I am interested in learning more about how the arts open learning potentials.

I am interested in developing better learning opportunities for students in online or CSCL environments.

I am interested in how visual, auditory, and kinesthetic materials might improve learning in general and particularly an online learning experience.

I am interested in learning more about qualitative research, particularly content analysis.

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The CEITR has accepted my research fellowship proposal for 2016-17.  The article was accepted for publication in August, 2017.  I am currently developing a special interest group: The Arts: Teaching and Learning.  A call for research participants will go out during September, 2017.  Several other research projects are nearing completion and will be submitted for publication.  I will present three papers at the AECT conference in Jacksonville, Florida in November, 2017.

Elizabeth Johnston, Ed.D.

I am a member of the Ethics in Education Research Group Research associated with my Research Center at UOP.  I am a member of a group that is currently working on a study titled "Crises of Care and Critique: School Principals and Narratives of Compassion Fatigue." 

I am involved in an on-going research about the implementation of edTPA and teacher perceptions of the teaching performance assessment that is used in many states.  I have co-authored one published article on this topic and am now in year two of collecting data for this research. 

I have also completed research on ways to increase student knowledge through the implementation of reading circles for college students. 

PUBLICATIONS

Hefner, Y. & Souter, D. (2018). Tears and Fears – Sighs and High Fives: Listening to the Words of Teacher Candidates after edTPA submission. GATEways to Teacher Education, 28, 2, 64-76.

Hefner, Y. (2018). The implementation of reading circles in an educator preparation program course. Perspectives in Learning, 17, 1, 23-35

PRESENTATIONS: Peer-Reviewed

Hefner, Y. (2018). Shattered Ground- Mental Health Issues in Children-A Hidden Crisis. National Youth At-Risk Conference, Savannah, GA.

Hefner, Y. & Souter, D. (2017). Tears and Fears – Sighs and High Fives: Listening to the Words of Teacher Candidates after edTPA submission. Georgia Association of  Teacher Education (GATE) Annual Conference 2017, Cordele, GA

Hefner, Y. (2016). Using Planned Reading Circles to Increase Pre-service Special   Education Teachers’ Content Knowledge. GERA Conference, Georgia Southern        University – August, GA

Hefner, Y. & Turpin, S. (2015). Becoming a Teacher Leader. Impacting Student Learning   Conference. Georgia Regents University-Augusta, GA

Hefner, Y. & Blake, M. (2014) Beginning Special Education Teachers: Career Ready!         G-CASE Conference, University of Georgia – Athens, GA

Dissertation Committee Chair and Committee Member

Committee Chair:

Teaching Middle-School Inclusion Classrooms: A Qualitative Exploratory Multiple-Case, Lashley, D. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2018.

A Quantitative Comparative Study of Youth Leadership and Problem Solving. Jacklin, Anne. University of Phoenix, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2017.

Teachers' Perceptions of Student Violence in Public Schools:  A Qualitative Phenomenological Study. Hall, Kevin D. University of Phoenix, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2017.

Emotional Intelligence, Special Education Teacher and Attrition. Lohman, Paula. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2014.

Committee Member:

Novice Teacher Retention in Relation to Merit Pay: A Phenomenological  Study. Bridges, Chaitra. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2018.

A Quasi Experimental Study of Educational Gaming Technology and Success of Repeating Algebra 1 Students. Cook, Amelia University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2017.

A Single Exploratory Case Study of A Special Education Online School.  Kim-Guild, Tanya. University of Phoenix, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2017.

A Phenomenological Study: Post-Secondary Vocational Support for Individuals with Special Needs. Skinner, Ashley. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2017.

Teacher Preparation: Managing Behavioral Issues Displayed by High Risk African American Males. Scott, Kim. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2016.

African American Registered Nurses in Post-Secondary Faculty Positions: A Phenomenological Study. Coppage, Cynthia. University of Phoenix, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2017.

Teacher Perception of Student Attributes: A Quantitative Correlation Vignette Study.Francis, Brenda S. University of Phoenix, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2015.

Administrative Support for Special Education Teachers:  A Phenomenological Study. Hodges, Janet. University of Phoenix, Academic Dissertation, 2014.

1.  In April, 2016, I joined the Group 8 Research Team of the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology at the University's Research Hub.  The Title of the qualitative content analysis study is:, Witnesses to transformation:  Family members’ Narratives about music and Alzheimer’s patients, The Team plans to submit the research report for publication in 2017.  Group 8 did publish the research report.  Group 8 plans to continue to work together and I plan to maintain my active status as a researcher with Group 8.

2.  In 2015 I conducted a qualitative case study in a public middle school in Massachusetts. The title of the study is The Impact of 1:1 iPad Integration Implementation on Innovative Instructional Design in Middle School Classrooms  I focused on the school's schoolwide implementation of 1:1 iPads in all grades and all subjects and the impact of the implementation on teacher's instructional design.  The study findings indicated that      several teachers were able to design innovative instuction and that the iPads facilitated greater teacher and student organization.  I plan to submit the study report for publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of January, 2018.  Hopefully, it will be published in 2018.   I would also like to present the paper at the 2018 conference of the Association for Educational and Instructional Technology.  I did submit the paper for the 2017 AECT Conference in November.  The paper was approved as a Featured Research Presentation.  Due to unexpected scheduled surgery in late October, I will not be able to present at the 2017 conference.  However, AECT invited me to resubmit in 2018 for presentation at next year's conference.