In this dissertation, I describe patterns of educational placement for students with disabilities, test the degree to which placement is impacted by student and school variables, and offer practical guidance for how schools can promote the principle of least restrictive environment (LRE) to promote access to general education classrooms to the…

This project critically evaluates the existing research conducted on the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions designed to promote the social and emotional development in preschool children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study is to identify evidence-based interventions for children ages three to six…

This dissertation explores the mathematics identities of early elementary school students. Throughout school, many students come to believe that mathematics is not for them or is not a part of who they are or want to be. Previous research has revealed mechanisms that lead to negative relationships with mathematics for middle grade students and…

This mixed methods approach study examined the experiences and perceptions of educators--both certified and non-certified--in one Connecticut elementary school, which serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire developed by the researcher to respond to a Likert Scale, as well as open…

The problem addressed by this qualitative case study is the lack of effective training for paraprofessionals to deliver systematic prompting to students with moderate-to-severe disabilities in the community setting. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of paraprofessionals, families, and community-based…

Recent scholarship has focused on the schooling experiences of Black boys in early childhood; however research on the experiences and outcomes of Black girls in early childhood remains virtually nonexistent. More research is needed to ensure that every Black girl excels in early childhood education. Through three reflections from Black early…

This book argues that, in line with the tenets of positive psychology in SLA and the rhetorical/relational goal theory, positive teacher-student interpersonal relationships are deemed to be of great significance for empowering students to accomplish favorable academic outcomes and to successfully learn a second/foreign language (L2), whether at…

The current trend of education is towards the implementation of technology in teaching in order to attract the attention of 21st century learners whereby teachers need to adopt technology-enhanced environment such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in their teaching. This study aims to investigate the teachers' perceptions and tendency to…

The value of active learning for increasing student comprehension and retention of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts within undergraduate courses has proven to be beneficial many times over; however, barriers still exist for both instructors and students. For example, instructors are often left to decide what type…

Medical education can be emotionally charged for many reasons, while simulation-based activities in particular are designed to generate emotional reactions. However, few studies have concentrated on the relationship between learning and emotions in this field, despite widespread interest in the topic in other areas. The aim of this research was to…

This research investigates early childhood student teachers' learning in a picture book elective at a Chinese university. The elective was designed as an educational reform that encouraged students' choices, interests, and active explorations. Drawing on the concept of deep active learning (DAL), the research aims to identify whether and how these…

The Ministry of Education, Teaching Council and other groups aligned with the teaching profession are increasingly acknowledging the impact of racism, yet there is a dearth of research that moves beyond unconscious bias to examine how race is socially constructed in schools. In this paper, we present four autoethnographic accounts from Tracey to…

Misalignments in caring between home and school can often be a source of alienation for minoritized students. This study explores how African immigrant middle school students at an urban K-8 charter school experience congruencies and disconnections in caring practice between home and school. The school is academically successful and shares some…

International students' names are often mispronounced, and this experience can have psychological and relational implications for some students' cross-cultural adjustment. Little research, however, has examined why students are or are not bothered by mispronunciations. This study examined the impact of heritage name mispronunciation on 173…

Differentiation has become an indispensable teaching approach to meet the needs of diverse learners, and has thus garnered a lot of attention, particularly on a theoretical level. This has resulted in an abundance of differentiation models and frameworks. Despite the attention given to differentiation, most teachers still seem to struggle with…