Professional development has been deemed ineffective for several decades. This ineffectiveness could stem from the one-size-fits-all professional development designs, and the inconsistencies and contradictions pointed out in professional development research (which is used to create these designs). Investigating how subject taught (STEM and non-STEM), Title I status of the school (Title I and non-Title I), and grade level of instruction (elementary, middle and high) could influence teachers’ preferences regarding components included in an effective design is a step toward resolving some of these inconsistencies. The research design was an embedded mixed method – an overall causal-comparative design embedded with interviews. Interviews determined teachers’ perceptions of an effective professional development design. The survey investigated preferences for nine components: content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, active learning, duration, alignment with goals and policies, follow-up, collaboration, support, and resources (tangible and intangible). In the interviews, teachers communicated a need for differentiation based on grade level of instruction, Tittle I status of the school, and subject taught, with high percentages of agreement with the final questions of the survey. The ordinal logistic regression indicated that subject taught and Title I status of the school did not have a statistically significant effect on the dependent variable. Breaking up participants according to grade level of instruction (elementary versus secondary) had a statistically significant effect on teachers’ preferences regarding the components included in an effective professional development design. This indicated that professional development should be differentiated based on elementary and secondary instruction. When the researcher reviewed the components, some showed that the independent variables, Title I status of the school and grade level of instruction had a statistically significant effect. Although the ordinal logistic regression revealed a lack of statistical significance, percent differences indicated that factors such as subject taught, Title I status of the school, and grade level of instruction influenced teachers’ preferences regarding specific components in an effective professional development design. These findings illustrate promise that in a larger study, statistical significance might be present. Thus, professional development should be differentiated based on subject taught, Title I status of the school, and grade level of instruction. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This action research study examined the effects of professional development on teaching for conceptual understanding in Algebra I. “Conceptual knowledge refers to knowledge of the underlying structure of mathematics - the relationships and interconnections of ideas that explain and give meaning to mathematical procedures” (Eisenhart et al., 1993). Conceptual knowledge is “explicit or implicit understanding of the principles that govern a domain and of the interrelations between pieces of knowledge in a domain” (Rittle-Johnson & Wagner, 1999). The study took place in a large metropolitan school district. The participants for the study were two Algebra I instructors with varying pedagogical experiences. Participant #1 is a novice teacher with seven months of classroom experience at the start of this study. The participant holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics and a professional mathematics teaching license. Participant #2 is a tenured teacher with five years of classroom experience at the start of this study. The participant does not hold an undergraduate degree in mathematics and is licensed in special education, not mathematics. The study was formulated in response to the growing difficulty in recruiting qualified mathematics teachers, and the increasing number of mathematics teachers with limited studies in mathematics. Concept-based instruction techniques were presented to participants through a series of six professional development workshops, the first three of which followed classroom observations, and the second three after a second round of observations. The study was qualitative in nature and the collected data were used to develop responses to two research questions. After classroom observations, a concept-based instruction checklist and scoring criteria was used to note evidence of concept-based instruction, as well as any changes to instructional strategies following professional development workshops. Student artifacts were also examined to note evidence of conceptual understanding. Study participants engaged in a semi-structured interview where they were asked to describe changes, if any, to their instructional practices as a result of participating in professional development on teaching for conceptual understanding. The research findings suggested that effective professional development positively affects pedagogical practices in mathematics. After participating in a series of professional development workshops, the researcher observed shifts in participant pedagogical practices that included emphasis on using appropriate math language and encouraging explanations and justifications through questioning as tools for fostering conceptual understanding. Responses to semi-structured interviews suggest that teachers most value professional development that leads to positive impacts on student performance. An analysis of student artifacts demonstrated growth in student written responses and problem-solving approaches. Participant #1 stated: “Participating in this research has allowed me to wonder about the misconceptions and problems within my classroom; I am able to go over student coursework and come up with a solution to better help students with common errors.”

The students and teachers who provided data for this study were participants in school dropout prevention programs in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The research was initiated to identify the strategies used by those teachers who are viewed to be effective in their work with students in at-risk situations. The study evolved as an interpretative account of the teachers' reflections. The multiple roles of the researcher in the pursuit of action research were explored, and the reciprocal interaction of the researcher with the research was recognized. The processes used to formulate and examine themes in the teachers' stories were given detailed explanations. These approaches were compared with the methodologies reported in the literature on qualitative research. In addition to using the techniques of grounded theorizing, biographical readings were undertaken to present a holistic perspective of the stories given by individual teachers. An emphasis on the teachers' stories precluded extensive examination of the students' accounts, but illustrations were provided of the students' statements corroborating the teachers' reflections. As well as references to the substantive literature on students in at-risk situations, the data were considered in respect to psychological, sociological, anthropological and philosophical theories. The theories that developed from this study were presented in relation to formal theories. The noted implications included actual classroom applications as well as suggestions for teacher preservice and inservice training and proposals for future research.

