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Full-Text Articles in Education

Pursuing Culturally Responsive Math Teaching By Secondary Math Educators: A Professional Development Action Research Study, Emily Bell Redding Oct 2023

Pursuing Culturally Responsive Math Teaching By Secondary Math Educators: A Professional Development Action Research Study, Emily Bell Redding

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examines the use of professional development to build the self-efficacy of secondary math teachers in culturally responsive mathematics teaching (CRMT), with the hope to address achievement gaps of Black and Hispanic students. Seven math teachers from a school division in Southwest Virginia participated in a 9-week professional development that included virtual meetings to learn about CRMT, collaboration with colleagues, classroom applications, and self-reflection. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected throughout the 9 weeks in the forms of questionnaires, meeting transcripts, and reflection journals. The research study results found the professional development to build teacher self-efficacy, especially …

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Educative Curricular Supports Used To Improve High Cognitive Demand Task Implementation In High-Dosage Mathematics Tutorial, Halley Bowman Oct 2023

Educative Curricular Supports Used To Improve High Cognitive Demand Task Implementation In High-Dosage Mathematics Tutorial, Halley Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a holistic case study to explore obstacles tutors faced when implementing high cognitive demand (HCD) tasks and the possibility of using embedded educative curricular supports to overcome them. Much prior research has explored using educative supports in classrooms with teachers (Davis et al., 2017), but more research is needed on using educative supports in tutorial. Similarly, prior research has shown that HCD tasks lead to significant mathematical learning but are challenging to facilitate (Stein et al., 1996). Little research explores the use of HCD tasks in tutorials. This study used the theoretical framework that educators and curricular …

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Instructional Hub: Bridging The Gap In Teacher Preparation For Online Instruction, Charity Beth Simmons Oct 2023

Instructional Hub: Bridging The Gap In Teacher Preparation For Online Instruction, Charity Beth Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

In the spring of 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reached pandemic status in the United States, leading to extended educational disruption and posing significant obstacles for teachers who were unprepared to teach in a virtual environment. Educators adjusted curricular materials, delivery, and assessment methods to accommodate and engage students while maintaining academic objectives and minimizing stress. Few teachers in District 8705, South Carolina, had experience with distance instruction; thus, they had little to no adaptive knowledge on which to depend. The purpose of this dissertation was to find a solution that could significantly enhance teacher preparation for virtual teaching through …

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Beyond The Acronym Of Stem: Experiential Learning Professional Development For Integrative Stem Education, Christine Mitchell Oct 2023

Beyond The Acronym Of Stem: Experiential Learning Professional Development For Integrative Stem Education, Christine Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

STEM education and integrative STEM education are increasingly popular in the K-12 domain. However, there is not a consensus on their definitions, nor a sufficient amount of instructional support to help teachers that are unfamiliar with these learning approaches. This study examined how an intentionally designed experiential professional development model impacted the application of integrative STEM practices and teachers’ perceptions of this student-centered approach. A qualitative approach allowed for an integration of various perspectives over multiple cycles of professional development, reflection, and application. Data was collected from a focus group discussion, pre- and post- classroom observations, teacher reflection journals, and …

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Race Dynamics And Mentoring Experiences Of Aspiring Black Principals, Tiwana Richardson Meggett Oct 2023

Race Dynamics And Mentoring Experiences Of Aspiring Black Principals, Tiwana Richardson Meggett

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to investigate the dynamics of race and mentorship while capturing the lived experiences of Black principals as they were in the pipeline to the principalship. Although America’s public schools are becoming increasingly more diverse with students of color, the number of principals of color is relatively low; Blacks account for 10.7 % of the principalship, while whites account for 68.1% (School Principal Demographics and Statistics in the US, 2022). This qualitative study used Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a framework to inform the reader of racial trends, dynamics and/or thematic parallels of the participants in the study. …

