This longitudinal study, spanning from 1995 through 2012, followed vulnerable youth from upper secondary school (T1) as they made the transition to their early twenties (T2), late twenties (T3) and mid-thirties (T4). We investigated their social network relationships in different phases of adult life, focusing mainly on factors that explain…

Following Sayer's (2010) examination of reflexivity and habitus, we focus on the "transnational habitus" (Darvin & Norton 2015) of Aaron, a Chinese international student at a U.S. university. Specifically, we examine how he wrestled with being identified as an ESL learner despite having attended a U.S. high school. Also exploring the…

This report for Lithuania forms part of the OECD Review of Policies to Improve the Effectiveness of Resource Use in Schools. The purpose of the review is to explore how school resources can be governed, distributed, utilised and managed to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. School resources are understood in a broad…

This dissertation investigates how low-resource high schools support (or not) high achieving, low-income students depending on how they enact college readiness agendas. My study was motivated by the lack of empirical research in two areas--how college readiness policies are being actualized for high achieving, low-income students and how these…

This paper reports on a PhD study about informal second language learning in online communities (Livemocha and Busuu). In these communities learners autonomously seek opportunities for telecollaboration with Native Speakers (NSs) in the absence of teachers and pedagogical tasks, and in an informal context. This paper focuses on learning and social…

This study explored the preparation and career paths of academic deans in Church of God (COG) theological institutions located in Latin American and Caribbean. This study used a qualitative research approach and the in-depth interview method for data collection. A group of 14 academic deans that serve in COG theological schools and that…

This study reports on results of a survey of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS). CSSS is a professional organization composed of supervisors of science education in State Education Agencies. The organization works to sustain and nurture a dynamic learning community that empowers its members to be effective and articulate advocates for…

The social and collaborative aspects of work settings are becoming increasingly important. For example, recent research has placed emphasis on the social nature of learning. In addition, many authors have suggested that 21st century skills that will be required in future work and professional environments will involve collaborative skills, making…

A common assumption is that students prefer to work together with students from similar cultural backgrounds. In a group work context, students from different cultural backgrounds are "forced" to work together. This might lead to stress and anxiety but at the same time may allow students to learn from different perspectives. The prime…

Prior research shows that school leadership matters when it comes to instructional improvement. However, the common conceptualization of school leadership is typically associated with principals. Studies show that a large number of the nation's principals are predicted to retire or leave the profession. A potential shortage of quality school…

Despite the swift spread of social network concepts and their applications and the rising use of network analysis in social science, there is no book that provides a thorough general introduction for the serious reader. "Understanding Social Networks" fills that gap by explaining the big ideas that underlie the social network phenomenon.…

So far, the existence of a virtual community forum has become a reality and social necessity in an era cybertech. It was also viewed as the electronic frontier of 21st century society that was undoubtedly for reorganizing and redefining to awareness of human being, that ways of their perceptions and explorations no longer limited by time, space,…

In this article the author considers how social media--a new, evolving, and increasingly pervasive form of communication and community--shapes students' attitudes towards practices of communication and community in their futures as political actors. How ought educators respond to this new world; can they lead their students into a culture of…

The American Academy of Religion, in concert with the Sakai Foundation, has envisioned a scholarly use of the new Sakai Open Academic Environment open-source software. Currently working under the title "Biosphere," the program would put a rich collection of collaborative tools in the hands of AAR members, their colleagues in related scholarly…

Relatively little empirical attention has been paid to the political economy of publicly-retailed fiber-optic broadband internet service. To address this gap in the literature, this dissertation examines the history, dynamics and trends in the municipal broadband movement. In specific, Wilson, North Carolina's Greenlight service is examined in…