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Stakeholder Perceptions Of Hearing Examiner Legislation In Texas Teacher Dismissal Cases, Sofia Annette Adams-Valdez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

As of January 1996 a new process has been implemented in teacher dismissal cases in Texas public schools. In the new process a hearing examiner is assigned by the Texas Education Agency to oversee fact-finding duties in mid-contract teacher dismissals, thereby circumventing the previously exclusive adjudicative role of school board members in dismissal cases.

This study explores the implementation of the 1995 legislation that resulted in major changes to the teacher dismissal process in Texas, an important component of the larger and broader educational reform mandates that have been gradually introduced by the Texas legislature over the last decade.

Qualitative …

The Relationship Between Observable Teaching Effectiveness Behaviors And Personality Types In A Sample Of Urban Middle School Teachers, Jeaneen Kaye Talbott

Student Work

Fifty-one middle school teacher volunteers in an urban, Midwestern school district were surveyed to determine their personality and temperament type using the 93 forced choice question Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Self-Scorable Form M. Each question contained two options and each question was weighted “1”. Two administrators rated those same teachers' teaching effectiveness using the 34 question Teacher Effectiveness Survey (TES). There were three subscales on the TES; instructional performance, professional development, and leadership skills. The Overall score included all three subscales' mean scores. A 5-point Likert scale with 1 as “Poor” and 5 as “Excellent” was used on the TES. …

Nebraska Public School Superintendents' Perceptions Of Nebraska's Assessment/Accountability System's Effect On High Schools, Wanda M. Clark

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine superintendents' perceptions of the Nebraska assessment/accountability reporting system (STARS) as they effect high schools. Data measuring the superintendents' perceptions of the STARS program included how they perceived the STARS program's effect on teachers, instructional practices, students, building principals, and resources. Demographic information was collected to determine if differences existed between subgroups based on the superintendents' district size, superintendents' years of experience, the district's free/reduced lunch percentage, the district's 11th grade portfolio rating on communication, the amount of STARS funding, and the financial support required from the district.

The Real And Perceived Social And Economic Impact Of School Consolidation On Host And Vacated Communities In Nebraska, Ken Heinz

Student Work

Opponents of school consolidation often argue that when a community loses a high school the community dies a slow death. This paper compares the actual effects of losing or retaining a high school through consolidation to the perceived effects. The actual effects were measured by gathering data on seven indicators. These indicators were: (a) population, (b) per capita income, (c) retail sales, (d) number of retail businesses, (e) pull factor, (f) property taxes, and (g) property valuations. Perceived effects were measured by gathering information from 180 phone surveys conducted with people in nine Nebraska communities that had recently consolidated These …

Between Theory And Practice: Student Teachers' Espoused And Observed Dispositions, Kay A. Keiser

Student Work

The purpose of this research was to determine to what extent, if any, student teachers' self-perceptions of teaching dispositions were congruent with their cooperating teachers' perceptions of the dispositions the student teachers actually exhibited while teaching. To compare perceptions of dispositions, 79 teaching pairs of student teachers and cooperating teachers of an urban Midwestern university completed the Teacher Disposition Index (Schulte, Edick, Edwards, & Mackiel, 2004).

The Ertirean English Curriculum: Grades 2-6 Assessing Academic Readiness, Kelly Walter

Linguistics & TESOL Theses

This study is an examination of the 2002 Eritrean English curriculum from Grades 2–6. In the Eritrean educational system, the nine languages of Eritrea are the languages of education until Grade 6, when students are expected to make a transition to an all-English curriculum. The purpose of the study is to ascertain whether students are prepared at the end of Grade 5 for the academic English of Grade 6. The criteria for preparedness is mastery of vocabulary. Data from the Eritrean National Reading Survey and the vocabulary counts from the curriculum of Grades 2–5 and Grade 6 were compared. The …

Dibels And Cbm: Using These Measures To Promote Big Ideas In Beginning Reading In Kindergarten Through First-Grade, Eva M. Denton

Student Work

An overview of phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, and fluency with text is provided. Focusing on these 3 big ideas, a literacy program at a local school was evaluated. Kindergarteners were administered the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) 3 times a year to indicate their skills related to phonological awareness and the alphabetic principle. Students needing intensive instructional support received 40 to 70 minutes of small group instruction per week. As first-graders, all students read curriculum-based measurement (CBM) reading probes to assess their fluency with text. Of primary concern was the extent to which the different interventions …

