The primary purpose of this study was to compare academic variables from students participating in mixed teaching methods/course revitalization biology courses to those in traditional courses at two community colleges in Tennessee. A two-group comparison design using archived data was used, which evaluated differences in final grades, exam scores,…

This study aimed to discover the perspectives and experiences of elementary school teachers in rural southeast Tennessee regarding their collaborative efforts to effectively implement data-driven instruction for individual student success. The research problem is that the current collaboration efforts for teachers to implement data-driven…

This dissertation examined how recent graduates from an animal science program described the role of experiential learning on their educational success in eastern Tennessee. The goal of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand how recent graduates describe the role of experiential learning on their educational success by answering the…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers feel ill-equipped to handle students who have been impacted by trauma. The purpose of this study was to examine the teachers' experiences in implementing a trauma informed schools (TIS) approach to classroom management in rural Tennessee. The theoretical framework used is Bronfenbrenner's…

In response to the federal Race to the Top grant initiative that aimed to increase teacher accountability, the state of Tennessee created the Tennessee Student Growth Portfolio Model (TSGPM) to evaluate its non-tested teachers. This optional alternate evaluation model for non-tested teachers was developed and piloted by fine arts educators in the…

Chronic absenteeism is the most extreme form of truancy and includes students who miss more than 10% of the school year (Conry & Richards, 2018). The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 2015 required states to choose a non-cognitive measure to evaluate school performance. Tennessee has chronic absenteeism selected…

Even though phenomena, observations or experiences that appear in our lives daily, are particularly important in STEM, historically they have been a missing component in science education, which frequently focused on general content knowledge. Concentrating primarily on content knowledge does not always give students the tools to apply knowledge…

This study was used to investigate the differences in asynchronous, bisynchronous, and hybrid learning environments in student achievement in online schools. Utilizing quantitative data analysis, the research examines student growth data, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and ACT scores across these modalities. The research holds significant…

This study sought to explore the teachers' self-efficacy on STEM integration and 21st century skills within STEM-designated schools in Tennessee by (a) evaluating teachers' self-efficacy, (b) teachers' perception of students' use of 21st century skills, (c) the association of teachers' self-efficacy and teachers' perception of students' use of…

While teachers are provided with professional development, they do not always use the best practices, which can negatively impact their students' learning. This study addressed the problem of teachers not using the best, research-based instructional practices to instruct students in rural areas of Middle Tennessee. The purpose of this qualitative…

Polarization in the United States and controversy over the teaching of content some deem "divisive" has resulted in the enactment of restrictive legislation in many states. Such constraints contribute to a fraught environment in schools today and significantly impact the work of teaching. Utilizing frameworks of "ambitious…

The problem addressed in this study was that most opportunities for professional learning in the field of education have been created and assigned without the teacher giving input through a needs assessment. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the experiences of veteran K-5 teachers who participated in an online…

The problem addressed through this study was the inconsistent implementation of RTI2 in the mathematics classes for special education (SPED) upper elementary (i.e., Grades 3-5) students at a Southwestern, urban Tennessee school district (SUTSD). Students in SPED have low mathematics proficiency. Researchers have demonstrated that RTI2 is a process…

The purpose of this basic qualitative, interpretative study was to explore the relationships among blended learning classrooms, communities of inquiry, and student engagement in secondary grades in Tennessee. I conducted this study using the Communities of Inquiry framework to find a deeper understanding and gain insight into Tennessee public…

The COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 shut down schools and forced many teachers to teach online. The subsequent reopenings varied by state, region, and even school district. While research about instructional strategies during the pandemic were available, there was little to no research available about instructional strategies in…