Early childhood experiences set the foundations for health, well-being, and learning; quality interactions at this stage of development improve outcomes for young children. Teacher qualifications, training, and professional development (PD) are important components of best practice in early childhood education (ECE) and are frequently used as…

The researcher sought to understand how the complexities and challenges of offering high-quality professional development district-wide impacted teachers' ability to implement their new learning. The literature posits that to be considered effective, professional development must include six distinct design elements: (1) Is data driven, (2)…

The field of faculty professional development (FPD) has been studied for many years from different point of view. Acknowledging that many factors have an impact on FPD, a deeper investigation is required to explore the (successful) elements from the perspective of the faculty. Furthermore, FPD in educational technology has been identified as…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to examine if utilizing performing arts elements as teaching tools in large-group professional development (PD) sessions for K-12 educators increased educator engagement during PD. The problem of practice was the lack of K-12 educator engagement during large-group PD sessions. The…

Educational reform policies such as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) place a significant demand on teachers regarding teacher preparation using evidence-based instruction (Phillips et al., 2016). The need for teacher training has grown in recent years as professional expectations have increased (Kraft et al., 2018). The consensus among…

Carefully constructed professional development supports learning. Integration of Universal Design for Learning and Social-Emotional Learning into professional development supports comprehension and encourages generalization. This study sought to understand educators' perceptions following a five-part webinar series on the connections between…

The purpose of this professional practice dissertation (PPD) was to examine and provide Department of Defense Education Activity Schools practical and real-world solutions with regards to continuous improvement within its educational equity program. This process was examined and analyzed through a qualitative action research approach and design…

The purpose of this mixed-methods single case study was to identify the perceived influence of a teacher mentoring program on participants' professional development and retention in the education profession at a small school district in the Southeastern United States. This study sought the perspectives of mentors, mentees, and building…

This systematic literature review aimed to identify the most effective practices for implementing new programs or techniques to help improve elementary teachers' behavior support skills and self-efficacy. A total of 95, mostly peer-reviewed, studies were included in this review. Findings largely supported the provision of professional development…

This study employed design-based research to explore the efficacy of professional learning materials and approaches in developing social justice advocacy with rural elementary teachers in Appalachia. Bronfenbrenner's (2005) bioecological theory and Boler's (1999) pedagogy of discomfort formed the theoretical framework for the design,…

The purpose of this study was to explore how United States-based (U.S.-based) university leaders select, train and develop expatriate faculty to teach students in different cultural and national contexts at International Branch Campuses (IBCs) in sub-Saharan Africa. A qualitative case study was used to explore how global leaders at U.S.-based IBCs…

The impact of COVID-19 on teachers is still being assessed. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic this practical action research study action plans for how schools can shift their professional development protocols to be more responsive to teacher's, particularly new teacher's, needs. The action plan is grounded in data from a series of…

This dissertation investigated teachers' perception and use of culturally relevant teaching by exploring how teachers define and incorporate it into their classrooms. Many researchers in education have explored the benefits of using culturally relevant teaching within the classroom to enhance student learning. Researchers have found that the…

Technology's rapid development is changing how educators plan lessons and incorporate these digital resources into classrooms with the expectation of impacting student academic performance. The problem is that teachers need professional development related to blended learning implementation to improve student achievement in elementary (An, 2021;…

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…