Education Commons^™

Faculty Motivation & Intent To Teach Online, Michael S. Casdorph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unified theory of user acceptance of technology, Motivation Orientation Scale – Faculty Version, and Individual Innovativeness Scale were used to predict faculty intent to teach online, to better understand what motivates faculty to teach online, and the relationship between faculty innovativeness and their intent to teach online. A sample of 348 self-selected full-time faculty at a large, public, comprehensive research university with integrated academic health center in the Southeast United States responded to an online survey. Results demonstrated that slightly more faculty than not reported a behavioral intent to teach online. Multiple regression analysis indicated that performance expectancy, effort …

Leading Through Laughter: Humor And Perceived Effectiveness Of P-12 Principals, Laurie B. Mascolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of leadership has yielded boundless research studies across disciplines, with a plethora in the business and political realms. The medical field and other social science have also joined the ranks, with education now entering the landscape. Educational leadership is a burgeoning field of research, but very little has been studied regarding the impact of humor and educational leadership. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the humor style and the perceived effectiveness of school principals, the leadership style and the perceived effectiveness of school principal, as well as possible relationships between and …

Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities: Georgia School Psychologists' Perceptions, Marie T. Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An on-line survey was conducted to investigate the assessment practices and perceptions of 366 practicing school psychologist in the state of Georgia concerning various operational components, and the use of RTI when determining SLD eligibility. Results were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression to determine if psychologists’ perceptions could be predicted based on various explanatory variables. Results revealed that a little over half of the respondents preferred assessment of cognitive processing deficits evidenced through patterns of strengths and weaknesses for establishing SLD classification; while well over two-thirds continue to also value analysis of cognitive ability (IQ) scores. Psychologists’ assessment practices were …

Project Reconnect Program: Engaging Truant Adolescents Through Pre-Court Diversion, Trevis C. Killen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current literature on truancy diversion court programs has failed to examine middle and high school truants’ perceptions regarding how well truancy diversion court programs improve school attendance and performance. As a result, the purpose of this study was to examine participants’ perceptions regarding how well the Project Reconnect Diversion Program empowered their improved school attendance, compliance with school rules, and completion of classroom assignments. The researcher used a case study design to investigate the participants’ perceptions of the Project Reconnect Diversion Program. Purposive sampling was employed to select the participants who completed the Project Reconnect Diversionary Program during the …

An Examination Of The Correlation Between The Seven Critical Leadership Functions And Middle School African-American And Hispanic Student Achievement, Shannon A. Flounnory

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined possible correlations between each of the seven critical leadership functions and achievement in the areas of mathematics for eighth grade African-American and Hispanic students. The 117 participants included school leaders and students from 12 of the 19 middle schools in a metropolitan school district in the southeastern region of the United States. Principals from the middle schools in the district distributed the Critical Leadership Functions Questionnaire to members of their leadership team (e.g., assistant principals, school counselors, department chairs, etc.). CRCT scores measured student achievement. The researcher conducted a correlation study, using Pearson’s multivariable correlation data …

Embracing A Diverse Curriculum In University Teacher Preparation Programs, Stascia R. Hardy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student diversity in public schools has escalated dramatically, and it is a reality that must be accepted by university teacher preparation programs. Teacher candidates need to be taught the necessary skills to successfully teach diverse student populations. Children come from many different cultures and backgrounds and pre-service teachers must be equipped to effectively teach them all. Culturally relevant teacher preparation programs are crucial to preparing teachers to teach across diverse boundaries and have culturally responsive classrooms. Teacher education programs must recognize the necessity to provide learning experiences for pre-service teachers to receive different perspectives of diversity. Demographic differences between teachers …

"A Song For You" As Tribute To The Daughters Of The South: Illuminating The Work Of Black Women Principals, Beverly Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Curriculum can be understood as a place of both struggle and possibility, where curriculum workers engage in complicated conversations about self, society, and the purposes of education (Pinar, 2004). Although curriculum theorists have contributed much to discussions of how to improve the current state of education, little attention in the field is given to the role that leadership can play in educational transformation (Ylimaki, 2011). This study contributes to the field of curriculum studies by exploring the ethics of care of Black women public school principals in the South.