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Broken Bottles: Understanding The Relationship Between Alcohol Outlet Availability And The Proximity To Alcohol Outlets With Binge Drinking Behaviors In College Fraternity Men At Southeastern Public Universities, Jarod Alan Holt Oct 2023

Broken Bottles: Understanding The Relationship Between Alcohol Outlet Availability And The Proximity To Alcohol Outlets With Binge Drinking Behaviors In College Fraternity Men At Southeastern Public Universities, Jarod Alan Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use among fraternity affiliated men presents a concerning trend with harmful consequences (DeSimone, 2009; Hingson et al., 2017; McCreary et al., 2021; Nuwer, 2001; Patrick et al., 2022; Ranker & Lipson, 2022). The availability theory of alcohol-related problems suggests alcohol use could be influenced based on the availability and proximity of alcohol outlets in the environment (Dimova, 2023; Kypri et al., 2008; Scribner et al., 2008; Single, 1984; Weitzmann et al., 2003). However, no existing studies of fraternity-affiliated students have examined the relationship of binge drinking and access to alcohol through alcohol outlet availability or proximity. This study examined …

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Counter-Stories From Former Foster Youth: College Graduates Disrupting The Dominant Narrative, Amanda May Moon Oct 2023

Counter-Stories From Former Foster Youth: College Graduates Disrupting The Dominant Narrative, Amanda May Moon

Theses and Dissertations

In the past decade, research on children in foster care or adults with foster care backgrounds has begun to explore factors that contributed to successful trajectories. Little work has been done, however, on factors that can be controlled, such as resources and support offered by K-12 schools, or for K-12 schooling. In this qualitative study, I explored the beliefs and perceptions of former foster youth college graduates about the impact of K-12 experiences on their academic and life trajectories. After surveying and interviewing five former foster youth college graduates, I used narrative analysis to understand the impact of their K-12 …

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My Journey Toward A Culturally Relevant Music Pedagogy, Adam Michael Steele Oct 2023

My Journey Toward A Culturally Relevant Music Pedagogy, Adam Michael Steele

Theses and Dissertations

In this study I utilized critical autoethnography to examine my role as a White, male implementing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) in an early childhood music classrooms. Five research questions were posed: (a) In what ways does White supremacy appear in an elementary music school curriculum? (b) What curricular transformations occur when I, as a White teacher, seek to make my curriculum more relevant to students of Color? (c) What dispositional transformations occur when I, as a White teacher, seek to make my music curriculum more relevant to students of Color? (d) What happens when students of Color engage in a …

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The Integration Of Simulation-Enhanced Interprofessional Education Into Undergraduate Clinical Laboratory Science Curriculum, Dana Powell Baker Oct 2023

The Integration Of Simulation-Enhanced Interprofessional Education Into Undergraduate Clinical Laboratory Science Curriculum, Dana Powell Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study aimed to integrate simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) into the undergraduate clinical laboratory science (CLS) program curriculum. The undergraduate CLS curriculum was comprised of didactic coursework and hands-on learning experiences in the student laboratory. This traditional CLS curriculum model was uniprofessional in its design and educated students in silos rather than on interprofessional teams with other health professions students. Lack of collaboration on healthcare teams has led to increased medical errors and decreased patient safety in clinical settings. Recent studies have indicated that effective communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals has led to improved patient outcomes and …

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Reimagining Parent-Teacher Relationships Through Human Centered Design, Andrea Lynn Lance Oct 2023

Reimagining Parent-Teacher Relationships Through Human Centered Design, Andrea Lynn Lance

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent learning disruptions have had an impact on standardized test scores, with schools in low-income communities falling further behind. Since parental engagement has been identified as a high-impact strategy to improve the academic success of students, school communities should explore ways to increase engagement and develop new strategies to problem solve academic challenges. In this mixed methods study, 10 teachers and 10 parents with students in schools classified as Title I learned asset-based approaches to problem-solving and used design thinking processes to address school-based problems. Human-centered design is one approach to problem-solving. This …

