The major purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teaching practice, student achievement, and the degree to which professional development in low-achieving elementary schools in one suburban Virginia district met the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) standards. Research methods included a self-assessment survey developed by NSDC, teacher interviews, and analyses of student achievement scores using the Virginia Standards of Learning assessments. According to survey results, participating teachers agreed that the NSDC standards were reflected in professional development activities. The standards of Equity and Quality Teaching were reported to be implemented to the greatest degree in professional development activities, while Resources was the standard implemented the least. On both the self-assessment surveys and the interviews, teachers in 100% of the schools reported changes in their teaching of English as a result of professional development. The percentage agreeing that their teaching of mathematics had changed as a result of professional development was much lower (83% according to survey results and 50% according to teacher interviews).;A significant correlation was not observed between the survey results and teacher interviews. Further, a correlation between the level of implementation of the NSDC standards and student achievement as measured by the Standards of Learning assessments was found to be not significant.

This study contributed to the body of knowledge on the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) and mathematics student achievement change in a school district in Florida. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the PLC self-reported stages of collaboration on the Seven Stages of Teacher Professional Learning Teams (SSPLT) Rubric and FSA Mathematics, FSA Algebra 1 End-of- Course (EOC) Assessment, and FSA Geometry EOC scores in Grades 3-8 in the school district of study. Quantitative methods were used to analyze relationships using archival data from the school district of study for two school years, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, to determine changes over time. Three research questions were designed to find (a) differences in self-reported ratings on SSPLT between elementary Grades 3-5 and middle Grades 6-8, (b) differences on SSPLT among individual Grades 3-8, and (c) the relationship, if any, between changes in SSPLT self-reported ratings and FSA Mathematics, FSA Algebra 1 End-of- Course (EOC) Assessment, and FSA Geometry EOC scores in Grades 3-8 in the school district of study. Quantitative analysis found statistically significant correlations between changes in SSPLT self-ratings and changes in FSA Mathematics mean scale scores in Grades 3-8, Grades 3-5, and the Geometry EOC for Grade 8. There was growth over time from start of school year 2017-2018 to end of school year 2018-2019 in the stages of implementation of PLCs. These findings are aligned to literature on teacher collaboration, professional learning, change in education, and collective efficacy. This study expanded on the literature on teacher collaboration and effective professional learning through the implementation of PLCs. Findings from this study could be used to assist school districts with school district-wide and school-based practices on implementation of PLCs with guidelines and strategies to provide meaningful structures for higher stages of teacher collaboration.

The purpose of this study was to explore how a teacher educator (myself) and preservice teachers engaged in joint reflection-for-action, reflection-in-action, and reflection-on-action during an approximation of practice in a TeachLivETM setting using sentence frames to support English Language Learners' (ELLs') writing. Four elementary education preservice teachers participated in this study based on set inclusion criteria. This action research study included video-recorded approximations of practice, the sentence frames preservice teachers submitted in the skill seven module, reflective journaling, and analytic memoing. Instructional sequence analysis through transcription, holistic coding, message units, action units, interaction units, instructional sequences, and phase units were used to analyze the data and create instructional maps of the interactions. Findings showed improvements to my practice of using joint reflection with preservice teachers at each cycle. These improvements included decreasing the interruptions to the preservice teachers, supporting the preservice teachers in identifying the problem and multiple solutions, incorporating further reflection within reflection-on-action, holding the reflective conversation, and supporting judgment by identifying the pros and cons of each solution. Additionally, through the creation of instructional maps, I identified the reflective phase units, instructional sequences, and interactions made to engage in joint reflection with the preservice teachers. Looking more closely, using questioning as a reflective move facilitated reflection while informing provided the preservice teacher with content knowledge on using sentence frames with ELLs. These findings contribute to the field by demonstrating one way teacher educators can (a) incorporate reflection within their courses to develop preservice teachers' pedagogical skills and (b) the reflective moves that support joint reflection on pedagogical decisions between teacher educators and preservice teachers.

As the demographics of the United States change, barriers persistently thwart efforts to ensure that all students, regardless of ethnicity, academic ability, or family circumstance, have equal opportunities to learn. Diminished retention rates of effective educators in Title 1 schools, elevated rates at which students from low-income families are taught by inexperienced or unqualified teachers and insufficient preparation of preservice teachers (PSTs) to teach in Title 1 schools are three such barriers. Policy reform organizations interested in improving the effectiveness of teacher education programs nationwide suggest forging strong clinical partnerships between universities and schools by relocating coursework to school-based settings that more closely resemble the reality of today's classrooms. PSTs, 27 in total, participated in a school-based teacher education intervention situated in a Title 1 school in central Florida to examine the influences of this intervention on PSTs efficacy for culturally responsive teaching and their sense of efficacy for teaching writing to students of diversity in a Title 1 school. Preliminary results indicated that while some PSTs tended to overestimate their efficacy for teaching students of diversity in Title 1 schools prior to the intervention, the school-based course disrupted that reality. Through weekly teaching experiences, PSTs' misconceptions about Title 1 schools, and their own pedagogical practices were challenged. Results yielded a purportedly more efficacious group of PSTs as measured by quantitative survey research and post qualitative responses in this mixed method study.

