Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Multimedia-Based Interventions To Improve Science Learning Outcomes For Deaf Students At Wangsel Institute For The Deaf., Cheten Tshering Mr., Tshering Wangchuk

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Efforts have been made to ensure inclusive learning opportunities for all students, including those from diverse backgrounds. One key strategy to enhance children’s learning and academic performance involves the thoughtful selection and application of instructional tools tailored to meet learners' specific needs. This study examines the impact of multimedia-based instruction on science achievement among deaf students at Wangsel Institute for the Deaf in Bhutan. Using a quasi-experimental design, the research compared pretest and post-test results between a control group and an experimental group. Data analysis included descriptive statistics (t-test) and ANCOVA. The findings indicated a statistically significant differences (p = …

Returning To Roots: A Self-Study Of Married Faculty Transitioning To Faculty Roles At Alma Maters, David Wolff, Melissa Wolff, Mark Diacopoulos

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This self-study explores the transition of two faculty members returning to teach at their alma maters. Using visual methods, reflective journals, and peer dialogue, the researchers documented their experiences over six months. Triangulated data revealed eight themes, including: Identity Formation, Shifting Perspectives from Student to Faculty, Interpersonal Attunement, Navigating Changes, Memories Shape Perception, Occupational Stressors Impacting Transitions, Student Advocacy, and Personal Growth. The study highlights how personal and professional identities evolve during career transitions, and how reflective practices can deepen understanding of adaptation in higher education. These findings contribute to the literature on faculty development and offer insight into the …

Models Of Care In Higher Education: Comparing Integrated And Standalone Approaches To Student Mental Health, Tevia Q. Strand

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This qualitative study examines how the organization of campus mental health services—integrated, co-located care versus standalone counseling centers—shapes college students’ awareness, access, stigma/privacy, and engagement. Semi-structured interviews with five Midwestern undergraduate women (n = 5) explored perceptions of visibility, ease of use, barriers, and improvement ideas. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Themes included confusion about entry pathways, visibility-related stigma, and the salience of faculty/peer bridges to services. Students generally preferred integrated models, citing privacy through co-location, normalization, and easier warm handoffs; some noted that standalone centers can feel more specialized yet risk heightened visibility depending on location. Findings …

Redefining Rural School Leadership In The Post-Pandemic Era: Lessons From Covid-19, Brennan Kent

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped educational leadership, especially in rural school settings where leaders confronted unique resource constraints, geographic isolation, and heightened community interdependence. This conceptual study reexamines rural educational leadership in the post-pandemic era through a synthesis of findings from Author’s (2023) dissertation, The Rural Education Leadership Experience Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, and current leadership theory. Drawing on the McREL Balanced Leadership Framework alongside adaptive and servant leadership models, the analysis identifies four interrelated dimensions that define post-pandemic rural leadership: communication as community cohesion, relationships as infrastructure, adaptive leadership as necessity, and well-being as a leadership priority. These …

Voices From The Other Side: Leadership Practices Teachers Value For Equity Systems Change, Heather L. Dunham, Heather Dunham

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

A growing body of scholarship has explored leadership for equity through frameworks such as social justice leadership (Theoharis, 2010), culturally responsive leadership (Khalifa et al., 2016), and equity audits (Skrla & Scheurich, 2004). Yet, these efforts often target isolated symptoms of inequity—achievement, discipline, or inclusion—rather than engaging in systemic reform that addresses both the ostensive and performative routines sustaining racialized practices. This study centers the Integrated Comprehensive Systems (ICS) for Equity framework (Capper & Frattura, 2017) to examine teachers’ perspectives on leadership practices that support organizational equity systems change.

Using a qualitative multi-case study design (Stake, 1995), two Midwestern schools …

Reclaiming My Story: A Freirean Framework For Surviving Trauma And Transforming Recovery Into Liberation, Carl Bryan

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper explores trauma recovery through the lens of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970/2018), framing healing as an act of critical consciousness and liberation rather than passive survival. Using the author’s lived experience of stalking, manipulation, and emotional abuse as a case study, it reimagines recovery not as a return to normalcy but as a dialectical process of reclaiming narrative agency, reconstructing identity, and transforming pain into purpose. Drawing upon Freirean concepts of conscientização (critical consciousness), dialogue, and praxis, the paper outlines a model for survivors to move from internalized oppression toward empowerment and social transformation.