O objeto deste trabalho é o programa de formação continuada Letra e Vida, oferecido pela Secretaria Estadual de Educação de São Paulo a professores alfabetizadores da rede entre 2003 e 2006. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram avaliar os impactos do Programa nos resultados de desempenho dos alunos de 1ª série mensurados por meio do Sistema de Avaliação do Rendimento Escolar do estado de São Paulo (Saresp), considerada a aferição de 2007, e também seus possíveis efeitos sobre concepções e práticas de alfabetização dos professores que dele participaram. Para o desenvolvimento do estudo, aplicou-se o método misto, que integra abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa. Assim, realizaram-se entrevistas em três escolas, com coordenadores, diretores e professores de 1ª a 4ª série que tivessem participado do Programa, com prioridade dos professores do Ciclo 1. Os dados provenientes do Questionário para os Professores de 1ª e 2ª série do Ensino Fundamental e os resultados dos alunos na prova de 1ª série, ambos instrumentos do Saresp 2007, foram reorganizados e reinterpretados para as análises baseadas em técnicas de árvores de decisão e de regressão linear múltipla e para a comparação entre grupos de escolas com diferentes proporções de professores que participaram do Programa. Concluiu-se que o Letra e Vida influenciou o discurso dos docentes, sobretudo em sua concepção de alfabetização, embora nem sempre se tenham percebido, nas visitas às escolas, evidências da transposição desse discurso para a prática da sala de aula. No que tange aos impactos do Programa sobre o desempenho dos alunos, pode- -se afirmar que, em alguns contextos e em conjunto com outras características estudadas, o Letra e Vida se destacou na explicação dos resultados dos alunos, mas, sozinho, não teve impactos significativos. / This dissertation focuses on the continued literacy teacher education program called Letra e Vida, offered by the Sao Paulo state Department of Education during the period of 2003 to 2006. The research objectives were to assess the impact of the Program in the first grade students performance and also its possible effects on concepts and practices of teaching literacy from teachers who participated in it. To achieve these goals the São Paulo Education Achievement Assessment System (Saresp) was used, considering the evaluation of 2007 and a mixed method study was developed to integrate qualitative and quantitative approaches complementarily. Thus, interviews in three schools were conducted with coordinators, principals and 1st to 4th grade teachers with priority given to teachers of 1st and 2nd grades who attended the program. The data from the questionnaire for teachers of 1st and 2nd grades, and the results of students in the 1st grade, both collected by SARESP 2007, were reorganized and reinterpreted to be used in statistical analysis using multiple linear regression, decision trees and comparison between groups of schools with different proportions of teachers who participated in the Program. It was possible to conclude that the effects of the program in teachers discourse were considerable, although evidence of implementation of such discourse was not always possible to observe during visits to schools. With regard to the impact of the Program on student performance, it is clear that in some contexts the Letra e Vida in conjunction with other variables were able to offer some explanation to the student outcomes, but its effects are not significant when standing alone.

O objeto deste trabalho é o programa de formação continuada Letra e Vida, oferecido pela Secretaria Estadual de Educação de São Paulo a professores alfabetizadores da rede entre 2003 e 2006. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram avaliar os impactos do Programa nos resultados de desempenho dos alunos de 1ª série mensurados por meio do Sistema de Avaliação do Rendimento Escolar do estado de São Paulo (Saresp), considerada a aferição de 2007, e também seus possíveis efeitos sobre concepções e práticas de alfabetização dos professores que dele participaram. Para o desenvolvimento do estudo, aplicou-se o método misto, que integra abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa. Assim, realizaram-se entrevistas em três escolas, com coordenadores, diretores e professores de 1ª a 4ª série que tivessem participado do Programa, com prioridade dos professores do Ciclo 1. Os dados provenientes do Questionário para os Professores de 1ª e 2ª série do Ensino Fundamental e os resultados dos alunos na prova de 1ª série, ambos instrumentos do Saresp 2007, foram reorganizados e reinterpretados para as análises baseadas em técnicas de árvores de decisão e de regressão linear múltipla e para a comparação entre grupos de escolas com diferentes proporções de professores que participaram do Programa. Concluiu-se que o Letra e Vida influenciou o discurso dos docentes, sobretudo em sua concepção de alfabetização, embora nem sempre se tenham percebido, nas visitas às escolas, evidências da transposição desse discurso para a prática da sala de aula. No que tange aos impactos do Programa sobre o desempenho dos alunos, pode- -se afirmar que, em alguns contextos e em conjunto com outras características estudadas, o Letra e Vida se destacou na explicação dos resultados dos alunos, mas, sozinho, não teve impactos significativos. / This dissertation focuses on the continued literacy teacher education program called Letra e Vida, offered by the Sao Paulo state Department of Education during the period of 2003 to 2006. The research objectives were to assess the impact of the Program in the first grade students performance and also its possible effects on concepts and practices of teaching literacy from teachers who participated in it. To achieve these goals the São Paulo Education Achievement Assessment System (Saresp) was used, considering the evaluation of 2007 and a mixed method study was developed to integrate qualitative and quantitative approaches complementarily. Thus, interviews in three schools were conducted with coordinators, principals and 1st to 4th grade teachers with priority given to teachers of 1st and 2nd grades who attended the program. The data from the questionnaire for teachers of 1st and 2nd grades, and the results of students in the 1st grade, both collected by SARESP 2007, were reorganized and reinterpreted to be used in statistical analysis using multiple linear regression, decision trees and comparison between groups of schools with different proportions of teachers who participated in the Program. It was possible to conclude that the effects of the program in teachers discourse were considerable, although evidence of implementation of such discourse was not always possible to observe during visits to schools. With regard to the impact of the Program on student performance, it is clear that in some contexts the Letra e Vida in conjunction with other variables were able to offer some explanation to the student outcomes, but its effects are not significant when standing alone.

