Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

The Impact Of Wicor Strategies On Academic Achievement In Secondary Classrooms, Neketa G. Watson

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined the impact of Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading (WICOR) instructional strategies on academic achievement and student learning in secondary schools. Conducted within a large, diverse school district, the study explored teacher and administrator perceptions of WICOR implementation and examined student achievement data across three secondary schools. Data were collected through Likert-scale surveys from 29 teachers and five administrators, semi-structured interviews with five administrators, and three years of extant state assessment data. Findings revealed strong positive perceptions of WICOR’s effectiveness in promoting student engagement, critical thinking, instructional consistency, and academic success. Participants also identified implementation challenges …

Dissertatin' While Black, T. Gertrude Jenkins

Black Educology Mixtape "Journal"

Dissertatin’ While Black (DWB) is a racial affinity space that employs a community-engaged approach to completing dissertation elements. More than a writing retreat, DWB centers holistic care, creating a site for mentorship, celebration, and the exchange of ideas. Rooted in BlackCrit (Dumas & ross, 2016) and Black Liberatory Educational Subversion (Jenkins, 2024), DWB emphasizes that participation in Black institutional third spaces can counter the isolation often experienced by Black doctoral students, especially at predominantly white institutions. Ultimately, DWB operates as a “homeplace” where Black doctoral students can feel seen, valued, and supported in their research (hooks, 1994). We believe that …

Transformative Teaching And Learning - Practicing Emancipation Through Co-Construction And Dialogue In Workplace Learning, Lisa Roe

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT

TRANSFORMATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING: PRACTICING EMANCIPATIONTHROUGH CO-CONSTRUCTION, AND DIALOGUE IN WORKPLACE TEACHING ANDLEARNING

June 2026

Lisa A. Roe, B.A., University of Maine

M.Ed., Suffolk University

Ph.D. University of Massachusetts Boston

Directed by Professor Patricia Krueger-Henney

This dissertation investigates how emancipatory and creative practices can transform vocational high school classrooms into spaces of shared power, dialogue, and mastery-based learning. Using an autoethnographic methodology, I examined my practice as a vocational educator in information technology over the course of an academic year.

Grounded in Wheatley’s fractal organization theory, Kincheloe’s critical constructivism, Lave and Wenger’s situated learning, and dialogic pedagogy, …

Layers Of Representation: A Multidimensional Book Analysis, Mariah Pfundheller, Nikki Logan, Amy E. Lein, Sydney Bueno

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

This study evaluates how educators interpret the Multidimensional Framework for Inclusive Literature (MDFIL), a tool for evaluating and selecting multicultural literature for their classrooms. Participants self-identified as current, former/retired, or student teachers, or as undergraduates pursuing a teaching license at the time of the survey. Incorporating multicultural literature into educational settings has a positive impact on children's development. Multicultural literature fosters feelings of acceptance, cultural awareness, and empathy among students. By exposing children to diverse cultural perspectives, multicultural literature not only enhances their understanding of their own identities but also cultivates a greater appreciation of others' experiences. The benefits of …

Black Excellence By Design: A Critical Framework For Transforming K–12 Education, Darnell T. Williams

Educational Studies Dissertations

This dissertation examines Black Excellence as a historically grounded, culturally situated, and politically consequential construct in K–12 education. Using constructivist grounded theory and a critical analytic lens informed by Black Feminist Thought, BlackCrit, Critical Race Theory, and Decolonial Theory, this study examines how Black Excellence is defined, enacted, and protected by Black educators, school leaders, and district-level administrators working within racially stratified and ableist educational systems. Drawing on in-depth interviews and constant comparative analysis, the findings conceptualize Black Excellence not merely as academic achievement, but as a relational, cultural, and political practice sustained through what this study theorizes as Protective …

Rural Appalachian Tennessee Secondary Public School Teachers' Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching, Timothy Darell Anderson

