New graduate nurses often lack the clinical decision-making skills that are essential for developing clinical competency. Critical thinking abilities are essential for nursing excellence and professional competency. However, little is known about nurse educators' techniques and teaching practices for developing students' critical thinking. The…

Data literacy has become an essential skill set for teachers as education becomes more of an evidence-based profession. Teachers in all stages of professional growth need to learn how to use data effectively and responsibly to inform their teaching practices. This groundbreaking resource describes data literacy for teaching, emphasizing the…

The "Educational Media and Technology Yearbook" has become a standard reference in many libraries and professional collections. It provides a valuable historical record of current ideas and developments in the field. Part One of this updated volume, "Trends and Issues in Learning, Design, and Technology," presents an array of…

Because data access may be perceived by principals as overwhelming or irrelevant rather than helpful (Wayman, Spikes, & Volonnino, 2013), data access does not guarantee effective data use. The data-based decision making literature has largely focused on teacher use of data, considering less often data-based organizational improvements for the…

The primary purpose of this article is to provide juvenile corrections (JC) education leaders with considerations related to arranging for and implementing professional development (PD) opportunities for JC teachers. Additionally, this information can be used by JC teachers who want to be better informed about PD expectations and requirements. The…

Executive coaching has become increasingly commonplace in both the corporate and non-profit sectors as a means of improving professional effectiveness but there is a dearth of empirically-based protocols geared specifically toward the growth needs of school principals. This qualitative case study explores the implementation of a principal coaching…

States wrestling with the challenge of increasing community college student completion rates recognize that a critical next step is building support among faculty for reform efforts. Faculty can play a crucial role in bridging the historic divide between policy and practice. Empowering faculty to take a substantive role in informing policy…

Despite the growing volume of research on data use systems or data use activities in which teachers engage, micro-process studies--investigations of what teachers and others actually do under the broad banner of "data use" or "evidence-based decision making"--remain substantially underdeveloped. Starting with a review of the…

Learning and effective teaching are both complicated acts. However, many administrators, teachers, parents, and policymakers appear not to recognize those complexities and their significance for practice. Fueling this perception, recommendations from "isolated" research findings often neglect the complexities in learning and teaching, and when…

Used the experiences of three preservice teachers and the experiences of the researchers to characterize the gap between theory and prescriptions for teaching and every day practice. Illustrates how P. Bourdieu's notion of "habitus," a set of dispositions, accounts for appropriate actions in situations where there is no time for…

Brief descriptions are given of three studies that explored the role of theory in instruction, decision-making, professional development and teacher/student transactions. The first, by Karen Ray, was an observation study of three reading/language arts teachers who were seen to act consistently according to their personal theory of reading and…

The need for accountability in school psychological services is receiving increased attention. School psychologists are now being asked to demonstrate the effectiveness of their services. Data collection procedures can improve services to clients and systems, enhance the delivery system's psychological services program, validate the need for…

Teachers who want to act professionally need to participate in the decision making process. Sound knowledge of current theories is essential as is sound knowledge of students' needs as related to the goals of education. Of particular importance is the willingness to try out alternative approaches and to evaluate the effects of different strategies…

Applies the principles of development and integration to the maturation of Montessori schools. Suggests that evaluative inquiry be used as the basis for community inquiry and problem solving by Montessori staff so that reflection, questioning, and decision making result in the highest level of Montessori implementation. (KB)

A conceptual framework of the modes of problem-solving action has been developed on the basis of a simple relationship cone to assist individuals in diversified professions in inquiry and implementation of theory and practice in their professional development. The conceptual framework is referred to as the Cone-Deciphered Modes of Problem Solving…