Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Wikipedia In The Classroom: From Orientation To Application, Kristen L. Hodnett

Open Educational Resources

"Wikipedia in the Classroom: From Orientation to Application" is a flexible mini-unit designed to help early-career teachers rethink how open web tools can be used in the classroom. Built for graduate teacher preparation programs, the unit breaks learning into 15- to 45-minute micro-lessons spread across a semester. This structure gives future educators low-stakes, repeated opportunities to build digital literacy without taking time away from core course content.

The curriculum walks students through a clear, three-phase framework:

• Orientation & Exploration: Students unpack how Wikipedia actually works—from talk pages to sourcing standards—while examining missing voices, bias, and who gets to create knowledge …

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Teaching Third Graders To Read Multisyllable Words: Segmentation Versus Whole Word Reading, Jolie D. Heath

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the early years of elementary school when children are still learning to read, they are presented with words of increased syllable length, and orthographic and morphological complexity in the texts they read.  Although multisyllabic words comprise 90% of words in the English lexicon and carry important linguistic information for expanding vocabularies and comprehension of content, few studies have focused on teaching middle elementary children to read multisyllabic words.  Many children lack strategies to identify these longer more complex words accurately and easily, leading to reading difficulties that place weaker readers at higher risk for school related problems and limit …

"It Comes Back To My Identity, It's Who I Am": Sustaining Mid-Career Latine Bilingual Teachers, Soarlyn Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the factors motivating mid-career (4–15 years) in New York City (NYC) to stay in the profession beyond the novice years (1–3 years), as well as the challenges they face. Utilizing self-determination theory and language ideologies as theoretical frameworks, this study captures the motivating factors and challenges of 15 mid-career bilingual teachers across NYC. Findings indicated that relationships with students and colleagues, professional growth, supportive administrators, and alignment between language ideologies and program structures served as motivating factors to remain in the profession by reinforcing teachers’ sense of relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Motivating factors that supported …

Stories Of Social Transformation And Resistance: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Culturally Sustaining Practices Of Teachers Of Color, Daniel E. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, persistent inequities in schooling have intensified the need for asset-based  frameworks, such as culturally sustaining pedagogies (CSP), to support students from  communities that have been historically racialized and minoritized. At the same time, growing  political and social resistance to practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has created  barriers for schools and teachers seeking to implement culturally responsive approaches to  teaching and learning. Using narrative inquiry, this dissertation explores the stories of three culturally  sustaining teachers of color to understand how they enact resistance and pursue social  transformation in their classrooms and schools. Through an examination …

Pedagogy Of Care: Exploring Climate Justice Frameworks In Cuny Undergraduate Courses, Ismerlyn Gonzalez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Climate justice centers the human rights of communities most impacted by the climate crisis rather than solely focusing on the scientific aspects of environmental challenges and disasters. Higher education institutions play a key role in advancing climate justice education, but research shows that frameworks are not consistently defined across institutions. The IRB-approved study that produced the findings in this capstone sought to explore how climate justice frameworks are implemented at the CUNY undergraduate level and learn more about the instructors delivering these courses. From February to April 2026, instructors from different CUNY undergraduate campuses were surveyed, interviewed, and asked to …

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 …

Software Engineering: Ai-Enhanced Full Stack Development, Huixin Wu, Haiying Xiao

Open Educational Resources

This course provides instruction in full‑stack web application development using modern JavaScript technologies. Students design, implement, and deploy web‑based solutions while applying AI‑assisted development tools in an ethical and effective manner. The curriculum emphasizes problem‑solving, system design, teamwork, and industry‑standard best practices, with dedicated focus on cloud‑native development—including containerization, distributed services, and modern deployment pipelines—as well as API‑first architecture, enabling students to build scalable, maintainable, and interoperable applications aligned with current industry expectations.

Cs4autism: Supporting Neurodivergent Students In Computer Science Pathways Beyond High School, Darlene Bowman

Open Educational Resources

Students on the autism spectrum are increasingly participating in computer science (CS) education at the K-12 level. However, the transition from high school to postsecondary education, employment, or technical training remains a significant challenge.

