Previous research has shown that low procedural fidelity can lead to decreased effectiveness and efficiency of skill acquisition during discrete-trial instruction. Previous research has also found that procedural fidelity may be substantially lower when a supervisor is not present to observe the session. Finding a socially acceptable, effective,…

To support school improvement efforts, school leaders and education agencies might need to identify groups of schools that are similar so that schools can compare their performance or share practices with other schools in the same group. This could also allow education agencies to provide tailored supports to schools in a group. This guide…

Purpose: Having a clear understanding of the types and amounts of classroom literacy learning opportunities is important for contextualizing children's early literacy performance. In this study, we examine the content, context, and management of literacy learning opportunities in a large, geographically diverse sample in the United States. We also…

Analysis of consistent Zearn Math users and a comparable group of low- or non-users, across 6 districts in Nebraska, shows that students who used Zearn Math consistently had higher levels of academic growth than similar students with low- or no-usage. For this analysis, 784 students who completed an average of 3+ Zearn Math lessons per week,…

Teaching with inquiry-based learning (IBL) can be used to increase high school students' science proficiency levels. Teachers must also be equipped and prepared to teach inquiry-based learning concepts. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate how prolonged professional development (PD) about IBL impacts science and agriscience teachers' intent to…

Teachers play an influential role in children's health behaviors and there is evidence to support the need for children to be more physically active within preschool. To increase children's physical activity, teachers need to be intentional about promoting active play. To date, most research has focused on teachers' promotion of physical activity…

Nebraska's educators know the state's long-term competitiveness depends on continually improving student learning and outcomes for our 300,000+ K-12 students. That's why what they teach in classrooms all over the state is tied closely to content area standards--standards developed by Nebraska educators, approved by the State Board, and reviewed…

The remarkable variation in superficial veins of the neck challenges anatomy students during cadaveric exploration. Despite frequently serving as cannulation sites, conduits for catheter placement, grafts following carotid endarterectomy, and a visual representation of central venous pressure, the jugular venous network and its variations are not…

The complicated history of the education of Native American children through U.S. government-sponsored practices has led to the elimination of the Native children's sense of Indian identity, culture, and language (Noel, 2002). In addition, increased emphasis on standardization and high-stakes accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act of…

The research focused on clarifying the responsibility of the institutions preparing teacher candidates. The purpose was to develop candidates who possess dispositions so that they will be successful in the classroom. The study focused on examining candidates' dispositions as assessed by their college supervisor as compared to the assessment by…

School-based growing spaces support student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning through authentic agricultural pursuits. We conducted a survey of Nebraska schools to characterize existing school-based growing spaces and to identify challenges limiting garden-based STEM learning. Our findings confirm the…

Operationalizing space is challenging because the factors impacting education are often located at different scales. Combining Geographic Information Systems and ethnographic analyses allows researchers to conduct studies at both micro- and macro-scales, thus illuminating the connections between local and global phenomena. In our first case, we…

The Optimizing Learning Opportunities for Students (OLOS) Observation System was developed by the Early Learning Network's assessment team at the University of California, Irvine. OLOS is a user-friendly, web-based tool designed to help teachers understand what is happening in their classrooms and uncover ways to meet the unique learning needs of…

This paper describes a survey of teachers of students with visual impairments (TVIs) in Nebraska. Questions addressed their preparation to teach writing, writing practices, and beliefs about writing instruction. Twenty-four of 60 TVIs in Nebraska responded to the survey, and 19 answered all questions. Teachers were split on their preparation to…

We conducted a needs assessment to identify watershed science training needs for locally elected directors of Nebraska's 23 natural resources districts (NRDs). We interviewed NRD staff and surveyed NRD directors to determine training needs and identify relevant topics and preferred delivery formats. We found that training would be valuable;…