The purpose of this study was to explore the information, activities, and methods teachers take and apply to their classrooms and teaching after participating in a two year long professional learning (PL) cohort entitled "Equity and Inclusion in the Classroom." The PL was based on Hammond's (2015) "Ready for Rigor" framework…

Creative thinking is an essential skill for success in the 21st century. The elementary general music classroom provides a fertile environment for creative thinking instruction. Although the national music standards emphasize the importance of creative thinking activities, many music classrooms focus on basic music skills and performance…

Kindergarten teachers must balance the competing interests of meeting grade level standards, including teaching students to be literate, and integrating developmentally appropriate practices. Students need to have opportunities to read, write, listen, and speak; however, a didactic, teacher-centered approach is not in the best interest of young…

This dissertation examined how faculty learn how to host and facilitate experiential learning activities for their classes and how the faculty are impacted by the work. Findings based upon nine semi-structured interviews indicated that fewer than half of participants had been formally trained to host experiential learning activities and some…

Enrollment in Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) classes in the U.S. has increased substantially in recent decades. Given the importance of CSL teacher education in relation to the sustained development of CSL education in the U.S., previous studies have explored the issue both at the college level (Gong, Hu, & Lai, 2018; Lin, Huang, &…

This study explores the efficacy of the Math Workshop Model in enhancing the capacity of secondary mathematics teachers to differentiate instruction, implement equitable teaching practices, and meet the diverse needs of students in mixed-ability classrooms. Through a mixed methods approach, including classroom observations, interviews, and surveys…

This action research study examined how faculty development workshops affected how testing grade level teachers disaggregate standardized data. It also examined how teachers used the information to improve communication and classroom instruction. The rationale for the study was that teachers were asked to be data driven, but were not taught how to…

Teacher use of formative assessment is lacking worldwide despite evidence supporting its potential for improving student outcomes. To address a local problem of formative assessment implementation, Franklin County School's professional development team designed and implemented a yearlong program to improve teacher knowledge and practice of…

This action research study examined student success at a private, faith-based graduate business school by aiming to cultivate a community of belonging for graduate students through a staff development approach. As the action for this study, a three-part professional development series was created to foster a collaborative community of graduate…

With little research as guidance, it is difficult for educators to know how to prepare to lead systems of professional learning at the district level. In this phenomenological study, the sensemaking framework was used to understand the experiences, knowledge, and beliefs of those who hold district-level leadership roles with responsibility for…

Research suggests spending time outdoors and with natural materials can benefit all young children across different areas of development. However, children with developmental disabilities often have fewer opportunities to engage with nature as a result of the limited understanding and negative views about nature expressed by their caregivers and…

Professional learning continues to be one of the most widely used methods for raising student achievement and teacher development, yet school districts continue to use antiquated models that often dismiss the core features needed to be effective (Desimone, 2009). These core features include being content focused, active learning opportunities,…

Through design-based research, this study examines a digital badging system to support online, independent teacher professional development (PD) in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. Sociocultural learning theory, in conjunction with the mediation triangle, provided a lens through which digital badging systems were…

Block scheduling has been touted as a reform effort for American schools (Trump, 1959; Zepeda & Mayers, 2006). Block scheduling allows teachers to use the additional class time to vary the activities in the classroom and move away from the lecture model and affords teachers the opportunity to utilize more student-centered activities to engage…

The impact of a culturally relevant professional development series on classroom teacher's cultural lens was determined. Fifty teachers from two different school districts participated in 16 hours of professional development in an attempt to impact their understanding of how culture and instruction are connected. During the professional…