This series presents substantial results from around the globe in selected areas of educational research. The field of education is consistently on the top of priority lists of every country in the world, yet few educators are aware of the progress elsewhere. Many techniques, programs and methods are directly applicable across borders. Topics discussed herein include differences in academic achievement by ethnicity and gender as a function of in-school suspension; data warehousing for sustainability in higher education sector; differences in beginning teacher percentages by accountability rating and school level; a study of the arguments used by undergraduate and graduate students during disciplinary discussions in the classroom; cyborgs at the university; improving mental health through an online self-assessment and self-help e-utility in university students; virtual laboratories as hands-on settings in science education; designing an educational music software using a student-centred strategy; the impact of optimized functioning; a study of the "music, society, and culture" course for undergraduate students in Hong Kong; and teachers' perception of teaching as a profession and their attitudes toward pedagogical changes.