Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Divergent Geographies Of Disadvantage: Multidimensional Poverty And Teacher-Deployment Priority Across Ghana's 261 Districts, Bismark B. Fermah, Cai Lianyu

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Ghana relies on two district-level rankings of disadvantage to guide equity policy: a census-based multidimensional poverty index and a teacher-deployment priority list. Because the deployment flag conditions on classroom overcrowding, the inverse care law predicts the two should diverge, yet policy treats them as interchangeable. This study examined whether the two rankings identify the same districts. This descriptive ecological cross-sectional study linked the 2021 Census multidimensional poverty statistics to the 2026 Teachers for All: Ghana classification across all 261 districts and 16 regions, applying Welch's t test, two one-sided tests of equivalence against pre-specified margins of 10.0 and 4.8 percentage …

Artificial Intelligence As A Tool To Enhance High-Leverage Practices In Special Education, Kanisha Porter, Viveca Grant Ed.D., Delilah A. Gonzales

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

Special education teachers face instructional, documentation, and compliance demands that often impede the fidelity of High-Leverage Practices (HLPs). While HLPs are central to promoting positive academic and behavioral growth for students with disabilities, a significant research-to-practice gap persists because educators lack the time and resources to implement these evidence-based strategies consistently within increasingly complex classrooms. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers emerging opportunities to mitigate systemic burdens by serving as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for professional judgment. This manuscript examines AI’s potential to enhance HLP implementation across the domains of instruction, data-driven practice, collaboration, and intensive intervention. Drawing upon …

The Teaching Stem Center Online: Enhancing Instructional Methods For Underprepared Students' Success, Bassey Akpan, Jan Duncan

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

This study investigates the experiences and academic outcomes of underprepared and underrepresented undergraduate students enrolled in introductory STEM courses at Texas College, a minority‑serving institution committed to advancing equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. The research focuses on STEM faculty across Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Mathematics and how the Teaching STEM Center Online (TSC) enhances instructional methods to support this student population.

Using a mixed‑methods design, the study evaluates the implementation and impact of the TSC initiative. This includes faculty development workshops, structured instructional coaching, and the integration of evidence‑based teaching practices. Quantitative data from faculty surveys …

Beyond Intent: Teacher Capacity, Opportunity To Learn, And The Persistence Of Math Equity Gaps In Tennessee (2000-2025), Soso Dede

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

For a quarter-century (2000–2025), Tennessee pursued mathematics reforms aiming for equity, yet stark racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps endure. Framed by Opportunity to Learn (OTL) and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT), this study investigates the intersection of equity, teacher capacity, and policy. By synthesizing assessment data, program evaluations, policy documents, and research literature, this study reveals that systemic OTL inequities—disparate access to quality instruction, adequate resources, and teachers possessing strong MKT—are primary drivers of these enduring gaps. Such inequities deny marginalized students a fair chance at mathematical proficiency. The interplay between OTL and MKT is critical: inadequate OTL constrains knowledgeable …

“None Of Them Use Facebook Anymore, It’S Just For Us, Internet Dinosaurs” Czech Media Education Teachers And Social Media, Karolína Šimková, Ana F. Oliveira, Annamária Neag

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

In today’s digital age, media education teachers are expected to be at the forefront of guiding young people through the complex digital world. This study aimed to explore how media education teachers’ personal and professional engagement with social media shapes their teaching practices in Czech primary schools (teaching pupils aged 11–15). Through 17 semi-structured interviews, we delved into teachers’ social media use, classroom discussions, and pedagogical approaches to media education to identify the distinct attitudes these teachers hold toward social media. The study shows that Czech media education teachers’ diverse strategies for integrating social media into their curriculum are primarily …

Related Arts Teachers In A Professional Learning Community: On The Phenomenon Of Implementation, Noah Friedman

Journal of Practitioner Research

In recent decades, the popularity of teacher collaboration and data-driven instructional practices has seen the increased use of the professional learning community (PLC) model as a method for school improvement. Within the PLC framework are singletons, educators who are the only ones who teach their subject in their buildings (Hansen, 2015). In elementary school settings, related arts teams (e.g. music, art, physical education, and so on) are often included in a PLC as an afterthought. To accommodate the distinctive needs of this team, I created an intervention tool and method to provide support to related arts teams as they implement …

The Role Of Emotions In Understanding Inquiry As Stance, Yun-Chen Yen, Rachel Wolkenhauer