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The Impact Of Differentiated Affective Curriculum On The Asynchronous Social And Emotional Development Of Gifted Elementary Students, Michelle Koehle Oct 2023

The Impact Of Differentiated Affective Curriculum On The Asynchronous Social And Emotional Development Of Gifted Elementary Students, Michelle Koehle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed-method action research study was to support the asynchronous development of third-grade gifted students at GWE by identifying their key social and emotional needs and determining the outcomes of a differentiated SEL curriculum. The four most significant affective areas of social and emotional need as self-reported by the participants on a quantitative pre-survey were emotion regulation, goal management, emotional knowledge, and relationship skills. Qualitative observations and exit tickets were collected to understand participants’ perceptions of the differentiated affective curriculum on their social and emotional development. Quantitative data was collected at the end of the study and …

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Critical Literacy And Self Efficacy Among Secondary Students Repeatedly Engaged In Literacy Intervention, Haley Rowles Oct 2023

Critical Literacy And Self Efficacy Among Secondary Students Repeatedly Engaged In Literacy Intervention, Haley Rowles

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods study investigated how critical literacy questioning impacted the self-efficacy of secondary students who had been repeatedly engaged in literacy intervention because of failed standardized assessments as well as the teacher experience in using critical literacy questioning. The study was conducted over four and a half weeks in a secondary literacy intervention classroom. Data was collected using surveys, observations, and interviews, which were analyzed through inductive coding. The results of the study indicate that critical literacy questioning, on average, increased student self-efficacy under certain conditions. It also illustrated that the use of critical literacy questioning, which sometimes leads to …

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Transforming Lessons And Those Who Write Them: Professional Development For Educational Content Writers To Integrate Technology Into Lessons Using The Tpack Framework, Rachael Patricia Santopietro Oct 2023

Transforming Lessons And Those Who Write Them: Professional Development For Educational Content Writers To Integrate Technology Into Lessons Using The Tpack Framework, Rachael Patricia Santopietro

Theses and Dissertations

Efforts to improve technology integration for K–12 teaching and learning focus on professional development for teachers. This research study, however, implemented a professional development course in technology integration for educational content writers at a publisher in the Southeastern United States. This research is strategic because most writers surveyed do not integrate technology to align with pedagogy and content, because developing 21st century learning is important, and because educational resources should meet national standards for integrating technology. This action research involved designing and implementing a professional development course that instructed content writers (n = 6) in technology integration using the TPACK …

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How Do The Students Feel? Long-Term English Learners And Their Experience Under The Esl Label, Molly M. Staeheli Oct 2023

How Do The Students Feel? Long-Term English Learners And Their Experience Under The Esl Label, Molly M. Staeheli

Theses and Dissertations

Far too many English learners in my district enter elementary school as non-native speakers, gradually developing skills only to plateau at early intermediate levels as determined by the annual proficiency exam. As these students become long-term English learners (LTELs) in junior high, the pattern of failing and retaking the test wears on them, likely exacerbated by the district-mandated curriculum for English language development (ELD) classes. Unit topics such as money matters and U.S. national monuments at advanced levels fail to tap into students’ lived experiences. I responded to this problem of practice through mixed-methods action research, beginning with a quantitative …

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The Use Of Project-Based Learning To Scaffold Student Social And Emotional Learning Skill Development, Science Identity, And Science Self-Efficacy, Michelle Sutton Spigner Oct 2023

The Use Of Project-Based Learning To Scaffold Student Social And Emotional Learning Skill Development, Science Identity, And Science Self-Efficacy, Michelle Sutton Spigner

Theses and Dissertations

Project-based learning (PBL) offers an ideal approach for cultivating a robust STEM workforce, empowering students to actively construct their knowledge. This process has the potential to enhance science identity and self-efficacy. Furthermore, because PBL is inherently collaborative, it fosters the development of 21st-century skills, many of which align with social and emotional learning (SEL). While past studies have explored the relationship between PBL, SEL, science identity, and self-efficacy, there is a research gap in examining all three variables collectively within a high school context. Thus, this mixed-methods action research study aimed to determine if the implementation of a PBL unit, …

