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Program Evaluation: The Effects Of A District-Led Leadership Preparation Program On Aspiring School Leaders, Tammra Bethune Reel

Education Dissertations and Projects

The researcher of the dissertation evaluated a district-led school leadership preparation program using Stufflebeam's (2003) Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model for program evaluation. The study had a management-oriented approach to program evaluation because it will enable effective decision making regarding the program's design. In addition, the program evaluation took a formative approach as program characteristics were analyzed and collaboration with program participants occurred in order to determine which aspects of the Administrative Mentoring Program (AMP) were most beneficial to those directly involved.

Data for the study were obtained through the processes of a researcher-created participant survey and personal …

The Effect Of A Summer Reading Program On Student Reading Achievement, Danielle Triplett

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between reading during the summer and reading achievement. The participants consisted of second through fifth grade students in a rural, western North Carolina elementary school. Continued focus on increasing reading abilities and closing the achievement gap prompted the interest for this research.

Data were gathered through the use of qualitative and quantitative measures such as state and county assessments, surveys, and program reports.

Analysis of the data indicated the role that reading during the summer had on reading achievement.

Teacher Retention: Program Evaluation Of A Beginning Teacher And Mentor Program, Janet B. Anthony

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation evaluated a beginning teacher induction and mentor program currently used in a rural, county school system in western North Carolina and its effectiveness in the retention of teachers. The system has 29 schools, around 16,690 students, and employs approximately 1200 certified staff members. Using the CIPP Evaluation Model with a formative approach, information was gathered about the conditions that necessitated the program, procedures and practices used by the system to provide support and assistance to beginning teachers, whether or not established processes were being followed, and the impact of the program on beginning teacher retention. Individual and focus …

The Impact Of Collective Teacher Efficacy On Student Achievement In High School Science, Mark W. Burcham

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact of collective teacher efficacy on high school science achievement by looking at relationships among collective teacher efficacy, its two constructs, group competence and group task analysis, and high school science achievement scores at four rural high schools in Northwestern North Carolina.

The researcher gathered historical test data from the testing coordinator from the school system and then administered the Collective Teacher Efficacy Instrument, developed by Goddard, Hoy, and Woolfolk Hoy (2000), to 24 science teachers from the four high schools. Using this information, the researcher conducted statistical analyses to determine the relationships …

The Impact Of Teacher Self-Efficacy In Writing On Instruction And Evaluation Of Writing In A School District In Western North Carolina, Deanna Berrier

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the writing strategies and scoring practices of fourth-grade teachers on the North Carolina Fourth Grade Writing Assessment and local, county-wide writing assessments by collecting data from 13 elementary schools located in rural, western North Carolina.

Both qualitative and quantitative means of data collection were implemented. Inter-rater reliability was used to determine reliability of the fourth-grade teachers' scoring using the North Carolina Fourth Grade Writing Assessment Rubric. Qualitative data was collected through the use of two surveys administered to the fourth-grade teachers in the county. Interviews and a focus group were also used to determine …

Case Study: The Effect Of The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities On Teacher Behaviors At Two Elementary Schools, Rachel N. Clarke

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the impact of the implementation of a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model on teacher behaviors in two elementary schools. The research questions underlying and providing a research framework for the study were as follows: How does establishing a PLC change teacher instructional behavior? How does the implementation of a PLC encourage teacher professional growth? How do grade level meetings affect the instructional behavior of classroom teachers?

Written documentation and perceptions of principals and teachers, solicited through interviews and focus groups, were used to provide data for the study, along with survey data and grade level meeting documentation. …

Social Capital: Relationship Between Social Capital And Teacher Job Satisfaction Within A Learning Organization, Timothy Lee Chazon

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to study the relationship between Social Capital and teacher Job Satisfaction for 11 selected North Carolina Middle Schools. This study uses the learning organizational theory and social capital theory as theoretical constructs for studying the complex relationships between school as a Learning Organization (LO), Social Capital (SC), and teacher Job Satisfaction (JS). SC encompasses the interactive-interpersonal relationships and the values that are placed on those relationships whose collaborative efforts provide collective leverage to obtain an agreed-upon task. SC, according to Subramaniam and Youndt (2005), is intrinsically tied to Human Capital (HC), which is the individual knowledge, …

