To help students become better learners, educators need to be able to provide feedback to students on their learning processes. However, this can be challenging for educators due to the customized nature of such feedback. To that end, we have created and evaluated the Acknowledge, Affirm, Challenge, and Encourage (A[superscript 2]CE) framework as…

The dialogic teaching approach has been studied widely, both empirically and theoretically. However, despite four decades of research suggesting that dialogical interactions promote student learning, it has been very difficult to reflect this in practice. Teachers' professional development programmes oriented towards promoting dialogical…

It is indicated that research on professional development programmes (PDPs) for mathematics teachers mostly concerns whether a programme affects the teachers' practice or student learning, while the teachers' learning is treated as a "black box." Calls have been made for a shared body of knowledge on teachers' professional learning and…

This study explores the experiences of STEM teachers who participated in professional development (PD) workshops focused on supporting the use of a socioscientific issues (SSI)/socioTransformative constructivism (sTc) framework as an avenue to incorporate SSI into lessons and empower students to become agents of change outside the classroom. The…

The problem addressed in this study was the negative impact salary has on adjunct faculty job satisfaction and under what conditions adjunct faculty experience job satisfaction in higher educational institutions in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore adjunct faculty attitudes and perceptions of how salary impacts adjunct…

Modeling with mathematics (MP4) is a mathematical practice standard that can be used to engage students in mathematical content standards as well as additional mathematical practice standards. Research has shown the benefits of mathematical modeling (e.g., Aguirre et al., 2019; Cirillo et al., 2016a), but also the challenges teachers can face…

"Shakespeare Fixes: Equitable Approaches to Shakespeare Pedagogy in U.S. High Schools" examines the world of Shakespeare professional development and pedagogy for high school teachers. Shakespeare's works occupy a unique place in U.S. schooling, where, due to both the entrenched status of his works in U.S. curricula and the challenging…

Unfilled teaching positions are rising in South Carolina, increasing year over year. To combat this problem of practice, I conducted an improvement science study to understand factors that impact teacher satisfaction levels aimed to raise teacher retention rates. The study aimed to allow teachers to identify areas that school administrators can…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of LETRS professional development on reading proficiency. I used ANOVA tests to analyze third- through fifth-grade EOG assessment scores for changes in proficiency from 2021-2023. The results indicated a statistically significant change in the means for all grades. Third-grade results reflected the most…

This qualitative study, utilizing Expectancy Value Theory (EVT) as a guiding framework, delves into the motivations and preferences of alternatively certified School-Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers in Ohio regarding their engagement with Teacher Professional Development (TPD). Through individual interviews with 10 alternatively…

Background: When New York City's (NYC) Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE) enacted their historic expansion of free programming for four-year-olds under Pre-K for All, they designed a complex system of professional learning (PL) to support teachers and high-quality programming. This study, developed in partnership between NYU and DECE,…

This dissertation consists of two distinct bodies of work. The first leverages a unique aspect of fire ant biology to investigate a potential role for a supergene in genetic assimilation. A supergene refers to a chromosome structural rearrangement, such as an inversion, that regulates the production of an alternative phenotype within a species. In…

The goal of this study was to assess the outcomes of a grant-funded intervention designed to provide comprehensive training and support for holistic admissions in 26 STEM PhD programs at five California research universities. This pilot intervention combined a flexible, research-based model of holistic review, training for faculty involved with…

Despite ongoing efforts to recruit and support successful school leaders, relatively little is understood about the professional experiences and skillsets that principals possess upon entry into their positions. We trace the professional experiences and instructional effectiveness of all educators in Oregon over 14 years. We highlight that many…

Initiatives for teachers' professional development should rely on the epistemology of practice, that is, be founded on the premise that reflective teachers construct professional knowledge and develop professional skills through practice and through planning, observing or analysing practice. Reflection about teaching action and reflection in…