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Decentering The White Gaze: The Effects Of Involving African-American Students In Curricular Decision-Making In An Independent School Library, Michelle Efird Rosen Oct 2023

Decentering The White Gaze: The Effects Of Involving African-American Students In Curricular Decision-Making In An Independent School Library, Michelle Efird Rosen

Theses and Dissertations

Many Black students at independent schools across the nation spend most of their educational lives with few classmates or teachers who look like them. This isolation is exacerbated by a curriculum that historically has taught to a White standard of excellence. Long the bastion of wealthy, White families, independent schools have generally failed to make headway in their efforts to recruit Black families to their campuses. This has left Black students with the burden of finding their own methods of adapting to a predominantly White school environment. This study sought to determine how involving four African-American fourth-grade students in a …

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Weathering The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Examining How The Lived Experience Affected English Learners, Mary Kathryn Maxwell Oct 2023

Weathering The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Examining How The Lived Experience Affected English Learners, Mary Kathryn Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted many students, especially the English learners who require specialized instruction and additional support to develop English language proficiency. This study examines how the pandemic created barriers that caused a decline in the academic achievement and engagement in the learning process of sixth-eighth grade English learners in an urban district in Ohio. In this mixed-methods study, using an explanatory sequential research design, quantitative data were collected through an online Likert survey while qualitative data were gathered from semi-structured interviews, artifacts, and researcher field notes. A total of 21 participants completed the survey and interviews. The merged …

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Nonparametric Tests Of Interaction For The Two-Way Design With Skewed Distributions, Michael Ethan Hornsby Brown Oct 2023

Nonparametric Tests Of Interaction For The Two-Way Design With Skewed Distributions, Michael Ethan Hornsby Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The most common parametric procedure used to test main and interaction effects in the two- or more-groups factorial design is the analysis of variance (ANOVA) F test. Researchers in the behavioral and social sciences fields require statistical methods that are robust in the presence of deviations from the common parametric ANOVA assumptions of (a) normality, (b) homogeneity of variances among groups, and (c) independence of observations. When there is concern that the parametric assumptions are violated, nonparametric procedures can be employed that do not make as many initial assumptions about the parent populations. Of particular interest in the two-factor design …

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The Effect Of Instructionally Embedded Cognitive Reframing On Students’ Self-Beliefs Of Their Mathematical Competence, Kelly Eyre Frazee Oct 2023

The Effect Of Instructionally Embedded Cognitive Reframing On Students’ Self-Beliefs Of Their Mathematical Competence, Kelly Eyre Frazee

Theses and Dissertations

Many students lack the ability to maintain positive perceptions of their mathematical self-belief, resulting in undesirable social, emotional, and academic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a cognitive reframing strategy on third and fourth grade math intervention students’ perceptions of their mathematical competence. This study sought to understand the impact of this emotional regulation strategy on students’ ability to autonomously regulate their negative or irrational thoughts related to their mathematics abilities, as well as the impact on their self-beliefs. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews with students, student reflections, and researcher …

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Examining The Perceptions And Knowledge Of School Administrators In Special Education, Maranda Hayward Oct 2023

Examining The Perceptions And Knowledge Of School Administrators In Special Education, Maranda Hayward

Theses and Dissertations

School administrators play a critical role in special education and it is essentially their responsibility to ensure policies, procedures, and practices are carried out in accordance with the law. This requires that school administrators know the requirements of the law and research-based practices in special education. Researchers have shown that school administrators perceive themselves as having adequate knowledge and understanding of special education law; however, there is a lack of research on the practical knowledge of school administrators in special education. This study, using hypothetical scenarios, examined whether school administrators were able to determine if a decision or action made …

