Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

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 …

Revisiting The Hidden Symmetries Of The Multiplication Table, Zoheir Barka

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In previous work, we have explored some of the symmetries hidden in the multiplication tables of natural numbers and integers. In this article, we dive deeper into the hidden symmetries within the distribution of positive and negative integers. We also share various ideas to explore these symmetries in a classroom setting, encouraging active engagement and deeper understanding among students.

Near-Peer Student-Run Virtual Stem Summer Camp: Lessons Learned, Andrew Lee, Jeremy Reynolds, Margaret Reynolds, Freda Li, Lubjana Beshaj

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The United States Military Academy is uniquely positioned to contribute to our nation’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outreach initiatives. As one of the country’s most highly regarded undergraduate engineering schools, the institution receives a steady influx of Cadet near-peer mentors who volunteer to lead STEM modules. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person STEM workshops for the better part of 2020-2021, the Center for Leadership and Diversity in STEM adeptly transitioned to a virtual platform. Informed by research on STEM education and delivery, the Center successfully executed its signature summer camp event in a virtual format for two …

Math Is _______: A Study On Prospective Teachers' Perceptions Of Math And Teaching Math, Kayla Mead, Katherine Baker

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

In this project, we examined one cohort of twenty-eight college students and their perceptions of mathematics at the beginning and end of a semester-long mathematics content course for K-8 prospective teachers (PTs). More specifically, our study explored PTs’ perceptions of what mathematics is and what mathematics teaching is, and how and why those perceptions might change over the semester-long mathematics course. PTs’ perceptions were captured through open-ended surveys and follow-up interviews. Our intention was to better understand the reasonings for changes in perceptions during the course to support teacher educators in their work of preparing prospective teachers.

Behind The Leaders: An Assessment Of Principal Supervisor Practices, Carla Roberts Austin, Kristie Roberts-Lewis

The Guardianship Journal

This research study explored the effects of district size and region on the roles of principal supervisors. Key factors examined include district region, span of control, and allocation of time for support and development by principal supervisors. The researcher compared principals’ perceptions of support they receive from their principal supervisor across different school district sizes and district types (regions) in Georgia, framed within the sociocultural learning theory. Participants selected currently serve as principals in Georgia’s rural, urban, and suburban school districts. A total of seventy-five principals agreed to participate in this study. Data were collected through a survey instrument. Descriptive …

Faculty As Ambassadors Of Diversity Initiatives: Promoting Inclusive Pedagogy Through Innovative Professional Development Program And Community Of Practice, Hyunjin Jinna Kim, Rose Tirotta-Esposito, Luis Colón, Yi Zhang

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

The national and global demographic trends call for attention to advance efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in U.S. higher education. Incorporating DEI initiatives in higher education institutions (HEIs) is more important than ever as accelerated globalization increases student mobility. Implementing effective and inclusive pedagogical approaches in higher education classrooms is also more emphasized as meeting students’ diverse needs is proven to increase students’ engagement, achievement, retention, and even sense of belonging (Barnett, 2020; Kim et al., 2023a; Maguire et al., 2017). This brief paper presents preliminary findings of the data collected from a Faculty as Inclusive Teaching Ambassador …

Infographic: How Ethical Do The Public Think Educators Are?, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

The annual Ethics Index by the Governance Institute of Australia measures the population’s overall view of how ethical the behaviour of major sectors is. The education sector continues to be perceived as the most ethical sector. Here, we see 2024 results for all 8 sectors, specific occupations within education, and how public perceptions have changed from 2023.

Autonomy And Relatedness: Motivating Kindergarten Teachers In An Online Professional Development, Xuanyi Eliza Wu, Alfredo Bautista, Marc Clarà

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Drawing on the self-determination theory, this paper focuses on two factors that are essential for individuals to be motivated, namely the psychological needs of autonomy and relatedness. We implemented three different iterations of an online PD course, entitled Chat with Children. While content was identical, the designs of autonomy and relatedness varied. Participants of this exploratory study were 417 in-service Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. We analyzed teachers’ enrollment, participation, and completion in the three iterations, and also interviewed teachers to explore their experiences of different autonomy and relatedness designs. We found that participation and completion were significantly higher in the …

Generative Ai Highlights The Contrast Between Students’ Dualistic Epistemic Practices And Teacher Education Learning Objectives, Tellervo Härkki, Tarmo Thorström, Miika Leino, Henriikka Vartiainen, Matti Tedre

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study examines student teachers’ capabilities when adopting a generative AI system as a new cognitive tool. In our pedagogical intervention, students used ChatGPT 3.5 to support a small research task. Consistent with decades of research on higher education students’ epistemic positions, most students approached the knowledge-building task (and, respectively, ChatGPT) with dualistic epistemic practices. Notably, ChatGPT’s polished interface invites naïve dualistic interpretations. However, teacher education learning objectives and effective knowledge-building with generative AI tools require more sophisticated epistemic stances: understanding knowledge as contingent and context-bound and knowledge-building as an activity that requires validation. This suggests that the central challenge …