This resource provides educators, counselors, and program coordinators with practical strategies to support autistic students as they navigate pathways in computer science beyond high school. It emphasizes inclusive practices, structured supports, and strengths-based approaches aligned with neurodiversity.

Edu 31 Introduction To Learning Disabilities And Inclusive Education Syllabus, Moet Bolden

Open Educational Resources

The syllabus for EDU 31 contains a course description, course objectives, course readings divided by week and links to ZTC readings.

Edu 40 Field Work Seminar, Tonya L. Johnson

Open Educational Resources

The syllabus for EDU 30 contains a course description, course objectives, course readings divided by week and links to OER textbooks and ZTC readings.

A Phenomenologically Informed Study Of Black Male Preservice Teachers’ Lived Experiences: Professional Socialization, Social Representation, And The Redesign Of Teacher Education For Equity, William A. Anders

Student Theses

This qualitative research explores the experiences of Black male preservice teachers in New York City’s teacher education programs. To examine the underrepresentation of Black male preservice teachers, the research employs Critical University Studies and Critical Race Theory to investigate the institutional barriers they face. Using semi-structured interviews with seven participants and reflexive thematic analysis, the findings revealed six paramount themes: Pathways in Teaching, Representation and Identity, Experiences in Teacher Education, Racial Bias and Institutional Challenges, the Role of Mentorship and Support Networks, and Teaching Philosophy.

Participants described the challenges that Black male preservice teachers face, including isolation, economic hardships, unsuitable …

The Role Of White Racial Identity Development In Leadership Practices: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study In White Educational Leaders, Kaitlyn Ryan

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how white educational leaders experience and make meaning of their racial identity development as they lead adult professional learning focused on racial equity and culturally responsive practice. Grounded in Helms’s White Racial Identity Development (WRID) model and guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study explored the lived experiences of ten white leaders across PK–12 and Institution of Higher Education (IHE). Data were collected through three semi‑structured interviews per participant and analyzed using IPA’s six‑step process. Five major themes emerged: transformational experiences that shifted leaders’ understanding of race and privilege; the critical role of white affinity …

Finding Black Joy: Understanding How Black Students Are Seen, Affirmed, And Nourished In Expanded Learning Opportunities., Jamila Mosley

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines how Black students experience Black joy within expanded learning opportunity (ELO) programs and how those programs are structured to nurture that joy. It is guided by the central research question: How do Black students describe the ways in which an expanded learning opportunity program fosters their joy through experiences of being seen, affirmed, and nourished? Using an instrumental case study design at two secondary schools, the study draws on semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observations of students participating in robotics, debate, Sister Circle, cheer, basketball, and creative writing. Data were analyzed through multiple cycles of coding, first …

Education First Year Seminar, Edf101 Fall 2025: Syllabus, Givanni Ildefonso-Sánchez

Open Educational Resources

The Education First Year Seminar (EDF 101) is required of all new students majoring in Education. Its goals are to introduce students to the liberal arts, campus culture, and the education field. The course also aims to develop a better understanding of the learning process and acquire essential academic skills. Taught by ELA faculty and supported by Peers Advisors and co-curricular professionals, this course addresses issues related to contemporary college life and to the field of education (birth through 12th Grade).

Entering college marks the beginning of a journey towards greater knowledge, the discovery of a new identity as a …

Foundations In Bilingual Education, Eln123, Fall 2025: Syllabus, Bede Mccormack

Open Educational Resources

Foundations of Bilingual Education (ELN123) is a writing intensive course that requires students to be engaged in several high and low stakes writing activities throughout the semester. This requirement will be fulfilled through several informal written assignments and a formal written assignment. Course topics include cultural, psychological, socioeconomic, linguistic, cognitive and curricular factors that affect the academic achievement of emergent bilingual students. It introduces the philosophical, legal, and sociological aspects of bilingual education, and prepares reflective educators through the use of a teacher education ePortfolio. It also satisfies the Urban Studies requirement at LaGuardia. This course is equivalent to a …

