Earlier research on assessment suggests that even when Native English Speaker (NSE) and Non-Native English Speaker (NNES) writers make similar errors, faculty tend to assess the NNES writers more harshly. Studies indicate that evaluators may be particularly severe when grading NNES writers holistically. In an effort to provide more recent data on…

This article examines the use of institutional research data on tertiary academic success of students in the first-year Biology program at the University of Canterbury in relation to their secondary school performance in English, Mathematics with Statistics, Biology and Chemistry. This study was commissioned by the School of Biological Sciences to…

In the fall of 2004 a college began a program to integrate service-learning (S-L) projects into required engineering courses throughout the curriculum, so that students would be exposed to S-L in at least one course in each of eight semesters. The ultimate goal is to graduate better engineers and more engaged citizens and to improve communities,…

This qualitative study document action research which explored existing teachers' views and practices during the implementation of professional development to strengthen learner centred teaching. The paper discusses changes in teachers' practice that culminated in the delivery of enhanced lessons. The paper documents a two year process of change…

Literature that discusses transformative change in schools typically draws on experiences of renewal and change in existing schools. This report explores the shaping of a new school with the intent, established at the very outset, of offering a curriculum for the 21st century. The report discusses four key aspects of curriculum innovation at this…

Children's sense of a community is essential in elementary schools. This helps gives students a sense of belonging and control over their environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of several strategies from the Toolbox Project and their effect on building community in the classroom. Collin (2003b) discusses his Toolbox…

A significant issue in gifted education is the possible need for mandatory pre-service programs or certifications for educators who work with students who are gifted and talented. It was the primary purpose of this dissertation study to examine the perceptions of three groups of participants (pre-service educators, in-service educators in regular…

This study examined pre-service teachers' development of mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) over their final year in a university based teacher education program. This was done through analyzing written reflections, focus group interviews, individual interviews, teaching observations, and post-observation interviews as well as through the…

This mixed-methods research design, crafted as a phenomenological study, and developed through a lens of critical social theory, was conducted to explore the altruistic expectation level of teacher candidates. Further, the research questions and hypotheses reflect the problem that many well-meaning teacher candidates enter the teaching profession…

The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine how one principal of an urban elementary school and selected members of the school community perceived the sustainability of the principal's leadership. One goal of this study was to enhance the understanding of how principals and members of the school community may perceive the ability…

How might a district support significant teacher and program change that results in higher student reading achievement while using its own personnel? To answer this question, we explored five districts in one Midwestern state that tried to do just that with the help of a local university. We used both quantitative and qualitative data, including…

Corporal punishment (CP) remains highly prevalent in the United States despite its association with increased risk for child aggression and physical abuse. Five focus groups were conducted with parents (n = 18) from a community at particularly high risk for using CP (Black, low socioeconomic status, Southern) in order to investigate their…

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify factors that college students perceived as contributing to healthy and unhealthy eating patterns, physical activity (PA) levels, and weight change. Participants: Forty-nine 18- to 22-year-old students at a midwestern university participated. Methods: Six focus groups (3 with each gender) were…

This paper explores some aspects of effective professional mentoring practice for early career mathematics and science teachers, and discusses the Early Support Program (ESP), a research project conducted in 2009 and 2010 at a large Australian metropolitan university. It is argued that better outcomes may result from a more strategic…

This paper analyses the experiences and perceptions of parents and carers with respect to children accessing a variety of leisure activities, as well as short breaks and respite care. The children in question have wide-ranging needs and, for example, will be across the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The findings are based upon focus group…