There are many driving forces to increase the use of high-fidelity simulation (HFS) in nursing education, as well as many factors that may influence the implementation of this teaching strategy. These include the motivation of nurse educators to use HFS, the technological readiness of nurse educators to use HFS and the changing demographics of the…

This qualitative descriptive study examines and evaluates an internal, grow-your-own, community college leadership development program. Participants in a community college leadership development program self-reported their leadership knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) before, during, and after participation in the program. Study…

This dissertation utilized a multiple case study design to explore how advanced learners synthesize information about ill-structured topics when reading-to-learn and reading-to-do on the Web. Eight graduate students provided data in the form of think-alouds, interviews, screen video, digital trails, and task artifacts. Data analysis was based on…

This exploratory study examined the ways in which fourth grade students, in an urban setting, responded to a nine-week implementation of Marzano's Six Step Vocabulary Process. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the direct instruction of vocabulary and the effects on student achievement as measured by Vocabulary…

Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice programs in schools are a new and emerging field. Meeting in Circles to build community, resolve conflict, and learn interactively are core components of these programs. This ethnographic study, which took place February 2010 to December 2011, evaluates 12 small, out-of-classroom Talking Circles for 60…

The purpose of this study was to determine if superintendent longevity significantly impacted teachers' perceptions of their working conditions. In addition, the study sought to determine if there were differences in perceptions among teachers whose superintendent was beginning (1 or fewer years in current position), emerging (between 2 to 6…

The exponential growth of the Internet and mobile phone usage in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) within the last decade has created many different platforms for citizens' political participation. This appears to be changing the political landscape of most countries within the region as governments are increasingly held responsible for their actions.…

Although technology, pedagogy, and content are three separate knowledge domains, the interactions of these three domains comprise the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge framework, thus representing the knowledge that teachers need to integrate technology effectively. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the…

This dissertation addresses the research challenge of developing efficient new methods for discovering useful patterns and knowledge in large volumes of electronically collected spatiotemporal activity data. I propose to analyze three types of such spatiotemporal activity data in a methodological framework that integrates spatial analysis, data…

Teachers' knowledge, goals, beliefs, and decision-making activities were explored individually and combined relative to their philosophical beliefs and practices in the elementary classroom setting in response to unforeseen interruptions. Schoenfeld's Theory of Teaching-in-Context and Brown's "The Experimental Mind in…

This study is my attempt to consciously reflect on what is at hand in one student's work. I set out to learn about how students react to responses they receive. As I read portfolios at the end of the semester, Sapphrikah chose me through her amazing ability to consciously reflect and grow as a writer, activist, and womyn. By examining…

The significance of teaching the basics of engineering education in middle- and high-schools is generally acknowledged by policy makers, teachers and researchers in the U.S.A. as well as a number of developed and developing countries. Nevertheless, engineering topics are rarely covered by precollege curriculums. A key contributing factor is that…

The effect of content interactivity on performance outcomes and satisfaction has been studied by researchers who compared the results of Web-based and computer-based learning to classroom learning. Few scholars have compared the effects of the same content produced at different levels (low and high) of interactivity and the resulting effects. The…

This is a qualitative case study using ethnographic methods of how one school community has been able to negotiate Arizona's restrictive English only language policies. Drawing from classroom and school-wide observations, extensive interviews, and document collection, this case study explores three key questions in relation to this…

The first step in developing or updating a licensure or certification examination is to conduct a job or task analysis. Following completion of the job analysis, a survey validation study is performed to validate the results of the job analysis and to obtain task ratings so that an examination blueprint may be created. Psychometricians and job…