Teacher performance appraisal policies are a part of a global complex of accountability based teacher policies. This paper is a study of the Ontario teacher performance appraisal (TPA) system. First, the paper describes the education reform contexts associated with the origins and adoption of the TPA policy. Then the paper reports on the results…

Immigration from Latin America to the United States will be a political issue for many years. Because Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S., they will continue to be a concern of social work education. Language differences, cultural distinctions, and unique political ramifications require specialized programs within social work…

This short-term longitudinal study investigated the simultaneous influences of adults' (mothers and teachers) educational expectations and youth's achievement (standardized test scores and teachers' ratings of academic performance) across a 3-year time span on youth's performance in school (GPA). Participants were an ethnically diverse sample of…

Most academic programs are now held accountable for measuring student-learning outcomes. This article reports the results of an assurance of learning (AOL) project designed to measure the impact of study abroad on the development of ethical reasoning, intercultural sensitivity, and environmental attitudes. The Association to Advance Collegiate…

The objective of the study is to assess the impact of emergency department (ED) intimate partner violence (IPV) counseling and resource referrals on patient-perceived safety and safety planning. ED patients with risk factors were offered consultation with trained IPV advocacy counselors who completed safety assessments, provided resource…

This correlational longitudinal study examined how college students' achievement goals for college in general predicted overall grade point average and diversity in course selection. During their first semester of college, students (N = 214) reported their performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and mastery-approach goals for college and…

Although distance learning often is cited as a potentially useful strategy to provide appropriately challenging academic coursework to gifted students, little research has been conducted on its use or effectiveness with this population, particularly with younger students in elementary school. In this study, distance learning outcomes for gifted…

Educators face ongoing pressure to improve student outcomes, especially with regard to academic achievement and social behavior. One viable strategy for supporting and improving instructional practices is to conduct classroom observations and provide performance feedback. Researchers have shown performance feedback to be effective in the…

In this study, we present the findings of an investigation of the effectiveness of 3 models of premarital education. The study compares the outcomes between a workbook-only self-directed program, a therapist-directed (unstructured) program, and an assessment-based (RELATE) relationship enhancement program. Results revealed significant differences…

This paper reports a case study that investigated the practice of peer assessment in a professional course, with particular emphasis on students' experience. It was found that peer assessment processes were beneficial to students' learning and development as professionals. The case study pointed to several conditions for effective implementation…

In an effort to promote evidence-based practice, government officials, researchers, and program developers have developed lists of model programs in the prevention field. This article reviews the evidence used by seven best-practice lists to select five model prevention programs. The authors' examination of this research raises questions about the…

This article discusses findings from a longitudinal research study that examined the way graduate students carry out the literature review and how they were impacted by attending a library literature review workshop. The literature review research process serves as an important gateway for graduate students into their scholarly communities'…

This research study examined the long-term effects of a professional development study tour to Southeast Asia that took place in 2001. Participants included ten public school teachers from Western Massachusetts, which has a significant population of people of Vietnamese and Cambodian descent. Funded by a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant,…

This report presents results from a multisite, quantitative evaluation of the international Success for Kids (SFK) after-school program. The program seeks to build resilience in children by teaching them to access inner resources and build positive connections with others. The SFK program is unlike most after-school programs both in its focus on…

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act or ARRA) into law on February 17, 2009. This federal stimulus package provided an unprecedented infusion of new education aid for the nation's schools--more than $100 billion. To determine how the unprecedented federal infusion of education funding was…