Adapting to the expectations of educational institutions can be difficult for any students, but it is particularly difficult for disadvantaged, first-generation college students with a minority ethnic background. Our case study, employing a social network perspective, examines the role of small peer-communities in the academic adjustment of…

Social network analysis (SNA) is increasingly viewed as a contributing methodology to program evaluation to examine the complexities of social programs and interrelationships within the program networks. Despite the growing literature on the topic, more knowledge is needed to understand how, when, and under what conditions social network analysis…

Effectively building, coordinating, and enhancing large, decentralized networks of professionals remains a vexing challenge, despite the rise of digital tools and social media platforms. This study examines the evolution of a nascent research- and policy-focused network, spanning more than 60 university groups and policy institutes in the United…

Professional development for the further education sector (FE) in England, whether commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), or the Department for Education (DfE), is typically formal learning. There are usually measurable outcomes, and practitioners are asked to identify changes to their practice. The focus on outcomes means…

To keep up with technological advances and macro-economic trends, higher education has increasingly focused on developing students' employability competences through mentoring programs. However, measuring the effectiveness of such mentoring programs has remained difficult, because many mentoring measurements are not validated or grounded in…

This article addresses the question of how theatre interventions as elements of a participatory and action-oriented research design can contribute to justice-oriented Caring Community processes. Caring Communities are local initiatives that strengthen everyday solidarity through civic engagement and neighbourhood support, link informal and formal…

Diffusion can contribute to the spread of preventive intervention effects from participants to non-participants, but best practices for randomized trials prevent contamination of conditions. These practices conflict with cultural values of community benefit, which are salient among American Indians. This study embedded social network measures…

In the Spring of 2019, the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University launched the National Center for Rural Education Research Networks (NCRERN) with funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. This overview describes NCRERN's mission of expanding the use of evidence-based decision-making in…

In an effort to improve high school graduation and college enrollment rates among students who are Black, Latino, or experiencing poverty, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation established the Networks for School Improvement (NSI) initiative and awarded five-year grants to intermediary organizations to develop networks of school teams that work…

We present this brief reflection on key aspects of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the implications of the worldwide focus on achieving the sustainable development goals as external observers of the evaluation endeavor around the world. We have conducted and participated in evaluations, but it is not our primary field of work and…

People with intellectual disability use social media; however, there are barriers preventing them from using and benefiting from social media to the same extent as others. Some barriers include lack of knowledge, limited skills and inaccessibility. This pilot study used a sequential mixed method design to explore the outcomes of a social media…

This study shares findings from a review of eight science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher leader programs across the United States. With limited empirical research in STEM teacher leadership, the goal of the study is to build the research knowledge about STEM teacher leader conceptualization and structure. Results from…

The Women Owning Woodlands Network was launched in 2005 as a way to provide collaborative and hands-on peer learning education to women who felt uncomfortable participating in traditional Extension programs. Since its inception the program has grown to provide education and resources for over 300 women. We surveyed these women to identify if the…

Social media is becoming a more widely used tool to engage students in learning. LinkedIn (linkedin.com) is a professional social networking platform that most college students are encouraged to use, but it is not widely used as an educational tool. In this article, the author describes how LinkedIn was deployed in a principles course to teach…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the California Agricultural Teacher Induction Program (CATIP) and examine its effectiveness in California School-Based Agricultural Education. Prior literature about networking and mentorship was reviewed to aid in formulation of the survey questions asked in this quantitative study. Participants for…