Physical therapy students are frequently ill-prepared to practice in the dynamic healthcare environment immediately after graduation. Implementing other teaching modalities may help to better prepare physical therapy graduates. Medical student and nursing education have effectively used simulation to help prepare students effectively for clinical…

Policymakers have long been infatuated with education reform (Berliner & Biddle, 1995; Stein, 2004), including at the state level (Lusi, 1997). Consistent with this longer tradition, the Nebraska State Legislature (a.k.a. the "Unicameral') passed Legislative Bill 438 (LB 438) in 2014, providing a statutory outline for a new education…

Having a child with special needs can be overwhelming, emotionally draining and extremely stressful for parents and their family members. Research identifies the support systems families need in order to have quality-of-life. The current study uses mixed methods to evaluate the degree to which parents and other primary caregivers in Arizona view…

"Taking the Lead" outlines 10 practical and powerful roles for school-based coaches responsible for helping teachers increase their capacity to serve all students. The second edition is a rich update to Killion and Harrison's essential resource and includes dozens of online tools that support deep exploration and implementation of the…

General creativity and, more specifically, creative thinking in music are valuable qualities that should be fostered in music education for personal, professional, and societal reasons. In order for band directors to successfully integrate musical creativity into their classroom curriculum and serve as resources for other content area teachers…

Education preparation institutions have long sought the most effective preparation practices for preparing tomorrow's educators. Unfortunately, understanding best practices in teacher preparation is fraught with ambiguity. Key facets of instruction on theory and clinical experience are understood to be necessary elements of preparation, and…

Universities and colleges have experienced a reduction in state appropriations since the 2008 Great Recession. The purpose of this phenomenological dissertation in practice study was to examine whether distance education would be a viable strategy to compensate for declining state appropriations at four-year public higher education institutions in…

Service-learning is a form of experiential learning whereby students learn and develop through active participation in a carefully organized service that addresses the needs of the community. It is rooted in the reflective experiential traditions of Dewey, Kolb, and Freire. It provides students with opportunities for development in a variety of…

The 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech is one part of a decades-long increase in the frequency of gun violence on U.S. college and university campuses (Drysdale, Modzeleski, & Simons, 2010; Ferraro, 2015). The events at Virginia Tech also served as a catalyst for the spread of so-called "campus-carry" laws, or acts of state policy…

What can the Investing in Innovation (i3) grantees tell us about scaling innovative educational practices? The newly released white paper "Scaling Up Evidence-Based Practices: Strategies from Investing in Innovation (i3)" captures the experiences of nine grantees whose projects collectively have reached over 1.2 million students across…

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of middle school teachers that shaped their beliefs as they relate to grading practices. The study offers insight for school leaders when addressing grading practices with teachers and may inform decisions regarding professional development for teachers. Conceptual…

Years of irresponsible budgeting practices have left the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) almost $12 billion in debt. Without significant reforms, Louisiana's pension problems are likely to get worse, with further negative consequences for workers and schools. This report shows that schools participating in the TRSL already must…

Of the 17 African American students that started in one-level below developmental English, only 1 (6%) ended up completing a 200-level English course in a three-year time period. A quick analysis of similar three-year cohorts at this college shows similar numbers, indicating that this is not an anomaly. African American students are not succeeding…

This study seeks to examine the relationship between changes in state policies toward developmental education and the number of degrees awarded at community college students in the states of Connecticut, Florida, and Tennessee. It considers the history of developmental education and, beginning in 2003, explores the changes that occur as a result…

There is a growing trend of using paraprofessionals to augment the education of students with disabilities. Paraprofessionals are often the least educated and trained member in a classroom, yet can be asked to provide assistance to students with complex needs. Students with disabilities require the use of practices that are grounded in scientific…