Originally designed for students who test into at least two levels of developmental education in a particular subject area, FastStart is a compressed course program model launched in 2005 at the Community College of Denver (CCD). The program combines multiple semester-length courses into a single intensive semester, while providing case…

First generation college students are accessing colleges and universities at an increased rate. However, first generation college students, which include a disproportionate number of minorities and low income populations, continue to lag behind their counterparts in graduating from college. More prevalent in the research are factors that cause…

The purposes of this mixed method study were to (a) Examine the relationships among principal effectiveness, principal instructional leadership, and student achievement; (b) examine the differences among principal effectiveness, principal instructional leadership and student achievement; and (c) investigate what effective principals do to improve…

Higher education institutions are well positioned to provide students with meaningful educational opportunities, to prepare them for lives of impact and service to their communities by investing their acquired knowledge to address critical societal needs. Furthermore, a sound college education is particularly important to students' personal,…

For children to be successful, schools must provide a safe and secure environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn (Skiba & Sprague, 2008). In California, state regulations require that schools maintain an appropriate school climate on campus, in classrooms, and at school sponsored events (California Education Code 35294).…

This paper examines why communicative language teaching (CLT) fails to improve student learning in certain contexts by assessing two adult educators' communicative and noncommunicative practices through qualitative case studies, interviews, and participant observations. Results show no inherent CLT problems that prevent teachers from grasping…

This article assesses the impact of a UK-based professional development programme on curriculum innovation and change in English Language Education (ELE) in Western China. Based on interviews, focus group discussions and observation of a total of 48 English teachers who had participated in an overseas professional development programme influenced…

This paper focuses on the professional development of formal science educators through extraordinary experiences that occur within the realm of informal science learning. For many years the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) has offered programs that take teachers on "science learning journeys" to Africa, South America, through the…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the characteristics and motivations that led to persistence in a doctoral cohort program of study. A phenomenological case study approach, utilizing a comprehensive interview format, was used to gain a deep understanding of the phenomenon. The case for this research was Robert Morris University's…

My goal in this study is to examine some of the diminishing factors that distinctively influence the limited presence of African American teachers in the teaching profession. The study is designed to investigate some of the reasons a large number of African American teachers appear to be leaving the teaching profession. A review of the…

The shortage of teachers necessitates systems of certification that quickly provide teachers for the field, especially in hard to staff schools. Alternative certification programs have attempted to address the need by enlisting non-certified college graduates and offering these individuals shortcuts to certification, special assistance, or…

Explanations of chemical phenomena rely on understanding the behavior of submicroscopic particles. Because this level is "invisible," it is described using symbols such as models, diagrams and equations. For this reason, students often view chemistry as a "difficult" subject. The laboratory offers a unique opportunity for the students to…

In this qualitative study the primary researcher utilized research methods of heuristic phenomenology in order to better understand the experience of recovery for a group of male participants. The purpose of this study was to aid the primary researcher in better understanding his own experience of recovery from alcoholism, as well as to add to the…

Four music therapy educators participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews as part of a qualitative study. The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomena of feminist pedagogy as experienced by music therapy educators using phenomenological inquiry. The study examined the following research questions: (a) do music therapy educators…

This qualitative study examines the use of counterspaces by eight upperclassman African American students at a predominantly White institution. This study sought to identify how counterspaces were used by African American students and how those counterspaces foster a sense of belonging for students. Field observations and semi-structured, in-depth…