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Supporting Self-Efficacy Through Mindset: The Impact Of A Growth Mindset Innovation On The Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Students In A Teen Leadership Course, Shannon J. Kojah Oct 2023

Supporting Self-Efficacy Through Mindset: The Impact Of A Growth Mindset Innovation On The Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Students In A Teen Leadership Course, Shannon J. Kojah

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the disposition of a student interacts with or influences a behavior plays a central role in cognitive theories. Middle school years have been accounted for as being difficult, awkward, and sometimes downright stressful. The overall purpose of this action research was to examine the impact of a growth mindset innovation using a digital portfolio on the self-efficacy of middle school students in a leadership course. The research questions were: (1) How can a growth mindset intervention using a digital portfolio support self-efficacy improvement in middle school students taking a leadership course? (2) What are students’ perceptions on their …

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An Examination Of Physical Literacy: Learning Through A Technology Integrated, Flipped Classroom Approach., Euan M. S. Frew Oct 2023

An Examination Of Physical Literacy: Learning Through A Technology Integrated, Flipped Classroom Approach., Euan M. S. Frew

Theses and Dissertations

Technology integrated, flipped classroom design offers opportunities to engage students on various levels and through meaningful ways. Introducing this learning environment to students at an early age is likely to change their motivation for learning towards physical literacy and influence their lifelong participation in physical activity. The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the implementation of a new technology integrated, Flipped Classroom in a physical education class, to increase eighth -grade students’ physical literacy at an international middle school. The following research questions guided this study: (a) How and to what extent does a technology integrated, flipped classroom, …

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Using Critical Reflection To Mitigate Racial Implicit Bias And Enhance Cultural Humility: A Nursing Faculty Action Research Study, Teresa Stafford Cronell Oct 2023

Using Critical Reflection To Mitigate Racial Implicit Bias And Enhance Cultural Humility: A Nursing Faculty Action Research Study, Teresa Stafford Cronell

Theses and Dissertations

Formal American nursing education has existed since the late 19th century, but its historically deep-seated white framing continues to influence how current nurses are educated, enculturated, and professionalized. Insufficient inclusivity and diversity deficit have endured despite decades-long demands to do otherwise. To most nursing educators, the white frame is invisible. This unseen framing allows ongoing harmful implicit biases and microaggressions towards underrepresented nursing students and colleagues to persist. Nursing students are taught to provide culturally humble, unbiased patient care. Should not nursing faculty likewise demonstrate the same unbiased attitudes and humility towards their students? Faculty risk perpetuating the white frame …

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Increasing English Progress Proficiency Of Multilingual Learners Utilizing Improvement Science, Stephanie Corley Huckabee Oct 2023

Increasing English Progress Proficiency Of Multilingual Learners Utilizing Improvement Science, Stephanie Corley Huckabee

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This problem of practice addresses creating more positive outcomes for multilingual learners in achievement data for English Proficiency Progress matching or exceeding achievement data patterns of the general student population in a suburban middle school. Improvement science is the framework used to help solve this problem. The improvement team consisted of an assistant principal of instruction, a multilanguage learner teacher assigned to this school along with four additional schools, and the principal. The team began their work with the goal of understanding the current system by learning from students, families, and teachers about their experiences with multilingual learning. Potential …

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Perspectives, Motivations, And Resistance: Investigating Employee Responses To Employer-Sponsored Diversity Training, Robert Kerlin Oct 2023

Perspectives, Motivations, And Resistance: Investigating Employee Responses To Employer-Sponsored Diversity Training, Robert Kerlin

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative action research study investigated employee reactions, motivations, and perspectives toward employer-sponsored diversity training programs. Through a qualitative exploratory case study, this research study explored the perceptions of how a diverse sampling of people individually, negotiate identities in corporate and education fields where those in control must both accommodate and placate in order to maintain institutional objectives. In order to further explore this topic, a theoretical framework consisting of self-determination theory and culturally relevant pedagogy served as the primary method to guide the research question, literature reviews, and data design, collection, and analysis process. Self-determination theory provided the primary …

