Education Commons^™

Support One, Impact Hundreds -- Evaluation Of A Facilitated Cohort Model Of Online Director Training, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

The McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership conducted an evaluation study to explore the impact of the Aim4ExcellenceTM facilitated cohort model which was delivered to three successive cohorts in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa. The study was designed to evaluate the impact of the training experience on the participants, their programs, and the communities in which they work.

Home-Based Child Care Characteristics Associated With Different Levels Of Quality, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

This Research Note summarizes a study funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation and conducted by Child Trends. The purpose of the study was to better understand the needs and strengths of family child care and to guide the content of professional development specifically designed for home-based providers.

The Effect Of L1 Orthography On The Oral Reading Of Adult English Language Learners, Kristin Lems

Faculty Publications

A descriptive study of the timed oral reading of 232 literate adult English language learners (ELLs) in a post-secondary academic program found a relationship between the proximity of their L1 orthography to English and their performance in a timed oral reading. The scores on the students’ final exams and final listening exams, on the other hand, did not correlate with their first language orthography. The author concludes that for literate ELLs, L1 orthography exerts an influence on oral reading in English, and therefore should be factored in when designing assessments that employ such a method.

Beyond Academics: Challenging Issues Facing Community College Non-Academic Support Services, Judith Lynn Mitchell

Dissertations

This research focused on identifying and exploring the significant current and emerging community college non-academic support service issues. These auxiliary services, not unlike academic or student affairs, support the community college mission and vision as well as students’ academic success. Since December 2007, Americans have been experiencing a lasting recession and community colleges are no different. Due to the dramatic decrease of financial support from Federal and state funding, many institutions are struggling to remain viable as they continue to serve the constituents in their districts. The purpose of this study is to explore significant emerging non-academic support issues …

Understanding Burnout And Promoting Engagement Among Adjunct Faculty In Community Colleges, Michael Alan Bates

Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored the phenomenon of job burnout among adjunct faculty at two suburban Illinois community colleges. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educators’ Survey (MBI-ES) was administered to adjuncts at both colleges to determine overall levels of burnout for the three dimensions of burnout – emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. The results of the MBI-ES also allowed differences in burnout levels based on selected employment characteristics and teaching disciplines to be examined. Qualitative methods, specifically semi-structured interviews and document review, provided further insight into these areas. Qualitative methods were also used to investigate the risk …

Beyond The Dream: Improving College-Readiness Of Underprepared Community College Students, Joan L. Kindle

Dissertations

The majority of the nation’s first-year college students are not prepared to assume postsecondary level studies. Many are diverted to developmental education programs and most never attain postsecondary credentials. Educational reform is on the national agenda and challenges community colleges to address the growing lack of postsecondary achievement. The purpose of this instrumental multi-case study was to explore and analyze reformative strategies that effectively address college-readiness and achievement of underprepared community college students.

A qualitative methodology was employed in analyzing strategies implemented at community colleges to improve college-readiness. A criterion-based selection process identified six community colleges recognized by the Achieving …

Expectations Of Improved Student Learning: General Education Assessment In Aqip Community Colleges, Alyssa Renee O'Brien

Dissertations

This qualitative multi-case study identified institutional structures and assessment processes that support general education learning outcomes assessment initiatives at three community colleges accredited by the Higher Learning Commission under the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). In support of this purpose, data collection involved semi-structured interviews with three types of positions – Chief Academic Officer, lead administrator for assessment, and faculty holding a leadership position in support of general education assessment. Documents related to assessment and accreditation status were also reviewed to allow for comprehensive collection of evidence and triangulation of data.

