Education Commons^™

"If You Build Them Up, They Will Stay": The Role Of Recognition And Feedback On Student Retention, James R. Jones

Marketing and Management Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

While such stratagems are certainly well founded, and have achieved varying degrees of success, it may be that a more fundamentally vital area of examination is being largely overlooked, namely the impact of the high school experience. One of the critical problems facing many institutions of higher learning is that of student retention. While this issue is an important one to address across the entire student population, it has become particularly acute as relates to "minority" pupils. Accordingly, many colleges and universities have developed strategies to try to arrest enrollment attrition. These strategies typically include such mechanisms as tracking programs, …

Conflict Resolution And Anger Management, Lori M. Kling

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Education Specialist at Morehead State University by Lori M. Kling on September 11, 2000.

Communicating Special Education Student Performance, Michael C. Dicken

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to develop effective methods and strategies of communicating special education student progress to the student's parent and school district representatives. The research problem was posed in two questions. (1) What are the effective methods of reporting special education student progress to their parents and school district representatives? (2) Are the current methods of interpersonal communication between special education teachers and the parents of those students promoting academic and behavioral growth within the student population?

Approximately 150 subjects were involved in this project. These subjects were special education teachers, parents of special education students, and …

Active Collaborative Teaching, Todd R. Slimm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the effects of teachers collaborating would have an effect on professional knowledge (pedagogy) and teacher efficacy. Teachers were exposed to three programs designed to promote collaboration (teachers talking about teaching and learning). The entire school staff was introduced to the program with 29 participants in the actual data study. Data was gathered through a questionnaire/survey/interview process. The major method of data analysis was tallies, percentages, and personal comments during interviews. The study found that the three programs had an effect on teacher collaboration. All three programs were found to be of …

The Renaissance Concept And The Effect Of Positive Reinforcement On Student Performance, Henry N. Kobik

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of extrinsic rewards on the extrinsic and intrinsic motivation levels of high school students. To complete this task, 118 students were chosen to complete a series of surveys which measured perceived levels of academic performance and motivation. This process allowed the students to not only respond in a multiple choice format but also provided the opportunity for written feedback as well. Further information on the topic was gathered from discussion with these students. All of the participants were chosen through random selection using the school roster and they represented the …

Examining The Need For And Completing A Revision Of The New Teacher Mentoring Program At Burlington City High School, Aimee Davis Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to improve the new teacher mentoring services offered at Burlington City High School to provide a more effective assimilation of first-year teachers and experienced teachers new to the school. The intern studied the mentoring practices in place at BCHS, interviewed veteran staff, and surveyed new teachers regarding the program. The conclusions of the study indicated a need for revised and improved mentoring practices, and suggested a need for increased collaboration among staff. Based on the information collected and research on mentoring, the intern developed a New Teacher Assimilation Program, to be initiated in the …

Teacher Motivation, Lisa Francks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the causes of decreased teacher motivation in order to provide assistance to first year teachers and other novice teachers who were experiencing difficulties. In addition, the study determined whether teachers who went through a teacher assistance program sustained a higher degree of motivation and enthusiasm towards teaching than those who were not assisted. The study provided a basis for developing a beginning teacher assistance program. As a result, the intern developed a mentoring program to offer novice teachers a means of coping with many of the difficulties they periodically faced.

The intern …

Streamlining The Accounts Payable Purchase Order Procedure And Approval Process, Alan B. Parmelee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a uniform method for purchasing materials and equipment for the Sea Isle City Public School District and to bring about a change in the organizational culture that would support those changes in procedure.

The intern utilized open-ended action research and his problem solving skills to analyze the practices currently in use, to research statute and code and for conditions and limitations of public sector purchasing practices and to review other relevant purchasing manuals and procedures. Informal interviews were conducted among staff to gauge the level of their knowledge of purchasing requirements.

As …

Identifying The Role Of The School Business Administrator, Diana L. Schiraldi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the school business administrator and to determine the congruency or incongruency between role expectations of the business administrator and actual role performance. Individuals participating in this study were the school business administrator and seventeen of his role set partners. Role set partners included the superintendent of schools, four district level administrators, eight building level administrators, two board members, a teacher and a custodial supervisor. Participants were surveyed using a written questionnaire to determine their views of the business administrator's role. The business administrator's daily activities were documented through shadowing. …

Multicultural Teacher Education, Carol L. Birnbohm

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create a method of incorporating multicultural thinking with current curriculums. The main goal was to have the teachers learn that multicultural education is not a one-day, once a year event, but rather a philosophy that must be a part of their everyday lessons and discussions.

Nineteen teachers and 102 students were surveyed from Cherokee High School. There were nine males and ten females in the teaching category. There were 52 male students and 50 female students.

