Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Becoming: Adult Learners In Graduate Education And The Pursuit Of A Meaningful Life, Tara Shollenberger

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

Adult learners in graduate education represent a population defined by deliberate, purposeful choice. Unlike traditional-age students, these individuals advance within higher education while managing careers, families, and complex life responsibilities. This conceptual paper explores the espoused and enacted vision for a meaningful life held by adult learners in graduate education, with particular attention to doctoral students in professional education programs. Evidence is drawn from national enrollment and attrition data, relevant scholarship, and nearly two decades of direct practitioner observation. The paper argues that adult graduate learners are animated by a vision of becoming: a generational, relational, and deeply purposeful understanding …

Restorative Practices And Resilience Among Trauma-Impacted Elementary Students, Rose E. Ostenson

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper examined how restorative practices may promote resilience among trauma-impacted elementary school students. Fifteen peer-reviewed studies were analyzed to address the following research question: How do restorative practices promote resilience among trauma-impacted students in elementary schools? Three consistent themes emerged from the literature: relationship building and relational safety, school connectedness and belonging, and emotional regulation and co-regulation. These themes represent crucial protective factors associated with resilience among children who have experienced trauma. Although resilience was not directly measured in most of the studies reviewed, the findings consistently suggested that restorative practices may strengthen the relational, social, and emotional conditions …

The Effect Of Escape Room Simulation On The Self-Efficacy And Communication Levels Of Novice Critical Care Nurses, Lauren A. Femino, Kim Chapman, Julie A. Marshall, Shelby A. Trull, Jennifer A. Dibenedetto

The Lahey Journal

Abstract 

Introduction: Novice critical care nurses often report having low self-confidence and effective communication skills when transitioning to the ICU practice, often due to stress, limited experience, and unfamiliarity with critical care environments. These challenges can not only affect their job satisfaction and retention rates, but also pose serious risks to patient safety and outcomes. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to assess the impact of an escape room simulation on the self-efficacy and communication skills of novice critical care nurses.

Methods: An evidence-based practice (EBP) project with pre-test and post-test design was conducted to …

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

The Effect Of Part-Time Vs Full-Time Integrated Clinical Education On Student Physical Therapists’ Self-Efficacy And Clinical Reasoning, William J. Buchala

Student Dissertations

Integrated clinical education (ICE) varies across Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, particularly in the use of part-time and full-time clinical experiences. Limited research has examined relationships between ICE structure, self-efficacy, and clinical reasoning. The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to examine relationships between part-time and full-time ICE models and self-efficacy and self-assessed clinical reasoning in DPT students. Survey responses were collected from DPT students who had participated in ICE experiences. Self-efficacy was measured using the Physical Therapist Self-Efficacy Scale, and self-assessed clinical reasoning was measured using the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning Scale. Independent-samples …

How Does An Advanced Educator Utilize Digital Language Teaching And Learning By Integrating Linguistic, Cultural, And Business Life Perspectives?, Hely Westerholm, Pirjo Takanen-Körperich, Ph.D.

International Journal for Business Education

This paper explores advanced educators’ digital working capabilities in online language teaching, with a particular focus on sharing Finnish language and culture in a foreign context. Cultural and linguistic knowledge play a significant role in enhancing students’ motivation to study foreign languages. In today’s educational environment, digitalisation and globalisation exert an increasing influence on foreign language teaching and learning.

The digital learning environment has brought about a paradigm shift in foreign language didactics. Digital language learning is both challenging and holistic in nature. Continued foreign language learning is simultaneously an individual and a social process, as digital learning cultures impose …

How Grades Changed Before, During And After Covid-19 In A Business College, Douglas R. Moodie, Alison Keefe, Robin Cheramie

International Journal for Business Education

Purpose: This study examines how undergraduate business student grades changed before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic using a large institutional dataset from a business college in a US university between 2015 and 2024.

Method: The analysis includes over 390,000 student-course observations and incorporates instructional modality, student demographics, course characteristics, and prior academic performance.

Results: Results show a substantial increase in mean course grades during the COVID-19 period, followed by a partial reversion post-pandemic to levels that remain above pre-pandemic trends. These patterns are consistent across modalities, demographics, and departments.

