On May 5, 2006, the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in Australia announced the launch of "Research Messages, 2005"--a collection of summaries on all research projects published or completed by NCVER in 2005. The summaries are clustered under five broad themes used by NCVER to organise all of its vocational…

This study closely examined interview transcripts collected in six rural schools to describe how educators and community members viewed issues of social class. Data came from an SEA-funded project investigating high-poverty schools honored for serving all students well. This study is one of several drawing on data gathered for this project.…

Downsizing schools--creating small schools, schools-within-schools, and small learning communities--has been a highly favored school reform strategy of recent years, one that is supported by considerable research. Yet for many of these schools, the going has not been easy, bedeviled by bureaucratic resistance, public misunderstanding, and…

This book presents a conceptual model of dance education that embraces dance as an art form and disseminates it through learning experiences in dancing, dance making, and dance appreciation. It is intended to help dance educators broaden their understanding of the dance content that is appropriate for their students and educational setting. The…

A study examined why employers use temporary agency and contract company workers and implications of these practices for wages, benefits, and working conditions of workers in low-skilled labor markets. Case studies in manufacturing (automotive supply), services (hospitals), and public sector (primary and secondary schools) industries defined the…

The influence of selected discrete emotions on socialization-related learning and perception of workplace adaptation was examined in an exploratory study. Data were collected from 233 service workers in 4 small and medium-sized companies in metropolitan Washington, D.C. The sample members' average age was 32.5 years, and the sample's racial makeup…

This paper reports on a study that examined the effects of student-level orientation to schooling on students perceptions of a desirable school environment. The study involved 762 students in grades 7-12 in 4 Hong Kong secondary schools. The students completed a survey on their perceptions of independent learning, affinity to teachers, learning…

Highlighting the link between the emotional well-being of children and adolescents and their parents' mental health, this policy brief reports key findings for Washington state from the National Survey of American Families, a national telephone survey of representative samples of American families in 13 states, including Washington. Analyses…

The use of the Internet in homes rivals the advent of the telephone, radio, or television in social significance. This book compiles findings from communication theorists and social scientists concerning the effects of the Internet on the lives of the family unit and its members. The book examines historical precedents of parental concern over…

To what extent can educational technology help schools close achievement gaps? What types of educational technology can administrators, teachers, and students use to help close achievement gaps? What kinds of educational technology practices and policies can help schools close achievement gaps? In order to address these questions, the North…

This study employed multiple linear regression and decision tree analysis to examine the correlates of overall satisfaction with undergraduate education for white, Asian American, Hispanic and African American seniors enrolled at 17 research-extensive universities. Satisfaction with the overall quality of instruction and social involvement were…

This study took place in a sixth grade math class at Webber Middle School in Saginaw, Michigan. A literature review indicated that a classroom that students perceive as safe, supportive of their autonomy, and of their learning increases intrinsic motivation. With this in mind, the author created a study, which would look for connections between…

This study examined whether the Chicago Annenberg Challenge promoted improvement in schools it supported and in student achievement and other outcomes; factors that might explain improvement or lack thereof among Annenberg schools; and what could be learned from the Challenge's experiences. It highlighted the period between 1996-1997 through…

This book was written with the assumption that teachers and administrators must work as colleagues to improve instruction and learning in schools. It was written to be consistent with the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards for school administrators, especially Standards 1 and 2, which emphasize a learning-centered…

The purpose of this book is to help school administrators who use educational research by describing and explaining the components of research and skills of researchers. Chapter 1 defines educational research. Chapter 2 describes streams of research on particular administrative problems. Chapter 3 illustrates the conduct of a research review and…