Mathematics educators have moved past the days of students sitting quietly in mathematics classrooms, listening to their teachers while procedures are demonstrated at the board. While this is certainly not true everywhere, the evidence to move away from traditional lectures is clear. Rather than sitting and just listening, students must actively…

My goal with this study is to understand the role school academic grading policies play in shaping teacher expectations for students. In the cooperating district, the newly adopted grading policies address the frequency of grades inputted, the weighting of the grades, the required types of assignments, and the various timeline requirements for…

Interest in the two constructs, collective teacher efficacy and teacher expectations, has increased tremendously among researchers in recent years. This article addresses this meager but growing body of literature through a framework consisting of four interlocking research questions. The guiding questions investigate the relationship between…

Early academic intervention programs are designed to support struggling students to assist in overcoming their challenges and having a greater chance of maintaining success throughout school. Studies reveal that children exhibiting weaknesses in emerging skills that lead to reading failure, is most prevalent in low-income communities of color…

This grounded theory research study investigated one active reading strategy, note taking, with a goal of creating student-centered, evidence-based curriculum for the developmental reading instructor. Sixteen students participated in a two-part session: a semi-structured interview and a think aloud of an assigned, academic text. The students were…

This study examines a pedagogical method known as transparent assignment design, or TAD, intended to make course assignments more accessible for students. The research related to TAD in higher education offers promising results, yet there is still much that is unknown about the implementation and impact of TAD. The study utilizes action research…

The "Pygmalion effect," is a construct that states that people often rise to the level that is expected of them (Chang, 2011). This is closely related to the "law of expectations," in which individuals receive what they expect to receive. These ideas may be applied to the educational arena when related to teacher perceptions…

Many aspects of a student teacher's clinical year help determine their success in the future. Understanding the lived experiences of both cooperating teachers and student teachers is essential to understanding the dynamics of that relationship and how district-university partnerships foster an environment of mentoring and support. This study aims…

This study examined Indiana public school educators' perceptions of self-efficacy in three instructional practices: setting clear and high expectations, fostering collaborative inquiry, and providing feedback. Using a quantitative approach, it explored whether these perceptions varied by teaching experience (0-5, 6-15, 16+ years), school location…

African American males often struggle with reading motivation and reading achievement. The problem addressed in this research study was that low reading motivation in African American males is associated with low scoring on standardized and summative reading assessments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the reading…

Although African Americans report the lowest graduation rates in the United States--approximately 35% at undergraduate level--the rate is lower for African American males (30%) than African American females (37%). The performance of African American males in higher education is influenced by faculty role models and faculty expectations of their…

The purpose of the study was to examine differences in teacher demographic characteristics and factors associated with culturally and linguistically responsive teaching practices for those who completed or did not complete three voluntary diversity, equity, and inclusion professional development sessions. Participants self-reported demographic…

Since the founding of the United States, teacher preparation has been undergoing constant revisions to continue to improve instruction and meet the needs of all students in public schools. Teacher residency programs are on the rise with funding from the state and federal government increasing annually. Despite the increase in funding, there is…

This dissertation explores the perceived readiness of potential violin majors (PVMs) in the United States for university-level violin study. The purpose of this study was to explore violin professors' expectations of PVMs in the United States, their perceptions of how these expectations are being met, and how PVMs can be prepared to meet these…

This study examined the development of self-efficacy among third-grade girls in a low-achieving school setting. Self-efficacy is defined as an individual's belief in their capabilities to attain desired outcomes, as described by Schillinger et al. (2021). This belief plays a significant role in influencing academic performance, social…