The Delphi survey technique is an iterative mail or electronic (e-mail or web-based) survey method used to obtain agreement or consensus among a group of experts in a specific field on a particular issue through a well-designed and systematic multiple sequential rounds of survey administrations. Each of the multiple rounds of the Delphi survey…

This study explores the impact of an urban ecology program on participating middle school students' understanding of science and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. We gathered pre and post survey data from four classes and found significant gains in scientific knowledge, but no significant changes in student beliefs regarding the…

This study investigated the performance of fit indexes in selecting a covariance structure for longitudinal data. Data were simulated to follow a compound symmetry, first-order autoregressive, first-order moving average, or random-coefficients covariance structure. We examined the ability of the likelihood ratio test (LRT), root mean square error…

In this article, we provide a framework for analyzing and interpreting sources that inform a literature review or, as it is more aptly called, a research synthesis. Specifically, using Leech and Onwuegbuzie's (2007, 2008) frameworks, we delineate how the following four major source types inform research syntheses: talk, observations,…

The authors evaluated the extent to which the short-term effect of late life widowhood on parent-child relationships is moderated by 5 personality traits--Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to Experience--and how these interactive effects differ by gender. Data were from the Changing Lives of Older…

This article describes a year-long study, involving three teachers and 13 children (nine boys and four girls), that examined the impact of instructional practices on student achievement in a voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) class. A variety of data were collected: standardized measures, observations, and interviews. The qualitative data revealed…

The study purpose was to assess preliminary validity and reliability of the Physical Education and School Sport Environment Inventory (PESSEI), which was designed to audit physical education (PE) and school sport spaces and resources. PE teachers from eight English secondary schools completed the PESSEI. Criterion validity was assessed by…

This multiple case study examined pre-service teachers perceptions of effective post-secondary instruction. Pre-service teachers were asked to write essays describing an effective teacher of their choice. Twenty-one essays were randomly selected. Data analysis involved open coding of each essay, content analysis of each essay using Anderson and…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth may endure adverse experiences related to their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. While social supports are commonly described as protective factors, few researchers have investigated this phenomenon for LGBT youth. The current study used thematic coding to analyze…

Instructors across the disciplines require their students to write literature reviews. Although numerous sources describe the literature review process, instructors and students face difficulty when approaching the structure of a literature review. This paper presents a straightforward, efficient approach for teaching students how to write a…

As the quality of educational outputs has been problematized, accountability systems have driven reform based upon summative assessment data. These policies impact the ways that educators use data within schools and subsequently, how teacher education programs may adjust their curricula to teach data-driven decision-making to inform instruction.…

Learner-centric research on factors influencing learning results has focused, among other things, on student characteristics, demographic data, and usage patterns in learning management systems (LMSs). This paper complements the existing research by investigating potential correlations between learning results and LMS usage during exam…

Science education is criticized because it often fails to support problem-solving skills in students. Instead, the instructional methods primarily emphasize didactic models that fail to engage students and reveal how the material can be applied to solve real problems. To overcome these limitations, this study asked participants in a general…

The purpose of this study was to develop an empirical data-driven model for a knowledge creation school system in career technical education (CTE) by identifying supportive and hindering factors influencing knowledge creation practices in CTE schools. Nonaka and colleagues' (Nonaka & Konno, 1998; Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) knowledge…

Over the years, companies have relied on On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) to answer complex questions relating to issues in business environments such as identifying profitability, trends, correlations, and patterns. This paper addresses the application of OLAP in education and learning. The objective of the research presented in the paper is…