<p> International Academy of South East Asia (IASEA) is a preschool - grade 12 independent, non- profit international school with the vision of being a world leader in education cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future. The school has determined that personalized learning is a pathway to the achievement of the vision. A personalized approach results in more growth for each student, nurturing and challenging in order to maximize potential. Given that teacher actions are the most significant factor in student achievement, it is critical to examine professional learning for faculty with the same rationale. The purpose of this study was to conduct a gap analysis using the Clark And Estes (2008) model to examine the knowledge, motivation and organizational (KMO) influences that impact IASEA's ability to effectively implement personalized professional learning. An outcome of this study is a plan for how IASEA may best implement personalized learning for its faculty. The study explored barriers to achieving the goal of implementation and then proposed solutions. The methodological framework used was that of a qualitative case study with descriptive statistics. Data collection to inform the gaps was in the form of documentation analysis, focus group and individual interviews, and surveys. The study population consisted of representative faculty and administrators and the subsequent data analysis sought to validate assumed influences as knowledge, motivation and organization barriers and inform possible solutions. Proposed solutions for these barriers included strategic targeted deployment of instructional coaches, tools for the existing Professional Learning Community (PLC) teams to utilize to measure effectiveness, and the implementation of a schoolwide system of micro-credentials designed to support personalized professional learning.</p><p>

<p> This study investigated the efficacy of the Read 180 program and its impact on upper secondary ELL students participating in the Read 180 program. The targeted population consisted of four 11^th and 12^th grade ELL READ 180 students attending a rural school with a school population of 884 students. To assess the effects of the Read 180 program, data was collected in regards to student reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities from the beginning and the end of the 2017&ndash;2018 academic school year. Although this study was limited in duration and scope, it clearly shows that the Read 180 program had limited success in regards to student achievement in the areas of reading and writing. In addition, the data shows little to no progress for the target students in regards to listening and speaking. In addition, the study revealed that the students&rsquo; lack of a positive attitude in regards to the Read 180 program may have hindered student progress. Based on these findings, some pedagogical and teacher training recommendations are discussed, and a suggestion is included for future research. </p><p>

<p> Considering instructional time is one of the most valuable and expensive resources in public education, there is nominal research examining the effectiveness of its use (Farbman, 2015). The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between the amount of extended learning time provided to eligible students at least one grade level below in reading or mathematics and their scale score growth determined by middle-of-year results on the i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment. i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment results were examined of students who attended an extended learning time after-school program focused on remediation of standards specific to mathematics and reading in grades two through five. The population for this study consisted of eligible students in a Midwestern school district who attended an after-school remediation program for reading and mathematics. The literature collected for this study was analyzed to support the findings and to understand the relation between time and learning. From the data collected and analyzed for the study, there was not a significant difference in the subject of reading when students were compared to their eligible peers who did not attend the after-school remediation program. In contrast, students did experience a significant difference in results from beginning-of-year to middle-of-year i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment for the content of mathematics as compared to the peer group. No correlation was found between scale score growth in reading or mathematics and the number of hours of attendance in the after-school remediation program.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of the reading platform Actively Learn affected the reading engagement, reading comprehension, and vocabulary achievement of secondary students. The area of secondary reading achievement has seen no significant improvement over the past four decades (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2017). The research questions were designed to use quantitative pre-test and post-test data from the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) and the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) to determine if the use of Actively Learn, combined with the use of embedded questions to encourage metacognitive strategies and timely feedback from the instructor, affected secondary reading engagement and achievement. The data demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in student perceptions of reading engagement strategies on the MARSI from pre-test to post-test after application of Actively Learn. However, data from the STAR reflected no significant difference in student achievement in the areas of reading comprehension or vocabulary after using Actively Learn. </p><p>

<p> The study explored current site principals&rsquo; feedback practices that support or hinder teachers&rsquo; implementation of feedback, and identified site principal&rsquo;s practices that encourage or interfere with teacher&rsquo;s self-efficacy. Using qualitative interviews with site principals and teachers from two different districts and three different school sites, the study analyzed two major leadership practices: (a) an administrator&rsquo;s ability to communicate effectively with teachers before, during, and after the feedback process, and (b) an administrator&rsquo;s use of emotional intelligence when providing feedback. Data were separated into four feedback types (positive feedback, negative feedback, feedback and feedforward) and emotional intelligence traits (self-regulation, self-aware, empathy, social skills, and motivation). Comparative analyses were conducted amongst teachers at the same site to explore patterns and insights within and across sites. The results of this study indicated that site principals primarily provided positive feedback and positive feedforward and exuded some of the emotional intelligence traits when providing instructional feedback to teachers. Teachers also wanted their site principals in their classrooms giving instructional feedback more often and believed that the way in which their principal gave them feedback mattered. These findings suggest that collaborative opportunities with site principals on how to provide feedback to teachers more often is essential. Furthermore, principals should receive additional professional development opportunities targeting emotional intelligence and feedback types.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to develop and test a Conceptual Framework for an evaluation model for compliance and regulatory programs in specialty academic medicine. The Framework was built on three research questions to determine the following items within a specialty academic medical institution: (i) the Program Elements for effective and sustainable compliance and regulatory programs, (ii) the required knowledge and skills for stakeholder groups, and (iii) the motivation and organizational influences which improve stakeholder efficacy and program sustainability. There was a total of 21 Program Elements derived from both professional and theoretical literature. Those elements were then matched against the gap analysis model for assessing organizational performance based on knowledge and skills, motivational, and organizational influences as developed by Clark and Estes (2008). Finally, 15 recommendations were developed, along with each of the required elements for evaluation and implementation using the New World Model developed by James D. Kirkpatrick and Wendy Kayser Kirkpatrick (2016). Items such as leading indicators, critical behaviors, required drivers, and several other components provide content and context for immediate and long-term summative assessment, to address the program sustainability, aim of the study.</p><p>

