The purpose of this case study was to examine how teachers experienced professional development as collaborative inquiry, and how their experiences contributed to their development as teacher leaders. Three overarching themes were identified through iterative qualitative analysis of multiple data sources including interviews, observations,…

This study takes a grounded theory approach as a basis for a case study examining a cross-disciplinary artistic and academic collaborative project involving faculty from the areas of English, music, dance, theatre, design, and visual journalism resulting in the creation of research, scholarly, and creative activity that fosters student engagement…

Extension professionals in the Western Region proclaimed The Timberline Manifesto at their 100-year celebration, "Centennial on the Summit," at Mount Hood, OR, in 2014. Family and consumer sciences (FCS) leaders relate this platform to the future of FCS: our opportunities for success in engagement, integration, technology, demand-driven…

This action research reports on a three-year collaborative learning process among three teachers. We used current literature and a critical reflection framework to understand why our teaching approaches were not resulting in increased student learning. This allowed us to examine our previously unrecognized and uninterrupted--and often,…

During recent years, literacy coaching has become a widespread model of professional development for teachers in schools across the United States. However, there is a shortage of research and policy to inform the preparation and ongoing work of literacy coaches. In this article, the researchers use a modified version of Gee's identity framework to…

With the recent adoptions of 1:1 technology initiatives, such as the iPads in schools, it is urgent to provide appropriate professional development opportunities for teachers to maximize student use of the technology. This study provides vital information on the professional development needs of teachers for initial integration of technology with…

The main purpose of this research study was to fill gaps in existing research on the comparative forms and qualities of learning that emerge from formal professional development and from more self-directed teacher teams. This research study also described the extent to which both align to recommendations for professional learning and the extent…

This qualitative phenomenological study was developed to fill the gap in current research on what extent five teacher educators, from three Midwest and one Southwest teacher education program, are preparing English Language Learner (ELL) preservice teachers to collaborate in ELL teacher education. The results indicate that ELL teacher educators…

This study focused on the instructional competency needs of new dental hygiene educators. The purpose of this qualitative and phenomenological study was twofold: (a) to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of 14 dental hygiene educators who have transitioned from clinical practice into the California Community College education system to…

Problem and Purpose: Much research over several decades has established the importance of ongoing professional learning for teachers and has identified what effective professional learning should look like. Little research has been done, however, on the professional learning practices of teachers in faith-based schools, and few studies have…

In this paper we frame our observations in enactivism, specifically problem posing, to propose the notion of problem drift as a method to analyze the curriculum generating actions of small group learning systems in relation to teacher interventions intended to trigger specific content goals. Teacher attentiveness to problem drift is suggested to…

The purpose of this study was to explore secondary English teachers' perceptions of the benefits and challenges of professional learning communities (PLCs), with particular focus on what they considered to be characteristics of effective PLCs. Through a qualitative study in grounded theory using individual interviews among a subgroup of ten…

As the method, instrument, and reliability of teacher and principal evaluations have come under extreme scrutiny since the Education Reform Act of 2010, school systems across the nation have examined and refined the evaluation process for teachers and principals. Studies have shown the integration of peer evaluation as a model of teacher…

Despite the growing descriptions of effective teacher community--and lessons about the conditions needed for them to survive--more research has been done on exemplars of strong professional community than on efforts to produce professional community where it doesn't already exist. Building professional community is important to school improvement…

This study employed a mixed methods approach to evaluate the meaning and value of grades within a traditional grading system. Teachers' grading and assessment practices were examined in terms of clarity, consistency, and to what extent assessment guided instruction. Teachers from a high-performing suburban high school in the Northeast responded to…