This study evaluates the presence of a relationship between a students level of Intellectual Development, as measured by Moores Learning Environment Preferences (LEP) test, and harmful drinking behavior in college students. An online survey instrument was sent to a random sample of 3,000 undergraduate students at a large public research-intensive four-year college in the South via student email accounts. The survey instrument included items about student drinking behavior, perception of peer student drinking behavior, and the Learning Environment Preferences Test. The results showed that there is a statistically significant relationship (inverse) between intellectual development and binge drinking behavior, after controlling for perception of peer binge-drinking behavior, but no relationship between intellectual development and drinking in general. A finding that increasing intellectual development levels may result in reduced negative drinking behavior has implications for curriculum development.

This study examines the effects Professional Action Research Collaboratives (PARCs) have on several variables including teacher effectiveness, school effectiveness, and school climate. Mixed methods including Interactive Qualitative Analysis and non-parametric Mann Whitney U statistics were used to explore these effects. PARC participation was found to have no significant effect on school climate or teacher effectiveness; however, PARC Schools demonstrated higher school effectiveness scores than Comparison Schools. This project also generated a systems relationship diagram of school climate in PARC schools using Interactive Qualitative Analysis, and this paper offers a criticism of this fledgling method of data collection and analysis. There are, to this date, no published studies utilizing the IQA method. Although IQA is ultimately a detailed and time-consuming undertaking, the process is supported by detailed organization, supportive data collection and analysis tools, and methodological rigor. These characteristics make IQA an attractive choice for new researchers in need of a guided method of analysis, or researchers with quantitative leanings who may face a qualitative research question. Several limitations to IQA were uncovered during the extent of this study. Most of these limitations, such as unfamiliar jargon and unusual methods of data collection and analysis, are to be expected with the introduction of new methods and an accompanying vocabulary and will subside with utilization of the methodology.

The major purpose of this study was to identify the processes of effective schools in China, thereby enriching the international study of school effectiveness. A multistrand concurrent mixed model design was utilized to test the research hypotheses and answer the research questions. Both probability and purposive sampling strategies were employed in this study. The MANOVA analyses from the teacher, student, and parent questionnaires revealed a consistent result: there were significant differences between more effective and less effective schools across all the traditional school effectiveness variables. The MANOVA results for classroom teaching also demonstrated significant differences between more effective and less effective schools across nine traditional teacher effectiveness variables. This study revealed many differences in the processes of effective schooling in China as opposed to those described in the international literature. These differences included the importance of the role of the Banzhuren (the director of a class), the overriding importance of students test scores in teacher evaluation, the impact of large class sizes, and the impact of inadequate facilities and resources especially in the rural areas. Results regarding effective schooling in urban areas in China (as opposed to rural areas) are that the major differences center on faculty participation in decision making, expectations for students (especially future expectations), opportunities for teachers' professional development, and so forth. This study also revealed many differences in the processes of effective teaching in China as opposed to those described in the international literature. For example, Chinese teaching behaviors are very uniform (relatively small variance across classrooms), Chinese classes emphasize whole class activities more than small group activities, teachers are very strict with students in both discipline and studies, and demonstration lessons are very popular both within and across schools.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which professional development implemented by a school-based instructional technology facilitator impacted the technology proficiency of teachers in SCHOOLTech sites. A second purpose was to identify the types and frequencies of professional development implemented by school-based facilitators in SCHOOLTech sites, as well as, in five case study sites that had shown increases in teacher technology proficiency. The final purpose was to determine if there was a significant difference in student achievement levels between SCHOOLTech and non SCHOOLTech schools. Investigation was carried out through a within-stage mixed model design requiring the parallel use of both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies throughout various stages of the research (Johnson & Christensen, 2004). Quantitative study was conducted with 22 SCHOOLTech schools and 29 non SCHOOLTech schools. Results of a teacher technology proficiency survey showed that the percentage increase of teachers reaching technology proficiency from year zero to year two was significantly higher in the experimental schools with school-based facilitators than those without. Analysis of student achievement data indicated higher achievement in the experimental schools than control schools; however the difference was not statistically significant. Follow-up qualitative case studies were conducted with five SCHOOLTech schools that had more than a 10% increase in teachers achieving technology proficiency. Analyses of multiple data sources indicated that student achievement was significantly improved in three of the five schools. In all five schools, students were reported as being more engaged and motivated to learn. The technology professional development practices that were identified as having the most positive impact on teacher technology proficiency include: one to one interaction with teachers, integration of technology into the curriculum, needs-based, online resources, and job-embedded professional development.

