Continuous improvement is the process of making incremental changes to systems or processes to improve outcomes. The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct a study to learn how continuous improvement might serve as a vehicle for further conceptualizing profound learning theory at the individual learner level. The research began with a…

First-year teachers encounter many challenges throughout the beginning stages of their careers. One of those challenges relates to the navigation and implementation of district-mandated commercial literacy programs. When first-year teachers are expected to teach commercial literacy programs with fidelity, decisions about how to best implement the…

Schools, institutionally designed to formalize education, often leave individuals longing for something more. Multiple disciplines attribute the pursuit of something more to transformation. While a common discussion in academic literature, transformation is underdeveloped in education. This dissertation explored transformational education from a…

The music student teaching experience is a crucial time for pre-service music teachers to apply concepts they learned in university coursework to teaching practice before beginning their careers. Examination of this important aspect of music teacher education may elucidate problems of teacher attrition and feelings of unpreparedness to teach in…

Employers indicate their new employees lack the employability skills to be successful in the workplace. These skills are integral to the career and technical education (CTE) curriculum in Ohio. CTE teachers are responsible for grading and assessing student mastery of employability skills. This study examines Ohio CTE teachers' grading and…

The topic of this research study is mastery learning, an educational theory that began with the work of John Carrol in 1963. The core principle of this theory is that all students can achieve uniform learning outcomes, but it will take some students longer than others to reach the same performance goals. The problem that this research study…

The purpose of this project was to equip SSM faculty with teaching strategies designed to effectively engage Gen Z students toward meaningful learning. The project involved designing a workshop that introduced the characteristics and learning preferences of Gen Z students and modeled teacher-centered strategies that lead to a more meaningful…

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact, if any, the implementation of Personalized Learning (PL) would have on fourth-grade students in a rural public elementary school in the area of reading achievement, mastery, and progress. The study compared two cohorts of students. The control group received traditional learning reading…

Math to Mastery (MTM) is a multi-component math intervention that has demonstrated effective results in building math fluency and skill acquisition. Few studies have explored the use of brief experimental analysis (BEA) procedures to create an individualized, abbreviated MTM intervention to address skill deficits in basic math. The purpose of this…

In an era of heightened accountability and expanding educational technology choices, mathematics educators must critically assess the effectiveness of the tools available to them. While deciding on technological tools, it is essential that we not only promote rigor in mathematics but also ensure closing learning gaps and improve students' beliefs…

This study investigates primary teachers' and elementary principals' perspectives on alternatives to the traditional model of student progression in school and whether these options may improve the acquisition of skills needed for advancing into upper grades. Primary mastery of basic skills is essential to learning; however, with rigorous federal…

The vast amount of data collected during online learning offers opportunities to advance newer interventions that might aid learning. One such intervention has been learning analytics dashboards, visualizations designed to translate learning-related data into usable information. However, many student-facing dashboards compare learners' performance…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how early childhood educators perceive the use of Modern Classrooms Project (MCP) in their classrooms. MCP is an instructional model that promotes blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning with ties to constructivist teaching ideals. Data were collected using a teacher interview,…

Postsecondary enrollment rates in the United States have grown tremendously; however, completion rates have not significantly changed over the last 20 years. Studies have found that International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) participants have higher postsecondary completion rates than their counterparts. The purpose of this qualitative…

Across the nation the average allotted time, per school day for phonics instruction is 20-30 minutes for elementary students (Shanahan, 2019). Although this is an average, the aforementioned amount of time is not an adequate amount of time to include all of the necessary components of effective phonics instruction (Shanahan, 2019). Furthermore,…