The Impact Of Interdisciplinary Approach And Mathematical Modelling Activities On Mathematics Teaching: A Case Study With Pre-Service Teachers, Eda N. Güner, Ahmet Ş. Özdemir

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Mathematical modelling is an effective approach that helps students develop a deep understanding of mathematical concepts by connecting mathematics to real-life contexts and to other disciplines. Model Eliciting Activities (MEAs) are student-centred processes in which learners use modelling methods to solve complex real-world problems. This case study aimed to design interdisciplinary MEAs for pre-service teachers, to evaluate these activities according to modelling principles, and to examine participants’ views after the implementation. The data consisted of the developed MEAs, video transcripts from the implementation process, and audio transcripts of semi-structured interviews. Content analysis, descriptive analysis, and rubric-based evaluation were used. The …

Project-Based Flipped Classroom (Pjbfc) For Enhancing 4c Skills In Geography Learning, Ika Listiqowati, Budijanto Budijanto, Sumarmi Sumarmi, I Nyoman Ruja, Exsa Putra, Nor Asniza Ishak

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

This study aims to develop a Project-Based Flipped Classroom (PjBFC) learning model to enhance geography education students' 4C skills when submitting research projects related to geography and geography education. It also seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the PjBFC model in improving these skills during the submission of research proposals in the field. The development process follows the ADDIE framework, consisting of assessment, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Two validators validated the PjBFC learning model, along with the learning materials and tools. The implementation phase, or field trial, involved observing the product in use, with 60 students from the Geography …

Students’ Geo-Capabilities Skills Improvement: The Role Of Differentiated Spatial Project Learning Development Using Qgis, Budi Handoyo, Alfyananda Kurnia Putra, Ramadhani Lausi Mkumbachi, Aulia Nindy Fadila Gastama

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

The research aims to develop a learning model integrating Differentiated Learning, Project-Based Learning, and Spatial-Based Learning, known as the Differentiated Spatial Project Learning (DSPL) model, using the Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS). The study addresses two main research questions: (1) What are the steps of the DSPL model developed from the integration of differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and spatial-based learning with the utilization of QGIS? (2) Is there a difference in the average geo capability (GC) between classes taught using the DSPL model and those not taught using the DSPL model? To answer these questions, the Successive Approximation Model (SAM) …

In Memoriam - Nora Sabelli: Master Orchestrator Of Grant Programs And Mentor For Advancing The Interdisciplinary Learning Sciences Field, Eric Hamilton, Jeremy Roschelle, Roy Pea, Barbara Means, Louis Gomez, Kim Gomez, Nancy Butler Songer

Education Division Scholarship

On Friday, September 6, 2024, the learning sciences field lost a giant in Dr. Nora Sabelli, 87 years old, a personal mentor to many researchers and an inspiration to so many learning scientists and STEM leaders. Nora’s first professional career was as a computational chemist, and later she became a passionate leader in research for improving STEM education. Nora’s time as a senior program officer at the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Education and Human Resources (EHR) directorate was legendary; she was a force of nature who reshaped funding priorities for stronger science and a stronger connection of science to education …

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 …

Exploring School Teachers' Cyber Security Awareness, Experiences, And Practices In The Digital Age, R Ravichandran, Sonam Singh, P Sasikala

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This study investigates the awareness and practices of cyber security among school teachers, exploring their understanding of cyber threats, online behaviours, and response mechanisms to cyber incidents. A structured questionnaire was administered to gather data on demographic information, cyber security training, online practices, and experiences with cybercrime. The findings reveal varying levels of awareness among teachers, with many reporting limited knowledge of prevalent cyber threats such as phishing and identity theft. Despite the increasing reliance on digital tools for teaching, a significant number of respondents indicated a lack of formal training in cyber security. The study highlights the necessity for …

Infographic: Who’S Studying Stem?, Andrew Broadley

Teacher infographics

Thinking about your own school context, is there a gender imbalance in STEM-related subjects? How do you encourage girls to consider taking STEM subjects? In this infographic, we look at gender inequality in students entering tertiary education in a STEM field.

Mentoring And Supporting All Writers: Strengthening Writing Instruction In Pk To 5th Grade With Halpern’S “Interactive Writing” And Anderson’S “Mentor Texts”, Chad H. Waldron, Meghan K. Block, Alicia D. Fluker, Mariah C. Schepak, Michelle R. Snyder

Michigan Reading Journal

Shared, co-authored book review by educators and researchers of Matt Halpern’s (2023) A Teacher’s Guide to Interactive Writing, Grades PreK-2 and Carl Anderson’s (2022) A Teacher’s Guide to Mentor Texts, Grades K-5 (Heinemann)

Developing Adolescent Word-Level Knowledge: Challenges And Opportunities In Professional Learning With Secondary Educators, Jenelle Williams

Michigan Reading Journal

This article aims to highlight the research base for disciplinary literacy approaches, emphasize foundational literacy components that apply to the majority of adolescent learners, and propose tangible approaches to attend to morphological development in multiple academic disciplines. The article will conclude with a call for additional research into the role of morphological awareness in strengthening adolescent reading comprehension, as well as further study of the implications for systemic approaches across all disciplines in secondary educational settings.

