Self-reported perceptions of the impact of acceleration through an early college entrance program at the University of Iowa National Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (NAASE), revealed the program's contribution to students' overall development. Responses from a sample of 76-gifted participants to a 64-item survey offered insights about…

College preparation programs are ubiquitous among secondary schools, ranging from bridge programs and summer camps to STEM competitions. High school students have many options in preparing for the academic pressures of higher education. However, an area often neglected in college preparation programs is the teaching of interpersonal customs and…

This paper reports a two-year longitudinal study of the effects of cooperative learning on science attainment, attitudes towards science, and social connectedness during transition from primary to high school. A previous project on cooperative learning in primary schools observed gains in science understanding and in social aspects of school life.…

This article reports data from a 2-year longitudinal study on cooperative learning in school science. The study reported the effects of cooperative learning in science on science attainment, effective development and social connectedness, and interactions during transition from elementary to high school in rural and urban school settings. The…

School systems often implement character education initiatives in reaction to a violent event. Following the school shootings that occurred in the 1990s, many school systems started to implement character education and violence prevention programs. Unfortunately, because the efforts were reactive, little thought was given to sustainability…

This report summarizes results of a 2007-2008 survey of AISD parents, students and staff about how well students are prepared for transitions to middle and high school.

Interviews with 76 former special school students (ages 16-25) found many were experiencing fractured transitions from school but were more positive about their schools than peers who attended mainstream provision. Students displayed a high level of purposefulness but lacked personal and social resources to support their progression. (Contains…

This practicum was designed to develop a transition program and social activities for sixth-graders to help ease the passage from elementary school and increase their sense of belonging in a sixth- through eighth-grade junior high school. The students were surveyed concerning their degree of self-esteem, connection to school, perception of…