Digital Commons Network^™

Lessons Learned: Using Faculty Learning Communities To Foster Pedagogical Skills And Cultivate Community, Caitlin Brez, Linda Behrendt

Perspectives In Learning

Academic expertise has traditionally served as the measure of faculty’s effectiveness in the classroom. Twenty-first century changes in the landscape of higher education have brought the need for sound pedagogy as a foundational tool in the college classroom. Faculty learning communities (FLCs) are an effective method to facilitate the development of pedagogy, which, in turn, has shown to have a direct effect on student success and graduation rates. This article examines the experiences of two faculty members at a Midwestern university who developed a 10-week inter-disciplinary FLC that was offered over 5 semesters, as well as participant feedback.

Differentiating Modernity (The System Of White Supremacy) And Generating Otherwise Worlds As Publicly Engaged Scholars: What’S Ontological Inquiry Got To Do With It?, Carolyne J. White, Arturo E. Osorio, Tim K. Eatman, Margaret J. Weiss

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

Seeking an answer to Tina Turner’s refrain, “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” this article is a rebellious, messy, place-based and deeply collaborative conversation. We draw upon the legacy of theatre and social critique and adopt the literary present tense to evoke a brave intimate space for imagining possibilities beyond the academic conventions of the present epistemological order. We seek to illuminate how ontological inquiry may provoke powerful access to generating new worldmaking for climate justice, particularly when one is being a publicly engaged scholar. Why new worldmaking? Within this unprecedented time of racial reckoning, war, climate catastrophe and …

A Study Of Preservice Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Reading, Kelli Williams-Page

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Only 35% of fourth graders in the United States can read at the proficient level, and only 34% of eighth graders can read proficiently (National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP], 2022). The purpose of this study was to determine how preservice teachers (PSTs) describe their experience of the methodology of teaching reading in their literacy courses. In addition, what specific strategies for teaching reading do PSTs describe as the focus for their teaching reading preparation, and how do PSTs describe the potential of the strategies learned in their coursework to help them teach reading in their future positions? This study …

An Inquiry Into Urban Schooling And The Social Justice Nexus: An Agency Case Study For Transformative Change, Eduardo E. Peña Jr.

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In an era of accountability and censorship in public schooling, teaching for social justice is a difficult proposition for K-5 teachers. This inquiry explored the pedagogical principles of five elementary school teachers who navigate the rigors of standardization while also providing an education with a social justice orientation. Using a critical lens, this study v i was guided by the following questions: (1) how do elementary teachers approach topics of social justice in their curriculum? (2) what are the pedagogical considerations for teachers in urban schooling? and (3) what structures prohibit or provide proliferation for the integration of social justice …

The Effects Of A Shared Vision Of Teacher Leadership On Classroom Teachers’ Instruction, Tiffany L. Bockelmann

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning Infographics

Many models of instructional teacher leadership exist in schools with various outcomes for teachers. The aim of this illustrative case study was to understand systemic alignment in a formal teacher leadership system and how this alignment impacted instructional change. This dissertation was framed by three research questions: 1) How do the rationales of teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators regarding teacher leadership in their school align? 2) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to engage with formal teacher leaders? 3) How does the coherence of a system of leadership impact classroom teachers’ abilities to …

Digital Bridges: How Art Educators Build Professional Learning Networks On Twitter, Jennifer Heyser

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the experiences of K-12 art teachers in the United States who participate in the #K12ArtChat, as a form of professional learning. Grounded in social constructivist learning, connectivism, and informal learning, this study addressed how and why art educators use Twitter Chats for professional growth and the potential impact of participation on their teaching practices. Five themes emerged from this study: Twitter's role as a professional development art education platform, the fostering of personal relationships and support, active community participation and advocacy, continuous professional development, and any perceived pedagogical shifts. With a significant emphasis on combatting …

Recognizing Teacher Burnout: Utilizing Teacher Retention Strategies To Help Work Life Balance Of Educators, Meghann Downer

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The ongoing shortage of special education teachers coupled with an increasing attrition rate has prompted many researchers to investigate why teachers are choosing to leave the field. Multiple studies (Lehmann 2008, et al Cheng 2022, et al Bryant 2023) have been conducted to determine the rates of attrition at multiple levels in education. Results of studies (Hughes 2012, et al Robinson 2019, et al Ogakwu 2022) indicate that there has been a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and burnout among special education teachers. This project provides a literature review focused on special education teacher burnout and attrition along with …

