This study examined the networking and mentoring practices of female superintendents in California. Through a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data was collected from a survey using electronic questionnaires, and qualitative data was collected from open-ended questions on the survey and interviews. The survey response rate was 50%. Of the…

The purpose of this study was to address the gap in the current literature on community college students in basic math courses by examining motivational, parental and cultural factors as predictors of achievement and persistence of students enrolled in basic skills mathematics courses at a community college. More specifically, this study…

With the advent of and continual adaptations related to distance learning, there is a recognized need for up to date research in the area of effectiveness of online education programs. More specifically, assessing the capacity to attain academic goals by use of asynchronous and synchronous learning management systems (LMS) that power distance…

The academic achievement gap between ethno-linguistic minority students and other students, as represented by test scores, dropout rates, and college admissions and completion rates, is the most persistent and pressing challenge facing public schools nationwide. The existing achievement gap indicates that many of our students are not receiving the…

Within a modern context, superintendents walk a fine line in today's reform minded, accountability centered, sociopolitical setting. To many, the position of public school superintendent is perceived as a job where failure is inevitable. The purpose of this comparative case study was to understand the factors that contribute to superintendent…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether electronic response systems influence student metacognitions in large lecture settings, and how metacognitive processes are influenced. Moreover, this study compared electronic response systems with a low technology system and sought to establish whether differences exist in how the two response…

The major purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the past in order to understand the complex phenomenon of students engaging in science (Newman, Ridenour, Newman, & DeMarco, 2003) specifically through the oral histories of six self-identified African American males enrolled in a high school Advanced Placement Biology class and the…

Education has been slow to catch up on the use of instructional technology. Despite the fact that billions of dollars have been spent in purchasing, equipping and supporting technology, increased access has not translated into significant educational gain (McGrail, 2005; Selfe, 1999). One of the reasons for this is because teachers are not…

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is methodology for eliciting knowledge from subject matter experts. CTA has been used to capture the cognitive processes, decision-making, and judgments that underlie expert behaviors. A review of the literature revealed that CTA has not yet been used to capture the knowledge required to perform ultrasound guided…

The lack of women represented in high level student affairs positions has been documented in the literature (Ting & Watt, 1999). The literature suggest that an existing pool of qualified, experienced women is present on university campuses, but has yet to be tapped to enhance the gender diversity at senior administrative level positions (King…

The School of Planning Policy and Development at the University of Southern California brought together representatives of neighborhood councils and city agencies of the city of Los Angeles together in an action research program. This action research program called the Collaborative Learning Project developed a collaboration process called the…

This study used a purposeful sample of five public non-charter elementary schools in Hawai`i. The schools, located on two different islands, displayed evidence of improving academic performance and consistently outperformed the state average growth in scores on the Hawai`i State Assessment (HSA). These schools had mid to high percentages of…

This study investigates the perceptions of a small group of Language Arts intervention teachers who have been prescribed a commercially-prepared intervention curriculum for use with their students. Written surveys and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data in pursuit of answers to the following research questions: (1) How do teachers…

Recent and ongoing expansion of online opportunities for teacher education and training continue in response to calls for better teacher preparation and professional development opportunities. However, with the introduction of online learning, the already controversial debate over educational technology has taken on a new dimension. Today's…

The purpose of this study was to identify the utilized strategies and practices that urban superintendents use to raise student achievement. This study examined the strategies, practices, and leadership skills that are applied by urban superintendents. Three research questions were used in this mixed-methods study. A survey instrument was used…