Abstract: This study used an open-ended structured interview to investigate seven parents' o... more Abstract: This study used an open-ended structured interview to investigate seven parents' of students with disabilities perceptions of charter schools and why they chose this type of school to educate their child. Findings showed a general theme of parents believing that ...
This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the... more This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the Transition Requirements Checklist and include statistical analyses to evaluate the concept of “compliance ” as reflected in the IEP content. Findings indicated (a) an overall increase in the fre-quency of IEP transition items that meet Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requirements and (b) general improve-ment between expected and observed frequencies of the 32 items from initial to follow-up review. Patterns of change vary considerably. More than half of the items were “in compliance ” at prereview and postreview while others remained missing, changed from missing to present, or from present to missing. This article raises questions about the complexity of evaluat-ing such a model and the ki...
This exploratory, case study used qualitative measures to investigate the perceptions of recent c... more This exploratory, case study used qualitative measures to investigate the perceptions of recent college graduates who were teaching students with emotional impairments / behavioral disorders on their preparedness to teach in the field. Structured open-ended interviews were conducted to explore how well their teacher education programs prepared them to work with this population and to meet the mandate of preparing students for entry in a global society. Findings garnered positive comments regarding global competencies and suggestions for improvements in teacher preparation. Effective communication and collaboration with school personnel and parents, organizing paperwork and data collection, decision making, and more relevant field placements were areas considered to be in need of increased focus. In recent years, the federal government has increasingly emphasized the need to provide an education that readies our students to compete in the global marketplace; current research suggests...
International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 2017
High school students can struggle with word problems in upper level math classes. Causes for thi... more High school students can struggle with word problems in upper level math classes. Causes for this struggle could include lower reading comprehension, limited mathematic vocabulary, and difficulty changing words to algebraic expressions. This article proposes three techniques to help teachers instruct these struggling students that include (a) organization by difficulty of comprehension and computation (b) scaffolding and (c) utilizing the Explain, Practice and Assess (EPA) strategy.
Social Science, Humanities and Sustainability Research, 2020
Realizing that Algebra 1 is a gatekeeper to not only higher mathematics but STEM careers in gener... more Realizing that Algebra 1 is a gatekeeper to not only higher mathematics but STEM careers in general, it is imperative that our students master the content matter. Our Nation’s report card shows we are not progressing in this area. To assist in algebraic mastery, this paper describes and provides concrete examples of four research-based pedagogical elements that can aid in student success: (a) basic skill development, (b) computational ease, (c) step-by-step scaffolding, and (d) the extensive use of the Explain-Practice-Assess (EPA) Strategy. Basic skill development assures that all students begin with the requisite background, providing equal opportunity for success, which can promote student engagement. By eliminating unnecessary computational complexity, students are more likely to participate and persevere in problem-solving. The step-by-step scaffolding meets the students where they are and incrementally brings them to mastery, with new material taught in digestible bites. The E...
Abstract: Students often grow frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too... more Abstract: Students often grow frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, but because they are trying to grasp the economic device, model, or tool being used at the same time they are trying to understand the economic theory the device is designed to illuminate. As a result, the tool that should aid economic understanding frequently backfires. This paper links three pertinent concepts from the education literature-prior knowledge, scaffolding, and modeling-to teaching economics. After explaining each ...
International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2011
Students often become frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, b... more Students often become frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, but because they try to grasp the economic device, model, or tool being used at the same time they try to understand the economic theory the device is designed to illuminate. As a result, the tool that should aid economic understanding frequently backfires. This paper links three pertinent concepts from the education literature–prior knowledge, scaffolding, and modelling–to teaching economics. After explaining each concept, we supply three ...
Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 2008
This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the... more This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the Transition Requirements Checklist and include statistical analyses to evaluate the concept of “compliance” as reflected in the IEP content. Findings indicated (a) an
Abstract: This study used an open-ended structured interview to investigate seven parents' o... more Abstract: This study used an open-ended structured interview to investigate seven parents' of students with disabilities perceptions of charter schools and why they chose this type of school to educate their child. Findings showed a general theme of parents believing that ...
This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the... more This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the Transition Requirements Checklist and include statistical analyses to evaluate the concept of “compliance ” as reflected in the IEP content. Findings indicated (a) an overall increase in the fre-quency of IEP transition items that meet Individuals With Disabilities Education Act requirements and (b) general improve-ment between expected and observed frequencies of the 32 items from initial to follow-up review. Patterns of change vary considerably. More than half of the items were “in compliance ” at prereview and postreview while others remained missing, changed from missing to present, or from present to missing. This article raises questions about the complexity of evaluat-ing such a model and the ki...
This exploratory, case study used qualitative measures to investigate the perceptions of recent c... more This exploratory, case study used qualitative measures to investigate the perceptions of recent college graduates who were teaching students with emotional impairments / behavioral disorders on their preparedness to teach in the field. Structured open-ended interviews were conducted to explore how well their teacher education programs prepared them to work with this population and to meet the mandate of preparing students for entry in a global society. Findings garnered positive comments regarding global competencies and suggestions for improvements in teacher preparation. Effective communication and collaboration with school personnel and parents, organizing paperwork and data collection, decision making, and more relevant field placements were areas considered to be in need of increased focus. In recent years, the federal government has increasingly emphasized the need to provide an education that readies our students to compete in the global marketplace; current research suggests...
International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 2017
High school students can struggle with word problems in upper level math classes. Causes for thi... more High school students can struggle with word problems in upper level math classes. Causes for this struggle could include lower reading comprehension, limited mathematic vocabulary, and difficulty changing words to algebraic expressions. This article proposes three techniques to help teachers instruct these struggling students that include (a) organization by difficulty of comprehension and computation (b) scaffolding and (c) utilizing the Explain, Practice and Assess (EPA) strategy.
Social Science, Humanities and Sustainability Research, 2020
Realizing that Algebra 1 is a gatekeeper to not only higher mathematics but STEM careers in gener... more Realizing that Algebra 1 is a gatekeeper to not only higher mathematics but STEM careers in general, it is imperative that our students master the content matter. Our Nation’s report card shows we are not progressing in this area. To assist in algebraic mastery, this paper describes and provides concrete examples of four research-based pedagogical elements that can aid in student success: (a) basic skill development, (b) computational ease, (c) step-by-step scaffolding, and (d) the extensive use of the Explain-Practice-Assess (EPA) Strategy. Basic skill development assures that all students begin with the requisite background, providing equal opportunity for success, which can promote student engagement. By eliminating unnecessary computational complexity, students are more likely to participate and persevere in problem-solving. The step-by-step scaffolding meets the students where they are and incrementally brings them to mastery, with new material taught in digestible bites. The E...
Abstract: Students often grow frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too... more Abstract: Students often grow frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, but because they are trying to grasp the economic device, model, or tool being used at the same time they are trying to understand the economic theory the device is designed to illuminate. As a result, the tool that should aid economic understanding frequently backfires. This paper links three pertinent concepts from the education literature-prior knowledge, scaffolding, and modeling-to teaching economics. After explaining each ...
International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2011
Students often become frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, b... more Students often become frustrated with learning economics not because the economics is too hard, but because they try to grasp the economic device, model, or tool being used at the same time they try to understand the economic theory the device is designed to illuminate. As a result, the tool that should aid economic understanding frequently backfires. This paper links three pertinent concepts from the education literature–prior knowledge, scaffolding, and modelling–to teaching economics. After explaining each concept, we supply three ...
Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 2008
This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the... more This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the Transition Requirements Checklist and include statistical analyses to evaluate the concept of “compliance” as reflected in the IEP content. Findings indicated (a) an
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