This dissertation describes the process of creating a guidebook that developmental education administrators can use to build their capacity as leaders, learners, and program planners. The guidebook is the product of a qualitative study designed to better understand how community college administrators who have program planning responsibilities for…

We describe how an objective form of measurement can be used to promote curriculum review, resulting in enhancements to curriculum and pedagogy. During a 4-year period, senior psychology majors took the ETS Major Field Test, and we systematically compared these results to SAT scores, grade point averages, and credits completed. Although diligent,…

Appropriate design and redesign of programs, responses to accreditation agencies, and internal academic legitimacy concerns are critical challenges in education in general and in leadership education in particular. "Guiding Questions: Guidelines for Leadership Education Programs (Guiding Questions)," a member initiated project sponsored…

This article presents results from a two-semester field test of the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI). Statistical analysis indicates that the LSCI has the sensitivity to measure statistically significant changes in students' understanding of light-related topics due to instruction in introductory astronomy courses and to distinguish…

As part of an NSF funded project we developed new course materials for a general introductory statistics course designed to engage students in statistical discovery. The materials were designed to actively involve students in the design and implementation of data collection and the analysis and interpretation of the resulting data. Our overall…

M.Y. Math Project is a developmental mathematics program that is aimed at: (1) fostering fundamental and problem-solving skills in developmental mathematics students by helping them to learn when and how to create and use algorithms; and (2) providing on-the-job training for developmental mathematics instructors through an instructional framework…

Teacher education has the potential to serve as an important forum for overcoming barriers to the engagement of parents in their children?s education. Nevertheless, parent involvement has yet to hold a central role in the teacher education curriculum (Chavkin & Williams, 1987; de Acosta, 1996; Epstein & Dauber, 1991; Hiatt-Michael, 2001) and in…

This article describes the development and field test of an instrument, the Views on Science and Education Questionnaire, designed to measure participants' concepts of the nature of science (NOS) and relevant teaching attitudes. The questionnaire includes 15 questions, each followed by several items representing different philosophical positions.…

Gill-breathing freshwater snails (Family "Pleuroceridae") are ecologically important, abundant in many streams in the United States, and easy to collect and maintain under classroom conditions. These snails can be used in classroom tests to demonstrate effects of pollutants on aquatic organisms. In more advanced classes, students can cage the…