The purpose of this methodological study is to explore how well a process called "concept mapping" (Trochim, 1989) can articulate the theory which underlies a social program. Articulation of a program's theory is a key step in completing a sound theory based evaluation (Weiss, 1997a). In this study, concept mapping is used to articulate the…

Federal legislation has prescribed the increased use of statewide achievement tests as the culmination of a student's knowledge and ability at the end of a grade level; however, schools need to be able to predict those who are at-risk of performing poorly on these high-stakes tests. Three studies served to identify a means of predicting statewide…

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of principals and Hispanic parents of English language learners about the school experience of their students. Through collecting stories (narrative) of their children's school experiences, I was able to determine that the key perceptions of principals and Hispanic parents focused on their…

Technological advancements have facilitated the learning process by offering faculty members and students better access to resources, while increasing the potential for more interaction and communication flexibility (Firmin & Miller, 2005). Among these technologies is electronic mail or e-mail. The uses and perceptions of e-mail between business…

This qualitative study provides illustrations embedded in case studies of four focal preservice English teachers and illuminates how they negotiated dilemmas related to linguistically informed principles (LIP) and folk beliefs about language (FBL). The study addresses gaps in what researchers know about how to support new teachers as they…

The family is at the core of early intervention. In line with family-centered practice, when early intervention supports and services are based on what the family considers to be important, positive outcomes for the family as well as the child are experienced. Prior research confirms the benefits of early intervention for the family in general.…

This study investigates the mechanism of beginning teachers' learning in the context of a university-based teacher preparation program. The purpose is to understand "how" and "why" secondary science teacher candidates from the same university-based teacher preparation program develop different kinds of practices of science teaching as their…

The unaccusativity hypothesis (Burzio 1986; Levin & Rappaport Hovav 1995; Perlmutter 1978) posits that intransitive verbs may be divided into two broad classes: unaccusatives, whose sole argument is an internal argument and unergatives, whose sole argument is an external argument. In this dissertation I explore the idea that there is a similar,…

Classrooms are a primary site of evidence about learning. Yet classroom proceedings often occur behind closed doors and hence evidence of student learning is observable only to the classroom teacher. The informal and undocumented nature of this information means that it is rarely included in statistical models or quantifiable analyses. This…

This study investigates the availability and perceived importance of trauma response training in school counseling preparatory programs. Using two population samples, 101 counselor educators of institutions with CACREP-accredited school counseling programs and 803 practicing school counselors, questionnaires assessed the extent to which…

Are subjects produced differently based on the transitivity of the clause they are embedded in? Based on data from a narrative reading experiment, it is shown that transitive subjects are produced with a lower f0 than intransitive subjects and that this difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.05). It is suggested that the purpose…

Previous research has revealed that industry professionals and educators in the field of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) agree that classroom theory and experience in the field are essential components of undergraduate HTM education. Yet there is some disagreement on internship hour requirements, and limited data on actual outcomes. This…

The present study examined how elementary reading coaches interpreted their roles, how they allotted their time among various tasks, and their perceptions regarding the influence of their roles related to teacher knowledge and instructional practice in elementary schools receiving Reading First funding in one state Employing both quantitative and…

Literature verifies that Native American students are not graduating at a comparable rate as students from other ethnic groups. Furthermore, studies that focus solely on the persistence and completion rates for Native American students are fewer than for students who identify with other racial/ethnic groups. This research explored the inner…

The principle of academic freedom is a central aspect of the learning and teaching process in the American higher education system. Its importance, however, has become more accepted over time and today it is an established part of our post-secondary system. This shift in acceptance began in the early part of the twentieth century and was contested…