Education Commons^™

Striking A Balance: Managing Blogs In Loosely Coupled Systems, Troy A. Swanson, Dennis E. Gregory, Edward E. Raspiller

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

As the oldest implementation of Web 2.0 technologies, blogs present an opportunity to understand how community college administrators are addressing two conundrums: conundrum of control and the conundrum of adaptability. These problems arise from the need of leaders to put organizational controls in place even as these controls limit the tool's usefulness and the adaptability of the technology. The purpose of this study using a multiple case study method is (1) to further the understanding of how community college administrators and blog authors strike a balance between organizational control and adaptability when implementing and using blog technologies and (2) to …

Gender Performativity In The Community College: A Case Study Of Female Backline Classified Staff, Samantha Rose Powers

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This case study explored the gendered performances of five female backline classified staff members who work in non-traditional fields within a community college. More specifically, this study defined gendered behaviors at a community college, and explored how these behaviors have affected the identities of women working in non-traditional fields at the community college. This study indicated through documents, observations, and interviews that there was mixed evidence of the degree to which gendered behavior is cultivated at a community college in Washington. Document review, interview, and observation findings showed that women at the community college reported expectations of gendered behavior, gender …

Counselor Beliefs And Perceived Knowledge Regarding Clients With Learning Disabilities, Tamekia R. Bell

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Clients with learning disabilities constitute a cultural group that has not been extensively studied. The professional literature has found that counselors have reported the need for additional training in working with clients with disabilities. This study explored counselors' beliefs and perceived knowledge regarding counseling clients with learning disabilities. Participants in this study were college counselors, mental health counselors, and school counselors who were members of the following professional counseling associations: the American College Counseling Association (ACCA), the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMCHA), and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). These counselors were assessed to determine their perceived competency regarding …

The Experiences Of Women In A U.S. Department Of Education School Leadership Preparation Cohort Program: A Case Study, Darra Katrina Belle

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This study allows the voices of nine educational practitioners participating in a school leadership preparation cohort to be heard. The main unit of analysis was a closed cohort within a university's educational leadership program conducted in partnership with a local school district.

The purpose of this case study was to explore the experiences of women currently and previously enrolled in a school leadership preparation cohort program. This study was conducted with the intent that experiences of the participants will provide insight for other women who aspire to leadership positions who are enrolled in school leadership principal preparation cohorts. The goal …

The Relationship Between State Fiscal Effort And State Graduation Rates: A Longitudinal Study, Melissa Christine Morris

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

In recent decades, the United States has been criticized for failing to produce citizens who can compete in a global society. Legislation, such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, has been implemented with the intention of improving the U.S. education system. Under the guidelines of NCLB, states are tasked with meeting Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) objectives in order to receive federal monies. In addition to testing requirements, one AYP indicator used to measure academic proficiency for high school students is graduation rates. The fiscal and societal impact of students not graduating from high school can be …

An Investigation Into Building Level Leadership That Promotes Professional Learning Communities, James Michael Pohl

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The extent to which principals in suburban elementary and secondary schools lead schools to be ready to transform into professional learning committees was investigated. Data were collected through the use of the Professional Learning Communities Assessment – Revised (PLCA-R) questionnaire administered to principals, assistant principals and lead teachers as identified by their principals. Findings from the PLCA-R determined a ranked order for the 45 schools that completed the questionnaire. Following the questionnaire, one-on-one face-to-face interviews were conducted with the six principals from the three highest ranked elementary schools and the three highest ranked secondary schools. Six lead teachers, one from …

The Impact Of State Fiscal Effort On Student Achievement Measured By Math Scores From The National Assessment Of Education Progress (Naep), Lorena Leeann Kelly

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

The current financial state of our nation, in combination with the pressure to meet state accountability testing and a global call for better prepared twenty first century learners, has produced a situation where all levels of government have to make difficult decisions regarding expenditures. In order to ensure that education receives appropriate funding, research is necessary to show a relationship between spending and student achievement. This study examines the effects of sustained increases and decreases in state fiscal effort on student achievement measured by scores from 4th and 8th grade math NAEP scores over an eighteen year period. A quantitative …

Education As An Investment In Turkey's Human Capital: A Work In Progress, William A. Owings, Leslie S. Kaplan, Zafer Pirim

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

As a nation, Turkey sees education as an essential component in building its economy to world class levels. Yet school equity and teacher quality issues are preventing Turkey from fully developing its human capital. Authors discuss the concept of education as an investment in human capital, Turkey’s human capital challenges, equity practices which undermine the widespread development of Turkey’s human capital, how improving teacher quality could help remedy the situation, and recommendations to strengthen Turkey’s education as an investment in human capital.

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Women In Leadership And Community At Old Dominion University From 1970 To 1990, Ann E. Wendle Barnes

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

During the 1970s college campuses in the United States were often the venue through which change occurred. Female faculty and students were assertive in their efforts to influence equality between men and women across the country (Morris, 1984). This historical phenomenological study examined the oral history of several women who advocated for women's rights at Old Dominion University (ODU) by establishing the Women's Caucus, Women's Studies Program, and Women's Center during the late 1970s through the 1990s.

Participants selected for this study took part in semi-structured interviews, and the results of the interviews were triangulated with archived documents available at …

The Impact Of Teacher Licensure Programs On Minority Student Achievement, Rose S. Duke

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

This research examined the impact of teacher licensure routes, particularly those identified as either traditional or alternative on student achievement by comparing Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) end of year scores in math and reading for minority students in grades six through eight during the period from 2005 through 2009. To compare the achievement of students taught by either traditionally or alternatively prepared teachers, the Standards of Learning (SOL) scores were calculated for students and then aggregated for types of teacher preparation. The mean values were compared for statistically significant differences as a function of subject, teacher ethnicity, teacher gender, …