Education Commons^™

Factors Influencing The Level Of Technology Adaptation By Middle-School Teachers, Janice Favre Strigh

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine those factors influencing a teacher’s level of adaptation to a one-to-one laptop program in a middle-school setting. The school chosen for this study is located in a semi-rural district with approximately 500 students in sixth through eighth grade. Over the past 10 years, the school district has implemented a one-to-one laptop program with students currently having access to their own personal computer each day. Collins’s (2007) technology, leadership management, and policy pyramid model provided a framework for this analysis. Teachers’ perceptions of leadership support for the planning activities, organizational integration …

School Administrators’ Perceptions Of The James Stronge Teacher Evaluation System, Jean Schoenlank

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This qualitative study examined school administrators’ perceptions of the James Stronge teacher evaluation system, one of five approved evaluation systems by the New Jersey Department of Education from the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey Act (TEACHNJ) in 2012. Fourteen administrators from a suburban district were interviewed to examine their views of the Stronge model’s influence on teachers’ instructional practice, the accuracy of the ratings found from using this model, and its influence on their instructional leadership.

The results indicate the seven performance indicators at the heart of the Stronge evaluation system are valuable to administrators …

Iep Team Decision Making Process For Accommodations In Bergen County, New Jersey, Steven Pasternak

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to explore the decision-making processes of Individual Education Program team members, who are responsible for making accommodation decisions for students with disabilities in the classroom and for state standardized tests. Students with disabilities consistently underperform in achievement compared to their peers throughout Bergen County and nationally. High-stakes testing, accountability incentives, and access to higher education have all led to pressures on administrators, students, and parents, calling into question how accommodations are determined for students with disabilities. School administrators are being held accountable for all their students meeting state standards; therefore, students with disabilities’ underperformance …

Perceptions Of Teachers On Their Preparedness To Teach Students In Low-Income Urban Charter Schools In New Jersey, Kimberly S. Wright

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This dissertation explores how novice teachers currently working in low-income urban charter schools in New Jersey perceive their specific preparation to work in a low-income urban charter school classroom, prior to doing so. In this qualitative study, a semistructured interview was used in an effort to assess the preparedness of 18 teachers based on their preservice training, administrative support and mentor guidance, and their self-efficacy and level of cultural awareness. The framework used for this study was Herzberg’s theory of motivation. Herzberg’s theory in combination with scholarly literature surrounding novice teachers in low-income urban classrooms produced success factors that measure …

A Case Study On The Influence Of Frequent Superintendent Turnover On The Culture Of A K-12 Suburban School District, Victoria C. Velazquez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The role of school superintendents is varied and complex. Further complicating this role is the issue of frequent superintendent turnover. While there is ample research addressing the links between superintendents and student achievement, superintendents’ relationships with school boards and the shortage of qualified superintendents across the country due to high turnover rates, there is little research focusing specifically on superintendent turnover’s influence on the culture of a district.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an ethnographic, cross-case case study on the influence of superintendent turnover on the culture of a northeastern United States suburban K-12 school district. The …

The Chosen Tokens: Exploring The Work Experiences And Career Aspirations Of Latina Midlevel Student Affairs Administrators In Higher Education, Sofia Bautista Pertuz

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Student Affairs serves as a viable career option for professionals working in higher education, including Latinas, who have increasingly entered as undergraduate students and found careers in student affairs. Latinas seem to be bottlenecked at midlevel, with few advancing to senior level leadership positions. According to the literature, negative work experiences and barriers related to identity have impacted advancement opportunities for Latina administrators. This qualitative study employed the methodology of narrative inquiry. Interviews were conducted with 26 participants selected by purposeful sampling of Latina professionals holding midlevel positions in student affairs. Data was analyzed using traditional coding methods of constant …

Beyond Socioeconomic Status: The Impact Of Principal Leadership In Urban And High Poverty Turnaround Schools, Mojisola Adejumo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The quest to transform failing urban and high-poverty schools in America has been a slippery uphill battle since the banner of war was raised against the many schools serving impoverished children. As battle rages, a few are schools leading their students, teachers, parents, and community to victory by turning their once-failing schools into institutions of academic excellence. However, the shouts of victory and strategic planning that led to their success have been overlooked or relegated to mere happenstance. As these successful schools claim unchartered territories of success, a quick glance at the battlefield reveals the reality that the battle is …

Sustainability Of Catholic Parish Elementary Schools In The Twenty-First Century And The Driving Forces Of Leadership, Ryan Killeen

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The most prevalent model of Catholic schools has always been and remains the parish elementary school. Catholic schools are not simply private schools but a faith based arm of a larger parish. The interconnected leadership of schools by pastors and principals is at the core of understanding the model and inseparable in long-term viability. The purpose of the study was to explore the commonalities and divergences within the pastor and principal relationships in New Jersey Catholic, suburban, elementary schools. The study investigated the following research questions. (1) How do New Jersey pastors and principals of suburban Catholic elementary schools perceive …

A Narrative Study On The Leadership Development Of Female Superintendents In New Jersey, Mitzi N. Morillo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study was to explore, through the lived experiences of 8 women who achieved the superintendency in New Jersey, the intersectionality of gender, social norms, and race and how these women developed as leaders. The study was designed to identify perceived barriers to career ascension in education administration and the successful strategies that female superintendents in New Jersey utilized to overcome those barriers. The study explored strategies that future leaders might utilize to address leadership development and career ascendency for women who aspire to the superintendency. For this study, a narrative research design was best suited to …

