Chemistry is a difficult subject for many students. The content is challenging, and students often enter chemistry classes with preconceived ideas about chemical phenomena which may or may not align with scientific ideas (Gabel, 1999; Johnstone, 1991, 1993; Nakhleh, 1992). The purpose of this study was to understand high school students'…

Students come to their high school physics classroom with experiences and knowledge that can be used to help explain physics concepts, but those experiences may not fully align with the scientifically accepted science concept. When there is a misalignment between a student's prior knowledge and the scientifically accepted concept a misconception…

When the purpose and meaning of grades is not well-defined by an organization, there is a disconnect between curricular/assessment practices and student engagement. This study sought to investigate origins and find solutions in regards to discerning a student's knowledge and mastery of a subject and how this is reflected in the grade, and how…

According to the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE, 2008), there were 679,724 homeless students in the United States enrolled in schools in 2006-2007. In the 2017-2018 school year, there were 1,508,265 homeless students in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, 2020). In just over 12 years, the homeless student population had…

Disproportionate representation of historically underserved students in advanced placement programs, such as the IB program, is a persistent issue nationwide. Despite being called "the great equalizer," public education often perpetuates systemic inequities for marginalized students, including those living in poverty or belonging to…

While little research has been conducted on Asian undocumented students in higher education, it was the powerful story of an Asian undocumented high school student, Tereza Lee, that inspired Senator Richard Durbin to co-author immigration legislation known as the 2001 DREAM Act. Tereza's story represents an important counter-story to what many…

This study explored how instructional guide documents and high school engineering teachers understand the concept of mindset and the instructional practice of feedback as students engage in classroom problem-solving activities. From data analysis, several important conclusions were made. High school engineering teachers create a classroom climate…

The problem investigated in this study focused on continued underrepresentation of African-American students taking Advanced Placement courses as compared to their peers. The purpose of the qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand how students perceived their experiences and factors that contributed to the lack of African American…

The study of conceptual change in science education, specifically in the realm of physics, is not new, however, there is still much that is not well understood. Continuing with the trend of including characteristics of the learner in models of conceptual change, this study seeks to explore the role confidence plays in helping or hindering…

Teachers are looking for meaningful ways to connect with students and instill in them an understanding and appreciation for academic content that will extend beyond the classroom. Service-learning is a teaching pedagogy that connects classroom content with real-world problems that allow students to practice applying knowledge and skills while…

Creekside High School is a high-performing public high school where students who are not White or Asian face a racialized school environment. This dissertation examines the school's initiative to detrack its ninth grade Algebra class. Detracking is the process of placing students in heterogeneous classes instead of grouping students by ability.…

The relationship between enactment of Common Core State Standards-Mathematics (CCSSM), student misconceptions, student achievement and teacher variables was investigated. After providing professional development on CCSSM enactment, observations were conducted to determine the degree of enactment of CCSSM content and Standards for Mathematical…

The primary focus of this education leadership portfolio is to reconstruct lessons on chemical reaction concepts for teachers to use and reach all learners of chemistry in Cecil County Public Schools. As a high school chemistry teacher, I have observed that student enrollment in chemistry is relatively low, and students show little enthusiasm…

Many students enter high school with persistent algebraic misconceptions that limit their success in mathematics and, by extension, limit potential educational attainment and future earnings. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a warm conceptual change based intervention on remediating algebraic misconceptions held by…

Most Americans misunderstand the terms "Arab" and "Muslim," while also casting Arabs and Muslims as threats to national security. These perceived threats have led to the justification of the oppression of Arab and Muslim Americans similar to other minority groups in the United States, as non-Arab and non-Muslim Americans have…