Youth participation in meaningful and purposive civic organizations and activities not only impacts the participants' development, but also influences their involvement in their communities both today and in the future. The combination of the two studies included in this dissertation examine just that. Both studies were conducted utilizing…

The leadership of school principals is widely considered to have a strong influence on the quality of teaching and learning in schools. University-based leadership preparation programs have the responsibility for preparing candidates to serve as school principals and in other leadership capacities. This qualitative study of educational leadership…

There has been an increasing movement to include children with disabilities in general education classrooms. However, the goal of inclusion is often not met by teachers. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine general education teachers' experiences in teaching of, and caring for children with disabilities, if they…

This report examines common strategies used by six Montana schools that had high student passing rates in online credit recovery courses offered by the Montana Digital Academy (MTDA) in the 2013/14 school year. The study is based on analysis of interviews conducted with school-based facilitators who oversee the implementation of the online MTDA…

Research shows that use of high fidelity simulation (HFS) as a teaching strategy requires extensive amounts of faculty time and financial resources for faculty development and equipment. This project study addressed the challenges encountered in the integration of HFS into a Midwestern metropolitan baccalaureate nursing program. The purpose of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how Southern California community colleges have implemented best practices based on the 8 Keys to Veterans' Success as identified by the U.S. Departments of Education, Defense, and Veterans Affairs to effectively support and retain military and veteran students in higher education programs. The…

This article reports findings from qualitative case studies of three youth-led community arts hubs, a program that is rooted in, and utilizes a self-determined learning approach. Qualitative case studies of three program sites sought to generate meaningful data that could lead to rapid ongoing program development and inform the development and…

Clinical Question: Would an adolescent who stutters (P) exhibit long-term improvement in stuttering management from fluency shaping approaches (I) or speech modification techniques (C), as shown by increases in controlled and spontaneous fluency, reduced severity of moments of stuttering, and decreased negative impact of stuttering (O)? Method:…

Literacy and literacy skill development remain critical concerns in the U.S. "Two of every three students in the U.S. do not have the necessary reading proficiencies to successfully complete grade-level work" (Allington, 2011). Camp Read-a-Rama, a summer day camp in South Carolina for 4- to 11-year-olds, creates innovative programming…

Foundations across the country engage in grantmaking to eliminate the opportunity and achievement gaps in K-12 public schools. Many of the strategies and investments that funders have supported in recent years focus not only on "more time" but also on "better use of time" in schools. This better use of time centers on outcomes…

How can high-quality arts programs attract and retain low-income urban tweens? Drawing on hundreds of interviews with young people, their families, leaders of exemplary programs and others nationwide, this report offers some answers, including 10 principles for developing effective programming. An infographic illustrating key findings, a report…

This qualitative study explores the leadership behaviors of system leaders and best practices of high school counselors in highly effective school districts that prepare all students for college and career readiness. A total of twelve participants were interviewed for this study including superintendents of schools, high school principals, and…

The public higher education economic and competitive environments make it crucial that organizations react to the circumstances and make better use of available resources (Duderstadt, 2000; Floyd, 2008; Shulman, 2007; State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), 2009). Viewing higher education through the perspective of new institutionalism…

Professional development school partnerships can improve teaching and learning in our schools. To support these partnerships, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) developed standards for professional development schools. In this article, we address the questions, "What NCATE standards work from the point of…

The insertion of mobile technology in educational settings is becoming more prevalent, making it important to understand the effectiveness of such technology in enhancing students' learning and engagement. This article is based on research conducted to study the effects of the use of mobile technology--specifically iPads--by students in a graduate…