Education Commons^™

The Development And Validation Of A Descriptive Survey For American Children : Assessing Health And Health Risk Behaviors, With Special Applications In American Indian Communities, Retta Prophet

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive health survey for elementary and middle school children, with special consideration for the needs of American Indian communities, in order to provide a way to effectively and economically describe their health conditions. The American Children’s Health Survey (TACHS) is a tool for providing communities, policy makers, curriculum designers, teachers and families with greater understanding of the nature and the extent of the health conditions of children. It was designed as a means for providing an ongoing evaluation of health instruction programs and as supporting evidence to gain funding for needed …

Attitudes Of Elementary Principals Toward Parent Involvement In Schools In The Commonwealth Of Virginia, Linda V. Brittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the attitudes of principals toward parent involvement in schools. The population for the study consisted of all public school elementary principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A random sample procedure was employed and an instrument was developed specifically for the study. An initial and second mailing resulted in an overall response rate of 53%. Factor analysis identified 5 groupings in parent involvement. Factors were labeled: Decision-Making, Policy-Making, Home Tutor/Co-Learner, Socio-Economic Status, and Parent Desire and Expertise. Seven null hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study. It was found that …

The Formulation, Implementation, And Evaluation Of Educational Planning In Public School Districts Of Tennessee, Daniel R. Fielden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The legislature of the State of Tennessee enacted The Public Education Governance Reform Act of 1984 as the first step in a restructuring and reform program for Tennessee education. One of the major elements of this piece of legislation was that the state board of education would "... develop and maintain current a master plan for the development of public education, grades kindergarten (K) through twelve (12)." A regulation was passed by the Tennessee State Board of Education mandating that each local board of education in the state should develop and implement a five-year educational plan to include a mission …

Effect Of Leadership Style On Work Climate And Program Completion In Domiciliary Addiction Programs, Patricia L. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addiction leads to homelessness, AIDS, other health problems, crimes, financial burdens, family conflict and many social and psychological problems. Relapse rates remain very high in addiction programs and employees are frustrated by the poor response of clients to treatment and to the bureaucratic style of management often found in hospitals and clinics. Relapse rates are due to stress factors, respondent conditioning processes, and lack of focus on techniques of relapse prevention. One approach to overcoming the morale problem could be a more participatory style of management to improve the work climate. This study was completed in response to the lack …

Women In Public School Administration: Factors That Facilitate Attainment, Betty Newlin Lapointe

Dissertations

The educational system in the United States, although staffed by an equal proportion of men and women in teaching roles, is administered predominantly by men. Women are represented in fewer than 5% of our nation’s schools in the role of superintendent, and only 10% of the high schools are administered by women principals.

The purpose of this study was to expand the research on the factors that facilitate the attainment of key leadership positions for women within the public school, and to determine differences in access between the positions of secondary principal and superintendent.

A total of 78 female administrators, …

Mandated School Board Member Training For Local Boards Of Education In Tennessee As Perceived By Local Boards Of Education Members And Superintendents Of Schools, John D. Payne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the mandatory in-service training in Tennessee for all local board of education members. The primary focus of this study was to determine if the board members' or superintendents' responses about the training agencies, content, or applicability of any Academy indicated any continuing (long-term) impact on the actions of board members when they returned to their local boards of education. The secondary concern of this study was to determine if the responses were significantly differentiated between the positions of board member and superintendent or among the demographic characteristics defined …

Business Process Re-Engineering Applied To The Air Force Institute Of Technology Office Of The Registrar, Records Management, Connie C. Hutchinson, Alison F. Mccoy

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the processes performed by the Officer Academic Education Repository at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) methodology was used to define tile existing processes. IDEFO (Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing Definition Language) and Activity Based Costing techniques were used to map the flow of activities and to determine the costs for handling one education record. The cost for processing one education record averaged approximately $69.95. Under BPR, the functional expert team evaluates the existing processes to determine which processes are value-added and which are non-value added and generate …

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Social Network Characteristics Of Elementary School Principals, Lisa R. Gentry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of social communication networks and to determine the levels of job satisfaction of public elementary school principals in Northeast Tennessee. Relationships between social communication network characteristics and job satisfaction were described. Information from the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) and the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) was used to identify characteristics of social networks and levels of job satisfaction. Data was used to investigate relationships between social network characteristics and job satisfaction scores. Data gathered included principals' gender, age, school size, years of experience, education level, ethnicity, community setting, marital status, tenure …

