The focus of this study was the exploration of specific developmental dimensions that may have an impact on the counselor training process, which ultimately will affect the quality of care offered by counselors to clients. Specifically, the relationship of cognitive developmental level and counseling competency skills was examined to determine if…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the design characteristics component of the Jeffries/National League for Nursing Framework for Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Simulations when developing a simulation-based approach to teaching structured communication to new graduate nurses. The setting for the study was a medium…

The role of the district superintendent as an instructional leader in systemic change is paramount to the degree and sustainability of change. Through the use of an electronic survey incorporating closed- and open-ended questions, the study examined the characteristics, habits of mind or dispositions, and leadership skills or styles used by an…

This study built on previous research in the area of peer-led literature discussion. Even though there are numerous studies investigating this type of literacy activity, little is known about Taiwanese elementary students' participation in peer-led literature discussion. This study explored a group of six Taiwanese fourth graders' participation in…

Engagement and motivation have become increasingly important to mathematics education, particularly as concern about the educational success of students in the US grows. As a way to describe the patterns cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement of students, Goldin, Epstein, Warner, and Schorr (2011) developed the theoretical concept of…

The need for improved mathematics education in many of America's schools that serve students from low income households has been extensively documented. This practical action research study, set in a suburban Title I school with a primarily Hispanic, non-native English speaking population, is designed to explore the effects of the progression…

While educational psychologists have found evidence for effective teaching behaviors that lead to academic achievement, pedagogy still lacks prescriptive accuracy for all students at all times. Teaching style and problem-solving style may be underlying mechanisms behind teaching behaviors. The present study looked at these three…

Public schools, colleges, and universities all strive to prepare students for the workforce or further education through career development activities and career education. Research shows many high school students have had insufficient exposure to and have inadequate information about career related tasks and duties. Studies also show that many…

While professional developers have been encouraging teachers to plan for discourse around problem solving tasks as a way to orchestrate mathematically productive discourse (Stein, Engle, Smith, & Hughes, 2008; Stein, Smith, Henningsen, & Silver, 2009) no research has been conducted explicitly examining the relationship between the plans…

The need for more engineers equipped with new skill sets is essential for ensuring our national security, climate sustainability, and maintaining our position as a global leader in innovation and as an economic world power. The design challenges engineers face increasingly require a human-centered, creative, practical, and systems-based approach…

The study investigated the effects of non-segmented multimedia worked examples (NS-MWE), segmented multimedia worked examples (S-MWE), and segmented multimedia worked examples enhanced with self-explanation prompts (S-MWE-SE) on acquisition of conceptual knowledge and problem solving performance in an undergraduate engineering course. In addition,…

The case study takes place in a North Carolina School district diverse in student population and land use, which by some records is experiencing some success with the students it serves. Standardized test data reveals the existence of academic achievement gaps within schools throughout the district. The school district's superintendent declared…

This study focused on the perceptions of six superintendents regarding the state of the profession as of 2012, and it reports their thoughts and suggestions as to what preparation is needed by superintendents for the 21st century. The participating superintendents, who were all members of the Western States Benchmarking Consortium, were employed…

This dissertation is comprised of three independently conducted studies, linked by investigation into the development of thinking skills deemed necessary for the 21st Century. While educators and policy makers advocate teaching students creative and critical thinking skills to address an increasingly global and complex world, they simultaneously…

This study examined the effect of a specific instructional approach called design teams on preservice teachers' attitudes toward technology, their technology skills, and their Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). In a design teams approach, participants work in collaborative teams to design solutions to solve real-world…