This dissertation makes a significant contribution to the literature for several reasons. In paper one, I argue that learning a set of useful concrete practices, in addition to CRP mindsets, can help White scholars and educators prepare to lead diverse classrooms, build culturally relevant curricula, and form strong relationships with students…

Science education literature calls for students' participation in science practices through ongoing collective sensemaking built on coherence from the student perspective. However, few studies systematically consider students' point of view and there is little guidance for how teachers can lead the class to co-construct specified learning goals…

The problem is teachers' professional experiences with students are not considered when developing a social-emotional learning curriculum to implement with students in an elementary school in north Georgia. Research on social-emotional learning strategies consistently emphasized the importance of including curriculum in the school setting to…

This post-critical ethnographic study explored the curriculum of being/becoming a middle school teacher that 5 emergency-certified new-to-teaching teachers experienced through the quotidian interactions of their first fully-in-person school year. The curriculum of being/becoming teachers is increasingly important as the percentage of teachers…

An inaugural Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) learning community (LC) curriculum developed out of a perceived need for intentional faculty-student interactions to address personal and professional development and contemporary practice issues. As cohort size almost doubled over the past decade without commensurate growth in faculty, fewer…

Freshmen beginning their undergraduate education enter college with various backgrounds and expectations. Institutions seek to properly acclimate first-year students into this new transition. One way to help a first-year student transition into college is with a first-year program. First-year programs provide a unique space for students to adjust…

The required literature (frequently referred to as "the canon") taught in the secondary English Language Arts curriculum often focuses on the "classics," which do not always connect to modern students or reflect their identities. This study sought to investigate how the ELA canon could be adapted to better reflect students'…

The American school system is funded, operated, and evaluated based on student academic achievement data that is generated by various assessment tools and grading practices. The most traditional grading practice, norm-referenced grading, assesses student academic achievement on a 100-point scale that is further broken into categorical levels (A-F)…

As diversity of student enrollment increases, postsecondary institutions must address the inclusiveness of physical and virtual learning environments. Doing so requires engaging faculty in a conversation about their online pedagogy and course design. This study employs Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a means for faculty to reflect on and…

We all have a story; doesn't it make a difference when we know them? As I get older and as I see my own children grow, I've noticed the fast pace we are living. Society has a self-destructive addiction to faster living and the world will tell you to always move forward and there are no limits to how far you can get. Don't pause, don't reflect.…

Over the last decade, the demands on secondary science teachers have shifted to encompass a new range of objectives. Science teachers need support in their efforts to be responsive as they navigate shifting demands in the teaching profession: new state standards, an ever-diversifying student body, and a drive to integrate social justice into…

With the unveiling of the National Educational Technology Plan 2010, both preservice and inservice K12 teachers in the United States are expected to create a classroom environment that fosters the creation of digital citizens. However, it is unclear whether or not teacher education programs build this direct instruction, or any other method of…

This study was conducted with three participants, who were undergraduate students in a teacher training program in a western university, as they transitioned from university coursework to their student teaching internships over a five month period. Their internships were held in public elementary schools within the same or neighboring states in…

This study investigated the understudied area of virtual reality (VR) creation among elementary-aged youth, exploring their engagement in VR creation and the ways in which educators can facilitate this creative process. Using an embedded case study, the researcher examined how the youth visualize writing using the VR creation tool, CoSpaces. To…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was enacted as an education intervention to close the achievement gap by increasing student attendance, graduation, and standard testing rates. NCLB held teachers and administrators accountable for successfully meeting adequate yearly progress gains. However, the emerging NCLB research uncovered a culture of…