Journal of Practitioner Research

This case study of a Taiwanese teacher candidate’s inquiry experience during her internship uses emotions as a lens for analyzing how she developed and refined her inquiry stance as a critical habit of mind. Using emotions as points of reflection and action, the teacher candidate came to see herself as a responsible and critical generator of knowledge, understood practice as a synthesis of reflection and action, and reframed the purpose of inquiry as elevating student voices and cultivating teacher curiosity. An inquiry community played a critical role in sustaining her engagement and commitment. This study suggests that teacher emotions can …

Infographic: Pisa 2025 – Learning In The Digital World, Jo Earp, Dominique Russell, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Teacher infographics

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows how well 15-year-olds can apply their knowledge and skills in science, reading and mathematics to real-world situations. In addition to the 3 core domains, an innovative domain important in modern societies is included in each test cycle. In 2025 the innovative domain was ‘Learning in the digital world’. This infographic shares Australia’s performance in an international context.

Thank You To Our 2025-26 Reviewers, Paul B. Freeman Od, Raelyn Ottenbreit Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Reviewers

But Mommy, I Can See!, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Book Review: Slotnick S, But MOMMY, I can SEE! Illustrations Daniel W. Miller, Newman Springs; 2024. 76 pages, Paperback, $20.95, ISBN: 979-8-88763-556-9, Hardcover, $32.95, ISBN: 979-8-89617-040-2, eBook, $9.99, ISBN: 979-8-88763-557-6

Outer Macular Holes: A Case Series, Kaitlyn J. Moore Od, Katherine Dunatov Od, Wendy Mcgonigal Od, Karen Reeves Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Outer foveal microdefects (OFMDs) are small focal photoreceptor interruptions that often present with minimal symptoms and are best identified using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Case Series: This report describes three cases of outer foveal microdefects discovered incidentally during routine eye examinations.

Conclusion: These cases highlight the importance of OCT in detecting subtle macular abnormalities that may be missed on clinical examination.

Outcomes Of A Vision Care Program That Provides Comprehensive Eye Exams To Children Who Have Failed School Screenings In The San Antonio Northside Independent School District, Raelyn Ottenbreit Od, Timothy Wingert Od, Chantelle Ribisi Od, Elizabeth Marunde Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Purpose: To determine the impact of a program that provides a comprehensive eye exam to children who failed a vision screening.

Method: Seven hundred seventeen students from the San Antonio Northside Independent School District (NISD) received a comprehensive eye examination. The records of these students were retrospectively analyzed to determine the impact of the exam on this population.

Results: The mean improvement in visual acuity after receiving a comprehensive eye exam at the Rosenberg School of Optometry was approximately five- and one-half lines of acuity. In addition to refractive error, other conditions related to eye coordination and ocular …

The Other Visual Acuity, Paul B. Freeman Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Editorial

From Classroom Conversations To Public Dialogue: Preservice Teachers Engaging With Diverse Children’S Literature, Janell Pycior

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Preservice teachers often engage with issues of diversity, equity, identity, and representation within the safety of their university classrooms; however, opportunities to extend these conversations into public and professional settings may be less common. This practice-based reflective article examines the experience of moving seven undergraduate preservice teachers enrolled in an upper-level Diversity in Children’s Literature course beyond their familiar classroom environment and into a professional academic conference. The students, majoring in early childhood, elementary, or special education and minoring in reading, participated in a roundtable discussion at the Indiana Academy of Social Sciences focused on diversity and representation in children’s …

Organizational Systems, Support Structures, And Principal Retention In Urban Secondary Schools: A Job Demands And Resources Analysis Of Belonging And Isolation, Meredith L. Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principal turnover remains a challenge in high-poverty secondary schools, where leadership stability is critical to school improvement and student success. Although factors associated with principal attrition have been studied, less is known about how district-level systems and support structures shape principals’ experiences of connection, belonging, and professional isolation. This qualitative multiple-case study was conducted within a program evaluation context to examine how district policies, processes, and support structures functioned as job demands and job resources influencing principals’ experiences and retention decisions within a large urban school district. Guided by the job demands–resources (JD-R) framework, the study included four secondary principals …

Rethinking Behavior - Fall 2026, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Fall 2026, Volume 10, Issue 1

Cultural Humility In The Workplace: A Causal-Comparative Study Of Foreign And Local Hire Employees In International Education, Natalie A. Ortiz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cultural humility is recognized as a framework for fostering respectful relationships in culturally diverse workplaces. However, limited research has examined cultural humility within international education in regard to workplace dynamics and power imbalances that may exist between foreign and local hire educators. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine differences in perceived cultural humility levels between foreign and local hire employees in PreK-12^th grade private international schools in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The study also examined whether years of international educational experience and the number of international educational assignments influenced perceived cultural humility levels. Data …

