<p> Despite the continued research into Career and Technical Education (CTE) program expansion in public schools and the relationships surrounding student success, educational leaders are in growing need of empirical evidence to justify the continued funding of such programs and to support reform movements associated with educational policies. The main hypotheses included testing for statistical significance in the predictive relationships between final high school cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and both, &ldquo;Instructional&rdquo; and &ldquo;Non-Instructional&rdquo; factors related to Science-based CTE courses completed while enrolled in high school. The study population was comprised of high school graduates in the years of 2013 -2017 from a single participating school district in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The quantitative research method included a predictive correlational design using Likert-type survey instrument, administered through SurveyMonkey, to collect numeric data from 97 participating subjects. The results of the study showed that a moderately negative predictive relationship exists between graduates&rsquo; perception of instructional factors related to Science-based CTE courses and their final cumulative high school GPA. A predictability of 4.1% between the criterion and the predictor variable, identified as the &ldquo;Instructional Factor&rdquo;, while no statistically significant relationship was found to exist between the criterion and the predictor variable, identified as the &ldquo;Non-Instructional Factor&rdquo;. Implications from the findings of the study suggested that educational leaders should pay more attention to promoting a positive perception among students towards CTE course instruction, rather than non-instructional factors related to their educational experience.</p><p>

<p> An education benefit available to all corporate and franchisee employees of the large quick service restaurant (QSR) under study is an opportunity to achieve a high school diploma at no cost by enrolling in online high school (OHS). The purpose of this research was to explore the role of Thomas Gilbert&rsquo;s behavior engineering model factors&mdash;information/data, resources, incentives, knowledge/skills, capacity, and motives&mdash;in helping 15 QSR employees to graduate from an OHS program. This study was warranted because in order to improve employee OHS graduation rates, the QSR under study needed to better understand and cultivate the success factors for OHS program completion. A basic qualitative methodology was used for this study and semistructured telephone interviews were conducted as the primary form of data collection. Thirty online learner success themes were synthesized from the data during the analysis process. Technology, and study skills were the only factors identified by all 15 study participants as being factors in their program success. The most influential online learning success factors reported by study participants were design of instruction, program policies, the role of the academic coach, program accessibility, and student characteristic of persistence/determination. Lack of time to complete OHS lessons was the top challenge to success shared by study participants. The online learning success factors that are currently in place at OHS and the QSR under study and are recommended to continue include 24/7 availability of the program, accepting transfer credits, the role the academic coach, the ability to retake tests, and the QSR under study covering the cost of the program. Recommendations to improve QSR restaurant environmental success factors include increased OHS program follow-up by QSR corporate and franchise leadership, scheduling OHS lesson completion time on restaurant schedules, and providing a reliable computer/tablet.</p><p>

<p> The present study aimed to describe 21st century literacy skills learning during a master&rsquo;s program focused on Linked Learning that sought to provide career readiness to students. Two research questions guided this study: (1) How do university professors in a Linked Learning graduate program describe their use of 21st century learning Skills in technology? and (2) How do secondary teachers in a Linked Learning graduate program describe their use of 21st century learning skills in technology in their classrooms? This mixed-methods study analyzed data from faculty members and graduate students, all of whom were part of a master&rsquo;s program focused on Linked Learning for in-service teachers.</p><p> The findings showed how faculty members implemented and modeled strategies that promoted the acquisition and improvement of technological 21st century literacy skills in the areas of information literacy, media literacy, and information, communication, and technology literacy. There is evidence that the program helps graduate students acquire and develop the technology skills their future high school students will need to become fluent global citizens. </p><p>

<p> Computer algebra systems (CAS) have been available for over 20 years and yet minimal CAS-rich opportunities present themselves formally to high school students. CAS tools have become readily accessible through free or inexpensive versions. Educators are emboldened to integrate essential mathematical tools in the reasoning and sense making of mathematical knowledge for students. It is the teacher that is at the heart of technology instruction, creating authentic environments for all learners. </p><p> This study investigated two secondary teachers pedagogy in classes that exploited CAS in the development of mathematical knowledge. A qualitative within-site case study design was used to explore each teacher&rsquo;s instructional practices. Teachers that exemplified qualities of CAS-infused instruction were purposively selected. Rich descriptive lesson vignettes as captured from classroom observations, written reflections, and interviews revealed participants&rsquo; pedagogy. The pedagogical map framework guided the identification of participant pedagogical affordances of the utilization of CAS. Eight opportunities were observed as exploited by the participants that included subject level adjustments; classroom interpersonal dynamics with students; and mathematical tasks. Data revealed several emergent themes in operation as the teacher participants oriented their mathematics instruction: viewing CAS as a mathematical consultant, verifying answers, applying multiple representations, regulating access, providing guidance, and outsourcing procedures. The components interlock with one another to form a cohesive depiction of pedagogical decisions in the presence of CAS-rich classroom instruction. The schema of CAS-oriented instruction serves as a methodology for educators to create opportunities that enrich the development of mathematical content knowledge. </p><p>

