Education Commons^™

Student Teachers Are Watching: What Are They Seeing?, Sarah J. Kaka, Taylor M. Kessner

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article examines the apprenticeship of observation that shapes preservice social studies teachers during clinical placements. Grounded in Lortie’s apprenticeship of observation and Bourdieu’s habitus, we draw on classroom observations collected by student teachers across several states. Findings suggest that cooperating teachers most often modeled traditional, teacher-centered instruction, including lecture and textbook-based work, while offering fewer examples of inquiry, discussion, or primary-source analysis. We argue that these everyday observations shape preservice teachers’ professional dispositions and that teacher educators, cooperating teachers, and field personnel should more intentionally provide access to ambitious, student-centered social studies practice.

Rethinking Teacher Education Programs: (Mis)Understanding Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Among Teacher Candidates, Shirley M. Sommers

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This article draws from a study conducted on pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher education program. The study examines students’ understanding and misunderstanding of what constitutes culturally responsive teaching. This is a mixed methods study. A Likert-type survey and qualitative questionnaires were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey data, and a thematic coding method was used for analysis of qualitative data. The results of the study show that pre-service teachers are aware and knowledgeable of the term culturally responsive teaching as the term is widely used in the teacher education program in which they were …

Preparing Inclusive Educators: The Impact Of Fieldwork Experience On Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge, Skills, And Confidence In Working With Students With Disabilities, Adrian Jung

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

This study examined preservice teachers’ confidence in working with students with disabilities across Elementary (n = 44), Secondary (n = 43), and Special Education (n = 52) programs. Using a quantitative pretest–posttest survey design, participants completed an adapted version of the Special Needs Confidence Scale before and after student teaching. Descriptive statistics and Tukey post hoc analyses were conducted. Results indicated overall increases in confidence following fieldwork, with Special Education preservice teachers reporting consistently higher confidence than Elementary and Secondary peers. Findings highlight the role of targeted preparation and field-based experiences in supporting inclusive teaching readiness.

Parks Coble, Jr., Unl History; Chinese Nationalists & Business, Chinese-Japanese Relations, Mark A. Griep, Parks M. Coble Jr.

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Dr. Parks Coble, Jr. was awarded the ORCA in 2005. He was born in Waterloo, South Carolina in 1946 but he grew up in Columbia. He earned his bachelor’s in history at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Next, he traveled 740 miles northwest to earn his doctorate at the University of Illinois in Champaign. In 1976, he became an assistant professor of history at the University of Nebraska, where he quickly rose through the ranks. His early work focused on the relationship between Chinese business elites and leaders of the Chinese National Government movement during a very interesting …

Slang In Tiktok Videos: A Study Of Linguistics And Its Implications On Bipa Informal Vocabulary Learning, Rahma Indri Cahya Havilah, Nuny Sulistiany Idris, Ida Widia

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Mastery of informal vocabulary is one of the main challenges for Indonesian as a Foreign Language (BIPA) learners, since slang on social media. Unfortunately, contextual and relevant teaching materials that cover slang for BIPA learners are limited. This study aims to identify the linguistic forms of slang language in TikTok videos, analyze their usage, and examine their implications for informal vocabulary learning in BIPA. The present study is descriptive-analytical with a linguistic approach, including phonological, morphological, pragmatic, and semantic analyses. Data were collected through observation and documentation of TikTok videos. This study reveals two particular linguistic forms, namely phonological and …

Innovation And Control In Curriculum Reform: An Autobiographical Inquiry From A Seoul Future Innovation School, Sunyoung Kim

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This autobiographical inquiry examines the lived experience of a teacher–researcher navigating curriculum reform within a centralized education system during her first year at a Seoul Future Innovation School. The study explores how policy ideals of curriculum autonomy, innovation, and student-centered learning encounter institutional realities of documentation, compliance, and performative accountability. Drawing on reflective journals and narrative reconstruction, the analysis identifies four tensions shaping reform enactment: the gap between reform discourse and school culture, the symbolic labeling of innovation, technocentric expectations that narrow curricular legitimacy, and the emotional labor of navigating stakeholder demands. The study illustrates how institutional conditions both constrain …

Conceptual Framework Of Professional Learning Communities For Cambodian Upper Secondary School Teachers, Ousa Chao, Mam Chansean, Vira Neau

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This paper explores the challenges of teacher professional development within Cambodian public upper secondary schools, driven by low teacher qualifications, resource gaps, and cultural barriers. Using an integrative literature review and qualitative document analysis, this paper synthesizes 58 sources, including official Cambodian regulatory frameworks, global evaluations, and empirical studies. By synthesizing local policy with international PLC models from Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, this study reveals a substantial gap between national policy goals and local school conditions. To bridge this divide, the article presents a contextually adapted four-pillar conceptual framework alongside actionable strategies to support effective PLC implementation across Cambodian …