Enjoyment In The Classroom: Reciprocal Student-Teacher Dynamics In Israeli Math Education, Yonaton Gutterman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Enjoyment is increasingly recognised as a keystone emotion in contemporary models of academic motivation and learning (Pekrun, 2006; Ryan & Deci, 2020). Grounded in Control-Value, Expectancy-Value, and Self-Determination theories, the present study tracked reciprocal affective processes in Israeli mathematics classrooms across ten lessons. Seven teachers and their 257 students (112 fourth-graders; 145 eighth-graders) completed parallel post-lesson questionnaires assessing feedback use, enjoyment, and perceived difficulty. Multilevel ordinal mixed-effects models, latent-growth curve models, and Bayesian random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were estimated to disentangle within-person fluctuations from between-person differences (Hamaker et al., 2015). Confirmatory-factor analyses supported scalar invariance of the key scales over …

Aligning Novice Special Educators Classroom Practices, Mentoring Support, And Needs With Discrit Classroom Ecology, Kaitlyn Stillwagon

Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study investigates the alignment of novice special educators’ classroom practices, mentoring supports, and expressed needs with DisCrit Classroom Ecology. Situated in a large, urban city in the Northeast United States, this study centers the experiences of novice special educators and their mentors to examine this alignment to uncover gaps and best practices for improved mentoring support for novice special educators. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom artifacts, and teacher reflection journals. Thematic analysis using both deductive and inductive coding revealed that novice special educators demonstrated emerging entry points toward DisCrit aligned practices, particularly in the use …

Predicting Secondary Mathematics-For-Teaching Knowledge Using Beliefs, Experience, And School Culture: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis, Adam R. Brulhardt

Theses and Dissertations

Research in recent decades has supported the notion that practice-based mathematical knowledge is crucial for effective teaching, playing an important role in enacting reform-oriented instruction required for improving student achievement. Despite its importance, teachers—especially novices—require more support in acquiring such knowledge, an ongoing challenge exacerbated by teacher shortages. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether collaborative school culture (CSC) explained variance in knowledge of algebra for teaching (KAT) beyond variance explained by mathematics-related beliefs and years of teaching experience for U.S. secondary teachers. Measures within an online Qualtrics survey included the Beliefs About Mathematics and Teaching Scale …

Historical, Philosophical, And Social Foundations Of Education, Ashraf A. Shady

Open Educational Resources

This course is designed to examine the historical, philosophical, and sociological foundations of American education. Attention will be paid to comparative analysis of past and contemporary historical, philosophical, and sociological factors that continue to influence and shape education decision-making. Theoretical analysis of major educational ideas and practices in the United States will be explored. 3hr.; 3cr.; 25 hr. field experience.

SEYS 201W is aligned with the core values of the education unit, which promote equity, excellence, and ethics in urban schools and communities. More specifically, the Education Unit is committed to preparing teachers and other school professionals who:

• Build …

Diversity Initiatives In Higher Education: Understanding The Experiences Of Black Males In Cuny’S Nyc Men Teach, Fatima Sherif

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This qualitative study examines the experiences of Black males in New York City Men Teach (NYCMT), a diversity initiative designed to increase the representation of Black male educators. Despite efforts, Black men remain underrepresented in education. Drawing from narrative-inquiry and guided by Critical Race theory and the Radical Care framework, this research explores how participants experience NYCMT and what their stories reveal about the effectiveness of diversity initiatives. Data from Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, revealing five key themes: community, financial benefits, mentoring, professional development, and challenges. Findings show that while NYCMT offers critical emotional, financial, and structural …

A Seat At The Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist And Womanist Theory, Natasha M. Capers

Student Theses

“A Seat at the Schoolhouse Table: Reimagining Education Through Afrofuturist and Womanist Theory” critically examines how curriculum, even when well-intentioned, can perpetuate harm by excluding the lived experiences of marginalized communities—especially Black, Indigenous, and LGBTQIA+ students. Using a real middle school immigration assignment given to the author's son as a case study, this capstone deconstructs the structural biases embedded in curriculum design and proposes a radical reimagining through the liberatory lenses of Afrofuturism and Womanism. Blending scholarly inquiry, personal narrative, and community-based interviews, this project offers a restructured assignment that centers joy, identity, and speculative storytelling as tools for educational …

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

Language And Literacy In Early Childhood Education: Hybrid Syllabus, Michele De Goeas-Malone

Open Educational Resources

Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education is a capstone course, which means it is a core course in the education degree that offers students nearing graduation the opportunity to integrate their learning to help them address issues in education related to the development of language and literacy from birth to 8 years of age. This course is also a writing intensive course. That means that you will be engaged in several high and low stakes writing activities throughout the semester.

