The purpose of this study was to describe the engagement of reflective practice among school leaders utilizing a qualitative case study methodology. While there have been studies conducted about school leaders and reflective practice, there was an unparalleled amount in comparison to the extensive research on teaching and reflective practice.…

The dynamic changes in tertiary education that were observed in Poland for the last 20 years transformed the Polish educational market and led to the immense expansion of educational institutions. The rapid increase in the number of students that continued until 2006 is however over and Polish universities have begun to compete for their clients.…

The application of restorative justice (RJ) with hate crime remains an underdeveloped field of research, policy, and practice. This article aims to advance the understanding of these two areas of inquiry: RJ and hate crime. It is known that while most hate incidents involve minor, punishable offenses, their impact can be long lasting and…

Substance abuse among homeless mothers has negative consequences for both the mother and her child. Few researchers have examined the needs of these mothers in order to effectively intervene in their lives. This study uses a qualitative focus group research method to examine the needs of substance abusing homeless mothers recruited from a homeless…

Storytelling is one way of sharing what it means to live in a particular place: its history, inhabitants, opportunities, challenges, rhythms, ways of life, and obligations to that place. This paper offers an exploration of the nature and significance of coming together to orally share place-based stories, within the context of environmental and…

Many media education researchers have identified the importance of adult media literacy but few have studied it. Such literacy is becoming increasingly important with regard to the growing category of food media--advertisements, television programs, and print media among them. Using two focus groups and guided by Primack and Hobbs' (2009) AA, RR,…

Background: This qualitative study describes parents' and service providers' experiences in using the Family Goal Setting Tool (FGST). This article looks specifically at the tool's perceived clinical utility during annual, collaborative goal setting. Methods: Participants included eight parents and ten service providers involved in a Family and…

Background: The Progress Test (PT) was developed to assess student learning within integrated curricula. Whilst it is effective in promoting and rewarding deep approaches to learning in some settings, we hypothesised that implementation of the curriculum (design and assessment) may impact on students' preparation for the PT and their learning.…

The article presented evaluates the experiences and aspirations of learners enrolled on the Advanced Diploma (level three 14-19) as well as documenting the thoughts of developers, managers and practitioners who have been responsible for the implementation of the award. In order to gain a clear picture of existing research, analysis of the…

Determining the worth and effectiveness of training used within a military environment is the same accountability responsibility that educational organizations, businesses, and social agencies are charged with for improving programs and services to society. The need for accountability implies the process of evaluation, particularly in governmental…

Bullying is a widespread phenomenon that affects many children and adolescents in Brazilian schools. A pilot research study was carried out in four schools (one private and three public) located in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. A combination of self-administered questionnaires and focus groups with students as well as interviews with teachers were…

This paper reports the results of a study that has been carried out for the first time in Cyprus, with the aim of exploring the views of head teachers on inclusion. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and a focus group meeting; 185 head teachers participated in this study. The findings indicated that overall, head teachers held positive…

In this paper we focus on the lived experiences of multidisciplinary scholars as we navigated and coalesced into a productive, interdisciplinary collaboration. We pull from our foundations in feminist methodology and provide excerpts from personal journals and reflexive group interviews to provide a behind-the-scenes account of the inner workings…

There is a large and growing literature on welfare state attitudes, most of which is built on random-sample population surveys with standardised closed-question items. This article criticises the existing survey instruments, especially those that are used within the International Social Survey Programme, in a novel approach with focus group data…

Both "pupil voice" and "staff voice" can be powerful tools in developing various aspects of a school, but only if there is a strong dialogue between the two. This project used a number of different approaches--questionnaires, lesson observations and planning discussions--to investigate pupils' views of what inspires them to…