Systemic structures designed to make pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) exclusive to dominant culture, typically employ practices of exclusion or isolation of Black people. As such, the demand for more Black people, particularly Black teachers, in STEM has increased the demand for teacher preparation programs…

The study investigates the journey of the PRDE's PADE Academy accelerated English teacher preparation program, in preparing special recruitment and permanent PRDE teachers for the English content area re/certification. Through qualitative research using a case study design, the research examines various aspects of the program, including academic…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how experienced elementary educators in Central Montana described their use of new knowledge from research evidence to inform their teaching practice. Data sources included 15 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups. The Cognitive Affective Model of Conceptual Change was…

This dissertation examines the role of reflective practice in the development of teacher candidates during their final internship in a teacher preparation program at a state college in Southwest Florida. Grounded in Dewey's and Schon's theories on reflective practice as well as Vygotsky's social learning theories, this mixed methods explanatory…

Many science teachers leave the teaching profession during the first five years of practice resulting in a "greening" of the population. This phenomenon produces a high concentration of early-career teachers with low levels of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). PCK is the ultimate measure for knowing the content one teaches and the…

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how and why educators who conducted an action research project to satisfy the completion requirements of an online early childhood education graduate program continue to use action research to inform practice and create social change in educational settings. The theoretical framework incorporated…

This mixed methods study investigated how professional learning communities could support reformed teaching practices in the secondary science classroom. To assist preservice teachers with implementing these practices in the classroom, teachers must have a space for metacognitive reflection on their teaching practices (Darling-Hammond, 2006).…

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore preservice teachers' experiences, uses, and applications of videotaped lesson reflections during their practicum in the teacher preparation program (TPP) at one university in West Virginia. The theoretical framework encompassed Dewey's definition of reflection and Schon's concept of…

Teacher preparation programs have been under scrutiny for years. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) (2010) identified a gap between the preparation of teachers and the needs of schools and consequently formed a Blue Ribbon Panel to closely examine and generate recommendations on ways institutions could improve…

Teachers in a new school setting tend to display lower teacher efficacy, which negatively affects teaching performance and student learning. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of teacher efficacy in pre-service teachers and explore key factors influencing the perceptions as a result of pre-service training.…

Preparing the next generation of teachers to prepare students for the 21st Century is a challenging endeavor. Teacher candidates need to possess critical thinking and evidence-based pedagogical skills. It is believed that teacher reflection is the cornerstone to making informed decisions and timely modifications to daily instruction…

This qualitative study introduces a new framework for describing teachers who act innovatively in public schools--teachers as "hackers." It examines the characteristics and conditions under which teachers "hack" their classroom pedagogy to create disruptive innovation in the public education system and identify implications for…

The current study has attempted to investigate, and understand the manifestations of multicultural education (MCE) within the teacher education program (TEP). Moreover, it works to understand the threads of MCE, social justice, and equity within the TEP as a whole. Through this phenomenological study, the researcher has attempted to gain an…

This one-year long ethnographic case study seeks to add to the body of literature on EFL teachers' identities in Colombia by drawing on ethnographic methods and sociocultural theories to examine the identity construction of four EFL teachers at the university level. Specifically, this study explores how EFL teachers' identities shaped and were…

This doctoral thesis explored mentoring in early learning teacher preparation programs. This study explored the reflective processes embedded in the work between student teachers and their mentors during early learning student teacher experiences at Washington State community and technical colleges. Schon's (1987a) concepts of…