This dissertation explored elementary teachers' interpretations, understandings and beliefs about the performance-based evaluation model implemented in a southeastern state in the United States. This qualitative case study explored the following research questions: How do elementary school teachers "interpret" the performance-based…

By what criteria and how can the efficiency of education for sustainable development (ESD) be assessed or measured? Theoretical and political definitions of teacher competencies for ESD are only the first steps in the implementation process of these competencies throughout the educational system. If we want to develop an effective evaluation…

STEM education plays a critical role in preparing individuals for the challenges of a rapidly evolving technological world. This paper explores various methods for evaluating and improving STEM education to ensure its effectiveness and relevance in contemporary society. The methods discussed include teacher training and professional development,…

This article deals with my experience of struggling with mental health while trying to succeed in a management department. I will explore the realities of working as an academic in a business school, my experience as a new faculty member with mental health issues, the stigma I encountered, and how mental illness has challenged my opportunity for…

While teacher education programs are required to place preservice teachers in diverse schools/classrooms, the conceptualization and measurement of diversity remains a challenge. One of the primary methods for developing teachers so that they can capably work with diverse student populations is to provide field experiences that place teacher…

Effective classroom management is of critical importance to the success of universal, Tier I supports and services. Unfortunately, teacher-reported deficits in classroom management training are well documented. In response, use of professional development activities such as consultation, coaching, and on-going performance feedback emphasizing…

This article examines teacher candidates' perceptions of two performance-based evaluation tools during the student teaching semester (edTPA, Danielson Framework). In particular, I sought to understand how teacher candidates perceived the role of both tools in the teacher education landscape and the extent to which they perceived the tools to be…

Effective classroom management is of critical importance to the success of universal, Tier I supports and services. Unfortunately, teacher-reported deficits in classroom management training are well documented. In response, use of professional development activities such as consultation, coaching, and on-going performance feedback emphasizing…

The demand for public accountability in U.S. higher education has risen since the beginning of the 20th century. To meet these expectations, colleges and universities undergo institutional accreditation reviews to ensure they meet accountability and quality assurance requirements. This increased focus on institutional accreditation has prompted a…

This dissertation study was set within a collaborative, discussion-based classroom intervention called Collaborative Social Reasoning (CSR). In this study, I aim to examine teacher scaffolding moves, or strategies used to support students' learning, in relationship with student equity in CSR discussions. Equity indicators analyzed include uptake,…

Teacher quality is a perennially fertile field for education reformers. Among teacher quality policies, two of the more highly touted and widely adopted are state-mandated systems of teacher evaluation and formalized models of teacher collaborative teams, often known generally as professional learning communities (PLCs). Indeed, despite a…

Prior research demonstrates that school leaders can help develop teacher efficacy by creating positive school climates, providing opportunities for mentoring and purposeful feedback, and providing meaningful professional learning (Bressman, Winters, & Efron, 2017; Fry, 2009; Ross & Bruce, 2007). Yet despite significant prior research on…

Teacher turnover is an enduring concern in education policy and can incur substantial costs to students. Policies often address turnover broadly, yet effects turn on net differences in the effectiveness of exiting and entering teachers, in addition to the disruption dealt to classrooms. Recent research has shown mixed effects of teacher evaluation…

Higher education institutions face the challenge to promote diversity competence. We suggest a procedure which can help raise awareness for diversity issues amongst staff and students and thereby foster diversity competence and facilitate the implementation of diversity strategies within higher education institutions: to include a self-assessment…

For this study, researchers critically reviewed documents pertaining to the highest profile of the 15 teacher evaluation lawsuits that occurred throughout the U.S. as pertaining to the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers. In New Mexico, teacher plaintiffs contested how they were being evaluated and held accountable using a homegrown…