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The problem addressed in this study was a lack of teacher confidence in implementing culturally responsive practice in early childhood classrooms leading to low academic achievement in minority students. Federal regulations, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), mandate that all students are given the support needed to succeed. PK-12 students and their families are most impacted by this problem. This quantitative correlational research examined the relationship between teacher confidence and culturally responsive practice. Culturally responsive practice is representative of Dewey's constructivist learning theory. Constructivism is built on the foundation that students need to make deep connections between their life experiences and their learning. This study sought to answer the research question- What is the relationship between culturally responsive practice and teacher confidence amongst early childhood teachers? The inclusion criteria for participants included: working as a general education teacher in kindergarten through grade four and employment within the school district where the research will take place. This study included 66 participants who answered the Teacher Confidence Scale and the Culturally Responsive Practice Scale via Qualtrics. The means were calculated for each scale and then analyzed using Pearson R correlation testing, r(64) = 0.59, p < 0.001, which showed a strong positive correlation between the variables--teacher confidence and culturally responsive teaching practices. These results support offering professional development regarding the variables. Future research should focus on replicating the study to determine if the relationship between the variables is similar in different settings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how online faculty describe their teaching resources and demands, their perceived readiness to teach in a CBE instructional setting, and their recommendations for training resources to meet their actual teaching demands in online CBE university programs in the United States. Little was known regarding how prepared new faculty felt for their CBE teaching positions and their specific work demands. This study utilized Kirkpatrick's Training and Evaluation Model to guide the research. Four research questions were utilized to explore online CBE faculty work demands, work resources, training, and readiness to teach in an online CBE instructional setting. The research utilized purposive sampling to gather data to answer the research questions through open-ended questionnaire responses from 52 CBE faculty members and 12 one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to determine how faculty members described their CBE training and work experiences. An inductive approach was utilized to generate codes. Results indicated that CBE faculty have a high workload with stressful performance metrics and unrealistic deadlines. Resources frequently mentioned include pre-established teaching materials and a flexible work schedule. CBE faculty indicated training was beneficial, preparing them for their roles and creating a feeling of readiness to start their new positions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]