Science "for all" programs have been advanced as the model for introducing and maintaining high standards for science education in every classroom. While standards documents have been an important equalizing force in education for the last twenty years, disparities still exist across multiple student indicators in urban schools. Teaching quality is one of the important factors that contribute to such outcomes and these disparities raise the issue of equitable teaching practices, especially in science. A review of the literature at the intersection of science education and urban education supported the creation of a construct for equitable science teaching that goes beyond content-narrowed "for all" pedagogies to more inclusive "by all" teaching approaches. Scholarship on science teaching in urban settings frequently references reform and efficacy beliefs to bound research questions. The task-specific nature of efficacy beliefs as a construct makes it particularly useful for scrutinizing teaching practices. This dissertation used case study methods to examine aspects of equitable science teaching in an elementary school located in a small urban district in New Jersey. The research design was based on models of collaborative action research. Three key informants in two classrooms helped build understanding of teachers' efficacy-related beliefs about equitable science teaching over the course of one year (Spring 2008 through Spring 2009). Within case and between-case analysis of teaching beliefs and practices were conducted. Key findings from the study suggest that it may be possible to observe change in low efficacy teachers' beliefs over time. Quantitative and qualitative data suggest that it may be possible to build equitable beliefs and practices among in-service teachers. An action plan that includes providing non-evaluative support to teachers in the classroom is discussed. Supports that included immediate feedback, individual and small group reflection and specific tools designed to collect teacher-level data were shown to be important elements for practicing teachers as they worked to build both efficacy beliefs and equitable praxis. Equitable science teaching challenges belief systems but allows for practices to change organically and without prescription. Implications for policy makers, teacher educators, administrators and teachers are discussed. / Urban Education

A study was undertaken to examine the culture of violent behaviour, with a focus on socialisation provided by schools and educators. The role of teachers in addressing and preventing student antisocial and violent behaviour in school was explored. Participant observations and in-depth qualitative research interviews were conducted in United States public schools from September, 2000 through August, 2001. Analysis of recorded and transcribed data from initial interviews and observations revealed five socio-educational factors that precluded student antisocial behaviour. These factors included: teachers' theoretical/practical orientation; teachers' attributions for success and failure; the quality of the teacher-student relationship; the importance of home and community; and the level of support available to teachers. Preliminary interviews with five teachers and in-depth interviews with nine AfricanAmerican (Black) educators, from schools where violence was a serious problem were then conducted. Analysis of these qualitative interviews revealed four categories of educational dynamics that served to prevent violence, or moderate its severity: the teacher's qualities; the classroom context; the school context; and parental involvement and support. Within these four categories, nine specific factors were identified that served to prevent violent behaviour. These included: personal teaching efficacy; a caring teacher-student relationship; an academic activity orientation within the classroom; a sense of community within the classroom; obvious classroom ownership by the teacher; clear expectations that have been internalised by the students; support for teachers from administration; a supportive rather than threatening stance taken by police assigned to the school; and a high level of involvement by parents. The present study concluded that in addition to the socialisation fostered by a supportive, engaged classroom and school context, the teacher, acting with efficacy and caring, and working with parents and community, can prevent violent and antisocial behaviour. The study revealed patterns indicating that socio-educational measures are constructive means to respond to antisocial and violent behaviour. While sometimes justified as responses to antisocial and violent behaviour, reactive measures (like corporal punishment, student expulsion, and medication), may be less effective than socioeducational measures in instilling prosocial behaviour. Guidelines for the prevention of violent and antisocial behaviour are provided, with recommendations forfuture research. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

