Middle school is a critical transition for all school-aged youth. On a personal level they experience rapid changes across several areas of development. Their environment simultaneously adapts as schools' expectations seem greater and social pressures arise. During this juncture, they are more vulnerable to academic and psychological difficulties.…

This exploratory phenomenological research study describes the experiences of U.S. Army soldiers going through the mandated Structured Self Development (SSD) online courseware. Multiple findings are presented covering soldier participants' experiences with the process, content, and culture/environment of SSD. Additionally, findings dealing with…

In contrast to the observed convergence in incomes between high- and low-income areas throughout much of the 20th century, recent decades have seen an increased clustering of economic activity that has led to diverging fortunes of different places. This phenomenon has revived interest in place-based policies that seek to revitalize lagging…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the community of practice model in providing professional development to improve K-12 teacher's knowledge, skills, self-efficacy with regard to the implementation of personal learning. The study also examined the extent to which the community created value for individuals and the…

This study has been conducted to explore and understand whether the social nature of the mentoring experience impacts the novice teachers' and mentors' decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Large school districts often deal with teacher attrition since novice teachers are not secure in their position or confident in the role of educator.…

The driving force of California's growing innovation economy is talent. However, there is also a growing mismatch between the type of talent in demand and the type of talent in supply. This paper describes why one of California's best options for closing this talent gap is to expand and modernize the State's apprenticeship system. [Additional…

"Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools" brings together the collective wisdom of more than thirty experts from a variety of fields to show how school leaders can create communities that support the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students. It offers an essential guide for making sense of the myriad evidence-based…

Arab American college students, like their peers, grapple with anxiety and depression. However, unlike some of their peers, they have their own set of unique personal, socio-political, and cultural challenges that can impede their ability to persist socially, academically, and personally. It is important for college counselors to keep pace with…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the relationship between the background of superintendents and their hiring of principals. This study explored whether six superintendents in Nassau County, NY hire principals based on what the research says makes a successful principal or based on their personal background and professional…

This study utilized Clark and Estes' gap analysis framework to investigate barriers to building an academically and/or professionally trained Qatari student affairs workforce at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Data collection combined a survey of 32 respondents with nine in-depth interviews drawn from the same sample. The respondents' experience in…

There are sweeping changes facing higher education institutions today that have resulted in diminished power, privilege, and prestige that the professorate have had in the past. Higher education institutions are faced with many challenges that often demand radical changes in the reconceptualization of the professorship and adversely preservation…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of all-female camp experiences on women's lives. Using a retrospective approach, this study collected qualitative data from 131 women to examine the benefits of all-female camp experiences, to analyze the skills they gained at camp, and to understand how they apply these skills to their…

In the push to boost young people's social and emotional learning (SEL), assessment has lagged behind policy and practice. We have few usable, feasible, and scalable tools to assess children's SEL. And without good assessments, teachers, administrators, parents, and policymakers can't get the data they need to make informed decisions about SEL.…

This article describes the Mason Elementary PDS Network (PDS Network), a multi-district network of clinical field sites, embracing collaboration with key stakeholders as a means to broaden its impact on the education profession and the larger community. The Mason Elementary PDS Network includes 30 elementary school sites with a shared commitment…

This paper explores the notion of impact in the context of academic development programs and considers how it can be described and understood. We argue that impact has a range of meanings and academic development programs such as graduate certificates have a broad group of stakeholders and hence the impact is different for each group depending on…