<p> Technology in the classroom is becoming an additional part of the school day in many classrooms amongst the United States. 21st century skills surround us through schools, future careers, and communication. The goal of this study is to determine the advantages and disadvantages of one-to-one technology in the classroom. In addition, the experiences students go through while using a device is important. The findings of this study were based on one sixth grade classroom in a suburban community through observations, surveys, and interviews.</p><p>

<p> Cursive writing is a skill that contributes to learning, yet in the digital age it is no longer considered a necessary part of the curriculum in America&rsquo;s schools. Research demonstrates the importance of handwriting, particularly cursive, in the development of fluency, compositional complexity, and literacy skills. Because of the ever-expanding use of technology, it is necessary to understand the value that cursive brings to the thinking and writing process. </p><p> This study compared the differences in fluency and compositional quality between two modes of transcription (cursive and keyboard) among fifth- and eighth-grade students. It also examined the attitudes and beliefs of today&rsquo;s educators and students regarding cursive&rsquo;s value and benefits as compared with the value and benefits of keyboarding. Students from three private schools in the midwestern United States wrote two stories each, one in cursive and one by keyboard using the <i>Test of Written Language-4</i>. The researcher tabulated the total word count (fluency) for each story and compared the results by grade level and mode of transcription. The researcher also compared the standard scores for each story measuring compositional quality by mode of transcription, grade levels, and schools. The students and their teachers completed a survey expressing their views on cursive writing and the use of a keyboard. The teachers also participated in follow-up phone interviews. </p><p> The researcher conducted a series of parametric and non-parametric tests, and the results indicated that the keyboard-generated stories in both the fifth and eighth grade generally scored higher in fluency and compositional quality over the cursive stories. In contrast, the teachers and students placed a substantial value on learning and using cursive as indicated by the qualitative data. Future studies should focus on understanding this dichotomy and how cursive writing may enhance best practices in educating the next generation of digital natives.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if a Structured Online Intercultural Learning (SOIL) experience represented a viable form of global experiential learning (GEL) that can yield beneficial effects in student transformation of the kind that are reported to result from &ldquo;traditional&rdquo; GEL (involving mobility). Specifically, this study investigated the influence of a sustained cross-cultural learning experience, made possible by online communications technologies, on preservice teachers&rsquo; global citizen identity development (their self-in-the world). </p><p> The research approach was inspired by design-based research and employed a parallel mixed-methods design, incorporating two quantitative assessment instruments (the Global Perspectives Inventory [GPI] and the Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory [BEVI]) and a plethora of student-generated artifacts (the qualitative data). Twenty-six preservice teachers from the US and Macedonia learned together in a globally networked learning environment (GLNE) for 8 weeks. The findings showed that, although the participants were, in most cases, not able to articulate with certainty any perceived changes to their sense of self-in-the-world, both the qualitative and the quantitative data indicated that the experience did indeed result in at least modest positive changes for most of the participants. </p><p> The primary themes that emerged from the qualitative data related to self-in-the-world, were &ldquo;knowledge acquisition,&rdquo; &ldquo;intercultural sensitivity development,&rdquo; and &ldquo;personal growth/self-improvement.&rdquo; The quantitative data showed that U.S. students&rsquo; ideas of the attributes of a global citizen shifted positively following the intervention and that students in both groups strengthened their agreement with the statement &ldquo;I see myself as a global citizen&rdquo; at Time 2. Further, students reported that the real-time, small group cross-cultural conversations (via video conference), which were required by the course that served as the intervention in the study, were the most meaningful aspect of the experience. Finally, nearly half of the participants indicated that, as a result of their experiences in this course, they planned to incorporate global citizen education in their future teaching practice. </p><p> These results suggest that teacher educators should consider embedding globally networked learning experiences into teacher education curriculum and that preservice teachers should not only experience globally networked learning as students, but should also be encouraged to develop lesson plans involving globally networked learning for their future classrooms.</p><p>

