One of the biggest challenges that teachers of adolescents face is the necessity to motivate them. This article begins with an overview of motivational theories and then focuses on process theory and its application in the middle school and high school classrooms. An effective teacher can create motivation in students by forming relationships with…

To practice effectively, one must first know how to practice. The practice process is affected by one's ability to set goals, design strategies, self-assess, and to have an aural image of the music being learned. The author proposes a model reflecting the factors involved in practice and proposes a number of strategies that can be used to…

Though anchored in cross-cultural comparisons, this study aims to identify the key factors that impacted the talent development of successful dancers from childhood through adulthood. Case studies of eight Finnish and Singaporean ballet and contemporary dancers exemplify the qualities of successful dancers in terms of their career achievements and…

The CercleS version of the European Language Portfolio (ELP) has been used with language degree students at the University of Padova since the academic year 2002-2003. The courses into which it is embedded are generally blended: lessons take place in traditional classrooms and in the multimedia language laboratory, and students work online in…

Relationships between cultural factors (ethnicity and religiosity) and dimensions of students' attributions for their success and failure (locus of control, stability, personal control and external control), along with motivational goals (learning, performance approach, performance avoidance, and work avoidance), self-efficacy, intelligence…

We report the results of a study focused on identifying and articulating an ''epistemic foundation'' underlying a pre-collegiate focus on engineering. We do so in the context of UTeach"Engineering" (UTE), a program supported in part by funding by the National Science Foundation and designed to develop a model approach to address the…

Brown (2012) asserts that faculty perceptions of Web 2.0 for teaching will influence its adoption. For example, social media's influence on educational delivery is growing (Hrastinski and Dennon 2012). Zulu et al. (2011) note that business educators are only beginning to understand social networking related to education. We report an exploratory…

Background/Context: Schools and districts are increasingly emphasizing evidence-based decision making as a means for improving teaching and learning. In response, professional development efforts have shifted toward situated, sustained activities that involve groups of teachers in reflective inquiry about student learning data, instructional…

This study investigated whether Latina youth in special education and parents of Latinas in special education differ from their Anglo counterparts regarding transition expectations and experiences, and experiences of self-determination. Surveys were completed by 211 transition-aged Anglo and Latina females, and parents of Anglo girls and Latinas…

Postsecondary education is an important component of career development and achievement. However, students with emotional or behavioral difficulties (EBDs) are less likely to attend a postsecondary institution than their nondisabled peers and peers with disabilities. This qualitative study explored the experiences of emerging adults diagnosed with…

There is an abundance of literature on young individuals who show early signs of talent and on older individuals who have demonstrated their abilities throughout the years. This research aims to look at those individuals who are in between, that is, graduate students who have the demonstrated potential to achieve within their fields of study. This…

The focus of the study was the University of Dallas' Rome Program, a mid-length study abroad program on the university's campus in Rome, Italy. The program is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to encounter firsthand Western tradition by integrating the core curriculum through classroom teachings and class excursions, thus…

This Guide is designed for people who are incarcerated and for those on community supervision (probation and parole). It will help you get started--or continue--on the path to further education and training. Earning a high school credential, getting a certificate or license in a career technical field, or earning an associate or bachelor's degree…

This is the story of how Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) is creating sustainable high school reform. PUSD, through a set of district leadership practices, thoughtfully built the capacity of and sense of ownership among essential stakeholders to design, implement, and support a system of Linked Learning pathways. Though firmly anchored by…

Urban school leaders, particularly superintendents are on the frontlines for raising student achievement at all levels. The work of urban superintendents is intensive given the challenges they encounter. Research has indicated that school leaders who possess and enact skills and knowledge that support change leadership. The question, then, is…