Teacher Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching Impacts On Instructional Practice And Student Learning, Alpaslan Ozdogan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This exploratory study investigates the role of instructional coaching in elementary education through the lens of teacher perceptions, with a focus on its influence on professional development, instructional methodology, educator well-being, and student academic achievement. The research pivots around four key questions examining the perceived impact of instructional coaches on:

1. Teachers' professional growth within elementary educational settings.
2. The evolution of instructional strategies and classroom practices.
3. The emotional and mental well-being of educators.
4. The academic performance and learning outcomes of students.

A narrative research approach was adopted, collecting and analyzing data through elementary teacher surveys, in-depth interviews with both teachers and …

Increasing Implementation Of The Comfortable Cafeteria Program To Promote School-Age Children’S Mental Health And Well-Being, Reinecka Mondesir, Angela Labrie Blackwell Phd, Otr

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Every Moment Counts (EMC) is a positive mental health promotion initiative that offers several initiatives to create inclusive environments that support student participation and emotional well-being throughout the school day. Comfortable Cafeteria, part of EMC, fosters positive mealtime experiences supporting peer interaction, emotional regulation, and inclusion. Many SBOT practitioners lack the resources to implement Comfortable Cafeteria, despite its benefits. This capstone project addresses the need for practical tools to help school-based occupational therapy (SBOT) practitioners integrate the Comfortable Cafeteria program into daily practice. Using the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, the project developed and disseminated an interactive, evidence-based video …

Unlocking Reading Success: Addressing The Literacy Crisis In The United States, Jennifer Kaczrowski-Taylor

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This white paper addresses the literacy crisis in the United States. Currently, in the educational system, millions of children lack access to research-based reading instruction and, as a result, struggle to become proficient readers. Despite decades of academic and reform efforts, national reading achievement has been declining. This literacy crisis can be traced back to outdated or inconsistent instructional practices, socioeconomic background, lack of research-based instructional curricula, as well as inconsistent and ineffective implementation of these approaches. Based on recent research and national data, this white paper advocates for aligning teacher education and professional development with the Science of Reading. …

Teachers’ Challenges In Implementing The New Mexican School’S Educational Model, Mayra Margarito Gaspar

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This scholarly essay explores the challenges that teachers face in implementing the Nueva Escuela Mexicana (NEM) [new Mexican school] educational model, which prioritizes project-based and interdisciplinary learning over subject-based instruction. The NEM’s flexible approach requires teachers to independently structure lessons, ensuring continuity without a predefined thematic sequence. Collaboration is essential, yet many educators struggle with interdisciplinary coordination, especially in secondary education. Limited planning time and curricular flexibility further complicate implementation. Teachers in marginalized areas also face resource constraints, which hinders project-based learning. Additionally, the NEM’s textbooks, which are designed for integrative learning, lack clear organization and guidelines and make them …

Empowering General Educators: Supporting Students With Learning Disabilities Through Inclusive Tier Two Practices, Megan Sparling

Masters Projects

Many general education teachers enter the profession with minimal training in how to effectively support students with learning disabilities, particularly those who require Tier Two interventions but do not qualify for special education services. This lack of preparation contributes to reduced instructional confidence, inconsistent intervention practices, and missed opportunities to support struggling learners. Grounded in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, this capstone project addresses the urgent need for ongoing, practical professional development tailored to the realities of inclusive classrooms. The literature highlights the importance of sustained, collaborative, and contextually embedded …

From Assessment To Action: The Role Of Data In Shaping Tiered Literacy Instruction, Trisha J. Uebele

Masters Projects

Abstract

This project supports educators in identifying students’ literacy needs and implementing targeted, evidence-based interventions through a user-friendly, data-driven approach grounded in the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework and the Science of Reading. By enabling educators to input and analyze commonly available assessment data, the project aims to make data-informed instruction accessible even to those with limited training in data literacy. A digital tracking tool will monitor individual student progress across key reading domains (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension), allowing for the creation of flexible, skill-based instructional groups. The project includes an intervention guide with links to research-based activities …

