Stakeholders in higher education are addressing the decreasing success rates in college mathematics courses. Success in mathematics courses has been one factor related to students successfully obtaining a college degree, and the primary predictor of success in mathematics is a student's belief in his or her ability to achieve a particular grade in…

The Professional Development Plan (PDP) is a specific professional development model situated within the teacher evaluation system being implemented in the Owen Public Schools (pseudonym). The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of school culture, school goals, and teacher collaboration on teachers' attitudes toward their…

Research has shown that teachers have the greatest impact on student learning more than any other factor (Haycock, 1998). Thus, highly qualified and effective teachers are the most important resource for schools and districts in order to educate all students. In a time of increased accountability and alternatively certified teachers, effective and…

The purpose of the study was to quantify the legal knowledge of Arkansas public school principals in seven areas: Arkansas law, constitutional issues, discipline, employee relations, federal law, special education/504, and tort liability and determine if significant relationships existed between legal knowledge recency of school law training,…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of public elementary school principals in Kern County who have participated in the SB 472 ELPD Institute and their preparedness as instructional leaders for teachers teaching English learner students. And to identify what resources, support, and/or professional development opportunities…

Although the field of distance education is growing, according to research, most online courses only use text-based instructional strategies instead of incorporating various instructional strategies to match differing learning styles. Furthermore, studies of learning styles in online professional development courses are limited. Using a…

There are several factors that have prompted the call for reform in mathematics education (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2007). National and international assessments have produced evidence that, on average, students in the United States lack mathematical knowledge and skills (U.S. Department of Education, 2008, n.d.). In…

Today's teachers need preparation, support, and professional development to help them change their curriculum and teaching practices. One area of potential for this preparation, support, and professional development is currently being evidenced in the field of online teaching and learning. In preparing teachers for teaching online, research…

Project CRISS[R] (CReating Independence through Student-owned Strategies) is a professional development program for teachers that aims to improve reading, writing, and learning for 3rd- through 12th-grade students. The implementation of Project CRISS[R] does not require a change in the curriculum or materials being used in the classroom, but…

Background: iCCAN (Innovative Communities Connecting and Networking) is a not-for-profit provincial network of videoconferencing sites creating unprecedented learning opportunities and greater access to training and professional development for all Albertans, regardless of where they live. Led by a partnership of Community Learning Network,…

The learning curve is high for novice special education teachers. They must assume full teaching responsibilities, while at the same time become familiar with district and school policies, curriculum, and assessment policies and procedures. They are expected to build relationships with administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, families, and…

Positive climates that encourage professional growth and teacher collaboration can bolster the impact of induction programs and may influence novice special education teachers' decisions to remain in teaching. As you plan induction programs, consider how Professional Learning Communities--the topic of this Brief--may be used to integrate special…

Beginning special education teachers have the same responsibilities as their more experienced counterparts. However, as these new teachers assume full teaching responsibilities they also must become familiar with district and school policies, curriculum, and assessment procedures. At the same time they are expected to build relationships with…

According to the American Council on Education study "The American College President: 2007 Edition" only 23% of college presidencies were held by women as late as 2006. While the number of female executive officers has doubled since 1986, progress in achieving the presidency has been undeniably slow for women. To better understand a woman's road…

In July 2009, a group of over 80 FSL teachers from British Columbia (BC) participated in a two-week sojourn at the "Centre d'Approches vivantes des Langues et des Medias" (CAVILAM) in Vichy, France, as part of an initiative to address the critical shortage of qualified French language teachers in the province. After almost four decades…