While many education researchers have characterized the impromptu nature of classroom teaching as "improvisation," few studies of teacher education or professional development (PD) have examined the potential of improvisation workshops for equipping teachers to face unforeseen classroom moments productively. In this dissertation, I…

General creativity and, more specifically, creative thinking in music are valuable qualities that should be fostered in music education for personal, professional, and societal reasons. In order for band directors to successfully integrate musical creativity into their classroom curriculum and serve as resources for other content area teachers…

College instructors are content experts but ineffective at creating engaging and productive learning environments. This mixed methods study explored how improvisational theatre techniques affect college instructors' ability to increase student engagement and learning. Theoretical foundations included engagement, active learning, collaboration and…

Teachers experience significant amounts of stress that can lead to burnout or attrition (Milhans, 2008). Creating time and space to engage in self-reflection helps teachers to reduce stress (Chang, 2009; Nollett, 2009). Courage to Teach was developed in 1994 by Parker Palmer and the Fetzer Institute in response to an identified need for developing…

Teachers in K-12 schools are constantly being challenged to find new and engaging ways to teach students and help them gain the proficiencies needed to be successful in school and the world around them. During the 2010-2011 school year six teachers in a rural Midwestern school district were asked to implement a new six week digital story creation…