Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Unfreezing Language: A Decolonial Reframing Of Translanguaging Pedagogies In English As A New Language & Dual Language Bilingual Education Settings, Cristian R. Solorza

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This qualitative multi-case study examines how elementary teachers in English as a New Language (ENL) and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) settings conceptualize, implement, and reflect upon translanguaging pedagogies, with particular attention to translanguaging rings as tools for language differentiation. Grounded in a rearticulation of language as a dynamic, socially, politically, and historically constructed subject and object, this study challenges monoglossic ideologies that position named languages as bounded systems at the center of language education. Instead, it centers students’ lived, embodied, and agentive language practices as foundational to language learning and to their participation as knowledge producers in ENL and …

Precarious Privilege: Exploring The Intersection Of White Teacher Habitus And Social Justice In International Schools, Kevin L. Workman

Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the underresearched phenomenon of White teacher allyship within an emergent diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) movement in international schools. Gaining momentum in 2020 as a digital, postcolonial counterstory, the movement exposed structural inequities and racism across the international school ecosystem. Applying an antiracist reading of Bourdieu’s (1977) theory of practice, the study analyzes how White teachers (n = 8) from diverse international contexts understand, experience, and assess their participation in DEIJ activities. Thematic analysis of interview data corroborated the digital voices, explicitly identifying White supremacy as a key force shaping the field’s doxa. The study …

How We Show Up Matters: Transformative Adult Social Emotional Learning To Build Equity-Centered Schools, Samantha L. Rummage-Massey

Dissertations

Transformative Social Emotional Learning (tSEL) expands traditional SEL by integrating equity and social justice to cultivate student development and as a framework for educator growth and systemic change in education (Jagers et al., 2019). Unlike traditional SEL, which primarily targets students, tSEL emphasizes educators’ role in disrupting inequitable practices, making it a powerful tool for reimagining schools as justice-oriented spaces. This qualitative case study explores how tSEL professional development influences educators’ sense of identity, agency, and belonging, along with their reflections on systemic inequities and application of Critical Pedagogy (Freire, 1970) in personal and professional contexts. Data collection included semi-structured …

Building Anti-Racist Teacher Education, Kel Nemetz

Masters Projects

Preschool through twelfth grade education in the United States is ever evolving and has always been influenced by socio-political context. Throughout history, the goals, methods, and values of public education have shifted depending on political ideologies and influence. This thesis acknowledges the major significance and impact decisions like these can make on our students in PK-12 schools and on the educators who teach them, while centering the importance of anti-racism as a foundational goal. Despite the anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion political campaign lead by Trump’s second administration to try to dismantle all DEI efforts in PK-12 schools and beyond, this …

Transforming Workforce Pipelines: Equity, Credentialing, And Drone-Integrated Apprenticeships In Missouri, Linda S. Stinson

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how Missouri integrates drone technology into Registered Youth Apprenticeship and Career and Technical Education programs to develop equitable, credentialed pathways into high-skill careers. Grounded in Human Capital Theory, Credential Signaling Theory, and Transformational Leadership Theory, the research explores how emerging technologies intersect with labor market demands, credential access, and instructional leadership. The literature review highlights both national and international models of scalable apprenticeship systems, emphasizing the role of intermediaries, credential alignment, and early STEM exposure. Missouri’s initiatives, including the Top Drone Academy, serve as a case model for workforce-aligned innovation, yet challenges persist in infrastructure, teacher certification, …

Building Student-Teacher Relational Trust Through The Promotion Of Student Voice Initiatives, Scott Scherquist

Theses and Dissertations

This Dissertation in Practice investigated how student voice initiatives can strengthen student–teacher relational trust within an urban Pre-kindergarten through eighth grade (PreK-8) school serving a predominantly Black student population. Grounded in Khalifa’s (2018) Culturally Responsive School Leadership framework, the study implemented a 90-day cycle of inquiry focused on a three-part pathway intervention: the establishment of a Student Voice Committee, professional development on culturally responsive practices, and Student Consultation for School Change. A convergent mixed methods design was employed, combining two administrations of the 5Essentials Survey with pre- and post-intervention interviews of students and teachers. Findings revealed disparities between student and …

Storytelling As Assessment And Assessment As Storytelling: Reading And Writing Equity, Julene L. Jones, Mary K. Thompson, Co-Creating Action, Watermark

Library Presentations

Wrestling with both the language of storytelling and the language of narrative, this presentation repositions assessment work as creative and historical, giving a double responsibility to its authors. How we speak of education and how we use this information to improve it begs the questions of character and audience. In these questions is the larger consideration of equity. This presentation explores what storytelling as an art can teach us about the institutional stories we are telling.