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perceptions of secondary public school teachers in rural Appalachia, Tennessee, regarding how instructional coaching influenced their self-efficacy based on Bandura’s (1997) theory of self-efficacy. I examined teachers’ lived experiences with instructional coaching within the unique context of rural Appalachia. I collected data through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with teachers across multiple rural districts in the rural Appalachian region of Tennessee. I followed Yin’s (2018) case study approach, employing coding and thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns. My findings revealed that instructional coaching strengthened teacher self-efficacy by fostering trust, …

Enhancing K-2 Teacher Effectiveness In Reading Instruction: An Improvement Inquiry Into The Roles Of Self-Efficacy, Growth Mindset, And Evidence-Based Practices, Kellie F. Dawson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School districts across the United States have increasingly adopted structured literacy initiatives in response to growing concerns about early reading outcomes and policy mandates grounded in the science of reading. Despite substantial investments in professional development, less is known about how teachers experience implementation demands within authentic classroom contexts. This improvement study examined how evidence-based professional development influenced K–2 teachers’ self-efficacy, the barriers teachers encountered during structured literacy implementation, and the supports teachers perceived as most critical for sustained instructional change within Eagle Stone School District.

Grounded in Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Dweck’s Mindset Theory, this qualitative study explored teachers’ …

A Critical Analysis Of The Influence Of Ideology On Education Governance In An Urban, Midwestern School District, Carl Bryan

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study examines how ideology operates within local education governance through a critical theoretical lens. As state and national education policies, accountability mandates, and partisan political discourse increasingly shape local school governance, this research investigates how power relations, ideological influences, and equity concerns are embedded in school board decision-making processes and public discourse. Addressing a gap in existing scholarship on ideology in education governance, the study employs a qualitative case study of an urban public school district in the Midwestern United States. Data sources include individual interviews with school board members, critical discourse analysis of school board meetings, and analysis …

What We Want The Decision Makers To Know About First-Generation College Student Success: Insights From Students’ Perspectives, Monique N. Legendre

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

One-third of all undergraduates in the U.S. are first-generation college students (FGCS) (Center for First-Generation Student Success, 2020). Due to barriers such as inequitable access to rigorous college preparatory programs and coursework, limited resources and access to college and career counseling, financial constraints, and a lack of college knowledge such as the expectations, norms, and language of higher education, FGCS often arrive less prepared for college than continuing-generation students, impacting first-generation student success and persistence in post-secondary education (Broadhurst et al., 2023; Campoverdi, 2023; Cataldi et al., 2018; Hamilton et al., 2016; Katrevich & Aruguete, 2017; Osborne, 2023; Pratt et …

Leading Artificial Intelligence Integration: Trust, Tension, And Decision-Making, Teresa G. Perkins Ed.D.

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Artificial intelligence integration in education is advancing faster than shared trust and understanding are being established. Educational leaders are responding in real-time to questions of risk and efficacy while navigating conditions that are still forming. This article situates artificial intelligence integration within the paradox of educational leadership, identifying trust as the critical condition shaping leaders’ interpretations of the tensions.

Leveraging paradox and trust theory, the article explores how competing demands are not problems to be solved, but tensions to be navigated. When trust is present, leaders respond to tension points through both/and sense-making; when trust is absent, decision-making collapses into …

Designing The Future Of School Leadership: Cultivating Creative Capacity In Leadership Preparation Programs, Nicole Wagner

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Education systems are increasingly expected to prepare students with skills such as creativity, adaptability, collaboration, and problem solving to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.  However, educational leadership preparation programs often provide limited explicit instruction in creativity and creative leadership.  This project examines how creativity is currently incorporated within educational leadership programs and explores ways creative problem solving and creative leadership competencies can be more intentionally integrated into leadership preparation.

