Education Commons^™

Student Extracurricular Participation, Student Achievement, And School Perception: An Elementary School Perspective, John M. Israel

Dissertations

Research studies of extracurricular activities have illustrated specific relationships between participation and certain student characteristics, such as higher grades, higher standardized test scores, higher attendance, fewer discipline issues, and increased positive school perception. Since so much of the previous research on extracurricular activities has focused on the secondary education level, the researcher questioned whether or not these same relationships would be present in elementary school students who participated in extracurricular activities. This research study was conducted at one elementary school in a large metropolitan area to determine what, if any, relationships among variables including length of time participating in the …

Student Achievement In Middle Grades: Gauging The Effect Of Teacher Training On Student Learning, Natalya Gnedko

Dissertations

In the United States, teacher certification has been a baseline measure of teacher quality and gateway to the teaching profession for many decades. Research suggests that teacher certification is beneficial to student achievement, with findings particularly promising when content area of teacher certification is taken into account. Positive findings are largely limited to high school. However, in recent years middle grades have been increasingly viewed as a starting point for success in high school and college, which led many school districts to require advanced training for middle grades teachers. To examine the effectiveness of advanced teacher training in middle grades, …

An Event History Analysis On The Effects Of Academic Integration Factors On Degree Completion Of Low-Income Underrepresented Minority Students, Lisa Marie Metzger-Mugg

Dissertations

Disparities in educational outcomes still exist for low-income and underrepresented students. Community colleges are an important entry point for student groups that have faced the most significant barriers to success. Community colleges account for almost half of all undergraduate enrollments in the United States and also enroll a higher proportion of low-income and minority students (American Association of Community Colleges, 2012; Aud, Hussar, Johnson, Kena, & Roth, 2012). The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of academic integration factors that contribute to degree completion of low income, underrepresented minority community college students over the course of seven …

Looked After Or Left Behind: The Effectiveness Of Principal Preparation Programs As Perceived By Generation Y Principals, Chandra D. Sledge

Dissertations

Chandra D. Sledge

Loyola University Chicago

LOOKED AFTER OR LEFT BEHIND: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPAL PREPARATION PROGRAMS AS PERCEIVED BY GENERATION Y PRINCIPALS

This research study intended to discover the perceptions of 10 Illinois Generation Y novice high school principals pertaining to the effectiveness of their principal preparation programs in terms of how well it prepared them to lead in the first three years of their principalship, and what subsequent professional development they deemed necessary for success in the first three years of their principalship.

Through a qualitative multi-case study, in which the researcher conducted open-ended interviews, which were triangulated …

Socially Responsible Leadership Capacity Development: Predictors Among African American/ Black Students At Historically Black Colleges And Universities And Predominantly White Institutions, Michael R. Beazley

Dissertations

This study examined the capacity and predictors of socially responsible leadership among African American/ Black college students at HBCUs and PWIs using data from the Multi-institutional Study of Leadership. An independent sample t-test was used to test the hypothesis that African American/ Black students at HBCUs would have higher leadership capacity. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were calculated to address the second hypothesis that predictors would vary by institution type. No significant differences were found in leadership capacity between African American/ Black students and regression models, which explained 53-55% of the variance, showed that most predictors were mutual.

This study adds …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Availability And Need Of A Support Program For Students With Learning Difficulties Attending Elementary Schools In The Atlantic Union Conference, Lileth Althea Coke

Dissertations

Purpose of the Study. Support programs have been known to be very effective in helping students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the availability and need of a support program for students with learning difficulties who attend elementary schools operated by the Atlantic Union (AU) Conference. The study also identified elements of a support program that teachers perceived as both available and necessary for the academic growth and development of these students.

Method. This study employed a survey research methodology in which survey questionnaires were used to gather information …

Relationship Between Trust And Perceived Value Of Faculty Unionization Among Full-Time Faculty In Selected Michigan Community Colleges, Stacy L. Horner

Dissertations

Problem Statement. There are conflicting studies on the relationship between the union and nonunion faculty and trust. Studies have shown that the union environment inherently produces a distrustful atmosphere and, with a union, employees are actually more dissatisfied than their nonunion counterparts. On the other hand, this has created a cycle where faculty may not trust administration, and administration may not trust faculty. For example, when doing negotiations, each party fights on behalf of itself, instead of fighting for the betterment of the organization. However, unions can give faculty a voice with administration and state and federal government, and may …

An Evaluation Of Performance As It Relates To The Adventist Community Services Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program In The United States, Sung Kun Kwon

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program (NLCP) by examining the relationship between an individual’s completion of the program and their individual performance growth in attitude, knowledge, and skills. Since the program represents a major financial investment on the part of the Adventist Community Services (ACS) organization, ACS leaders need to know if the time, resources, and effort that have been poured into this leadership program are actually improving the participants’ performance in skills and knowledge, and if they have effectively contributed to changes in leadership attitude.

