School impact media studies indicate that a well-staffed and funded school library media program with a certified school library media specialist (SLMS) positively correlates with increased student achievement. SLMS must have a shared understanding of their roles and responsibilities to positively impact student success. In an effort to determine…

The study examined the impact of participation in an optional flexible year program (OFYP) on academic achievement. The ex post facto study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The non-probability sample consisted of 163 fifth grade students in an OFYP district and 137 5th graders in a 180-day instructional year school…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the differences in perceptions of learning and achievement of students and teachers in "Project-Based Learning" and Balanced Mathematics classrooms. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative surveys or a mixed method approach to gathering data relative to the perceptions of students…

This exploratory study assessed the effectiveness of a cross-age tutoring intervention on adaptive behavior goals of three PreKindergarten/Kindergarten-aged students with labels of autism spectrum disorder. Data were collected in an inclusive environment; the school library. Three fourth grade general education cross-age tutors were trained to use…

This multi-method, longitudinal study examines the role of teacher attunement (teacher accuracy in identifying the peer group memberships of individual students) in children's peer experiences in early elementary classrooms (1st-3rd grades). Social cognitive mapping (SCM) procedures assessed and compared students' and teachers'…

This mixed methods research utilized Action Based Learning Theory on a population of undergraduate college-aged students to determine if movement breaks in a predominately lecture-style college class affected a student's ability to demonstrate learning. Four professors from various disciplines, each teaching two sections of the same…

The interaction between learners and the instructor in an online learning environment has been shown to contribute to increases in learning through promotion of a cooperative and collaborative environment, which allows students to learn from course materials, the instructor, and each other (Jiang & Ting, 2000; Jung et al., 2002; Kollock, 1998;…

Seeking to increase conceptual understanding by sustaining adolescents' engagement and interest in secondary science classrooms, an intervention, the Engagement Model of Academic Literacy for Learning (EngageALL), was designed to implement a disciplinary literacy approach and organize instruction according to characteristics of student interest…

This study explored the issues of student-faculty interaction and faculty caring as experienced by Black students attending a Predominantly White Institution in a Mid-western urban city. Specifically, the study reviewed the questions related to student-faculty engagement as posed on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). This study used…

This study examined the development of two Distance Learning (DL) courses and their effect on students' perceptions and learning experiences. Our study included about 260 science and engineering graduate students. Among them, 105 students were divided into two research groups: on-campus students (N=70) and DL students (N=35). These two groups…

The problem of beginning teacher attrition is costly to school districts and to the teaching profession in many ways. Teacher preparation programs, such as the elementary education program at Worcester State University (WSU), can potentially contribute to lessening the number of beginning teachers who leave the profession. Therefore, the purpose…

Teaching reading in the mainstream classroom is a challenge. This challenge is compounded when trying to meet the needs of English language learners. Recently, Response to Intervention (RTI) has been suggested as a framework for classroom teachers to use in order to meet the wide range of needs of their students. The purpose of this study was to…

Systematic research into bullying has a short history of about 40 years. Investigations on school bullying within a multicultural context are especially limited. As schools in the 21st century grow more culturally diverse due to globalization and immigration, there is a need to look into bullying within this changing population. Specifically, the…

Writing to learn is a pedagogical approach grounded in the belief that the reasoning required to write about a topic or concept will help students gain understanding. However, research indicates that the impact writing has on student learning depends on context. Using a mixed-method, quasi-experimental, repeated measures design, we examined how…

Middle school girls who are at risk have experienced a disproportionate number of intense and disruptive traumatic life events. Such events can adversely affect healthy development and often contribute to higher levels of school failure and problem behavior. Few programs focus on helping at-risk middle school girls achieve school success through…