among teacher perceptions of the characteristics of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), the dimensions of the school as a Learning Organization (LO), and the frequency of high-cognitive-demand instructional practices. Grounded in Learning Organization Theory and the concept of evidence-based PLCs, this research sought to determine whether collaborative teacher structures could serve as a predictive lever for instructional rigor, regardless of school demographics, and to examine their influence on the …

Evaluating Computer-Based Instruction To Improve Teacher Competence In Function-Based Antecedent Strategy Implementation, Valentina Arias

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Teachers often manage challenging student behaviors without formal training in behavior analysis, which can increase stress and reduce instructional time. This study evaluated whether computer-based instruction (CBI) is an effective and cost-effective way to train early education teachers to understand why challenging behaviors occur and how to prevent them, using antecedent strategies. Ten general education teachers working in a private, neurodiverse-inclusive school participated. They completed a brief training delivered through computer modules developed in PowerPoint that taught them how to identify functions of behavior and select functionally equivalent antecedent strategies to decrease challenging behaviors. Learning was measured using pre/post tests …

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 …

Exploring Catholic School Teachers' Perceptions Of Factors That Support Longevity: A Qualitative Study, Kelly A. Koval

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

John Staud, the executive director of Alliance for Catholic Education (2022) stated, “The greatest crisis facing Catholic education, and education in general, is the recruitment and retention of talented and committed teachers and leaders for our schools.” Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study is to illuminate and explore the practical experiences of teachers who have longevity in Catholic schools with respect to their perceived needs, challenges and support in the mid-to-later years of their career path. Through the lens of self-determination theory, this study aims to describe the internal and external factors that teachers describe as “playing a role” …