In the project described in this article, urban students from across grade levels, schools, and abilities were brought together by four science teachers to better understand an ecosystem of their local environment, the Boston Harbor. This project comprises two main field experiences to the Boston Harbor: the first one to a nearby beach, and the…

Success in preparing business students for professional careers requires these students to develop a set of well-defined personal skills. The present study examined 145 business students to assess the effectiveness of a personal skills development (PSD) program by measuring the impact of the training on the students' attitudes in skill development…

This study examines prospective teachers' beliefs in their own abilities and effectiveness to impart mathematical literacy to their students, their beliefs about mathematical problem solving, and the relationship between these two belief systems. A total of 567 prospective teachers, majoring in mathematics, science and elementary teacher education…

This paper discusses how ePortfolios, initially introduced to students in a Music Education degree program on a trial basis, are subsequently being integrated into subjects of this degree program. Discussion includes staff perspectives, and covers the varying ways ePortfolio components are utilised in a range of subject areas, issues staff…

Most children talk to their parents about what they learned at school. Parents hear about books read, pictures drawn, stories written and games played. But how often do parents hear of children using ICT to make multimedia stories with a mathematical focus? In this paper the term "multimodality" will be used to describe such activities.…

Learning vocabulary and understanding texts present difficulty for language learners due to, among other things, the high degree of lexical ambiguity. By developing an intelligent tutoring system, this dissertation examines whether automatically providing enriched sense-specific information is effective for vocabulary learning and reading…

The instability of the U.S. economy and its competitiveness in the global market has lead to increase request for investment in Higher Education programs. There exists a rising awareness among scholars of how inextricably education is tied to the strength of the economy, the well being of its populace, as well as the importance of a diversified…

The discussion on how to improve students' academic performance has a long and rich history in the U.S. Although it has been a national priority, the debate has centered on the best method to accomplish this goal. Bernhardt (2003) and Shen and Cooley (2008) recognized the importance of teachers, principals, and data, deployed together, as critical…

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of principals in the implementation of Skillful Observation and Coaching Laboratory (SOCL), an instructional program designed to help principals improve teaching and learning in the classroom. Specifically, this study sought to describe the extent to which components of SOCL were implemented with…

Approximately 225,000 children from birth to age three are affected by developmental delays, and additionally, 49,000 are affected by a physical disability (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). Fortunately there are policies and programs that help young children with disabilities achieve positive outcomes in school and live independent lives in the future.…

This study determined the relationship of state funding to student performance on state mandated assessments in South Dakota between the years of 2003-2009. A cohort group of 40 school districts between 200 ADM and 600 ADM who had not reorganized were selected. Data was collected using the Dakota STEP assessment portal on the South Dakota…

Research studies have yielded inconclusive results about the relationship between teacher training programs and student achievement. With the implementation of end of course exams as a graduation requirement in the state of Florida; continual need to fill teaching positions, rising student enrollment, and legislated class size limits; the level of…

College 101 courses--also called student success, introduction to college, orientation to college, or freshman experience courses--provide students with information about college and campus services, assistance with academic and career planning, and techniques to improve study habits and personal skills. This study investigated College 101 courses…

The graduate of the Baker apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) prepare and bake all types of high quality yeast raised products in commercial quantities; (2) produce and decorate various types of cakes, cookies and pastries commonly available in commercial bakeries; (3) use efficiently and safely all hand…

For years, colleges have used placement exams to determine whether to deem incoming students "college ready" or assign them to developmental education. But emerging information reveals the tests have little correlation to students' future success, casting doubt on their use even as the high stakes for students of taking remedial courses…