The Pedagogical Lineage Of The Kaplans And Its Future, Taylor Yeracaris

Journal of Math Circles

This article describes the origins of Bob and Ellen Kaplan's Math Circle, one of the first Math Circles in the U.S. It covers Bob and Ellen's personal histories and some of the wide-ranging impact of their work and philosophy of teaching. It also discusses how the current form of their organization, The Global Math Circle, is working to carry forward their legacy, including building community and supporting Math Circle leaders with the Nexus project.

Prediction Of Psychological Alienation From Psychological Capital Among Mothers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Sultanate Of Oman, Azhaar Saif Saud Al Basami, Muna Abdullah Al-Bahrani, Ali Mahdi Kazem

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The aim of the current study is to examine the prediction of psychological alienation through psychological capital, while also measuring the levels of psychological capital and psychological alienation among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.”. The study applied a descriptive predictive methodology and the sample consisted of 432 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder, who were accessed using the convenience sampling method. The Psychological Capital Scale developed by Luthans et al. (2007) and the Psychological Alienation Scale developed by Dean (1961) were used in this study.The study found several results, including the low level of psychological capital among …

Preparing Students For What Comes Next: A Qualitative Study Of District Approaches To Postsecondary And Career Readiness, Amanda C. Pelsor

Dissertations of Practice

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF DISTRICT APPROACHES TO POSTSECONDARY AND CAREER READINESS

This qualitative study examines how Illinois school districts support students’ readiness for postsecondary success and career planning and exploration. Despite longstanding state and federal efforts to improve college and career readiness, many students continue to face challenges after high school, including lack of workforce readiness, underpreparedness for postsecondary education, unclear career pathways, and difficulty navigating complex transitions. Using semi-structured interviews, this study explores how districts conceptualize and implement career readiness frameworks, the ways readiness work is embedded within district systems, and the barriers …

Literacy Professional Development: Evidence-Based Practices And Insights From Virginia, Meleah Ellison, Shelby Garofalo, Vanessa Sekinger, Joan A. Rhodes, Sharrie Merritte, Maggie Szydlowski, Meera Mehtaji, Valerie Robnolt, Thea Racelis

MERC Publications

This report is part of the MERC Literacy Study. It explores recently published research and publicly accessible professional development (PD) offerings frequently used across the Commonwealth to support the implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA). Findings from this report support the ongoing PD of school staff and relevant partners in the VLA’s purpose of improving literacy outcomes for students in grades K-8 across Virginia.

From Silos To Systems: A Conceptual Framework For Workforce Aligned Oral Health Education, Meghan Bastin

2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference: Poster Session Papers

In the current U.S. educational system, becoming a dentist follows a few prescriptive pathways.  Learners typically complete an undergraduate degree before entering time-intensive doctoral training.  This results in only 3-4 years of direct professional education embedded within an eight -year process, while learners accumulate significant financial investment in their education.  With the average cost of graduate-level dental education alone exceeding $300,000 and new federal borrowing limits likely to further constrain access, there is an opportunity to explore alternative ways of structuring oral health education.

This poster presents a conceptual, system-level framework that explores a perspective in which oral health education …

"What Does It Mean If I Am Silent?”: Bipoc And Lgbtq+ Educators’ Narratives Of Identity, Responsibility, And Student Protection, Julie Nicole Von Stein

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative study examined how BIPOC and LGBTQ+ educators describe their experiences navigating curriculum restrictions and book bans in politically restrictive educational environments, their perceptions of administrator support, and how their identities uniquely shape their decisions about resistance and risk. Grounded in Scott’s theory of everyday resistance, the study explored the ways BIPOC and LGBTQ+ educators make decisions about resistance when curricular content connected to race, gender, sexuality, and marginalized identities is challenged or restricted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with educators who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+, allowing participants to describe their experiences, decision-making processes, perceived risks, and …