A study was undertaken to examine the culture of violent behaviour, with a focus on socialisation provided by schools and educators. The role of teachers in addressing and preventing student antisocial and violent behaviour in school was explored. Participant observations and in-depth qualitative research interviews were conducted in United States public schools from September, 2000 through August, 2001. Analysis of recorded and transcribed data from initial interviews and observations revealed five socio-educational factors that precluded student antisocial behaviour. These factors included: teachers' theoretical/practical orientation; teachers' attributions for success and failure; the quality of the teacher-student relationship; the importance of home and community; and the level of support available to teachers. Preliminary interviews with five teachers and in-depth interviews with nine AfricanAmerican (Black) educators, from schools where violence was a serious problem were then conducted. Analysis of these qualitative interviews revealed four categories of educational dynamics that served to prevent violence, or moderate its severity: the teacher's qualities; the classroom context; the school context; and parental involvement and support. Within these four categories, nine specific factors were identified that served to prevent violent behaviour. These included: personal teaching efficacy; a caring teacher-student relationship; an academic activity orientation within the classroom; a sense of community within the classroom; obvious classroom ownership by the teacher; clear expectations that have been internalised by the students; support for teachers from administration; a supportive rather than threatening stance taken by police assigned to the school; and a high level of involvement by parents. The present study concluded that in addition to the socialisation fostered by a supportive, engaged classroom and school context, the teacher, acting with efficacy and caring, and working with parents and community, can prevent violent and antisocial behaviour. The study revealed patterns indicating that socio-educational measures are constructive means to respond to antisocial and violent behaviour. While sometimes justified as responses to antisocial and violent behaviour, reactive measures (like corporal punishment, student expulsion, and medication), may be less effective than socioeducational measures in instilling prosocial behaviour. Guidelines for the prevention of violent and antisocial behaviour are provided, with recommendations forfuture research. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the dependent variables- teacher expectations, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy among the three levels of the independent variable- membership in one three literacy networks in Tennessee- Leading Innovation for Tennessee (LIFT), Read to Be Ready Coaching Network (RTBR), and Tennessee Early Literacy Network (TELN)- and if significant correlations existed between the dependent variables for each network. The population consisted of 161 K-3 Tennessee teachers who had been involved in the work of one of the three networks. Participants responded to an online survey via Google Forms which combined questions from published surveys found to be valid and reliable in measuring teacher expectations, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy. Quantitative data were analyzed with a series of one-way analysis of variance tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients. The mean score for the LIFT network was significantly higher in teacher expectations, self-efficacy, and collective efficacy than RTBR or TELN. Strong positive correlations were found between self-efficacy and collective efficacy for each of the three networks, moderate correlations between teacher expectations and collective efficacy were found in LIFT and TELN, and a moderate correlation was found between teacher expectations and self-efficacy in LIFT.

<p>Content about learners with gifts and talents is not necessarily a part of most teacher education programs. Without high quality training and professional development opportunities, preservice and inservice teachers are left with no tools to identify and serve the students with gifts and talents. However, adding more content is not enough. The successful translation of training and professional development into effective practice depends on understanding teacher motivation, debunking misconceptions, building adequate knowledge base, and building teacher identity. I adopted several theoretical perspectives in this study: teacher identity formation (Gardner & Kaplan, 2018), Teacher Efficacy (Tschannen-Moran et al., 1998), Teacher Goal Orientations (Butler, 2007), beliefs about gifted learners and gifted education (Gagne & Nadeau, 1991; McCoach & Siegle, 2007), desire to teach (Watt & Richardson, 2007). My participants were 236 preservice teachers who desire to teach learners with gifts and talents and inservice teachers in gifted education.</p><p>The objectives of this mixed-methods investigation were: (1) identifying the differences between preservice and inservice teachers in measures of identity, beliefs, motivation, and desire to teach learners with gifts and talents, (2) modeling the structural relationships among dimensions of identity, motivation, beliefs, and desire to teach, and (3) understanding how participants experiences and perceptions inform their identity, motivation, and belief systems. I used a combination of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and qualitative thematic analysis to answer my research questions.</p><p>Findings revealed inservice teachers (n=155) have high levels of relational goals, instructional efficacy, positive beliefs, and teacher identity, while preservice teachers (n=81) have high levels of intrinsic motivation and social value for gifted education. SEM showed that teacher identity, mastery goals, influenced positive beliefs; teacher identity was influenced by efficacy, mastery and relational goals. The strongest predictors of desire to teach learners with gifts and talents were teacher identity, teacher efficacy, and relational goals. Qualitative findings indicated that self-perceptions as gifted played a meaningful role in participants deciding to become teachers, understanding the needs of gifted learners, and advocating for gifted education.</p>

