03/10/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Kristen Abbott “From Rote to Responsive: Building Teacher Efficacy in Culturally Responsive Science Education."

Candidate: Kristen Abbott
Degree: Doctoral- Ed.D. Leadership in Schooling, STEM
Defense Date: March 23, 2026
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Via Zoom
Thesis/Dissertation Title: From Rote to Responsive: Building Teacher Efficacy in Culturally Responsive Science Education

Dissertation Committee

  • Chair: Michelle Scribner, Ed.D., Clinical Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Amie Milkowski, Ed.D., Adjunct Faculty, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Tracy Manousaridis, Ed.D., Adjunct Faculty, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
Despite decades of STEM reform aimed at addressing the decline in science achievement for middle school students nationwide, national assessment data have shown limited improvement (National Science Board, 2024). This pattern is reflected in Rubato (pseudonym), a small, suburban public school system, where science achievement declines from grade five to eight, and the faculty's diversity does not match that of the student body. Interviews and observations revealed that, though teachers are aware of best practices, their instruction primarily consists of rote activities with few opportunities for critical thinking or collaboration. This mixed-methods improvement science study examined the effect of targeted professional development (PD) on teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancies in culturally responsive teaching (CRT). The eight-week intervention included collaborative lesson planning, self-reflection, and debriefing within a professional learning community (PLC), modeled after the Japanese method of lesson study. Teacher self-efficacy and outcome expectancies were measured using pre- and post-surveys and interviews, supplemented with reflection forms. Results of the first plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle indicate an 11.64% increase in self-efficacy, exceeding the 10% aim, while outcome expectancies increased 1.67%, falling short of the 10% aim. Qualitative findings indicated a limited prior understanding of CRT, but a high value placed on the strategies themselves and the intervention's collaborative format. Findings informed future iterations and suggested that focused PD strategies may strengthen teacher self-efficacy in CRT.