Professional learning communities (PLCs) have been used among educators in higher education as a way to address areas of concern, such as reform. One such area in higher education concerns inequities in education because they impact student learning and achievement. Faculty-driven PLCs in higher education have also been focused on ensuring that…

This mixed methods embedded case study investigated a pre-service professional learning community (PLC) model's ability to transform the teaching and perceptions of six pre-service science education students. The PLC utilized in this study was developed through the National Science Foundation Noyce Track 2 program, Developing Leaders in Science…

Given that the majority of college courses are staffed with instructors who have little, if any, teaching experience (Boysen, 2011), research has called for more innovative approaches to providing teaching development opportunities for graduate student instructors (GSIs) (e.g., BrckaLorenz et al., 2020; Chew et al., 2018). The purpose of this…

The world of online higher education is still in its infancy. This provides the opportunity for universities to create environments where online adjunct faculty acknowledges a sense of belonging and collaboration working with leaders who inspire, support, and mentor. Leaders, who truly listen, are open and honest. Support will inspire online…

Recently, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been advocated as a promising approach in higher education (Eaker & Sells, 2015) for faculty development that can improve student learning outcomes and help students graduate with demonstrable skills, yet the field is still lacking in research on this phenomenon within higher education…

As demographics change, our school populations are ever changing. Preservice teachers (PSTs) need to be aware of how to meet the needs of all of their future students. Teacher education programs have been charged with the duty of preparing these PSTs for the diverse school population they will encounter. This qualitative multiple case study…

Many students enter college with inadequate reading, writing, and critical thinking skills to successfully navigate discipline-specific college-level coursework (Duff, 2010; Hyland, 2006; Lea & Street, 1998; Tsui, 2002). As such, college faculty, and specifically community college faculty, are challenged to meet the multiple literacy needs of…

As the population of adult learners increases in higher education institutions across the globe, recent studies demonstrate that they face barriers that delay their advanced degree completion. Although K University (pseudonym) had discussed this delay among its adult student population, no studies or interventions had been proposed to address the…

A local concern has been the effectiveness of school improvement efforts such as professional learning communities (PLCs) on student achievement. The results of this study are necessary as policy makers, school districts, administrators, and teachers aim to increase student achievement and the effectiveness of PLCs. The purpose of this study was…

This study investigated administrators, college faculty, K-12 teachers, and pre-service teachers' perceptions of PLCs and their organizational environment as it relates to self-efficacy. The connection between educators' perceptions of PLCs is their learning environments and their willingness to change. The challenge is encouraging and…

Change is indeed the watchword for this millennial generation and the inherent responsibility of educating our youth places our country's education system in the epicenter of that evolutionary experience. Such a clarion call for academic excellence requires an educational paradigm, which fosters a school's continuous capacity for improvement. The…

Community colleges in the United States are faced with several challenges, one of which is increasing the percentage of students that earn an associate degree. Research (American Association of Community Colleges, 2012; Amey, 2005; Eddy, 2010; Roueche, 2008) suggests that community college administrators need to think, act, manage, and lead in…

Institutions of higher education are entering a new era, one where cost, value, and quality are at the front of mind. To proactively ensure long-term viability, institutions must operate differently. This qualitative case study examined how the St. Alexander University School of Education's Annual Report Process impacted institutional…

Teacher collaboration and professional development are crucial components to any school improvement process. In an international school context differences among teachers emerging from culture, language, training, and environment can present a unique view of how teachers collaborate and learn together. The purpose of the study was to determine…

Annually, approximately one million students drop out of college or university. About 43% of first-time, full-time students at public universities graduate within six years. This is a completion crisis according to some education leaders. Student support initiatives like learning communities are promising. This quantitative study investigated the…