The Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) model can be used to explore how faculty prioritize learning about and adopting new pedagogical approaches. Here, we use the DOI framework to contextualize biology faculty perceptions of a professional development (PD) program designed to help them create a full semester course-based undergraduate research…

Since 2016, Park School in Denmark has consistently used Japanese lesson study as an approach to the professional development of its mathematics teachers. The school has moved beyond the initial adaptation of lesson study, and no longer includes external support. In this article, I investigate how three groups of teachers participated in the…

This qualitative study identifies impacts a community of practice program had on faculty participants leading study abroad learning experiences. Through qualitative analysis of learning artifacts and interviews, researchers found a professional development program focused on cultural competence and high-impact practices (HIPs) frameworks led…

Purpose: Lesson studies, a methodology originally developed in Japan, has been used in an increasing number of contexts, both in relation to initial teacher training and in the context of ongoing professional development. However, the research reported on the use of lesson studies in the training of physical education teachers is very limited. The…

Iowa State University (ISU) is a public, four-year university in Eastern Iowa. About one-third of full-time faculty at ISU are in VITAL roles, positions they refer to as term faculty. Term faculty have promotion line opportunities that mirror tenure-line faculty; across five specialized roles (teaching, practice, clinical, research, and adjunct),…

As schools face increasing student achievement accountability, many educators have turned to school-level professional learning communities (PLCs) as a possible solution. The challenge is that many schools are not implementing PLCs with fidelity. It is imperative that school leaders assess PLC practices to ensure that critical components are being…

The University of Georgia (UGA) is the flagship public research university for the state of Georgia. Located in Athens, UGA enrolls about 40,000 students across 18 colleges. UGA awards baccalaureate, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees. About 43% of full-time faculty at UGA are in VITAL faculty roles, with a majority of VITAL faculty in…

A traditional faculty member's job function involves both teaching and research. However, unlike in K-12 education, the majority of faculty members have little to no formal training on teaching methods prior to entering the classroom. This study focuses on implementing Lesson Study as a form of professional development in higher education to…

In 2019 the world experienced a medical emergency that impacted education across the world. Several states in the United States had professional learning communities introduced into their schools as a means to enhance academic achievement prior to COVID 19. In order to show support to the schools and increase student achievement, a state…

This qualitative phenomenological study aims to explore teachers' perceptions of professional learning communities and how they feel it impacts their effectiveness as secondary mathematics teachers in two instructional domains--content knowledge and pedagogy. Teachers spend a substantial amount of their time engaged in Professional Learning…

University of Denver (DU) is a private, research university in Colorado. Located in Denver, DU enrolls approximately 14,000 students across 10 colleges. About 41% of full-time faculty at DU are in non-tenure track positions, which they refer to as Term and Professional Faculty (TPF). DU has expanded promotion opportunities for TPF that mirror…

This paper focuses on the development of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools, which are communities of educators tasked with improving student learning outcomes. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the paper explores the central tenets of an effective PLC and contributes a definition of the concept to address much of…

This paper presents the preliminary findings and research agenda for the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Community Arts Collaboratory's (Arts Collab) 2-year initiative supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The research examined how arts-based, embodied professional learning can support school-based educators in developing and…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how teacher coaching was implemented across eight schools. Design/methodology/approach: A subjectivist epistemological position was adopted as the most appropriate for this study, and a qualitative approach to methodology, data collection and analysis was used within an evaluative multiple case…

Lesson Study is a rapidly growing and increasingly popular teacher professional development approach and is valued for its cyclical, classroom-based and collaborative nature. Mostly used in primary and secondary education, Lesson Study has only recently been applied to the context of initial teacher education focussing on pre-service teachers'…