Extant literature lacks an explanation of the thought processes used by secondary school science teachers to interpret students' scientific models that are comprised of drawing activities. In this exploratory study, a constructivist grounded theory (CGT) was developed to generate an interpretive understanding. The CGT was generated from…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how high school teachers describe problem-based learning as an instructional model for student learning in various academic disciplines in the United States. The research was grounded in constructivist learning theory and Problem-based learning (PBL). The study addressed two research…

This autoethnography illustrates benefits of doctoral education consistent with the holistic paradigm underlying today's society and development of a practice-research-practice cycle useful to science teacher educators. Emergent hypotheses indicate ways to increase a doctoral student's well-being, intellectual risk taking, production of creative…

The development of human spiritual formation involves the work of the Holy Spirit and the effort of human beings. Under this model an individual must come to recognize the inner state of the self in order to truly engage in spiritual development. In Chinese culture, the element of self-awareness in pursuit of spiritual formation is not emphasized…

This dissertation provides insights into the potential for the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) and a complementary instructional model, transdisciplinary STEM, to advance constructivist approaches to high-quality education by providing a framework and pedagogical model that authentically communicate these principles for…

Graduate nurses are being employed to provide care in high acuity care areas, and this becomes a problem of significance as the literature suggests that graduate nurse's experience a deficit in integrating theoretical concepts in the clinical environment, described as the theory-practice gap; which can result in a risk to patient safety and the…

The purpose of this study was to explore how creativity and intuition were activated and encouraged by counseling supervisors within the clinical supervisory relationship with supervisees. Past research in this area was limited in scope, and suggestions for future research included uncovering what worked to encourage creativity and intuition for…

Currently, there is an increase in competency-based education programs in higher education institutions in response to student and employer needs. However, research is lacking on effective practices for developing competencies, assessments, and learning resources for these programs. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to gather expert…

The Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition (SAMR) model has been introduced (Puentedura, 2006) claims that use of technology could predict student outcomes. School districts and educational institutions have been adopting this model in hopes to enhance the educational experience and outcomes for their students (SAMR Model, n.d.).…

Literature on teacher evaluation describes a flawed system that evokes wide-ranging attempts to "get it right." This qualitative study is another effort that seeks to understand its legal and traditional constructs. The goal of this research is to identify growth-producing practices that will transform teacher evaluation into an organic…

This multiple case study investigated how teachers utilized C3 Framework-aligned instructional materials created with the Inquiry Design Model in unique contexts. Contextual factors related to how teachers enacted and experienced the C3 Framework were explored, in addition to how they planned, implemented, and assessed C3 Framework-aligned…

This dissertation investigates a perennial problem in teacher education: the theory-practice divide. There has always been a rift between theory and practice; however, this gap and the responses to it take on different shapes and meanings based on the reforms, politics, and structures of the time. For example, in the 1980s and 90s Professional…

The purpose of this dissertation is to test a model of relationships among factors characterizing aspects of a student-centered constructivist learning environment and student outcomes of satisfaction and academic achievement in introductory undergraduate chemistry courses. Constructivism was chosen as the theoretical foundation for this research…

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist…

The purpose of this descriptive case study was to identify teacher strengths and needs to create a site-specific professional development program for literacy. I was interested in studying how to identify teacher needs and strengths and explore the compatibility between teacher beliefs, current practice, and best practices in literacy. This study…