The context for this work is two-agent team decision systems. An "agent" is an intelligent entity that can measure some aspect of its environment, process information and possibly influence the environment through its action. In a collaborative two-agent team decision system, the agents can be coupled by noisy or noiseless interactions…

Few, if any, researchers would deny the existence of the developmental stages of language learning. However, there are questions about the applicability and the importance of the stages in pedagogy. Up to this point, these questions regarding the ESL (English as a second language) stages have never been addressed in a Japanese post-secondary…

A central challenge in efficacy studies centers on the issue of "fidelity of implementation," that is, the extent to which participants use the curriculum specified by curriculum developers. In this study, we describe and discuss a "fidelity of implementation" model using multiple methods and instruments to compare two versions of a science…

This paper examines the relationship between objective academic achievement (OAA) and subjective well-being (SWB). Using a sample of 515 adolescents from ten different high schools across a small country, semi-structured interviews, academic records and observations provided relevant data for the study. OAA was measured from examination results…

Kindergarten students (N = 95) in three schools and seven classrooms were observed for on-task versus off-task behavior during three literacy instruction opportunities; small group instruction, whole group instruction and the less structured library setting over the 2011-2012 school year. Students' early literacy skills were assessed before and…

Wayfinding is the method by which humans orient and navigate in space, and particularly in built environments such as cities and complex buildings, including public libraries. In order to wayfind successfully in the built environment, humans need information provided by wayfinding systems and tools, for instance architectural cues, signs, and…

New teachers entering the profession are leaving within their first few years, with half exiting the profession in the first five years. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the experiences of new elementary school teachers regarding their assimilation into a new school environment. The primary research question involved…

This study was designed to explore secondary mathematics teachers' beliefs about graphing calculators, their practices with the graphing calculators when teaching linear and quadratic functions, and the relationship between the teachers' beliefs and their practices. The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, 81 teachers…

In this study, the Arizona State University Mathematics and Science Teaching Fellows 2010 program was analyzed qualitatively from start to finish to determine the impact of the research experience on teachers in the classroom. The sample for the study was the 2010 cohort of eight high school science teachers. Erickson's (1986) interpretive,…

Principals are responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the instructional programs, including staff development, on their campuses. Instructional leaders must utilize practices that allow them to fulfill this responsibility. This qualitative, collective case study examined the effectiveness of the three-minute classroom walk-through…

This dissertation examines the relationship between higher education and social mobility among students and their families in Benin, West Africa. In this study I draw on ethnographic research conducted at the public University of Abomey-Calavi in Cotonou, Benin in 2010. I utilize interviews, historical documents, and participant observation to…

The purpose of this interpretivist qualitative study is to discover and explore what factors influence African American collegiate football student athletes with regard to their experiences that participated in a mentoring program at a predominately white institution. The grounded theory methodology was used for this study. Ten African American…

Prior to this research, limited research existed on the California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) or perceptions community school student and principals have on alternative high school diploma options, such as the CHSPE. Grounded in the literature, the purpose of this study was to conduct a mixed methodology embedded multiple case…

In Swedish teacher education, all preschool teacher students have to include a school-based element and to take part in a local educational practice, in a preschool or in another form of educational setting, such as a preschool class or after-school recreation centre. In this study, we have asked a group of supervisors about their perception of…

Students with intellectual disabilities can exhibit a wide array of challenging behaviors in the classroom that pose disruptions to the learning milieu and management problems for those involved in their education. Self-modeling, a behavioral intervention that involves viewing edited videotapes of oneself depicting exemplary behavior, has had…