Imagining Better: Requiring Trust And Imagination In Formal Engineering Education, Sneha Rathi, Jacqueline Handley

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Teachers and students bear the brunt of enacting K–12 engineering while having little input into engineering practices or values. In this reflective essay, a high school engineering teacher and an engineering education researcher reflect on a class bridging engineering and social justice. We describe the development of politicized trust with each other and students while partnering around shared commitments at a predominately Black school (e.g., Vakil et al., 2016). We also explore challenges in decentering conceptions of engineering derived from depoliticized, exclusionary practice. We demonstrate an urgent need to center educators and students from marginalized identities in formal engineering education.

Examining The Creative Process Of Visual Artists: A Phenomenological Study, Filiberto Vargas

Dissertations

Creativity fuels problem solving and innovation, driving both economic growth and individual success. Yet, many schools and organizations fail to nurture it. Today, there is a decline in creativity scores among U.S. students. This is concerning since many of these students will be the future leaders of organizations and communities. For this reason, this dissertation explores the creative process of visual artists to better understand how creativity can be cultivated. Visual artists' perspectives and sense-and-meaning-making processes offer a unique view of innovation and creativity. However, there is limited research on the creative processes of contemporary visual artists from culturally diverse …

Showcasing Your Scholarship With Lu Faculty Share, Mark Hamilton, Jeremy Mcginniss

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Learn how to access and manage your faculty profile in our new research information management system, “LU Faculty SHARE (Scholarship and Research Exchange)”. We will walk through how to claim your account and the process of adding articles, conference presentations, posters, awards, grants, and other research projects to showcase your scholarship.

Learning Outcomes:

• Access their LU Faculty SHARE account
• Know how to add various research outputs to their profile (articles, presentations, posters, awards, etc.)

Teal 6545, Usu Libraries

All E-Learning Resources

Attention: As of 2026 updated versions of this module will no longer be available on Digital Commons. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

The learning objectives for TEAL 6545 are to develop a research question about a chosen topic and to design a realistic study to conduct in the future. This library module teaches viewers about research and resources including strategies, grey literature, peer review, and more.

Autoethnographic Action Research As A Contemplative Practice: Awareness And Transformation Of Inner And Outer Selves, Jiju Varghese, Bal Chandra Luitel, Niroj Dahal

The Qualitative Report

Contemplation as a spiritual practice has taken various forms across different religious traditions and regions worldwide. Over the years, various contemplative practices have evolved and become popular even outside religious traditions to promote the well-being of all for inner and outer selves’ transformation. In education, many scholars worldwide have expounded on the benefits of contemplative practices in the classroom for students and teachers. Contemplative practices have penetrated research practices in the form of contemplative inquiry considering performative, philosophical, and artistic transformations, where researchers enter into a deep, thoughtful, and reflective introspective journey to see the connection between what is seen …

Course Portfolio: Bios 443/843 Immunology, Nicole Sexton

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course portfolio relates to the Fall 2025 delivery of BIOS 443/843: Immunology, cross listed as MBIO 443 and VMBS 843 and was prepared as part of the Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (FIRST) project. BIOS 443/843 is an upper division course that introduces Immunological concepts but also connects them to up to date literature in the field of Immunology with the intent of preparing students for careers in medicine and biomedical research. In Fall of 2025 this course was restructured to incorporate additional peer-to-peer learning opportunities and more distributed assessment styles, therefore was peer-reviewed to assess the …

No Sugar-Coating: Advice For Future Teachers Of Students With Behavioral Challenges, Carolyn C. Mitchell, Steven J. Kenis, Tracy Gershwin

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

Many special education teacher preparation programs overlook behavior-based instruction, leaving teachers ill-prepared for students with challenging behaviors. This qualitative study interviewed special education teachers to explore their experiences acquiring behavioral knowledge and managing challenging behaviors. Results highlighted the necessity for targeted preparation and continuous professional development, reliance on peer support, utilization of proactive behavioral interventions, and specific advice for future educators. The implications for practice underscore the importance of enhancing teacher education in behavior management while suggesting avenues for further research to address this critical need in special education training.

Flipping The Script: The Most Impactful College Decision I’Ve Made, Elena Parshall

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Faculty Support And Connections To Support A Unique College Experience, Autumn Persinger

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Breaking Barriers And Building Connections: How Flipping The Script Changed My Life, Ricki Alice Kreps

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Navigating A Partnership: My Personal Reflections On Flipping The Script, Ivana Carrington

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.