The focus of this research project was to extend existing research literature by providing insight to how prospective teachers with differing levels of mathematical knowledge developed their conceptual understanding of whole number concepts and operations. Prospective teachers of interest were enrolled in an Elementary School Mathematics Course for Teachers (in the College of Education) with a whole number concepts and operations unit set entirely in base 8. In this mixed-mode study, participants were given the MKT, a measure designed to measure teacher mathematical knowledge for teaching, before and after taking the base 8 unit. The researcher focused on two specific constructs: Common Content Knowledge (CCK) and Specialized Content Knowledge (SCK). The qualitative portion of the study involved carefully constructed student interviews which allowed the researcher to deeply explore how prospective teacher conceptual understanding changed as a result of taking the unit in base 8. Four participants with varying levels of knowledge were selected to be interviewed based upon initial scores on the MKT: 1) low CCK and low SCK, 2) low CCK and high SCK, 3) high CCK and low SCK, 4) high CCK and high SCK. Results of the interviews were used to help explain results from the MKT. Quantitative and qualitative results showed that participants did not significantly increase their CCK, but did experience an increase in their conceptual understanding (SCK) as a result of taking the unit in base 8. Most prospective teachers entering the Elementary School Mathematics Course already had high procedural knowledge of the algorithms associated with elementary mathematics, which could account for the non-significant increase in CCK. Prospective teachers all showed deeper conceptual understanding of whole number concepts and operations at varying levels by the end of the base 8 unit. Prospective teachers showed their increased understanding by way of explanations, justifications, and alternate solution strategies.

Technological modernization has impacted various fields such as the field of education, teaching, and learning. The traditional classroom and teaching methodologies no longer meet the needs of the new tech-savvy generation. Thus, recently there have been changes in teacher preparation programs in order to prepare teacher candidates to have the skills to respond to such high technological demands. Additionally, the demographics of students attending schools in countries with exceptionally high numbers of immigrants such as the United States is another reason to seek novel ways to prepare teachers who have had adequate practice and developed teaching skills needed to reach the English learners (ELs) in their classrooms. Using Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) has been one solution in order to bridge this gap. EL TLE TeachLivE, which was the focus of this study, is a computer simulated environment that combines real-life participants and digital personas or avatars. The participants of this study were teacher candidates who experienced using EL TLE TeachLivE to practice the teaching strategies and skills they had been learning about during their teacher preparation program (n=20). This research investigated the perceptions of these teacher candidates about using this mixed-reality classroom environment through observations, questionnaires, focus groups, and individual interviews. A qualitative transcendental phenomenological approach was taken to have a more in-depth understanding of the participants' perceptions about the phenomenon of EL TLE TeachLivE as a mixed-reality classroom environment in teacher preparation and the meaning they made of their experiences. Through the data analysis three main categories emerged: TCs' general perceptions about the avatars and EL TLE TeachLivE as a mixed-reality classroom environment, TCs' perceptions of the current use of the EL TLE TeachLivE in their teacher preparation program, and TCs' perceptions about the future use of EL TLE TeachLivE. The Teacher Candidates' General Perceptions of EL TLE TeachLivE consisted of the following sub-themes: (a) Video game dissimilarities, (b) Avatar believability and real-life features, (c) Personification of the EL cases, (d) Fear of the unknown, (e) Avatar movement restrictions, and (f) Suspension of disbelief. The Teacher Candidates' Perceptions about the Current Use of EL TLE TeachLivE included: (a) Importance of prerequisites, (b) Advantages over role-playing, (c) Teaching in front of peers, (d) Group teaching and random selection, (e) Importance of feedback, and (f) Teaching strategies and aha moments. Finally, the Teacher Candidates' Perceptions about the Future Use of EL TLE TeachLivE incorporated: (a) Changes in the implementation, (b) Elementary vs secondary classrooms, and (c) Gradual practice.