Artificial Intelligence Research In K–12 Education: A Bibliometric Analysis, Thomas Frank Mauro

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Research on artificial intelligence (AI) in K–12 education has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, producing a growing and sometimes fragmented body of scholarly literature. As new AI applications, including machine learning systems, intelligent tutoring systems, and generative AI tools, continue to emerge, understanding how this research has evolved over time is increasingly important for educators, policymakers, and researchers. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of scholarly publications on AI in K–12 education to address the following three research questions. How has research on artificial intelligence in K–12 education evolved over time? Who are the significant contributors to AI …

Exploring K-2 Teachers’ Perspectives Around Screen Time In Blended Learning Classrooms, Cameryn Lee Ronspies

Dissertations and Theses

The integration of digital technologies in primary education has transformed instructional practices, yet the use of screen time in K-2 classrooms remains a debated issue. While prior research has examined the effects of screen time on children’s development and learning outcomes, little is known about how teachers themselves make decisions regarding its use in the classroom. This study explores how K-2 teachers in blended learning environments navigate the complexities of screen time. Despite debate among researchers, few policies exist to guide teachers in regulating the quality and duration of screen use, leaving teachers to make complex decisions independently. Grounded in …

10 Years Of The Hive: Successes, Challenges, And Lessons For Designing Creative Learning Hubs In Higher Education, Celine Bernhardt-Lanier

CMC Senior Theses

College students are often told to be “innovative” and to prepare themselves for a rapidly changing job market. Yet, most institutional learning environments are built for everything but that, focusing on efficiency, mastery, and content delivery. The Hive, formerly known as the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity, pushes against this reality in higher ed. Founded ten years ago and nestled in a corner of East 7th Street in Claremont, California, the Hive brings together students, faculty, and staff through workshops, classes, skillshares, and events that are centered around making, reflecting, and collaborating. Drawing on eight semi-structured …

The Impact Of Strategic Planning On Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Practice: A Mixed-Methods Study, Vivian Robert

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Strategic planning is a vital endeavor for school districts across New York State. Often, however, significant human and financial capital is invested in these processes without investigating their impact beyond immediate student outcomes. While student success is the ultimate priority, little attention has been paid to the effect strategic planning has on the practitioners charged with implementing it, specifically teachers. This phenomenological mixed-method case study investigates how strategic planning influences teachers’ perceptions of their practice and identifies how districts can better engage educators to ensure the successful realization of district goals. In this study, district leaders participated in semi-structured interviews, …

Investigative Thinking Skills And Their Relationship To Awareness Of Contemporary Jurisprudential Issues Among Intermediate Female Students, Fatimah Ali Fadel Al-Ghamdi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study sought to assess the level of investigative thinking skills and awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues among a sample of third-grade intermediate female students, and to determine the relationship of these skills to awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues. The random sample of the study consisted of 361 female students selected from all intermediate schools in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. For data collection purposes, an Investigative thinking skills test was developed and used. It includes five skills: deduction, classification, reasoning, interpretation, and problem-solving; also, an awareness of contemporary jurisprudential issues scale was also developed, which includes three dimensions: awareness of …

Academic Hardiness And Its Relationship With Academic Self-Efficacy Among Secondary Students At Ajloun Governorate From The Hashemite Kingdom Of Jordan, Tahani Abdullah Abuwardeh

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study aimed to identify the levels of academic hardiness and academic self-efficacy among secondary school students in Ajloun Governorate in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to examine the predictive ability of academic hardiness for academic self-efficacy. The descriptive and predictive approach was used. To achieve the objectives, the academic hardiness scale was developed, and the academic self-efficacy scale, which was used by Abo-Allymoun & AlRabee (2022), was applied. After confirming the validity and reliability of the two scales, they were administered to a sample of (367) students, (177) males and (190) females were selected using the cluster …

