Because distance education is such a rapidly developing educational venue, knowing what factors impact success must be known. Loneliness and sense of connectedness, or community, are issues facing graduate distance education students. These issues may influence retention. The theoretical framework of a Community of Practice assisted in…

There is one aspect of sponsored research associated with higher education's research enterprise that often places the institution's research administrators and the institution's faculty members in conflict with each other; the recovery of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs associated with sponsored research projects (Sedwick, 2009;…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a computer-based story on sixth grade students' mathematics word problem solving achievement. Problems were embedded in a story presented on a computer, and then compared to a paper-based story and to a condition that presented the problems as typical, isolated words problems. One hundred…

In 2007, a Virtual Education Center for Biorenewable Resources was initiated (Raman, Brown, Brumm, Anex, Euken, Nokes, Crofcheck, Van Gerpen, and He, 2006). The Center offered three courses through distance education, including Biorenewable Resources and Technology (BRT) 501--Fundamentals of Biorenewable Resources and Technology. The main…

Current educational initiatives encourage the use of authentic learning environments to realistically prepare students for jobs in a constantly changing world. Many students of the Millennial generation may be social media savvy. However, what can be said about learning conditions and student readiness for active, reflective and collaborative…

As the governing board is calling for increased persistence and graduation rates, Peaks University (a pseudonym) in the southwestern United States will need to incorporate strategies to improve the perseverance to graduation of specific student groups including African American males. In a state where "Hispanics constitute 25 percent and Whites 63…

A Leadership Covenant: School Leaders' Promise to the Community They Serve examined the leadership characteristics that are imperative to the development of the school's culture and climate and that ultimately influence students' achievement. This mixed methods study was designed to explore the perceptions of parents, teachers and school leaders…

The purpose of this study was to build on the previous work of articulation practices of Virginia's public school divisions and community colleges participating in dual enrollment partnerships, and to understand the role of the community college in initiating, developing, and implementing dual enrollment programs. The primary focus involved…

Previous studies assessed the intercultural competence of groups of individuals including primary and secondary school teachers, students that have studied abroad, and students enrolled in a specific course at an institution. However, few, if any, studies have investigated the intercultural competence of a cohort of freshmen at the university…

This qualitative multiple case study research project examines interpreter use for students who are Deaf in the public school system and juxtaposes it with interpreter use found in the work sector after the school-to-work (STW) transition. Semi-structured interviews with 16 Deafness professionals and 6 study participants who are Deaf, as well as…

This research illuminated how five first-year teachers described the intercultural development that occurred while student teaching in a non-Western culture, and the value that those experiences abroad brought to their classrooms during their first year of teaching. The focus was to capture the essence of the experiences abroad as perceived and…

In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law. This legislation provided for monetary rewards for those acute-care hospitals that meet "meaningful use" computerization and reporting criteria. The study used a descriptive, nonexperimental design to answer three research questions (1) What is the level of readiness to meet…

The purpose of this study was to conduct a mid-cycle examination on the effects of a nonprofit organization's middle school intervention program on sixth grade math TAKS scores at a suburban middle school in Houston, Texas. This study examined the effectiveness of two of the project goals in the first year of a two-year implementation: Increased…

Approximately half of students at the community college level leave the institution before degree completion. Community college students are more likely than four-year students to be first-generation students, attend school part-time, be less prepared academically, work full-time, have family responsibilities, and have entered college later in…

As college enrollment continues to increase, there is greater need to understand how students remain engaged in their courses and throughout their program. Colleges are investing financial and human resources on understanding how student engagement initiatives impact retention and completion efforts, yet little research has been conducted on…