Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Gatekeeping As An Online Adjunct Clinical Instructor In Counselor Education, Bernadet Dejonge, Deborah J. Rubel, Yun Shi

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This interpretative phenomenological analysis study examined how adjunct instructors teaching online clinical counseling courses experienced gatekeeping in the context of the university system. The research question was: How do online, adjunct instructors teaching master’s level clinical counseling courses experience their university interactions as a part of gatekeeping? The participants described five experiential themes. These were: a) Balancing marginalization in the system with advocacy for the profession; b) Maneuvering through dependency on the system in gatekeeping; c) Finding consultation while navigating gatekeeping interactions; d) Managing the intensity of clinical courses; and e) Navigating the steep learning curve of learning how to …

Exploring Early Childhood Educators’ Perceptions Of Lockdown Drills: Preparedness, Training Needs, And The Balance With Social-Emotional Development, Juniper Alaska Brewer

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate early childhood educators’ perceptions of lockdown drills. It assessed feelings of preparedness, perceived training needs, and balancing safety protocols with children's social-emotional development. A multi-methods online survey was distributed to 13 early childhood educators and students in the Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE) field, collecting both quantitative and qualitative responses via Qualtrics.

Survey data showed educators strongly agreed drills prepare them for emergencies (average 4.46/5) and generally agreed drills prepare children (4.08/5), though responses were more neutral about reducing educator anxiety (3.77/5). Only one participant reported occasional training; most (7 of 13) …

From Language ‘Standards’ To Speaker Agency: Exploring Spanish Heritage Language Instructors’ Ideologies, Gabrielle Yocupicio

International Journal of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest

This study explores the language ideologies of six university-level Spanish Heritage Language (SHL) instructors in Arizona, focusing on how they reproduce or challenge standard language ideologies (SLIs) in their teaching. SLIs often devalue the language varieties spoken by SHL learners, portraying them as informal or deficient compared to a perceived “standard” Spanish. Such views can undermine learners’ confidence and linguistic agency. Using qualitative methods, including interviews and observations, the study examines how instructors’ beliefs and practices align with or diverge from critical language awareness (CLA) frameworks that promote the legitimacy of all language varieties.

Findings reveal a spectrum of ideological …

Academic Preparedness And Institutional Support For Low-Income Students: A Scoping Review Of College Success And Retention, Davina Wilson

Social Work Theses - Archive

Students from lower-funded high schools often enter college with lower levels of academic preparedness and limited access to advanced coursework, individualized advising, and extracurricular opportunities, all of which contribute to disparities in retention and academic success. These inequities, rooted in longstanding school funding gaps and systemic barriers, disproportionately affect first-generation and racially minoritized students, who may also experience cultural mismatch or isolation within college environments. This scoping review synthesizes existing research conducted by other scholars to examine how academic preparedness and institutional support services such as tutoring, mentoring, bridge programs, and college transition initiatives influence college readiness for students from …

Understanding Middle School Teachers’ Content Knowledge And Pedagogical Content Knowledge For Effective Teaching Of The Nature Of Science, Austin C. Wilson

Curriculum and Instruction (Ed.D.) Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine middle school science teachers’ knowledge of the nature of science (NOS) and their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching NOS. Developing students’ scientific literacy requires teachers who not only understand NOS but also know how to effectively integrate it into classroom instruction. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study investigated in-service middle school science teachers’ NOS content knowledge (NOS-CK), their NOS-PCK, the relationship between these two constructs, and the extent to which demographic variables predicted teacher knowledge. NOS-CK and NOS-PCK data were collected from 61 teachers in a large suburban district through the Views …

Enhancing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In Teaching And Learning For White Faculty: Can Professional Development Help?, Isabelle Jenkins

Scholarship and Professional Writing from the J.D. Power Center and Donelan Office

Pedagogies traditionally used by faculty in U.S. higher education tend to center white students and their success, simultaneously disregarding the learning strengths of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) may align better with BIPOC students; however, white faculty use of Keywords: culturally responsive pedagogy, professional development, teaching and learning, white racial consciousness CRP is limited and/or superficial. Therefore, professional development for CRP is needed to enhance and deepen the teaching and learning practices of white faculty. Using a multiple case study method, this study examines how white faculty from a diverse range of disciplines …

From Theory To Practice: A Mixed Methods Study On K-8 Teachers’ Experiences Transitioning To Urban Education, Brittini S. Piercy

