Education

The Migrant Education Program was enacted by Congress in 1966 as an amendment to the Elementary and Second Education Act of 1965. Today Title 1, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provides funding to states and subsequently to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide educational programs and services to children of migratory farm workers. These funds are intended to enable these unique children to have access to state standards-based curriculum and to find success on standards-based assessments. This study examined the LEA utilization of funds awarded to the State of Florida under Title 1, Part C, from AY2007-09, identified the specific activities implemented by LEAs to meet the unique educational needs of the migrant students, and analyzed the impact of total student membership, total migrant entitlement, and concentration of migrant students relative to the total LEA student membership on the utilization of the funding. The study demonstrated that the Federal Office of Migrant Education policies and rules promulgated by the State of Florida channel funding away from educational activities for the students to non-academic expenditures.

The purpose of this proposed research study was to identify actual teaching practices/instructional strategies for online science courses. The identification of these teaching practices/instructional strategies could be used to compile a set of teaching practices/instructional strategies for virtual high school and online academy science instructors. This study could assist online science instructors by determining which teaching practices/instructional strategies were preferred for the online teaching environment. The literature reviewed the role of online and face-to-face instructional strategies, then discussed and elaborated on the science instructional strategies used by teachers, specifically at the secondary level. The current literature did not reflect an integration of these areas of study. Therefore, the connectedness of these two types of instructional strategies and the creation of a set of preferred instructional practices for online science instruction was deemed necessary. For the purpose of this study, the researcher designed a survey for face-to-face and online teachers to identify preferred teaching practices, instructional strategies, and types of technology used when teaching high school science students. The survey also requested demographic data information from the faculty members, including years of experience, subject(s) taught, and whether the teacher taught in a traditional classroom or online, to determine if any of those elements affect differences in faculty perceptions with regard to the questions under investigation. The findings from the current study added to the literature by demonstrating the differences and the similarities that exist between online and face-to-face instruction. Both forms of instruction tend to rely on student-centered approaches to teaching.

The purpose of this study was to determine principals' attitudes toward the use of culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally responsive leadership in predominately African American schools. Culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, culturally responsive urban leadership, and ethnohumanist leadership are the study's theoretical underpinnings. The research question was as follows: To what extent, if any, do principals of predominately African American schools promote culturally relevant pedagogy and utilize culturally responsive leadership? The sample for this mixed methods study was secondary school principals and teachers in predominately African American schools. Seven principals and 43 teachers participated in the study. The research methods used were vignettes, interviews, surveys, content analysis, and document analysis. Vignettes containing 10 scenarios of principals performing culturally responsive leadership practices were distributed to principals who were asked to rate them with a Likert scale. In addition, principals were asked 13 open ended questions about culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally responsive leadership in an interview. Teachers were asked to complete a 10 question on-line survey about their principals' leadership from a culturally responsive perspective. Reviews of school improvement plans, principals' messages, and mission and vision statements were also conducted.

The purpose of this research was to explore middle school leaders' perceptions of the reasons girls' enrollment levels in science courses during high school declines and if the advice given to middle school girls may be perpetuating the diminished enrollment of girls in science courses as they move from middle school to high school. The study explored the contributions of expectancy and role theory using a qualitative method. Data analysis found that cultural influences on middle school girls' career goals emerged as a significant influence on school leaders' perceptions. Instructional methodology and cultural, gendered assumptions of women in science were found as themes in middle school leaders' perceptions that further shaped the advice to girls to enroll in high school science courses. The study provided information that clarified how middle school leaders can maintain the academic pathway for girls in science as well as recommendations for further study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of implementing a school counselor-led intervention, a culturally translated version of the Student Success Skills (SSS) program, on student academic achievement in Hispanic students. The research question investigated in this study was: Does Hispanic student participation in the culturally translated Student Success Skills classroom guidance program increase academic achievement as measured by state mandated standardized reading and math tests? Based on the fact that Hispanic students are at a very high risk of academic failure, there is an urgent need to address the lack of academic success. The cultural translation of the Student Success Skills (SSS) program focuses on student outcomes and helps to provide a link between school counselors and improved outcomes for Hispanic students.The sample for this study included 103 treatment and 98 comparison fourth and fifth grade students from three schools in South Florida. Participating students were selected from all Hispanic students at four schools in South Florida, by selecting the students who spoke mainly Spanish at home and came from Hispanic backgrounds. Academic achievement was measured using a standardized, objective, state-wide assessment instrument, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The procedure used to analyze the results for this study was a Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The statistical analysis showed that the treatment group scored significantly higher than the comparison group in reading. There was not a significant difference in math for the treatment group. When fidelity of treatment was investigated a post hoc analysis found that groups with full implementation of the program scored significantly higher in math and in reading than the comparison group.

