This study is an investigation into the science literacy of college genetics students who were given a modified curriculum to address specific teaching and learning problems from a previous class. This study arose out of an interest by the professor and researcher to determine how well students in the class Human Genetics in the 21st Century…

Addressing inconsistencies in student achievement between students of different racial backgrounds has been acknowledged and explored for over fifty years. Policies and programs have been developed and funded to decrease the discrepancies between groups with limited evidence of success. This study will explore the presence of achievement…

This thesis is a comprehensive study of lexical and clause-linkage properties of converbs in an underdescribed language, Sakha (aka Yakut). Following Haspelmath (1995b) a converb is defined as a non-finite verb form which mainly indicates an adverbial subordination. Converbs are attested in diverse languages of the world, but are used extensively…

This study is an exploration of alternative teacher professional development. While using symbolic interactionism for a research lens, it characterizes the discursive practices commonly found in formal, informal, and blended-space speech communities based on the talk within a leadership-development program comprised of five female, church-based…

This study sought to identify factors that influence teacher decisions about pedagogy based on curriculum content and skills and the degree to which teachers transfer pedagogical content knowledge to practice, specifically through the use of various models of teaching. A purposeful sample included 14 elementary teachers from highly diverse, urban…

This study looked at 4th grade classrooms to see "how" teachers implement NCTM standards-based or reform-based mathematics instruction and then analyzed it for the capacity to improve students' "algebra readiness." The qualitative study was based on classroom observations, teacher and administrator interviews, and teacher surveys. The study took…

Today, many students in higher education are considered digital natives--savvier and more experienced with technology than students in the past. In teacher preparation programs, teacher education students are commonly expected to demonstrate achievement of program goals and objectives and national teaching standards in a "portfolio." Gaining in…

This study investigated the impact of parenting trends on a private Pre K-12 school from the Midwestern United States. The researcher used focus group interviews with 16 educators to examine the perceived effects of parenting on teachers, students and the institution. Results from a survey, reaching a larger sample of educators from two additional…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the perception of elementary teachers and their practices when transitioning from small classes of 20 to larger classes of 28 or more students. The respondents were asked questions about how they have adjusted to the instruction of the curriculum, classroom management, monitoring of student…

Extensive teacher mobility can undermine policy efforts to develop a high-quality workforce. As one response, policymakers have increasingly championed financial incentives as a way to retain teachers. In January, 2006, Denver Public School District, the Denver Classroom Teachers' Association, and Denver voters approved and funded one of the most…

Current trends and research in education indicated that teacher learning is a crucial link to student achievement. There is a void in the research regarding teacher preferences for delivery models in professional development. Determining teacher preferences is an important component in professional development planning and the driving inquiry for…

The retention of teachers impacts the life of a small rural school district. This study investigated the practices that school districts can employ to retain the teachers that have been recently hired. The question that guided the design of this study was: "From the perspective of recently-hired teachers, what practices can school administrators…

This descriptive study focused on the degree to which data-driven decision making as envisioned by the NCLB legislation was actually occurring in the elementary schools studied. A multi-stage random sample of six Pennsylvania school districts out of 19 located within the service area of Pennsylvania Intermediate Unit #17, one of 29 regional…

Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, standardized test scores have revealed that the U.S. public education system has been unable to adequately address improvement of academic achievement. For 20 years, educators have been promoting professional learning communities (PLCs) as a solution to improving K-12 academic achievement.…

The purpose of this research was to determine the perceptions of physical education teachers and supervisors toward the secondary physical education program in eight domains in the State of Kuwait. Stratified and cluster sampling were used to select two schools of female teachers and two schools of male teachers from each district (6 districts);…