Dr. McGinnis-Smith earned a PhD in special education with emphasis in EBD at the University of Iowa and an administrator certification from Drake University. She is coauthor of the social skills teaching series "Skillstreaming." She also coauthored with Richard Simpson "Skillstreaming Children and Youth with High Functioning Autism…

In this study 25 student teachers receiving endorsement in special education interviewed paraprofessionals and self-rated their ability to perform a variety of paraprofessional supervision tasks. The paraprofessionals expressed desires for increased training and skills in behavior management; increased training in general; communication with…

Research examining the teacher hiring process is scant and has largely ignored the principal's role. This qualitative, comparative case study uses Person-Environment fit to explore teacher hiring in two high schools with divergent characteristics in the same district. Findings suggest that fit is a dynamic quality, depending on school context and…

Background: The death of a male friend can be challenging for men because expressions of grief can be governed and restrained by dominant ideals of masculinity. It is common for young men to engage in health risk practices, such as alcohol overuse, to deal with feelings of sadness. Objective: This qualitative study investigated the ways that young…

The author discusses the learning experiences and processes of selected international graduate students within a Canadian university as they progressed from student to scholar. Inspired by social learning theorists Lave and Wenger's (1991) notion of apprentice to masters in situated learning and communities of practice, the student to scholar…

In the Swiss vocational education system, which is often called a "Dual System", trainees enter into an apprenticeship contract with a training company. On average, 25% of those contracts are terminated prematurely (PCT). This article examines the relationship between training companies' selection methods and PCTs. The investigation is…

This study focused on parent-initiated supported living schemes in the South of the Netherlands and the ability of these living schemes to enhance participation, choice, autonomy and self-advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities through personalized planning, support and care. Based on in-depth interviews with tenants,…

This explores the narratives from three individuals in low-skilled employment in the UK. The interviewees reflected upon their experiences of learning from compulsory education and beyond and their pathways through education to employment. The narratives illustrate how with the support of significant others, resilience and proactivity, they can…

This study explored what African American college students perceives as contributing to their Academic success. This study moved to determine what factors significantly influence or impact how African American college students advance in their academic journey, which was hypothesized as an important component related to academic success and degree…

The current study was to test whether reality monitoring and language use could distinguish identity liars from truth tellers when answering outcome questions and unexpected process questions. Truth tellers (n = 30) and liars (n = 30) discussed their identity in a recruitment interview. No differences emerged between truth tellers and liars in the…

Navigating contradiction represents an integral part of the teaching process. While educational literature has discussed the paradoxes that teachers experience in the classroom, minimal empirical research has analyzed the strategies teachers employ to address these paradoxes. Using relational dialectics as a theoretical framework for understanding…

Understanding dialect loss is informative for language loss, yet dialect attrition remains relatively understudied. Suru Kavian is an endangered dialect of Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. Drawing from language recordings, interviews, and observations, this paper explores the relationship between linguistic ideologies about Suru Kavian (what members of…

This study used an Appreciative Education framework to explore the strengths of Chinese international students and to identify areas where support is needed during their transition to U.S. higher education settings. Using a convergent mixed methods design with data collected from surveys, interviews and focus groups, the complex nature of the…

Teacher team involvement is considered a key factor in achieving sustainable innovation in higher education. This requires engaging in team learning behaviors that should result in new knowledge and solutions. However, university teachers are not used to discussing their work practices with one another and tend to neglect any innovation in their…

Purpose: Implementation of a new food literacy curriculum provides multiple health and social benefits to school students. The success of any new curriculum execution is partly determined by teachers' perceptions about the new curriculum contents, and barriers and challenges for its delivery. The purpose of this paper is to explore teachers' views…