Drawing upon scholarship in creativity, Creative Problem Solving (CPS), leadership, and educational change, this project includes three outcomes: (a) a comparative analysis of educational leadership preparation programs; (b) …

Future Ready Young Adults: Building Creative And Adaptive Thinkers, Robell Yeung

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Abstract of Project

Future Ready Young Adults: Building Creative and Adaptive Thinkers addresses a developmental gap in educational practices that prioritize technical proficiency over the psychological frameworks necessary for navigating systemic ambiguity. This project introduces an interdisciplinary, modular curriculum specifically designed for the challenges of emerging adulthood. By synthesizing Creative Problem Solving (CPS), James Clear’s habit architecture, and Martin Seligman’s PERMA model, the curriculum provides a structured pathway for cultivating creative self-efficacy and financial capability. Moving beyond traditional views of innate creativity, this model employs asset-based frameworks to treat cognitive agility and ambiguity tolerance as developable competencies. The project culminates …

Critical Improvisation: Black Secondary Graduates’ Experiences Of Student Voice, Lauren Malara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe Black secondary graduates’ experience of improvisational comedy through the framework of Student Voice. Amid silencing legislative bans in education, the study aimed to critically make meaning of participants’ shared experiences of Theater Games and provide insight into the critical applications of improvisation as a tool to develop student leaders. The study employed a hermeneutical phenomenological design, sampling six Black graduates that participated in improvisational courses as part of the secondary curriculum. Data collection included a demographic questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and participant journals. The findings of a thematic analysis indicate that improvisation developed …

Building Bridges: Evaluating Teacher Preparation And Program Activation Of Ethnic Studies In California’S K-12 High Schools Through An Autoethnography, Jose Aguilera-Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines the lived experiences of secondary Social Science educators teaching Ethnic Studies in the early stages of program activation, with particular attention to the challenges that are often invisible to policymakers, institutions of higher education, and K-12 school districts. Using an autoethnographic approach, the research examines key elements of Ethnic Studies Program Activation, including infrastructure support, capacity building, professional development led by experienced Ethnic Studies practitioners, and teaching with fidelity. The findings aim to provide actionable guidance for educators and district leaders to support new Ethnic Studies teachers at the secondary level and to inform leadership teams at …

Building A Better Clinical Competency Committee: A Multi-Institutional Approach To Improving The Quality Of Resident Feedback Through Appreciative Inquiry, Nikita Khetan, Emma Omoruyi, Elizabeth Hanson

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires pediatric faculty to convene twice yearly as a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) to review resident performance and provide feedback. Variability in review processes and limited feedback quality remain common challenges. Incorporating Appreciative Inquiry within a Deliberate Practice framework may enhance the quality of summative feedback provided to residents.

Methods

This project was conducted with pediatric residents and faculty during the 2019–20 academic year at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Health San Antonio (UTHSA) and during the 2021-22 academic year at The University of Texas Health Science Center …

Establishing Nurse Innovator Competencies: A Collaborative Initiative, Lori M. Brodie, Susan B. Patton, Dara Lanman, Ismail Dilek, Noah R. Zanville, Tracy A. Ortelli

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Rapid advancements in augmented and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping health care, necessitating a strategic approach to integrating innovation into nursing education and practice. This article details a collaborative initiative between academic and practice partners aimed at the initial steps towards establishing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for nurses to lead change through the creation of Nurse Innovator Competencies.

Methods

After an extensive review of literature, the team identified the absence of established Nurse Innovator Competencies. Through a collaborative and iterative process involving subject matter experts (SMEs) in both innovation and academia, key domains for the competencies, including …

Catalyzing Learner-Centered Ecosystems In Pennsylvania For A Future Of Human Thriving, Danielle S. Shylit

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

School-centric education has failed to produce equitable outcomes for Pennsylvania's learners. Declining student engagement, widening opportunity gaps, and the demoralization of educators and leaders escalate an urgent need to shift systems, mindsets, and praxis from a school-centric to a learner-centric paradigm. This action research dissertation elevates what is learned at individual, group, and system levels through disciplined inquiry with aligned district public education leaders in Pennsylvania willing to co-create learner-centered ecosystems with community stakeholders for a future of human thriving. Grounded in Education Reimagined's definition of Learner-Centered Ecosystems, and the theoretical frameworks of Bryk et al.'s Networked Improvement Communities and …

Honors In Focus: A Study Of Public University Programs With New Course Proposals For Arkansas Tech University, Haley Greer, Payton Mccain, Hannah Melton

