Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among academic optimism, community engagement, and student achievement in urban elementary schools across one district. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from all 35 urban elementary schools across one district in Virginia, USA. Correlation, multiple regression, and…

Young people's participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a matter of international concern. Studies and careers that require physical sciences and advanced mathematics are most affected by the problem and women in particular are under-represented in many STEM fields. This article views international research about…

A service-learning component was embedded as the centerpiece in the Culture of Disability Across the Lifespan course, designed for students' exploration of issues related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society. Participants included 19 university freshmen, 6 representatives of community agencies, and 3 consumers…

In today's difficult economic times, it behooves every program to be prepared to defend its worth. In the higher education arena, evidence of the attainment of our goals for student learning and development are best attained through the assessment of learning and development. Advising is a useful learning, development and retention tool that many…

Issues faced by tenure track AT education faculty are addressed and suggestions for those who are considering appointments as AT faculty are given. Literature and research from other allied health professions are provided as insights to AT faculty. We also suggest future research ideas related to AT educators. Finally, we consider future…

The authors conducted a multiple group path analysis examining gender differences in relations among career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE), career decision-making outcome expectations (CDMOE), and career decision-making intentions-goals (CDMIG), as well as linkages between these three sociocognitive variables and vocational identity status…

This study examined the influence of parental expectations on the functioning of sexually abused children. Participants included 67 sexually abused youth and 63 of their nonoffending primary caregivers. Parental expectations about how sexual abuse will impact children were predictive of parents' ratings of children's behavior at pretreatment,…

Purpose: Those entering the architectural profession tend to be motivated by a desire to undertake creative design, although studies have revealed that many practicing architects feel they lack sufficient creative opportunities. Proponents of anticipatory socialisation argue that experiences prior to entering an occupation influence job…

Staffing is a fundamental component of effective institutional research, yet determining and securing adequate resources can be difficult. In addition, as was noted in an AIR Forum presentation on the Achieving the Dream project (Rincones and Champion, 2008), even when colleges allocate money for positions they have difficulty finding…

This study examines the relationships among work possible selves, socioeconomic position, gender, and psychological well-being. Participants were college students in early adulthood (N = 201), aged 20 to 35. Work possible selves, a construct based on the theory of possible selves, were examined. The results showed relationships between…

Most research on nonmarital births focuses on disadvantaged populations. This study examined the childbearing expectations and experiences of a working-class sample, drawing on in-depth interviews with 30 cohabiting couples. Few couples in the sample were attempting to conceive; most desired to defer parenting. Three responses emerged to how a…

The importance of feedback to student progression and retention has gained prominence in the literature over the past few years. A number of concerns have been raised about the quality and quantity of student feedback, and the variability across and within institutions. The aim of this study was to examine student perceptions of the utility of…

Follow-through visits are a well-established part of the process of HMIE inspection of schools. Since 2003 HMIE staff and faculty have revised the arrangements for follow-through to achieve an increasingly proportionate approach. From then, their engagement with a school following inspection has been directly related to the school's overall…

The European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) realises that there is a steadily growing interest among students and all stakeholders of Higher Education and the public at large in accessing detailed and reliable information on the quality of individual study programmes, faculties and higher education institutions. ENQA…

This study investigated teachers' motivation, expectations, and changes to teaching practices due to a 6 week summer professional development program involvement. Participants (n = 67) attended the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program within a major university in southeast. Surveys and interviews were used to collect data to answer the…