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…

Motor deficits are a phenotype observed in children with autism. When provided with motor intervention, the children progress across different developmental domains. The problem is teachers in self-contained classrooms for nonverbal children with autism faced obstacles that needed to be overcome in implementing a motor intervention plan in public…

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…

Success of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework relies upon school-wide participation and buy-in. The problem was that failure to attain staff buy-in impedes the successful implementation of PBIS. While research on school leadership and PBIS separately is vast, a gap exists in the literature identifying leader and…

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…

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,…

Too often, the value of culturally responsive and sustaining education (CRSE) is limited to addressing student motivation and engagement rather than being seen as valuable for academic achievement and rigorous student learning. This brief calls on education leaders to prioritize a broader range of outcomes, including students' development of…

In recent years, there has been a widespread commitment in Connecticut to diversify the educator workforce by increasing the number of educators of color. The state has invested resources and set clear expectations, but the challenge is now how to best position districts and schools to achieve these results at scale. The Connecticut State…

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…

When it comes to implementing educational policy changes, teacher leaders have been identified as playing a critical role. Yet, despite more calls for increased teacher professionalism and leadership, we lack substantial empirical research on how these teacher leaders are developed and the role of collaborative relationships in their development.…

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the integration of emerging technology (ET) integration in the information systems (IS) curriculum. Background: Modernizing the IS curriculum is consistently needed to meet the demands of the workplace. The IS2020 curriculum model recommends adding emerging technology learning into the IS…

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…