This study examined the perceptions of students and instructors in regard to learner-centered pedagogy and web-based learning at a regional public university in a southern state. The study focused on recommendations for online learning, studies of learner-centered pedagogy, and online learning practices such as collaboration, problem-based learning, reflection, asynchronous communication, and authentic learning and assessment. The research examined the students perceptions of learner-centered practices in online and traditional courses of the same instructors throughout one semester. The students perceptions were compared with the instructors perceptions of learner-centered practices in the courses. The qualitative investigation examined each instructors pedagogical beliefs about learner-centered instruction in traditional and online courses and his or her attitudes toward the training in which he or she participated. The degree to which the students perceived the courses as learner-centered revealed a positive relationship between the levels of learner-centered practices and the students motivation and satisfaction with the courses. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the students perceptions of learner-centered practices between the online and the traditional courses. The students felt that instructors were as learner-centered in the online courses as they were in the traditional courses. The qualitative results, combined with the quantitative results revealed that instructors who used more of the strategies and practices recommended in the training were more highly learner-centered. The study resulted in a new training model for learner-centered professional development in online instruction in this university and in others and includes reflective practices for individual instructors.

The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore epistemological beliefs of students as well as those of their instructors to determine how epistemological congruence or incongruence shapes students experiences. The term, epistemological congruency is introduced to conceptualize the similarities or differences between students and teachers epistemological beliefs. Further, the study considers how students grades, integration into the academic community, and intentions to persist are related to epistemological congruency between teacher and student. Students and faculty at a community college in the Southeastern United States participated in the study. The theoretical framework for this study is based on Tintos (1973, 1987, 1993) theory of student departure and Schommers (1990, 1994) theory of epistemological beliefs. The Epistemic Beliefs Inventory (EBI) (Schraw, Dunkle & Bendixen, 1995; Schraw, Bendixen, & Dunkle, 2002), based on Schommers (1990) theory of epistemological beliefs, was administered to the participants to determine where their beliefs lie on the five factors. Based on their responses, epistemological difference (ED) scores between student and teacher were determined. First, four students having the highest levels of congruence with the liberal arts instructor and four students with the lowest levels of congruence were chosen. Second, students chose other instructors they felt more or less in sync with in comparison to the liberal arts instructor. All participating students and faculty completed the EBI and were interviewed to further expand on their epistemological beliefs. Students were interviewed on two occasions. These interviews centered on students epistemological beliefs, interactions with their instructors, and facets of academic integration. Each student was presented as a case and based on cross case analysis, several themes emerged from data analysis. Some key themes emerged that indicated epistemological congruence affected students diverse experiences in the classroom: 1) students who were considered highly congruent with the liberal arts instructor faired better in the course, 2) a disconnect or miscommunication existed between teachers intentions of teaching methods and students perceptions of those intentions, and 3) likeability, personality characteristics and/or teaching styles influenced students performance and intentions to persist. Implications for higher education and future research recommendations are discussed.

