A 2003 review of the literature shows a lack of formal institutional research focusing on the development of critical thinking as a situated experience--occurring in a specific context with a complex set of dynamics. Rather, much of the emphasis has been on learning outcomes as measured by various psychometric-approaches or an instructor's…

Systematic observation is a foundational skill teachers use in order to document children's reading development and plan developmentally appropriate instruction. However, a variety of challenges make it difficult for teacher educators to help preservice teachers develop systematic observation skills. The purpose of this study is to tell two…

For the thirty-fifth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the national AECT Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

While research on online MBA courses is growing rapidly, teaching specific skills using online delivery formats is a relatively new stream of research in graduate business education. In this study, adult learning methods such as experiential activities, discussion, teamwork, and action learning were used in a seven-week online MBA course to…

This collection of chapters presents research focused on emerging strategies, paradigms, and theories on the sources, experiences, and consequences of stress, coping, and prevention pertaining to students, teachers and administrators. Studies analyze data collected through action research, program evaluation, surveys, qualitative interviewing,…

This mixed method study used survey research, open-ended questions, and interviews to identify transformational leadership qualities among principals of publicly funded schools in the Province of Alberta, Canada. Five-hundred-nine teachers (37.7%) from a random sample of schools in the province completed the Multifactor leadership Questionnaire…

This paper explores library evaluation in Australia and proposes a return to research fundamentals in which evaluators are asked to consider the centrality of philosophical issues and the role of different research methods. A critique of current evaluation examples demonstrates a system-centred, quantitative, input/output focus which fails to…

Introduction: We explored Harris and Dewdney's principle that people follow habitual patterns when seeking everyday information along with Pettigrew's notion of information grounds. Method: A telephone survey of 612 urban-rural residents was conducted regarding their needs for health and human services in partnership with the United Way of…

Different disciplinary groups are increasingly questioning current conceptualisations of young adults' educational, social and personal lives after compulsory schooling. New perspectives are being advanced on the life trajectories of choice and complexity now experienced by school leavers. A consistent theme is the changed nature of young adults'…

Under the "Math Science Partnership Grant," the Maui Hawaii Educational Consortium sought scientifically based evidence for the effectiveness of Carnegie Learning's "Cognitive Tutor[R]" (CT) program as part of the adoption process for pre-Algebra program. During the 2006-2007 school year, the researchers conducted a follow-on…

Although drama has been used successfully in English as a second language and has been shown to have positive effects on achievement and on self-confidence and motivation in various studies, it has received little attention in French immersion context where subjects are taught in French, the second language of students. The objective of this study…

Children spend more time in school than in any social institution outside the home. And schools probably exert more influence on children's development and life chances than any environment beyond the home and neighbourhood. The purpose of this book is to document some important ways schools influence children's development and to describe various…

Literature suggests that developing a community of learners is the key to a successful online-learning experience. In this study, the instructor of a multimedia authoring course adopted a synchronous communication tool (Yahoo Messenger) to interact with learners orally on a weekly basis and, thereby, to establish a sense among the learners that…

Effective university-community collaborations can contribute directly to the welfare of children, youth, and families if the collaboration is mutually beneficial. As Tiamiye (2000, 29) states, "little is, however, known about participants' views of university-community partnerships." By examining the agencies' perspectives in the process…

Concept mapping was investigated as a learning strategy to motivate 82 high-ability, 10th-grade students to take a more meaningful approach to learning biology. The study employed a quasi-experimental, prepost mixed methodology design to assess the relationship between concept-mapping proficiency and changes in motivational and learning strategies…