The Relationships Between Secondary Language Teachers' Multiple Intelligence Preferences And Their Choice Of Mi-Inspired Teaching Strategies In The Classroom, Wenmin (Mindy) Huang

Student Work

The purpose of the study was to examine ESL teachers' perceived multiple intelligences (MI), their choice of MI-inspired teaching strategies in the classroom, and the relationship between teachers' perceived MI preferences and their selection of strategies or activities that reflect or do not reflect their MI preference in the classroom. Two survey instruments were used to collect data for this study: the Intelligence Survey (IS), and the MI-Inspired Teaching Strategy Index (MITSI). This study was delimited to ESL teachers who had been enrolled in the ESL endorsement program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). Results indicated that the …

Differences In The Quality Of Written Evaluation Recommendations Of Master And Marginal Teachers, Michele L. Gehringer

Student Work

The purposes of this study were to identify the elements of quality written feedback given by an evaluator and to determine if there was a difference between the quality of feedback given to master teachers and marginal teachers in their summative appraisal evaluations in a large, Midwestern, suburban public school. A holistic rating instrument was used to determine the quality of feedback on final recommendations given to teachers. The design of the rating instrument measured the quality of written feedbac in four areas (specific, clear, achievable, student-centered). Administrators from outside of the school district were asked to rate the feedback …

Effectiveness Of A Continuous Vs. Traditional Learning Calendar And The Impact On Reading For Students Receiving Special Education, Molly B. Dotson

Student Work

Education has been, and certainly will always be, a topic of heightened interest for parents, educators, politicians, and community members, who want the best for their children. The desire for optimal student learning and progress has led to continued debate regarding the efficacy of year-round education and its proposed benefits when compared with traditional education.

Acute Physiological Responses And Psychological Perceptions Of Various Resistance Training Regimens, William J. Vincent

Student Work

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of four different resistance training protocols associated with periodization of resistance training on the biological signals that are associated with exercise regimens to increase muscle hypertrophy. A secondary purpose was to compare the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) in the four weight training regimens. A total of eight male resistance trainers within the ages of 23-35 served as subjects for this study. On the first visit all had a baseline blood assay drawn to measure human growth hormone (hGH) and testosterone (T) and their 5 repetition maximum (RM) strength …

Gender And Generational Differences In The Self-Ratings Of Leadership Practices By Elementary School Administrators Within Four Florida Counties, Michele E. Polk

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Considerable research has been conducted over time on possible gender differences, with varying results regarding the existence and/or degree of differences. In particular, research on differences in leadership practices of men and women have abounded since the 1970s as women began to make their way into management and supervisory positions.

In todays work force, several generations can be found working together within a single work setting. Possibly, differences in leadership may be more generational than gender related; however, little research has considered both gender and generation as variables. This study adds to literature relating to the existence of gender and/or …

A Comparison Of Teachers' And Parents' Perceptions Of The Behaviors Of Effective Catholic Elementary School Principals, Diane M. Cronin

Student Work

This was a quantitative study investigating three main questions. The first two questions ascertained teachers' and parents' perceptions of the most important behaviors of effective Catholic elementary school principals in the areas of leadership styles, religious leader, instructional leader, administrator, and communicator, and the third question compared the perceptions of the two groups.

Treatment Of Religious Expresssion And Belief In Utah Public Schools: Perspectives Of The Religious Minority, Eric-Jon Keawe Marlowe

Theses and Dissertations

Recorded members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (also known as Mormon or LDS) comprise over 70% of Utah's population. This qualitative study identifies the unique concerns and challenges that members of Utah's minority religions may face in public schools. Semi-structured interviews, designed to elicit rich, detailed information, were conducted with 48 participants (13 leaders, 17 parents, 18 students) from seven different minority religions in Utah. Each interview was audio taped, transcribed, and then analyzed using the qualitative analysis program N-Vivo. Looking at the school institutional treatment (laws, policy, teachers, administrators) of participants' religions, few expressed major …

Accountability For The Implementation Of Secondary Visual Arts Standards In Utah And Queensland, John K. Derby