Implications: The findings raise important questions regarding the interpretation of …

Bridging The Gap Between Research And Practice In Schools, Giorgio Ostinelli

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This case study examined how a group of Swiss primary school teachers collaborated with a school improvement advisor/researcher (SIA); it is now part of a larger project that uses a design-based methodology. The SIA is a rising entity in the educational landscape and serves as a state-mandated coach who bridges the gap between universities and schools. The SIA embodies the characteristics of both an educational researcher and a school advisor/coach. The SIA experience was created and designed using a frame–object, a valuable tool for collaboratively building professional development experiences with teachers and coaches. Understanding by Design served as the frame–object …

Necessary Digital Competencies Of Preschool Teachers In Austria, Walter Fikisz

Journal of Global Education and Research

The aim of this paper is to identify specific digital competencies that preschool teachers require, compared with schoolteachers, to extend the Austrian digital competence model for teachers, digi.kompP. Methodologically, the study is based on interviews with Austrian experts in early childhood education, media pedagogy, computer science, and preschool teacher education. The expert interviews addressed the digital competencies required by preschool teachers, differences compared with schoolteachers, the timing and nature of competence development, and the institutions involved. As a result of this study, sixteen new can-do statements were developed for the expansion of the existing digi.kompP model, which maps the specific …

How Disability Inclusion Shapes Student Experiences In Egyptian Public Universities, Ramez Maher

Theses and Dissertations

The inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education is a critical aspect of equity, social justice, and human rights, particularly in Egypt, where systemic barriers continue to hinder access to education for this demographic. Despite the enrollment of approximately 19.4 million students in 2018, only 38,135 students with disabilities were admitted, highlighting the significant challenges they face in accessing higher education.   Through a qualitative approach employing reflexive thematic analysis, this study explores the interplay of institutional policies, cultural attitudes, and accessibility challenges that affect the educational experiences of students with disabilities in Egyptian public universities. The analysis of 21 …

Book Review: A Literacy Coach’S Playbook: Building A Winning Team To Improve Student Achievement, Kirsten Burke Smith

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

This scholarly book review of A Literacy Coach’s Playbook: Building a Winning Team to Improve Student Achievement (Brieske-Ulenski & Kelley, 2025) provides a detailed overview of a new clinical model of literacy coaching. The proposed approach, a Clinical Literacy Coaching Framework (CLCF), draws upon a medical model to build Literacy Leadership Teams (LLT) to improve data-informed and culturally-sustaining instruction.

Unfreezing Language: A Decolonial Reframing Of Translanguaging Pedagogies In English As A New Language & Dual Language Bilingual Education Settings, Cristian R. Solorza

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This qualitative multi-case study examines how elementary teachers in English as a New Language (ENL) and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) settings conceptualize, implement, and reflect upon translanguaging pedagogies, with particular attention to translanguaging rings as tools for language differentiation. Grounded in a rearticulation of language as a dynamic, socially, politically, and historically constructed subject and object, this study challenges monoglossic ideologies that position named languages as bounded systems at the center of language education. Instead, it centers students’ lived, embodied, and agentive language practices as foundational to language learning and to their participation as knowledge producers in ENL and …

Coaching For The Whole Teacher: 10 Humanistic Practices For Reflective And Relational Literacy Coaching, Emily Caylor

Michigan Reading Journal

At a time when teacher professional learning often emphasizes compliance and efficiency, literacy coaching can serve as a humanizing counterbalance that centers teachers’ identities and professional agency. This article draws from a yearlong coaching partnership between a literacy coach and an experienced elementary teacher to illustrate how reflection, relational trust, and dialogic interaction cultivate teachers’ intrapersonal awareness and willingness to change. Grounded in Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs as a foundational layer of psychological safety and Korthagen’s (2004) onion model as a framework for identity-centered reflection, this work positions coaching as a relational, dialogic, and context-sensitive process. The article translates …

The Brain And Becoming: Integrating Play And Performance-Based Learning In The Community College Classroom, Hannah M. Green

English

Instruction in the community college classroom is in need of a shift, according to neuroscientific, pedagogical, and demographic data. Primarily, students in today’s community college classrooms are instructed in the form of lectures (Nilson 106), but research has shown that game-based learning would be the way to enhance learning experiences for these adult learners. Game-based learning specifically takes form in student learning through games, interactive reading activities such as performance pedagogy, discussions, and small group work. While research shows that play-based learning at the community college level is neurologically beneficial for students, there is a gap in implementing play-based learning …

Open Education On Social Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study Between Mexico And Bolivia To Scale Up Complex Thinking, Inés Alvarez-Icaza, Benito Javier Martinez-Briones, Liz Katherine Marco-Torrez, Evelyn Rondon-Jara

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of an open digital educational platform for developing complex thinking competencies through social entrepreneurship education among higher education students in Mexico and Bolivia. Specifically, it assessed changes in perceived systemic, scientific, critical, and innovative thinking and compared learning outcomes across both contexts.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was implemented with 601 participants (Mexico, n = 509; Bolivia, n = 92). Participants completed a validated 25-item, Likert-scale instrument assessing systemic, scientific, critical, and innovative thinking before and after engaging with the digital platform. Within- and between-group differences were analyzed using permutation-based statistical tests, complemented by …