The purpose of this single case study was to determine if a preservice elementary teacher's instruction would be influenced by feedback on mathematics lessons. The focus of the research was on the use of the Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA) (Boston 2012) toolkit as an integral part in the feedback process. The IQA toolkit provides number ratings as well as qualitative descriptive ratings of various aspects of the mathematics lesson, defined under two constructs, or groups, labeled Academic Rigor and Accountable Talk. The researcher evaluated a preservice teacher's instruction on three occasions and facilitated feedback sessions following those observation sessions, integrating the number ratings of the IQA toolkit with the qualitative descriptions of expectations. It was found that there was an increase in ratings for both constructs of Academic Rigor and Accountable Talk over the period of three feedback cycles. There was a difference in how the students were facilitated in instruction over the three observations. The teacher became more aware of some of her behaviors in the classroom that contributed to the type of instruction given to students. In reviewing the literature, there was limited evidence of the use of the IQA toolkit for the iterative process of teaching, feedback, and teaching informed by feedback. This research is therefore useful in expanding the use of the IQA toolkit for feedback purposes. Preservice teachers as well as in-service teachers can benefit from feedback focused on mathematics teaching that makes them more aware of their strengths and weaknesses so they are able to adjust instruction based on the feedback received.

The purpose of this study was twofold: First, to gather perspectives of randomly selected administrators and teachers in two central Florida school districts concerning the participation of teachers in professional development (PD), and secondly, to determine if there was a significant differences in the amount of participation of teachers from different academic departments in these activities. Results indicated that a teacher's assignment to a particular academic department has a relationship to the amount of PD involvement. Results also suggested that building principals' perceptions concerning teacher support of and participation in these activities were moderately accurate. Data were collected using two survey instruments developed by the researcher. The Professional Development Questionnaire for Teachers contained 22 items developed to gather teachers' perceptions concerning: (a) their participation in PD, (b) the relevance of the PD activities they had been involved in, (c) the process used to select these activities, (d) the monitoring efforts of their administrators concerning teacher involvement in these activities, and (e) information about the number of hours they were involved in PD between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2004. The Professional Development Questionnaire for Building Principals collected data from administrators at the same schools as those of the teachers surveyed. Building principals were asked their perceptions concerning: (a) teacher participation in PD, (b) the effectiveness of PD, (c) the selection of activities, and (d) the fund sources used to provide PD for their teachers. A total of 433 teachers and 38 building administrators comprised the sample population. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and a One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the data collected. In addition, information was collected from respondents using comments they included in the surveys. The implications for policy and procedure drawn from this study were: (a) school administrators' need to develop a plan to more closely monitor the participation of their teachers in PD and (b) the availability of PD opportunities should be equitable for all teachers regardless of their academic department assignment. Suggestions for future research and educational practices were also provided.

This study provides an empirical analysis of the primary assumptions of a newly implemented teacher evaluation system, namely that the specific teaching practices evaluated are related to student achievement, and that teacher-directed professional growth plans effectively shape teacher practices in a particular domain. Results of the study are intended to inform the interpretation and the refinement of the Volusia System for Empowering Teachers (VSET), which aims to build capacity in the Volusia teacher work force and ultimately to improve student performance (School Board of Volusia County Team Volusia, Race to the Top application, 2011). This study focused on 14 pilot schools within one school district that implemented VSET as a new teacher evaluation system. The data used in this study were drawn from a multi-metric teacher assessment used in VSET and measures of student achievement. The VSET evaluation model consists of three metrics that are assigned according to the specific categories of a teacher. Two of the metrics, the professional growth plan rating and the educator observation rating are based on Charlotte Danielson’s “Framework for Teaching” (Danielson, 2007). The third metric, the valued added score is a measure of the teacher’s impact on student learning. The current study focused on determining if there was a correlation between teaching practice and student achievement and to what extent teaching practice was impacted by teacher self-selection of components for professional growth in the teacher evaluation model. The findings suggest that there is not a statistically significant and reliable relationship between the value added score and teacher practices across components, as assessed by VSET evaluators. Follow up analyses did, however, show that higher evaluator observation scores are associated with improved school iv grades, suggesting a relationship between teacher impact on student performance. The results support the assumption that the successful completion of the VSET professional development growth plan is associated with teacher’s instructional practices in the identified component.

Family-centered care (FCC) is recommended as “best practice” across a variety of pediatric service settings, as it yields better health and wellness outcomes for clients, and greater work satisfaction for practitioners and administrators (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012). However, providers in multiple health care fields report challenges with translation of FCC concepts into their practice (Bamm & Rosenbaum, 2008; Graham, Rodger, & Ziviani, 2008; Lawlor & Mattingly, 1998; MacKean, Thurston, & Scott, 2005). Therefore, the aim of this doctoral project was to understand the barriers to FCC implementation, and to propose ways for supporting practitioners to enact FCC in their practice. The resulting solution is Better Together, an on-line professional development course designed to empower health care providers to become ambassadors of FCC and effectively enact the FCC practices in their daily interactions with clients and their families. The Better Together course content and structure are based on findings from a review of the literature specific to identifying core skills and knowledge essential for effective FCC practice, as well as best practices for professional development instruction. Methods for course implementation, funding, and dissemination are described, as well as a research plan for program evaluation.