The Coalition Of Inclusive School Leaders Framework & Guidebook, K. Adams, Meghan Cosier, Audri Sandoval Gomez

Thompson Policy Institute on Disability Policy Reports

"The purpose of this inclusive leadership framework, also supplemental, is to expand further on those actionable steps in the PSEL 2015 and Promoting Principal Leadership for the Success of Students With Disabilities document for direct use with future and current school and district administrators, framing a more inclusive-focused leader than the initial development of the CPSEL and PSEL. This framework will guide leaders toward improving access, equity, and inclusion for students with disabilities (SWD) and other students from traditionally marginalized backgrounds (e.g., students who are Black, Latinx, and Indigenous; students who are LGBTQIA+; and students who are experiencing poverty across …

Psychometric Properties Of The Revised Snijders- Oomen Non-Verbal Intelligence Test (Son-R 6–40), Among Sixth And Ninth Grade Students, In The Sultanate Of Oman, Fatma Said Alharthi, Yousef Abu Shindi, Hussain Ali Alkharusi

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The revised Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test (SON-R 6–40) provides a standardized measure of intelligence. The test’s author, Nan Snijders-Oomen (1943), conceptualized intelligence as the ability to learn and the extent to which children can benefit from school education. This test is widely used in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, but its application remains limited in Arab environments, particularly in Oman, where there is a scarcity of psychometric evaluations of nonverbal intelligence tests. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the revised Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test (SON-R 6–40) among a sample of sixth and ninth-grade students in Muscat …

The Effectiveness Of A Group Counselling Program Based On The Acceptance And Commitment Therapy (Act)In Improving The Body Image Among A Tenth Grade Adolescent Female Students In The Governorate Of Muscat In Sultanate Of Oman, Nasra Aziz Khalaf Alriyami, Jalal Damra Kaid

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in improving the body image of adolescent female students in the tenth grade in Muscat Governorate. The Body Image Scale and the group counselling program based on acceptance and commitment therapy were used to achieve the study objective. The program consisted of ten sessions, two sessions per week. The research used the semi-experimental approach in two equal groups, with pre, post, and follow-up tests. Sixteen female adolescent students were involved purposely in the study procedures from the tenth grade, which …

The Effectiveness Of An Educational Program Based On The Argumentative Theory In Developing Media Discourse Skills Among Female Students Of The Media Department At Taif University, Azizah Makhdhur Makhdhar Al-Harthi, Mohammed Abduljabbar M. Alsulami

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

The study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of an educational program based on the argumentative theory in developing media discourse skills among female students of the Media Department at Taif University. To achieve the goal, the researchers used quasi-experimental design and prepared the following materials: a list of the written media discourse skills, a test of the written media discourse skills, provided with a rubric, a list of the oral media discourse skills, a test of the oral media discourse skills, equipped with a rubric, a general framework for the program, the student’s book, and the teacher’s guide. The random …

The Impact Of High-Quality Phonological Awareness Professional Learning On In-Service Teachers' Content Knowledge And Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Roberta S. Thomas

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This convergent mixed-method study examined the impact of high-quality phonological awareness professional learning on Montessori primary lead, associate, and team associate teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge of phonological awareness. Eleven teachers (4 lead, 4 associates, and 2 team associates) from a private school in northeast Florida participated in four professional sessions with a content focus on the levels of phonological awareness, including word, syllable, onset and rime, and phoneme awareness. In contrast to previous studies that reported low levels of teacher content knowledge prior to professional learning, participants in this study demonstrated relatively high levels of content knowledge. …

The Retrograde Pendulum: Reversing Course On Standards-Based Grading, Jay C. Percell

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This commentary details one large, suburban school district that, after a decade-long commitment to implementing standards-based grading (SBG), reversed course, abandoned the initiative, and returned to traditional grading. This article provides a postmortem of the ambitious reform effort, drawing upon previous research and recent district survey data from teachers and parents. Among the factors leading to the reform's reversal are that, despite a carefully planned, multi-year rollout, the initiative was unable to resolve persistent concerns about implementation inconsistency, student motivation, and the technology reporting platform. Internal pressures were exacerbated by external turmoil, including personnel turnover and the COVID-19 pandemic, and …