Developing Pediatric Educational Resources For Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Students And New Employees, Alyssa Gottheiner

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

For occupational therapy students, the fieldwork education portion of their curriculum allows them to apply theory and principles learned in their academic program into practice with actual clients (Occupational therapy fieldwork education, 2022). Research indicates the benefit of access to resources and adapting to different learning styles in occupational therapy fieldwork education (Grenier, 2015). Research also indicates that training programs for new healthcare employees can positively impact knowledge, skills, and performance (Patel et al., 2023).  However, there is a lack of research on the availability and benefit of supplemental educational resources for students to access during fieldwork education in pediatric …

Iris Melanoma: A Case Report And Review, Emily Scully Od, Breyne Middleton Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Uveal melanoma is the most common primary cancer of the eye. It can be diagnosed with fundus exam and ancillary tests. Metastasis occurs in about half of primary uveal melanoma patients and is very often fatal. The liver is the most common site of metastasis. Iris melanomas are the least common type of uveal melanoma. Choroidal and ciliary body melanoma are the most common. Iris nevi are quite common and the rate of transformation into melanoma is low but early detection is critical given the high mortality rate associated with metastasis.

Case Report: This case highlights the importance of …

Understanding Teacher Pd In The Greater Newark Stem Ecosystem: What Do Educators Need, And How Can We Deliver It?, Brad Schenker, Christopher Abbaleo, Michelle Cirillo, Rosemary Cortez, Tanisha Davis, Mark Maire, Vincent Nguyen, Jasmine Ramsey, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

The Greater Newark region faces significant challenges in providing high-quality STEM professional development (PD) for teachers. These challenges include:

● time constraints

● cost barriers

● contract limitations

● lack of centralized information

The Greater Newark STEM Ecosystem implemented a 16 day virtual “sprint”, using the Knowtion platform , that brought together STEM educators, program providers, school supervisors, and administrators to explore what meaningful PD for STEM teachers looks like and how it can be delivered effectively at scale. The insights gathered will inform an ecosystem-wide educator survey aimed at developing new PD solutions for STEM teachers.

What Keeps Teachers: A Systematic Review Of Induction And Early-Career Teacher Retention In Rural Schools, Bobbie Jean Mcdonough

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Teacher retention remains a persistent challenge in United States education, particularly in rural K–12 public schools. This systematic review synthesized empirical research on induction and early-career teacher retention in rural United States settings published between 2000 and 2025. Guided by a postpositivist framework and aligned with PRISMA 2020 standards, 56 studies met inclusion criteria following structured database searches and multi-stage screening. Findings across the included studies indicate that retention was most consistently associated with induction, mentoring, professional learning, responsive leadership, collegial relationships, and teachers’ integration into their school and community, with no single support appearing sufficient in isolation. Across research …

Focal Choroidal Excavation Associated With Resolved Central Serous Chorioretinopathy, Loren W. Bennett Od, Katherine M. Mehalik Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Focal choroidal excavation is a localized concavity of the choroid within the macula defined by its appearance on optical coherence tomography. The condition is typically nonprogressive and often an incidental finding. It may not impact vision, although it can be associated with other visually significant macular pathologies.

Case Report: A 48-year-old male patient presented with a recent history of blurred vision in the left eye. A dilated fundus examination revealed a discrete area of pigment mottling in the macula; both the history and clinical appearance were consistent with resolved central serous chorioretinopathy. Optical coherence tomography did not show residual …

Social Studies Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Professional Development To Support The Facilitation Of Controversial Conversations, Kristen Mast

Doctorate in Education

Funding and support for social studies instruction have dwindled in most public schools in the United States over the past two decades, leaving social studies teachers without high-quality curriculum materials and professional development opportunities. Without proper training, many social studies teachers are using ineffective instructional strategies and are not regularly utilizing best practices, including the facilitation of controversial conversations in the classroom. In a time when the political divide in the United States continues to increase, these skills can help strengthen American democracy in the long term. This study investigated professional development as a possible pathway to improve the facilitation …

Zooming Into Success: Collaborative Virtual Spaces For Dissertation Research And Pedagogy In Higher Education, Stephanie L. Brooke

