The number of studies that focus on the impact of Second Life (SL) as a virtual language learning tool on speaking achievements of EFL learners is quite limited. Thus, this paper aims to provide insight for SL's effect on Turkish EFL learners' speaking achievement levels. Forty-four EFL learners from Balikesir University participated in this…

After the Bologna Process, European Higher Education was reformulated as a response to a change of roles in higher education in a globalised society. The implementation of a new system of credits, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), implied an enormous increase of autonomous learning hours. The high percentage of student workload reflected…

"University of Chicago School Mathematics Project" ("UCSMP") is a core mathematics curriculum that emphasizes problem solving, real-world applications, and the use of technology. The curriculum is based on a student-centered approach with a focus on active learning that incorporates reading and uses a flexible lesson…

The portfolio strategy is a change strategy for public education in a district or metropolitan area. It is founded on the idea of re-missioning government agencies from rigid bureaucratic entities that mostly manage compliance requirements and interest group politics to a new role: overseeing performance and a diverse range of school choices…

Mathematics coaching, which can be defined broadly as job-embedded learning for mathematics teachers with someone who can help, is being used in Canada to improve teaching practice and increase student achievement. Mathematics coaching research is quite new with little written on the components of effective coaching. The paper attempts to…

The purpose of the phenomenological study was to examine and understand public high schools, grades 9-12, which have implemented the full integration of global competency skills as an integral part of their core mission. This study also explored, how school leaders ensured that global competency skills are developed, implemented and integrated…

This report was prepared by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE) pursuant to 23-1-113.3 C.R.S. The information in this report is presented to inform the ongoing dialogue regarding preparation for college and the effects of remedial education or developmental education in Colorado. This report documents data gathered by the Colorado…

Many preschool language-focused interventions attempt to boost language and literacy skills in young children at risk in these areas of development, though the long-term effects of such interventions are not well-established. This study investigated kindergarten language and reading skills, specifically the subcomponents of vocabulary, decoding,…

The purpose of this study was to explore the association of NCLB/accountability with educational output and input for New York State, collectively. Focusing on ELA and Math achievement in 4th and 8th grades, this study demonstrated the association of accountability outcomes in three ways: "accountability design, school proficiency level, and…

Children from low-income and ethnic minority backgrounds have demonstrated substantially lower levels of math achievement than their middle class majority peers for decades. The present study addressed two research questions: (1) when used as a supplement to typical classroom instruction and in isolation from the larger curriculum, does Building…

To successfully participate in today's global economy, young people must graduate high school with the skills and competencies that allow them to pursue further study and meaningful work. Yet the data around successful transition from high school to higher education, and then to the completion of a degree, show some alarming trends. In 2007, 70.5%…

Some of the most dramatic gains in urban education have come from school districts using what many call a "portfolio strategy." Others call it "reinvention," a "21st century approach," or "relinquishment." By whatever name, it generally means that districts negotiate performance agreements with some mix of…

The notably low level of reading proficiency across the United States, combined with the known importance of teachers for student success, necessitates improved understanding of teachers' knowledge, how it is acquired, and its role in instruction. This study had four goals: (1) identify whether domains of content knowledge and pedagogical content…

This study was designed to initiate the process of building professional development learning communities for pre-service math teachers through revealing those teachers' conceptions/beliefs of students' learning and their own learning in China. It examines Chinese pre-service math teachers' conceptions of student learning and their related…

A deficit ideology of English language learner (ELL) students has permeated schooling practices and has led to devaluing students' native language and knowledge alike. This paper illustrates results of a qualitative case study exploring the untapped linguistic resources of ELLs. In this study, student and staff perceptions about the impact of a…