The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 school climate survey instrument and evaluate perceptions of secondary school principals' located in the United States about school climate using an Item Response Theory (IRT) methodological approach. In particular, this study…

Since No Child Left Behind was passed nearly 20 years ago, test-based accountability policies have grown more comprehensive in scope than ever before. Tests have always mattered, but they have become substantively empowered, now dominating classroom conversation and activity. To ascertain the impact they have on people's lives one must involve…

The purpose of this study is to discuss instructional design and technology (IDT) model strategies for developing learning and teaching environments, based on philosophical approaches to educational technology theory. The study begins with a discussion of IDT models to define the history of educational technology or instructional technology…

Developing students' scientific literacy requires teachers to use a variety of pedagogical approaches including video as a form of instruction. In addition, using video is a way of engaging students in science ideas not otherwise accessible to them. This study investigated the merit of video clips representing scientific ideas in a secondary…

This study examined the relations between the schoolwide prevalence of teasing and bullying (PTB) and schoolwide academic performance in a sample of 271 Virginia middle schools. In addition, the study examined the mediating effects of student engagement. A three-step sequence of path models investigated associations between schoolwide PTB and…

Not all schools are obsessed with ensuring high test scores for students. Some schools have designed themselves around a priority of creating safe, empathetic learning environments. The Chrysalis Charter School in Palo Cedro, California, has a mission of developing a culture of kindness. The Minnesota New Country School in Henderson, Minnesota,…

We investigated differences between field-study classrooms and traditional science classrooms in terms of the learning environment and students' attitudes to science, as well as the differential effectiveness of field-study classrooms for students differing in sex and English proficiency. A modified version of selected scales from the What Is…

Today, many principals are assigned to struggling schools with the mandate to quickly change the academic trajectory of the students. Interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of how principals and core teachers working at rural middle schools under chronic academic stress perceived the increased academic expectations at their schools.…

Ethical climate in organisations has been studied widely and its influence on ethical behaviour has been documented. However, little is known about the ethical climate at university context and about its antecedents. Universities are social change institutions and their ethical climate could influence the ethical behaviour of future economic,…

This paper highlights boys' underachievement in Botswana junior secondary schools. The paper argues that there is need to establish the root cause of boys' underachievement and institute possible remedies, while safeguarding the gains made in girls' education. Drawing from findings at school level, the discussion demonstrates a structured gender…

Sometimes universities in general are criticised because of impersonal campus environments, or "academic incivility". However, research shows that this phenomenon is more common in medical schools, pointing to increased levels of stress and incidences of attempted suicide among medical students. The decay in humanitarian attitudes and…

Challenging behavior in preschool can lead to harmful outcomes for some children. While interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing or eliminating challenging behavior, evidence suggests that young children with challenging behavior are under-identified for services, increasing their risk for expulsion from early childhood programs.…

In recent years, colleges and universities have witnessed an increase in the number of adult learners entering higher education (Hardin, 2008; Osgood-Treston, 2001). The growth in adult students attending college encourages institutions to better understand the specific needs of the adult learner population. While adult learners may enter higher…

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between character education and school climate based on the lived experiences and beliefs of teachers. The research was conducted in a public middle school to explore understandings and beliefs of teachers about character education and its perceived impact on school climate. Social…

This study seeks to understand student attitudes towards English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. Such courses were conceived, in part, under the belief that they would be inherently more motivating as they, ideally, correspond directly to students' interests and needs. Rather than accepting this notion at face value, this paper posits that a…