Primary topics within the five guiding questions for this …

Transforming Information Literacy: Engaging Stakeholders., Rob Morrison, Deana Greenfield

Faculty Publications

Librarians at National Louis University have been engaged with stakeholders for the past four years to integrate Information Literacy into the undergraduate curriculum that goes beyond traditional instruction. The outcome was a 2 credit course on Digital Information Literacy now required in three undergraduate degree programs. The success of this course resulted in the creation of additional credit courses tailored to the learning outcomes of specific programs. We have learned from this process how to strategically discuss Information Literacy with academic departments. In this session, we will draw from our experience to facilitate a group discussion on transforming Information Literacy …

Digital Information Literacy At National Louis University: Embedding And Integrating Information Literacy Into Degree Programs., Rob Morrison, Deana Greenfield

Faculty Publications

This session will provide an overview of NLU Librarians experience to develop a new teaching model that enhanced traditional library instruction through embedding in online courses and new courses on digital information literacy. Our integration into undergraduate degree programs with a required library course was the result of engaging with academic stakeholders and being “out in front” with technology. This resulted in a major shift in our roles and workload and brings us deeper into the teaching and learning process. We will engage participants in a discussion of useful strategies to integrate teaching into academic programs, the role and use …

The Essence Of The Distributed Leadership Experience Of A High School Literacy Coaching Team: A Phenomenological Study, Nancy Spaniak

Dissertations

This is a phenomenological study of a high school literacy coaching team’s experience during the 2010-2011 school year, the first year of its existence. As a distributed leadership organizational routine, the practice of literacy coaching was adopted by a large suburban high school to promote its initiative to infuse literacy strategies into every teacher’s classroom instruction. The purpose of the study was to uncover the essence of the literacy coaching team’s distributed leadership experience in order to elucidate the effect of distributed leadership on developing the literacy coaching initiative in general, and the literacy coaching team members as leaders in …

Child Care Center Directors’ Experiences With Qris, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), recently conducted a study to explore the perspective of center directors on both the opportunities and the challenges faced by "on-the-ground" participants in QRIS.

Strategic Decision Making In Community Colleges: An Exploration Of Issues Relevant To Decision Making To Confer Community College Baccalaureate Degrees, Charles W. Currier

Dissertations

This qualitative case study explores the process community college senior administrators employ when assessing the complex strategic decision to confer community college baccalaureate degrees. Strategic opportunities, such as conferring baccalaureate degrees, occur infrequently thus community college leaders must be prepared to act quickly and judiciously. There is limited information available regarding the method community colleges use in this or any complex decision regarding new strategic opportunities.

Five community colleges which undertook this complex decision were selected from around the country: three that are and two that are not conferring baccalaureate degrees. Purposeful sampling was employed for site selection utilizing maximum …

Down Front: Challenges Facing Community College Based Performing Arts Centers, Stephen Bradley Cummins

Dissertations

A number of community colleges have committed significant resources to presenting arts and cultural programming for their communities. These community college based arts organizations face many of the same challenges as other non-profit arts organizations and arts centers located on traditional four-year campuses. However, present research and data considers all centers to be similar and does not take into consideration the unique qualities of community colleges. The purpose of this research study is to first define community college arts presenting and then to identify and explain the challenges facing these arts organizations.

The first stage of the mixed method study …

Exploring The Relationship Between Opportunities For Students To Participate In Community College Intercollegiate Athletics Programs And Their Aspirations To Attend College, Ashley B. Knight

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the opportunity to participate in community college athletics and students’ aspirations regarding higher education. Students who may not have considered a college education due to a lack of family support, financial resources, or underperformance in secondary education may decide to attend college because of the opportunities to excel in college sports. This interest in sports motivates some student-athletes towards academic accomplishments including completion of a college degree.

This study employed a partially mixed methods approach, which included a survey of community college athletes, focus groups of community college student-athletes, …

Speaking Up And Speaking Out -- The Director As Advocate For The Early Childhood Workforce, Mccormick Center For Early Childhood Leadership

McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership Publications

The McCormick Cneter for Early Childhood Leadership recently conducted a study to explore the role of the director as an advocate for the early childhood workforce. The student sought to determine the workforce issues that directors believe to be the most important, their self-perceptions related to advocacy, and the specific actions they have taken related to workforce issues. Additionally, the study sought to illuminate the characteristics of the most engaged advocates.