In this paper we report a qualitative case-study of how a primary school Principal enhanced staff belief in their efficacy and practice in relation to children's behaviour. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interviews with the Principal and teaching staff. We identified four main themes relating to their attributions, beliefs and practices:…

Being able to accurately evaluate students' cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development at the beginning of a course is critical for teachers to create meaningful learning experiences for them. Initial student evaluation provides teachers with quick perceptive and practical knowledge of student characteristics as well as a diagnosis of what…

High social status youth are often influential in the peer system. Thus, they may serve as agents of cultural socialization if they exhibit characteristics that reflect cultural values (e.g., interdependence). This research examined the behavior that contributes to high social status in the United States and China. At each of 3 waves, 934 early…

Objective: The Healthier Options for Public Schoolchildren (HOPS) intervention aimed simultaneously to change school policies regarding the nutritional content of school-provided meals, nutrition and healthy lifestyle curricula, and other school-based wellness activities. Researchers examined how HOPS affected students' academic achievement,…

We conducted a preliminary investigation of a randomized dependent group contingency to decrease disruptive behavior during hallway transitions. Two first-graders, identified by their classroom teacher, participated in this study. A multiple baseline across transitions was used to evaluate the effects of the randomized dependent group contingency…

The Schoolwide Positive Behavior Intervention Support model (SWPBIS) continues to gain widespread use across schools in the United States and abroad. Despite its widespread implementation, little research has examined factors that influence its sustainability. Informed by Rogers's diffusion theory, this study examined school personnel's…

Aim/Purpose: This study investigated the potential use of Second Life (SL) to facilitate nursing students' confidence and motivation, as well as its impact on their self-regulated learning development. Background: The current emphasis on nursing education in general has resulted in more consideration of different virtual learning environments as a…

This article examines two separate and distinct initiatives offered through the University Studies Program at Portland State University: (1) collaboration with an academic program for students with significant intellectual disabilities, and (2) senior-level Capstone courses that include students who are incarcerated. These initiatives are examined…

Methods for meta-analyzing single-case designs (SCDs) are needed to inform evidence-based practice in clinical and school settings and to draw broader and more defensible generalizations in areas where SCDs comprise a large part of the research base. The most widely used outcomes in single-case research are measures of behavior collected using…

We investigate relationships between several financial aid policies and student enrollment behavior. Chapters 1 and 2 (co-authored with Robert Rosenman) use proprietary data from a public research university to address institution level policies affecting enrollment. Chapter 3 (co-authored with Benjamin Cowan) utilizes government data address a…

Preparing young children for kindergarten is an important task. There are many skills that need to be learned. Simple everyday school and daily living tasks are kindergarten readiness skills that need to be taught. Many preschool students struggle to learn these skills unless taught directly. There are a sufficient number of interventions that…

This study reports results of a randomized, controlled trial examining the efficacy of the Family Check-Up (FCU) initiated during kindergarten on teacher report of children's emotional and behavior problems in first grade. Children's emotional and behavior needs at pretest were examined as a moderator. Participants were primary caregivers and…

The amount of information contained in any educational data set is fundamentally constrained by the instructional conditions under which the data are collected. In this study, we show that by redesigning the structure of traditional online courses, we can improve the ability of educational data mining to provide useful information for instructors.…

School staff was concerned that disruptive student behaviors at an urban, middle school in central Ohio had continued even with positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation and professional development (PD) for more than 4 years. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perspectives of school training on the…

The high rate of burnout experienced among teachers was the driving problem addressed throughout this study. Burnout has long been an issue in public service arenas, and, within education, costs school districts across the nation millions of dollars annually. The purpose of this investigation was to examine perceptions of burnout in relation to…