External stakeholders have demanded evidence that college students learn what their institutions and programs say they will learn (Ewell, 2009; Hutchings 2010; Kuh, 2001). As the architects of curriculum and the defenders of academic freedom, faculty are responsible for any initiatives that may affect those pedagogical goals (Kuh, et al., 2015).…

This dissertation examined perceptions of elementary district superintendents regarding professional development in the superintendency. The current challenges of the superintendency require superintendents to be more prepared than ever before and to serve as effective leaders of school districts. Specifically, this research identified what…

This study explored the relationship between math anxiety and perceived self-efficacy for teaching mathematics in preschool teachers. Perceptions of and attributions for the teachers' perceived math anxiety and perceived self-efficacy for teaching mathematics were also explored. The study employed a mixed-method design consisting of both…

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation's health. Lack of…

This concurrent mixed methods study revealed the impacts of the Title IV, Federal Regulation, State Authorization (SA), on a statewide community college system, with regard to staffing, establishment of local processes, obtainment of authorizations, fiscal resources, and student enrollment. The study takes place within the California community…

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological study was to describe elementary school general education teachers' perceptions of how their efficacy, as teachers, was affected by their experiences in implementing the PBIS framework. This study also sought to determine a better understanding of the skills necessary to impact all…

In 2013, California became one of the first states to adopt the rigorous Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, the current state of science instruction does not support the conceptual shifts of the NGSS, which call for consistent science instruction K-12, increased inquiry, subject integration, as well as science instruction that…

The purpose of this research was to determine the extent to which two professional learning opportunities in one school district were successful in supporting the integration of technology into teachers' instructional practices. The professional learning (PL) opportunities in the study were part of a Southern California school district's drive to…

The majority of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are leaving high school ill prepared to integrate successfully into adult life, which comes at a huge cost, not only to themselves and to their families, but also to society at large. Technology supports have the potential to improve their outcomes and thus enhance their quality of life.…

This study, "Teacher Insight: The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards in California School Districts" was designed to glean teacher voice on the large-scale reform. With a need for a global workforce in a 21st century society the existing education system is undergoing a tremendous change in order to prepare students for…

This study explored personal agency and motivation of students enrolled in Linked Learning Pathways across low, mid-low, mid-high, and high poverty school settings. Specifically, the study examined student personal agency beliefs, goal setting practices, and student emotional connectedness. The researcher aimed to examine student perceptions of…

Mary Kennedy (1999) introduced the problem of enactment to describe how novice teachers often struggle to put what they have learned in coursework into practice in the field. One approach to this problem is to put practice at the center of teacher education by specifying core practices of teaching around which to structure novices' learning…

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was twofold: first, to explore the 6 exceptional systems of a culture of college readiness supported within 2 No Excuses University elementary schools and identify any patterns or trends that may exist across 4th- and 6th-grade levels, and second, to examine the relationship between these…

Educators are under increasing pressure to improve the climate and safety in urban schools. Unfortunately, schools have addressed school safety concerns by increasing exclusionary measures such as suspensions and expulsions. Knowing that exclusionary measures can have detrimental effects, state legislatures have called for more proactive…

Research has found that effective FPD activities improve faculty's instructional practices and pedagogy, technology skills, and knowledge and that the impact last over time (Rutz, Condon, Iverson, Manduca, & Willett, 2012). FPD activities also reduce job burnout and increase a sense of belonging and morale among faculty (Thomas, 2012).…