The surveys were distributed twice to each group. The survey was first given prior to any training …

A School Discipline Plan, Thomas J. Campo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a comprehensive school discipline plan in an elementary school setting where no definitive discipline plan previously existed. This study will take place at the Charles L. Spragg School in Egg Harbor City. C.L. Spragg is a Pre-K to grade 4 school with approximately 375 students from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds. The study will focus around the development and use of a comprehensive disciplinary referral form. This form will serve as the research instrument as data analysis will be bases on the total number of forms completed by teachers during the time …

An Administrative Internship Experience At Maple Shade Junior/Senior High School, Maple Shade, New Jersey, 1999-2000, Frank Jankowski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a plan that would allow teachers in the junior high at Maple Shade High School to incorporate technology into their lessons on a more consistent basis. The use of technology would improve learning and better prepare our students for the future.

The intern used interview and survey as data gathering techniques for the project. The intern brought meaning to the data through a thorough analysis of interview responses. Also, surveys were collected, coded, and analyzed.

Teacher preparation and prior teaching experience were cited as reasons behind the fear of technology. Staff claimed …

Effective Programming Of A School District's Educational Access Channel, Darren J. Hickman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop a district policy and practice of collecting and disseminating school information and public service announcements to the public using Atlantic City Public Schools' educational access channel, ACTV Channel 2. Using a case study research design, the project will result in an evaluation of current usage by parents and families of children who attend Atlantic City Public Schools and what they would like to view.

An upgrade in programming with more educational programs was a major objective for this study. To assist in programming improvement, a questionnaire survey was developed and was administered …

A Multicultural Club At Hammonton High School, Mildred Peretti

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examines the attitude change among rural high school students regarding diversity and tolerance presented through a multicultural club. Fifty randomly selected students and parents of the high school were pre-tested using a survey instrument measuring needs assessment and an attitude profile. Data analysis was conducted using percentages of each of the four questions asked. The entire student body was then exposed to various multicultural facts and experiences promoted through a multicultural club. Activities included daily factual announcements, a trivia contest of information retrieval, guest speakers, music, assemblies, displays of heritage's artifacts, and relevant content knowledge integrated …

The Effectiveness Of Peer Mediation On Student Behavior At The Paul W. Carleton School, Charles A. Warfield

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the newly developed and implemented Peer Mediation Program in an elementary school. Peer mediation is the use of third party students who are trained in the mediation process to help other students resolve interpersonal conflicts prior to their escalation to physical or verbal offenses. Students may be referred to the Peer Mediation Program by teachers or the administrator. They may also request a mediation session on their own. Disputing students who participated in the Peer Mediation Program worked cooperatively to reach an agreement with the aid of the peer …

A World Of Difference: A Multicultural Program, Newton Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to develop aggregated understandings of bias and how it affects violence in a school's culture using action research. The study, through A World of Difference Program's Anti-Bias Study Guide and peer interventions, will result in improved cultural relations. At this stage in the research, bias is studied and acknowledged.

A fifty thousand-dollar grant was awarded to Atlantic City's Board of Education, with one school piloting the program. The A World of Difference Program focuses on training, education, and interactive activities. Student and teacher volunteers who do the work will recognize and realize, through communications, …

Factors Influencing Middle School Teachers To Change Classroom Practice In Response To Standards-Based Reform, Gayle Yvonne Thieman

Dissertations and Theses

In an environment of systemic educational reform, which emphasizes the alignment of curriculum standards, instructional practices, and assessments, an important question arises: What are the factors which influence teachers to change their classroom practice in response to standards-based reforms ? My study examined the initial legislative model, Washington Education Reform Act HB1209 (1993), and tested other factors that led to changes in classroom practice in three middle schools which are currently implementing HB1209.

The case studies included multiple sources of evidence (administrator and teacher interviews, surveys, classroom observations, focus groups, and documents). The data were analyzed for each school individually …

Classroom Management Styles And Their Link To Discipline Infractions, Joseph F. Mcginty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study is to compare the classroom management styles of academic teachers to the number of in class discipline infractions, at the Burlington County Institute of Technology Vocational High School located in Medford, New Jersey. This particular sample involved eighteen academic teachers over a four-week period.

Interviews involved the building principal, the vice-principals, and assorted academic teachers. Data were compiled from surveys, personal interviews and the school's computer data bank. Data analysis consisted of using information collected from the database, interviews, questionnaires, and review of literature, to identify areas of improvement in teacher classroom management …

The Effectiveness Of The Peer Mediation Program In Improving The Atmosphere In The School And Reducing Violent Acts In The School Setting, Robert Milavsky

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact mediation has in reducing violence in the school setting. Through the use of survey instrumentation, the researcher will gather feedback from disputants regarding the effectiveness of the program in resolving their problems. Along with a survey instrument, the researcher will conduct monthly mediation meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to gather information from the mediators in regards to both effective and ineffective mediations and ways to improve the total program.