Examining Literacy Habits, Reading Attitudes, And Literacy Perceptions Of College-Educated Black Men: A Case Study, Turkesshia D. Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple-case qualitative study was to explore the literacy attitudes, reading habits, and literacy perceptions of college-educated Black men in North Carolina. The theory guiding this study is Freire’s Critical Literacy Theory (CLT). CLT supports educators in providing critical pedagogy, which includes critical thinking and critical text analysis. Participants in this study viewed literacy as a valuable life skill. They felt they would have had more positive literacy experiences during their K-12 schooling if they received culturally relevant and culturally responsive instruction. The central research question for the case study was: How do college-educated Black men describe …

Poverty And Education: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Qualitative Study On Student–Teacher Relationships, Anthony J. Lee Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the perception of cultivating supportive teacher-student relationships among Black students for teachers at a school district in the Northeastern United States. At this stage in the research, cultivating supportive teacher-student relationships among Black students was defined as how teachers positively relate in the classroom in ways that positively affect academic outcomes. The theory guiding this study was student involvement theory (Astin, 1984). This theory explains how students change and develop through their motivational involvement with the institution, curriculum, and social atmosphere. The central research question was: What challenges do teachers …

Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Iready To Support Elementary Mathematics Instruction In Georgia, Cassandra Denise Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that a significant number of 3rd to 5th grade students score below grade level on the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment within a Georgia School District, despite the training and implementation of iReady. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore 3rd to 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggestions for implementing iReady in their mathematics instruction. The study was grounded in Chomsky’s concept of competency-based education, which asserts that as long as students can progress at their own pace, the majority of students will achieve competency …

Curriculum Accommodations, Modifications, And Differentiation Strategies: Equipping Teachers In Adapting Curriculum To Meet The Diverse Needs Of All Learners, Rachael Van Huis

Masters Projects

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) supports a free and appropriate public education for all students, yet many students with disabilities are not properly served in the K-12 public school setting. Teachers remain largely unequipped in providing appropriate educational experiences for students with complex learning needs, including the provision of academic accommodations and modifications. As a result, students with disabilities continue to be placed in segregated, alternative learning settings that hinder their academic progress, social connectedness, and ability to learn within their least restrictive environment alongside typically developing peers. This project aims to support both general and special education …

“We Are Not Robots”: Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Focus Group Talk About Problems Of Practice Around Literacy Instruction, Jacquelynn S. Popp, Carin Appleget, Tori Golden Hughes, Crystal Dail Rose, Christine Leighton, Kierstin M. Giunco, Poonam Arya, Xiufang Chen

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of elementary preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) problems of practice around literacy instruction and to explore how the PSTs framed/talked about such problems. The study comprised qualitative analysis of data collected from focus group interviews with 21 PSTs from five teacher education institutions across the United States. Analysis of the PSTs’ talk about problems of practice in the focus groups yielded three themes about the nature of their problems and how they defined and discussed strategies or solutions to problems. PSTs expressed concerns about (1) meeting the needs of students below expected …

“I Didn’T Understand How Powerful This Could Be”: The Synergy Of Arts-Enhanced Literacy Instruction And Multicultural Literature In A Rural Classroom, Shuling Yang, Natalia A. Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Guided by culturally sustaining pedagogy, this study examined how an elementary language arts teacher engaged with a yearlong project that focused on enhancing literacy instruction through the synergetic power of using multicultural children’s literature combined with arts. The case study conducted in a context with strict policy guidelines on literacy instruction demonstrated the teacher’s growing understanding of how to integrate multicultural children’s literature and arts in her instruction and powerful shifts in her view of students’ potential for empathy and engagement with complex social issues. The discussions of the books and creative artwork made by her students reshaped the teacher’s …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 5th Grade - Early American Inventions, Del M. Herman, Jaclyne Casella, Kathryn Garner

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will trace early American inventions' effects on the early United States and the business productivity of that era. Students will complete primary source analyses on the different inventions, take guided notes in a foldable on each invention, and participate in a collaborative project where students will create a PowerPoint on a particular early American invention in order to demonstrate proficiency in this unit.