Supporting Students’ Self-Efficacy And Motivation In The Mathematics Classroom, Audrie H. Cox

Masters Projects

This project examines the role of mathematics self-efficacy in supporting student motivation, engagement, and achievement in secondary mathematics classrooms. Through a review of current research, the project identifies instructional practices that strengthen students' confidence in their mathematical abilities, including formative assessments, meaningful feedback, supportive teacher-student relationships, and opportunities for productive struggle. Drawing on these findings, a professional development workshop session was developed to equip secondary mathematics teachers with practical, research-based strategies that promote positive mathematics self-efficacy and improve overall classroom instruction. By translating research into actionable teaching practices, this project aims to support more confident, motivated, and successful mathematics learners.

Focus Daily: Jase Special Issue On Hip-Hop, Disability, And The Continuing Evolution Of Arts-Based Pedagogy In Special Education (Side B), Jonte C. Taylor

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Hip-hop has long served as an educational tradition, emerging from the Bronx as a cultural response to systemic inequities that fostered identity, critical consciousness, creativity, and community through its core elements of emceeing, DJing, breaking, graffiti, and knowledge of self. In this second special hip-hop issue of the Journal of the Arts in Special Education (JASE) and building on the initial 2025 JASE special issue, this collection advances hip-hop pedagogy beyond an engagement strategy by positioning it as a culturally inclusive framework that supports academic achievement, identity affirmation, and meaningful participation for students with disabilities. The contributing scholars explore how …

A Poetic Call For And A Reflection And Commentary On Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, And Compassion, Carroy U. Ferguson

Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Finding a published poem I had written as a teenager, titled “The Heavens Weep.” this article uses that poem as the basis for a commentary that reflects on the state of the world today (2026),  As a commentary, the article uses the poetic and metaphoric words in the poem as a relevant "reality check" for what is still going on today.  In essence, the commentary is about a call for Clarity, Understanding, Hope, Courage, and Compassion, or what I call Archetypal Energies, Higher Vibrational Energies that operate deep within our individual and collective psyches to creatively urge us to "see" …

Educator Experiences Of Schoolwide Pbis Discipline Implementation: Exploring School Culture In Private Pk–12 Schools, Jessica L. Guarneri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore educators’ lived experiences implementing schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) discipline systems and to understand how those experiences influenced school culture in private PK–12 schools. Historically, PBIS focused on specific outcomes, such as reductions in discipline referrals, suspensions, and behavioral incidents. Though these indicators are critical, they do not consider in what way educators experience disciplinary systems, nor how their lived experiences affect routine interactions with students. Educators play a key role in implementing PBIS; their experiences foster consistency, trust, and sustainability. The participants included certified educators and administrators employed …

A Qualitative Examination Of Tennessee Secondary Stem Teachers’ Perceptions On Professional Development Needs, Amber W. Ogle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to research secondary STEM educators’ perceptions of PD needs. This study focused on the lived experiences of educators actively teaching in STEM subject disciplines in grades nine through 12. The essential question for this research study was: How do Tennessee secondary STEM teachers perceive the relevance, applicability, and impact of PD opportunities? The research was rooted in Knowles’ (1984) theory of adult learning, Andragogy, and Learning Forward’s (2022) Standards for Professional Learning.

Data were collected through 15 semi-structured, one-on-one online interviews. The transcripts of these interviews were analyzed, and frequently used language …

Teachers’, Teacher Assistants’, And Classroom Aides’ Perception, Knowledge, And Implementation Of Orton-Gillingham, Doreen Sisolak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined teachers’, teacher assistants’, and classroom aides’ perceptions, knowledge, and implementation of the Orton–Gillingham approach to reading instruction. A mixed-methods design was employed, incorporating quantitative survey data (N = 37) and qualitative interview data (N = 9). Descriptive statistics indicated generally low levels of perception, knowledge, and implementation among participants. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to examine differences based on instructional setting, years of experience, and level of Orton-Gillingham training. Results revealed statistically significant differences in knowledge and implementation by training level and years of experience, whereas no significant differences were found in perceptions across groups. …

Using Assessments Intentionally With Consideration For English Language Learners, Elizabeth Ropp

Masters Projects

Assessment systems in the United States are failing English Language Learners (ELLs), and it has become apparent that action must be taken to try and right this injustice. There is a wide achievement gap between native English speakers and non-native English speakers when it comes to performance on state, local, and classroom assessments. Unfortunately, many teachers report that they do not feel adequately prepared to support ELLs both on classroom assessments and on mandatory state or local tests. With an ever-growing increase in ELL enrollment in American schools, it is imperative that teachers are given tools to help them better …

Editorial Review Board Vol. 65 Issue 2

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

Discussion Of Text Revisited: Encouraging Chatting In The Classroom, Melissa Jessup, Ruth E. Jefferson Dr.