Exploring Postsecondary Market And Discipline Influences On Faculty Role Performance, Wendiann R. Sethi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Prior research has shown that the type of institution, disciplines, and characteristics of the faculty influence the structure and character of academic work. Zemsky and Shaman (1997) and others have suggested that differentiation among institutions, which has historically been structured along level of degree offerings and size/complexity, is now becoming increasingly structured along the lines of market segments – with many non-selective four-year institutions increasingly resembling two-year “convenience” institutions in terms of their academic organization. The purpose of this study was to test the extent to which academic work is increasingly organized by institutional market segment rather than traditional categories …

An Analysis Of New Small High Schools' On-Time Graduation Rates In New York City, Nathan Dudley

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Beginning in 2002, with the election of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York City’s Department of Education undertook an unprecedented overhaul of the largest school district in the United States. Over the next 10 years the Department of Education closed more than 25 large, underperforming high schools, and created almost 200 new, small high schools, which, by the end of the decade, were serving approximately 30% of public high school students in the city. The first classes began graduating in 2006, and many of the “New Small Schools” graduated more students on time than many of the large schools they had …

The Influence Of The Length Of The Instructional Day On The Percentage Of Proficient And Advanced Proficient Scores Of The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge For Grades 6, 7, And 8., Christopher Michael Tully

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study was relational, non-experimental, explanatory, and cross-sectional in nature, using quantitative methods to explain the influence of student, staff, and school independent variables on 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade student achievement in both Language Arts and Mathematics on the 2011 NJ ASK. The variable of interest was the length of the instructional day and controlled student, staff, and school variables. This study provides descriptive research on the relationship between the length of the instructional day and other predictor variables and student achievement. The study used approximately 200 schools for each grade level and subject …

The Influence Of Principal Longevity And Continuity On Student Achievement, Gemar Mills

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In the state of New Jersey, academic success at the high school level is defined by student achievement on the New Jersey High School Proficiency Assessment (NJ HSPA), which students take in the 11^th grade. New Jersey high school principals are accountable for ensuring that students who attend their schools are proficient in mathematics and language arts before they start their 12^th grade year. The No Child Left Behind Act (2001) emphasizes principal accountability, and New Jersey has likewise increased scrutiny on principals’ contributions to student performance on the NJ HSPA. Accordingly, this study examines whether these principals’ …

Cyberbullying, K-12 Public Schools, And The 1st Amendment, Jennifer A. Mezzina

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The first amendment protected students’ first amendment rights in K-12 public schools; however, state antibullying legislation required school officials to discipline students for bullying and, in most states, cyberbullying as well. An increasing number of students had access to mobile devices at home and during the school day. School officials had the responsibility to protect students from instances of bullying and cyberbullying; however, school officials did not fully understand the extent of their authority to discipline students for acts of bullying that occurred online, off school grounds. Despite the existence of state antibullying laws in all fifty states, contradictory appellate …

A Study On The Effectiveness Of A Pilot Inquiry-Based Middle School Science Program On Non-Cognitive Outcomes And Academic Achievement, Rui Meira Dionisio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The randomized research study assessed the effect of an inquiry-based science (IBS) program on non-cognitive outcomes and academic achievement. The study was the result of a grant that was awarded by Professional Resources in Science and Mathematics (PRISM), a program affiliated with Montclair State University in conjunction with Bristol-Myers Squibb, and part of the New Jersey Statewide Systemic Initiative (NJSSI). The NJSSI is a partnership of schools, districts, colleges and universities, science centers, businesses, and museums dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of science, mathematics, and technology in New Jersey. The quantitative research study utilized an IBS instructional program …

College Students’ Persistence And Degree Completion In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem): The Role Of Non-Cognitive Attributes Of Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectations, And Interest, Michael Aryee

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The lack of students’ persistence (or student’s effort to continue their academic studies until degree completion) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and the attrition of STEM students as well as the shortage of STEM workers have gathered much attention from policy makers, governmental agencies, higher education researchers and administrators in recent years. As a result, much research efforts have been directed towards identifying factors causing the leaks in the STEM pipeline and finding effectively antidotes to patch the leakage points along the pipe. In the past, most studies in the STEM disciplines have focused on individual cognitive capacities …

The Influence Of Socioeconomic, Parental And District Factors On The 2013 Mcas Grade 4 Language Arts And Mathematics Scores, Dale G. Caldwell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This correlational, explanatory study utilized multiple linear and hierarchical regression to examine the predictive power of socioeconomic, parental and district factors on the total percentage of students who scored Proficient or Advanced Proficient on the 2013 MCAS Grade 4 language arts and mathematics test. The population for this study included 100% of the Massachusetts public school districts containing at least 25 valid MCAS Grade 4 language arts and mathematics test scores that were not regional or charter schools and had complete census data for the communities each district served. This study revealed that 74% of the 2013 MCAS Grade 4 …

The Role Of The Principal Walk-Through, Karen Lee Holgersen

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the principal's perspective of the efficacy of the principal walk-through as a tool to improve and gather formative feedback about teaching. Principals from selected schools in one district were interviewed to further clarify their feelings and provide insight into how they engaged in the process. The findings suggest that the principals in this study have adapted the classroom walk-through to meet the current requirements of an instructional leader.

The Influence Of The Length Of The School Day On The Percentage Of Proficient And Advanced Proficient Scores On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge For Grade 3, Lydia Kaji Yikon'a

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This nonexperimental, cross-sectional, explanatory, quantitative study sought to analyze the influence of length of school day on student performance on the third-grade New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics total percentage of Proficient and Advanced Proficient scores. The data were obtained from the 2011 New Jersey Department of Education Report Card. The independent variables included school, student, and faculty. The analyses of the data were completed using simultaneous and hierarchical regression models. The results indicated that length of school day had no statistical significance as a predictor of student achievement on the NJ ASK 3. …