The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how English as Second Language (ESL) instructors perceived and implemented new literacies in their pedagogical contexts. The research was viewed through the Communicative Language Teaching and the New Literacies Studies theoretical lenses. A basic interpretive qualitative case study was…

This dissertation examines the relationship between community colleges and prisons as similar institutions that absorb and manage displaced workers, economic refugees, and dispossessed adult populations. Based on interviews with adult learners in two community college settings, I discuss how these two seemingly distinctive institutions work…

This study was designed to test the relationships between the level of implementation for instructional rounds and various instructional outcomes in grades 3-6 in a large suburban Texas school district. From the population of teachers in the district, a random sample of teachers ( n= 200) who taught in grades 3-6 were invited to participate in the…

There is a large gap between research-based interventions for supporting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and current practices implemented by educators to meet the needs of these children in typical school settings. Myriad reasons for this gap exist including the external validity of existing research, the complexity of ASD, and…

The purposes of this study were to examine how Social Justice Education (SJE) was envisioned and enacted at an elite school and to examine what the experiences of the school's early childhood teachers were as they participated in professional development (PD) programming around SJE. Through embedded case study methodology, the researcher analyzed…

This ethnographic case study aims to examine second language socialization (SLS) in a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) called "Stronghold Kingdoms" (SK). To explore the affordances of this community for SLS, the social dynamics in a faction community during 4 life-time periods, namely, war, post-war peace and life in exile, end…

Children with social skills deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication can face a variety of social challenges in many aspects of their lives. Given the increasing social needs of many students in today's classrooms, there is a need for increased social skills instruction and support in public schools. Inclusion opportunities in public schools…

With 1 in 59 children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), odds are that students on the spectrum will be in many classrooms across every subject area. "Seeing the Spectrum" argues that secondary English teachers are uniquely equipped to prepare students with autism for future success, both in school and in life. Writing…

Classrooms around the world are becoming increasingly diverse. A major challenge faced by educators is achieving equity for all mathematics learners. To achieve equity, educators need to acknowledge and cater for this increasing diversity which includes attending to values of their students. Drawing on survey responses and individual interviews,…

In an increasingly complex and competitive employment environment, organizations such as the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the World Economic Forum, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills have prioritized major skills, also known as career readiness competencies, that position recent college graduates to successfully…

The methods and music of American Professor Joan Yakkey have had an international influence on the music education of elementary and secondary students. Yakkey, a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts and Queens College in New York City, went to Italy to teach music in the 1970's. Italy, a country historically rich in music, was…

There's unprecedented opportunity for state and local educators to invest in digital tools and professional development to transform teaching and learning. Rapidly evolving technology has provided new ways for all students, including those with disabilities to learn and for educators, students, and their families to interact. At the same time, the…

In an effort to address some of the issues of justice and equity within Hong Kong, this chapter looks at developments with curriculum and pedagogy in the SAR with an emphasis on the years after the 'handover' of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom (UK) to mainland China in 1997. Not meant to be an exhaustive study, this chapter focuses on specific…

Stereotypes and storylines for emergent bilinguals (EBs) permeate U.S. culture, have been historically deficit-oriented, and determine ways teachers and students interact with each other in classroom contexts. As a way to disrupt and challenge such narratives, one elementary teacher, Courtney, leveraged her authority to construct and foster the…

Reading and comprehending content area texts is important for academic and professional success as well as life skills necessary to maintain good health and quality lifestyle. Spanish speaking English language learners have shown poor performance on high-stakes assessments in reading comprehension. The number of Spanish speaking English learners…