This dissertation explores the dynamics of a formal classroom and an informal nature-based learning environment, focusing on their impact on student subjectification and knowledge authority. The study, conducted with a cohort of 27 fifth-grade students and their teacher, employs a comparative case study methodology to analyze how teaching…

Students need qualified and caring adults to guide their academic and socioemotional development. In the United States and abroad, experienced and novice educators are leaving the profession at an accelerated pace, and the pipeline of individuals enrolled in teacher preparation programs has declined. Framed under Maslow's theoretical framework of…

Faculty trust and student bullying are two salient properties known to affect school environments. Indeed, the presence of organizational trust bolsters student achievement and promotes school safety, thus making schools more effective, although bullying behaviors abate the effectiveness of schools. Therefore, understanding potential relationships…

Schools are frequently seen as the hubs of the community, providing resources and a gathering place for members of the community. The process of surveying the community in order to identify unique needs within the community, and then intentionally forging partnerships capable of ameliorating the specific needs, are strategies used by community…

This study was guided by two key questions: First, what dimensions of continuous improvement do school leaders believe are most important to foster student performance in urban K-12 schools? Second, how does Alabama compare to national leaders regarding their approach to continuous improvement? Initially developed by Meehan et al. (2002), the…

School leaders fail to recognize parents' and teachers' perceptions of factors that affect children's learning in elementary schools, resulting in the problem of low parental involvement and academic achievement. The purpose of this quantitative method comparative design study was to examine the perception of parents and teachers concerning…

This study provides a framework to guide educators and researchers within departments of mathematics at institutions of higher education involved in reform efforts for undergraduate mainstream calculus. It does so by using motivational constructs from Self-Determination Theory to define and measure student-centeredness within both traditional and…

During the Spring 2020 semester, all fifty states in the United States closed schools from in-person instruction due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. When the two Upstate South Carolina school districts in this study reopened in the Fall of 2020, they gave families the option of allowing students to attend newly developed virtual schools which…

International students are an increasingly important population in the United States, growing in both size and contributions. While research has outlined challenges encountered by international students and the importance of campus climate, little research has defined and empirically assessed the friendliness of college and university campuses…

Two out of every three special education teachers leave teaching within the first five years. Veteran teachers who stay possess characteristics that sustain them even when faced with difficulties; they are more resilient. Teacher resilience is the ability to cope with difficult situations and to not allow difficulties to deter the desire to teach.…

The problem addressed in this study was the inability of certain schools in a rural school district in Florida to achieve adequate yearly progress (AYP) in comparison to a neighboring school district where students consistently made AYP. Research has shown a positive relationship between student achievement and principal leadership skills. The…

This study of perceptions of campus climate for Personal and Social Responsibility (PSR) evaluated the extent to which observable differences existed among campuses that had or did not have military cadets as their primary student population. Specifically, it looked at civilian colleges and universities and collegiate military academies such as…

Children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) are failing academically, despite the availability of educational, financial, and medical resources for them. This could be explained by the reliance of educational processes on traditional direct instruction that leads to poor academic performance of students with AS. Classroom format and environment are…

In this dissertation, the researcher investigates the success of productive learning environments in Detroit Public Schools. Using interviews with three productive principals from the Detroit school system, the researcher explores three related issues in public schooling. The first issue is the definition of a productive learning environment. By…

Latinas/os are the fastest-growing racial minority group in the United States, yet there is a lack of parity between their increased population and their participation rates in higher education. The economic strength and vitality of the nation require a college-educated workforce; therefore, the need to improve educational environments that…