This evaluation was chosen to address the desire of students to see themselves and their lived experiences in their coursework at University College, the location of this study. The purpose was to complete a utilization-focused evaluation that assessed first, the formal and informal practices involved in the course development process within an…

The purpose of this professional practice dissertation (PPD) is to create an annual program evaluation and provide Christian schools with effective practices for K-2 students for spiritual formation and biblical worldview. The evaluation process helps to identify areas of strength and growth that adhere to the school mission, Flourishing Faith…

This exploratory study, in which the participants portrayed a critical role, aimed to discover the perceptions of professional development in changing educator practice at the secondary level with middle school teachers in an urban school district. The data collection process included semi-structured interviews with nine secondary teachers via…

This Education Leadership Portfolio documents efforts toward improving equity-focused professional development (PD) in the Cape Henlopen School District (CHSD). The strategies utilized in this study are guided by an extensive review of the literature on effective PD, teacher preparation, and theories of self-efficacy. Teachers in CHSD participated…

This design study investigated how the Students Assessing Teaching and Learning (SATAL), a student-faculty partnership program implementing assessment as a pedagogical practice, traces and enacts equity in its regular operations. I utilized two frameworks, Montenegro and Jankowski's (2020) and de Bie et al.'s (2021), to analyze pre-existing data…

Texas House Bill 102, effective September 1, 2019, requires Texas public school districts to assign a mentor teacher to each beginning teacher; however, implementation may look different on each campus within a school district (H.B. 102, 2019). Campus principals can enhance district induction and mentoring programs through the onboarding of new…

Cultural competence is described as a set of skills, values, and principles that acknowledge, respect, and work toward optimal interactions between the individual and the various cultural and ethnic groups with which an individual might come into contact. Scholars have been critical of cultural competence training because the three-dimensional…

The purpose of this study was to determine the quality, relevance, benefits, and teacher preparedness of a student advisory that was implemented in a high school to improve student connectedness to the school. Students' and staff perceptions and ideas were collected and analyzed for the purpose of understanding whether the advisory was meeting its…

The increasing shift for higher education institutions to recognize career readiness as an institutional priority (Cruzvergara et al., 2018) is leading the need to identify ways to scale student engagement in at least one high-impact practice (HIP), such as experiential learning opportunities, prior to graduation (Huang et al., 2018).…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is the most recent reform in science education across the United States. The NGSS demands a shift in both teaching and learning. Yet there is no direction on how teachers are to implement this shift in their classrooms. This mixed-methods study examined 12 middle school teachers' perceptions and the…

This dissertation study investigates the complexities of the relationship between literacy and international development in Indonesia. I focus on the Literacy Boost program from the international non-governmental organization Save the Children, and I explore how the program was differentially implemented and received in two sites:…

MVC is at a tipping point in understanding how to serve students through their students of concern process. Seventy percent of the college population are students of color, and Hispanic/Latino/a students represent 50.9% of the total undergraduate body. The designation of Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) does not take into consideration how…

There is an increasing need for equitable instructional practices that support diverse student populations. Equitable and inclusive teaching involves cultivating awareness of the dynamics that shape classroom experiences and impact learning. It requires an honest review of structures and supports in place and a commitment to being responsive to…

This dissertation examines the history, funding, structure, efficacy, and challenges of dual enrollment programs in English (and more specifically in First-Year Composition, FYC, courses) that provide access to higher education for high school students prior to graduation, as these programs have developed and currently operate in the United…

This thesis describes how principals and teacher leaders facilitate organizational learning while implementing a 21st century learning initiative through instructional leadership practices. The inclusion of 21st century learning skillsets and initiatives in the classroom stems from educational research that recognizes that students need to be…