Research in the field of Automated Planning is largely focused on the problem of constructing plans or sequences of actions for going from a specific initial state to a goal state. The complexity of this task makes it desirable to find "generalized" plans which can solve multiple problem instances from a class of similar problems. Most approaches…

Due to an increase in behavior problems among school children, especially at-risk children who have problems staying on-task, there is a need for a teaching strategy that will enable children to be focused and on task in the classroom. This quantitative study investigated whether partner-check self-recording of on-task behavior will increase the…

Research indicates that participation in interscholastic sports may not affect student academic achievement and self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of participation versus non-participation in interscholastic sports on the academic achievement and self-esteem of eighth grade students. Reading and math achievement…

As schools face tough decisions regarding budget cuts and program elimination, research regarding the importance of extracurricular activities is increasingly important. This study focused on the impact of involvement in band on student achievement as defined by GPA and attendance. Because students were only involved in band extracurricularly…

This study focused on the effects of elementary students' participation in a mentored peer mediation program during a school year as it related to three variables, academic achievement, developmental disposition, and conflict orientation. "Phase I", academic achievement, focused on the relationship between participation in this program and…

The gap in reading achievement continues to be consistent, despite No Child Left Behind goals to narrow these gaps among minority and other subgroup populations. This gap is especially profound for students with disabilities, and any evidence to support progress monitoring of oral reading fluency (ORF) and comprehension will inform educational…

After presenting the fundamental concepts of learning to read to the parents of first grade students, gains in reading achievement at school were measured using the DIBELS tests, the Scott Foresman COP, running record assessments, and sight-word knowledge tests. No significant differences were found between the control group and the treatment…

Today's educators must use research-based teaching strategies that increase achievement levels of students. Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences is scientifically-based. The current model suggests eight different areas in which a person can demonstrate intelligence. This study compared reading and math assessments score of elementary…

Online education is a modality of teaching that has proliferated throughout higher education in such a rapid form and without any guidelines that its quality and merit is largely unknown, hotly debated, and still evolving. Institutions have used online education as a method of reducing costs and increasing enrollments and students have flocked to…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) programs has a positive effect on the retention of quality preschool teachers in Los Angeles County. In prior work, preschool teacher retention is associated with wages, program structure, program process, professional development, and…

Consensus documents on reading research provide clear direction for effective practice in reading instruction and intervention in general, but systematic study of reading development instruction and intervention with those diagnosed with ASDs is lacking. The current study had as its purpose to evaluate the effects of a manipulative letter…

This dissertation examines how the Japanese particles "nado", "toka", and "tari" which all may be translated as "such as", "etc.", or "like" behave differently in written and spoken discourse. According to traditional analyses (e.g. Martin, 1987), these particles are assumed to be Exemplifying Particles (EP) used to provide concrete examples to…

The purpose of this narrative study was to explore the thoughts, perceptions, and experiences of 12 urban middle school teachers who were once urban middle school students. The study sought to discover reasons why these teachers returned to urban middle schools to teach and why they decided to stay. A qualitative methodology, using the…

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a comprehensive analysis of gender assignment in Contemporary Standard Russian within the framework of Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 1993). The result of the dissertation is the establishment of the phonological, morphological, semantic, and faithfulness constraints necessary to assign…

This dissertation study focused on three aspects of staff development in North Texas: (1) funding sources, (2) types of professional learning programs, and (3) teachers' views of the effectiveness of the funded programs. Qualitative data came from interviews with nine district administrators concerning funding sources and how those resources…