Instructional Planning And Teaching: Perceptions Of Practice And Department Expectations Of Principal Preparation Program Faculties, David L. Deweese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study of principal preparation programs composing the Danforth Foundation Program for the Preparation of School Principals (DPPSP) was conducted to identify and compare the perceptions of program faculty and program coordinators of their respective instructional planning and teaching practices, and their like perceptions of department expectations of faculty regarding these same roles. Variables were constructed using a pilot survey with selected faculty who were members of the Southern Region Council for Education Administration. There were three major findings. Faculty and program coordinators ranked their perceptions of their own practice highly. Faculty and program coordinators ranked their perceptions of their …

Maximizing School Safety By Minimizing Student Violence On And Near School Grounds, William J. Bryson

Masters Theses

This research applications project addresses the phenomenon of rising violence among the youth of the United States, and includes a discussion of how this trend impacts our schools, particularly both the perceived and real danger it creates for our schools' students and staff members. Also considered are three youth activities which have accompanied this phenomenon. These behaviors are drug abuse and trafficking, gang activity, and weapons carrying and use. A brief analysis is presented regarding the degree and nature of these activities' relationships to each other and to youth violence. Finally, a handbook for school administrators' use is included titled …

An Urban Education Study: Implementing Problem-Solving Strategies In Mathematics As A Function Of Teacher's Learning Styles, Mary Lou Meinhold Fogarty

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This qualitative research was designed to ascertain the impact of teachers' learning styles on an active teaching program. Using grounded theory procedures, the researcher explored the second-year implementation of Moretti and associates' Problem Solver Program by 67 second- through fifth-grade teachers in order to gain information on the major research question: How effective are teachers with different learning styles in implementing problem-solving strategies in mathematics that require an active teaching style? Three Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) instruments were used in this study. Two quantitative instruments were used: The Stages of Concern (CBAM) to determine the degree of program implementation …

The Projected Effects Of A Paperless Information System On The Productivity Of The Air Force Institute Of Technology Evaluations And Admissions Division, Richard A. Bihary, Roy C. Shrader

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Institute of Technology Admissions/Registrar Directorate (AFIT/RR) has a need to improve and expand services using a smaller operating budget. One promising solution is to eliminate the paperwork required to perform the AFIT/RR functions. To assist AFIT/RR managers in evaluating alternatives, this thesis determines the nature and extent to which a paperless information system affects the productivity of the Air Force Institute of Technology Evaluations and Admissions Division (AFIT/RRE). The DoD definitions of productivity are used in this thesis. Based on these definitions, the hours per unit of work (HPU) is chosen as the measure of productivity. Baseline …

The Economics Of Free Parking: Transportation Policy At The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, Richard A. Nielsen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper culminates a natural progression of studies done over the past two years examining parking and transportation policy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The purpose of these studies has been to evaluate the adequacy of these policies and to estimate the potential impact a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program could produce on parking and traffic conditions and air quality improvement. Included in the report are results from a commuter survey conducted in April 1993, a simple rollback model developed to produce an estimation of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) at the University and any subsequent reduction of VMT …

The Perceptions Of Career Ladder I, Career Ladder Ii, And Career Ladder Iii Elementary Principals Regarding Instructional Leadership, Brenda T. Gulledge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III Tennessee Elementary Principals perceived differently their role as instructional leaders. The amount of time principals spent in six identified dimensions of instructional leadership was examined. The study examined selected independent variables, such as, grade level configuration of the school, years of experience as a principal, number of years of classroom experience, and gender for any effect on the Career Ladder I, Career Ladder II, and Career Ladder III elementary principals' perceptions of their instructional leadership role. The research design included three …

Attitudes And Perceived Needs Of Northeast Tennessee Educators Toward Effecting The Practice Of Inclusion, David A. Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the attitudes and perceived needs of Northeast Tennessee educators toward effecting the practice of inclusion in the public schools. The purpose of this study is to determine from the perspective of principals, regular education teachers, and special education teachers their current perceptions of inclusion, and what preparations or changes are needed to help educators succeed in inclusionary practices. The approach of this study is descriptive and utilizes data that was generated by the means of a survey instrument that was developed for use in this study. Areas of data presentation include: examination of demographic information; analysis of …

