Learning mathematics is difficult for many students, especially students with mathematics learning disabilities MLD. To improve the academic achievement for students with MLD, educational legislations (IDEA 2004; ESSA 2015) mandate that schools must use evidence-base core curricula. Textbooks conveys the intended values and principles for…

This study investigated how problem-solving videos can be used in video-mediated professional learning to support secondary preservice mathematics teachers (PMTs) in developing teacher knowledge for noticing student thinking in the context of the derivative concept in calculus. A model of the trajectory of PMTs' noticing was constructed as six…

This dissertation explores the intricate dynamics between the self-perceptions of undergraduate mathematics (UM) educators and their conceptions of excellent teaching practices conducive to student learning. Employing a sequential mixed methods approach, the study addresses two primary research questions. First, it investigates educators'…

Educators are now charged with instructing students who are growing up in a digital environment (Hsin, Li & Tsai, 2014). Students need access to 21st century learning environments that incorporates technology use, especially in mathematics (Darling-Hammond, Wilhoit & Pittenger, 2014). Unfortunately studies show that technology integration…

Students studying organic chemistry often have difficulty applying prior knowledge from general chemistry in their thinking about organic reaction mechanisms. In the United States, electrophilic aromatic substitution (EAS) mechanisms can be taught towards the end in a second-semester course of organic chemistry, providing students with almost…

The purpose of this study is to explore elementary educators' perceptions regarding what it means to conceptually understand mathematics, the emphasis teachers place on utilizing evidence-based teaching processes, as identified as effective by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and how these perceptions influence their…

This exploratory case study examined the nature of problem solving in terms of the types of problems posed, instructional approaches and collaborative learning, in first-year and second-year post-secondary computing education. Participants included faculty across three computing programs. Instructional classroom and laboratory observations,…

Even as schools have increasingly adopted multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) as their service delivery model, the role of special educators within MTSS has yet to be clearly defined. Scant research considers how well-prepared teachers feel for their roles in this model. The purpose of this study was to better understand the extent of Florida…

With the expansion of computer science (CS) education, CS teachers in K-12 schools should be cognizant of student misconceptions and be prepared to help students establish accurate understanding of computer science and programming. This exploratory design-based research (DBR) study implemented a data-driven approach to identify secondary school…

There is no doubt that teachers' knowledge and beliefs play a significant role in shaping how students learn mathematics. Nevertheless, research regarding the knowledge and beliefs of preservice teachers, including the cultural dimension, is very limited (Xenofontos & Andrews, 2012). The purpose of this study is to investigate the similarities…

Given the teacher-as-technician view and the instrumentalist values that pervade professional schools, practices, and policy decisions (Kinsella & Pitman, 2012a; Zeichner, 2012) with regard to teacher qualification, evidence-based practices, and scripted curricula, there is growing concern that something of fundamental importance and moral…

This qualitative, analytical study at an International Baccalaureate school explored third grade teachers' perceptions of three specific innovative teaching strategies: innovation skills needed by third grade students; barriers and challenges that exist when teaching 21st Century skills; and skills needed by teachers to teach innovation skills.…

This multipart study looked at pre-service teachers' (PSTs') understandings of the equal sign using an experimental measure, the EQ score. The data were analyzed for PSTs as a group and cross-sectionally at three key points during their elementary teacher education program. Relationships between equal sign understandings and other variables (e.g.,…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether multiple-choice and constructed-response items assessed prospective secondary mathematics teachers' understanding of the concept of function. The conceptual framework for the study was the Dreyfus and Eisenberg (1982) Function Block. The theoretical framework was Sierpinska's (1992, 1994)…

This thesis explores the role of multiple representations in introductory physics students' problem solving performance through several investigations. Representations can help students focus on the conceptual aspects of physics and play a major role in effective problem solving. Diagrammatic representations can play a particularly important role…