Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Unearthing Green Potential: Assessing The State Of Managed Urban Landscape Curricula In Minnesota’S Higher Education Institutions, Michael R. Barnes, Heana A. Campagna, Becky Haddad, Eric Watkins

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

As urbanization increases, managed urban landscapes are frequently the mode through which people experience nature and where careers in natural resources are increasing. There is a lack of knowledge related to curricula and programs where students are exposed to managed urban landscapes and careers related to them. We aimed to evaluate the current status of managed urban landscape curricula (MULC) in undergraduate programs in Minnesota through a systematic investigation of programs and courses at higher education institutions. All undergraduate courses offered by included higher education institutions were reviewed to determine the presence, absence, or possibility of MULC based on the …

Reflections Of “Use Of Comics In Social Studies Education” Course: The Opinion And Experiences Of Teachers, Genç Osman İlhan, Maide Şin

SANE journal: Sequential Art Narrative in Education

It is well known that a quality teacher education is necessary for qualified education. Teachers must be well-trained in multiple areas and have an open-minded structure. They must develop strategies based on the lesson and students, which needs effective material development and use. The materials to be used could be prepared by others and can be incorporated into the classroom setting or teachers could design and present them to students, which is essential for the quality of instruction. When a teacher creates and effectively employs instructional materials, his/her self-confidence will increase and teaching will be enriched and made easier. Comics …

Course Portfolio For Biochemistry 1: Structure And Metabolism (Bioc431), Didier Mena

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This benchmark portfolio encapsulates a comprehensive exploration aimed at enhancing the educational landscape of the BIOC431 course, a part of the general biochemistry course series (431 and 432). These courses are designed to offer a general introduction to the structure and function of cells in the body, along with their chemical reactions. Specifically, BIOC431 focuses on the structure, function, and metabolism of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and other major metabolic pathways. The three primary objectives addressed in this portfolio were the reevaluation of learning objectives, reassessment of assessment methods, and documentation of effective classroom strategies. Through background design, the learning objectives …

Converting Mass And Energy Balance Chemical Engineering Concepts Into Fundamentals Of Environmental Engineering (Enve 210), Kaycie Lane

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This evaluation of teaching examined the Fall 2023 semester of ENVE 210: Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering. The purpose of this study was to change the format of the class from a lecture-based to a flipped classroom approach through the use of pre-lectures, in-class problem sets and group work activities. In addition, this study aimed to better adapt chemical engineering textbook content related to mass and energy balances to environmental engineering by creating new environmental engineering specific and sustainable development problems. The study learning outcomes proved difficult to implement and evaluate in a hybrid distance learning class and will require future …

Measuring Mobility: A Quantitative Description Of Sbae Teacher Mobility In Minnesota, Becky Haddad, Lavyne L. Rada, Amy R. Smith

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

Considerations around teacher attrition, supply and demand, and retention are incomplete without including teacher mobility. The problem, as it currently stands, finds SBAE ill-equipped, at the professional level, to support mobile teachers. Providing support, however, starts with understanding the population; in this case, mobile teachers. The purpose of our study was to quantitatively describe teacher mobility in [State] over the last 20 years (1999-2021). To describe SBAE teacher mobility in our state, we utilized teacher retention data compiled from state teacher directories over the last 20 years (1999-2021). We corroborated previous findings noting heightened attrition after year one in a …

Science Teachers’ Initial Use Of Ngss Science Practices In Diverse Classrooms, Amy Tankersley, Elizabeth Hasseler, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Lyrica Lucas, Brandon Helding

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In the landscape of U.S. education, the widespread adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offers a unique vantage point for researchers to better understand teacher-, school- and classroom-level factors that advance reform initiatives in science classrooms. Addressing a gap in current knowledge, our study probes how secondary science teachers implement one dimension of NGSS - the science practices (SPs). Our data collection encompasses teacher interviews and meticulous observations of science lessons, coded for NGSS science practices (SPs) and inquiry-based teaching. Embracing a methodologically rich approach, our study employs both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. Quantitatively, we …

