Professional development and learning are vital components of the educational system due to their dynamic impact on teachers (Bayar, 2014; Darling-Hammond, 2010; Guskey, 2002). Despite the importance of teacher development and the impact of student learning outcomes, professional development and learning often rely on traditional…

This exploratory study, in which the participants portrayed a critical role, aimed to discover the perceptions of professional development in changing educator practice at the secondary level with middle school teachers in an urban school district. The data collection process included semi-structured interviews with nine secondary teachers via…

In this dissertation study, we investigated professional learning practices common to tiered systems, with specific focus on the Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) model of prevention. First, we outlined tiered models and how they address the rising, multiple needs of students, and the fitness of Ci3T for the current educational…

This is a qualitative case study that examined four institutions of higher education in New York to assess how well they have done at implementing a quality standard established by the Commission on Accelerated Programs (CAP) in 2011 and 2019 calling for "accelerated adult programs" to incorporate adult learning theory within their…

Teaching and learning processes often reflect traditional practices that do not meet the academic needs of historically underserved students, especially Latinx and Black students. The goal of the participatory action research project and study, anchored by our collective beliefs in critical pedagogy tenets, was to improve teacher practices and…

This study examined the professional learning engagement of Texas public school teachers in the ESC-20 region while teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research questions focused on participants' perceptions of emergency remote teaching (ERT), engagement in professional learning, transformations as adult learners, and professional learning to…

Reading proficiency is a vital skill that holds implications for future student success. Teachers hold the key for opening the door to this reading success. However, changing teacher instructional behavior can prove challenging. Thankfully, the professional development method of microteaching incorporates effective adult learning components by…

The central purpose for this dissertation in practice was to explore the practices, challenges, and recommendations of P-12 instructional coaches in a mid-sized public-school district in the state of Texas regarding job efficacy and factors that influence attrition. This phenomenological study involved 10 instructional coaches with at least one…

Research shows that educators' perceptions of learning are limited due to a variety of factors which include: a lack of neurobiological- and language acquisition-informed content and information incorporated within teacher preparation programs, educators' learning experiences grounded in familiarity, and confusions between common educational…

The purpose of this survey design research study was to assess the teaching styles of naturopathic medical (ND) faculty in terms of teacher-centered or learner-centered using the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS). A secondary study question was the comparable differences in ND faculty teaching styles, and that of the published literature…

Coaching is an actionable way for adults to learn. For purposes of this study, learning was conceptualized by UNESCO's five pillars of learning to know, do, live together, be, and learning to transform oneself and society. The practice of coaching was defined as a social enterprise where, through a process of inquiry and reflection, coaches help…

Professional development is a recognized approach to improving the quality of instruction in schools. The goal of professional development is to increase teachers' knowledge and improve their practices, which lead to enhanced student learning. The problem with providing staff development is the high cost incurred by presenters' fees, and…

The problem to be investigated by this study is whether museum visitors' history content knowledge is enhanced by their museum experience and whether their lived experiences played a role in their learning. The study is based on the theories of experiential, informal and free-choice learning. A qualitative design examined the lived experiences of…

The population of adult learners in higher education continues to increase. In many cases, the majority of faculty teaching adult learners are adjunct instructors. These instructors bring a rich background of experience and expertise to the classroom, but may lack experience in designing and implementing effective instructional practices for adult…

The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry was to investigate the lived experiences of high school veteran teachers who transformed their teaching methods from traditional 20th century instructional practices to facilitating their students in developing 21st century skills. Interviews with the seven participants were analyzed in order to…