Professional Learning Communities: A Case Study Of The Implementation Of Plcs At An Elementary School Based On Huffman And Hipp's Five Dimensions And Critical Attributes, Shannon Long

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to examine the change in perceptions of instructional staff in regards to five dimensions as it proceeded in establishing a professional learning community. The researcher utilized focused interview sessions, group interview questionnaires, and Huffman and Hipp's Professional Learning Survey to determine how the staff perceived the implementation of professional learning communities. The findings of this study will help the school of study determine the next steps of their journey of implementing professional learning communities.

Theodicy From The Inside: Viewing The Problem Of Evil Through Shoah Survivor Narratives, Sabrina Kaye Jurey

MA in English Theses

We can know the facts and details of the Shoah from history books and official records, but if we go no further than this, we cannot get the full picture. To truly glimpse what happened in the camps, we must turn to the accounts of survivors, of those who experienced and lived those facts and details. To truly look the Shoah in the face, we must look into the faces of these survivors.

It is for this reason, then, that when I began to dig deeper into theodicy studies, I turned simultaneously to Shoah survival narratives. Those who have suffered …

Perceived Leadership Practices Of Female Superintendents In North Carolina, Deardre J. Gibson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to add to the general existing body of literature which examines women's work lives as North Carolina school superintendents. This study investigated the perceived leadership practices of North Carolina female superintendents during the 2008-2009 school year. According to the literature on female superintendents, women comprise the majority of teaching positions, but are underrepresented in the top leadership position in U.S. public schools. Gender inequality and barriers to the superintendency for women may account for disparities among women in the position. The provision of this study may serve to enlighten women who may aspire to the superintendency, …

An Analysis Of The Connection Between A Principal Development Program And Executive Leadership, David (Jay) Jones

Education Dissertations and Projects

America faces the following problems related to the supply of school principals: shortage, poor understanding of the changed role, and inadequate training. In response to problems, the state of North Carolina has implemented the School Executive Standards to evaluate principals and drive the professional development of them. The purpose of this descriptive study was to report on the perceptions of principals and assistant principals regarding the connection between a district level principal development program and preparation to meet the "North Carolina School Executive Standards". A sequential QUAN-QUAL analysis was applied to data collected through a survey and individual interviews. Measures …

The Effects Of Teacher Stability On Third Grade Student Achievement As Measured By The North Carolina End-Of-Grade Tests In Reading And Mathematics, Juddson W. Starling

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the effects of teacher stability on student achievement as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests in reading and mathematics for third grade students. The perceptions of third grade teachers and elementary school principals concerning issues with teacher stability were also examined. Accountability for public schools in North Carolina has driven educators to find ways to increase student achievement. Teacher stability is a variable that can be controlled by educators in an attempt to increase student achievement.

The writer gathered test data from a target school district and analyzed test scores by the number …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of A High School Advisory Program On Student Behaviors And Relationships, Matthew W. Stover

Education Dissertations and Projects

This case study dissertation was conducted to determine the perceptions of teachers and students about the school's advisory program. From 2003 to 2008, the high school had 279 student dropouts out of an average student population of 950. As a result of the student dropouts, the school adopted an advisory program. The studied school created the advisory program to change student behaviors and build student and staff relationships.

The research questions that guided the study were: (1) What was the impact of Check and Connect on student and staff relationships; (2) What was the impact of Check and Connect on …

A Case Study Of A High School Transition Program Into The Ninth Grade, Jamie Douglas Durant

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine and evaluate the effectiveness of a Ninth-Grade Transition Program at a Rural High School in Central North Carolina. The ninth grade is a pivotal year that determines which students will prevail and which students will fail to finish high school (Hertzog, 2003). It is essential that schools put in place components that ease the transition into high school and provide ongoing support.

