Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 03, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on July 23, 2008). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Temple University, 1994. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-111).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Temple University, 1994. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-111).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 150-166. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-175).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 150-166. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-175).

<p> While research studies have revealed an association between students&rsquo; attitudes toward mathematics and achievement in mathematics, divergent results shift the research focus to the construct of attitudes and from a normative approach to a qualitative approach. This mixed-methods multiple-case phenomenological study captured the real-time classroom origins of eight attitude profiles through the use of the experiencing sampling method (ESM). A total of 75 students, representing one low-, one middle-, and one high-performing middle school in New Hampshire, participated in the ESM study and 11 students were interviewed. A total of 477 random classroom moments were captured and 3988 students&rsquo; statements were coded. Quantitative results revealed differences in the distributions of attitude profiles across performance levels and the proportion of students within certain attitude profiles. Results suggest that students&rsquo; attitudes change over time, and the distribution of the number of attitude changes does not differ across performance levels. Eight themes emerged from a holistic coding process, and a systematic coding process resulted in detailed descriptions of the eight attitude profiles. Students tended to exhibit positive self-perceptions as learners toward mathematics and their perceived competence was linked to the success they experienced. Test and quizzes dominated classroom activities among all four attitude profiles with a negative emotional dimension. The analysis revealed differences in classroom activities and their impacts on the various profiles, including the use of technology, real-world connections, quizzes and tests, homework, working problems, and students&rsquo; perceptions of their teachers, the enjoyment of mathematics, and the difficulty of the material.</p><p>

<p> In this multiple case study design, high-performing Chinese language immersion students were investigated to better understand their profiles. This study focused on their attitudes, motivations, support systems, strategies for learning, and their social environment and how it related to them. I investigated three cases of high-performing Chinese language immersion students in a suburban school district in the Midwestern United States participating in a one-way Chinese (Mandarin) language immersion program. I utilized document analysis, solicited diaries, semi-structured participant interviews, parent interviews, Chinese immersion teacher pre-interview questionnaires, and Chinese immersion teacher interviews as data collection instruments. After analyzing the data, I wrote a case report for each of these cases and completed a cross-case synthesis to identify what was universal, variant, and divergent amongst the profiles of these high-performing individuals.</p>

The purpose of this study was to compare three different types of programming options for identified gifted and talented middle school students.

The importance of parental involvement in schools has been the focus of numerous studies (Cotton & Mann, 1994; Hoover-Dempsey & Sadler, 1997; McDermott & Rothenberg, 2000; Trotman, 2001; Epstein & Sanders, 2009). Many of these same studies correlate student achievement with parental involvement and suggest that student achievement is improved when parents are involved in their children's schools. In spite of this positive effect, school involvement continues to be low in many inner-city schools where a large number of parents are ethnic minorities whose socio-economic status is low (Cotton, 2000). Included in this group are the parents of inner-city gifted middle school students. / The purpose of this study was to investigate, evaluate, and determine, from the perspective of a group of inner-city parents of gifted middle school students, factors that foster, or deter, their involvement in their children's schools. Of the plethora of studies that have been conducted on parental involvement, few have focused specifically on school involvement by inner-city parents of gifted adolescents. A survey was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. / Findings revealed that among the major factors that fostered school involvement was a school atmosphere that was inviting, friendly, and caring. A major deterrent to the participants' involvement was the school's failure to communicate with them.