Aiswa Stem Makerspace Action Research Project: Developing A Maker Mindset, Fiona Boylan, Lennie Barblett, Leanne Lavina

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This project was developed between the early childhood research team at Edith Cowan University and the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia. Six school teachers (across Kindergarten, Pre-primary and Year One) and five children in each class (with parental consent and child assent) in two schools participated. This project incorporated current thinking of best practice for the development of young children’s digital literacy and agency, as maker spaces provide excellent opportunities for multimodal learning. The project aimed to reinforce children's maker fund of knowledge through strengthening children’s maker mindset and to foster educators' maker fund of knowledge to support children's …

Exploring Digital Media Literacy And Its Impact On Pedagogical Innovation And Creativity, Suparno Suparno, Tuty Sariwulan, Bagus Shandy Narmaditya, Ari Saptono, Saparuddin Muchtar, Muhammad Ridlo, Dingot Hamonangan Ismail

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

Enhancing teachers’ innovative work behavior is prominent in promoting educational quality. This exploratory study aims to understand the linkage between digital media literacy, creativity, and innovative work behavior among teachers in Indonesia. The data were obtained from teachers using an online self-administered survey. In addition, the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with AMOS software. The results of this study indicate that there is a positive and significant influence between digital media literacy and teachers’ innovative work behavior. Indeed, creativity can also be a predictor of innovative work behavior among teachers in Indonesia. This study also notes the connection …

Lecturer-To-Lecturer Learning Model For Artificial Intelligence Adoption In African Universities: Opportunities And Challenges, Vincent C. Asogwa

Journal of Research Initiatives

Although artificial intelligence (AI) can transform teaching, research, and administrative processes, many African universities, including those in Eswatini and Nigeria, face challenges in implementing AI effectively because of inadequate infrastructure, lecturer skill gaps, and financial constraints. This study examines the opportunities and challenges associated with adopting the Lecturer-to-Lecturer Learning Model for AI in African universities. Grounded in social constructivism, the model emphasizes knowledge sharing through social interactions, which is particularly relevant in contexts where external resources are limited. The study employs content analysis of secondary data sources, including academic literature, institutional reports, and case studies on AI adoption in higher …

Does Gender Spell Success? Exploring Female Students' Perspectives Of Faculty At A Higher Educational Institution, Chitora Jackson, Terrence Hicks, Jill Channing, Arnold Nyarambi

Journal of Research Initiatives

Numerous studies have pointed to connections and positive interactions with faculty that result in positive outcomes for students (Beckowski & Gebauer, 2018; Jones, 2020; Trolian et al., 2021). However, despite this knowledge, there are still some areas related to this topic that remain under-researched. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of female students at a higher educational institution and to understand how those experiences shape their perspectives of female and male faculty. Additionally, this study sought to discover how faculty gender influences their interactions with students and the similarities and differences between …

Bridging Policy And Practice: Leadership Strategies And Certification Reforms To Enhance Teacher Recruitment And K–6 Literacy In Alabama, Sherry Jackson

Journal of Research Initiatives

This literature review explores the intersection of teacher certification reform, district and state-level leadership, and early literacy outcomes in Alabama. It critically examines the shift toward competency-based certification models under the Alabama Literacy Act, highlighting both the promise and challenges of balancing rigor with equitable access to the teaching profession. The paper synthesizes research on leadership-driven strategies, such as mentorship programs, Grow Your Own pipelines, and financial incentives, that support teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in high-need districts. It also evaluates the role of state accountability systems and collaborative partnerships in sustaining reform implementation. While current reforms show potential for …

Language For Learning: Examining Teacher Language In Reading Instruction, Madeleine Mejia, Amber Bechard

Journal of Research Initiatives

Teacher language plays a key role in literacy instruction because it shows what educators notice about students’ reading, how they interpret performance, and what they see as important for learning. However, common instructional phrases can sometimes reflect assumptions about what students know or can do or miss important parts of reading development. This article looks at teacher language as a way to reflect on these assumptions, especially when teaching students with dyslexia or those who are bilingual or multilingual. Using research on literacy development, teacher knowledge, classroom talk, and humanizing teaching, the article introduces the Language for Learning Tool. This …

Reframing Dissertation Committee Practice: A Student-Centered Conceptual Framework For Doctoral Education, Roberto Victor Rodríguez Rivera