Method

This study …

Music Education In America: A Content Analysis And National Perspective Of Standards-Based Outcomes For K-8 General Music, Joseph A. Alsobrook

Dissertations

The aim of this study was explore and measure desired results that are fundamental and essential to standards-based accountability and comprehensive musicianship for students in K-8 general music classes. Using a clustered sample of state achievement standards aligned with the National Content Standards for Music Education (n = 16), an exploratory content analysis was conducted. Qualitative analysis was employed to identify desired results as fundamental, or basic, elemental, or underlying; qualitative analysis and measurement was employed to identify fundamental desired results as essential, or frequent among 50% or more of the sample. Sub-samples were also analyzed for equivalent-forms reliability.

The …

Computer-Based Versus Paper-Pencil Modes Of Administration United States Government End Of Course Exams: Student Cumulative Grade Point Averages As Predictors Of Success, Barbara A. Ryan

Dissertations

Beginning with the No Child Left Behind federal legislation, states were required to use data to monitor and improve student achievement. For high schools, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education chose End of Course Exams (EOC) to demonstrate levels of student achievement. The policy changed from school choice of paper-pencil or computer-based testing to mandated computer-based testing. This study examined whether this decision best demonstrates the level of student mastery. Using high school EOC test scores for United States Government exams as the independent variable and high school cumulative grade point average (CGPA) as the dependent variable, the …

Characteristics Of And Strategies Used By Principals Who Promote Academic Success In Title I Classified Schools, Kimberly Kay Cohen

Dissertations

This research is an attempt to explore the various strategies employed by the principals of Title I schools in order to foster an environment of student progress and achievement. Since the inception of the NCLB Act, pressures have been increasing on the schools, especially on Title I Schools, and on their principals to increase academic performance. The researcher selected four Title I Schools and used questionnaires for teachers and interviews for principals to explore the answer to the research questions. The research philosophy acknowledges both the mainstream approaches of positivism and interpretivism and follows a mixed methods approach. The sample …

Teacher Participation In School Decision-Making And Job Satisfaction As Correlates Of Organizational Commitment In Senior Schools In Botswana, Paul Alan Mosheti

Dissertations

The Problem. Two major national educational challenges in Botswana are to retain teachers and recruit more. Both retention and recruitment efforts often involve issues of teacher decision-making, teacher job satisfaction, and how these correlate with commitment to the school organization. Little was known about Botswana teachers’ views on these issues. This exploratory study investigated the relationship of teacher participation in decision-making and job satisfaction to organizational commitment among senior secondary school teachers in Botswana.

Methodology. A quantitative research design was used for the study. Two hundred twenty-one completed the questionnaire. Teachers were asked to indicate level of agreement on participation …

The Traits, Characteristics, And Qualities Of International Christian School Teachers Valued By Third Culture Kids, Dale B. Linton

Dissertations

The Problem. In this qualitative study, 24 participants, ages 18-30, who had previously attended international Christian schools for at least 2 years at the secondary level, or a combination of 4 years at the primary and middle school levels, were interviewed to determine the traits, characteristics, and qualities they valued in their teachers.

Methodology. Incorporating principles of Grounded Theory, a series of rigorous steps associated with the validity process of Grounded Theory construction was employed. These steps included the simultaneous involvement of the researcher in the data collection and analysis process. Twenty-four participants were interviewed, and written notes were taken …

The Influence Of K-12 Christian Education On Leadership Development, Jeffrey S. Mcmaster

Dissertations

Problem. Christian schools are an environment that intentionally works to bring coherence to a student’s moral and ethical development, which is a critical component of leadership development. It is then important to understand how the effect of that educational experience has carried over into the later development of leadership. However, there is very little study on the influence of Christian Kindergarten through 12th-grade education, let alone the influence of Christian education on leadership. Therefore the purpose of this study is to explore the influence of Christian education on leadership development as perceived by people in leadership positions.

