Positive classroom climates set a foundation for equitable educational opportunities and, ultimately, social change (Whipp, 2013). This multi-modal two-phase study examined teacher candidate orientation of knowledge authority in creating a classroom environment marked by respectful relationships and genuine rapport at differing thresholds of field…

Field experiences are critical components of educator preparation programs. The opportunity for a teacher candidate to collaborate with an experienced mentor in an authentic classroom environment can be of great benefit to the teacher candidate, the cooperating teacher, the students in the class, and the reciprocal partnership between the educator…

This mixed methods study investigated the effectiveness of a novel educational framework, Creative Teacher Preparation (CTP), in enhancing the creative teaching abilities of undergraduate education students during field-based learning. The study focused on pre-service teachers enrolled in an undergraduate program designed for initial…

According to Duncan (1971), counselor educators who do not prioritize counseling practice may experience challenges in their teaching. For Duncan (1971), maintaining counseling practice "helps to keep the counselor educator alive to real-life counseling situations" (p. 157) and is beneficial to draw from in their teaching practices.…

Diversity in classrooms across the United States continues to grow. In order to evaluate teacher education programs and explore how they prepare pre-service teachers with culturally responsive teaching practices; the researcher conducted a mixed-methods study. After analyzing teacher education programs through course syllabi, conducting interviews…

Most schools in the United States report annual teacher shortages. Without teacher instruction, the stability of education and students' future is in jeopardy. Low self-efficacy is one possible cause of the teacher shortage. Preservice teachers report low self-efficacy during field experience in teacher preparation programs. This quantitative…

This study examined preservice teachers' culturally responsive literacy teaching self-efficacy changes during the field experiences in relation to the sources of self-efficacy. I delved into the meanings under the theoretical frameworks of culturally responsive teaching and social cognitive theory. I explored 84 preservice teachers' experiences…

This qualitative instrumental case study examines the practices, curriculum, and experiences of teacher educators and White preservice teachers at one credential program in NorCal through the frameworks of White Racial Identity Development and Critical Pedagogy. This study examined five teaching constructs: policy, pedagogy, curriculum, discourse,…

Many preservice teachers enrolled in teacher training programs need support in order to become successful teachers of record. Two factors have been shown to have positive results in building a robust teacher: self-efficacy and resilience. Self-efficacy stems from mastery experiences, trusted guidance of mentors, and a strong pedagogical…

The effectiveness of teacher-preparation programs to produce high-quality teachers has been an issue of concern for a long time. Teachers play a significant role in shaping students' academic achievement and social-emotional growth. Therefore, it is critical to focus on how teacher education programs, especially the field placement component,…

Shifts in the healthcare environment, particularly the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, have resulted in the cancelation of most Level I experiential learning opportunities for occupational therapy students limiting required hands-on learning experiences and impacting the required academic content for graduation for…

Teacher preparation programs include a variety of field experiences designed to support preservice teacher growth including early field experiences, student teaching, and clinical internships. Limited research was available regarding how hosting a preservice teacher may result in long-term learning and professional growth (Bruemmer, 2018;…

The researcher's goal is to instill a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world by encouraging students to think critically and gather information from numerous sources. By introducing field experiences and primary sources into the curriculum, student engagement increased. Students were able to make a personal connection with their studies and…

Despite field experiences being especially valuable for physical education teacher education programs, the concerns and issues that are often faced by teacher candidates can make for less-than-ideal experiences. Variability in the quality and satisfaction of field placements have led programs to seek ways to maximize their quality mentors while…

This dissertation explores two main questions of farmers in Western Kenya -- how they see farming as a creative process and their role in that - and how change is made possible in their community. I explore stories from farmers themselves, using photographs they have taken and stories they tell about those photographs, which answer these two…