ATU Scholars Symposium

This project evaluates the structure and effectiveness of honors programs at Arkansas Tech University and five comparable public institutions—University of Central Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Truman State University, Northeastern State University, and the University of Central Missouri—to identify best practices that support student achievement, engagement, and retention. The study was designed to assess how honors programs influence academic rigor, curricular flexibility, community development, and access to high-impact educational opportunities. Using a mixed-methods approach, the researchers collected data through student and faculty surveys, follow-up interviews, and a comparative review of institutional materials, including honors curricula, housing models, scholarship structures, and program …

Teaching Iep Development To Preservice Teachers Using Real-World Scenarios And Kentucky Resources, Laura S. Clarke, Dusty Columbia Embury

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

When considering all of the content and pedagogy required for preservice teachers to master before they begin teaching students with disabilities, candidates at public, regional university report that one of the most complex components is understanding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and how to write them. In this article, we will provide a program description of the structure, components, and outcomes of a model preservice personnel preparation program designed to address the pedagogical needs of university teacher education candidates in this rural state university. We will describe the plan and initial results from a small pilot study in which faculty in …

Critical Incident Analysis: A Methodological Approach For Teaching Trauma Informed Practices, Penny B. Howell, Mary S. Thomas, Shantel D. Crosby, Khirsten Scott

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Drawing on sociocultural theory, a transdisciplinary, multi-racial team of teacher educators, a social work educator, and a scholar of English and rhetoric, designed a study focused on developing teacher candidates’ understanding of trauma-informed practices during their teacher preparation program. Qualitative data from teacher candidates’ reflections on Critical Incident Descriptions (CID) completed during student teaching reveal their developing understanding of trauma-informed practice with Timing, Maintaining Relationships, Holding High Expectations, and Engaging Students so they Remain in the Classroom as prevalent themes across all CIDs. Findings suggest that Critical Incident Analysis promotes teacher candidates’ reflection practices as they make connections …

A Tale Of Two Systems: A Cross-Cultural Reflection On Ai Integration In Higher Education Between France And The United States, Monisha Gupta, Elizabeth C. Alexander Dr

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence For Transformative Education: Challenges And Recommendations, Papia Bawa

Journal of Research Initiatives

The sheer force with which GPT models are inundating business, education and economic fields speaks to its ability to not only transform the ways in which we interact and act but also disrupt these ways. This systematic literature review applies the PSALSAR method to synthesize findings from 72 articles on AI applications in education, emphasizing its transformative potential across various domains. AI is transforming personalized learning by customizing content and feedback to individual needs, addressing challenges like data privacy and ethical concerns. It enhances administrative efficiency through automation and data-driven decision-making, improving institutional performance while managing biases and maintaining human …

Preface, Said Sulaiman Al Dhafri, Sumaira A. Chowdhury

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

No abstract provided.

Relative Contribution Of Morphological Awareness Skills In Predicting Reading Comprehension And Vocabulary Among Fourth-Grade Pupils With Learning Disabilities In Sultante Of Oman, Fatma. M. Alkaaf, Mahmoud Emam, Mohammed S. Bakry

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to evaluate the relative contribution of morphological awareness skills in predicting reading comprehension and reading vocabulary in a sample of fourth-grade pupils with learning disabilities (LD), specifically dyslexia. The study sample consisted of 83 pupils randomly selected from schools in the Sultanate of Oman. The study used three standardized instruments to measure morphological awareness (MA): morphological decomposition analysis (MDA), morphological decomposition production (MDP), and reading comprehension test (RCT) with its two scales: sentence comprehension (SC) and text comprehension (TC) and the reading vocabulary test (RVT). The findings revealed with pearson correlation and stepwise multiple linear regression, a …

