The purpose of this research was to manipulate the component of confidence found in Keller's ARCS Model to enhance the confidence and performance of undergraduate students enrolled in an online course at a Texas University. This experiment used SAM Office 2003 and WebCT for the delivery of the tactics, strategies, confidence-enhancing e-mails…

Purpose: Recent studies have concluded that there is a lack of "patient-centered" care in nursing homes and subsequently a need for nursing home culture change. As a result, a variety of new, promising initiatives have been introduced, with most of these incorporating the use of "empowered" employees. The purpose of this study…

This paper presents the methodology and results of teaching an entire engineering course using challenge-based instruction. The challenges consisted of eight biomechanics multimedia learning modules developed by the authors as part of a broader NSF educational coalition. The biomechanics modules were presented in an undergraduate mechanical…

The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain the effectiveness of Captain's Log, a computerized cognitive-training program designed to improve attention and reduce impulsivity. Participants consisted of 48 children in third through sixth grades, nominated by teachers for classroom behavior that interfered with their learning. Students were…

This study determined the effectiveness of Kindergarten Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (K-PALS) for English Learners (ELs). We compared 20 K-PALS ELs to 20 Control ELs and to 20 K-PALS non-ELs on early reading skill acquisition, using a pretest-posttest control group design with matched samples. We also compared proportions of ELs unresponsive…

Test-based education reform efforts continue to limit the number of minority teachers in the United States. Minority-serving institutions face numerous challenges in recruiting and preparing highly qualified minority teacher candidates for the academic demands of a changing teaching climate and the influx of a diverse student population in public…

Because children who are deaf or hard of hearing are being identified at birth, fitted with advanced hearing technology, and enrolled in early intervention programs, families increasingly seek professionals who can provide services that support their choice of listening and spoken language. The increased demand for these services and shortages of…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the research literature on three-tier models of reading and behavior and to provide a descriptive analysis and meta-analytic review of these models. An in-depth review of 17 articles was conducted on the similarities and differences between and among three-tier models of reading (n = 5), models of behavior…

This study utilized early reading assessment data from a randomized trial of 210 urban and rural schools in Texas to examine contextual effects on risk prediction in first and second grade. The primary objective was to examine the roles of (a) individual differences, (b) the grade 1 classroom, and (c) the pairing of first and second grade teachers…

The purpose of this research was to examine possible outcomes of developmental students' critical thinking and motivation to read when the online learning community, WebCT, was implemented. My role, in addition to instructor, was that of participant-observer. I implemented WebCT tools, such as discussion board and chat, over a four-month period…

The study reported in this paper investigated the effectiveness of an Integrated Holistic Teaching Method for teaching grammatical structure, cultural norms and behavior, writing and listening to German language students. The study involved a sample of 24 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory college-level German course at a large…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to use ecological footprint analysis (EFA) in an interdisciplinary graduate level course on sustainable development to better how education can facilitate learning and transform the perceptions and behavior of class participants. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an untreated control group research…

The Texas Education Agency awarded twenty competitive grants to Head Start programs in the state. The focus of the grants was on emergent literacy and pre-reading skills. Teachers, mentors, and administrators underwent intensive training. To investigate whether children emerged from the grant programs ready to enter school reading, an outside…

The field independent/field dependent tendencies of one-hundred and forty-three (143) Mexican American pupils in two rural, South Texas high schools was assessed. Teachers were given training in the educational implications of cognitive style on the learning process, and training to operate a classroom model designed to accommodate a specific…

The Texas/Montana Distance Learning Project was a summer (1992) pilot program administered by the Texas Education Agency in collaboration with the Montana Office of Public Instruction. Targeted participants were children of migratory workers who attended Texas schools, but were living temporarily in Montana during the early summer. The goals of…