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Critical Literacy And Student Engagement: Disrupting The Canon In The Secondary English Classroom, Katherine Burdick Ramp Oct 2023

Critical Literacy And Student Engagement: Disrupting The Canon In The Secondary English Classroom, Katherine Burdick Ramp

Theses and Dissertations

Canonical literature is typically featured on the required texts list of secondary English classes while culturally relevant literature is frequently eschewed. Students struggle to understand and connect with the canonical literature as there are limited cultural connections that are relevant to their lives. As a result of this lack of culturally relevant literature in modern English curriculums, there has been a decrease in student engagement. The purpose of this study was to determine whether students’ engagement and their academic performance increased through the inclusion of these culturally relevant texts. Two research questions guided this study: (1) What effect does the …

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The Impact Of Ability Grouping On Academic Achievement In Elementary Reading, Kristi Bissell Oct 2023

The Impact Of Ability Grouping On Academic Achievement In Elementary Reading, Kristi Bissell

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT This action research study describes the impact of ability grouping on fifth-grade students’ academic achievement in reading. The theoretical framework that supported this study is embedded in cooperative learning, social learning, and social interdependence. This study used a mixed methods design to consider the following research questions: “How does ability grouping impact students’ academic achievement in reading in a fifth-grade classroom?” The study also examined the impact that reading had on students’ confidence through a second research question: “What is the impact of ability grouping as it relates to students’ reading confidence?” A third research question was examined to …

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Impact Of The Engineering Design Process On Rural Female Students’ Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Whitney Lowery Oberndorf Oct 2023

Impact Of The Engineering Design Process On Rural Female Students’ Achievement And Self-Efficacy, Whitney Lowery Oberndorf

Theses and Dissertations

Nearly one-fifth of U.S. children attend rural schools; however, these students have fewer opportunities for high-quality STEM learning. Rural students are also less likely to attend college and less likely to enroll in STEM majors than their urban and suburban peers. In conjunction with these factors, female students are also less likely to pursue STEM degrees and work in STEM fields. Broadening access and exposure to these areas, as well as improving female perceptions about STEM fields, is critical to closing the gap. This mixed-methods action research study was an effort to increase female achievement and self-efficacy in science and …

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Strengthening Teacher Efficacy: An Improvement Science Journey To Support Teachers Post Covid-19 School Closures, Ada Odet Sindab Oct 2023

Strengthening Teacher Efficacy: An Improvement Science Journey To Support Teachers Post Covid-19 School Closures, Ada Odet Sindab

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the findings of a qualitative improvement science study aimed at identifying an effective professional development structure to enhance teacher efficacy in the context of post-COVID-19 education. The study's approach was guided by a systematic exploration of the problem, facilitated by a driver diagram, which led to the identification of three potential change ideas. Among these ideas, the second change, involving the design of a school master schedule with dedicated time for teacher planning, emerged as the initial step towards achieving the research goal. To operationalize this change, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were employed iteratively to develop a tailored …

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Unveiling The Lifeworld Of Educators’ Social Justice Journeys: A Phenomenological Investigation, Maria Rocas Halkias Oct 2023

Unveiling The Lifeworld Of Educators’ Social Justice Journeys: A Phenomenological Investigation, Maria Rocas Halkias

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this qualitative phenomenological action research was to explore the viewpoints of educators participating in a community of practice that integrates the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework with culturally responsive teaching and personalized learning. The study involved six teachers from a competitive public school district in New Jersey. Data collection methods encompassed weekly reflections, researcher’s field notes, audio-recorded sessions, and interviews. The study yielded valuable insights into organizational frameworks and learning strategies that enhance educators’ ongoing reflective practices, while also advocating for districts to allocate resources to support teachers' continuous personalized professional development. Analysis of the findings …

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