In 2012, a southeastern state mandated that all school districts employ the response to intervention (RtI) tiered approach model to meet the needs of struggling students. RtI was implemented at the study site; however, secondary teachers were not confident in their abilities to implement RtI. Researchers have found that a teacher's sense of efficacy can impact student academic outcomes. Professional development on implementing RtI was provided for teachers in the study school. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of explicit RtI professional development on the perceived self-efficacy of secondary teachers and their ability to impact student achievement. The study was framed within the constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and the associated concept of teacher efficacy. Pre and postintervention data were collected from 51 core subject area teachers using the Teacher Efficacy Scale Survey (short form). An analysis of the data was conducted using paired sample t tests to measure mean differences in efficacy scores. Results of the data analysis demonstrated significant gains in overall efficacy sum scores, personal teaching efficacy scores, and general teaching efficacy scores among the sample of teachers in this study. The results suggested a positive shift in teacher efficacy following the professional development. Recommendations included additional research with larger samples of teachers and the inclusion of a control group. Implications for positive social change include providing research findings to the local administration on the change in teacher efficacy following the RtI professional development. Recommendations are also provided for continued research on RtI, teacher efficacy, and student achievement.

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Years of high stakes testing and managerial directives to improve student test scores created a trend of teachers’ declining sense of efficacy and agency. Researchers have yet to examine the perceptions of teachers following requirements to improve student engagement and school climate in an effort to improve academic performance following the authorization of local and national educational accountability reforms. The purpose of this study is to examine how teachers perceive their efficacy and agency in response to the addition of nonacademic measures and the requirement of documented input from teachers and other stakeholders into educational policy planning procedures. Veteran K-12 teachers’ responses to survey and interview questions were coded, analyzed, and organized into themes to generate an educational theory. Grounded Theory Methodologies (GTM), Culturally Responsive Methodologies (CRM) and Critical Pedagogy (CP) informed data collection methods and theoretical foundations for this study. The creation of a safe dialogical space between the practitioner researcher and participants developed a relationship for both to engage as co-researchers. Teachers discovered renewed senses of efficacy and agency while acknowledging their leadership potential in schools and the community. This study and further practitioner research with teachers in schools will inform pre-service education training programs and confirm teachers’ role as critical intellectuals in American society.

This thesis is entitled “Fostering collective teacher efficacy through values-based leadership in Ethiopian institutions of higher education”, which is delimited to the private universities. The main question was “What constitutes/determines the institutionalisation of values-based leadership (VBL) to foster collective teacher efficacy (CTE) in the context of Ethiopian private universities (EPrUs)?” The sub-questions were: 1) what does the current state of CTE and its perceived outcomes look like in EPrUs? 2) What sets of behaviours are desired to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? 3) What are the institutional contexts required to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? In addressing these issues, academic leaders, students and teachers from EPrUs participated in the study. As methods of data gathering both the survey method and interviews were used. Results revealed that CTE is not high enough in EPrUs and hence it needs to be fostered so as to bring the desired change in students’ learning. To foster this, institutionalisation of VBL is required that involves two inter-related aspects. The first one is about institutionalising desired values (behaviours), which are linked to the academic leaders’ yearning for positive sets of values and the teachers’ moral contract to their professional values. To this effect, the positive sets of values that academic leaders should yearn for and the sets of values that teachers should espouse as their professional values are explored. The commonalities between these values are also described and how these would be institutionalised is suggested. The values include integrity and trustworthiness, humility/selflessness, compassion and sense of gratitude, accountability and self-discipline, sense of collaboration and teamwork, and envisioning in leadership as the driving force. The second aspect is about institutionalising the contexts conducive to foster CTE and VBL support behaviours. The need to institutionalise those behaviours and contexts arise out of the perceived leadership gap (between what the teachers believe are the leadership priorities of the leaders and the behaviours they actually see in the leaders). This gap has been linked to CTE, and hence a model has been developed that would foster this efficacy. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)