In this study, I utilized a learning progression framework to investigate lower elementary students (G1-4) systemic reasoning in ecology and I related students reasoning to their sources of knowledge. I used semi-structured interviews with 44 students from first through fourth grade, four teachers, and eight parents. The results revealed that a…

As of July 2011, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) reported 17 of Canada's 95 universities were led by women. While this represents considerable change from 1974, when Pauline Jewett became the first woman president to lead a co-educational Canadian university, progress for women climbing the educational leadership…

Problem: Adolescents who begin abusing substances, including alcohol, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs often fail in school suffering life-altering consequences (Cox, Zhang, Johnson, & Bender, 2007). While plentiful research exists on substance abuse, there is a dearth of research on the school experiences of recovering substance abusers.…

This qualitative study explored the college transition experience of eight first-year students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at a midwestern research university. Using a three-interview-series model, students participated in structured interviews designed to explore their backgrounds, discuss their current experiences on campus,…

Alarming statistics reveal that African American male students are encountering long-standing challenges in K-12 mathematics. However, few studies have explored the phenomena associated with African American males and K-12 mathematics education, particularly at the middle school level in the context of an Algebra 1 course of study. The purpose of…

Nationally and in Indiana, the cultural mismatch can be seen in special education programs where minority students are overrepresented and most special educators are white (Arnold, 2003; Artiles et.al, 2005; Gaviria-Soto & Castro-Morera, 2005). Teachers in general and special education teachers in particular need to be culturally competent.…

Educating and meeting the multiple needs of students at risk of low academic achievement has been a growing concern for public schools in the United States. Many at-risk students require alternative school-based interventions. This study examined the operation, premise, and objectives of art therapy integrated in 14 school districts across the…

This descriptive qualitative case study explored undergraduate degree attainment by African American males in football and basketball at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institution in the Southwest. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four participants at the institution to uncover experiences that helped or…

Students choose to attend liberal arts institutions for a number of different reasons, including small class size, breadth of academic material, and emphasis on life-long learning (Astin, 1999; Pascarella, Cruce, Wolniak, & Blaich, 2004). Those attending small liberal arts colleges have come to expect that they will have a higher level of…

Teachers' observations of student performance in reading are abundant and insightful but often remain internal and unarticulated. As a result, such observations are an underutilized and undervalued source of data. Given the gaps in knowledge about students' reading comprehension that exist in formal assessments, the frequent calls for teachers'…

National Vocational Education and Training (VET) reforms have resulted in an increasing proportion of young adults in VET programs in Western Australia. A challenge for practitioners is to help them develop skills and attributes to facilitate lifelong learning. A need for further research into the self-regulation behaviour of this cohort has been…

The purpose of these case studies was to examine the ways technology and professional development supported the use of the SimScientists assessment systems. Qualitative research methodology was used to provide narrative descriptions of six classes implementing simulation-based assessments for either the topic of Ecosystems or Atoms and Molecules.…

This paper presents partial results of a completed study which investigated the experience of teaching mathematics content courses to preservice elementary teachers. Interviews with ten mathematics instructors who teach these courses revealed several major tensions, including one that arises as instructors strive to set priorities and balance…

The Swan Valley Cluster of schools for the Make It Count project identified the professional learning of teachers and teaching assistants as a key factor in improving numeracy outcomes for urban Indigenous children. Initial training for assistants began in late 2010 and took the form of workshops based on a modified First Steps in Mathematics…

Background: The concept of differential susceptibility has challenged the potential meaning of personal traits such as poor ability to regulate emotions. Under the traditional model of diathesis/stress, personal characteristics such as liability to angry outbursts are seen as essentially disadvantageous, emerging under duress in a way that is…