This course is designed to promote your understanding of the importance of issues concerning language and literacy in early …

Oer Learning In Disguise Toolkit, Alessandra Early, Nicole Mckenna

Open Educational Resources

The OER Learning in Disguise Toolkit, created by Doctors Alessandra Early and Nicole McKenna, is a series of learning materials that ask students to apply key criminal justice concepts to arenas like social media or popular culture, emphasizing media literacy, active reading, and creative thinking. The toolkit includes an introduction; five assignment descriptions (each divided into an instructor-facing section with notes on how to explain the assignment, and a student-facing section with the sample assignment description); one in-class activity; and an appendix with additional readings and materials.

Embracing Language Diversity: An Exploration Of Elementary Teachers' Perception Of African American English, Manijeh Hart

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Students of African descent often speak in a dialect that differs from the Dominant American English (DAE) dialect, known as African American English (AAE). Since this dialect is not considered mainstream, students who speak and write in this dialect may be at a disadvantage when being assessed on literacy skills and responding to literacy instruction. However, it is possible to address this issue by preparing and supporting teachers in recognizing AAE use in literacy activities and providing them with instructional strategies to support students who use AAE. The goal of this research was to investigate the perceptions that elementary school …

Navigating Climate Action: The River As Teacher For Eco-Literacy, Educational Regeneration And Creative Participation, Bibi (Silvina) Calderaro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cultures' engagements with land and its more-than-human elements reveal their attitudes toward these dimensions, spanning a spectrum from reciprocal to transactional practices. In time, these engagements form a body of knowledges that nurtures the culture and its land, or arrests their vital and diverse qualities. This research project aims to bring to light how the different ways of engaging with and relating to land are embedded in knowledge production, distribution and communication—in short, in general educational endeavors and their philosophies—to promote a better understanding of the principles of eco-literacy. Additionally, a purpose of this project is to provide insights into …

Chatgpt Didn’T Write This: Evaluating The Impact Of Llms With A Case Study In Grading Cuny Language Immersion Program Student Essays, Benjamin Inbar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study evaluates the capabilities and limitations of large language models (LLMs), specifically OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o, in grading essays from students in the City University of New York’s Language Immersion Program. The program serves English language learners with diverse linguistic and demographic backgrounds, offering intensive language instruction to prepare students for academic success in college. Using a dataset of 30 pre- and post-program essays scored by program instructors and ChatGPT-4o under three paradigms, this research explores the alignment between human and AI-generated scores across five rubric-based competency areas. Findings reveal that ChatGPT-4o aligns moderately with human grading, with the strongest agreement …

Centering Equity In An Ai-Generated Literacy Read Aloud Lesson Plan Brought To Life By Preservice Teachers, Denise Farrelly

Open Educational Resources

This resource is a series of in-class activities geared toward preservice teachers (PSTs) focused on how to center equity in their instructional planning and lesson implementation. PSTs will be able to use a generative AI tool to select an appropriate read aloud book and create the framework for a literacy lesson plan that stems from their own students’ interests. While AI will generate the learning objectives, standards, and basic procedures for the lesson plan, the PSTs will integrate the student-centered and culturally-responsive elements such as meaningful and engaging questioning, activities, and assessments. PSTs will consider these factors as they revise …

Edc 3200 Infant Toddler Development, Patrice Morgan

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Empowering Faculty With Open Education: A Three Week Training In Oer, Ztc And Open Pedagogy At Bronx Community College, Michael Kahn

Publications and Research

This poster defines Open Educational Resources, Zero Textbook Cost courses and Open Pedagogy and the course structure of the 2025 OER/ZTC faculty training delivered at Bronx Community College.