<p> Research indicated the transition from eighth grade into ninth grade can be a difficult time for students. His Grace High School (HGHS) ninth grade students illustrated this difficulty. The purpose of this study was to examine African American student and parent perceptions regarding the transition process into high school. Currently, all students and parents at HGHS participate in a two-part orientation session to prepare and acclimate to the new school community and learning environments. Orientation sessions are facilitated by predominately African American staff members; however, the premise of the session was developed and implemented by Caucasian staff and faculty. Furthermore, the manner in which the information is developed and shared with the African American students and parents does not consider or address the cultural needs of African American parents and students. Critical Race Theory, CRT, was used to measure inequality in education. According to Hiraldo (1994) scholars have used CRT as a framework to analyze and critique educational research and practices. Critical Race Theory attempts to address the cultural needs and disparities of minority students when compared to students of the dominant race. </p><p> The research questions provided additional information about the transition process and how the administration, faculty, staff, and school community can develop and implement a transition program that will assist both students and parents transitioning into HGHS. A qualitative analysis of the current transition process was conducted. Current freshmen students and parents completed surveys and participated in interviews about their experience with the transition process at HGHS.</p><p>

<p> This research study involved examination of the quality of globalized character-based education in Missouri and the reasons secondary public schools have been slow to adopt globalized educational programs such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). This established programme has been the standard-bearer across the globe during the last 40 years and continues to promote the evolution of new globalized educational programs (IBO, 2017c). The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is now in 3,662 schools worldwide with 1,465 schools located in the United States (International Baccalaureate Organization [IBO], 2015b), but only 11 of the 573 Missouri public secondary schools have instituted a working IBDP (IBO, 2017c). A quantitative research study was conducted using a survey based on global characteristics as established by the IB Learner Profile. Data were collected from four specific groups within Missouri: 103 students currently enrolled in an IB Diploma School, 10 IB coordinators, 16 admissions directors of post-secondary institutions that offer IB credit, and 86 human resources directors at Missouri-based globalized businesses. These groups were chosen because of their relationship with the IB Learner Profile characteristics as demonstrated by IB Diploma candidates and the hiring process of employees in the 21st-century workplace. The further a student progresses educationally, the less often evaluators see the criteria of globalized learners being followed. The weaknesses revealed through this study can help drive the evolution and possible expansion of more globalized character-based programs in secondary schools in Missouri.</p><p>

<p> This qualitative descriptive narrative research was the first known study to collect participants&rsquo; perceptions on the effectiveness of the Marine Corps&rsquo; Light Armored Vehicle driver training. The general problem was the Marine Corps&rsquo; vague guidance on curriculum development, instruction, and assessment for driver training of the Light armored Vehicle (LAV). Specifically, it is unknown how LAV drivers perceive the effectiveness of their driver training. The single research question for this study was what are the participants&rsquo; perceptions of the effectiveness of the Light Armored Vehicle Training Course&rsquo;s driver curriculum? This study used a semi-structured interview format comprised of 10 open-ended questions to interview 20 former LAV drivers. Thematic coding discovered six themes: (1) heavy reliance on PowerPoint, (2) instructors rushing through the course, (3) low instructor motivation, (4) minimal driving time, (5) highly standardized instruction, and (6) the need for an extended course. Uncovered by participants, the findings of this research showed gaps in the LAVTC&rsquo;s current education procedure, a heavy reliance on traditional learning methods, improper training emphasis, and instructor weaknesses. To ensure training and education standards are in keeping with the expectations of the United States Marine Corps. Participants&rsquo; observations, perceptions, and experiences are reference points to address the specific problem statement of this study, and to assist military educators and leaders in making measurable and pragmatic corrections to the LAVTC&rsquo;s driver training.</p><p>

<p> The passage of The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2002), formerly known as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, sparked a significant rise in the number of students with disabilities receiving their instruction in the inclusive setting. While previous legislation mandated that students with disabilities be included in standardized testing, NCLB called for closing the achievement gap between students with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. Research indicated the success of students with disabilities in the general educational setting was influenced by teacher attitude. This qualitative study addressed secondary general and special education teacher attitudes and beliefs surrounding the practice of inclusion. It focused on comparing data on teacher attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities into the general educational setting. Forty secondary teachers of varying ages, education, and with a range of five to 32 years of experience, from several school districts around metropolitan Saint Louis participated in this study. An electronic survey and semi- structured interviews were employed to query the teachers&rsquo; attitudes regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general educational setting and the perceived barriers. The results indicated that teachers&rsquo; attitudes were generally positive toward the ideology of inclusion; however, when asked to express their views about the practice of inclusion in open-ended survey questions, results indicated less than positive views toward the practice of inclusion for all students. The most noteworthy factors associated with the negative attitudes was the lack of administrative support, and lack of training. Results also indicated that special education teachers&rsquo; attitudes towards inclusion were significantly more positive than those of general education teachers. The analysis of data revealed there was not a significant correlation between teachers&rsquo; attitudes of inclusion in regards to their type of certification, degree level, and years of experience.</p><p>