Researching Teacher Self-Efficacy: Linking Self-Efficacy To Teacher Effectiveness, Persistence And Retention, Sarah Haines, Deepika Menon, Jeanna R. Wieselmann, Sumreen Asim

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Introduction

Self-efficacy is an important construct in teacher education. Applied to teacher education, self-efficacy is a key variable that influences preservice teachers’ beliefs within teacher preparation programs, which further influences teacher effectiveness, persistence, and retention in the field. In this poster, we propose a model, guided by the prior literature, with the goal of generating a set of recommendations and guidelines for researchers working in the field of self-efficacy.

Udl As A Framework For Expanding Liaison Work And Engaging With Students, Erica Defrain

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Faculty Publications

This chapter examines the development of a series of virtual workshops designed to strengthen research and information strategies in the social sciences. Guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—emphasizing equity, flexibility, and simplicity—the program evolved into both a successful synchronous learning experience and a sustainable suite of asynchronous instructional objects accessible across the university. Now in its third semester, the workshops have expanded beyond traditional liaison boundaries, increasing awareness of library resources and services throughout the academic community. The chapter details the iterative process of developing, designing, and assessing the workshops through a UDL framework, highlighting pedagogical …

Initial Growth Of Inclusive Knowledge And Leadership Practices By Science Education Teacher-Leaders, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Elizabeth Hasseler, Rachel Benzoni, Gina S. Matkin

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Introduction & Rationale for Study

● Science teachers are integral to the success of science education reform. ● Science education needs leaders from all parts of the field and system. ● However, science teachers have not been well-positioned for leadership.

Grant-funded Project & Study Focus

Project Phases, Objectives, & Timeline

Conceptual Framework

ACESSE Framework for Equitable Science Learning

Literature Review

Methodology: Approach, Research Question, & Participants, Data Sources & Analytic Methods

Noyce MTFs’ Science Teaching Experience & Certifications

MTFs’ School and District Demographics

Summary of MTFs’ Most Common Leadership Activities

Research Instrument and Analytic Lens

Cohort 1 & 2 Baseline …

A Meta-Synthesis Of The Literature On Science And Engineering Teaching Self-Efficacy: Current Gaps And Future Research Directions, Deepika Menon, Jeanna R. Wieselmann, Sarah Haines, Sumreen Asim

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Self-efficacy is a topic of great interest in elementary preservice and inservice teacher education given that elementary teachers often have low self-efficacy for STEM teaching. In this article, we synthesize the existing literature on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy to (1) explore trends in science and engineering teaching self-efficacy research, (2) identify current gaps that exist in the literature, and (3) propose a visual model to provide future direction in research. Utilizing a qualitative meta-synthesis, we analyzed 88 articles focused on science and engineering teaching self-efficacy. Of these articles, 66 studied preservice teachers, 21 studied inservice teachers, and one included …

A Science Teacher’S Experiences When Fostering Intercultural Competence Among Students In Multilingual Classrooms: A Narrative Study, Uma Ganesan, Amanda R. Morales

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Increased globalization of the world economy, growth in human migration, and rapid devel-opments in science and technology have required people to develop intercultural commu-nication skills. Teachers play a crucial role in developing intercultural competence among students in our globalized, multilingual classrooms. The need for fostering collaborative discourse among students with diverse cultural and linguistic repertoires and building in-tercultural competence among students is a common blind spot in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics teacher praxis. This can inhibit efforts to cultivate safe and supportive learning environments for all students and can ultimately threaten multilingual student success. As part of a larger …

Mentoring Student Teachers For Ambitious And Inclusive Science Teaching, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Elizabeth Hasseler, Karen Covil, Amy Tankersley, Susan Frack

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Introduction: TPP Problem of Practice

Preparing Science Teachers for Teaching in Culturally Diverse Schools ● National average of 70% higher science teacher turnover in Title I versus non-Title I schools (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017). ● Mismatch between teacher and student demographics; national teacher workforce is overwhelmingly white (and female) and a student population that has become increasingly racially and ethnically diverse. ● Longer, supervised teacher preparation internships have been linked to higher retention rates of new teachers (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017), but… with more science teachers retiring, there are also fewer master science teachers to mentor preservice teachers.

