This mixed methods study was designed to examine the potential impactful relationship between personal goal setting and the quality of life satisfaction (built upon the Goal Setting Theory of motivation and performance). The study aimed to determine how influential the goal achievement process is (or is not) regarding personal fulfillment and…

Teacher evaluation systems introduced by states and school systems in the past several years have focused attention on improving the performance of public school teachers, but they have been cost- and time-intensive, placing a significant burden on states' and districts' resources. In Tennessee, for example, trained evaluators conducted nearly…

In this article, Amanda Jansen, Dawn Berk, and Erin Meikle investigate the impact of mathematics teacher education on teaching practices. In their study they interviewed six first-year teachers who graduated from the same elementary teacher education program and who were oriented toward teaching mathematics conceptually. They observed each teacher…

The purpose of this article is to identify how principals shape the adoption and implementation of professional learning communities. The study employed a sequential mixed-methods approach in which interviews, observations, and document analysis informed survey design. Teachers were surveyed in four elementary schools about the practices and…

Transfer students comprise about ten percent of the student population in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at the University of Delaware. This research presents findings from a mixed methods study investigating the transition experiences of transfer students in the college. Demographic data were gathered on CAS transfer students admitted to…

Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRISs) commonly offer on-site technical assistance (TA) and coaching to help early care and education settings achieve quality improvements and a higher QRIS rating. In surveys of administrators overseeing statewide QRISs, almost all states reported the use of on-site TA and coaching in both center-based and…

This mixed-methods study was designed to compare the achievement in mathematics and reading to that in science since the enactment of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in 2002. The literature discussed that due to the increased emphasis in mathematics and reading due to NCLB, science education was impacted. Science instruction has endured reduced…

The techniques of program evaluation parallel the historian's methods, which usually consist of mining both qualitative and quantitative sources. Test scores, questionnaires, and unobtrusive measures provide good quantitative data, whereas interviews supply important qualitative information. Researcher involvement in the project being assessed can…

Presents an interview with Marie M. Dugan, head of Wilmington (DE) Montessori School and a driving force in the American Montessori Society (AMS). Discusses her introduction to the Montessori philosophy and subsequent training and experience as a Montessori teacher. Her work as school administrator and AMS leader is also covered. (TJQ)