The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in satisfaction with Web-based course activities as a function of the degree of perceived teaching, cognitive, and social presence. Results indicated that the degree of perceived teaching presence led to greater satisfaction with course activities. Results suggest that communities of inquiry can…

The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) appointed eleven members to the Appalachian Regional Advisory Committee (AP RAC) to provide advice concerning the educational needs of the region as required by the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-279; 20 USC 9605). The RAC was charged with providing this advice…

This report addresses the challenges and needs of the Western Region around No Child Left Behind (NCLB) implementation. It is imperative to note that the Western Region has more Title I and English Language Learners (ELL) students than any other region in the nation. This report will be submitted to the US Department of Education in developing a…

Telecommunication technologies (computers with Internet/e-mail capabilities, desktop videoconferencing units, and fiber-based video links) provided by the Learning Community Link did indeed expand typical school boundaries and did increase communication possibilities for teachers and students. Using the power of computers to communicate, analyze…

This brief describes how Maine's introduction of its ubiquitous 1-to-1 laptop program has been beneficial to learning, if one looks in the right places. There is growing positive evidence from teachers, parents, classroom assignments and tests, and even in one case, on a standardized test, all pointing toward a similar conclusion. Students are…

The purpose of the current report is to synthesize 11 previous Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) project reports in order to provide a comprehensive overview of Early Literacy Intervention Grant Program (ELIGP) implementation and effectiveness. Information presented in this report draws from CEEP involvement across eight years of…

When there is the unexpected disaster of any kind, school personnel, students, parents and communities expect to rely on communication and critical services such as payroll and access to student information the district provides and therefore the technology that supports them. Disaster recovery of IT-related operations and information is critical…

It is well documented that individuals with poor verbal, reading and writing skills face disadvantages. However, many individuals with such difficulties lead successful lives. This project investigated the ways in which ten individuals have achieved success despite difficulties with literacy and learning. The life stories are presented in digital…

The ideals of education for all as proposed by UNESCO (2000) cannot be achieved without tapping into all the existing educational delivery systems. Open and distance education system has caught the attention of a number of Southern African Universities as a viable and "Siamese" twin of the conventional education in achieving flexibility,…

This research report examines community college administrators' perspectives on institutional missions and priorities, while taking note of regional differences in their views. The brief also examines factors that keep administrators engaged and satisfied in their positions. The research reported here comes from a national survey that used a…

The National Science Foundation (NSF) implemented the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program to strengthen the nation's technical workforce. ATE focuses on improving educational programs in science, mathematics, and engineering within community colleges. This book is one of several activities sponsored by an NSF grant to the American…

This report provides a snapshot of Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states' electronic initiatives and demonstrates states' commitment to expanding learning opportunities for their residents. The following five common objectives emerging from a review of state activities are listed: (1) to develop the economy and train the work force; (2)…

The Labor Exchange Skills Project, which was conducted under the sponsorship and direction of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, was designed to develop a labor exchange skills database (ETA) that would improve the usability of many Department of Labor applications and products developed by other public and…

In this paper, I draw together a corpus of findings derived from two sources: studies of students using computers to learn mathematics, and research into the use of mathematics in professional practice. Using this as a basis, I map some elements of a theoretical framework for understanding the nature of mathematical knowledge in use, and how it is…

This paper highlights the results of an investigation of preservice elementary teachers' perceptions of their ability and preparation to teach via technology. Results indicated that participants tended to perceive themselves as capable of teaching via technology. However, they had difficulty identifying specific technological resources for…