Use of the term Background knowledge, in conjunction with Reading Comprehension, has become convoluted and vague over the past several decades of research. Showing the abundance of uses of the term in multiple domains and disciplines has relegated it to being an automatic inclusion in key notes and conclusions of research on the topic of improving…

This applied dissertation was an inquiry into the phenomenon of cheating among students who take their classes online. There is a common perception that cheating is rampant in online classes and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accreditation association in the South, implemented policies, which mandate stricter monitoring of…

From the moment children are born, they begin a lifetime journey of learning about themselves and their surroundings. With the establishment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, it mandates that all children receive a high-quality education in a positive school climate. Regardless of the school the child attends or the neighborhood in which…

A study was conducted to determine if a deficiency, or learning gap, existed in a particular working environment. To determine if an assessment was to be conducted, a program proposal would need to be developed to explore this situation. In order for a particular environment to react and grow with other environments, it must be able to take on…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of intensity of Facebook use and compare the effects of Facebook use with retention program participation on the engagement of college freshmen. The sample consisted of 141 freshmen at the University of West Florida (UWF). The participants were surveyed using questions from the National…

Which form of Chinese characters should be taught in Chinese language classes: traditional or simplified? The results of a questionnaire distributed to sections at the University of Florida show the reasons for students' preferences for one or the other form. In view of the students' awareness that traditional characters are more beneficial to…

The purpose of this study was two-fold. It was first to find out what the educational materials needs were for children living in poverty, and second, to learn of the challenges, obstacles, and strengths by the programs already in place that were supplying educational materials to these children. This study used interviews and surveys as data…

This study used oral survey methods to examine first the diversity of Meso-American languages and second the potential language maintenance or loss of these languages among Meso-American language speakers in Wiregrass country (North Florida-South Georgia). Language shift, the process of gradually changing from one first language to another first…

This applied dissertation evaluated the effectiveness of literacy coaching in a central Florida district as perceived by teachers working in the district's middle schools. The study investigated teacher's perceptions of literacy coaches, the literacy coaches' perceptions of their roles within the schools, and the literacy coaches' impact on…

With soaring uncertainty surrounding the financing of public higher education, institutions are faced with developing strategies that will enable them to effectively compete for state funding. One component to cultivating resources and relationships for colleges and universities are through government relations organizations. Utilized for…

The purpose of this study was to identify the nonacademic reasons that preclude African American males from enrolling in college after high school completion. The examination of this study evolved as a result of an abundance of African American males choosing not to enroll in college after completing high school. A mixed-methods research design…

This paper presents the qualitative findings based on the analysis of open-ended responses from surveys completed by 59 incarcerated women who participated in an arts-based education program. ArtSpring focuses on promoting self-growth and effective life skills through art-making for underserved and institutionalized women and girls. Findings…

This study was an attempt to determine science teachers' teaching styles and to examine the relationships between these styles and teachers' demographic characteristics. To achieve these purposes, Teaching Style Inventory and Background Questionnaire were administered to science teachers in Tallahassee, Florida. Data analysis indicates that…

The problem addressed by this study was that the Health Professions Division (HPD) students at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) were not fully aware of the financial aid process. The issue created frustrated students who were unable to manage their overall debt because they were left financially powerless, resulting in the prospect of being…

The decision to conduct a "Needs Assessment of the Haitian-American Community in Hillsborough County" was made to provide a quasi-scientific or a research foundation to our future intervention in this community. More specifically, the needs assessment aimed to: (1) Identify the priorities in the needs of the Haitian-American community,…