In 2023, Wilder Research contracted with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with the Children's Cabinet, to conduct an Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Survey. A similar study was conducted in 2011. The purpose of the study is to describe characteristics of the ECE workforce…

Our nation's 16,800 school districts spend billions of dollars a year on professional development. The best professional development is a critical need. Many educators enter teaching underprepared, especially in our communities of concentrated poverty. However, in reality, professional development often reflects our most anachronistic practices,…

This article describes key aspects of Essential 6 of the Second Edition of the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) Nine Essentials--"Clearly Written Agreements." Clearly written agreements between parties serve as crucial components in ensuring the creation, effectiveness, success and sustainability of any…

This article provides details about Essential 7, which focuses on "Shared Governance" structures. The shared governance description in "The Nine Essentials, Second Edition" is fundamental to any partnership. PDS partnerships include structures that not only guide the work of the partnership, but also enable collaboration,…

A Chinese financial company, through the introduction of action learning methodology, identified core problems from strategy, and finally solved the core strategic problems by forming action learning teams of middle and senior managers, and in the process improved the mindset and capabilities of middle and senior managers. This account of Practice…

Reflective practice is one of the key recommended practices in early childhood (EC) education and has been positively associated with the quality of EC teaching; however, research on reflective practice in preschool teaching is limited. In this study, we examined four preschool teachers' reflections on their science teaching exhibited through a…

The teaching and learning of mathematics are essential to building daily discipline and encouraging logical reasoning and mental rigor. Engaging in mathematics helps to provide an overall understanding of the world. Exposing students to use mathematics to identify relationships and patterns is the basis for engaging in carrying out daily tasks.…

Employment has historically provided a person with value and the ability to live a self-determined and independent life. Interagency collaborations have been found to play a key role in promoting employment for those with special needs. However, there is little research on identifying the needs of the field for collaborations between vocational…

Here, we describe strategies for integrating transferrable professional development (PD) skills into research learning environments for marginalized undergraduate students. The undergraduate research experience evolved to include the competencies students need to be successful and to gain a sense of belonging in the chemistry community they are…

Extension professionals enter their role with content-specific expertise; however, experience in volunteer leadership and management competencies is often limited. This study focused on the effectiveness of the Achieving the Extension Mission Through Volunteers (AEMTV) course in preparing professionals to use the Identification, Selection,…

This study explores the needs and preparedness of teachers of refugees and forced immigrant (RFI) students in the United States. Research examining the role and influence of teachers on RFIs in education systems is sparse. As a result, there is a critical shortage of an evidence base and subsequent resources, strategies, and policies on teacher…

Latinx/a/os have significantly increased in number in the US population. The advancement of mid-level Latinx/a/o professionals in higher education is not occurring at the same rate as the increase of the Latinx/a/o population in the country. This study aimed to examine the perceptions of mid-level Latinx/a/os administrators in their workplace…

Looking at opportunities for learning during moments of chaos and disequilibrium can lead to the understanding of contingency as a resource for learning. Internationally, the pandemic enabled new ways of learning-practice and has had important implications for the learning and development of teachers and of school leaders. In this paper, we aim to…

Caregivers are critical partners in early intervention service delivery; therefore, it is essential to ensure that early intervention practitioners (EIPs) have sufficient training in family-centered strategies to assist families with reaching targeted family and child outcomes. The triadic strategies from the Parents Interacting With Infants…

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of middle managers in the banking industry practicing self-directed, lifelong learning. The theory guiding this study is Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory and its relationship with lifelong learning. This study aimed to answer the following question: What are the lived…