Students in an introductory computing class participated in a study investigating the impact of using a graphics programming environment (Alice) and pair-programming on confidence, enjoyment and achievement. Sixty-four participants completed a short questionnaire and a content pre-test about computer programming concepts. Students were then…

The purpose of this study was to systematically develop an instrument to measure computer aversion, computer attitudes, and computer familiarity. The study is an extension of previous research (Schulenberg, 2002). Development involved item generation, pilot testing, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The measure was administered to…

The impact of gender on computer related attitudes, ability, and use has been actively documented, but little research has been done examining how to modify and reduce imbalances. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of ubiquitous computing (24-hour access to a laptop and the Internet) on gender differences in pre-service teachers…

This article discusses the difficult issues of balancing faculty and university rights and responsibilities regarding courseware developed either as commissioned or non-commissioned work in higher education. The article addresses the varied concerns among university personnel and higher education institutions, reviews two major models for…

This study examines the benefits of reading strategy training on adolescent readers' comprehension of science text. Training was provided via an automated reading strategy trainer called the Interactive Strategy Trainer for Active Reading and Thinking (iSTART), which is an interactive reading strategy trainer that utilizes animated agents to…

This paper is an examination of the divide that exists between academic and vocational curricula in American public high schools. This divide is a separation of the two curricular pathways which induces students and others to see vocational education as an inferior curriculum. Due to this perception many students may choose the academic curriculum…

The changing demographic and economic structures in the United States dictate that policy makers at the federal, state, and organizational levels of education pay closer attention to college recruitment and enrollment trends. These trends point to the need for an aggressive approach to moving the educational system into the 21st century by…

Professional development practices in schools have been changing recently, particularly with the mandates regarding professional development through No Child Left Behind. In 2001, the National Staff Development Council revised its standards of professional development to shift thinking in this area and reflect the changing needs of schools,…

This article discusses factors related to eventual high school credentials among dropouts. Using the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88/00), the current study found that approximately two-thirds of the sample of high school dropouts eventually attained some form of high school credentials within eight years of their class…

Questions regarding the value of standardized testing have been raised by community and school leaders, as well as parents and members of the media. Some have expressed concern that children today are placed under such pressure to perform well on standardized tests that the anxiety adversely affects performance outcomes. This study examined the…

The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) was developed to operationalize the Five-Factor Model of Personality. Using correlational analysis and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, the present study investigates the facet structure of the domain of Agreeableness of the NEO-PI-R at the facet and item level to assess which is a more…

This study used a Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) approach to investigate relationships between student motivation, higher-order thinking skills, quality of teaching and learning, teacher student relations, student satisfaction with course contribution to their learning, and active learning strategies, with a sample of 2,190 undergraduate…

This paper explores the nature and extent of outsourcing by higher education institutions, benefits and challenges associated with outsourcing, and the implications of outsourcing for effective management. The principal investigator conducted a national study of outsourcing by four-year colleges and universities at two points in time, 1998-99 and…

Examined the effectiveness of 6th and 7th graders' cooperative learning groups, recording student work sessions and conducting student interviews and self-evaluations. When working cooperatively, students required some unstructured time to organize themselves and learn to work together toward a mutual goal. Students liked this type of learning…

Examined peer group structures in low- and regular-track high school algebra classrooms, studying clique group affiliations defined by students and their teachers regarding academic achievement. Clique group affiliation was a potential predictor of academic achievement in both types of classes. Successful achievement appeared to be a factor that…