This study aimed to understand preservice teachers' perceptions of culturally responsive teaching within a teacher preparation program, guided by Geneva Gay's Culturally Responsive Teaching Framework. The research questions examined the extent of preservice teachers' knowledge of cultural diversity, their ability to validate the cultural…

Research-based practices generally improve student outcomes but are not regularly implemented with fidelity in classrooms. Websites that feature research-based practices may be used to improve pre-service teachers' understanding of the practices; however, little is known about pre-service teachers' experiences with or perceptions of these…

This dissertation explores the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and WIDA frameworks by elementary education teacher candidates during their internships in classrooms characterized by the presence of Multilingual Learners (MLLs). This embedded case study focuses on the Spring and Fall cohorts of 2023, particularly focusing on…

Pre-service science teachers have difficulty with designing learning activities and writing lesson plans using STEM education. This research aims to: (1) develop a learning package to enhance competency in designing learning activities using STEM Education approach for pre-service science teachers, (2) implement the learning package to develop…

In the study reported on here we examined the extent of pre-service teachers' supportiveness for educational inclusion (EI) of students with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties (SPMLD) in order to identify their attitudinal predictors, as well as the challenges faced in such a process. An attitudinal survey with 33 items was…

While many schools have gravitated away from an emphasis on 'zero tolerance' discipline, embracing a range of 'restorative practices' (RP), only a handful of empirical studies have examined how RP have been received by educators. Moreover, frameworks which embrace RP in the classroom often neglect newer forms of online-mediated conflict and harm…

Action research has the potential to reconstruct schools into professional learning communities that are able to identify educational issues and develop appropriate solutions for 21st century learning. Increasingly, teacher education programs are providing action research experiences to encourage analytical thinking and problem-solving skills…

The purpose of this study is to observe the changes on pre-service teachers' cognitive (i.e. fluency, flexibility, and originality) and affective outcomes (e.g. perceptions towards creativity-directed tasks, beliefs about the nature of mathematics) related to mathematical creativity after they participated in a creativity-focused mathematics…

It is necessary to realize widespread and effective implementation of philosophy for children (P4C) in teacher education. Learning the views of teacher candidates and identifying implementation-related difficulties can help determine the content of such education. Thus, thirty teacher candidates who participated in an elective P4C course were…

Virtual reality (VR) platforms act as a potentially transformative tool in learning and teaching. The aim of this study was to examine pre-service teachers' (PST) perceptions about VR, inclusive of their beliefs about its capacity to be used as a teaching and learning tool. A case-study, conducted at an urban university in Australia involved a…

This Reflection on Practice is based upon a change in the undergraduate course "Family and Community Relations." Historically, this course has been taught on campus in a lecture format, as well as small and large group activities. However, during a spring semester at a midsized Midwestern University, it was altered to provide more direct…

Reflection plays an important role in the professional development of teachers. This study is analyzing the role of reflective practices in teaching practicum teachers. Reflection helps in learning from experience and taking corrective actions to change behavior positively. Objectives of this study include; the effect of reflective practices on…

While increasing emphasis has been placed on computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) little is known about these topics in elementary classrooms. Significant equity gaps exist within CS/CT at the elementary level, with a major contributor being the lack of highly qualified CS/CT elementary teachers. Professional development (PD) for…

Interactive simulations allow preservice teachers to connect education theory and pedagogy in scaffolded environments. We created digital simulations with scenarios from in-person simulations and used them to prepare novice teachers for conversations with parents. Using a design-based approach we implemented the simulations in an education class,…

The purpose of the study was to investigate preservice teachers' (PSTs) attitudes and beliefs towards their PK-12 field trip (FT) experiences as students, their memories, influences in their lives, impact on their educational approaches and career choices, as well as how, as future teachers, they would implement FTs to their future students to…