Demonstration models allow students to readily grasp theory and relate difficult concepts and equations to real life. However drawbacks of using these demonstration models are that they are can be costly to purchase from vendors or take a significant amount of time to build. These two limiting factors can pose a significant obstacle for adding…

Successful science and engineering programs require proficiency and dynamics in mathematics classes to enhance the learning of complex subject matter with a sufficient amount of practical problem solving. Improving student performance and retention in mathematics classes requires inventive approaches. At the University of Central Florida (UCF) the…

The Blended Learning Toolkit supports the course redesign approach, and interest in its openly available clearinghouse of online tools, strategies, curricula, and other materials to support the adoption of blended learning continues to grow. When the resource originally launched in July 2011, 20 AASCU [American Association of State Colleges and…

Charter schools see as many as one in four teachers leave annually, and recent evidence attributes much of this turnover to provisions affected by collective bargaining processes and state laws such as salary, benefits, job security, and working hours. There have been many recent efforts to improve teacher voice in charter schools (Kahlenberg…

The Multicultural Action Project (MAP) is a cultural immersion project that requires counseling students to engage with diverse cultural communities on 3 levels: observation, information seeking, and action. To ascertain if participating in MAP improved the multicultural competence of graduate counseling students, the authors conducted an…

This report describes the final evaluation of a condensed work schedule, the Summer 2009 4-Day Work Week (S4-DWW), adopted by The School Board of Broward County, Florida. The goal for the program was to close the entire district for 1 day each week to reduce utility costs. Except for a few cases, district schools and offices were closed on Fridays…

The majority of school districts in the U.S. are providing some form of online learning for their students. In the past, virtual schools primarily targeted advanced students who didn't have access to certain courses in their regular schools. Recently, however, many virtual schools have shifted their focus to credit recovery as a way to provide…

To address re-accreditation issues, North Florida Community College devised Essential Skills Blocks required for all students. Librarians devised an Information Skills course and collaborated with faculty to reach and teach the students. The authors discuss the outcomes of this project.

In compliance with the Teacher Education Center Act of 1973 (Section 231.608, Florida Statutes), a select group of Florida educators, Department of Education members, and State Council on Teacher Education Centers (TEC's) representatives developed proposed criteria for both the evaluation of teacher centers and evaluation of the evaluation…

The Office of Migrant Child Education, Arizona Department of Education, annually participates in a Teacher Exchange Program with other states. Arrangements are first made with other states to send teachers and administrators on an observation tour of their Migrant Child Education Programs. Objectives are to provide: (1) an opportunity for state…

This report summarizes findings from the second year of an implementation study of the Early Childhood Cluster Initiative (ECCI). ECCI is a prekindergarten program in ten elementary schools and a community child care center in Palm Beach County, based on the design of the High/Scope Perry Preschool model. The initiative is characterized by low…

This article describes how a K-12 school in South Florida adopted a course management system with e-portfolio capabilities. E-portfolios are available tools, though more costly, in higher-end course management systems and are gaining recognition in the K-12 market. However, according to a recent survey administered by the technology team at the…

This paper compares community college faculty salaries in Florida and the nation, discusses the effects of unions on salaries, and addresses reasons for faculty continuing in education despite lower pay. Community college faculty salaries have increased an average of 51% throughout the United States in the last decade, with some states being as…

Discusses how work evaluation helps students discover their aptitudes, abilities, and preferences and then matches these factors with the demands of various jobs. Discusses determining who needs work evaluation, conducting a job survey, helping accident victims through work evaluation, and prescribing help for students' adjustment to future…

The George A. Smathers Libraries of the University of Florida is currently undergoing a major renovation. Library West, the building that houses the humanities and social sciences collection, will be gutted and expanded. The collection will be moved to off-site storage and the staff will be relocated for a two-year period. The reality of these…