This study, using a non-experimental, exploratory and descriptive method, established learners' and educators' views about factors that contribute to poor performance in mathematics and physical science. Participants were purposefully selected from seven schools with poor pass rates in District 3 of Tshwane North. Focused group interviews with ten…

Participating in small group activities has emerged as a trend in online learning events. However, little is known about how graduate students experience online group work and what instructional behaviors are perceived as helpful during the group process. This article discusses a qualitative research project that revealed how online health care…

This study examines six teachers' responses inside and outside of their classrooms to increasingly mixed messages about how they should develop the literacy of California's youngest and most at-risk students. While they must develop highly developed knowledge and skills to teach literacy in linguistically diverse classrooms, they must also adhere…

Science education research predominantly shows that students improve their scientific understandings when they tinker (or pull apart) tools and simple household machines. In this study, the qualitative data collected took the form of online journal entries by final year, female, primary teacher trainees, who reflected upon their early childhood…

In 2000, the Senior Mentor Program was implemented as an innovative, instructional method in the University of South Carolina's medical school curriculum designed to enhance and strengthen student training in geriatrics. This study qualitatively analyzed second-year medical students' and senior participants' perceptions of and attitudes towards…

Over the last two decades there has been an increase in the use of qualitative research, particularly in the human sciences. Such a move has resulted in an increasing number of researchers across disciplines using various types of qualitative software specially designed for managing text and facilitating analysis of qualitative data. However, we…

This article questions why a somewhat singular focus on orphanhood in the context of AIDS persists despite important shifts to more inclusive terminology of "orphans and vulnerable children." Analysis of data from South Africa raises questions about the "spin" placed on "orphanhood" and its perceived consequences for…

International comparative studies revealed that US students' mathematics performance is not at the level of expectation of mathematics education community. The latest of such study is, Third international Mathematics Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R, 1999) continued show poor performance of US students in international arena. Total of 38 countries…

In a study investigating the effects of student engagement in inquiry learning through the development of Web sites, nearly every student reported having enjoyed the project, and the majority scored an A or B for their project grade. However, neither enjoyment nor high achievement on this performance task necessarily translated into high scores on…

Introduction: changes in educational policy and practice demand that we examine school library programmes from a new perspective. As a model that takes a developmental view of minds in context, Cultural Historical Activity Theory is particularly well suited to the study of school libraries and the learning that occurs therein. This paper focuses…

In an effort to prevent substance use and abuse by children and adolescents, the California Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Education (DATE) Program was initiated in 1991. This report evaluates the program from perspectives of school district personnel, and students, generating an explanation of the "whats" and "hows" of drug…

This report presents findings of a case study of the education of second language learners in a middle school of approximately 2,000 students undergoing middle school reform in California. The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the challenges faced by a school experiencing rapid demographic changes in a predominantly…

This paper addresses the continuing failure of racial and ethnic minorities, specifically Mexican Americans and American Indians, to gain full representation in doctoral graduating classes and college faculties. The demographics of minorities in doctoral programs is reviewed with particular emphasis on the Southwestern United States and the two…

This paper investigates the effect of engaging students in designing interactive multimedia programs. The design process has been shown to heighten motivation and to develop skills in project management, research, organization and representation, presentation, and reflection. At the same time, previous studies have also revealed that it is…

This study describes and explains changes in ninth- and tenth-grade social studies and science courses that emerged in the pedagogy of classroom teachers as a result of participation in a detracking project in an urban high school. The detracking project represented a profound change in the organization of school curricula. Four social studies and…