International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Dissertation students face numerous challenges, including narrowing down research topics, managing scholarly writing, and overcoming writer’s block. This article explores the creation and piloting of collaborative virtual spaces designed to support dissertation mentees in their academic journey. Through this project, three distinct virtual spaces emerged, each addressing specific student needs: emotional support, academic writing, and research alignment. The development of these spaces was influenced by theory as well as workplace cultural initiatives in an online program for dissertation mentoring. Creating these collaborative virtual spaces based on student needs led to transformative best practices in virtual learning environments. This method provides …

Mentoring For Workforce Education And Development: Insights From Education And Broader Applicability, Ramiro Pesina

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

Mentoring programs are pivotal to workforce education, bridging skill gaps and fostering employee retention across industries. Although this study focuses on mentoring practices within the education sector, its findings are broadly applicable to other professions where effective mentoring supports employee onboarding, retention, and professional growth. Through qualitative interviews with mentors and mentees in a North Texas school district, this study identifies key factors contributing to successful mentoring: structured sessions, effective leadership, and prioritization of mentor-mentee relationships. While the findings underscore the universal principles of mentoring, the application of these insights across various professions warrants further research. By situating these findings …

Human-Centered Leadership Coaching For School Redesign & Career Connected Learning, Monica White

Bank Street Education Center

Focusing on the Bank Street Principal Innovation Fellowship’s first cohort, this report examines how coaching supported principals as they implemented FutureReadyNYC, the district’s career-connected learning initiative. Through case studies of four principal-coach pairs, the report identifies an emerging leadership coaching model—including key principles, practices, and outcomes—that contributed to meaningful school-level progress and offers insights for school systems seeking to use coaching to strengthen principals’ capacity to lead complex change.

The Impact Of Targeted Professional Development On Principals’ Instructional Leadership And The Cultivation Of Positive School Culture, Anastasia M. Opahle

Dissertations

Effective principal leadership is the cornerstone of effective schools, as it has been shown to increase student success. In the State of Wisconsin, there is currently no requirement for ongoing professional development for principals. This study examined the impact of professional development targeted at principal leadership on student achievement and school culture. Using a mixed methods approach, results showed principals who participated in a yearlong principal cohort indicated their leadership skills improved. The qualitative data showed the participating principals believed the targeted professional development was collaborative, reflective, relevant, and actionable. This research indicates that sustained, targeted professional development is crucial …

Transformative Experiences In A Community College Theatre Program: A Study Of Students' Growth Through A Pedagogy Of Caring, Karen J. Oster

Educational Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research examined the transformative impact of participation in a community college

theatre program on students’ sense of belonging, confidence, and personal growth. Using a

multiple case study design informed by portraiture methodology, the study focused on five

students who took part in a semester-long production of The Rocky Horror Show. Data were

collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, the researcher’s reflective journaling,

and a pre- and post-semester self-esteem survey to investigate how theatre engagement shaped

students’ social and personal experiences. The program fostered a pedagogy of care emphasizing

mentorship, individualized attention, and the cultivation of a supportive …

Complexity Mindsets, Complex Flow, And More: A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study On The Phenomenon Of Practitioners Working Within Complex Social Systems, Emma D. Stellman

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study addressed gaps in the literature regarding the application of complexity theory to complex social phenomena (CSP), for which no straightforward solutions or simple interventions exist. While complexity theory has played an important role in groundbreaking innovations in quantitative fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance, its application remains limited in human-centered developmental domains including education, social work, and healthcare. Using a grounded theory design informed by phenomenological approaches, this study examined the lived experiences of a group of six CSP practitioners, each of whom participated in two individual, semi-structured video interviews. Interview data were analyzed …

Mit 815: Ai In Education, Elodie Jones

All Open Educational Resources

MIT 815: AI in Education is a comprehensive 3-hour graduate course exploring the transformative intersection of artificial intelligence and educational practices, designed for educators, instructional designers, and leaders. The curriculum covers essential topics, including the history and foundation of AI, a framework for AI Literacy, AI ethics and safety, and practical skills for implementing and evaluating AI-driven educational solutions, including AI-based education policies or guidelines.

I Am Because We Are: A Narrative Inquiry Of Waiver Teachers’ Sense Of Belonging In Title I High Schools, Bernard Young

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative narrative inquiry examined how former waiver teachers in low-performing Title I high schools in Georgia experienced a sense of belonging within their school communities and how that sense of belonging influenced their engagement in professional learning and their perceived effectiveness in supporting student achievement. Grounded in the Belongingness Hypothesis and guided by narrative inquiry methodology, the study framed participants’ experiences through the Bildungsroman structure to explore their journeys of professional becoming. Data were collected using a life-story interview protocol that combined open-ended narrative invitations with responsive follow-up questioning and were analyzed through a multi-phase narrative inquiry process informed …

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 …