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This convergent mixed methods study focused on K-8 teachers’ experiences transitioning into urban education classrooms in Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ. The aim was to better understand teachers’ reflections of their experiences and the impact made by their teacher preparation programs. Connecting with Kramer’s Reality Shock Theory (1974) and Hochschild’s Emotional Labor Theory (1983), I examined how teacher preparation programs are disconnected from the reality of urban classroom experiences. This included an analysis on teachers’ expectations versus their reality and how they are managing their emotions during these transitions. In the quantitative phase, teachers (n=48) reflected on their preparation program, …

Literacy Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Instructional Choice Within A Structured Literacy Approach, Brianna Horst

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

In the United States over the past two centuries, differing views on reading instruction have fueled public and scientific debate. In the mid-2020s, Structured Literacy has become a central focus in education policy, pre-service teacher preparation, professional development, and curricular design. While Structured Literacy offers a strong foundation for early literacy, it does not fully capture a holistic view of literacy.

This mixed-method explanatory sequential design examined teachers’ stance on Structured Literacy, their instructional practices, and self-efficacy in literacy instruction. Participants included 30 survey respondents and 5 interviewees. Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1978, 1997) informed the analysis. Phase I involved …

Twice As Good Half As Much: A Black Feminist Autoenthnography On Urban Teacher Compensation, Tyler Marie Goodwin

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study uses Black Feminist Autoethnography to examine the systemic inequities that persist in K-12 education for Black women educators within a merit-based pay system. Through self-exploration utilizing the data collection tools of journal entries, audio recordings, and self-led interviews, the author examines the impact of identity, particularly race and gender, on teacher compensation and the ability to navigate merit-based systems. The data collected highlights the challenges Black women face in education, including the impact of evaluation rubrics, the emotional toll of teaching, and the influence of student and administrative interactions. This research amplifies marginalized voices and calls for a …

Exploring Students’ Problem Framing In Historical Inquiry: Towards A Framework For Research And Instruction, Alex Honold

Education Faculty Articles

Problem framing is an essential yet under-explored aspect of problem-based historical inquiry. This study investigated how tenth-grade students in one AP US History class framed an ill-structured historical causal reasoning problem. Data included students’ written brainstorms, students’ responses to open-ended interview questions, and researcher-created causal diagrams. The analysis, grounded in both empirical data and existing literature on historiography and problem-solving, reveals three key dimensions for researching and teaching problem framing: (a) establishing the scale of the problem space, (b) identifying relevant agents and structures, and (c) establishing causal interactions. The findings underscore the importance of metacognition, particularly the need to …

Curriculum Vitae Of Philip C. Guin (1931-2007), Philip C. Guin

Collected Papers of Philip C. Guin

No abstract provided.

Cascade Approach On Teachers' Continuous Professional Development To Improve Learning Outcomes In Pre-Primary And Primary Education: Experience In The Implementation Of The F4l Project In East Africa., Fortidas Bakuza, Nyagwegwe Wango, Jane Rarieya

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

The cascade method in education is a scalable and affordable continuous professional development (CPD) strategy that entails training a subset of teachers who impart newly learned knowledge to their peers. Enhancements to teachers' knowledge and abilities are among its positive results; nonetheless, problems such as content misunderstandings show how much improvement is required. This paper presents a study that examined the efficacy of a cascading approach to teacher professional development. According to this study, the most effective training approaches emphasize reflection and experience. Thus far, the cascade approach has shown potential for improving teaching methods and fits in with the …

Usawa Na Maamuzi Katika Mafunzo Endelevu Ya Walimu Kazini Yanayowezeshwa Na Teknolojia Nchini Tanzania: Zana Za Utafiti, Chachage Kristeen, Swai Calvin, Rwambali Innocent, Hennessy Sara, Koomar Saalim, Winston Edward Massam, Jacob Winnie, Anthony Gervace, Malibiche Mustafa, Fredrick Mtenzi

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Kifurushi hiki kina zana za utafiti zilizotengenezwa na EdTech Hub, Chuo Kikuu cha Dodoma, Chuo Kikuu cha Aga Khan, na Taasisi ya Elimu Tanzania kwa ajili ya utafiti unaochunguza upanuzi na mabadiliko ya kuendana na mahitaji ya walimu na mazingira ya shule katika utekelezaji wa Mafunzo Endelevu ya Walimu Kazini (MEWAKA) unaojumuisha matumizi ya teknolojia. Katika kuandaa zana hizi, tumetumia zana zilizochapishwa katika awamu ya kwanza ya utafiti huu na mifano kutoka sehemu mbalimbali, kwa kuzingatia mifano mizuri ya utafiti kuhusu elimu. Tunaweka zana hizi zipatikane kwa watafiti wengine na watendaji tukitumai kuwa zitakuwa za manufaa. Zana hizi zinapatikana kwa …

