This dissertation is aimed at articulating and empirically characterizing an expansive orientation to field-based socio-ecological systems learning that elevates participatory and ethically-engaged approaches to teaching and learning. Grounded in relational ways of knowing, this dissertation works to expand and transform normative educational…

Overlapping and entangled crises that comprise and propel society require near constant (re)orientation in order to understand, explain, and address the workings of a multiplicitous world. For those invested in education, this means confronting complexity through the prism of teaching and learning. Educational scholars across fields and…

Though job opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) continue to expand in the United States, people on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) while in school are continually disadvantaged in future STEM-based career possibilities. Studies have shown that students on IEPs are far less likely to major in a STEM degree…

Teacher attrition, or leaving the profession prior to retirement, is a real-world problem that school districts across the United States are faced to solve. As rates of teacher attrition continue to increase, it is necessary to find solutions to counter this situation. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the projected impact of…

This study advances the understanding of providing effective professional development for elementary teachers in the field as the Pennsylvania STEELS standards require inquiry-based learning as a component of the science classroom. I sought out elementary teacher perceptions surrounding professional development as it pertained to their ability to…

The aim of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand three Saudi kindergarten teachers 'attitudes toward enacting inquiry to teach science in the kindergarten classroom. This study was guided by two research questions: 1) What attitudes do Saudi kindergarten teachers hold about using inquiry to teach science in their classrooms? 2)…

This qualitative research study explored how undergraduate students at a public four-year land grant university can co-create a sense of belonging through an appreciative inquiry (AI) process. The study employed a strengths-based and generative approach to investigate the experiences of students within the same student organization, focusing on…

This study assesses the role a teacher-led social studies group played in the evolution of three teachers' professional biographies over the course of seven years. It uses a conceptual framework based on Priestley, Biesta and Robinson's (2015) theory of teacher agency to explore the ecological relationships between professional biography, the…

Genius Hour, also known as 20% Time, was coined by Daniel Pink (2009) and is an inquiry-based approach to business and learning grounded in autonomy and intrinsic motivation, ultimately, encouraging critical, creative thinking and problem-solving (Juliani, 2016).The review of related literature examined a specific type of inquiry-based learning…

Math anxiety negatively affects student learning and academic performance. Students with high math anxiety exhibit physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. As a result, they tend to avoid mathematics and mathematics-related situations, perform poorly, and exhibit deficiencies in working memory. Research studies have shown that inquiry-based…

Over the last decade, STEM education research has reflected a turn towards framing disciplinary development in STEM as the repetition and stabilization of situated practices. In this dissertation, I turn further: towards "disciplinary relationships" as a potential focus of analysis. To centralize disciplinary relationships, I use a…

Preservice elementary teachers' attitudes towards mathematics are often negatively influenced by their K-12 education. Accordingly, teacher educators must allow preservice elementary teachers to experience mathematical instruction differently to change their attitudes toward mathematics and their conceptions about what it means to teach and learn…

The aim of this research was to create spaces for kindergarten writers by collaborating with kindergarten teachers through action research cycles. The inquiry's problem of practice is situated in the understanding that writing instruction within kindergarten classrooms is being sidelined due to a drive to teach in ways aligned to a sub-skills…

Critical peace education sets forth a process-oriented pedagogy with key tenets that include inquiry, reflection, dialogue, critical value-assessment, and empowerment. Empowerment as tenet is unique because, when viewed comprehensively, it is recognized as an integral element required for the actualization of all other tenets within CPE. Although…

Collective teacher efficacy has gained growing attention in the field of teacher education due to its potential to enhance student experiences and life chances, as well as foster positive teaching practices and dispositions. It is believed that an inquiry-based learning community provides a promising environment for the development of collective…