P-12 Teachers' Perceptions And Knowledge About Students' Mental Health And Their Willingness To Provide Mental Health Supports Within Their Classroom, Tamara Engel

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

P-12 students are experiencing higher rates of mental health needs, which generates a growing concern among teachers, parents, and educational leaders. Students with mental health challenges may struggle socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically and become at a risk for lower academic achievement, reduced graduation rates, and increased school suspensions and expulsions. While most of the literature is qualitative and has consistently identified schools as the ideal location to provide targeted mental health supports to students, teachers have reported having insufficient knowledge, skills, and resources to provide these supports to students. This correlational study aimed to move forward the quantitative methodology …

Letter From The Editor In Chief, Jeffrey Lee

Transform

The TRANSFORM journal is a space for leaders, mentors, researchers, and practitioners of transformational leadership to be seen, heard, and valued; it is a place for making connections. Relationship-building is central to transformational leadership at all levels of an organization; this fundamental truth is a trending topic in literature. Otherwise, however, leadership can be an isolating experience.

As an ethnographer, I believe the best way to launch an academic, peer-reviewed journal is to do what I do best: storytelling. I want to share my thoughts on transformational leadership through a story in the form of a letter to my younger …

Engaging With Engagement: Interrogating Preservice Teachers’ Theories Of Engagement In Their Literacy Planning And Reflection, Lindsey Rowe, Jackie Ridley, Marie E. Borkowski, Sarah E. Jackson, Michiko Hikida

Publications

The term engagement is widely used in teacher education and professional development. There is, however, a lack of consensus about the meaning of this term: it is defined in numerous ways with various theoretical underpinnings. This article employs a postqualitative approach to explore conceptualizations of engagement and their implications for teaching and learning. Specifically, we examine written teaching reflections from one cohort of preservice teachers, asking: 1) How did preservice teachers use the word “engage(ment)” in their planning for and analysis of one-on-one literacy instructional events? and 2) What conceptualizations of engagement did these usages reflect? Through the analytic approach …

“We’Re All Teachers Here!”: The Role Peer Relationships Play In Teacher Leaders’ Influence In Schools, Tamara Bodrick

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

Over the past decade, teacher leadership has become a critical component of igniting and sustaining local school improvement. Yet, the effectiveness of this distributed leadership model hinges on teacher leaders' ability to effectively influence the practices of their colleagues. The foundation of this influence, just as with students, is developing meaningful relationships. Since the clarity of roles and responsibilities of teacher leaders is not only murky, but also varies from school to school, teacher leadership can be perceived as an added layer of hierarchy or supervision which could hamper the relationship building process. The purpose of this study is to …

College Preparedness. Narratives Of Transitions From High School To College., Chelsey Luann Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

Despite many theories on student success as well as many resources to help students make the transition from high school to college, many students do not persist in or graduate from college. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide insight into what takes place when students leave P-12 institutions and enter institutions of higher education by using focused narrative inquiry. This study took place at a large research university in the south. The study included 4 participants at various parts of their transition journey. Participants in the study responded to written prompts. Follow up interviews were conducted, and a …

Culturally Responsive Education: Creating A Safe And Inclusive Environment For Lgbtq+ Students, Kassidi M. Adams

Masters Projects

This paper explores research that discusses the impact of a culturally responsive education and lack-of for LGBTQ+ students and recommends a solution to ensure all students are safe and represented in schools. The research cited varies in their definitions and uses of the term LGBTQ+. This paper will use the term LGBTQ+, an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more communities; however, the abbreviation used in the referenced research may be shortened to LG, LGB, LGBT, or LGBTQ to reflect only specific communities included in LGBTTTQQIAAP (VandenBos, 2015). This paper will also focus on inclusion, which refers to …

Influential Experiences: Practices Of Teaching And Learning Successes To Increase Pre-Service Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Amanda L. Steiner, Jennifer Lemke

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

Teaching is a complex yet rewarding career; still, 40% - 50% of teachers leave the field within the first five years of their career (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011). Teacher preparation programs are often criticized for the lack of connection between theory and practice. Pre-service teachers who have more pedagogical courses and field experiences built into their coursework display higher levels of self-efficacy in their first year of teaching (Boyd et al., 2009; Clark, 2016). Through the lens of Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy, this case study examines what experiences are most influential in developing pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy.

