The learning environment comprises the psychological, social, cultural and physical setting in which learning occurs and has an influence on student motivation and success. The purpose of the present study was to explore qualitatively, from the perspectives of both students and faculty, the key elements of the learning environment that supported…

Colleges are currently involved in an epic struggle to keep students enrolled. One reason for student attrition involves non-academic issues such as executive functioning. In the present study, we investigated how journaling helped influence paradigm shifts in students' thinking regarding a growth mindset towards their educational performance. We…

Testing has been a contested aspect of education for decades. The way in which testing, standardized tests, and student motivations correlate is a separate issue. This action research study investigates the relationship between pre-tests and students' perception of their personal growth. Three classes of 11th grade U.S. History were utilized to…

This study examines the COVID-19 shift to online instruction and its impact on a charter school system (CSS) 3rd-10th grade students' academic achievement through the lens of noncognitive factors. We recruited 693 students and utilized qualitative and quantitative analyses. We found that students' NWEA math and ELA scores continued to increase…

Interest in sustainable learning has been growing over the past 20 years but it has never been determined whether students--whose learning we are trying to sustain--can perceive either the sustainability of their learning or any of the features of this construct. A four-item survey was developed based on a published definition of "sustainable…

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce, describe, and document the methods involved in the preparation of a mindset intervention built into a freshmen development course, and established after years of longitudinal research, that is designed to have a positive impact on the outlook, achievement, and persistence of first generation…

This research targeted the learning preferences, goals and motivations, achievements, challenges, and possibilities for life change of self-directed online learners enrolled in a massive open online course (MOOC) related to online teaching hosted by Blackboard using CourseSites. Data collection included a 40-item survey, of which 159 MOOC…

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) collaborated to produce a summary of two roundtable discussions on the critical relevance of child and adolescent development research to teacher preparation practices. The participants in the roundtable…

The impact that high school and college experiences and activities have on students' musical independence (MI) was investigated. MI is related to the actual production and performance of music, as opposed to musical achievement or the mastery of any academic skill related to music. Colwell's Musical Achievement Test 3, Musical Achievement Test 4,…

This study explores the relationship between elements of the service learning pedagogy and the self-development of students. The study focuses specifically on undergraduates who participated in a career-based outreach program (CBOP) at the University of California, Los Angeles. Observers followed four student fellows enrolled in a Community…

This study assessed teachers' opinions about the promotion of immature children to first grade. A total of 224 teachers from private and public elementary schools in Mississippi completed a questionnaire that addressed such issues as the relation between maturity and readiness, repetition of kindergarten, academic and peer pressure, and the…

A study was done to develop and evaluate a program designed to improve the academic and personal achievement of Hispanic American high school students. The study posited that the causes of Hispanic American students' belief that they could not achieve were: (1) dysfunctional learned behaviors; and (2) acculturation difficulties. Using findings on…

An increasing percentage of college students are perceived by faculty as underprepared in the basic academic skills, study skills, commitment, and disposition toward learning needed to succeed in college. This report presents background information and findings of a campus-wide survey of Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) students to identify and…