At most universities a student typically goes to a bookstore to purchase the textbook recommended by the professor for a course. The student may choose to purchase a new or used textbook, or, as occurs more frequently now, an e-textbook. Nearly 40% of college students choose not to purchase textbooks at all, however, due to the costs. Generally,…

Many high school teachers and administrators think that reading instruction belongs in the lower grades. But according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 31% of eighth graders read at or above the proficient level, which means that many are entering high school unprepared for its advanced textbook reading and language…

Rupture resistance is a measure of the strength of a soil to withstand an applied stress or resist deformation. In soil survey, during routine soil descriptions, rupture resistance is described for each horizon or layer in the soil profile. The lower portion of the rupture resistance classes are assigned based on rupture between thumb and…

The treatment outcome of a high-intensity inpatient sex offender treatment program was evaluated by comparing the sexual recidivism rates of 472 treated and 282 untreated sex offenders. The program is designed for moderate- to high-risk sex offenders and follows the principles of effective correctional treatment. The current investigation is an…

Oregon State University (OSU) libraries, where the author serves as lead programmer, have developed a tool to make it easier for librarians to build and maintain interactive course assignment pages (ICAPs) and subject research guides (SRGs). That tool, Library a la Carte, enables librarians with minimal technical expertise to create dynamic…

There is significant interest around the world in all issues involving the recruitment and retention of students in mathematics and sciences at all levels. Because of this there is great need for programmes that focus on providing well-prepared and effective teachers of mathematics and science at all levels. In this article, we present sample…

This paper outlines the role that Forest School can play in children's development. With over 100 Forest Schools in England, 20 in Scotland and 20 in Wales, this concept is growing across Britain. Forest School involves children having regular contact with woodland over an extended period of time; it allows them to become familiar, and have…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the approach taken within Kentz Engineers and Constructors to develop electrical technicians and other apprentices on an international basis. Design/methodology/approach: The approach adopted is that of a case study which describes activities and processes within the college and the rationale behind…

This article describes Hanover College's Early Alert Team, an early-alert program that seeks to identify students' academic, social, or personal troubles as soon as they surface. The team's five members gather information about students from all corners of the campus and then devise strategies to help them. The early-alert system has not only…

Participation and achievement in science by students of color and girls remains inequitable despite decades of initiatives aimed at leveling the playing field. Science in out-of-school-time is a strategy that emphasizes the role of informal education, however, robust descriptions of learning environments which effectively recruit and retain…

In an effort to identify and incorporate exemplary practices into existing and future afterschool programs, the U.S. Department of Education commissioned a large-scale evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program. The purpose of this evaluation project was to develop resources and professional development that addresses…

An increasing number of jobs in today's workforce require postsecondary education, yet large numbers of workers lack the essential skills and credentials to fill these jobs. The result is that many workers remain underemployed, reaching a ceiling early in their working careers. In 2007, the Joyce Foundation launched the Shifting Gears initiative…

This is a qualitative study of lesson study implementation and its impact on instructional practice in mathematics in a district in California. Four research questions guided this study: (1) What were the goals of the district and teachers as they relate to the implementation of lesson study in this case? (2) What were the relationships between…

Research shows that the role of the K-12 principal is a significant factor in school improvement. Principal preparation programs have been criticized for inadequately preparing their graduates for the challenges they must face in K-12 schools. Since higher education faculty members directly impact the success of their programs (Bartlett, 2003),…

Over the last five years schools and districts have been under enormous pressure to improve student achievement scores on state accountability assessments. Educators agree that professional development plays a key role in providing the knowledge and skills needed to increase teacher effectiveness in the classroom. There is no reliable measure for…