Equity And Agency In Technology-Supported Teacher Professional Development In Tanzania: Research Instruments Pack, Chachage Kristeen, Hennessy Sara, Koomar Saalim, Swai Calvin, Winston Edward Massam, Jacob Winnie, Anthony Gervace, Malibichi Mustafa, Mutura Emmanuel, Fredrick Mtenzi

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

This pack contains links to research instruments developed by EdTech Hub, the University of Dodoma, Aga Khan University, and Tanzania Institute of Education for the second phase of a study investigating the scale-up and local contextualisation of a national technology-supported teacher professional development programme known as MEWAKA (Mafunzo Endelevu kwa Walimu Kazini, which translates as ‘teacher continuous professional development’ [TCPD] in English). The instruments draw on previously published research instruments used in Phase 1 of our research, plus examples from other sources that exemplify best practices in education research. We are making these tools available to other researchers and practitioners …

Book Review - Language Ideologies And Linguistic Identity In Heritage Language Learning., Michelle F. Ramos Pellicia

International Journal of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest

No abstract provided.

Bridging Cura: Faculty Of Color Socialization At A Jesuit Institution, Norma López, Demetri L. Morgan, Savanna Surprise

Journal of Catholic Education

This research focuses on Jesuit Catholic higher education in the United States because at the heart of this mission is encouraging all involved to navigate the discernment process and then enact considerations that vacillate between cura apostolica (care for institution) and cura personalis (care for people/society). Cura apostolica and cura personalis can be viewed as brands of institutional purposes that consistently emerge at many colleges and universities out of concerns for institutional risk aversion, protection, and sustainability amid hope for supporting people toward success in a humanizing fashion. Specifically, this research is concerned with the toll institutional concern has on …

Implementing Visual Supports Through Vocational Training Modules For Students Preparing To Exit School-Based Services, Kaitlynn Karthan

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Unemployment and underemployment remain persistent barriers for autistic and developmentally disabled individuals, with up to 75% of autistic adults in the United States experiencing difficulty obtaining or maintaining meaningful work. To address this disparity within school-based transition services, this capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of video modeling as an instructional method for vocational skill acquisition among seven young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). Grounded in the Occupational Justice framework, this study utilized a quantitative pretest–posttest–follow-up quasi-experimental design to measure accuracy and task completion time on two vocational tasks: rolling silverware and filling condiment cups. …

Teacher Practice Improvement Tool. Preliminary Version, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

School and system improvement

Research shows the profound impact teachers can have on student outcomes. The Teacher Practice Improvement Tool (TPIT) describes the practices of highly effective teachers, based on an extensive review of international research. Five domains—or aspects of practice—have been identified from this evidence. These areas of teachers’ work are strongly interrelated. The TPIT provides a point of reference for teachers to reflect on their current practices and identify areas for professional growth. This tool can be used for teacher self-reflection and to identify specific areas for further professional growth. The TPIT can also be used by aspiring teachers and other education …

Edc 3200 Infant Toddler Development, Patrice Morgan

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Implementation From Higher Education Participants In Online Course Design Professional Development, Scott B. Thesen

All Capstone Projects

Many higher education instructors treat online teaching as a modern form of correspondence, believing students learn on their own when content is placed in a learning management system, but learning also takes place through other forms of interaction beyond solely with content. To show best practices for the online modality, instructors at a Midwest regional mid-sized higher education institution participated in professional development using the Improving Your Online Course (IYOC) workshop from Quality Matters™ (QM), a globally recognized authority in best practices for online course design. Level 3 of Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation was used to evaluate the …

A Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway In A Rural, Midwest State: Perspectives Of Teacher Apprentices, Megan Schuh, Jennifer Nash, Ryan Young, David De Jong

Research & Publications

The national teacher shortage makes it challenging for principals and superintendents to hire certified teachers. To address this problem, a university in a rural state in the Midwest partnered with their state’s agencies to develop a teacher apprenticeship pathway (TAP) for 78 paraprofessionals working in the state’s public, non-public, and tribal schools. The TAP provides an organized pathway to earn a teaching degree. This study reveals the perceptions of the participants after completing their first semester. The results reveal that most experiences are positive, yet they desire more communication and help with time management. The results of this study can …

Walking On The Gray: An Existentialist Exploration Of The Possibility Of The Self In The System Of The School, Craig Pope

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the system of the modern public school, particularly at the middle school level, and its deleterious effect on the process of being and becoming a person for students and teachers. The discussion of the self being and becoming an individual is grounded in the religious existentialist philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard and Paul Tillich. For both thinkers, being and becoming an individual involves finding equilibrium between various poles – finitude versus infinitude, and necessity versus possiblity. Michel Foucault’s exploration of the prison system is put in conversation with the discipline practices of middle schools to delineate how power …