Journal of Research Initiatives

Dissertation committees play a key role in shaping the direction, pace, and outcomes of doctoral study, but their function as a unified structure for guidance and judgment is not well understood. Although research covers supervision, examiner feedback, ethics, power, and dissertation examination, these topics are often studied separately. This article brings together both foundational and recent research to rethink dissertation committees as academic structures that adapt their support, oversight, ethical practices, and evaluation throughout the dissertation process. The article makes three main contributions: it clarifies how committee practice is conceptually fragmented, reviews research on supervision, feedback, ethics, and examination, and …

Brilliance Beyond The Margins: Centering The Voice And Experiences Of A Black Pre-Service Teacher, Samantha L. Strachan

Journal of Research Initiatives

As school districts across the United States work to increase teacher diversity, Black students in teacher preparation programs often face major challenges that can make it hard to complete their training and become teachers. The ongoing loss of Black educators highlights the need to better understand their stories and perspectives, especially those of Black pre-service teachers. This qualitative case study focuses on the experiences of a high-achieving Black female pre-service teacher, “Julia,” and follows her journey through teacher preparation. By sharing her story, the study looks at how Black pre-service teachers like Julia find ways to continue and succeed in …

Removing Barringer: University Renaming Governance, Campus Racial Climate, And The Limits Of Symbolic Reform, Charletta H. Barringer-Brown, Daniel N. Brown

Journal of Research Initiatives

University renaming is often seen as either a necessary moral correction or a less significant symbolic reform. This article examines renaming as a matter of higher education governance. It analyzes the removal of Paul Brandon Barringer’s name from honorific spaces at the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech through a qualitative documentary comparative case study. A contextual policy scan of the University of Richmond, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Oregon State University situates the two primary cases within a wider field of naming-governance design. Guided by critical toponymy, institutional theory, policy-decoupling scholarship, organizational-routines theory, and campus-racial-climate …

Human-Centered Ai Governance In K–12 Education: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Policy Gaps In Massachusetts School Districts, Simone Elias, Noran Moffett, Jeremy Womack, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools have rapidly permeated K–12 education, outpacing governance structures and raising urgent concerns about equity, student data privacy, and academic integrity (Eutsler et al., 2026; OECD, 2023). Although a growing body of scholarship proposes multi-level AI governance models for education, empirical evidence on implementing these frameworks at the district policy level remains limited. This article contributes to the field by first synthesizing and adapting a K–12 AI governance framework based on peer-reviewed and policy literature, structured around macro-meso-micro levels and six pillars: ethical and equity-centered use, data governance and privacy, teaching and academic integrity, …

Oral History As A Tool For First-Year Student Success, Justin Willis, Saul Araujo

Journal of Research Initiatives

First-year college students often face significant challenges as they transition into higher education, particularly when balancing academic responsibilities with employment. Many students work out of financial necessity, which can increase stress, limit campus engagement, and negatively affect academic performance and well-being. This qualitative case study explores how oral history methods can support first-year college students as they adjust to the demands of balancing education and work. Guided by Tinto’s Model of Student Retention and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, the study examines how firsthand narratives from individuals who have navigated similar challenges can foster reflection, resilience, and practical skill development. The …

From Silos To Systems In Higher Education: Doctoral Students’ Conceptualizations Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration In Academic Planning, Linda Wilson-Jones, Simone Elias

Journal of Research Initiatives

Collaboration is increasingly recognized as central to student success and institutional effectiveness in higher education. This qualitative study investigates doctoral students’ conceptualizations of faculty and staff collaboration in academic planning. Data were collected from 22 written responses in a doctoral-level program course. Through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2021), five interrelated themes emerged: (1) holistic student support, (2) shared institutional vision and goal alignment, (3) complementary expertise and role interdependence, (4) communication as quality assurance, and (5) collaborative culture as an institutional asset. The findings indicate that collaboration functions as organizational infrastructure that aligns academic and administrative systems …

Digital Learning And Digital Literacy: Conceptual Distinctions, Theoretical Frameworks, And Educational Implications Across The Educational Continuum, Simone Elias, Linda Wilson-Jones, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

The terms digital learning and digital literacy recur frequently in educational policy and institutional discourse. Yet peer-reviewed scholarship shows they are conceptually distinct constructs operating at fundamentally different levels of analysis. This article examines the theoretical foundations, definitional genealogies, empirical interdependencies, and grade-band and postsecondary manifestations of both constructs across the full educational continuum, from kindergarten through Grade 12 and into undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education. Drawing on literature across leading educational technology journals, the article argues that digital learning constitutes a pedagogical modality, the structured, technology-mediated environment through which instruction is delivered.

In contrast, digital literacy is a multidimensional …