The convergence of innovations in digital technologies and expanding global internet connectivity has given rise to an emerging field of study identified as Digital Media and Learning (DML). (Davidson and Goldberg, 2009; Gee, 2009; Ito, Horst and Bittanti, 2008; Jenkins and Purushotma, 2008). In describing his work for the MacArthur Foundation's…

How do youth with orthopedic impairments negotiate expectations and experiences as they transition from high school to college and from family-delivered supports to independence? And what in the earlier periods of their individual development/family life provides the context and frameworks for their negotiation of transition to adulthood? The…

The purpose of this study was to compare two groups of males in Arizona Department of Corrections (ADJC) custody with regard to three factors. The first group consisted of youth sentenced to ADJC who later received criminal charges for which they were transferred to the adult court system, ("Transferred" group), and the second group involved youth…

This study investigated student and faculty perceptions of their experiences with online learning in dental hygiene Bachelor of Science degree completion programs on the dimensions of: quality of learning, connectedness to the learning environment, technology factors and student satisfaction. The experiences of dental hygiene students who took…

Curiosity is often considered the foundation of learning. There is, however, little understanding of how (or if) pedagogy in higher education affects student curiosity, especially in the studio setting of architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. This study used mixed-methods to investigate curiosity among design students in the…

Literature has shown that professional development is most effective when it is ongoing, involves active, collective participation, and has coherence with the overall curriculum and teacher experience. This study was designed to examine the manner and extent to which Jamestown Polytechnic Charter School Organization designs and implements…

What factors contribute to effective multimedia learning? Increasingly, interactivity is considered a critical component that can foster learning in multimedia environments, including simulations and games. Although a number of recent studies investigate interactivity as a factor in the effective design of multimedia instruction, most examine only…

The purpose of the this study was to explore how peer coaches support the development of collaborative communication skills in an online format for consultants in training (CITs). The program examined was Instructional Consultation which pairs a consultant with a teacher to work collaboratively to resolve the teacher's concern regarding a student.…

With this thesis, I present a case study of the effort to graduate 500 "Maori" doctorates in five years in New Zealand in order to advance our understanding of a successful Indigenous higher education initiative. By paying careful attention to contextual factors, I describe the theoretical and practical significance of this effort and discuss the…

Students with disabilities receive special education services in schools, and schools are required by law to meet their academic needs. The population of students with disabilities include students with ED. Research indicates that educating students with ED have resulted in challenges in school performance and in teacher and student relationships…

This study examines the impact of school leadership on the experience of the novice educator. If the teacher shortage epidemic is ultimately rooted in attrition, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to this mass exodus (Ingersoll, 2001). While much has been written about this flight from the teacher perspective, it has not…

The combination of the recent push for reform-based teaching and federal legislation has placed a renewed emphasis on professional development across all content areas. The development of content standards and the No Child Left Behind Act have created new expectations for students to achieve, as well as for teachers to utilize better teaching…

The education of under-prepared college students is a topic that interested and motivated this researcher to conduct a study on learning communities and measuring change in writing apprehension and locus of control of developmental students at a community college. Higher education is generally viewed as a place for the intellectually elite.…

Reading growth from preschool to Grade 5 was evaluated in a sample of 964 children using multi-group latent growth curve analysis. Groups consisted of children assigned to six different school readiness profiles based on social and cognitive characteristics. Results indicate modes interrelationships between kindergarten readiness profiles, teacher…

Students with disabilities are entering colleges and universities across the nation in ever-increasing numbers, with the greatest percentage being students with learning disabilities (LD). Yet, students with disabilities often do not graduate from college at the same rate as students without disabilities. Self-determination is an important skill…