An increasing number of multicultural students are attending U.S. public schools. At a Title I elementary school in a rural region of the southern United States, multicultural students had not met academic standards as measured by state exams, and state scores had been very low for 5 consecutive years. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the instructional strategies used by Grade 4 teachers in helping multicultural students pass state tests. The conceptual framework was Vygotsky's theory of cognitive and social constructivism and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The foci of research questions were on identifying teachers' instructional strategies and clarifying why those strategies are used. Nine teachers who had taught in multicultural classrooms were selected via purposive sampling and were interviewed individually. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes that emerged included the use of educational software, students' learning styles, and differentiation of instruction. Key findings indicated that these Grade 4 teachers incorporated students' background knowledge and interests into lessons and educational resources authored by multicultural authors. The resulting project was a professional development program for Grade 4 teachers of multicultural students that includes a workshop, PowerPoint presentation, an executive summary, and instructional strategies. These findings will help teachers improve their instructional strategies, which will, in turn, enance the learning of these Grade 4 students.

It is critical to provide inservice elementary teachers the opportunity to advance their science instruction, which in turn can positively impact not only their practice but also their perceptions towards science teaching and learning. Too often, science-specific professional development (PD) programs are scarcely provided as a result of an emphasis on English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. Other hurdles include elementary teachers themselves having poor or little positive science experiences that lead to hesitancy or avoidance of science teaching. One way to dismantle these obstacles is for elementary teachers to engage in science learning and teaching. It has been noted that teachers can make positive changes to their practice by participating in ongoing professional development. This study uses a multiple case study approach to understand how three elementary teachers experience a science professional learning community (PLC) composed of middle school and high school science teachers and the affordances this structure provides them. Recognizing that learning is a fundamentally social phenomenon, this study utilizes situated learning and legitimate peripheral participation, communities of practice, and structure-agency dialectic as theoretical frameworks. Data from teacher reflections, audio recordings, lesson observations, researcher field notes, lesson plans, and semi-structured interviews were used to highlight the affordances of the structures of the PLC. Findings from this study suggest the vertical PLC space can greatly influence elementary teachers’ professional growth and agency development. Likewise, because of their equitable contributions in this space, the elementary teachers contributed to the secondary teachers’ professional growth. This study has implications for the design and designing and implementing professional development for inservice elementary teachers. Keywords: science professional development, elementary science teacher, professional learning community, vertically aligned professional learning community, social structures, agency

Antiracist teacher education in the United States has largely been situated within university-based teacher education programs over the last thirty years. This body of research documents the struggles and possibilities of preparing race-conscious educators who engage in antiracist practices that support diverse student populations. Despite this body of scholarship, there has been limited research in this area with school-based teacher education through inservice professional development (PD). Yet, there has also been an increase in antiracist and race-forward PD for teachers in schools in recent years. In turn, this study analyzes the curriculum of antiracist PD in New York City schools over the last ten years (2012-2022), seeking to understand the possibilities and tensions. Using qualitative and visual arts-based educational research methods, I interviewed 28 teachers, school leaders, and PD facilitators. In doing so, I found that the PD curricula across NYC schools largely made room for (a) building educators’ knowledge of structural racism, (b) individual reflection, and (c) changing the student-facing curriculum to be antiracist. However, there were two tangles, or complicated points of tension and contradiction. The first tangle was most visible when one looked at educators’ relationships, especially given the dominance of the carceral paradigm in schools. The second tangle highlights the tension between individual teachers and school institutions, wondering who is responsible for enacting antiracism in schools. I ultimately contend that it is not just antiracist PD that is needed in schools, but abolitionist PD.