From Local Innovation To Statewide Policy: A Quantitative Study Of I How Long Island Educators Are Preparing For New York State’S Portrait Of A Graduate Framework, Ishanee Brown-Murphy

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

The New York State Portrait of a Graduate (PoG) framework emphasizes the development of transferable competencies intended to prepare students for college, career, and life readiness. Although the framework has been adopted statewide, limited empirical research exists regarding secondary educators’ perceptions of preparedness to implement PoG competencies within curriculum, instruction, assessment, and schoolwide practices. Understanding educator readiness is essential to supporting effective and equitable implementation across schools The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how secondary educators on Long Island perceive their readiness to implement the New York State Portrait of a Graduate framework. Specifically, the study explored …

Teacher Awareness, Perspectives, And Implication Of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (Cr-S): Exploring And Describing Education Decision-Making For English Language Learners (Ells), Dilrabo Dina Kenkes

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

With more immigrant students in American classrooms, it is more important than ever to use culturally responsive teaching. Even after years of policy changes, English Language Learners (ELLs) are still placed in special education programs at higher rates than expected. This quantitative study examines how teachers’ understanding and use of New York State’s Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-S) framework affect their decisions when referring ELL students for special education evaluation. Many educators struggle to distinguish between language-learning challenges and real learning disabilities. This frequently happens because they are not fully aware of cultural differences or do not use culturally responsive teaching …

From Written Curriculum To Classroom Practice: Teacher Supplementation In The Teaching Of American Slavery In Florida And New York, Matthew T. Maloof

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study examined how K–12 public school teachers in Florida and New York perceived the adequacy of curriculum standards and instructional materials for teaching American slavery, how they responded when those materials were perceived as limited, and how the standards and materials aligned with Shuster’s (2018) Ten Key Concepts for Teaching American slavery. Using a qualitative multi-method design, the study combined qualitative survey research with document analysis. Teachers’ open-ended survey responses were analyzed through a Modified Grounded Theory approach, while curriculum standards and instructional materials were analyzed in relation to Shuster’s framework. The final sample included 41 teachers, including 20 …

Ai Policy In Virginia Public Schools: A Comparative Analysis, Jesse Senechal, Jamelle Simmons, Jonathan D. Becker, Melissa Ware, Michael Broda, Kindy Anderson, Eric Byers, Kiana Bradford, Thea Racelis, Meleah Ellison

MERC Publications

This MERC research and policy review explores policy implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in Virginia public schools. It is part of a two part series with a companion report focused on AI implications for PK-12 teaching and learning. The report has two parts:

1. A review of the AI policy landscape around PK-12 education
2. Virginia AI policy analysis

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for PK-12 policy and practice.

Ai In Pk-12 Education: Implications For Teaching And Learning, David Naff, Meleah Ellison, Casey Bailey, Tzu-Wei Wang, Kiana Bradford

MERC Publications

This research and policy review from the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC) explores the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for teaching and learning in public PK-12 education. It is part of a two part series with a companion report focused on AI implications for PK-12 policy. The report explores two questions:

1. How is AI shaping teaching and instructional practice?
2. How is AI shaping student learning and development?

It concludes with a series of key takeaways and recommendations for PK-12 policy and practice.

The Breaking Point: Examining Teacher Burnout And Methods To Build Resilience In A Time Of Unprecedented Challenges, Maribel Rudecindo-Mendez

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain insight into the experiences of K–12 teachers in the Hudson Valley region of New York as it relates to teacher burnout. The Job Demands-Resources model was used as a framework to understand organizational causes of burnout, how burnout impacts instruction and relationships with students, and how teachers cope with stress. Twenty full-time teachers who were involved with K–12 students in various instructional capacities were interviewed in a semi-structured format. Thematic analysis revealed that the main contributors to burnout were instability in the system, being overburdened with work, and issues related …