The assessment and evaluation process is crucial for building or reforming any educational system. Saudi Arabia, via its different educational entities, has invested heavily in developing assessment and evaluation programs and practices at many levels of the education sector. A national student assessment framework is needed to support…

This study addresses current trends in theological higher education by proposing a potentially viable mechanism for institutional reform, namely the Montessori method. Although Maria Montessori is widely known as an early childhood educator, this study suggests that her approach aligns quite well with the telos of theological education, the…

Although higher education institutions may be described as forward-thinking in areas such as research, their teaching practices are often perceived as lacking in innovation. This disjunction has led educators, researchers, and policymakers to question the role and implementation of change in higher education contexts and the factors that affect…

Efforts to improve learning outcomes in undergraduate mathematics are backed by calls for instructors to move away from persistent pedagogical norms, such as traditional "chalk-talk lectures" and timed closed-book exams. Although the movement towards active learning pedagogies and alternative assessments is gaining ground, uptake has…

This qualitative practice-based study explores the efficacy of reformed-based science teaching approaches in fostering meaningful student engagement within elementary science classrooms, framed within the science-as-practice paradigm. Utilizing three theoretical frameworks, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Ambitious Science…

It is estimated that K-12 public school districts spend approximately nine percent of their annual operating budgets on professional development to enhance the practice of teachers, yet research has found that this significant resource for training does not always yield sustained changes in instructional practices. This phenomenological…

This study assesses the role a teacher-led social studies group played in the evolution of three teachers' professional biographies over the course of seven years. It uses a conceptual framework based on Priestley, Biesta and Robinson's (2015) theory of teacher agency to explore the ecological relationships between professional biography, the…

Traditional, standardized instruction and assessment practices are insufficient to promote the development of skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication, which have been deemed necessary for post-secondary success (Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2013; Milner, 2018; Rickles et al., 2019). They also serve to…

In this participatory action research (PAR) study, I sought to understand how teachers implemented equitable and culturally responsive academic discourse to support African American students during mathematics instruction. Working with a group of teachers in a co-practitioner researcher (CPR) group, I examined to how teachers effectively planned…

In the United States, traditional lecture-based teaching methods have not effectively met the needs of diverse learners in higher education (HE). This is particularly problematic as diversity is increasing amongst learners, including those with diverse racial, ethnic, gender, academic, and emotional backgrounds. The predominance of the two-tiered…

Over past decade, districts throughout the United States have reformed their teacher evaluation systems in order to support teachers to improve teacher practices and to improve the composition of teachers in the workforce. Despite the widespread reform of evaluation systems, little research has examined the impacts these systems have on teacher…

This study examined faculty experiences and perceptions regarding online education during the COVID-19 global health crisis. An online survey was assessed for content validity using a team of faculty experts in online teaching and learning. It was administered to a convenience sample of faculty at a Midwestern university. Of the 963 faculty who…

The research for this dissertation is presented in manuscript format with an introduction, an in-depth outline of three manuscripts related to this study, and a conclusion that follows. As design-based research serving as the foundation to this work, the first manuscript used networked inquiry to uncover what teachers need in order to transform…

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the impact of the rapid shift to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic on a community college. This study focused on examining the attitudes of the faculty towards online teaching and their teaching practices. Additionally, the study aimed to understand the impact of the rapid shift to…

This longitudinal historical study examines the evolution of instructional delivery models in not-for-profit four-year higher education institutions over two decades, focusing on understanding the adaptations made in response to changing student demands. Utilizing data from publicly available resources and a study of both public and private…