Afghan Students Are More Than Just English Learners, Farilla Saboor

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis examines the strengths that Afghan students and their families bring to U.S. schools and how these strengths are often overlooked. Drawing on my experience as an Afghan immigrant, math teacher, and bilingual instructional aide, I explore how Afghan students, parents, and teachers describe these cultural, linguistic, and relational assets that shape students’ learning and sense of belonging. I use the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Funds of Knowledge (FoK) as guiding frameworks to understand the aspirational, linguistic, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital present in participants’ experiences (Moll et al., 1992; Yosso, 2005).

I conducted qualitative interviews with …

Experiential Learning Through Simulations In Fully Online Asynchronous Courses: Exploring The Role Of Self-Debriefing, David De Jong, Sara Dexter

Research & Publications

Online preparation of professionals is increasing in higher education, which in educational leadership prepa ration programs raises the need for a means to provide authentic simulations of leadership experiences and help aspirants learn from them. This study presents a content analysis of 826 responses from 59 different school leadership students who, following each of the 14 simulations they experienced, wrote one response in an asynchronous format as a form of self-debriefing. The five themes identified map to the four phases of the experiential learning cycle (Kolb, 1984), suggesting that virtual opportunities to practice leadership in tions may serve as grounding …

Community Immersion For Homegrown Teachers: Learning “There Are Never Just Negatives…”, Elizabeth A. Skinner, Apryl Riley

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The authors describe an initiative between an urban public school district, a city college, and a college of education to establish a pipeline of teachers of color from and for the school district. The qualitative research occurred during the teacher candidates’ participation in a community immersion program. Centering the teacher candidates’ experiences and reactions to the community immersion highlights their identity, commitment to teaching, and the importance of exposing homegrown teachers to communities beyond their own. The authors discuss community-based curriculum in the preparation of teachers and consider how the experiences of teacher candidates of color impact program implementation.

Restoring Wonder: Play, Inquiry, And Humanizing Pedagogies In Early Childhood Teacher Education, Christie Angleton, Xiaoying Zhao, Robby Anggriawan

Faculty Publications - College of Education

At a writing retreat in the middle of the woods, we considered the trees. Inspired by our surroundings, we discussed possibilities for how we might demonstrate an inquiry cycle with our undergraduate teacher candidates. We considered our spaces: the buildings in which we teach our classes, the university campus, and the broader community. We reminded one another of our campus quad and its status as an arboretum, owing to the diverse variety of trees there, representing myriad species and varieties. We posed questions. “What do we have available within our reach? What do we have that students can literally touch? …

Long-Term English Learners: A Selected Annotated Bibliography For English Learner Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Long-term English Learners: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for English Learner Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of 25 annotations from recent and seminal literature regarding the education of students considered Long-term English Learners (LTELs), a subgroup of English Learners (ELs) who have not attained English language proficiency after six or more years. These annotations build on the annotations regarding LTELs in CEEL’s 2022 annotated bibliography, Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice (Center for Equity for English Learners, 2022) to include publications from 2022-2025. This selected annotated bibliography serves as a resource …

Language Ideologies In Coloniality Contexts: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Efl Teachers’ Experiences And Perceptions On The Use Of Learners’ Language Repertoire As Assets For Teaching And Learning, Kountiala J. Some

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examined how dominant language ideologies in language politics and policy shape the professional identity development and pedagogical practices of five English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Burkina Faso. The study sought to understand how these ideologies influence teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of multilingual pedagogical approaches, as well as possible pathways for deconstructing them to promote student-centered practices. The participants’ accounts revealed that their academic and professional identities were largely shaped by the belief that home languages hinder proficiency in French and English. They recalled with remorse their elementary school experiences, where speaking native languages …

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.

Teaching Local Difficult History Through Primary Sources: Exploring Tensions In Teachers’ Pedagogical Reasoning, Alex Honold, Logan Eiland

Education Faculty Articles

Teaching about local, difficult pasts can center students, their communities, and civic action. However, doing so poses personal and professional challenges. Drawing from Critical Historical Inquiry and Activity Theory, this study explored how six experienced secondary social studies teachers reasoned about selecting primary sources to teach the history of policing and activism in Detroit. As teachers developed their text-sets, they navigated a variety of tensions related to their instructional goals, beliefs, and knowledge of students’ identities and communities. We focus on two common areas of tension: how to teach the racialized history of Detroit policing while positioning students as sense-makers …