Perceptions Of Occupational Stress Among Public School Principals In Tennessee, Karla F. Kyte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent that public school principals in Tennessee perceived their jobs as stressful, to identify the major sources of job-related stress within the school environment, to determine the coping strategies most often used by principals to manage occupational stress, and to relate the findings to certain demographic characteristics. The need for stress management education among the principals was also ascertained. The data collected in this study revealed that a majority of the principals (78%) perceived their jobs as moderately to extremely stressful, and approximately 70% of the principals indicated that 70% or …

Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of School Climate Related To Value-Added Assessment And Selected School Contextual Effects In The First Tennessee District, Diann B. Casteel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of organizational climates in K-8 schools in Tennessee and the relationship that climate has to school performance, as measured through value-added assessment. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between dimensions of school climate and student achievement as measured by mandated value-added assessment at the third grade level in Tennessee. The study attempted to determine if there was a significant difference between principal and teacher perceptions of school climate and if a relationship existed between the school climate and value-added assessment. The study also endeavored to …

The Development Of The Better Schools Program In Tennessee From 1981 To 1986, Daris A. Gose

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the origin, development, and implementation of the Better Schools Program in Tennessee. Materials were gathered from East Tennessee State University Library, University of Tennessee Library, Walters State Community College Library, Belmont University Library, Tennessee State Library and Archives and Morristown-Hamblen County Library. These materials consisted of government documents, presidential and gubernatorial speeches, audio and video tapes, books, and periodicals. Personal interviews were also collected from two TEA members and seven legislators. The materials were analyzed, and important passages were marked, incorporated into the paper, and documented. The research questions were (1) What …

Shared Decision-Making In The First Educational District Of Tennessee: Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Actual And Desired Levels Of Participation, James M. Hatcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the current involvement of principals and teachers in shared decision making as well as desired levels, and to identify the perceived areas of acceptance and non-acceptance by educators. Eight domains of the Teacher Decision Making Instrument: planning, policy, curriculum/instruction, pupil personnel, staff personnel, staff development, school/community relations, and budget management were used to assess the actual and desired levels of participation in shared decision making by the respondents. A random sample was selected from the public schools of Northeast Tennessee. Seventy-five schools were surveyed which included 75 principals and 1632 teachers. Responses …

Actual And Desired Attributes Of Shared Decision-Making As Viewed By School Board Chairpersons, Central Office Personnel, And Principals In The First Educational District Of Tennessee, Donald A. Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify actual and desired attributes of shared decision making by practicing school leaders in the First Educational District of Tennessee. This study examined the relationships between selected demographic variables, organizational decision-making areas, and the responses of school board chairpersons, central office personnel, and principals. The research design included five research questions along with six null hypotheses testing the relationship between actual and desired attributes of shared decision making for each of the three positions of school leader. One hypothesis tested the demographic variables--gender, age, educational level, and years of professional educational experience--as related …

Characteristics Of Marginally Achieving Secondary Students And The Nature Of Their School Experience, Aeylin Summers

Dissertations and Theses

In American high schools, students are sorted into three "tracks" to cluster resources for students of similar abilities and interests. Much is known about the high track student, and especially in the past decade, the low track or "at-risk" student. However, the middle track--or marginally achieving student--has been largely overlooked in the literature. Acknowledged as "lost in the middle" (Judson, 1992), as well as deserving of higher quality of service in their school systems (Powell, Farrar, & Cohen, 1985), marginal achievers-defined here as having a GPA of 1.5-2.5, still maintain a profile of invisibility. Current reform efforts to increase student …

Changes In Curricula Design And The Effect On Transfer Of Learning In Remedial Mathematics Students, Gladys Hayes Crates

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this study included examination of curricular and instructional integration of mathematics and the sciences in a basic mathematics/elementary algebra course to see if it would (1) result in greater achievement in mathematics, (2) result in greater achievement in chemistry, (3) encourage transfer of learning from mathematics to chemistry, (4) result in more positive attitudes towards mathematics, and (5) would lessen anxiety levels towards mathematics. This study, conducted at Chattanooga State Technical Community College during the 1991-92 academic year, used a control/experimental design. Students who expressed an interest in nursing or another allied health field requiring basic chemistry, …

Perceptions Of Classroom Social Environment Held By Virginia Community College Students And Instructors In Developmental Courses, Ann C. Bartholomay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine students' classroom social environment needs by identifying characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by students taking developmental math or English courses in Virginia community colleges, characteristics of the actual classroom environments as perceived by their instructors, and characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by subgroups of students. The subgroups were formed by gender, race, age, type of developmental course, size of college, and whether students were first generation college students. The Adult Classroom Environment Scale was administered to students and instructors in developmental studies classes in …

