This descriptive case study examined the problem of how to implement an academically infused character education (CE) program in the middle grades and how students acted out the lessons of character taught by their teachers. This study addressed the problem of a lack of understanding regarding the strengths and weaknesses associated with the…

The future of higher education in the sciences will be marked by programs that link skilled educators and research scientists from around the world with teachers for professional development and with students for high-impact learning--either virtually or physically in the field. These programs will use technology where possible to build new and…

This article explores perceptions of community college students and their characteristics, focusing on issues of responsibility, perceptions of self and others, personal experiences, and academic preparedness relative to community college status. A brief survey was developed to measure these perceptions in both community college and 4-year/senior…

This guide is intended to give individual school board directors an introduction to some of the legal issues they may encounter in their board service. This material is not intended to answer every question, even in the subject matter areas they cover. This guide is merely intended to alert directors to the legal issues that they will encounter…

The goal of installing laptop programs is to increase student learning in the classroom. In this article, the author offers eleven tips to get the most learning out of one's investment: (1) make students responsible and accountable; (2) make the activities authentic; (3) embrace one's surroundings; (4) make sure the technology extends the…

Making the transition from high school to college poses challenges for most students. Moving from a secure, regulated world of secondary education into an unfamiliar environment requiring greater independence can be a destabilizing experience. For students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), managing this…

One of the most challenging tasks a principal must accomplish every year is the construction of the master schedule. Free from the magnetic scheduling boards and wall charts of yesteryear, principals now have technological tools--such as programs that offer schools solutions for their scheduling needs--that can save time and enable them to work…

Rebecca Bowers Sipe describes the experiences of challenged spellers and recommends a range of strategies for helping students take responsibility for their spelling. She suggests that teachers begin by observing samples of students' writing and weaving in skills lessons related to the needs observed. (Contains 1 figure.)

This study analyzed the factors that affect student participation in discussion forum under the two main purposes. The first purpose was to examine the relationship between the students' individual demographics and categories of students' participation level (inactive, moderate, and active) in discussion forum of an online course. The second…

A major debate among education reformers over how best to reduce the achievement gap broke out during the 2008 presidential campaign. Most advocates on both sides backed Barack Obama, but they urged him to pursue different policies. The Education Equality Project (EEP) supported a continuation of accountability and other school-focused reforms.…

This research brief outlines six major studies of magnet school student outcomes. Magnet schools are programs with special themes or emphases designed to attract families from a variety of different backgrounds. They were originally established to promote voluntary racial integration in urban districts. The studies are located within a much…

High school dropout, enrollment, and graduation rates are important indicators of students' college and career readiness, which in turn significantly impact both individual income levels and the overall knowledge-driven economy. Despite the long-term benefits of a high school education, much of the current literature on raising school…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the mediating effects of social goals and perceived competence on students' perceptions of motivational climates and dispositional flow in physical education. At the beginning of the physical education unit, 779 students, 12 to 16 years old, were asked to complete four questionnaires: Perceived Motivational…

As a beginning science teacher working on a science fair for the first time, the author was amazed at the projects submitted--projects that were obviously not completed by the students who turned them in. The students who had parents that were doctors, scientists, and engineers clearly were winning the science fair. It was rare for a student who…

As Literacy Outreach Coordinator for Opportunity to Read (OTR), the Watsonville (CA) Public Library literacy program, this author has recognized the concept of responsibility through example. Adult learners incorporate concepts easily when these concepts are specifically demonstrated for them by someone similar to them. Sounds simple, but putting…