Investigation measuring instruments used by the researcher included a two-part student survey and focus groups involving students in the ninth grade and those teachers who teach in the ninth grade. The data …

An Analysis Of The Perceived Effects Of The Welsh Inclusion Model On The Academic Growth Of Special Needs Learners In A North Carolina Elementary School, Stephen Ray Pickard

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the implementation of the Welsh Inclusion Model at a Title I elementary school in grades 4 through 5 in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. The researcher visited the Title I school, which was embarking in only its second year in the implementation of the Welsh Inclusion Model. During these visits, the researcher interviewed the principal, the Director of Elementary Education, and two inclusion teams. The entire group participated in a focus group interview. The surveys, interviews, ITTAP, and Co-Teaching rubric provided data that were triangulated to determine how well …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Beginning Teacher Induction Program On The Retention Rate Of Beginning Teachers, Monica Lynn Shepherd

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the Teacher Induction Program of a rural school system in North Carolina. The effects of mentor assignment, ongoing staff development, master teacher observation opportunities, structured reflection and self-assessment, and other support offered at the system level to beginning teachers on the retention rate of beginning teachers in the school system were analyzed.

The researcher determined 10 themes based on the objectives of the school system's Beginning Teacher Support Program: improving beginning teachers' skills and performance; supporting teacher morale; communications; collegiality; building a sense of professionalism and positive attitude; facilitating a smooth transition into the …

Factors Influencing Early Detection Of Breast Cancer In African American Women, Tamrah Joy Parker

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Background. African American women are more likely to have breast cancer diagnosed at a later stage than Caucasian women and with a five year death rate 1.5 times greater than Caucasian women. Mammography screening detects breast cancer in its early stages and can reduce mortality.

Objective. To examine factors influencing early detection of breast cancer for African American women.

Methods. A convenience sample of 39 African American women 50 years of age and older was selected from two local Baptist churches in eastern North Carolina. Eligibility criteria included ability to read and write in English with no prior or present …

A Study Of Program Completion And Attrition In One Baccalaureate Nursing Program In The Southeastern United States, Lori J. Shrock

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Already facing a national hospital and long-term care registered nurse (RN) shortage, the current number of potential nurse candidates successfully completing baccalaureate nursing programs (BNPs) is not sufficient to meet the estimated demand for baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the United States of America (U.S.) and worldwide. Yet program attrition due to varying reasons leads to graduating nursing classes that are below the clinical program's admission limit in a particular BNP in the Southeastern U.S.--often considerably lower. The study used a convenience sample of all current or former BNP students enrolled in the university from the fall of 2004 to the spring …

Spiritual Care For Missionaries Within The Ministry Context Of Make Way Partners, Milton R. Smith

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Spiritual Care for Missionaries Within the Ministry Context of Make Way Partners is the report of a research project. The objective of this project was to study the spiritual care of missionaries within the ministry context of Make Way Partners (MWP). The ministry context of MWP is to prevent and combat human trafficking. The context of this project was in the country of Sudan, in and near Darfur.

In particular, the study addressed the possibility that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator might aid the leadership of MWP in predicting how missionaries might respond to stress in the field. Also, the project …

Ordination Training For Bi-Vocational Clergy In The United Cornerstone Churches International, Inc. Of Thomasville, North Carolina, George Bernard Jackson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In many rural communities there exists a stereotype about clergy education perpetuated since slavery. This project offered bi-vocational clergy opportunities to be equipped, empowered and certified for servant leadership. Data captured from 2006 through 2008 was taken from the 25 ordinands. Questions that guided this study were grouped into two sets: examination by quantitative measurements through the passing of a catechism; and by qualitative measurements from personal and telephone interviews. The results of the research revealed a discrepancy in the ordination process where prerequisites and retention studies must play a greater role for future ordinands.

The School Nurse's Perception Of Health Promotion Behavior, Susan Bullard Furr

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This was a descriptive study that assessed school nurses' perceptions of health-promoting behavior. A sample of 33 school nurses was asked to complete the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) to measure their health-promoting lifestyle. The HPLP-II is a Likert-styled instrument that consists of 52 items divided among six subscales. The six subscales are: (1) health responsibility; (2) physical activity; (3) nutrition; (4) interpersonal relations; (5) spiritual growth and; (6) stress management. The findings indicated that the nurses perceived interpersonal relationships and spiritual growth to be components of their health-promoting behavior as evidenced by higher mean scores in those two …