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…

School readiness includes a range of competencies and is influenced by both parental beliefs and teacher perceptions. Despite its significance, only a small number of states have an established definition of school readiness, which raises questions about how well stakeholder understandings align and the effectiveness of parental activities in…

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…

Computers infiltrate almost every aspect of our lives, including our homes and cars. For work, education, or personal fulfillment, computing has increased dramatically. The need for an educated workforce is expanding as technology devices become smaller, faster, and more powerful. We can teach students how to use math, logic, and computational…

To develop a new understanding of how self-directed professional learning (SDPL) contributes to the professional growth of school librarians, a case study design using humanistic learning theory (Maslow, 1954; C. Rogers, 1983) and based on theoretical assumptions about adult learners (Knowles, 1968, 1975, 1980), the intentional self-directed…

Actionability is a critical issue in learning analytics for driving impact in learning, bridging the gap between insights and improvement. This dissertation places actionability at the forefront, integrating it throughout the learning analytics process to fully leverage its potential. The study involves designing, developing, and implementing…

Athletic training students require strong critical thinking skills in order to make decisions for the health and safety of their athletes. Research has shown that these skills are difficult to develop. Simulation learning is often used in healthcare education as a way to build these critical thinking skills. This action research study sought to…

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…

One challenge in STEM education is the learning of technical terms. In order to reason about higher-order scientific concepts, knowledge of technical vocabulary is often a prerequisite. Improving this knowledge may enhance the learning of higher-order concepts because it reduces cognitive load students experience while learning. To that end, we…

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…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused educators across the country and around the world were required to replace in-person instruction of students with teaching/learning through online platforms for a period of months (Perifanou et al, 2021). Despite the numerous advantages that using technology with students were shown to have, many teachers remain…

Volunteer engagement is critical to achieving the mission of volunteer organizations (Boone et al., 2002). Fogarty et al. (2009) found that 4-H volunteers are a mediating factor in achieving positive youth development outcomes and are responsible for teaching at least 50% of the life skills youth gain from participation in the organization. For…

The concept of a learning city has existed since the Faure et al. (1972) report proclaimed that lifelong learning was the path to a global learning society where all humans could achieve their best selves and by extension all countries their highest purpose. The rationale for learning cities is built on a belief that "lifelong learning lays…

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…