Extension agents and specialists have experienced increased pressure for greater program effectiveness and accountability and especially for evidence-based programs. This article builds on previously published evidence-based programming articles. It provides ideas that address three problems that Extension staff face with EBPs and that Extension…

During the author's first years as a teacher, he took a part-time job to make ends meet. As an exercise instructor in a large insurance company's corporate fitness center, he worked with a wide range of employees, including the top executives. Some of those executives asked how their company could help the school. Instead of asking for a monetary…

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an approach to developing word lists centred on etymological roots would improve the spelling performance of older primary school students. Participants were 46 students in the last year of primary school in south-east Queensland (31 girls and 15 boys) across three classes, with two classes…

Alumni of an undergraduate Deaf studies program completed an online survey about their education and employment after graduation and their perceptions of their internship and undergraduate academic program. Demographically, this population of Deaf studies alumni represented a higher percentage of women and dual-major graduates than was present in…

The research presented in this article aims to validate quality assessment parameters for student support at higher education institutions. Student support is discussed as the system of services provided by a higher education institution which helps to develop student-centred curriculum and fulfils students' emotional, academic, social needs, and…

From President Kennedy's first announcement of a non-military US volunteer corps in 1961, the Peace Corps has been one of the preeminent government grassroots volunteer development agency. This study explores the history of the ambiguities inherent in this contention, pressure primarily stemming from the organization's role as both a governmental…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of recent graduates who participated in the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at a medium-size southeastern university. This research used a phenomenological approach, as well as qualitative interviews, to provide a detailed and insightful description about…

Schools today are faced with a growing number of students who fail to acquire basic early literacy skills. To effectively meet the needs of all students, schools must utilize strategies and interventions that are both effective and efficient. One strategy that schools may use to meet the needs of all students is implementation of a multi-tiered…

This is a nationwide six-year data study of law enforcement training and professional development in relationship to workplace productivity. Why do we care about law enforcement training and professional development? Because the law enforcement environment is not standing still. Unlawful activity, and in particular drug trafficking strategies,…

Beyond being responsive to the demand for online learning in the marketplace, UC Davis Extension lacks the system and tools to assess, improve and sustain the quality of online instruction it delivers. This study evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of online instructional quality at UCDE in accordance with Garrison's Community of Inquiry…

The increasing ability of social policy researchers to conduct randomized controlled trials (RCTs) at low cost could revolutionize the field of performance-based government. RCTs are widely judged to be the most credible method of evaluating whether a social program is effective, overcoming the demonstrated inability of other, more common methods…

Administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC) is a federal grant program that provides funding to community-based coalitions that organize to prevent youth substance use. Since the…

Quality assurance has been at the core of the construction of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) since the very beginning serving as a tool for trust, which enables comparability of degrees Europe-wide and will foster the societies by increasing mobility. The European Students Union (ESU) launched the "QUEST for quality for…

Research shows that early intervention is vital to improve the life chances of children in areas and situations of disadvantage. One also knows that many less advantaged families feel more comfortable receiving advice about supporting their children's literacy from a friend or peer rather than a professional, and equally that many people are keen…

The use of Short Blended Online Training (SBOT) for the development of Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a promising approach to facilitate the use of e-learning by academics. Adult learners prefer the blend of pedagogies such as the presentation, demonstration, practice and feedback if they are structured and…