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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Relationships Between School Climate, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Teacher Beliefs, Paige Lacks Dec 2016

The Relationships Between School Climate, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Teacher Beliefs, Paige Lacks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the relationship between school climate, teacher self-efficacy, and teacher beliefs. Teachers at two middle schools in rural southern Virginia participated in the study. Middle school teachers were surveyed using the School Climate Index to collect information about teacher-perceived views on their school’s climate and the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale to gather information about teacher self-efficacy. Pearson Product-Moment Correlations were used to measure the relationship between school climate and teacher self-efficacy as well as teacher self-efficacy and four teacher-perceived climate factors, including collegial leadership, teacher professionalism, academic press, and community engagement. Data analysis did not provide …


Teacher Evaluation: The Relationship Between Performance Evaluation Ratings And Student Achievement, Erin Alexander Sep 2016

Teacher Evaluation: The Relationship Between Performance Evaluation Ratings And Student Achievement, Erin Alexander

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Performance Evaluation Reform Act established new policies for teacher evaluation ratings, the inclusion of student growth, the acquisition of tenure, and the dismissal process in Illinois. As a result, standards-based performance ratings and student achievement are factored into summative evaluation ratings. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between performance evaluation ratings and student achievement to contribute to the current body of research. Participants in the study were drawn from a sample population of fifth grade students (n=317) and teachers (n=19) in elementary schools (n=7) from a school district located in a western suburb of the …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of Elementary Educators' On-The-Job Experiences After Self-Selected Professional Development, Cindy Manzanares Sep 2016

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Elementary Educators' On-The-Job Experiences After Self-Selected Professional Development, Cindy Manzanares

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to describe elementary educators’ on-the-job experiences after completing a self-selected professional development (PD). This study was guided by the overall question: How do elementary educators describe on-the-job experiences after completing self-selected professional development? To provide further direction of the vast experiences three sub questions were utilized. (a) To what extent, if at all, have practices from the professional development been implemented? (b) What factors are perceived to positively impact implementation of the professional development? (c) What factors are perceived to negatively impact implementation of the professional development? Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory, …


Outside Looking In: A Phenomenological Study Of Non-Residential African American Fathers’ Perceptions Of Their Roles In The Academic Process Of Their Male Children, Chaundra Creekmu Jul 2016

Outside Looking In: A Phenomenological Study Of Non-Residential African American Fathers’ Perceptions Of Their Roles In The Academic Process Of Their Male Children, Chaundra Creekmu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of non-residential African American fathers’ roles in the academic process of their male children in in a suburban city in the Eastern region of Georgia. The following questions guided the study: (a) What roles do non-residential African American fathers play in the academic process of their male children? (b) What factors shape non-residential African American fathers’ perceptions of their roles in the academic process of their male children? (c) What do non-residential African American fathers perceive as the value of their involvement in the academic process of their …


Examining The Decisional Ethic Of Textbook Adoption In Christian Schools: A Collective Case Study, Cecil Phillips Jun 2016

Examining The Decisional Ethic Of Textbook Adoption In Christian Schools: A Collective Case Study, Cecil Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study is to examine the decisional ethic Christian school administrators employ when evaluating textbooks for adoption in Christian schools. The study affirms the truism that Christian schools ought to be decidedly Christian and focuses upon textbook adoption practices in Christian schools. A multisite, qualitative research design is employed to examine current practice of textbook adoption among a purposive sample of secondary schools within the Southeast region of the Association of Christian Schools International. The research questions address such administrative leadership factors as organizational values and learning objectives, textbook content criteria and features, and the …


Qualitative Case Study On The Perspective Of Pennsylvania Superintendents On Distance Education In K-12 Public School Districts, Stephanie Pennucci May 2016

Qualitative Case Study On The Perspective Of Pennsylvania Superintendents On Distance Education In K-12 Public School Districts, Stephanie Pennucci

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Distance education is rapidly changing the way K-12 students learn. School districts use it for course recovery, to supplement the curriculum with additional courses, and to offer alternative educational opportunities. Pennsylvania’s 500 public school superintendents face a unique challenge in an economic recession, severe cuts in state funding, and competition from cyber charter schools. The purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study is to understand the impact of distance education on the experiences of Pennsylvania public school superintendents as they deal with the influence of distance education in their programs, particularly the implementation of cyber charter schools. As the educational …


Impact Of Mentoring On K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy And Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study, Sandra Mozdzanowski May 2016

Impact Of Mentoring On K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy And Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study, Sandra Mozdzanowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite a growing body of literature on the needs of beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on K-12 beginning teachers’ efficacy and commitment to teaching, and why beginning teachers in special education received less mentoring than their counterparts in general education. This qualitative phenomenological study compared the experiences of nine beginning teachers in general education and special education, factors within the school (e.g., principal, mentor coordinator, mentor), and characteristics of the teaching assignment. The central question was: What are the experiences of K-12 beginning teachers who receive mentoring? The sample consisted of 22 participants (9 teachers, …


Teachers’ Experiences Of Georgia’S Early Math Intervention Program: A Phenomenological Study, Rachel Scott May 2016

Teachers’ Experiences Of Georgia’S Early Math Intervention Program: A Phenomenological Study, Rachel Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions that K-5 teachers have toward Georgia’s mandated Early Intervention Math Program (EIP) on at risk learners in an elementary school in a rural, North Georgia community. The following questions guided the study: 1. How do K-5 teachers describe their experience with Georgia’s Early Intervention Math Program as an early math intervention for at-risk learners? 2. How do participants describe their experiences with Georgia’s EIP regarding student math preparedness? 3. How do participants perceive the EIP program in comparison to the regular education math program? The setting for this study …


A Phenomelogical Study Of Reclassified Elementary School English Learners’ Perceptions Of Their Educational Experiences, Fernando Betanzos May 2016

A Phenomelogical Study Of Reclassified Elementary School English Learners’ Perceptions Of Their Educational Experiences, Fernando Betanzos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide an insight into how former English learners’ educational experiences allowed them to attain English language proficiency and meet grade level standards in English Language Arts. This study was informed by the theoretical frameworks of Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, and Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, as they pertain to English learners. The data collection procedures included student semi-structured interviews, elementary school principal semi-structured interviews, and review of site documents such as student work samples, report cards, attendance records, discipline records, state standardized test scores, Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment scores, and English …


A Case Study To Discover The Factors Impacting North Georgia School Leaders' Choices In Assignment Of Co-Teaching Partnerships, Donna Cherveny Apr 2016

A Case Study To Discover The Factors Impacting North Georgia School Leaders' Choices In Assignment Of Co-Teaching Partnerships, Donna Cherveny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Assignment of co-teaching partnerships fails to be recognized fully in the current base of literature. Literature documents the impact of teachers on educational environments and student success, hiring choices of school leaders, and the implementation of co-teaching; however, literature is lacking at the junction of these topics. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to discover the factors that impact choices of North Georgia school leaders when assigning co-teaching partnerships. Participants included 13 school leaders from 7 North Georgia school districts who are responsible for assigning co-teaching partnerships. Results of the study demonstrate that personal characteristics, professional experiences, …