By exploring the life experiences of Black female principals from the …

Sustained Employment Of Teachers In High Poverty Schools, Karen Jean Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: The researcher's purpose of this study was to understand from the lived experiences of teachers in high poverty schools the reasons they remained in these schools. A qualitative method was used to conduct the study, which involved interviews with eight teachers (4 elementary, 2 middle and 2 high), one principal and the Superintendent who responded to open-ended interview questions. The interview questions were designed to elicit responses to the research questions and interview questions. The researcher coded transcripts from the interviews for recurring themes and patterns. Field notes from before and after each interview, as well as district …

Perceptions Of High School Principals In A Southeastern Urban School District On Leadership Practices And Parental Involvement, Elizabeth Chattmon Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the leadership practices of high school principals and parental involvement and to examine to what extent those practices differed between principals and how they related to parental involvement. The study revealed major issues surrounding parental involvement such as how principals defined parental involvement, how principals communicated the importance of parental involvement; what parental involvement activities impact student achievement; what common leadership practices influenced parental involvement; and what are some common experiences of high school principals regarding parental involvement. The methodology employed to conduct this qualitative study was face-to-face audio-taped interviews at the …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of Teacher Performance Evaluation Systems In Two Georgia Public School Districts, Jane Ford-Brocato

Legacy ETDs

Teacher evaluation has the potential for improving teachers' skills and contributing to school improvement. This study was designed to measure and compare the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding two performance evaluation systems that were in use in two comparable Georgia school districts during the 2001- 2002 school year to determine if teachers and administrators perceived any significant difference between the two systems of teacher evaluation and their impact on improving instruction and promoting professional growth. One of the school district's utilized a locally adopted alternative teacher evaluation system, while the other school district maintained its use of the Georgia …

The Relationship Between Noncognitive Dimensions And The Academic Performance Of Student-Athletes, Bradley R. Mcallister

Legacy ETDs

Due to NCAA eligibility guidelines, coaches and administrators have a special interest in the academic performance of student-athletes. Furthermore, as a nontraditional group, it may be useful to use the NCQ to describe student-athletes. Insight into possible influences on their academic performance may help to improve services, especially academic support services, for student-athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to extend Sedlacek's use of noncognitive dimensions to all student-athletes, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or age. The research questions this study addressed were 1. Do the scores on the NCQ differ among student-athletes by gender? 2. Do the scores on …

Characteristics Of Millenium Minority Students And Their Student Organization Involvement, Joyya Pauletta Smith

Legacy ETDs

The climates of many colleges and universities are changing to accommodate the needs of the millennium student. For African American students who enroll in predominantly white institutions, the need for programming to alleviate the concerns of non majority students is still a factor in leading students to greater rates of retention. Peer mentoring programs are coordinated to assist in student adjustment to campus as well as the establishment of connections with their campus. Student organizations have also been key in helping students become comfortable within their new environments. For the Minority Advisement Program(MAP), at a Southeastern University, student participants show …

Student Leaders: Are There Differences With Institutional Satisfaction?, Ginny L. Van Rie

Legacy ETDs

This quantitative study investigates differences in student leaders" satisfaction with their institution. An adapted form of the ACT Student Opinion Survey (four-year-form) is administered to 103 student leaders representing two types of leadership positions, those selected or hired by the institution and those elected by their peers. Descriptive statistics and independent t-tests indicate only 2 significant differences in the satisfaction areas assessed. Both groups of student leaders tend to have moderate to high levels of satisfaction with their institution. However, selected/hired student leaders have more homogeneous satisfaction scores than the student leaders elected by their peers. Hired student leaders indicate …

An Examination Of Georgia Middle School Teachers' And Principals' Beliefs About The Nctm Standards, Factors Influencing The Change Process, And The Role Of Identified Principals During The Mathematics Reform Effort In Georgia, Lynn Deal Futch

Legacy ETDs

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) recommended that schools implement its Standards because they believed that the Standards improved students' mathematical ability. Every mathematics teacher in the state of Georgia had the opportunity to attend or be a part of a workshop, conference, or project involving suggestions for implementing the Standards in the classroom The problem for Georgia educators was to determine if these Standards were being perceived by principals and teachers, the key change agents, as having merit enough to change their views of how mathematics should be taught. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to …