Theses and Dissertations

Utah and the majority of states have adopted mandatory standards for visual arts, yet no accountability measures have been established. Consequently, it is impossible to determine if standards are being addressed in the art classroom and aggregate grades are subjective. Queensland, Australia instituted a system of moderated school-based assessment (moderation) in 1971, whereby assessment is accomplished locally, then verified by peer experts. Queensland ensures that standards are addressed in curricula and assessment and that exit grades are reliable and comparable. Research has shown that Utah and Queensland share comparable visual arts standards and similar demographics. Queensland moderation has been extensively …

Lutheran Day School Operation: Financial Stewardship Implications, Thomas Radtke

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

In addressing this problem as it faces Trinity Lutheran Church, the writer will survey other schools and determine the method that each congregation uses to fund the operation of its day school. My premise from the outset is that some of these day schools use the traditional means of funding through congregational offerings while others use member tuition as a major factor in the funding of their day schools. The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate the methods used and make application to Trinity for the best method of funding their day school operation.

School-Based Mental Health Services Delivered By School Psychologists, Emily Luis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study involved analyses of an existing database conducted for the purposes of identifying and understanding factors that are associated with the delivery of school-based mental health services by school psychologists. The study examined the average number of hours per week in which school psychologists engage in mental health services and the types of mental health services in which they engage. Factors such as training, desire to deliver mental health services, time available and support for mental health services were investigated. The database that served as the basis for these analyses had been created by mailing a survey to 1000 …

Developing An Anthropology Curriculum For High School: A Case Study From Durant High School, Hillsborough County, Florida, Kory Mcneil Bennett

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

It has become increasingly apparent that anthropology has much to offer when it comes to educating our youth. This is true for all grade levels, kindergarten through senior level studies in high school. Here, this idea will be explored further by focusing on the students of Durant High School (DHS) of Plant City, Florida.

This project was designed to explore the idea of combining widely accepted pedagogical theories (Gardner 1983, 1993, 1999; Geraci 2000; Silver, Strong and Perini 1997) with anthropological theory and methods in order to devise effective curricula for high school archaeology and other anthropology courses. More essentially, …

Institutionalizing Service Learning In Higher Education: To Change Or Not To Change?, Paula Kay Reams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Florida Public School Administrators' Knowledge Of Legal Issues Related To Search And Seizure, Catherine Slack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School officials trying to deter drug use, combat crime, and shore up security are conducting searches that are landing school in legal trouble for violating students' constitutional rights. In 1993, West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a strip search of a student suspected of stealing money was illegal (State of West Virginia ex rel Gilford v. Mark Anthony B., 1993). In another case, a federal appellate court held that a strip search of a student for suspected drug possession was reasonable, although no drugs were found (Cornfield v. Consolidated High School District No. 230, 1993). Improper searches of students, lockers …

Relationship Between Student Attitude Toward Learning Academics And Instructional Delivery Systems Of Comprehensive Full-Time Career And Technical High Schools, Michael Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New federal and state regulations and a changing workforce are forcing comprehensive full-time Career and Technical schools (C and T) to examine the academic component of their programs. This study examined the effect of "week about" and "half-day about" instructional delivery systems (IDS) on students' general attitude toward learning academics. In the "week about" IDS, instruction is delivered through rotating weeks of academic and C and T classes. In the "half-day" about IDS, instruction is delivered by providing one-half day of academics and one-half day of C and T instruction.

Juniors and seniors in three C and T schools in …

Hiv/Aids Education In The Public High Schools Of Three Counties In Southwestern Pennsylvania, Timothy Sheets

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Infection by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, continues to grow worldwide. The only way to stop infection is to educate the population on prevention by identifying methods of transmission and behaviors that put a person most at risk. Schools are an effective place to teach young people about HIV. The Pennsylvania School Code requires that HIV/AIDS education be provided to all public school students while details of the instruction are locally determined. This study investigated HIV/AIDS education in three counties of southwestern Pennsylvania: what was included in the curricula, what was taught to the students, and how the content …

Animals And Biographies: Integrated Units For Third/Fourth Looped Classes, Kimberly Lynn Bonsen

All Graduate Projects

This handbook was designed for teachers in a third-to-fourth grade looping classroom. The lessons integrate reading and writing, and the second year (fourth grade) builds upon skills and strategies introduced in the first year (third grade). The third grade set of lessons focuses study on animals while the fourth grade set of lessons focuses on biographies. The handbook contains a OLE/Lesson plan matrix, information for teachers before beginning both sets of lessons, twelve third grade lessons, thirteen fourth grade lessons, and extension activities for both animals and biographies. The final section in the handbook is an appendix that contains every …