Context: Our …

Investigating Preservice Secondary Teachers’ Understanding And Enactment Of The Standards‑Based Practices During Microteaching, Deepika Menon, Diana S. Chang, Rosetta W. Ngugi

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

Reform efforts in K–12 science education have been gaining pace ever since the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The new vision calls for reconsidering teacher preparation programs to prepare future teachers who are confident and competent in delivering NGSS-based instruction. This study investigated the development of 27 preservice secondary science and mathematics teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge and skills as they understand, interpret, and implement the NGSS, particularly science and engineering practices (SEPs), within the context of microteaching during a STEM methods course. Primary data sources include 12 videos of 40-minute-long microteaching lessons, self-reflections, semistructured and focus-group interviews, and …

Collaborative Aesthetic Experiences And Teacher Learners: Arts-Practice Research In A Teacher Education Classroom, Theresa A. Catalano, Inoussa Malgoubri, Jennifer Bockerman, Hector Palala Martínez, Mackayla Kelsey, Leonardo Brandolini, Ilia Shcherbakov

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This paper explores the experiences of six teacher learners and one teacher educator in a graduate course on aesthetic education at a Midwestern university in the U.S. Using collective autoethnography and arts-practice research, the researcher/participants examine how aesthetic experiences were activated in the learning environment and how this activation supported the development of transformational rethinking that led to the changing of formed habits of teaching. Findings reveal how aesthetic teacher education can be therapeutic, aid in building connections between the teacher and students (and among students), inspire wonder and discovery, facilitate the valuing and including of cultural and linguistic backgrounds …

That’S Not In My Position Description: A Discourse Analysis Of Sbae Migratory Context, Becky Haddad, Jonathan Velez, Josh Stewart, Haden Botkin

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Faculty Publications

While the choice to move to a new school is personal, many play a role in justifying that choice for the mobile teacher. These justifiers—or influencers—make up the socializing network for teachers (in this case, SBAE teachers) in new settings. Our study outlined how mobile SBAE teachers rationalize the choice to change schools and validate career moves. We used a positioning theory approach to discourse to give migrators (teachers who change schools) and influencers a voice. Positioning theory allowed us to situate migrators as they reflected on their choice to change school districts, and influencers as they recounted their …

Currere As Contemporary Art: Weaving Creative Research, Purposeful Vulnerability, And Poetic Expression To Nurture Teacher Self-Knowledge, Kimberley D'Adamo

Kimberley D'Adamo: Art, Curriculum, Publications, and Other Scholarly Works

Statement, first paragraph:

Pinar’s currere process offers educators supports for engaging in honest self-reflection to develop liberatory practices and tools to facilitate purposeful vulnerability. Currere scaffolds a transformative journey, enabling educators to explore their educational past, interpret it in their current context, and use those personal and pedagogical insights to envision alternative educational futures. In many ways, currere is about identifying and developing one’s own authentic voice, which appeals to me as both an educator and artist.

Methodologizing Transnationality: Relational Writing As Collective Inquiry, Sun Young Lee, Minhye Son, Taeyeon Kim, Jin Kyeong Jung, Soo Bin Jang

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

How can we take transnationality as a space of in-betweenness to generate new possibilities, moving beyond geographically bounded spans between countries? This article presents five authors’ collective inquiry on transnational positionalities, which we practiced through the relational, transformative, and reflective writing of the self in a community space. We staged the collaborative writing into two processes: the emergent process of thematic writing and the relay writing. Interweaving “I” and “we” voices that cannot be captured through categorical thinking, our collaborative quest resists normative identity politics, proposing writing as a method of collective inquiry for the nuanced understanding of the transnationality …

