The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns of dialogue that were established and emerged in one experienced fifth-grade science teacher's classroom that used the argument-based inquiry (ABI) and the ways in which these patterns of dialogue and consensus-making were used toward the establishment of a grasp of science practice. Most…

The purpose of this paper is to capture the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of university professors about quantum chemistry. More specifically, we aimed to identify and analyze relationships between specific PCK components, using an adapted version of the model of PCK of Magnusson "et al.". A sample of university professors (n = 6)…

One of the challenges confronting teachers today is effectively using data to drive instructional decisions-making in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine whether professional development and the use of coaches in the area of data-driven instruction impacts classroom instructional practices and how student achievement could…

Providing opportunities for students to grapple with collecting and organizing data, struggle with how to represent and communicate ideas emerging from the data, and consider the alignment of these ideas with the science content being learned is reflective of authentic inquiry and supports the development of scientific understanding. The…

A school leader's most visible role is the manager of the day-to-day operations of a school. A less visible but far more important role is that of an instructional leader who works with teachers and other staff members to ensure that every student has a high-quality, rigorous academic experience. Ensuring that schools and classrooms are rigorous…

Peer review of teaching (PRT) depicts as many different definitions, processes, rationale and underpinning values as there are participating individuals. This paper reports the activities of one academic department who were forced to address the issues of perceived clarity, value and ownership when faced with an unexpectedly low completion rate in…

In addition to their intended purpose, graded reader texts can be made into a corpus appropriate for use with lower-level learners. Here I consider using such a corpus for data-driven learning (DDL), to make this approach more accessible to intermediate level students. However, how far does grading the corpus in this way compromise the…

In this study, the researcher intended to provide insights into the lives of African-American male students who are striving to become better students. The researcher also attempted to answer the following question: How can African-American males learn to be more successful not only in school but in their lives in general? The mixed-methods…

Since the early 1980's, the number of picture books that present Queer characters and themes has grown. Correspondingly, the number of challenges to these books has also increased. "And Tango Makes Three," the true story of two male penguins who hatch and raise a chick in New York City's Central Park Zoo, is one such picture book that has received…

Formative assessment, as a strategy used to improve student learning, encounters several obstacles in its implementation. This study explores changes in teachers' views and practices as they are introduced to formative assessment in a high stakes testing and limited resource environment. The study examines the extent to which teachers use the…

This dissertation examined the impact of inclusion on the academic achievement outcome of high school special education students as measured by English 1, biology, and algebra 1 as a function of gender, ethnicity, and years of inclusion. The study also examined the generalizations with confidence that could be made about the use of inclusion…

Women are assuming positions with significant formal authority, yet women still remain underrepresented in many areas of the public sector (Kellerman & Rhode, 2007). Additionally, women in formal positions of authority have increased opportunities to exercise leadership and address challenges while mobilizing people toward change. Formal positions…

This is the first of two papers that draw on a study of the national BHP Billiton Science Awards, a peak competition funded by BHP Billiton and administered by CSIRO. BHP Billiton, CSIRO and ASTA together oversee the strategic direction of the Awards. This paper reports an analysis focussed on the outcomes for students of participation in open…

Teachers can use census data to teach important mathematics content while addressing issues of social justice. The author describes activities that teach students to read and write large numbers, interpret census data and statistics, and apply algebraic concepts to describe U.S. population growth. Additional learning outcomes include applying…

The annual "Horizon Report" describes the continuing work of the New Media Consortium's Horizon Project, a qualitative research project established in 2002 that identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative inquiry on college and university campuses within the next five years. The…