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Discussion of text in language and literacy instruction has historically been studied with small samples of learners. The study described in this article investigated the relationship between instructional practices associated with discussion of text (chatting about it) and the reading achievement of several subgroups. A large sample of readers (N = 148,800) from the National Assessment of Educational Progress was the subject of the study. Several subgroups, including students with disabilities and students eligible for the National School Lunch Program (students experiencing poverty), were statistically disaggregated; subgroup data and results of analyses are discussed. Suggestions for classroom application are included.

Empowering Future Educators: How Service-Learning Shapes Teacher Candidate Self-Efficacy And Understanding Of Book Access, Nancy F. Hulan, Morgan S. Major

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Literacy rates are historically low in areas where access to books is limited. Thus, students with limited exposure to books prior to school pose a unique challenge to teachers, who often feel unprepared to teach students from underserved populations. To help remedy this, teacher candidates need preparation that builds their abilities to provide both access to books and quality literacy instruction for students who live in poverty. The study described in this article investigated the impact of literacy-related community engagement on teacher candidates’ self-efficacy, their understanding of book access, and their perceptions of teachers’ roles in providing book access. Participants …

Deferred Understandings: A Critical Content Analysis Of Representations Of War In Picturebooks, Heeyoung Kim, Jongsun Wee

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article reports on a study that examined eight picturebooks published since 2021 that portray contemporary wars, exploring picturebooks’ potential role in shaping children’s understandings of armed conflict. It investigated how these texts present historical context and construct representations of war. The authors’ analysis focuses on three key elements: the causes of war, depictions of wartime scenes, and the resolutions of war. The findings indicate that the picturebooks portray war realistically through textual and visual narratives, illustrating how war disrupts the child protagonist’s everyday life. However, the books rarely address the underlying causes of war. This study suggests that teachers …

Measuring Administrative Hiring Confidence Of Music Teachers In The Context Of Shallow Hiring Pools, Aaron M. Strum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and measure the confidence of K-12 administrators in hiring music faculty. This study also aimed to analyze administrators’ perspectives and confidence in key stages of the hiring process, including defining job expectations, posting, advertising, interviewing, and selecting highly specialized music teachers in K-12 settings. Confidence of K-12 administrators can be gauged through their understanding of how well an applicant aligns with the specific needs of the school’s program. Three research questions guided this investigation: (1a) How confident are K-12 administrators in their understanding of music teaching pedagogy when interviewing music teacher candidates …

Reciprocal Teaching With Emergent Bilingual Students: Promoting Academic Reading Strategies And Fostering Hope, Lorissa K. Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Many students struggle with reading comprehension, and research shows that low literacy skills in a student’s first language can unfortunately lead to lower rates of university program completion, regardless of the language of instruction. When students feel empowered and confident in their ability to achieve their academic goals, they are much more likely to take ownership of their learning. In fact, students who actively demonstrate hopeful thinking and behaviors are consistently more successful in their academic journeys.

My research explores how we can better support these high school students— specifically concurrent enrollment (CE) students—by examining the impact of Reciprocal Teaching. …

"Building Something Great!": Fifth-Grade Teachers Nurturing Hope Through Professional Learning Communities – A Telling Case, Matthew H. Huffaker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Teachers and educational leaders face numerous obstacles that can seem insurmountable but overcome through collaboration. “High-hope thinking provides a special advantage when we face obstacles in our goal attainment” (Snyder, 1994). Effective PLCs provide the fertile ground for teacher collaboration, influencing schoolwide communities and student learning (DuFour et al., 2016; Hord, 2004; van Es, 2012). Collaboratively identifying challenges and coming up with solutions with the support of others (what effective PLCs do) is an ideal setting for observing hope.

This study explored how hope is fostered among teachers during their weekly professional learning community meetings. Further, this study examined how …

Bridging The Gap: Exploring The Development Of Science Self-Efficacy Among Students With Learning Disabilities, Aria Hadley-Hulet

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Students with learning disabilities are often overlooked in efforts to broaden participation in STEM. This multi-paper dissertation investigates science self-efficacy among this population through the lenses of the social model of disability and self-efficacy theory. An integrative review reveals consistently lower academic self-efficacy among students with learning disabilities and a lack of research examining their science self-efficacy specifically. Quantitative analysis of national data shows lower science self-efficacy overall, yet no differences among students enrolled in advanced science courses. A mixed-methods study further demonstrates that in inclusive school environments characterized by asset-based teacher beliefs and normalized accommodations, science self-efficacy differences disappear. …