The Need And Justifcation For All-Black Male Academies In Urban Areas, Nimrod Malik Shabazz

McCabe Thesis Collection

During the 1980's, the concept of an all-Black male academy was strongly pushed as a panacea for the seemingly systematic, scholastic downfall of Black males in secondary institutions. Though said academies have received strong community support, opposition against them has also been equally staunch. All-Black male academies have also fallen under question because of their supposed discrimination against females and the belief that their existence would return the system of education in the United States to segregation.

The purpose of this study is to analyze historical factors which have affected Black male academic achievement on the secondary level in urban …

Young Women Who Marry Early And Attend The Community College: Factors Which Influence The Completion Of Associate Degrees, Donald K. Bartholomay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through in-depth interviews, those factors which served to motivate early marriage women in the attainment of associate degrees and to identify characteristics of early marriage women who were successful in completing associate degrees. The details obtained from these interviews were interpreted and their meanings used to generate propositions and implications about the completion of associate degrees by this group of students. In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 early marriage women (informants) who either completed associate degrees or were within 12 semester hours of completing an associate degree. In addition, 15 in-depth interviews …

A Correlational Study Of Hardiness, Health, And Burnout Among Teachers In The Sullivan County School System, Deborah F. Morelock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among hardiness, health and burnout and to investigate the relationships of the subscales of hardiness to health and to the subscales of burnout among teachers in the Sullivan County School System. The Hardiness Test was used to measure hardiness and the Maslach Burnout Inventory Form Ed to measure burnout. Results of the Health Evaluation and Risk Test was reported on the Educators Demographic Data Survey. The study sample consisted of 501 teachers. A statistically significant relationship was revealed between hardiness and health; among the hardiness subscales, commitment accounted for the …

Marketing Acceptance And Its Relationship To Selected Institutional Characteristics In Higher Education Institutions, Melanie G. Narkawicz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the level of acceptance of marketing by colleges and universities in the United States. It was based upon the "Four Stage Model Reflecting the Acceptance of Marketing in Higher Education Institutions" developed by Simmons and Laczniak (1992). The primary purposes of this study were to validate the model and to identify the operational level of marketing acceptance at colleges and universities. Secondary purposes were to determine if the level of acceptance differed according to source of control/affiliation (public v. private), highest level of degree awarded (associate, baccalaureate, master's, doctors), regional location, urban location, and institutional size. Variables …

Perceived Barriers To Upper Level Career Ladder Status By Eligible Tennessee Educators, Julia J. Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the phenomenon that although 8,900 educators have obtained Career Ladder Levels II and III, there are 27,620 in Tennessee who are eligible for the upper levels of the Career Ladder, but have not obtained these levels. The purpose of the study was to identify the barriers, as perceived by eligible educators in Tennessee, which discourage them from attempting to gain upper level Career Ladder status. The research design was descriptive and utilized data from a survey instrument constructed by the researcher. A pilot test of the instrument was conducted, reliability coefficients calculated, and survey items retained, modified, …

Directing Effective Change: The Autonomy Of The Tennessee Superintendent, Earnest Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem was to determine certain factors which are perceived to limit the freedom superintendents have to implement change effectively. The purpose of the study was to determine the degree of autonomy with which superintendents in Tennessee may effectively make decisions regarding educational change. There are 138 public school superintendents, of which 132 (96%) participated in this study. The research was of a descriptive nature and utilized data gathered from a survey instrument constructed by the researcher. A questionnaire developed by Dr. John T. Haro in 1990 for a similar study in California was used as a basis for the …

The Relationship Of Visionary Leadership And Organizational Climate Between Elementary School Principals And Business Managers, Lowell W. Biller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in visionary leadership between and among elementary school principals and managers of manufacturing corporations in Northeast Tennessee. A second purpose was to ascertain if there was a relationship between visionary leadership and organizational climate. Data from this study were collected from 26 elementary schools and 24 manufacturing corporations. The research participants completed two questionnaires: Leader Behavior Questionnaire-Visionary Leadership, 3rd. Edition and Managerial Mirror: A Climate Inventory. There were 410 of 480, or 85% of the questionnaires that were returned from the elementary schools. The manufacturing corporations had …