Promoting Equity In Culturally Diverse Schools: A Literature Review Of Third Space Pedagogy, Sarah E. Harrison, Heidi Curtis

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The increasingly culturally diverse settings present within today’s P-12 schools necessitate improved pedagogical practices to develop more culturally inclusive and equitable learning environments. Third-space pedagogical practices demonstrate potential as an approach for increasing educational equity by promoting cultural hybridity among diverse students and stakeholders through negotiated sociocultural perspectives and interactions. This literature review summarizes recent scholarship surrounding third-space pedagogy, including discussions of how educators can foster third-space relationships and design third-space learning opportunities in diverse educational settings. In addition, lessons from COVID-19 third-space learning opportunities are discussed as a model for re-envisioning equitable instructional practices post-pandemic.

Digital Intelligence In Egypt’S K-12 Public Schools: Educators’ Perspectives, Mohammed Al Mousa

Theses and Dissertations

Technological integration has been a dominant feature of Egypt’s education recently, especially after the announcement of the Education 2.0 initiative, which aims to transform Egypt's education to digital-based and skill-based learning (UNICEF, n.d.), Ever since, public schools in Egypt started adopting technology into teaching practices through online classes, digital textbooks, e-learning platforms, and digital examinations. This educational transformation requires teachers and students to possess the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to become effective and responsible users of the transforming digital education system and the digital world in general, which are collectively known as Digital Intelligence (DQ). Despite the substantial role …

Educating For Equitable Voting, Leah M. Bueso, Erica R. Hodgin, Joseph Kahne, Abby Kiesa

Democracy & Education

Voting instruction typically provided to students is focused on educating for informed voting, but we believe it is essential that schools educate for informed and equitable voting. Indeed, in a well-functioning democratic society, participants need to be prepared to engage in critical, but civil, discourse with and about people who look and think differently from themselves, which necessitates learning about issues of equity. Drawing on the efforts of 20 in-service educators to promote equitable voting ahead of the 2020 election, this study examines the ways in which participants incorporated issues of equity into their instruction and the conditions that supported …

Australian Pre-Service Teachers’ Beliefs About Educational Disadvantage And Socially Just Teaching: Beyond A Neoliberal Imaginary?, Claire E. Charles, Lynette Longaretti, Matthew K.E Thomas

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Neoliberal education reforms have altered the way social justice is imagined in relation to schooling. These reforms reframe social justice as ‘equity’ through conceptions of standards, evidence and teacher quality, while detracting attention from the moral and political dispositions required for socially-just teaching. Knowing more about how this context may be shaping the beliefs of pre-service teachers (PSTs) is important. This paper reports on beliefs about educational disadvantage of a group of PSTs about to embark on a specialised program in Australia designed to promote socially just schooling outcomes. 24 PSTs across two cohorts completed a survey prior to entering …

Inclusive Education For All: Identifying Teacher Beliefs About Working With Students With Disabilities, Chelsea Sharek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs K-12 teachers have when working with students with disabilities in a rural Pennsylvania school district. This study aimed to identify if teachers’ personal beliefs created biases about their students and school systems; thus, forming barriers and preventing an inclusive education when working with disabled students. Instrumentation for this quantitative study is the Multidimensional Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES) survey. Findings suggest that some teachers at Sunnyside School District (pseudonym) hold personal beliefs that could create biases about their students and school system that may form barriers when working with …

Exploration Of Privilege And Preschool Teachers’ Demographics Associated With Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Culturally Responsive Classroom Management, Katherine Madison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every child in America is entitled to a free public education; however, racial disparities in academics and discipline continue to grow in America’s school system (Glock et al., 2019; Muñiz, 2019). These racial disparities begin in preschool, following the students throughout their school years. African American students, specifically African American males, are three times more likely than their Caucasian peers to be suspended in preschool (CRDC, 2016; Musu-Gillette et al., 2016). Suspension at an early age correlates with students entering juvenile detentions, prisons and incompletion of schooling (Love, 2014; Meek & Gilliam,2016; Muñiz, 2019). Culturally responsive teaching and classroom management …

Sticky Situations: Understanding The Law And Life, Krystal Banks

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Law and life go hand in hand. Understanding the law and how it connects to life can be an effective tool in teaching youth and adults the value of making good decisions when it comes to life and the law. Sticky Situations places real-world situations in the context of learning how to apply the law and effectively respond to life's sticky situations.

Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Project-Based Learning (Pbl) Education: A New Mexico Case Study For Equity And Inclusion, Kimberly A. Scheerer

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This research addresses how student participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) project-based learning (PBL) education activities encourages underrepresented minority student achievement in STEM career field trajectories. Seven New Mexico high school counselors and 12 STEM organization personnel were interviewed during this study. Their responses represent the nuanced professional voices where New Mexico public education intersects with STEM student interest and cultural influence.

For students, STEM PBL can foster deep integration across educational disciplines and enhance STEM career trajectory interest and readiness. STEM education converged with PBL methodologies has the ability to leverage community support while broadening student networks. …

Implementing Diversity Training Targeting Faculty Microaggressions And Inclusion: Practical Insights And Initial Findings, Ellen Ernst Kossek, Patrice M. Buzzanell, Brittany J. Wright, Cassondra Batz-Barbarich, Amy C. Moors, Charlene Sullivan, Klod Kokini, Andrew S. Hirsh, Kayla Maxey, Ankita Nikalje

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Despite the importance of faculty diversity training for advancing an inclusive society, little research examines whether participation improves inclusion perceptions and belongingness. Integrating training and diversity education literature concepts, this study examines the effectiveness of training targeting microaggressions in six STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) oriented departments at a research-intensive university. Reactions data collected at the end of face-to-face training suggested that participation generally increased inclusion understanding. Self-assessments on inclusion concepts collected from 45% of participants before and three weeks after training suggest participation increases perceptions of the importance of inclusion, microaggression allyship awareness, inclusive behaviors, and organizational identification. Compared …

How Can School Leaders Support Teachers In Becoming Culturally Proficient? Lessons From Teachers And School Leaders That Support Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices, Sherri Simek Rodriguez

Dissertations

This study was a program evaluation of educator cultural proficiency in a suburban school district in Illinois from 2019-2020. The primary research question explored was how school leaders can support teachers to become culturally proficient in order to support underserved students. Employing a qualitative research methodology, with data gathered from school leader and teacher interviews, and document analysis, this study identified key components to improve culturally proficient practices. Policy implications and recommendations highlight the following: ensure that all staff members examine and eliminate institutional beliefs, policies, practices, and teaching that perpetuate racial inequalities; implement culturally relevant practices; and prepare all …

Adapting A Critical Friends Consultancy To A Virtual Environment, Rebecca Cheung, Jennifer Robinson, Rebecca Rufo-Tepper, Jessica Charles

Graduate School of Education

This inquiry brief explores how a cross-institutional consultancy project examining anti-racist teacher and leader preparation adapted to a virtual environment amid COVID-19.

Creating A Foundation Of Well-Being For Teachers And Students Starts With Sel Curriculum In Teacher Education Programs, Deirdre Katz, Julia Mahfouz, Sue Romas

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

During the COVID-19 crisis, it has become clear how unprepared our educational systems are to provide social and emotional support through distance learning. Despite the demands for teachers to support the social and emotional development of their students, our universities are behind the curve in providing coursework to develop their knowledge and skills in these areas. This paper calls us to imagine teacher education with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as a cornerstone in teacher preparation programs. We outline the importance of SEL curriculum in preservice education and suggest a multifaceted approach to teacher preparation.

Assisting Students And Families During The Covid-19 Crisis: Diversity & Equity In Action Through A Educator-Family-Community Health Worker Intersection, Eric J. López, Oscar J. Muñoz, Eva Menchaca-López

Northwest Journal of Teacher Education

The current COVID-19 crisis has exposed new and existing issues related to access and equity for our students and families. The following article discusses a model for interconnecting educators, families, and community health workers (CHW) that can integrate diversity and equity for practitioners and educator preparation programs. Integrating CHWs provides a unique opportunity to utilize their cultural responsive skills and knowledge. Implications for practitioners and educator preparation programs are discussed.

