With the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), curriculum and professional development have had to change rapidly to fit the new standards. To aid with those changes, the EQuIP rubric was released as a guide for NGSS alignment. This study aims to evaluate lesson plans developed through the Target Inquiry project to…

This dissertation demonstrates the interdisciplinary integration of critical appreciative inquiry (a qualitative planning process focused on inclusion in decision-making) and multi-attribute utility theory (a quantitative evaluation process focused on rationality in decision-making). Principles of positive psychology and decision-making underlay…

This study examines the development and implementation of a distance education course review process at a mid-sized public university. Four primary goals were set for the process: to provide substantive feedback, to cultivate engagement between DE faculty and staff, to provide support to course developers and reviewers, and to establish an…

Just a few years ago, tenure appeared low on the reform list for state policy makers and district administrators, viewed as too hot an issue politically to challenge. But it was front and center in the 2014 landmark "Vergara v. California" lawsuit, which challenged teacher tenure and related policies. Yet whether to grant tenure or not…

Navigating academic demands in middle and high school may be particularly challenging for youth experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties, and screening practices are a necessary first step in identifying youth in need of services. The goal of this study was to inform efficient universal screening practices in secondary schools by…

A small number of districts in Ohio from a variety of locales have adopted merit pay provisions. Using Springer's (2009) taxonomy of teacher compensation, we analyzed compensation provisions of these districts. We asked: What are the characteristics of these districts? What criteria are used to determine merit? Who is determining who receives…

After decades of disinterest, evaluation of the performance of elementary and secondary teachers in the United States has become an important educational policy issue. As U.S. states and districts have tried to upgrade their evaluation processes, one of the models that has been increasingly used is the Framework for Teaching. This paper summarizes…

Policymakers are increasingly adopting "pay-for-performance" policies in which teachers are compensated based on their performance as measured by classroom evaluations and/or student achievement test results. Prior research has produced largely inconclusive findings concerning support among teachers for these policies and their effects…

John Carroll University (JCU) is a Jesuit Catholic institution located in University Heights, approximately 10 miles east of Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1888, the university has a population of 3,400 undergraduates and 800 graduate students. The Division of Student Affairs at JCU comprises 11 units. The mission of the division is the same as that…

Senior design capstone projects for engineering students are essential components of an undergraduate program that enhances communication, teamwork, and problem solving skills. Capstone projects with industry are well established in management, but not as heavily utilized in engineering. This paper outlines a general framework that can be used by…

For many it's a dollars and cents issue; for others, it's a heritage or spiritual issue. In reality campus heritage is both a spiritual and a monetary/economic issue. Some say that heritage should reflect institutional values, tradition, academic stature, and the role graduates have played in society, and others cast aside tradition and pay…

The grade-level instruments that comprise this social studies component of the model competency-based education (CBE) assessment package for Ohio have been constructed to assist teachers in assessing student attainment of competencies with the best assessments possible. The package notes that the individual district may use these instruments as…

Rubrics are tools that formalize the process of evaluation by explicitly stating the criteria to be used for grading. Rubrics help students to evaluate the quality of their work as they progress through a class. They may be very helpful to Ohio adult educators in helping to evaluate the Uniform Portfolio that must be kept on every student within a…

A project was conducted at the Northwest Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) Resource Center in northwest Ohio to establish workplace education indicators of program quality with specific measures and standards. Research was conducted through a survey of other states to determine their status in the development of workplace…

The author looks at three years of effort to measure the effectiveness of the career education curriculum in Ohio. The final analysis revealed that test items should be developed by examining instructional processes rather than stated goals and objectives, to better measure change and reflect what is taking place. (BP)