A theoretical framework grounded in constructionism and pragmatism theories supported research on learning by doing. This framework underpinned the purpose of this qualitative case study to explore how K-8 STEM teachers facilitated projects utilizing innovative technologies to solve community-based problems. The problem was a lack of connection…

Gifted students' often go unchallenged in the classroom, and this lack of tailored instruction can lead to decreased motivation, which, in turn, influences underachievement, which is a significant concern since these children, theoretically, should be our highest achievers. This 4-week (i.e., eight instructional days) semi-randomized,…

Time has come for parents to be more involved than ever with children's educational lives. Teachers need the support at home and school to produce citizens that can work, play, and survive in the environment. When parents are involved in children's education, there is accountability that lies with each student. Grades and attendance are usually…

Educators are always looking for new ideas and best practices to positively impact student learning. Particularly after the learning interruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, schoolteachers and leaders are seeking strategies to increase the rate of student academic growth. One approach that can be borrowed from leadership development is the…

Schools in Florida used the multitiered system of support response to intervention framework to help students achieve the state and national standards but, in the national report card, 61% of the fourth-graders assessed in mathematics failed to achieve proficiency. Research indicated that the students lacked mathematical word problem-solving…

Grades 4 and 8 students had shown slow but steady improvement in scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment from 1990 until 2013, but performance since then has been lower despite the introduction of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) in the early 2010s. This study examined student…

A Title I elementary school in New York City faced a challenge in supporting students in Grade 3 to Grade 5 who did not meet state proficiency standards in mathematics. The student body of approximately 300 was 80% Black and Brown students, with 40% of students identified as English language learners or students with disabilities. The assistant…

This quantitative study sought to determine relationships between third through fifth grade boys' and girls' perceptions of connectedness to their school community and between their behavioral outcomes. This study also sought to determine the effect of students' perceptions and gender on their numbers of discipline referrals incurred. Students'…

A solid foundation in mathematics is beneficial not only for individuals' concurrent and later academic achievement, but also for future career success and financial stability. Rational number knowledge plays a pivotal role in mathematical success, yet it is often regarded as a challenging area to grasp comprehensively. The dissertation aims to…

Mathematics instruction can work to open or constrain children's opportunities to learn, and the busy, interactive nature of instruction makes it challenging for researchers to identify patterns in high-quality opportunities to learn. While researchers have documented how whole-group discussions and small-group work can contribute to such…

The implementation of high-stakes testing has radically altered mathematics instruction in elementary classrooms. A curriculum that is heavily focused on developing successful test takers has fostered a weakness in our students' ability to solve complex problems. The purpose of this record of study was to examine the impact of a problem-solving…

Behavior problems among third- and fourth-grade students have become an issue of concern among stakeholders in the education sector. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of Second Step, a socioemotional curriculum with practices used to address behaviors with third and fourth graders. The…

The purpose of this modified Delphi qualitative research was to obtain a consensus from African American and Caucasian parent educators of elementary grade males. The consensus was to see why African American elementary males are failing because they cannot read on grade level as well as their Caucasian peers. The research involved a modified…

Analogy is a powerful learning mechanism for children to learn novel, abstract concepts from only limited input, yet also requires cognitive supports. My dissertation sought to propose and examine number lines as a mathematical schema of the number system to facilitate both the development of rational number understanding and analogical reasoning.…

Students who were not identified with a learning disability or significant developmental delay (SDD) in prekindergarten, but may have undiscovered learning issues are often among the lowest performing students in mathematics when they reach upper grades. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand kindergarten, first, and second grade…