The Effectiveness Of The Fishbowl Strategy Int Eaching Mathematics On Developing Creative Thinking For Fourth Grade Students In Basic Education In Dhofar Governorate, Sabah Abdalla Elsayed, Najawa Said Al-Hatmi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The fishbowl technique improves the sharing of ideas in a structured conversational environment, adding depth and excitement to creative thought; it further promotes active observation and a secure discussion atmosphere, fostering the development of innovative solutions among learners, therefore; the current research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Fishbowl strategy as one of the active learning strategies in teaching mathematics to develop creative thinking among fourth-grade students in basic education in Dhofar Governorate. An experimental approach with a quasi-experimental design was applied, where a sample consisting of two groups was selected: an experimental group (which studied using the Fishbowl …

The Effectiveness Of The Educational Program “Istedamah” (Sustainability) Based On Green School Principles In Shaping Basic Education Students’ Perceptions Of Sustainable Development Dimensions And Their Practices In Achieving Carbon Neutrality In The School Environment In The Sultanate Of Oman, Huda Mubarak Al Dayri, Abdullah. K. Ambusaidi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of “ Istedamah” educational programme, which is based on green school principals, in promoting the perceptions of sustainable development dimensions and their practices related carbon neutrality among basic education students in the Sultanate of Oman. The study used quasi-experimental approach based on one group pre- and post -test design. The sample consisted of 106 male and female students selected randomly from schools that apply green school project. Two tools were used to gather data: A scale of students’ perceptions of the dimensions of sustainable development, (consisted of 26 statements) and practices for achieving …

Digital Citizenship Among Middle School Students In Oman: A Study Considering Various Variables, Suad Saleh Al Wahaibi, Khalfan Zahran Al-Hijji, Raja Maznah Raja Husain

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

This study examined the level of digital citizenship (DC) among grade 10 students in Oman with respect to gender, internet usage duration, and exposure to online threats. A total of 1,022 students participated during the 2022/2023 academic year. The study employed a questionnaire constructed on Ribble’s (2015) Respect, Educate, and Protect (REP) model and applied a random cluster sampling technique. Results revealed that students’ DC level was moderate overall. No statistically significant difference was found between male and female students, while there were significant differences in DC scores in terms of facing online threats and in terms of internet usage …

The Digital Dilemma: Social Media’S Influence On Children’S Well-Being In Developing Nations: A Systematic Literature Review, Hilal Hamed Al Busaidi, Ayman Al Shukri, Moosa Al Shukaili, Yahya Al Niyadi, Adil H Al Kindi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

Social media has become an integral part of the lives of teenagers and children, particularly in developing countries. Though it opens avenues for communication and expression, it also plays a serious role in mental health. This paper conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of published studies from 2015 to 2025, utilizing the databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to assess the impact of social networking sites on the mental health of children’s populations in low- and middle-income countries. The review identifies three concern areas: cyberbullying, increased anxiety and depression rates, and socioeconomic factors’ effects. Literature suggests that adolescents …

The Effectiveness Of A Group Counseling Program Based On Acceptance And Commitment Therapy In Reducing The Level Of Nomophobia Among Ninth Grade Female Students In Muscat Governorate, Samya Hamed Al Harthi, Manal Khasib Al Fazari, Amal Mohamed Al Hadabi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to verify the effectiveness of a group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in reducing the level of nomophobia among ninth-grade female students in Muscat Governorate. To reach the objectives of the study, the interactive electronic nomophobia scale and the group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy were used. The program consisted of twelve counselling sessions. The study followed the quasi-experimental approach with control and experimental groups, with pre- and post-test and a follow-up test. The study sample consisted of female students, distributed equally into two control and experimental groups. The results …

The Effectiveness Of A Story-Based Counseling Program In Enhancing Spiritual Intelligence Skills Among First-Grade Students In The Sultanate Of Oman, Maryam Said Sulaiman Ai Siyabi, Amina Benkouider Samad, Sherif Al-Saudi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a story-based counseling program in developing spiritual intelligence skills among first-grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. The researchers adopted a quasi-experimental approach and applied tools including a spiritual intelligence scale and a specially designed counseling program to achieve the study’s objectives. The study sample consisted of 48 male and female students from Ibra Basic Education School, randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (22 students) who received the counseling program consisting of 12 sessions over six weeks, and a control group (26 students) who did not receive any intervention. The …