At the time of this study, blended learning studies were more numerous in the postsecondary level than in a K-12 setting. In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Education recommended blended learning be used as a teaching strategy. Tennessee Department of Education administrators also suggested all Tennessee School districts offer as many Early…

"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…

This study explored if the AP World History: Modern Reading is effective teacher professional development and if it impacts teachers and students. Desimone's Core Conceptual Framework served as the foundation for which to evaluate professional development. Adult learning theory served as the theoretical framework. The researcher used a mixed…

Disproportionate representation of historically underserved students in advanced placement programs, such as the IB program, is a persistent issue nationwide. Despite being called "the great equalizer," public education often perpetuates systemic inequities for marginalized students, including those living in poverty or belonging to…

The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum recognizes approaches to learning skills (ATLS) as an integral part of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. This vital element of learning is designed to be embedded in the program standards and practices of the inquiry-based IB curriculum. After an evaluation visit by the IB school visit…

With the changes in the educational landscape, holding students' attention has become an even more crucial point. Educators are having to find creative ways and means to engage students and make learning 'fun'. There have been numerous research studies to show that gamification can be used to drive student engagement, achievement, and reinforce…

This work applies to Computer Science (CS) K12 Education through a user experience and human-centered design and research approach. Due to the increase in use of technology, CS courses are important opportunities for K12 students to explore. In order to support the courses added to K12, in-service teachers lacking CS background are stepping up and…

Many students are passively engaged in mathematics content across the United States because they are in classrooms that use traditional instruction methods (i.e. lecture and guided practice). Calculus is a struggle for students because of the critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and problem solving required. Active learning has been shown…

This research was a narrative study of the professional learning of workshop leaders, that is, senior teachers whose professional growth prepared them to share their learning with other teachers. Six participants in this study made up three cases. Case 1 included three workshop leaders in an IB-PYP school. Case 2 was two workshop leaders who were…

Although Advanced Placement (AP) courses are intended to promote rigorous, college-level instruction for high school students, AP tests have been criticized for privileging breadth over depth. In response to both this criticism and to the 2002 National Research Council (NRC) report on STEM education, AP Biology, Chemistry, and Physics curricula…

This qualitative, analytical study at an International Baccalaureate school explored third grade teachers' perceptions of three specific innovative teaching strategies: innovation skills needed by third grade students; barriers and challenges that exist when teaching 21st Century skills; and skills needed by teachers to teach innovation skills.…

This dissertation explores the views and experiences of high school calculus teachers and college mathematics professors on the professional development which occurs at the annual national AP Calculus exam grading. This professional development experience comes in several forms: the exam briefing sessions, the actual reading of the exams, the…

The 21st century learner resides in an advanced global society that is led by the waves of the economy, advances in the technological world, concern around our safety and security, as well as demographical changes (Carver & Markatos-Soriano, 2007). The trends suggest education needs to equip students with the attitudes that promote respect for…

As educational leaders struggle to meet state and federal mandates, many students graduate from high school without the skills necessary to meet the demands of a college education. Guided by the tenets of constructivism, this qualitative case study explored college students' perceptions of their college preparedness through math, science, and…

The purpose of this eleventh grade Advanced Placement (AP) program study was to determine factors associated with AP placement and subsequent student performance. This research was considered to be a mixed methods case study with elements of arrested action research. One hundred and twenty-four students, four guidance counselors, three AP…