A Qualitative Study Of Principals’ Perception As Implementers Of The Teacher Evaluation Model, Achievenj, And Federal Education Policies In An Urban Public School District In New Jersey, Petra Liz-Morell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The study explores the implementation of teacher evaluation models and federal education policies, particularly AchieveNJ, in an urban public school district in New Jersey. It focuses on principals' experiences and perceptions, uncovering their challenges and thoughts on the policy's effectiveness in enhancing teacher performance and student learning outcomes. The research delves into the complexities and uncertainties principals face, examining how these align with their leadership practices and impact policy execution. It also investigates the contextual factors influencing AchieveNJ's execution and effectiveness, providing insights for future policy formulation and practical implementation.

A key aspect of the study is its use of …

Adapting Interteaching To A Hybrid Format: A Framework For Implementation, Carmen Farrell

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version of this article here.

In the world of higher education, expectations of college-level instructors have shifted significantly in the last few years due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Instructors were required to be more flexible than ever before, oftentimes across different modalities. This essay models an evidence-based teaching method, interteaching (IT), that was originally created for use in a traditional face-to-face classroom and suggests an adaptation of that method for a hybrid classroom. The theoretical framework of IT is explained and an adaptation of IT for hybrid classrooms is provided with a specific college-level course …

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 7, Issue 2, Fall 2023

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full-length Fall 2023 issue (Volume 7, Issue 2) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Access the online Pressbooks version (with downloadable EPUB format) here.

The Fall 2023 issue presents research and guidance on topics related to educational adaptation. The first article by C. Farrell describes an adaptation of the interteaching method to the hybrid delivery method. The second article by C. C. Loose and R. Jagielo-Manion describes a study of modules on personalized learning to preservice teachers and its impact on their comfort level and preparation to implement personalized learning in their classrooms. The third article by B. …

Ready Or Not: The Leadership Preparation Of Preservice Teachers At Christian Liberal Arts Institutions, Kelly A. Lenarz

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

Teacher leadership is a component of teaching that exists from the beginning of a teacher’s career and continues to develop over the course of their career trajectory. Research on teacher leadership at the preservice level is limited, but it does speak to the consideration for the starting point of teacher leadership development to be within teacher preparation programs. This quantitative study examined the preparation of preservice teachers for leadership at Christian liberal arts institutions of higher education. One hundred student teachers completed an online survey to determine the relationship between teacher licensure area (elementary, secondary, K-12, and special education) and …

Call For Manuscripts, Todd Pagano

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.

Mentor Teacher And Administrator Attitudes And Beliefs Toward Mentoring Programs In K-12 Education In South Mississippi, Krystle Womack

Dissertations

The teaching profession relies heavily on mentor programs to promote teacher retention, to reduce attrition and to increase the quality of new teachers. Teachers grow professionally through gaining knowledge. Mentor teachers show professional growth through knowledge gained from mentoring programs and serving as mentor teachers.

There is a significant gap in mentoring research in that the mentoring literature is limited in perspective. Research focuses solely on the perspectives of the beginning teacher or the person being mentored, but the perspective of more than one stakeholder is needed to give the full picture of induction and mentoring. This study uses a …

An Exploratory Study Of Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Of Digital Games, Yu-Chun Kuo, Yu-Tung Kuo

College of Education Departmental Research

This study investigated pre-service teachers’ perceptions of technological pedagogical content knowledge of digital games (TPACK-G), the correlation of TPACK-G constructs, and the relation of TPACK-G to personal factors and levels of motivation and self-efficacy. Participants were 96 pre-service teachers from a university in the northeastern United States. Data were collected using online surveys. Quantitative approaches were performed to analyze the data. Results indicated that game content knowledge (GCK) and game pedagogical knowledge (GPK) significantly predicted pre-service teachers’ game pedagogical content knowledge (GPCK), with GPK being the strongest predictor. Pre-service teachers with high levels of motivation or self-efficacy for digital game …

Adaptive Instruction Through Reflection: How Preservice Teachers Create And Implement Individualized Literacy Lessons In A University Reading Center, Jennifer Marie Lennon