Examining How Self-Regulated Learning Professional Development Affects Teacher Srl Knowledge, Beliefs, And Practices, Stephanie Greenquist-Marlett

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies promote valuable student learning outcomes including academic achievement and lifelong learning (EU Council, 2002). Teachers have an opportunity to cultivate student SRL development within their classrooms (Azevedo et al., 2008). While teachers believe in the benefits associated with SRL promotion (Spruce & Bol, 2014), their positive attitudes are not often supported by adequate knowledge of SRL strategies. This leads to a lack of self-efficacy for developing SRL instruction in classrooms (Dignath & Büttner, 2018; Zimmerman et al., 1996). SRL-based professional development (PD) interventions have demonstrated their effectiveness for increasing teacher SRL instruction and implementation (Cleary et …

Using Inquiry Classroom Experiences To Correct Student Misconceptions In Elementary Science: An Action Research Study, Hope A. Ellison

Master's Theses

Misconceptions in elementary science education can significantly hinder students' ability to construct accurate and lasting conceptual understandings. Grounded in the constructivist learning theory, this quasi-experimental study investigates how inquiry-based instruction influences the identification and correction of third-grade students’ misconceptions in science, specifically in the domains of energy, force, and matter. Using a pre- and post-test design, along with data derived from daily teacher field notes, the research was conducted with a sample of fifteen third-grade students at a public elementary school in Mississippi. The results, discussed in the methods section, revealed a statistically significant improvement in students’ conceptual understanding following …

Understanding The Experiences Of White Female Elementary School Teachers Who Promote Racial Equity And Justice In White Schools, Meredith Valentine

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this qualitative study, I conducted semi-structured interviews of six white, female elementary school teachers to better understand how and why they enacted principles of racial equity to challenge the status quo of whiteness with their predominantly white middle-class students and school community. Teachers felt they lacked a formal, structured education to feel confident in their teaching of racial and social justice concepts. Teachers used other forms of social justice teaching that they were more experientially familiar with, such as gender equity, language diversity, and (dis)ability, as a catalyst to discuss topics of racial justice. Each educator navigated their classroom …

Reflection And Reimagination As Resistance: Towards Humanizing Critical Writing Pedagogy, Grace Y. Kang, Sonia M. Kline

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

Given the pressures, demands, and standardization teachers face in our sociopolitically charged times, teachers need opportunities to reflect and reimagine their instruction. Drawing on critical and related scholarship, we conceptualize critical humanizing writing pedagogy. We share our instructional moves as teacher educators for enacting humanizing writing pedagogy in a graduate course and supporting teachers to enact humanizing writing pedagogy in their K-12 classrooms. Specifically, we show how a graduate student and practicing teacher found ways to shift toward critical orientations as she navigated her school’s curriculum and state standards. We argue that sociocultural and critical lenses provide powerful tools for …

Integrated Stem Education For In-Service K-5 Elementary Teachers: Definitions, Self-Efficacy, And Teaching Practices, Amani Alhassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing interest has been evident in implementing integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching in public schools. However, teachers need to be professionally prepared and increase self-efficacy in teaching integrated STEM in their classrooms. Little is known about how teachers' self-efficacy in teaching integrated STEM is related to teachers' practices around STEM integration, particularly in K-5 classrooms.

This convergent mixed-methods study involved surveys with open- and close-ended questions to determine the integrated STEM perceptions, definitions, classroom teaching practices, and self-efficacy level in teaching integrated STEM for 79 northeast Tennessee K-5 teachers. The study also investigated the relationship between teachers' …

Engaging Minds: Assessing The Impact Of Arts-Integration On Science Achievement And Engagement Using Planned Experimentation, Fonda G. Dupre

All Dissertations

Elementary science education is essential for fostering inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving, yet it is often reduced or deprioritized due to the pressures of high-stakes testing in reading and mathematics. Despite federal calls for a well-rounded education under the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), instructional time for science remains limited in many schools, particularly in under-resourced and high-poverty contexts. This reduction of science instruction time exacerbates achievement gaps and limits student engagement and interest in STEM fields.