Navigating Emotional Discomfort In Developing Equity-Driven School Leaders: A Conceptual-Pedagogical Framework, Taeyeon Kim, James Wright

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Abstract

Background: Given that K–12 schools necessitate leaders who can advance equity and justice, preparation programs in higher education institutions have prioritized the development of eq-uity-oriented school leaders. However, there has been relatively limited exploration of peda-gogical approaches that equip educational leaders to navigate adverse emotional responses and utilize their discomforting emotions as a source of transformation toward equity-oriented principles. When negative emotions are suppressed and/or unexplored within leadership de-velopment programs, adult learners will likely miss crucial opportunities for personal growth and transformative change.

Purpose: This theoretical article aims to enhance and expand existing scholarship on the ped-agogies …

English 890: Advanced Research Methods, A First Benchmark Portfolio, Janel Simons

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

In this benchmark portfolio, I reflect on course design and student learning in a course I teach for incoming Master's students in the English department, ENGL 890: Advanced Research Methods. ENGL 890 is a mini-session course intended to introduce students to various aspects of managing graduate-level research within the discipline of English studies. In this portfolio, I discuss the learning outcomes and goals for the course, highlight some of the assessments I use, reflect on student learning throughout the course, and articulate changes that might improve student learning in future iterations of the course. Given the overarching goals of this …

First Course Portfolio For Tmfd 213: Merchandising I: Textile And Apparel Industry, Na Young Jung

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio presents a comprehensive overview of TMFD 213: Merchandising I, a foundational course in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The course is designed to equip students with critical thinking, analytical skills, and industry-specific knowledge necessary for professional success in the textile and apparel industry. The portfolio outlines the course’s objectives, teaching methodologies, and the impact of instructional strategies on student learning outcomes. It includes detailed analyses of quantitative and qualitative data collected through pre- and post-test surveys, assignments, and reflections. Quantitative results demonstrate significant improvements in key areas such as familiarity …

A Reflexive Interrogation Of Teaching A Course On Administrative Theory To First-Semester Ma Students, Milad Mohebali

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio captures the product of a year-long reflexive process on the teaching of a course on administrative theory in educational organizations (EDAD 830) to first year MA students. This class is offered Online and is delivered asynchronously, to students who are largely full-time professionals. Section one focuses on the use of backward design strategy for designing this course, while also highlighting the tensions and dilemmas for designing the course, particularly around theory and context, as well as the need to teach students how to engage in class. Section two highlights the pedagogical, instructional, and evaluative design of the course. …

Exploring Teacher Leadership’S Effect On Teacher Burnout: Does School Rurality Make A Difference?, Jiangang Xia, Sam Butler

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

In literature, both teacher leadership and teacher burnout have been heavily studied. However, it is unknown to what extent teacher leadership makes a difference in teacher burnout, and whether school rurality makes a difference in between. This study fills the research gaps by conceptualising teacher leadership from both instructional and non-instructional dimensions and applying a quantitative method to large-scale national data. Findings revealed that (a) rural teachers presented higher levels of teacher leadership practices; (b) rural and non-rural teachers presented the same levels of burnout; and (c) both instructional and noninstructional dimensions of teacher leadership practices helped reduce teacher burnout …

Understanding The Impact Of Pedagogical Changes In An Honors Activism Course: A Case Study, Aaron Peeksmease

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The purpose of this portfolio is to document learning outcomes after initiating three pedagogical changes in an Honors Sociology of Activism course taught at UNL in both the Fall of 2022 and Fall of 2023. The first change was to provide students with prior student work of an assignment to see if student performance on the assignment improved. Findings indicated that providing examples of previous student work did not raise grades on the overall assignment, but did result in stronger projects for that one aspect of the overall assignment. The second change examined the impact of introducing reading quizzes and …

Steps For Starting A Professional Learning Community (Plc): A Literature Review, John T. Sutton