Dissertations

Modern classrooms are increasingly diverse. Students vary in their academic abilities, personal interests, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and previous experiences (Allen et al., 2013). To meet the varied needs of students, educators must adapt their instruction so all are able to find success. Modifying lesson plans and changing instruction based on student needs are forms of adaptive instruction (Hoffman & Duffy, 2016; Vaughn, 2019). This study explored the metacognitive processes of preservice teachers (PSTs) as they implemented adaptive instruction within their literacy lessons in a university reading center tutoring program. Adaptive instruction was examined through two lenses: first, as PSTs …

“I Became Myself”: Exploring Cultural Learning Through Stories And Storytelling., Leah Halliday-Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite broad acknowledgement in education that culturally responsive teaching is essential to meeting learners’ needs, defining and operationalizing culturally responsive teaching remains a challenge. Along with being designed to meet the needs of students from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds who have traditionally been underserved, one commonly identified feature of culturally responsive teaching is building on students’ cultural assets to promote their learning. And while stories and storytelling are among the most common teaching tools, storytelling pedagogies tend to use stories to deliver content or to assess student learning. This dissertation explores collaborative story sharing as an approach to helping …

Examining Psychological Capital, Leader–Member Exchange, And Doctoral Student Connectedness, Regina Fowler Spiers

Dissertations

According to Young et al. (2019), doctoral programs in the United States in math, science, engineering, and humanities have a 36–51% attrition rate. Rigler et al. (2017) suggest that online doctoral students' attrition rates average between 50–70%. According to the International Affairs Office ([IAO]; 2020), the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest academic degree in the United States. Universities award the degree to students who complete coursework to become a PhD candidate before completing and defending an independent research project, or dissertation (IAO, 2020). Relationship quality between PhD candidates and their supervisors is the most common research finding associated …

Exploration Of Privilege And Preschool Teachers’ Demographics Associated With Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Culturally Responsive Classroom Management, Katherine Madison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every child in America is entitled to a free public education; however, racial disparities in academics and discipline continue to grow in America’s school system (Glock et al., 2019; Muñiz, 2019). These racial disparities begin in preschool, following the students throughout their school years. African American students, specifically African American males, are three times more likely than their Caucasian peers to be suspended in preschool (CRDC, 2016; Musu-Gillette et al., 2016). Suspension at an early age correlates with students entering juvenile detentions, prisons and incompletion of schooling (Love, 2014; Meek & Gilliam,2016; Muñiz, 2019). Culturally responsive teaching and classroom management …

Purposeful Stem Integration In School-Based Agricultural Education Programs, Christopher J. Eck, Kristopher Rankin Iii, J. Shane Robinson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The emphasis for STEM integration in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) classrooms is imperative, resulting in a need for teacher educators to generate a positive view on the integration. Specifically, SBAE teacher aspirants need to be prepared to deliver relevant agricultural curriculum grounded in STEM. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the content knowledge and interest in STEM-related careers for secondary students enrolled in SBAE programs in Oklahoma. Pre-service SBAE teachers from Oklahoma State University were charged with delivering a sustainable bioenergy unit of instruction to their students. This study resulted in a statistically significant improvement in students’ STEM …

Table Of Contents - Jaepl - Volume 28, Wendy Ryden

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Table of Contents

Rethinking Science Communication: The Need For Dialogic, Transdisciplinary Collaboration, Julia Kiernan

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Rethinking Science Communication: The Need for Dialogic, Transdisciplinary Collaboration

Front Matter - Jaepl - Volume 28, Wendy Ryden

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Front Matter

Science Storytelling Beyond The Dramatic Arc: Narrativity And Little Red Schoolhouse Principles In Science Communication, Daniel A. Newman

The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning

Narrative is widely recommended for improving science communication, yet the main approach to science storytelling is limited and limiting, advocating fixed dramatic arcs and the ideal of narrativehood, the absolute quality of being a coherent narrative. Neglected by this approach, I argue, are the finer grained linguistic patterns that give texts local narrativity, the quality of being narrative in a scalar, adjectival sense. I harmonize narrativity with the well-established principles of clear technical writing developed by Joseph Williams, then demonstrate how these principles might be used and taught through a comparative reading of several texts discussing a single topic in …