Educational change

The purpose of this multi-case study was to identify the influence of professional development experiences on the changing reading practices of third-grade teachers in low-performing schools. Schools were chosen to participate based upon a steady increase in reading achievement scores despite failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and being placed within the Corrective Action Phase of No Child Left Behind. Six teachers from 4 schools were chosen as participants based on the changing reading practices they reported on an initial survey of 13 teachers. Interviews, observations, focus groups, and collection of archival data was completed over the course of 5 months in order to determine the influence of professional development on their reading practices. It was determined that teacher change following professional development is heavily influenced by the domain of power the directive or development is coming from. A continuum was developed to illustrate the relationship between these varying domains of power and their influence on changes made within reading practice. The changes were categorized as tending toward self-propelled or compelled changes. Teachers within this study reported higher levels of change when they were personally vested in professional development experiences and when those experiences met the immediate needs of their own personal growth or the growth of the students in their classroom.

The purpose of this study was to examine students' preferred methods of academic advising services and whether they related to their individual learning styles. The first objective of the study was to determine each participant's learning style. The second objective of the study was to determine which method of academic advising each participant preferred. The third objective of the study was to determine whether a relationship existed between the participants' learning styles and preferred methods of academic advising. Additionally, the moderating effect of gender, ethnicity, college major, high school grade point average (GPA), location, and employment on the relationship was considered. Students' learning styles were measured by the Barsch Learning Style Inventory (BLSI). Academic advising preference and demographic information were gathered through a researcher-designed questionnaire. All students (N=1,184) who completed the Online Advising & Registration System (OARS) were cont acted via e-mail and received a web link to the BLSI and student questionnaire. Data from the students (n=172) who completed the BLSI and student questionnaire were analyzed. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. A qualitative analysis of four open-ended survey questions was completed. The results found no relationship between participants' learning styles and their preferred methods of academic advising services. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, college major, high school GPA, location, and employment did not moderate the relationship between participants' learning styles and their preferred methods of academic advising services. The findings suggest that a student's learning style is not associated with his or her preference for type of advising.

Growing out of the college retention research of Alexander Astin (1993) and Vincent Tinto (1975), this study examined differences in academic achievement and persistence of first-semester college freshmen who participated in Freshman Learning Communities (FLC), including a Living-Learning Community (LLC), and students who did not participate in a university-sponsored learning community. This study also explored variables that may moderate the relationship of learning community participation with academic achievement and persistence. Variables explored included: entry-level readiness for self-directed learning, gender, ethnicity, high school GPA, and SAT or equivalent ACT scores. Data was collected from 544 students at XYZ University using a pre/post university-developed instrument, the College Assessment of Readiness for Entering Students Intended (CARES-I), College Assessment of Readiness for Entering Students- Actual (CARES-A) and the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale/Learning Preference Assessment. Demographic and academic data were collected through the institution's Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Analysis. There was a statistically significant difference in academic achievement for students enrolled in either a Freshman Learning Community or a Living Learning Community (df = 424, t = 2.32, p < .05) as compared to students not part of a freshman learning community. The learning community students had higher end-of-semester grades. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore the moderating variables that may influence the learning community effect on academic achievement. Only the pre-academic characteristic of students' entering high school GPA moderated the relationship of learning community participation and academic achievement (p < .05).