PROSPECT S-STEM

There are a number of steps that can influence and inform the creation, development, and growth of a professional learning community (PLC). It isn’t necessary to use a lock-step approach, rather it is cyclical and evolving. The steps take into consideration and accommodates the context of the institution and the need to improve for a variety of reasons. The steps allow for quick wins and changes that require significant time, research, and resolution. Always with a plan that reflects member and institutional priorities. It is hoped that by identifying what has been consistently identified as important steps to the success …

Gaps In Teacher Professional Development For Technology-Supported Learning: Implications For School Leaders And Policymakers, Steven Bingham

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of mobile technology integration in K-12 classrooms from the teacher’s perspective. This research was intended to help understand how mobile devices are being integrated into the classroom, including recommendations for teachers, school administrators, policymakers, and future researchers

K–12 Teachers Perspectives On Mobile Technology Integration: A Qualitative Study, Steven Justin Bingham

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Theses and Other Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of mobile technology integration in K-12 classrooms from the perspective of classroom teachers during the 2022-2023 school year. The increase in mobile technologies being utilized in schools made it imperative to understand how mobile devices are being integrated into the classroom from the teacher’s perspective. The central research question was, how do teachers at K-12 schools in the Midwest describe their perception and usage of mobile technology integration in teaching and learning?

The data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with fourteen participants from one school district in the …

Why Domain-Specific Science Knowledge Matters In Teacher Certification: Focusing On Evidence For Effective Science Teaching (Revised Version), Elizabeth B. Lewis, Lyrica L. Lucas, Amy Tankersley, Elizabeth Hasseler

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

The landscape of teacher preparation is complex. From a research perspective, how to prepare teachers presents as a multilevel, multivariable puzzle. For decades, federal and state policymakers, educational researchers, and administrators, along with teacher education institutions, school districts, and other stakeholders have tried to determine and measure the key malleable factors that result in effective teaching (NRC, 2010).

Periodically, state departments of education review secondary science teaching endorsement policy guidelines. As revisions occur, teacher educators in higher education and district administrators need to engage in a multidisciplinary discussion about:

1. the ways in which strong domain-specific science content knowledge contributes …

Ecuadorian English Teachers’ Perspectives On Their Professional Development, Consuelo Marisol Gallardo

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Professional development (PD) plays an important role in one’s ability to perform at a high level in a job (Mizell, 2010). As such, an increased emphasis on ongoing and varied PD opportunities to support educator’s professional growth has been described as an effective approach since it pays direct dividends for teachers’ self-efficacy and prepares them to help students surpass basic academic standards (Anderson, 2018; Borg, 2018; Tanveer et al., 2021).

However, PD opportunities for English teachers, who work at Ecuadorian public high schools (grades 8-13), have not been fully explored, so it has been difficult to seek and achieve this …

K-12 Teachers' Perspectives On Mobile Technology Integration: A Qualitative Study, Steven Justin Bingham

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop an understanding of mobile technology integration in K–12 classrooms from the perspective of classroom teachers during the 2022-2023 school year. The increase in mobile technologies being utilized in schools made it imperative to understand how mobile devices are being integrated into the classroom from the teacher’s perspective. The central research question was, how do teachers at K–12 schools in the Midwest describe their perception and usage of mobile technology integration in teaching and learning? The data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with fourteen participants from one school district in the …

Queer Perspectives On Mentorship In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Anthony T. Fucci

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This qualitative study explored the way in which LGBTQ+ college students experienced mentorship. Despite improvements in LGBTQ+ rights over the last 50+ years, recent scholarship has shown that queer students still face unique challenges, including discrimination and harassment based on their queer identity. Mentorship has been found to be an effective resource for assisting marginalized student populations transition successfully into college. The purpose of this study was to investigate how LGBTQ+ students experienced mentorship in order to better understand how these relationships may (or may not) contribute to their experience on college campuses. A phenomenological research design and queer theory …