This planned experiment investigates whether Arts-Integrated science instruction can increase student engagement and improve academic achievement among fourth-grade students at Foothills Academy of …

Engaging Minds: The Impact Of Multimodal Instruction On Multiplication Facts, Ashleigh Cobey

All Dissertations

This dissertation examined the impact of a multimodal, station-based instructional approach on student engagement and multiplication fact fluency among third-grade students at Hopeful Elementary School (HES), a Title I, high-poverty school. Traditional methods of rote memorization have not consistently met the needs of all learners, particularly those from under-resourced backgrounds or with disabilities. This study explored how structured opportunities to practice multiplication through music-based, game-based, and technology-enhanced learning experiences influenced student engagement and fluency.

Using a multimethod design, the intervention group participated in the Multimodal Multiplication Intervention, rotating through three stations Monday through Wednesday and selecting a preferred station on …

Teacher Efficacy In Reading Intervention: The Role Of Coaching And Professional Development In Foundational Literacy, Susan S. Chapman

All Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice utilized improvement science methods to increase teacher self-efficacy in foundational reading practices and to address the oral reading fluency (ORF) challenges of elementary students who consistently score below proficiency. Rooted in Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and the Active View of Reading, the study aimed to build teacher confidence in delivering foundational reading instruction while improving student ORF rates. A Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle was implemented with second-grade teachers and targeted the following aim: increase ORF by 12 words correct per minute (wcpm) for students receiving Tier 3 intervention over an eight-week cycle. Coaching, using the student-centered coaching …

Effects Of Multi-Sensory Training In Physical Activity On Reaction Time And Fitness In Elementary Students., Sarah Anne Trout

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This study examined the effects of multi-sensory Neuroplasticity training (MSNP™) using the ROXPro system on the psychomotor abilities of third-grade students in a Midwestern elementary school. The research aimed to determine whether the integration of interactive sensory-reactive technology in physical education could improve reaction time, agility, and explosive power compared to standard PE instruction. A total of 49 participants were assigned to either a control group or an intervention group, with the latter engaging in six weeks of ROX-based drills. A pretest-posttest design was employed, and data were analyzed using ANCOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, and independent t-tests to assess …

An Examination Of Inclusive Education Programs For Children With Disabilities, Haley Misiewicz

Masters Projects

This project addresses the ongoing need for high-quality professional development that equips early childhood educators with effective strategies for inclusive education. Research consistently demonstrates that inclusive settings benefit both students with disabilities and their typically developing peers, yet many educators report a lack of confidence, training, and support when implementing inclusive practices. Grounded in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and informed by federal legislation such as IDEA and ADA, this project presents a professional development toolkit designed to support preschool through second-grade teachers in creating accessible, responsive classroom environments.

The toolkit consists of a 90-minute training session, …

Funds Of Knowledge And The Transition To School: A Scoping Review, Amelia Ruscoe, Leanne Lavina, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Boylan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children's funds of knowledge (FoK) were recognised in the initial iteration of the Australian Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in 2009, the mandated framework for educator decision-making, and their significance was further emphasised in EYLF 2.0 in 2022. However, a unified understanding of children as knowledgeable individuals and how to effectively incorporate their diverse knowledges into early childhood education is still evolving. Recent evidence highlights the link between engaging with children's FoK and supporting successful transitions to formal schooling. Given that childhood is experienced differently across cultures and contexts, achieving consensus on the nature and value of FoK remains a …

Bilingual Program Implementation And Programming In The Midwestern And Southeastern United States: Lessons Learned For Application In Arkansas, Susan Wallace