Edpreplab As A Learning Community, Jessica Charles, Rebecca Rufo-Tepper

Graduate School of Education

As part of EdPrepLab’s work to strengthen educator preparation in the United States, network members from across the country partnered to form inquiry groups—each comprised of a cross- or intra-institutional team—focused on collaboratively exploring a topic related to deeper learning and equity. This brief summarizes the proposals of each group and highlights the line(s) of inquiry, scope of work, and intended outcomes of each project.

Reflections On Developing A Cross-Institutional Inquiry Project, Rebecca Cheung, Jennifer Robinson, Rebecca Rufo-Tepper, Jessica Charles

Graduate School of Education

Jennifer Robinson, Executive Director of the Center for Pedagogy at Montclair State University and Rebecca Cheung, Director of the Principal Leadership Institute at the University of California, Berkeley, are helping to lead a collaborative inquiry group comprised of three different institutions: Montclair State University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley). This brief captures protocols and processes they used to support effective collaboration in the design of their inquiry project proposal.

Reflections On Developing A Cross-Institutional Team, Rebecca Cheung, Jennifer Robinson, Rebecca Rufo-Tepper, Jessica Charles

Graduate School of Education

Today’s educators need to develop the knowledge, skills, and disposition to support all students in deeper learning. Educator Preparation Laboratory (EdPrepLab) works to strengthen educator preparation in the United States by building the collaborative capacity of preparation programs, school districts, and state policymakers. Through cross-programmatic sharing of innovative practices, including models and artifacts of educator preparation practice, EdPrepLab’s network of preparation programs helps build leadership and high-quality practice through collaboration, research, and documentation.

More Than Free: Equity In Open Educational Resources, Nicole Williams, Kathryn Anastasi

Open Educational Resources

Faculty creation and adoption of OER and ZTC materials can provide students with benefits that extend beyond no-cost or low-cost considerations. These materials can be the foundation of more culturally relevant classroom materialsthanstudents are used to seeing. They can increase the accessibility of instructional materials to students with disabilities. They can be employed to support student-centered learning ideas which upend traditionalnotionshow information flows between teachers and students. Using OER and ZTC materials has the potential to address many of the concerns about inequality that faculty and students alike have about the current educational model. Although OER and ZTC initiatives present …

Kindergarten Teacher Autonomy In High And Low Socioeconomic Environments, Allison Catherine Mcdonald

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Kindergarten teachers are immersed in a high stakes educational environment and this environment has altered how kindergarten teachers must teach. Exploring the different distribution of autonomy in high and low-income groups contributes to the research about educational equity. This study examined the relationship between income level of teaching environment and kindergarten teachers’ levels of self-perceived autonomy. The research question that guided this study was: do kindergarten teachers in higher income schools experience greater levels of self-perceived autonomy than kindergarten teachers in low-income schools? The Teaching Autonomy Scale developed by Pearson & Hall (1993) was used to survey 91 kindergarten teacher …

Early Career Principal Development: A Qualitative Case Study Of Principals' Perceptions Of Participation In The Institute Of Engaged Principal Leadership, Teri Marie Preisler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This dissertation examines the perceptions of the participants in the Institute of Engaged Principal Leadership at the start and conclusion of their first year of sessions. The study used a single case study qualitative research approach incorporating semi-structured interviews questions, researcher observations, and review of documents throughout the 2012-2013 initial year of the Institute. The results indicate themes of growth within the participants' beliefs, confidence, focus on equity and student-centered school climate, and a need for networking within the educational leadership roles. Based upon these results, recommendations are provided for future Institutes as well as preparation programs for teachers and …

The Impact And Effectiveness Of Student-Centered Classroom Structure, Amie P. Westberg

Mathematics Graduate Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of student-centered learning as an alternative classroom structure. It is important that we continually reflect on our teaching methods and explore alternatives that can help give our students the best chance to succeed. While the literature is mixed with regard to which classroom style is best, there are many sources showing the benefits of student-centered instruction over a strictly teacher- centered classroom. Sources also showed that teachers do not need to choose exclusively one style of teaching, and that a blended classroom using a variety of teaching styles can be …