This autoethnography explored my experiences in designing a nature-based literacy unit in Hawai'i. Whereas a small body of research highlights a positive relationship between nature-based experiences and literacy outcomes, there is minimal research on the planning process. I wanted to understand the experience of planning for nature-based literacy…

Professional development programs aim to make long-lasting change to teacher practice. However, these programs are often short-lived due to limited personnel, cost, and time constraints. Using an actor-oriented approach, this study aimed to understand how teachers transfer their learning from a professional development program focused on…

Substantial teacher turnover has been on a steady incline for over a decade. Studies show that 44% of teachers quit the profession within 5 years of teaching. Most of this loss is taking place in urban districts, where teacher attrition can have the greatest impact on school districts' outcomes. This costly issue is a significant factor disrupting…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among science self-efficacy, beliefs, and professional noticing skills of elementary science teachers with multiple lesson study experiences. Effective implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards require that many teachers shift their pedagogical approach from a traditional…

College courses intended to help undergraduate students understand the ideas, benefits, and challenges of diversity are required at many U.S. universities. Intended learning outcomes for these courses are often set by the institution and interpreted by faculty, whose diversity-related background preparation and support for teaching vary. Without…

Technology is a critical component of the American economy. Analysts have claimed it is imperative that the United States maintain its status as a worldwide leader in technology or its economy, standard of living, and security are in jeopardy. Yet every year, more technology jobs are created than can be filled by qualified college graduates. A…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of scripted biology curriculum as a means of providing students with the information required to increase content knowledge, while comparing curriculum developed by the teacher that utilizes the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework (2005). The study is guided by two research questions:…

The purpose of this research study was to identify common instructional practices described by teachers of the deaf with students who are deaf with autism that increase both student engagement and instructional outcomes. As the diversity of students increase within deaf/hard of hearing programs, research is emerging in the area of deaf autism.…

Collaborative (Co-)teaching is a complex instructional delivery model used to improve teaching practice in inclusive settings. The model involves multiple certified teachers--representing both special and general education--sharing the same space and presenting material to classrooms with a wide variance in learning needs. Co-teaching has become…

This study investigated the experiences and perceptions of science teachers and students regarding the implementation and effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction (DI). It also aimed to determine its impact on student learning outcomes measured by the biology End-of-Course (EOC) test. A convergent, parallel, mixed method of research was…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a 2-year professional development model in math and science on the self-efficacy of the teacher and its effects on teacher practice and student outcomes. Further, this study sought to incorporate the instructional use of Inquiry-Based Learning methods of Problem-Based Learning, Japanese…

Problem: Leaders today need a new set of knowledge and skills to be effective in collaborative environments. The focus of this study was to investigate how collaborative environments can contribute to leadership development. The purpose of this study was to describe how the collaborative environment of summer camp helped shape emerging adults as…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of professional development on the knowledge and classroom practices of teachers of science in kindergarten through Grade 5. These teachers, trained to be generalists in the content areas, were strongly prepared in pedagogical practices, reading skills, basic language arts, and mathematics…