<p> Limited research exists on the factors that influence an instructor&rsquo;s choice to use a learning management system. The purpose of the current study is to explore how task technology fit constructs relate to the other constructs that comprise Davis&rsquo; Technology Acceptance mode. The technology acceptance model is widely used as an indicator of actual use of a technology system. A sample of 284 instructors completed a survey consisting of demographic questions, open ended questions about their reasons for choosing to choose to utilize a learning management system, and Likert scale questions about six constructs of the research model including task technology fit, ease of use, usefulness, attitude, intent to use, and actual use. The relationships between TAM model constructs and Task Technology Fit were analyzed using a partial least squares structural equation model method with SMART- PLS. The relationship between task technology fit and actual use was mediated by ease of use, usefulness, attitude, and intent to use. To evaluate the constructs in the model, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted and the factor structure for online and face-to-face instructors were different. Two models were developed, one for face-to-face instructors, and one for online instructors to account for this difference. The research models were evaluated for face-to-face instructors and online instructors. The study found significant relationships between all the TAM constructs and Task Technology Fit for face-to-face instructors. The relationship between attitude and intent to use was not significant for online instructors. This research supports the need for more research into the differences between online and face-to-face instructor&rsquo;s perceptions of technology use. The differing instructional needs of face-to-face and online instructors have implications on the training and support an institution should provide to increase usage of learning management systems.</p><p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative case study was to develop descriptions of how teenage students remain engaged in learning while using mobile technology. Developments in technology have expanded learning contexts and provided learners with improved capacities to connect with others to exchange, gain, and construct knowledge. Developments in technology have also created challenges for instructional designers to create learning activities that promote engaged learning and complex thinking skills in students. The ability to access, share, and create knowledge through connected networks has thus presented opportunities to reevaluate how learners motivate themselves to engage in learning. The study was guided by the following research question and subquestions: RQ1: What strategies do students in international school middle-years programs use to remain engaged in learning while utilizing mobile technology? RQ1a: What learning activities do these students engage in while utilizing mobile technologies? RQ1b: What actions do these students take to remain connected to their learning environment? Narratives of student actions were framed and analyzed through the lens of reciprocal determinism, which states that learning is determined by the relationships between behaviors, thinking processes, and situational factors. Information was gathered to show how students used their technology tools to interact within their environment, access and analyze information, and adapt to changing situations. A nonprobability sampling of ten international school students aged 13&ndash;14 and a purposeful sampling of seven of these students&rsquo; teachers was used to select the study participants. Information was gathered through student focus group discussions, student interviews, teacher interviews, teacher observation logs, and network data logs. Transcripts were coded through an inductive approach and information analysis occurred through the constant comparative method to help identify evolving themes and patterns. The narratives that developed provided examples of how students maintain connections to networks and how their learning actions, thinking processes, and learning situations can be influenced by the use of mobile technology tools. The findings suggest that students can identify knowledge gaps and then use technology to devise learning strategies to fill these gaps and develop advanced thinking skills. Further research should look at different demographics, attitudes, and school settings to better understand how students adapt their engagement strategies while using mobile technology to remain connected to the learning environment.</p><p>

<p> This mixed methods study explored how elementary school teachers who use Twitter extensively use it to support their professional learning and development. Four research questions guided this study: 1. How are teachers using Twitter for their professional learning and development? 2. What do teachers report learning from their use of Twitter? 3. What do teachers say they do with the information they have learned from using Twitter? 4. What support do teachers have when they want to implement what they have learned from Twitter? </p><p> An online survey was distributed via Twitter targeting teachers of elementary grades. A total of 107 participants were included in the final sample. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 19 teachers. Document analysis of tweets from a subsample of interviewees and from a sample of tweets from the #2ndchat Twitter community served as triangulation. </p><p> The key findings from this sample illustrated several ways teachers learn from Twitter. In response to the research questions, teachers reported using Twitter as a source of motivation and support, explaining that it provided them with feedback, encouragement and peer accountability. Second, teachers reported learning about many topics, especially technology integration techniques. Third, teachers described using the information they learned to alter some of their teaching practices and to pursue other educational opportunities. Lastly, more than half of teachers reported having administrators who supported their efforts to implement Twitter-based ideas. In addition, teachers appreciated certain affordances of Twitter including immediacy, choice, and access to other educators. </p><p> These findings have several implications for teachers, school leaders, and policymakers. Teachers reported that they believed they were getting trustworthy information from highly reputable Twitter users. However, it would be important for them to critically review the information and ensure its alignment with evidence-based teaching practices for how students learn. Further, teachers&rsquo; responses seemed to indicate that they want input and control over their learning, which has important implications for traditional professional development offerings. As Twitter continues to expand and gain acceptance as a source of learning for teachers, considerations for its use as a 21^st century tool must be taken into account.</p><p>