Utilizing a modified Delphi Technique research study, consensus was sought from 298 practitioners in the public assembly facility management (PAFM) industry regarding their perceptions on varied matters connected to the academic preparation of managers/executives serving the industry. A comprehensive literature review and a prior pilot study were conducted for the purpose of creating the initial survey (Questionnaire 1). The pilot study consisted of an open-ended interview session with a panel (N=16) of PAFM managers. Sixty-four (64) of 66 consensus-seeking items attained consensus from the respondents (N=298) after Questionnaire 1 results were tabulated. Respondents were given the opportunity to re-assess their Questionnaire 1 choices in Questionnaire 2 and if compelled, change them. Items related to Kinesiology and Physical Education did not attain consensus status in Questionnaire 1 or Questionnaire 2. This study concluded: a) academic program in PAFM is beneficial to the industry (96%) and 63.5% viewed the degree as very important or essential; b) the preferred academic delivery level was Bachelors/undergraduate (52.7%); c) the degree program should be housed in Business (42%); d) the preferred competencies and skill sets were identified; e) the preferred course components were identified.

The purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to interpret the meaning found throughout the formal educational experience stories of Native American, Asian American, and African American women born after 1944, who had earned an education doctorate degree after 1976, and were working with adults in an educational capacity within the community. Utilizing the snowball technique, 14 participants from across the United States volunteered to collaborate with the researcher. The study's conceptual framework included adult learning principles and practices, Nussbaum's 'narrative imagination,' which were used to examine the women's motivation to participate in an education doctorate program as well as the barriers, the enhancers, and the application of the degree in the community. Data collected included an in-depth, face-to-face interview, two reflective narrative guides, document analysis, and researcher journals and analytic memos. All data was coded and analyzed with Atlas -ti 5.0 software, and thematic analyses completed in order to triangulate the data. Six major themes for motivation to participate were found: self-awareness through placement in the family, family and community expectation in importance of education, personal strengths and weaknesses, perceived differences in the classroom and mainstream society, and knowledge of motivation to pursue doctorate. Five barriers emerged: racism, gender, advisers, institutional changes and problems, and juggling multiple roles in limited time. Five main enhancers arose: family and community foundation, financial, friends, and others which motivated participation.

This study examined the perceptions held by former and current welfare-to-work participants of factors that contributed to the retention, persistence, attrition and/or completion of welfare-to-work training programs at a community college. Using the lived experiences and voices of former or current welfare-to-work participants and a qualitative research design, the researcher examined the following research questions: (a) What factors during the training impacted the movement of participants from welfare-to-work? (b) How did these factors enhance or serve as barriers to the movement of participants from welfare-to-work? This study was presented as a heuristic study of 12 former welfare participants who have transitioned or are currently transitioning from welfare to work. Using purposeful sampling, the researcher selected the participants for this study through self-identification or through nomination by program leaders and other program participants. Each of the 12 former welfare participants was interviewed about the situational, institutional, and dispositional aspects of their training. Demographic data were collected on each of the 12 participants for the purpose of a comparative analysis. Interviews of family members or friends of each of the participants validated the stories provided by the participant. Interviews with two administrators with direct responsibilities for some of the training programs for participants transitioning from welfare-to-work were also done to substantiate the stories of the participants. The findings of this study indicated three conclusions about the participants' perceptions of factors affecting their retention in welfare-to-work programs in a community college.

This qualitative storytelling and exploratory research design investigated the barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies to education experienced by adult Native American Indians from various Native American Indian Nations. In addition, differences between the sexes, Native American Nations, and/or languages spoken, and/or participation in cultural activities regarding barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies of Native American Indians were examined. The study with 23 adult Native American participants revealed a main theme of identity both passive and aggressive that permeated all of the thematic areas: barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies. The barriers ranged from reinventing the Native American Indian to language barriers caused by forcing Native American Indians to speak Eurowestern languages in order to survive. The educational enhancers themes described by the participants revolved around themes of people, culture, community, and the environment. Elements of Garrison' s Model (1997) on self-directed learning emerged in this study under the thematic area of coping strategies. Self-directedness was evident in the coping strategies; which included self-management (control by acknowledging the social environment in which the participants were interacting), cognitive responsibility (self-examination), and motivation (assuming personal responsibility). The role of a Native American Indian as a researcher was noted in enhancing the depth and breadth of the research.

The education of profoundly intellectually disabled individuals requires identifying motivators to help them learn basic tasks and skills. When these individuals also suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder, one promising method of therapy, multisensory therapy, has been shown to relax patients, facilitating the educational process. Relaxation drastically minimizes maladaptive behaviors such as repetitive movement (stereotypy) and self-injury, allowing the participant to learn efficiently. In this study, a multi-axis measure was developed to determine behavioral differences between an experimental group that underwent the therapy and a control group that performed a functional task in their classroom. Stereotypic behaviors were significantly reduced and gaze focus was enhanced within the therapy. The significance of these effects carried over when participants were returned to their classroom.