The overall purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and participation in professional development activities of key stakeholders as related to the change of position from an Instructional Support Teacher to an Instructional Coach. Specifically, this study aimed to provide a detailed and extensive review of the implementation process and…

English Language Learners (ELL) are often at a distinct disadvantage from receiving authentic science learning opportunites. This study explored English Language Learners (ELL) learning experiences with scientific language and inquiry within a real life context. This research was theoretically informed by sociocultural theory and literature on…

Despite the exponential growth of Latinos during the past decade and an increase in higher education participation, there continues to be a gap in degree attainment compared to other ethnic and racial groups in this country. This gap is even greater for low-income Latino students seeking a degree in STEM fields. A proposed solution for this gap…

Students whose parents have productive relationships with their teachers tend to perform better in school than those who do not (Hughes & Kwok, 2007). Low income students and students belonging to certain minority groups tend to perform less well in school than their higher income, Caucasian peers (McKinley, 2009). The parents of low-income…

In 1999, California was among the first schools in the nation to initiate an accountability model for public education using a method for system measurement of academic improvement constructed on the bedrock of standards-based education. The State also included a new twist...sanctions. Schools that failed to make expected progress, as measured…

This study examines how emergent communities might show different patterns of uses and perceptions for communication and profile features when geolocation features are used. It explores the ways that location awareness moderates the social and cognitive processes that motivate people's participation in the sharing of personal information…

Opinion regarding the importance of skilled reading converges in an almost unanimous voice. Despite the overwhelming importance of reading, 33% of fourth graders experience reading failure (The National Center for Education Statistics, 2009). Additionally, classrooms are composed of diverse learners with various learning styles and abilities…

This study sought to provide insight regarding how novice teachers perceive the influence of receiving an award for excellence early in their careers. The questions guiding this study focus on the perceptions of the respondents regarding whether or not they perceived that the award was motivating; whether the award influenced them personally,…

Much of the research literature on learning technologies and distance education has concentrated on achievement, with little to no emphasis on factors pertaining to motivation. This lack of research is a concern given the high enrollment and low retention rates in distance education programs. The focus of this comparative study was to investigate…

School districts have two general courses of action to maintain fiscal solvency and raise student achievement in the face of drastic funding cuts. They can reduce spending on teachers, a strategy opposed by many teachers' unions because it threatens teacher job security. They can also cut expenditures in other areas such as instructional…

Historical thinking is an integral part of understanding and doing history, as well as a good example of the kind of critical thinking necessary in today's society. This study, conducted in two phases, investigated ways in which students are brought to this higher level of thinking in the social studies classroom. Data collection occurred…

This study examined teachers' use of student tasks involving dynamic geometry software, in which a figure is constructed then altered while maintaining its constructed properties. Although researchers, professional organizations, and policy makers generally have been proponents of dynamic geometry for instruction, there is little research…

The perception of high school special education math students and their teachers regarding the collaboration and provision of specially designed instruction was explored in this qualitative study. The theoretical framework proposed that a balance between constructivism and direct instruction within a student-centered classroom would encourage…

The practice of inclusion, even the term itself, has been the subject of controversy over the last several decades. "Inclusion" has many interpretations, depending upon the student, educator, and setting. In my dissertation, I sought to find answers from parents and educators' regarding their perceptions on including young children…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how students at Henry Lord Middle School in Fall River take into consideration their initial college and career aspirations when making their decision for high school. Self-efficacy theory, critical theory, and a literature review related to high school decision-making inform the analysis of…