Gender Differences In Student Learning: A Review Of The Literature From The Neuroscience And Psychology Perspectives, Noreen Ann Clark

All Graduate Projects

Literature from the fields of psychology and neuroscience were examined to establish what scientifically based information was available regarding gender differences. Myths of the past, psychological and neuroscientific perspectives, gender specific differences for students with genetic and metabolic-based exceptionalities, gender specific changes in behavior through maturation, and the educational implications for gender differences were included. The results indicated that children show developmental differences in expression of emotion, metacognition, and cognition, and the developmental differences are influenced by gender. The implications for educational practices are that curriculum, instruction, and assessment can be aligned to meet the unique need of both male …

Building Family Partnerships: A Series Of Workshops Focusing On Russian Family Involvement, Mark Christopher Pittrof

All Graduate Projects

A series of workshop materials were developed to help educators meet the needs of an increasing Russian population, by increasing school, family, and community partnerships. The targeted families are those who's children are enrolled at Point Defiance Elementary in mainstream classrooms. The materials included in this series of workshops consist of assessments, cultural and historical understandings, current practices in education, and tools and strategies for continuous growth. The content of these workshops will provide all school staff in urban or rural communities skills to increase partnerships and positively effect student learning.

Preventing Plagiarism In The High School, Robin Brooke Rushing

All Graduate Projects

The project provides high school teachers with a handbook to aid their effort in teaching summarization skills and MLA citation format. Because research articles have become easier to obtain over the internet, plagiarism among high school students has evolved and become a problem in American high schools. This handbook is not only a resource for teachers to utilize in their lesson plans, but provides various opportunities for students to practice key writing and research documentation skills.

Evaluating The Middle School Mathematics Teacher Preparation Program At Riyadh Teachers' College, Maher M. Alghanem

Doctoral Dissertations

Continuous evaluation and feedback are essential to improving the quality of teacher preparation programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of various aspects of the preparation of preservice middle school mathematics teachers at Riyadh Teachers' College, Saudi Arabia, from the perspective of both preservice middle school mathematics teachers and mathematics department faculty members. The focus of this study was on the mathematics department's theoretical framework, its governance and resources, faculty qualifications and performance, courses and field experiences, approaches of teaching, and assessment forms. Two research questionnaires were developed for the purpose of collecting research data: one …

College Students' Development Of Social Support And Its Relationship To Pre -Orientation Experiences, Brent J. Bell

Doctoral Dissertations

The work of any life transition involves specific tasks, often including the re-establishment of social support in a variety of forms (Weiss, 1974). College students are particularly affected by transition, often disrupting established support systems while transitioning into adulthood. To assist with this transition, campuses offer a number of services (e.g., admissions/alumni programs, campus visits, pre-orientation programs, first-year orientation, first-year seminars). Such services are defined in this study as Comprehensive Transitional Programs (CTP). Little is known about how CTP impact social support. This study focused on adapting the Campus Focused Social Provisions Scale (CF-SPS), as an instrument to measure social …

School Governance In New Hampshire: Revisiting A Study Of School Board -Superintendent Relations In Small Rural School Districts, Betsey Stebbins Cox-Buteau

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to replicate the dissertation of Dr. Phillip McCormack of 1988 and to compare the results of that study to the results of this study of 2004, fifteen years later. Dr. McCormack's original research questions were used but modified to include the comparison of data fifteen years apart.

A descriptive research design was used. It was based upon the design used by Dr. McCormack. The study used both a quantitative component and a qualitative component. Information was gathered, as it had been in 1988, through (1) questionnaires given to school board members and superintendents and …

Third Graders Speak: Experiences And Perspectives Of Reading And Writing In Urban Public Schools, Kimberly A. Boothroyd

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences and perspectives of reading and writing among third grade students attending urban public schools. The study took place in a large urban district in the Northeastern United States and included two elementary schools, four classrooms, and 24 students. The study was designed and conducted as qualitative research. 24 students were interviewed at two different times in the school year using (1) a picture protocol for the first interview and (2) a semi-structured interview protocol for the second interview. Analysis of the 48 interviews yielded findings in three areas: (1) The …