Survey instruments will go out to all individuals participating in a mediation. It will be distributed approximately two weeks …

Perceived Effectiveness Of Portfolio Assessment For Pre-First And First Grade Teachers In Pemberton Township School District, Ursula M. Csercsevits

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to discover the effects of portfolio assessment as perceived by pre-first and first grade teachers using community based action research. The outcome of this study is data that assists in evaluating the continued use of portfolio assessment as it exists, or determining the need for adjustment to the practice. The sample group consisted of forty-two pre-first and first grade teachers currently using portfolio assessment. Data collection of this action research study began with a questionnaire distributed to all members of the sample. The cycle of research continued with interviews, classroom observations and a review …

Perceptions Of Administrators, Counselors, Teachers, And Students Concerning School Safety And Violence In Selected Secondary Schools In North Louisiana, Sharilynn Duckworth-Loche

Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purposes of this study were to determine the perceptions of administrators, counselors, teachers, and students, regarding levels of school safety and violence in selected secondary schools in north Louisiana; the types of violence that had the greatest impact on safety; and strategies that were currently being used to address violence in the schools. The secondary purpose was to determine the differences in perceptions of school safety and violence of administrators, counselors, and teachers by ethnic background, gender and years of experience. A tertiary purpose was to determine the perceptions of students by ethnic background, gender, age, and grade …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Marlys R. Frohwein

Graduate Research Papers

Someone once said that to be a great educator was to be like a prophet. You would need to prepare young people not for today, but for thirty years into the future. How do we go about making all the changes that would be necessary to answer all the pressing needs facing most schools? Glickman (1993) has suggested the following:

Success is the intelligent use of mistakes in self-renewing schools. The moral imperative of the schools is for its members to move into their areas of incompetence: If we already knew exactly how to do this work, we would not …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Schools : A Reflective Essay, David W. Baker

Graduate Research Papers

The whole process I have gone through in this program has taught many things. I am excited because these lessons do not apply solely to education. These are lessons I have learned to apply to other areas of my life. I never really had a vision for my profession. I think of the words ofLirah Sabir (2000), "Principals face many challenges to make each child a success. But what works for me is developing a positive mindset, always thinking of the total learning environment, being the best instructional leader I can be, and never being afraid to stretch my own …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, David G. Dreessen

Graduate Research Papers

The successful school administrator needs to be a "finely-honed" instrument at the center of the education process. The administrator must be sensitive to needs of the entire efforts, as well as providing direction, vision, innovative ideas, support, reinforcement, and expertise for the complete educational effort. The unity of purpose in education will proceed as a team effort, knocking down obstacles and building outstanding educational competencies in the process.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Jonna D. Andersen

Graduate Research Papers

As teachers and administrators, we need to constantly support each other and appreciate all that we give to our students. We need to realize that in education we will not always meet with success, but we need to continue to look at ways in which to do our jobs better. Principals need to be the people who work to keep their faculties and staff in a positive/progressive direction. Administrators and teachers need to set their own goals, working constantly to achieve them. As you hit roadblocks, you need to find alternatives to get you back on the road. Education is …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Troy E. Becker

Graduate Research Papers

In the classroom and in coaching we are able to affect certain groups of kids and hopefully touch their lives in a positive way. An administrator should be able to have an even greater impact on the school community and create a positive environment in which even more people will benefit. The greatest challenge will be to persuade people to make positive changes towards a common goal and vision. Rosalyn Carter in Maxwell (1994) said, "a leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they do not necessarily want to go, but ought to …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Carole J. Bernard

Graduate Research Papers

Working together in a cohort group and acting as a quasi-administrator has afforded me the opportunity to receive theoretical knowledge as well as on-the-job training. The cohort has also helped me as a participant develop an understanding and respect for individuals from different backgrounds and experiences. Through on-the-job training I have been able to develop and practice my own leadership style while working and learning effective strategies from my principal. The blending of these two aspects of leadership experience have contributed significantly to prepare me as a future principal. I believe the cohort, a cadre of leaders, is dedicated to …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Diana Bobo-Campbell

Graduate Research Papers

It is the purpose of this paper to reflect on the principal's role in the following areas: (a) creating a safe, caring environment for students; (b) assisting teachers in 2 creating a learning environment; (c) engaging parents in their child's education; and (d) developing a learning community as an educational leader. It is my intent to examine the characteristics of these roles through my philosophy and educational experiences thus envisioning an environment that will ensure these efforts.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Julie E. Niemeyer

Graduate Research Papers

Any visioning activity must necessarily begin with an examination of where you've been, which brings you to where you are, which lays the foundation for where you want to be. Core values and beliefs must be identified, and they will guide the direction of the vision. It is with this in mind that I present my vision for administrative practice.

A Blue Print For Administration Of Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Jay Goulden

Graduate Research Papers

Four main target areas will be presented for successful leadership. They are: site based management through shared decision making; staff development in the area of technology; development and maintenance of a positive school culture and climate, and providing a safe school environment.