This qualitative case study was created to explore with experienced online adjunct faculty in higher education their perceptions of the ways they learned to stay competent within their discipline to continue to be proficient in their online instruction. Their experience teaching online ranged from five to 17 years and all participants taught online for both private and public institutions. Some participants taught for one institution while others taught for as many as three to six institutions. All participants taught a variety of courses and learned informally to develop the competencies they needed to become proficient in online instruction. The study was based on the following assumptions: a) experienced online adjunct faculty need continuing opportunities for professional and personal development and growth; b) experienced online adjunct faculty need professional development support from their institutions to create experiences that support their professional and personal development growth; c) professional development programs will help adjuncts keep their knowledge and skills current to help them to remain competent in their online instruction to continue to be proficient in their online instruction. The source of data for this study was interviews with 15 experienced online adjuncts who had at least five years of experience teaching online. This research study was designed to explore the competencies experienced online adjuncts (EOAs) perceive they need to remain competent, the way they learn those competencies, and factors that help and hinder them from remaining competent to continue to be proficient in their online instruction. Three major findings revealed that: a) technological and pedagogical competencies were the most important to be proficient in their online instruction; b) EOAs learned these competencies informally, through experiential learning, dialogue with colleagues, trial and error and self-directed learning; c) engaging in the institution’s decision-making process for online instruction helped them to remain competent. The principal recommendations for administrators in institutions of higher education who support EOAs who teach online are to offer meaningful specialized professional development and training, foster practices that acknowledge the expertise of EOAs and compensate them for expenses incurred from the purchase of technology products, and participation in opportunities that advance their competencies. The principal recommendations resulting from this research study for EOAs who gain technological and pedagogical competencies through informal learning to continue to be proficient in their online instruction are to advocate to develop their own professional development and training programs, establish opportunities for collaboration with their colleagues, initiate more interaction with the administrators, and acknowledge their hard work and professional growth in gaining exceptional competencies for their online instruction.

Student teaching is recognized as the culminating and seminal experience of preservice teacher education. It is a unique time when preservice teachers are fully engaged in daily responsibilities of P-12 music educators, while under direct supervision of a mentor, often referred to as the cooperating music teacher (CMT). CMTs have immense influence on student teachers during this pivotal point in their education. The purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to explore preferences and practices of music teacher educators (MTEs) in the United States with regards to the selection, preparation, and education of CMTs, through the lens of Abramo and Campbell’s Four Notions Framework. Data were collected through a document search of state administrative codes, rules, and regulations regarding selection criteria for CMTs, a national survey of MTEs (n = 104), and semi-structured follow-up interviews of survey participants (n = 10). This study demonstrated the importance of MTE agency and student involvement in the selection process and selection criteria that is responsive to diverse and localized needs of institutions of higher education, P-12 schools, and individual student teachers. Findings argue against universal criteria for CMTs in favor of policies that are appropriate and sensible for diverse teaching and learning contexts. Findings indicate a prevalence of published criteria for the selection of CMTs across the United States, paired with a disconnect between the prevalence of policy and MTEs knowledge of those state policies, and a lack of published policy at institutions of higher education. MTEs in the study reported community building and individual relationships as important elements that facilitate the selection, preparation, and education of CMTs. MTEs also demonstrated strong agreement with the importance of the Four Notions Framework and indicated student involvement dispositional criteria for CMTs (e.g., good role model, willingness to discuss feedback) to be elements of the selection process they valued most. The strong agreement with the Four Notions Framework positions it as a useful tool to evaluate effectiveness of selection criteria and available professional development. Availability of professional development for CMTs appears to be an important area of growth for the profession. MTEs identified themselves as primary providers of professional development, through informal and formal individualized interactions they have with CMTs. While handbooks for CMTs appear to be prevalent, findings demonstrate they are an underutilized tool for preparation and education of CMTs. MTEs shared mixed perceptions about alignment of available professional development with the Four Notions Framework, indicating effectiveness of those opportunities, in helping to promote dispositions and qualifications MTEs value, is another area of growth. The availability of qualified and effective CMTs emerged as a primary barrier, alongside other expected barriers such as geographic contexts, time, funding, staffing, and full workloads. MTEs in this study also identified institutionalized structures and policies intended to support CMTs that sometimes act as barriers to selection, preparation, and education. A lack of common terminology in the field of music teacher education may also act as a barrier to collaboration and communication about policies and processes. Implications and recommendations are offered for further exploration of selection criteria, advancement of professional development, and further lines of inquiry.