The purpose of this study was to describe attitudes of first and second grade teachers in Benin, toward school science and their instructional preferences (inquiry-based and traditional noninquiry-based instruction), and determine some factors that could explain these attitudes and preferences. Three hundred (N = 300) preparatory classroom…

With the global information boom, and rapid developments in electronic media and the World Wide Web (Web) within the last two decades, the Singapore government envisioned a need for Singapore to be Information Technology (IT) equipped and competent in every industry, beginning most importantly with the education sector. Taking its cue, the…

Drawing on published feminist literature, this essay deconstructs developmentalism as a metanarrative that contributes to the oppression and exploitation of women and underpins educational practice. First, I examine feminist critiques of developmentalism, distinguishing between "insider critiques" formulated by feminist psychologists evaluating…

The No Child Left Behind Act has brought great attention to the high school graduation rate as one of the mandatory accountability measures for public school systems. However, there is no consensus on how to calculate the high school graduation rate given the lack of longitudinal databases that track individual students. This study reviews…

Few studies have explored the work of successful beginning teachers in diverse settings. This investigation follows one promising young, white elementary teacher through her student teaching in the inner city of Washington, D.C. and into her first year of teaching in a suburban, diverse Virginia school. Seven themes articulate her journey into…

Most colleges and universities have a tripartite mission composed of teaching, research, and service. For faculty seeking tenure, though, this mission can seem very heavily weighted toward research. In fact, the phrase "publish or perish" is widely understood both inside and outside the academy as the primary path to a successful career…

This paper proposes a model for building pedagogical knowledge and improving teaching based on the practice of lesson study. In lesson study a small group of instructors jointly designs, teaches, studies and refines a single class lesson called a research lesson. We describe how college teachers can do lesson study in their classrooms. We explore…

This paper will provide readers with insight into "Team Building and Decision-Making" curriculum methods and strategies utilized in leadership for our administrators. The content is based on "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable" by Lencioni (2002). The writer is working on developing a unique cascade of…

This book represents a collaborative effort among education scholars that addresses the theory, practice, and policy gaps that have plagued classrooms for a long time. Divided into three parts, it focuses on practical strategies for teaching and learning in different subject areas and at all levels; provides research-based models for improving…

A growing body of research shows school connectedness to be a powerful predictor of adolescent health and academic outcomes. This study advances a theoretically grounded definition of school connectedness and triangulates qualitative and quantitative methods to assess contextual correlates to school connectedness in 8th, 10th, and 12th grade…

Changing your Learning Management System (LMS) presents challenges not only to instructional faculty, but also to the students who depend on these systems to completely deliver or support their courses. In assessing the transition for students experiencing an upgrade in the campus LMS, a number of findings have real implications for developing a…

The research literature on online learning has grown significantly in the past decade. Many studies have been published that examine the extent, nature, policies, learning outcomes, and other issues associated with online instruction. While much of this literature focuses specifically on postsecondary education with approximately three million…

This guide provides suggestions for planning and implementing inclusion programs to enhance education for all children. Recent laws supporting the rights of children with disabilities are considered, along with the confusion regarding how to meet the needs of all children in the schools. Variations in inclusion practices among states and districts…

For the 12th year, a national survey of changes in the academic and administrative practices of American colleges and universities was undertaken. Senior administrators at 407 colleges and universities completed and returned survey questionnaires (80 percent of a sample of 506). Responses were statistically weighted so that results were…

This document contains 5 invited papers, 11 refereed papers, and 3 symposium papers from an adult and continuing education research conference. The invited papers are: "Community and Adult Education: A Conceptual Framework for Theory and Practice" (Gary J. Dean); "Understanding the Control of Learning within Grassroots Initiatives" (Joyce S.…