Since 2003, the Speak Up National Research Project has collected and shared the ideas and views of more than 1.5 million K-12 students, teachers, parents and administrators on education and technology. This dataset provides national education leaders and policy makers with the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder feedback to…

Background: Most policy doctrines promote the use of scientific inquiry in the K-12 classroom, but good inquiry is hard to implement, particularly for schools with fiscal and safety constraints and for teachers struggling with understanding how to do so. Purpose: In this paper, we present the design of a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE)…

This study compared the implementation of a person-centered model of instruction to non person-centered instruction in Web-based courses. Three questions were posed regarding the outcomes of the person-centered model of instruction: Is it possible to increase the self actualization, or striving for individual achievement from learners in a…

As a new generation of learners enters higher education classrooms, effective teaching strategies must adapt to match their learning styles. This research explored student and teacher perceptions of effectiveness of teaching methods, with particular comparison between techniques emphasizing community versus individual learning. Fifteen psychology…

This study explores the relationship between regional people's identities, their experiences of learning, and engagement with learning. Fifteen adult learners describe those experiences of education and the significant impact of their learning identity on their engagement with learning in the long term. The study was based in a regional area of…

To complement traditional learning activities in a masters-level research methodology course, social work students worked on a formal research project which involved: designing the study, constructing measures, selecting a sampling strategy, collecting data, reducing and analyzing data, and finally interpreting and communicating the results. The…

Using a case study approach, this study explored the participants' perceptions of building learning communities in online courses in an online MBA program. The findings suggested that students felt a sense of belonging to a learning community when they took online courses in this program. The study found positive relationships between sense of…

The purpose of this study was to examine students' levels of engagement in educational practices by enrollment status, time of enrollment, and size of college in community colleges. Specifically, this study assessed the quality of the undergraduate education through students' self-reported data about their academic and nonacademic activities. The…

As educators and practitioners continue to seek effective interventions to prevent dropout, they must focus on identifying, monitoring, and addressing risk factors that are influenced by teachers (e.g., academic performance, peer and adult interactions, attendance, and behavior). As a result, teachers' roles in dropout prevention are critical.…

Since much of the previous research on exit exams, including CEP's own work, has looked at national patterns of implementation and passing rates, this study aimed to benefit policy and practice by focusing on the local level. Specifically, case studies were conducted in Jackson, MS and Austin, TX that examined how classroom instruction and other…

This two-part study investigates perceptions of interactive classroom teaching techniques for adult learning. In the first part of the study 62 college faculty members and 45 corporate trainers were surveyed about their teaching and training methods. The survey had two main objectives: to determine rates of classroom techniques used, and to…

A large proportion of American students are not psychologically connected or engaged to what is occurring in their classes; in addition, they fail to take school seriously, have lost interest in school, and do not value or seek out success (Steinberg, Brown, & Dornbusch, 1996). In addition, the relationship in a mathematics classroom between…

This executive summary presents findings from the Year 3 evaluation of Texas' state-level Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, grant. GEAR UP grant requirements include an evaluation component designed to assess program effectiveness and to measure progress toward project goals. To this end, the evaluation…

The fields of Computer Information Systems (CIS) and Information Technology (IT) are experiencing rapid change. In 2003, an analysis of IT degree programs and those of competing disciplines at 10 post-secondary institutions concluded that an information technology program is perceived differently from information systems and computer science. In…

The concept of student engagement and its relationship to successful student performance and learning outcomes has a long history in higher education (Kuh, 2007). Attention to faculty and student engagement has only recently become of interest to the engineering education community. This interest can be attributed to long-standing research by…