The authors present an example of a social constructivist framework and a backward design approach to enhance an underutilized peer mentoring program for teaching assistants. Following a needs assessment for quality improvement, the authors designed a mentoring workshop and revised guidelines: Mentoring pairs now use a four-step process to frame…

The study is focused on the analysis of business English bachelor's study programs provided by Czech universities, and the self-perceived strengths and weaknesses of the program graduates in practice and their employer's requirements and evaluations. A qualitative-quantitative analysis of the data was done using three research methods: content…

Chambers of Commerce present educational opportunities for businesses as well as forums to discuss and advocate for change in the business environment. Chambers exist on the local, state, national, and international level. This article focuses on business law students working with local city and county-based chambers, with a membership of mostly…

A grassroots committee of faculty and administrators from eight academic and student service units at the George Washington University used a five-phase process to identify the ePortfolio needs of its diverse community; select appropriate technologies to support the breadth of functions required; perform usability studies; pilot test the platform;…

Today many special education classrooms implement procedures based upon the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) to establish educationally relevant skills and decrease aberrant behaviors. However, it is difficult for school staff and consultants to evaluate the implementation of various components of ABA and general classroom set up. In…

On March 9, 2016, Digital Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in education, and the Maker Education Initiative (Maker Ed), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering educators to facilitate meaningful learning experiences with youth, launched the Maker Promise. Announced by the White House as part of…

Many students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have specialized interests and passions that are highly reinforcing. Such special interest areas (SIAs) are more than mere hobbies or simple curiosities. Rather, the SIAs of an individual with autism may be characterized by (a) significant depth and breadth of knowledge about the area, (b)…

Helping more students achieve their dreams involves identifying a wider set of student needs--including financial challenges and family responsibilities--and offering redesigned support services to meet them holistically. This holistic student supports approach emphasizes the need for colleges to redefine the way they understand, design, integrate…

The Ministry of education in Colombia set a policy for higher education in which graduates should achieve an intermediate proficiency level (B1) in another language; and by 2025 it expects that they leave college with an upper intermediate level (B2). This report deals with a private college that attempts to participate in the policy, yet the…

In the spring of 2015, the Centre for Academic Communication (CAC) at the University of Victoria began a series of projects aimed at understanding the needs of undergraduate and graduate students with English as additional language (EAL), with the goal of increasing the effectiveness of the Centre's programming. The first project, detailed in this…

The Guide to Blended Learning is an introduction using technology and distance education teaching strategies with traditional, face-to-face classroom activities. This Guide has been designed to assist teachers adopt blended learning strategies through a step-by-step approach taking constructivist and design-based approach and reflecting on…

Students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) represent a heterogonous group with complex communication needs. AAC--including aided communication means (e.g., pictures, devices) and unaided (e.g., signs, gestures)--is often used to support students who have difficulties with speech production, language comprehension, and…

The present study investigates English language teaching (ELT) curriculum planning in Iran's Ministry of Education and its implementation by teachers. We studied programme evaluation; needs analysis; the ELT-specific documents; communication channels between planning and practice levels; teacher evaluation and student assessment; interpretation…

A professional learning plan is the navigation system for the comprehensive professional learning system. Professional learning plans establish short- and long-term guidance for professional learning and its implementation. This workbook offers information and tools to walk educators through seven planning steps--from data analysis, to setting…

Education has changed as a result of technological advances. Distance learning, particularly online learning, has rapidly increased its presence in higher education. Millennials, a new generation of students who have grown up with the Internet, are college-age. They expect access to the Internet to manage their daily lives. However, as they enter…