This dissertation examines pre-service teachers' developing dispositions related to students with special needs and addresses their beliefs about students with disabilities through analysis of their experiences as members of the 2011-2012 cohort in the Teacher Education Program (TEP) at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education…

Nurses require ongoing opportunities to expand knowledge and skills; this expansion of knowledge and skills is one aspect of continued competence. One method that may be used to maintain and refine knowledge and skills is participation in continuing education activities. However, there has been little inquiry into creative strategies used in…

Patient centered medicine is a paradigm of health care that seeks to treat the whole person, rather than only the illness. The physician must understand the patient as a whole by considering the patient's individual needs, social structure, socioeconomic status, and educational background. Medical education includes ways to train students in this…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty with attention, impulsiveness, and safety issues; consequently, special measures must be taken to secure their safety. One such measure is canine intervention, which provides children with highly trained service dogs that can respond to their autism behaviors. Social support theory…

The dissertation study reported here describes various policies and strategies used by school districts that impact student performance on the Missouri Algebra 1 End-of- Course (EOC) assessment. Analysis of state testing data, teacher survey data, and interview data were used to describe policies and strategies used by 42 teachers and…

This instrumental case study explored the knowledge and skill set levels of adult learners over the age of 35 with an emphasis in emerging educational technologies. The case study focused on EdD students in four cohorts at the Drexel University Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento, CA. This research sought to answer the following research…

In an epoch of increasing globalization and rapid social change, the political leaders of both developed and developing countries are confronted with the challenges of maintaining and improving their systems of formal education. The leaders of Madagascar, a remote island country and developing nation, have faced the challenges of leading a French…

The current study examined the application of implementation adherence monitoring and group feedback procedures with teachers implementing the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI; Fountas & Pinnell, 2008a). Using a repeated measures design across time, changes in implementation adherence levels were examined as teachers participated in…

"Linking Resources to Results" explores the deliberate approach--including specific goals, a clearly articulated grantmaking strategy and benchmarks for measuring progress--the Chicago Public Education Fund used to help the Chicago Public Schools recognize, reward and deploy high-quality teachers. The case study is intended to help…

Over the last 37 years, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) has been the guiding document that outlines the needs of a student who receives special education services. Washington State utilizes an IEP Review form as the means to determine if an IEP has been properly written and formulated. This information partially fulfills the Federal…

This study provides a descriptive analysis of teacher evaluation documents used in the state of Washington in 2010-2011. The purpose of the research was to understand what documents were used, differences and similarities from district to district, and the extent to which they conformed to state administrative rules and what the literature argues…

Training student employees in Educational Outreach and Student Services (EOSS) at Arizona State University's West campus is important to maintaining a knowledgeable and productive workforce. This dissertation describes the results of an action research study in which social media tools were utilized as a delivery mechanism for training student…

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of children and adolescents each year. In 2009, 7.1 million children ages 0 to 17 years were reported to have asthma. Unfortunately, when children and teens are unable to manage and cope with their disease, it can compromise their physical, academic, and social development. Therefore,…

A dialogic approach to teaching and learning is not a new phenomenon. However, using technology as a mediated platform (email, Skype and blackboard) to allow pre-service teachers in two culturally and linguistically diverse countries to openly communicate and share ideas about teaching and learning is somewhat unique. The present study reports on…

How do you stay focused on increasing student learning when budget cuts threaten everything you are striving for? This book offers a comprehensive framework to enhance student achievement in good times and in bad. School reform expert Allan R. Odden outlines a school improvement action plan focused sharply on student learning and then shows how to…