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As of 2025, the state of Arkansas has no state-approved bilingual or dual-language education programs, despite passing legislation in 2021 to allow for their creation. This literature review synthesizes findings from recent empirical studies conducted in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States—regions with demographic and policy contexts more similar to Arkansas than states with long-time bilingual programs. This literature review explores both beneficial and complicating factors in bilingual program implementation, addressing themes such as policy, leadership, stakeholder involvement, program design, and prevailing ideological mindsets, before summarizing lessons learned from these studies. The implications are clear: effective bilingual programming requires intentional, …

Training To Teach: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments, Rebecca Anne Rose

Plymouth Interdisciplinary Education Open Journal

Inclusion is often discussed as a policy imperative, but its true impact is realised only through daily classroom practice. As student teachers, we argue that inclusion should move beyond compliance to become a mindset and a lived commitment. Our experiences reveal that policy and practice are not always as intertwined as we hope. As future educators, we aspire for inclusion to require ongoing self-reflection, courage, and compassion, ensuring every student is seen, valued, and empowered to succeed. We believe policy must genuinely support and reflect this commitment, making inclusion not just a requirement, but a fundamental part of educational culture …

Revisiting The Post-Tsunami Aceh School: A Community-Based Evaluation Framework For Improving Build Back Better Projects, Muhammad Naufal Fadhil, Aji Sofiana Putri, Muhammad Fadli Muslimin

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

This study proposes a community-based evaluation framework to assess and improve the existing conditions of post-tsunami schools based on the occupants’ evaluations. Rapid, donor-driven reconstruction often defaults to ‘fit-for-all’ solutions that bypass community needs, resulting in facilities that are misaligned with local contexts. This project focused on Lampageu State Elementary School in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, which was reconstructed in 2009 by a German NGO after the 2004 tsunami. The project began by observing the school’s physical condition through the community engagement team, followed by a review and exploration of the school’s design needs with the school community. The community-based evaluation …

The Evolution Of Schooling: From Industrial Obedience To Techno-Autonomy, Seb Taylor, Ron Roberts Ii

Digital Laboratory: Publisher of Internet Journal

This paper examines the enduring architecture of the American education system as a mechanism designed for compliance, not creativity. Rooted in 19th-century industrial logic, the structure of schooling, its physical design, time constraints, and assessment methods, has remained largely static despite seismic cultural and technological shifts. Through historical analysis and contemporary critique, this work interrogates the persistence of standardized methods, institutional prestige, and top-down instruction as barriers to meaningful learning and value creation. Drawing from interdisciplinary research and live case studies, including Alpha School’s AI-powered, mastery-based model, the paper advances the concept of techno-education: a student-centered paradigm informed by feedback …

Teachers’ Talk About Children’S Texts, Sarah J. Mccarthey, Ngan Vu, Jiadi Zhang

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

Using a framework for discourses about writing, the qualitative study investigates teachers’ discussions about student texts during focus group sessions. The setting was a small, private school with a diverse student population and teachers who shared an approach to teaching. Their discussions focused on aspects of student writing including word choice and voice; learning to write within genres such as narrative, opinion, and poetry; and writing for an audience. Teachers valued multimodality by emphasizing how pictures and text can support one another throughout the writing process. The data reflect teachers’ knowledge of the students as writers and their cultural and …

Combining Bibliotherapy And Dialogue Journaling In A Fourth-Grade Book Club: Impact On Students’ Writing Apprehension, Leah A. Bryars, Bethanie C. Pletcher

Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education

This article presents the qualitative findings derived from a larger convergent-parallel mixed methods study that explored the outcomes of a bibliotherapy and dialogue journaling intervention on the writing apprehension of eight fourth-grade student participants in an after-school book club. In addition to transcripts of dialogue journal entries, other qualitative data included survey responses from the fourth-grade language arts teachers, field notes, and a post-intervention focus group interview. The qualitative data set was transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emergent themes. Qualitative findings suggested that the student participants demonstrated increased confidence and were in the process of developing more positive attitudes toward …