Dance Students At A Two Year College: Making Sense Of Their Academic, Cultural, And Social World, Benjamin Lopez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the lived experiences of community college dance students. Previous research was examined to provide a more holistic picture of dancers during their college years and while in the workforce. The literature reviewed indicated that the emergence of dance as a field of study was controversial. Its beginnings were marked by debates concerning (a) the very definition of dance as a body of motion and a body of knowledge that includes a history and a philosophy as asserted by Dimondstein (1985), (b) its legitimate place within the academy (the perception that university dance …

An Interactionist View Of African American Males In Educational Leadership, Samuel D. Dasher Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the segregation era, African American males held positions of leadership in schools in African American communities. When schools were integrated as a result of Brown v. The Board of Education, the number of African American males in positions of educational leadership began a rapid decline. Even as the demographics of the United States have become much more diverse, the gap between African American male educational leaders and their white male counterparts remains significant. This study examines the perceptions of African American male K-12 educational leaders about their positions, why they chose to become educational leaders, and the paths they …

Academic Engagement, Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Achievement Of Georgia Southern University Sophomore Students, John O. Lemay Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that engagement, motivation, self-regulation, and their individual effects on student achievement are established factors that influence college students’ success. However, what is less clear are these variables’ relationships and their collective influence on achievement. Since students face unique trials as they persist through college, consideration of these relationships and their effect on the achievement of all students is necessary. There is a widening achievement gap between sexes; females have now passed males in enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates. Previous research in this area has been largely centered on undergraduate female students in their freshman year, but the …

African American Female Principals Of Urban High Schools And Their Negotiation Of Work And Family Conflicts, April Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women account for approximately 60 percent of all high school teachers, but account for barely 30 percent of the principals of these schools. When the data is disaggregated to only examine African American women in education, the disproportion widens between women and men in leadership. As the demographics of the population in the United States change, there is expanding need for more culturally, ethnically, racially diverse leaders in the public schools. African American women because of their experiences often model transformational leadership with oppression regarding their race and gender. Such leadership is beneficial to minority students, who now make up …

The Impact Of Pre-Kindergarten Programs On Student Achievement In Mississippi Elementary Schools, Fletcher B. Harges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each of the states bordering Mississippi invests large amounts of money in providing children with state-funded pre-k programs in their public schools. However, Mississippi falls behind these states and does not similarly invest in this effort to provide many of its children with the opportunity to attend state-funded pre-k programs. Because school readiness is such a huge concern for instructional leaders of Mississippi schools, there is a need to determine the benefits associated with offering pre-k to all students throughout the state. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact pre-k has on the academic achievement of …

The Relationship Of Principal Gender And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate On Suspension And Expulsion Rates Of High School Students, Roderick Lydell Payne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory quantitative study was to determine if relationships exist between principal gender, teachers’ perceptions of the school climate, and the suspension rates of high school students in a large consolidated district in the mid-South. The research analyzed a single academic year, 2015–16, within the subject district. The study sample consisted of 20 high schools with similar characteristics. Ten of the high schools have a female principal and 10 of the high schools have a male principal. The independent variables of the study were principal gender and teachers’ perceptions of the school climate; dependent variables were the …

An Analysis Of Campus Civility: Best Practices From Student Affairs Professionals, Amy Zieziula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Incivility on college campuses is an issue that can disrupt the learning environment and the retention of students, as well as harm the reputation of a college campus. This is a pertinent issue for leaders in higher education to address and to promote a more civil campus both inside and outside of the classroom. There is no research that addresses how Student Affairs Professionals best promote civility on college campuses, and this study fills that research gap. This qualitative study was conducted using Student Affairs Professionals at eight SUNY institutions. The Generational Theory and Work Place Incivility Theory were utilized …

A Correlational Study Of The Georgia School Board Association's Board Recognition Program And Student Achievement, Holly E. Rutledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of school boards in American public education has been intensely debated for well over a century (Johnson, 2013). A broad variety of research on school boards exists, ranging from the topic of school board elections, to board member leadership styles, and to decision making processes. Much less research exists, however, on the impact of school boards on student achievement, even though school boards are increasingly targeted as one of the main reasons for poor student achievement (Jacobsen & Linkow, 2014). Johnson (2013) contends there is a growing body of evidence that indicates school boards play a critical role …

Improvement Capacity In Mississippi Schools: A Comparison Between High Needs Improving And Struggling Schools, Paula W. Tharp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite evidence provided through decades of educational research regarding effective practices in high-performing, high-poverty schools, Mississippi continues to trail other states in improving student achievement outcomes (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2016). Educational research provides evidence regarding the importance of school leadership, the specific practices school leaders engage in to bring about sustainable improvement, and school leadership preparation and support to improve struggling schools (Elmore et al., 2014; Manna, 2015; Fullan et al., 2006; The Wallace Foundation, 2010). Research also acknowledges leadership to improve failing schools adds complexity and requires a particular set of leadership knowledge and behaviors (Elmore, 2008b; Marzano …

Producing A College Graduate Using Retention, Progression, And Graduation (Rpg) Initiatives: A University Systems’ Approach, Deborah N. Kittrell-Mikell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Complete College Georgia (CCG) is an initiative that has the University System of Georgia institutions strategizing ways to develop plans that will increase the number of college graduates by the year 2020. Governor Nathan Deal has indicated that graduation rates need to increase from 42% to 60% within the next 7 years. With the anticipation of approximately 20% more students graduating to meet the 250,000 target, a closer look is needed at how an additional 50,000 graduates can be produced to make this goal a reality. To fulfill this goal, there needs to be an increase of approximately 7,143 …

The Difference In Academic Achievement For Students In The Healthy Fitness Zone Compared To The High Risk Zone For Bmi And Aerobic Capacity, Nathan C. Pennington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood obesity rates have climbed significantly over the past 40 years. With that, there has also been an increase in the number of associated health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, of many. Quite independently, there has also been an increase in the accountability placed on schools to improve their reading and math test scores. This has resulted in a decrease in physical activity times in schools in order to provide more class time for reading and math. This study’s purpose has been to identify whether a difference exists in academic outcomes for students in the HFZ compared …

Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement, Gail H. Greenway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly public schools in the United States are finding that factors beyond curriculum and instruction impact student achievement. Much research has been conducted on the relationship between school climate and student achievement (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, 2009; Guo & Higgins-D’Alessandro, 2011). This study set out to determine if there was a correlation between school climate and student achievement in middle schools in the Central Savannah River Area Regional Educational Service Agency region in the state of Georgia. Findings from this quantitative study indicated that there is a statistically significant, positive relationship between school climate and student achievement in middle …

Speaking Out Despite White Noise: Examining The Leadership Of African American Female Technical College Presidents And Vice Presidents, Ashley Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African American female leaders in higher education. More specifically, this study examined the experiences of these leaders who assume the role of presidents and vice presidents at Georgia technical colleges. The study contextualized the experiences of these leaders and illustrated how those experiences influence their leadership methods and the establishment of their leadership presence. The results of this study form a context for understanding the leadership methods of African American female leaders.

Leading Ladies: A Mixed-Method Study Of The Influence Of Gender Bias On Leadership Styles For Women Who Lead Secondary Schools, Angela S. Coaxum-Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study is to determine if women who lead secondary schools have gender bias experiences that might influence their leadership styles. The study focused on the accounts of five women who lead secondary schools, their gender bias experiences, their perceived leadership style and whether or not they believed the experience influences how they lead. Through in-depth interviews and survey completion, the data from both sources revealed the common leadership styles and gender bias experiences among the research participants. When examining the shared experiences three salient themes emerged: (a) A belief that gender bias still exists …