A substantial amount of research shows that teacher collaboration and a collaborative school culture can significantly increase student achievement. However, long-standing norms of teacher isolation create a significant barrier to this endeavor. The increased popularity of Professional Learning Communities has helped education move away from these…

The task of principals to improve teaching and learning by establishing and sustaining a cohesive school culture is very challenging. In an urban setting, the task is more challenging due to so many deficits that students, staff, and leaders are faced with that their counterparts do not encounter. The researcher's review of the literature yielded…

Rural educators face many barriers when trying to participate in high quality professional development, including isolation, funding issues, distance, and lack of temporary replacements. Technological solutions can assist rural educators in overcoming these barriers. Participating in on-line professional learning communities can provide New…

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was to examine the effectiveness of a professional development approach in increasing the knowledge and use of instructional technology in the classrooms of elementary teachers. The participants were comprised of 14 elementary teachers in a rural public education school district in the southeastern…

Disruptive behaviors in elementary schools are a serious concern for teachers. With mounting pressure from school district administrations, state and federal government agencies, and the communities in which these schools reside, teachers often struggle to determine the best path to achieve consistent student engagement. When inappropriate…

Systematic studies on effectiveness of in-service teacher professional development (PD) are important for science education research and practice. Previous studies mostly focus on one certain aspect of the entire program, for example, effectiveness of PD on improvement of teachers' knowledge or students' learning outcomes. This study, however,…

This dissertation presents the findings of an exploratory, multiple-case study in which eight public secondary school teachers engaged in a professional development (PD) program centered on improving teacher instruction for English learners (ELs). The participants worked as co-teachers with teacher credential candidates, serving as both mentors…

Research has indicated educational leaders have had to redefine how leadership is practiced in schools. Because of the increase of accountability measures and responsibilities of the K-12 administrator, there has been a shift in leadership from the "lone" leader to leadership including principals, teachers, and other school leaders. The…

In January of 2002, President George Bush implemented the No Child left behind act that required all students to be proficient on state standards by the year 2014. One way a school district in Oklahoma met these new requirements was through the implementation of the principles of a Professional Learning Community. This case study was designed…

The purpose of this study was to explore the evolution of collaborative practices of PLCs as they emerge when using technology based formative assessment via iFAIT or innovative Formative Assessment with Instruction and Technology developed by the researcher using audience response systems and the online data compiler, Eduphoria!. This study used…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the principal coaching and/or professional development activities that expert high school principals experienced that helped them to achieve expert status, i.e. exemplary leadership, and positively impact student outcomes, to rate the effectiveness of the identified activities as reported by the…

The intent of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between suburban public elementary school teachers' reports of their core competencies to function in a team, and their reports of the extent to which teachers and administrators in their schools engaged in practices known to support the development of well-functioning…

Educating students to meet high accountability standards and even more importantly preparing students to be competitive in a complex and demanding world requires schools to become high functioning organizations. This mixed-method study examined the relationship between professional learning communities and the collective efficacy in 10 elementary…

Paraprofessionals often constitute the primary support system for special education students and are core members of special education instructional teams. Therefore, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requires that paraprofessionals receive adequate training, including training in evidence-based practices (EBP). However,…

The goal of this study was to examine whether the leadership style of principals affects teacher and student performance. The study includes an elementary, middle, and high school principal along with two teachers from each school who worked at schools that were in good standing from 2007-2011. Each school made adequate yearly progress (AYP) each…