Geographic inquiry increases higher-order thinking skills which can be supported through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The purpose of this research project examines the effect of using a Collaborative Inquiry Model (CIM) model during professional development on the rate of effective GIS implementation in K-12 classrooms. The…

The primary purpose of this study was to conduct an investigation to determine the relationship among leadership effectiveness, types of organizational culture and school focus (academically or behaviorally) as perceived by staff in Tennessee alternative schools. In this quantitative study, the Tennessee Alternative School Questionnaire was used…

The purpose of this case study was to examine whether written curriculum for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified and non-certified training programs better prepares students for entry-level positions. The theoretical framework based on research by Frase described methodologies for comparing curricula at the system, school, and classroom…

Homework has been an integral part of the educational system for over 100 years. What likely began as simple memorization tasks has evolved into complex projects and sparked an increasingly heated debate over the purpose and value of homework assignments. This "Focus On" examines the purpose of homework, how to create homework that has value,…

A quality higher education system is considered one of the main factors of national well being. In Mongolia, higher education reforms and changes can be enhanced, promoted and implemented by variety of needs-based faculty development programs that are targeted to specific sub-groups in addition to current practices. The purpose of this study was…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of former principals on the effect of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards in raising the performance of African American males on standardized tests, specifically the State High School Graduation Test (SHSGT) in a southern school district. Since the…

In today's educational realm principals face high demands to increase student achievement and the mandates of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has intensified this challenging job with its requirements to adequate yearly progress (AYP). Such mandates have caused many elementary school principals to consider distributed leadership as a catalyst…

The purpose of this study was to examine the mathematics meanings that are held by higher- and lower-performing African-American male high school students. Meaning in this context was defined as a set of dispositions that included, but were not limited to, values, beliefs, attitudes, feelings, and interests. Using worldview theory as the…

For several decades, researchers have searched for school-level properties that can overcome the negative consequences of student SES on school effectiveness. Two promising constructs that have been identified are collective teacher efficacy (CE) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). This study examined the relationship between these two…

Scholarly literature points to an important relationship between transformative learning and pastoral ministry, as well as the need for experiential learning in pastoral ministry formation. The necessary role of critical self-reflection in transformative learning underlines the need for theological field education experiences to foster students'…

Student-athletes are often disengaged in campus programming due to their academic and athletic commitments. Previous research explored various facets of student-athlete development, particularly academic development in relation to NCAA Division I student-athletes. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine…

Purpose: This research study sought to determine the leadership practices of area superintendents in selected South Florida public school district areas based on principals' perceptions and assess school climate impact using descriptive and inferential approaches. Methodology: The "Leadership Practices Inventory" ("LPI") 360…

As a conceptual framework, professional learning communities (PLCs) have been described as a means to increase teacher effectiveness and satisfaction. One urban middle school implemented PLCs during the 2007-2008 school year. However, there had not been an investigation into the effectiveness of the PLCs. Using organizational learning theory, this…

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the perceptions of participants regarding their effectiveness in responding to defiant student violence as a crisis response team, following crisis response team training. The participants were a group of 10 volunteer PK-6 public school educators from western Wisconsin. The study took place during the…

This content analysis examined illustrations (n =3,357) in the core lessons of four top-selling publishers' social studies textbooks, grades one through three. The graphical (n =556) and pictorial (n =2801) displays were coded for typology, explanation (labels or captions), referential text connection, location of referential connection, function…