This study examined the impact of student engagement on persistence decisions of Black males attending a predominately White public institution in the South. The phenomenon of Black male student persistence at predominately White public institutions is multifaceted and complex. Many Black males enter predominately White campuses lacking the requisite background and experiences deemed necessary and important to student success and persistence. The role of improving persistence is shared by many with much responsibility placed on the students and the institution. Upon entering a predominately White campus there are several institutional factors identified in research that play a critical role in student persistence. For the purposes of this study the factors influencing persistence are classified into Student Factors and Institutional Factors. Student factors are the dimensions of persistence over which the student has some degree of influence. Institutional factors are the dimensions of persistence over which the institution has control. This study was designed to empower Black males attending Kappa University and to encourage them to take more of a commanding role in their persistence. Persistence of Black males is multidimensional and requires support from family, community, faculty, peers and administrators. The findings of this study identified the importance of student engagement on persistence decisions of Black males attending Kappa University. The results provide Black male students, faculty, and administrators with practical advice on how to improve the chances of persistence for this group.

Leading a large, highly productive department that must compete on the global stage requires an increasingly broad skill-set. This study investigates whether there are methods that life science department chairs can employ to enhance the research productivity of their pre-tenure faculty and examines if leadership at the department chair level matters. Using a qualitative approach to examine six highly successful life science departments and their leaders as well as focus group interviews with nine pre-tenure faculty members, this study brings new discovery to the field of department chair leadership. This study validates the importance of department chair leadership while revealing the special skill-set that is important, the positive effects of mentoring on pre-tenure faculty, and that motivation may be linked to the culture of an organization. The results of this research are important for higher education institutions looking to build department of scholarly excellence, especially in the life sciences.

The Internet has become increasing popular as a vehicle to deliver surveys. An essential objective of research is to collect accurate data and there has been little work to insure that Internet survey systems are employing best practices as defined by academic and professional research to collect data. My dissertation reviews the current literature relating to best practices in Internet survey design and best practices in software design and development. I then document the development and deployment of an Open Source and publicly licensed Internet survey system that allows researchers to easily create, deploy, and analyze the results of Internet surveys. The resultant Internet survey design product, the Balch Internet Research and Analysis Tool (http://birat.net) is a full-featured Internet survey system which addresses best Internet research practices as defined by academic and professional research. The system was designed and coded by the author and is considered by him to be both innovative and unique to the field. The dissertation then reviews the system features, describes how the system was deployed, and discusses the strategies used to increase use and adoption of the system.

The purpose of this study was to provide insights into Emergenetics® STEPTM personality profiling as a selection and placement strategy to enhance process and performance in high school learning groups. An explanatory case study was conducted in a private high school currently subscribing to the Emergenetics® STEPTM program. Emergenetics® STEPTM Profile results of students enrolled in the schools six Multimedia Productions courses were analyzed as the basis for learning group construction. Key individual thinking preferences (Analytical, Structural, Social, Conceptual) identified by the STEPTM Profile was the main variable of analysis. One learning group from each of the six classes (n = 30) served as the unit of analysis. Data were collected from learning group observations, student journals, project assessments, and student and teacher interviews. Results of the study indicated Emergenetics® personality profiling may be a useful approach for grouping students. In particular, grouping students in WEteam® combinations, where all Thinking Attributes are adequately represented, may produce stronger, more creative, and productive learning groups, as Emergenetics® theory suggests (The Browning Group International Inc., n.d.). Groups where all Thinking Attributes were present also tended to adopt teamwork as their primary leadership style. The adoption of this participative leadership style, whether by an individual leader or through shared group leadership, appeared to generate a more successful and enjoyable group learning experience than other leadership styles. This is consistent with previous research (Chen & Lawson, 1996; French, Waas, Stright, & Baker, 1986; Mueller & Fleming, 2001; M.R. Myers & Slavin, 1990). Factors possibly contributing to lower member participation were also identified. These factors included lack of or flawed prior relationships, adverse perception of group learning, and presence of specific levels of Behavioral Attributes. Specific levels of Behavioral Attributes associated with diminished participation included first-third Expressives, first-third Assertiveness, and third-third Flexibles. However, this should not be taken to imply people with these preferences would always participate less than those holding other levels of these Behavioral Attributes. Instead, these Behavioral Attributes offer insight into why some people in certain circumstances participate less in group work.