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Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching - National University

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Editor’s Column<br />

<strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong>’s mission is to make lifelong learn<strong>in</strong>g opportunities accessible, challeng<strong>in</strong>g<br />

and relevant to diverse populations. In accordance with this mission, the <strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong><br />

<strong>Journal</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Innovative</strong> Teach<strong>in</strong>g (JRIT) is an important benchmark <strong>in</strong> the<br />

university’s maturation. Teach<strong>in</strong>g, research and scholarship are <strong>in</strong>terrelated; evidence shows that<br />

research enriches teach<strong>in</strong>g and is capable <strong>of</strong> significantly improv<strong>in</strong>g student learn<strong>in</strong>g outcomes.<br />

The JRIT is an annual multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary peer-reviewed publication <strong>of</strong> orig<strong>in</strong>al research focused<br />

on new effective <strong>in</strong>structional approaches, methods and tools. It is <strong>in</strong>tended to produce<br />

momentum to <strong>in</strong>crease the efficiency <strong>of</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g and ensure better learn<strong>in</strong>g outcomes for our<br />

students.<br />

The <strong>Journal</strong> is a forum to share faculty research and scholarship, which will ultimately<br />

benefit both the university’s academic community, as well as our students. The Editorial Board is<br />

composed <strong>of</strong> top scholars and adm<strong>in</strong>istrators from <strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong>, as well as several<br />

<strong>in</strong>ternationally acclaimed academicians. The Review Board <strong>in</strong>cludes both <strong>in</strong>ternal and external<br />

reviewers.
<br />

Thus, the third issue <strong>of</strong> the JRIT published by <strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong> demonstrates a steady<br />

progress <strong>in</strong> establish<strong>in</strong>g a research culture at this <strong>in</strong>stitution. This volume <strong>in</strong>cludes 16 articles that<br />

were accepted after a rigorous double review and that <strong>in</strong>clude studies from <strong>in</strong>dividual members<br />

<strong>of</strong> the <strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong> faculty, other US researchers and <strong>in</strong>ternational writers, and jo<strong>in</strong>t<br />

projects between <strong>National</strong> <strong>University</strong> researchers and outside scholars.<br />

All publications have been conditionally assigned <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g sections:
<br />

· General Issues<br />

· Accelerated Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

· E-learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

· Teach<strong>in</strong>g and Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

· Assessment and Evaluation<br />

· Bil<strong>in</strong>gual Education and Second Language Learn<strong>in</strong>g<br />

· Best Practices<br />

In the General Issues section we present two articles: The Influence <strong>of</strong> Social Worlds on<br />

Engag<strong>in</strong>g Ideas by Shelley Ashdown from the Graduate Institute <strong>of</strong> Applied L<strong>in</strong>guistics, Dallas<br />

TX, and Comb<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>Research</strong>-based Effective Teacher Characteristics with Effective<br />

Instructional Strategies to Influence Pedagogy by Dee L. Fabry who is a member <strong>of</strong> the <strong>National</strong><br />

<strong>University</strong> faculty.<br />

The first article discusses a global perspective for the classroom and curriculum and<br />

explores the diversity <strong>of</strong> social worlds across culture, which may lead to greater effectiveness <strong>in</strong><br />

communication. The author argues that Cultural Theory identifies four social worlds as universal<br />

and del<strong>in</strong>eates social rules and educational consequences <strong>in</strong>herent with<strong>in</strong> each social orientation.<br />

She discusses the impact <strong>of</strong> the Bureaucratic, Hierarchic, Individualist, and Egalitarian<br />

orientations on engag<strong>in</strong>g ideas.<br />

The second article suggests that the reasons for elevated high school dropout rates range<br />

from a lack <strong>of</strong> relevance to boredom. Increas<strong>in</strong>g student-to-teacher connections and motivation<br />

through the implementation <strong>of</strong> effective <strong>in</strong>structional strategies has been proven to be a<br />

i

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