This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between two of New York City's accountability tools, and, if so, to what the extent this correlation exists. The ongoing calls for school reform have left individual states and school systems initiating one program after another in an effort to improve student achievement. New…

Research on professional development for teachers usually focuses on its effects during or immediately after the experience or on teacher's satisfaction with professional development in general. Little research focuses on the lasting impressions and influences. This qualitative study used two focus groups to gather the memories of eleven…

Constructivism maintains that instruction is more meaningful when it is relevant, social and interactive. Formative assessment has been empirically demonstrated as being an effective form of instruction and assessment for learners (Black & Wiliam, 1998a, 1998b). Since assessment orients instruction and learning, combining student culture with…

There is limited research that investigates parent perceptions with respect to their early elementary school children's home language use. To fill the gap in research, this study explores the relationship between first generation Latino parent perspectives of bilingualism, home language maintenance and loss, and the intersection of culture…

Abstract algebra enjoys a prestigious position in mathematics and the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. A typical abstract algebra course aims to provide students with a glimpse into the elegance of mathematics by exposing them to structures that form its foundation--it arguably approximates the actual practice of mathematics better than any…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether age differences affect students' academic achievement, and whether age differences affect students in low-income areas differently than those in mixed or higher-income areas. Student achievement data for grades 3, 7, and 11 in language arts and math were obtained from a variety of schools…

At both a national and state level there is a growing need for skilled workers in the labor force. Educating low skilled adults is one way to address this need. Adult education programs teach low skilled adults basic academic skills to prepare them for work and life in U.S. society. Until recently little attention was paid to transitioning…

This dissertation consists of two manuscripts to examine student motivation and engagement in the foreign language classroom. The purpose of the first paper is to propose a model that distinguishes between motivation and engagement. The paper highlights the connections and differences between motivation and engagement in order to point out issues…

Within the context of a nationwide shortage of teachers of color, stable enrollment of Native American students, and increasing enrollments of Hispanic students, the purpose of this study was to examine self-reported stress among Native American, Hispanic, and Caucasian K-5 teachers. This was a mixed-methods study, with both quantitative and…

In this age of standards-based education, students are being taught the concepts and skills deemed important and necessary according to state standards. Students are being assessed on their understanding of these concepts and skills through high-stakes testing. Standards-based grading is assessing students on their understanding of these same…

While the literature on institutional civic engagement is quite extensive, the community perspective on such endeavors remains an under-developed area of study. This is particularly true of academic outreach programs meant to support the college preparation of underrepresented students. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations of…

This study examines the efforts of student volunteers to motivate participation in a school-wide Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) program at a large urban high school. The researcher recruited a group of twenty student volunteers to visit classrooms and implement activities aimed at motivating their peers to read during SSR. Such activities help…

Composition has been described as essential for understanding functions (Carlson, Oehrtman, & Engelke, 2010; Cooney, Beckmann, & Lloyd, 2010). Studies of students' understanding of function composition have shown that students use multiplication and other operations in place of composition (Carlson et al., 2010; Horvath, 2010). While…

The use of workflow or simulated training has been used in the training of medical students for several decades. As technology emerged, training using simulation has grown as an effective way of enhancing training outcomes and increasing the clinical effectiveness of medical students. As a result of a heightened focus on the integration of…

Higher education is a distribution center of knowledge and economic, social, and cultural power (Cervero & Wilson, 2001). A critical approach to understanding a higher education classroom begins with recognizing the instructor's position of power and authority (Tisdell, Hanley, & Taylor, 2000). The power instructors wield exists…