The rise in autism and shifts in federal laws have driven a move towards inclusive education, aiming to offer equal opportunities and support for autistic students facing challenges in communication, social skills, and repetitive behaviors. Yet, placing students in the least restrictive environment can strain general education teachers without…

Virtual learning has been used by K-12 education for decades but has recently been on the rise as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. School districts have found this mode of instruction to be very effective as it offers a personalized approach with greater flexibility for certain learners. This professional practice dissertation discussed the…

This mixed-methods study examined the factors contributing to teachers' self-efficacy in teaching for conceptual understanding and investigated the impacts of a targeted intervention on their self-efficacy to work toward all students having equitable access to teaching that builds their conceptual understanding. This three-manuscript dissertation…

This qualitative phenomenological study researched the perceptions of job embedded professional development (JEPD) facilitated by instructional coaches at a secondary high school in southeast Texas. Five research questions guided the study of ten teacher's JEPD perceptions experienced the previous school year either weekly/biweekly and whole day.…

This study used a survey research design to gather educator perceptions about a particular professional development (PD) event they deemed effective. Responses were used to measure HQPD characteristics by PD event, across roles, grade levels and the combination of roles and grade levels. Authors of Garet et. al. (2001, Winter), granted permission…

Professional development is ubiquitous in education, with over 90% of teachers engaging in professional development activities, yet often with limited perceived impact on their practice. This dissertation situates itself at the critical juncture of professional development quality and teacher self-efficacy, investigating the transformative…

Graduate courses and programs in the educational field are intended to enhance instructional practice and leadership skills and prepare leaders with increased critical thinking skills applicable to their profession. With attrition rates rising in graduate programs, universities must seek the reasons why, and this begins with instructors and…

This research study was conducted to illuminate teacher attitudes toward professional development in a large urban school district and to discern if differences existed in teachers' perceptions of professional development are dependent upon employment in a high-achieving school or low-achieving school. This study also sought to determine whether…

Novice reading teachers often struggle to provide high-quality reading instruction. The reasons for their difficulties include "transition shock," challenging school contexts, lack of proper preparation, and poor support. One way to improve the quality of novice teachers' reading instruction is through improving their access to high…

The problem addressed in this study was that many early childhood educators lack the credentials, training, professional development to provide quality instruction care for preschoolers. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore the perceptions of early childhood educators regarding the specific training professional…

The quality of inclusion for young children with disabilities in early childhood learning environments has long been attributed to the effectiveness of the teachers within such settings. As the service delivery system has shifted toward more inclusive models, endeavors to improve preparation for inclusion have been marked by efforts to combine the…

In this dissertation, the researcher examined the effective implementation of Tier I strategies at One Team Central School District within the broader framework of Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS), addressing the urgent issue of Tier 1 instructional quality, particularly targeted at economically…

Professional development should be linked to fostering best practice and improving student learning (Darling-Hammond, 2009). By providing ongoing opportunities for professional learning that focus on best practice, teachers are more likely to develop the knowledge and skills associated with high-quality teacher instruction and raising student…

This study examined the effectiveness of an eight-week Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) coaching cycle on improving instructional strategies for English Learners (ELs) in seventh-grade classrooms. The goal was to enhance the literacy performance of ELs by 15% on the LAS Links literacy subtest. The coaching cycle aimed to integrate…

This research study examined the leadership awareness and understanding of Open Educational Resources (OER) for educational access and affordability of teaching and learning resources in Malawi, Africa. According to UNESCO: United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (2023) low-income countries, like Malawi, have limited…