Research Design. This …

Comparing The Effectiveness Of Two Models Of College Summit Programs In An Urban School Setting, Wanda Davis

Dissertations

The inclusion of college preparation programs promote and forecast academic success in postsecondary studies among individual at-risk, African American urban high school students. Past research has shown ongoing, college acceptance, performance, and graduation gaps between at-risk, African American urban high school students when compared to affluent, Caucasian suburban high school students. The College Summit program is designed to help close this gap. The study compared two models of the College Summit Program in one urban school setting. The study evaluated the effect that pre-college preparation activities had on these dependent variables: completion of postsecondary planning activities, end-of-year GPA, awards of …

A Content Analysis To Investigate The Evidence Of 21st Century Knowledge And Skills Within Elementary Teacher Education Programs In The United States, Mary Margaret Ruettgers

Dissertations

Are graduates of teacher preparation programs adequately prepared with the skills and knowledge to teach in the 21st century classroom? This study consisted of a quantitative content analysis to investigate the presence of 21st century knowledge and skills within a stratified random sample of teacher preparation programs in the United States as measured by the 21st Century Learning Framework. Based on the current literature, the researcher identified 21st century competencies: global awareness; digital competencies; critical thinking; collaboration; cross-cultural; communication; and problem solving. For null hypothesis numbers two through eight, the researcher determined how closely the institution’s mission statements, course descriptions, …

Examining The Teacher Perceptions, Implementations, Barriers, And Benefits Associated With The Missouri Reading Initiative, Paula Suzanne Roberts

Dissertations

Reading is an essential skill taught during elementary academic years. The Sunny Day School District recognized the need of locating a reading program tailored to effectively meeting the instructional needs of students. A preliminary question was, “how do we increase the reading achievement of all our students?” In response to this instructional concern, the Sunny Day School District decided to implement the Missouri Reading Initiative (MRI), a state program created to assist teachers with scientifically research based reading instructional strategies. This study addressed the problem of a lack of a program evaluation for the MRI program as implemented within the …

Inter-Agency Coordination: The Key To Successfully Transition Juvenile Offenders Back Into The Educational Mainstream, Robyn Beth Gordon

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to determine the characteristics of successful re-entry programs for youth as they transition back into the educational mainstream. The study was also used to determine the implementation needed for effective inter-agency coordination of social service systems for students to successfully transition into the educational setting. The NCLB accountability measures were reviewed to discover how the measures influenced educators and created a reluctance to accept delinquent youth when they re-enter public school. The three overarching questions addressed in this study were: What inter-agency involvement is necessary in implementing a successful re-entry program? What are the …

Exploring The Role Of The Principal In Elementary Teacher Retention And Migration As Perceived By Elementary Teachers In Rural School Districts Of North-Central Pennsylvania, Diana L. Barnes

Dissertations

Problem. Teacher migration and attrition are costly to educational institutions and negatively impact students' education. Teachers migrate to other positions and/or leave the profession for different reasons. Research of literature indicated that one influence on the teacher's decision to migrate to another position or to leave the profession is lack of principal support. This sequential mixed-methodology study explores elementary teachers' perception of the relationship between principal support and teacher retention and migration in the rural elementary schools of north-central Pennsylvania.

Method. To explore the role of the principal, this sequentially mixed-methodological study used a focus group to identify elementary teachers' …

The Influence Of University Personnel Upon Students' Spirituality At Selected Adventist Universities In West Africa, Isaiah Ola Abolarin

Dissertations

Problem and Purpose. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a deep concern for youth and young adults' spirituality. Hence the church established institutions of higher learning with the aim of restoring in youth and young adults the image of God in which they were created. There are programs and activities in these institutions to accomplish the aim, but there is still concern among church leaders and parents that young people will abandon their faith and exit the church. This study explored the influence of interactions between students and university personnel in selected Adventist universities in West Africa that, apart from programs …

Principals' Communication Styles And Processes And Their Relationship To School Performance, Shereen Mahmoud Saeed

Dissertations

This study aimed to describe principals' communication styles and processes and their relationships to school performance in Al Ain city in the UAE as perceived by school staff. The study was guided by three research questions and used the mixed research method. Data for this study were collected through a questionnaire and semi-structured phone interviews. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. The first section included demographic information of participants. The second part included 26 statements that were used to identify the communication processes at school. The third part was comprised of 25 statements that were used to describe the …