Contemporary accountability frameworks position school leaders as being essential to improving school performance and driving innovation. Simultaneously, new accountability demands have forced the restructuring of school leadership, both in terms of form and function. In this paper, we look at the growing trend of distributed leadership among…

This research draws on the concepts of practice architecture, middle leader and scholarship and uses narrative analysis drawn from a 'community of practice' of HE in FE practitioners. Whilst being an existing 'community of practice', the university concerned changed the collaborative framework of support and this provided a platform for the…

The purpose of this qualitative case study (Merriam, 1988; Stake, 1994) was to understand how teacher perceptions of their knowledge, practice and students' knowledge change in a professional development learning opportunity that is based on their background knowledge in literacy instruction and what is determined to be their zone of proximal…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the pedagogical influences of the value-added model of evaluation as experienced by elementary school teachers in a North Georgia suburban school district. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to provide a voice to (N = 12) elementary school teachers evaluated with a…

While integrating engineering into science education is not new in the United States, technology and engineering have not been well emphasized in the preparation and professional development of science teachers. Recent science education reforms integrate science and engineering throughout K-12 education, making it imperative to explore the…

A growing number of schools are implementing PLCs to address school improvement, staff engage with data to identify student needs and determine instructional interventions. This is a starting point for engaging in the iterative process of learning for the teach in order to increase student learning (Hord & Sommers, 2008). The iterative process…

Many classroom teachers turn to arts integration as a method for meeting multiple learning objectives but are less than prepared to do so. The "Collaborative Residency" program offered classroom teachers an intensive course of study through collaborative work with teaching artists as they co-planned and co-taught arts integrated units…

Demonstrating the impact of faculty development, is an increasingly mandated and ever elusive goal. Questions have been raised about the adequacy of current approaches. Here, we integrate realist and theory-driven evaluation approaches, to evaluate an intensive longitudinal program. Our aim is to elucidate how faculty development can work to…

Principal leadership is second only to teacher quality among the most important school-related factors influencing student achievement. As leadership for learning in schools becomes increasingly complex and challenging, principals at every career stage will need better preparation, support, and training. One effective approach to continuous…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how faculty experience the transition from Blackboard to Canvas LMS and which LMS is preferred. The general problem addressed in this study was that California Community College students' success and retention in online courses was 7-10% lower than in face-to-face courses. To try to…

Building on the research of National Board Certification and its effect on teacher quality, student achievement, and professional development, this dissertation seeks to explore the factors that influence teachers when it is time to renew their National Board Certification. Using a qualitative methodology, this study seeks to describe the process…

In this study, the purpose was to study what kind of supervision supports inclusive teacherhood the best. Inclusive teacherhood means a teacher's professional development and the school culture's change toward participatory school for all students. The study investigated the perceptions of supervisors with a teaching background. This was a…

Studies have shown that conflict resolution and violence prevention education may be lacking within school-based environments. There is a gap in the literature regarding pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education for urban high school educators. The purpose of the study was to understand the experiences and…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the incorporation of iPads into the early childhood classroom through an exploratory teacher professional development initiative. Eighteen early childhood educators participated in a 6-month study targeting teacher professional development and pedagogical innovation. This study included built-in…

Head Start (HS) is a nationally known program for young children and continues to serve the most vulnerable children and families. HS teachers are required to have a minimum degree status and a certain number of Professional Development (PD) hours. However, teachers continue to struggle with preparedness and effectiveness. The problem is that HS…