A Four-Year Mixed Methods Cohort Study Of Professional Learning Interventions In Teacher Education Colleges In Kenya, Tanzania, And Uganda, Nyagwegwe Wango, Nipael Mrutu, Jane Rarieya, Fortidas Bakuza

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

In teacher professional learning reforms, maintaining pedagogical transformation is still a major problem, especially in settings with limited resources and policy transitions. During the four years that the Foundation for Learning (F4L) initiative was implemented in teacher education institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (2022–2025), this study looks at longitudinal patterns of improvement. The study employs a retrospective mixed-methods approach to examine two structured cycles of cohort-level data, which include interview datasets, lesson plan documents, mentoring records, questionnaire summaries, and classroom observation reports. Cycle comparisons show enhanced consistency in structured practicum feedback systems over time, better alignment between lesson objectives …

Of Writing, Community And Transformation: Lessons Learned From A Faculty Developer, María Lucía Guerrero Farías

GHEA21 Publications

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Situational Leadership Styles On The Behavioral Intervention Skills Of General Educators, Kendall Jordan Baethge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher conducted the following study to describe the lived experiences and perceptions of general educators employed in a rural, central Texas school district. The study specifically inquired about the perceptions of leadership styles and strategies to successful behavior intervention strategies for inclusive general education classrooms. The problem addressed within the study was the growing diversity in general education classrooms ensuring inclusive opportunities to students with disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviors. The purpose of the study was to better understand those leadership styles currently being used and styles that are most appropriate to develop perceived self-efficacy and proficiency in behavior …

Faculty Perspectives On Career And Technical Education Programming For Prison And Other At-Risk Populations: Implications Of A Human Centered Design Focus, Taija R. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine the perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) faculty regarding their familiarity with human-centered design (HCD), perceptions of the value and worth as a framework for program and curriculum design and willingness to teach in correctional education settings. The survey was administered to postsecondary CTE employed at public community and technical colleges in Utah and Colorado (N = 37). Participants were randomly assigned to either a treatment condition, in which they viewed a six-minute-long video vignette illustrating HCD in practice, or a control condition without exposure to the …

Bridging The Gap: A Qualitative Case Study Of Pre-K Teachers' Literacy Professional Development Needs In The Context Of Georgia's Early Literacy Act (Hb 538), Deborah Lissimore

Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how school-based pre-K teachers in Georgia perceived their literacy professional development needs within the context of the Georgia Early Literacy Act, House Bill 538, and to examine the role of teacher leadership in supporting their professional learning. Although the Act established evidence-based literacy requirements and professional learning expectations for kindergarten through third grade educators, comparable supports for school-based pre-K teachers were not clearly defined. Participants included five certified pre-K teachers employed in a Georgia public school district. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and researcher field notes, with member …

Examining Transcultural Approaches In Art Education: Transversality, Identity Formation, And Intercultural Understanding, Alexandra Grace Parsons

Master's Theses

Art education is often treated as marginal within formal schooling, valued as enrichment rather than recognized as a vital contributor to students' intellectual, cultural, and emotional development. Funding and policy decisions made by state and local bodies produce significant regional disparities in access to art education across the United States. This thesis examines how transcultural approaches to art education can respond to increasingly diverse, post-migrant school communities. Using a comparative qualitative case study design, the study analyzes program structures, partnership models, and pedagogical practices at Birmingham Arts School in the United Kingdom alongside schools within Fulton County and Atlanta Public …

Graduate Student Reflections On Mentoring Undergraduate Researchers In Mathematics, Melissa Beerbower, Jillian Cervantes, Pamela E. Harris, Kimberly J. Harry, Matt Mcclinton, Gabriella Pinter

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This is an interview with four graduate students who for the first time mentored undergraduate students during a summer research program. The interviewees present their lessons learned in mentoring and advice to other graduate students looking to mentor students.

Cultivating Mathematics Teacher Educators’ Hearts, Critical Consciousness, And Professional Praxis Through Book Study, Mary Raygoza, Missy D. Cosby, Sheila Orr, Barbara King, Justin T. Burris, Siddhi Soni

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

At a time when executive orders and state legislation are attempting to ban practices promoting equity, belonging, and social justice from education, specifically STEM education, in the United States, mathematics teacher educators (MTEs) remain committed to humanizing mathematics teaching and learning practices and seek opportunities to learn how to adhere to their convictions while preparing mathematics teachers for the classroom. This paper offers reflections and considerations for how the authors engaged interested MTEs to shift or strengthen their individual and collective professional praxis through a book study. Specifically, we examine the design (the what) and process (the how) of a …