Instructional coaching is an attractive alternative to one-size-fits-all teacher training and development in part because it is purposefully differentiated: Programming is aligned to individual teachers' needs and implemented by an individual coach. But, how much of the benefit of coaching as an instructional improvement model depends on the…

Purpose: This article aims to contribute to a clearer understanding of the importance of mentor preparation and provide recommendations for effective mentor preparation programmes based on the literature. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative review of a range of literature focussing on the importance and characteristics of effective mentor…

This applied research study aimed to improve teacher professional development to improve teacher's instructional practice. The need to improve teacher professional development arose from ineffective instructional practices and low academic achievement ratings. This applied research study incorporated an action plan with three elements to improve…

In this paper, we build on a growing body of research on practical measurement for educational improvement, contributing a conceptualization of the organizational functions of measurement in processes of persistence and change. Our work is grounded in theoretical understandings of micro-institutional change that foreground processes of…

Purpose: Engineering students gain confidence and competency through continual practice of key skills. The social cognitive theory construct of self-efficacy provides a useful measure to assess students' beliefs in their ability to succeed or perform tasks. Research focused on the impacts of curricular engineering design experiences on student…

As higher education institutions increasingly expand their online course offerings, the role of instructional designers in enhancing instructional quality and effectiveness becomes critical. This study surveyed practicing instructional designers to explore the specific tasks they perform performed in higher education and identifies factors that…

The introductory statistics course has gotten better over the years, but there are many content areas in STAT 101 that should be reconsidered.

The ultimate goal of an education system is to ensure students receive a quality education that prepares them for real-world experiences and opportunities beyond their K-12 education. However, it is the responsibility of the building-level leaders or principals to ensure teachers are receiving the proper professional development that can be used…

Given discourse across the globe on school reform and the importance of teachers' work to school improvement, teacher leadership represents an opportunity to re-imagine school cultures, and to consider a range of factors that impact the teaching profession and contribute to overall school improvement. Based on a qualitative inquiry of 24 teacher…

In recent years, educators, administrators, policymakers, and measurement experts have called for assessments that support educators in making better instructional decisions. One promising approach to measurement to support instructional decision-making is diagnostic classification models (DCMs). DCMs are flexible psychometric models that…

Virtual Reality technology (VRT) has rapidly evolved in recent years, revolutionizing various industries by providing immersive and interactive experiences. VRT is making a significant impact in the realm of dance teaching (DT). This study explores the innovative application of VRT in the realm of DT, aiming to revolutionize traditional…

For states to succeed in their efforts to improve reading instruction, they must ensure teachers are prepared to implement and sustain scientifically based reading instruction. The states most successful in leveraging policy to improve reading outcomes for students have taken a cohesive and comprehensive approach focused on improving teachers'…

Charter schools are public schools, free and open to all. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are prohibited from charging tuition, must not discriminate in admissions or be religious in their operation or affiliation, and are overseen by a public entity. There is a growing body of research highlighting the superior performance…

Professional learning may be the most significant when the teacher feels fundamentally challenged and questioned about their practices, beliefs, or identities. In this paper, the elements that cause such fundamental challenges and questions -- disruptions -- are called 'disruptive hooks'. In the process of addressing such disruptive hooks,…

One key mechanism through which evaluation facilitates teachers' growth is principals' feedback during teacher evaluation. In this study, we examined the relationship between teachers' perceptions of feedback quality and improvement in their instructional practices. We used student report--a meaningful but rarely used measure--to measure the…