The institutional environment of America's schools has changed substantially as government regulation has focused increasingly on the core technical work of schools--instruction. The authors explore the school administrative response to this changing environment, describing how government regulation becomes embodied in the formal structure of four…

In Spring 2013 San José State University (SJSU) launched SJSU Plus: three college courses required for most students to graduate, which used massive open online course provider Udacity's platform, attracting over 15,000 students. Retention and success (pass/fail) and online support were tested using an augmented online learning environment (AOLE)…

This article considers some issues in designing a course focusing on statistical concepts rather than memorizing formulae.

The paper aims to analyse several scientific approaches how to evaluate, implement or choose learning content and software suitable for personalised users/learners needs. Learning objects metadata customisation method as well as the Method of multiple criteria evaluation and optimisation of learning software represented by the experts' additive…

This article, the first of two, presents the introduction, context, and analysis of professor experiences in an on-going research project for implementing a new educational model in a bilingual teacher's college in Bogotá, Colombia. The model, the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOP) promotes eight components for a bilingual education…

This study was performed in order to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of nonnative English speaking students in college composition courses, including residents (citizens, refugees, and immigrants) and international students. The design of the study is largely qualitative, but it also includes quantitative data on success rates of…

The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines for a new high school chemistry and physics teacher training program. Eleven participants were interviewed who attended daylong workshops, every other Saturday, for 10 months. The instructors used Modeling Instruction pedagogy and curriculum. All the instructors had high school teaching…

The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) is seen as the standard entry-level teaching qualification in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. The qualification is widely accepted and well supported as an essential requirement for VET practitioners. However, it has been criticised in relation to its ability to provide…

Educational leadership programs face increased pressure to ensure graduates are prepared (Barnett, 2004; Bass, 1990; Yukl, 2002) to guide progress toward student achievement targets. The ISLLC [Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium] Policy Standards (2008) uphold the importance of inquiry in leading school improvement. However,…

Background: Asynchronous discussion boards provide opportunities for participants in online courses to engage with course content and extend learning through the process of discussion. However, simply requiring online discussion does not guarantee high-quality discussion posts and interactions. Goals: This study examined the extent to which…

This paper examines a language teacher education professional development programme in New Zealand that draws on the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum. At the heart of the Learning Languages area in the curriculum is communicative competence, with the understanding that communication involves "language knowledge" and "cultural…

This paper describes a case study of the impact of the introductory psychology course on students' understanding of their life experiences and course-related ideas. Student responses to a final essay assignment were analyzed to construct composites for areas of applied and transformed understanding. Results are important for psychology teachers…

Statistics is used in almost every facet of our daily lives: crime reports, election results, environmental/climate change, advances in business, financial planning, and progress in multifarious research. Although understanding statistics is essential for efficient functioning in the modern world (Cerrito 1996), students often do not grasp…

A research group at the University of Alberta is attempting to apply the Community of Inquiry framework to all components of courses, rather than only the online discussion component.

In this initial study, the authors examined the content of the planned and enacted eighth-grade mathematics curriculum for 18 general and special education teachers and the curricula's alignment to state standards via the Surveys of the Enacted Curriculum. The relation between alignment and student achievement was analyzed for three formative…