Technology continues to evolve at lightning speed, especially in the world of education. When the use of technology in education is considered, the focus tends to be on specific applications such as Google Classroom, websites, and word processing (Tierney, n.d.). It has been contended that teachers act as technology gatekeepers in today's schools,…

While previous research of maker spaces has primarily been focused on public and community spaces, this dissertation looked at maker education in independent schools. Maker education often challenges traditional approaches to teaching and learning, positioning teachers more as facilitators who support students to make meaningful decisions as they…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) provides legal guidelines to include who participates in the individual education program team, how students with disabilities require least restrictive environment and free and appropriate public education and describes each eligibility category and criteria to meet the eligibility for…

The purpose of this study was to explore how a teacher's technology self-efficacy influences decisions they make about the use of technology in their classrooms. The factors influencing teachers' technology self-efficacy were examined through a qualitative transcendental phenomenological research design. This study's theoretical framework was…

This research study explored the experiences of this teacher-researcher and eight student-participants in a Montessori-inspired, nature-based mathematical environment. I utilized an action research study framework with a critical event narrative analysis to describe mine and my student-participants' experiences throughout this study, using…

The student teaching experience is one of the most impactful and formative experiences of any preservice teachers' career. Student teaching provides preservice teachers with the professional knowledge and skills needed to be successful teachers through concrete experiences, which formalize professional behaviors. This longitudinal linear mixed…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act governs special education and requires collaboration between all stakeholders including parents and teachers. Additionally, there is a growing number of children with disabilities participating in the general education setting. The purpose of the study was to determine special and general…

Despite a growing population, the underrepresentation of African American faculty in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) is a growing concern in the United States. Recent studies indicate PWIs have been focused on increasing diverse student enrollment, particularly among African Americans, but not on recruiting and retaining African American…

This study examined special education and general education teacher understandings of inclusive education for their students with complex support needs. Teachers were asked to discuss their experiences with inclusive education, focusing on their students with complex support needs in the areas of behavior, cognition, or medical/physical needs. The…

The impact of burnout on elementary teachers in Nevada leads to teacher attrition. Teacher burnout leading to attrition affects low socio-economic schools disproportionately, resulting in depleted human capital resources and impacting student learning. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences…

Tens of thousands of teachers in the United States leave their schools to work in other occupations or other schools each year. This has earned the teaching profession the reputation of being a "revolving door," with a large number of qualified teachers leaving the profession prior to retirement. A wealth of literature has been devoted…

The Smith (pseudonym) School District's mathematics achievement data show disparities among subgroups with respect to middle and high school mathematics learning. Institutional data point to a variety of factors that may indicate low mathematics teaching efficacy and lack of supports for educators, particularly those new to teaching. Because…

The purpose of this study was to describe faculty member experiences related to identifying and addressing prohibited speech in the classroom. The researcher studied faculty members at University of North Carolina (UNC) system institutions using a multiple case study research approach based on the constructivist paradigm. For the purposes of this…

Developing a strong foundation in literacy is an essential component of students' overall academic success. However, first through third grade students in urban Title I schools located in the southeastern region of the United States continued to show limited progress on state literacy assessments. The purpose of this basic qualitative study with…

Growing national attention to the importance of early childhood education (ECE) has led many cities and states to abandon debates pertaining to whether and for whom Pre-Kindergarten (PK) should be available in favor of the establishment of Universal PK (UPK). UPK programs have been framed as an investment in human capital to improve standards and…