Education Commons^™

Equity Among Equity Workers: Public Service Motivation In An Educational Nonprofit Organization, Russell C. West Jr

Theses and Dissertations

What opportunities and challenges arise when an equity-focused educational organization aims to support employee’s individual equity practices while simultaneously developing the organization’s equity practice? In this study, employees of a non-profit educational organization were asked what rationales and expectations played a role in their decision to volunteer in an equity working group. Their responses were used to understand whether Perry’s (2000) process theory of Public Service Motivation helped describe their decision. In a second round of interviews, employees were asked what outcomes they perceived came from their participation. These responses were used to understand whether the outcomes aligned with those …

Exploring Grit In Exemplary School Superintendents, Denise Jaramillo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary superintendents use five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study was part of a larger thematic study conducted by nine doctoral candidates under the supervision of three University of Massachusetts Global faculty. The study used a phenomenological design to identify and describe how exemplary superintendents use five principles associated with grit to accomplish extraordinary results. Data were gathered through a combination of eight semistructured interviews, related observations, and a …

Silos In Higher Education Institutions: Shifting From Organizational Phenomena To A Practical Framework For Equitable Decision-Making, Mandi Sue Mizuta

Dissertations and Theses

As higher education has evolved, administrative and support functions have become more stratified and specialized, creating institutions with complex and compartmentalized organizational structures known as silos. These silos have a detrimental impact on institutions, employees, and ultimately the student stakeholders that they serve. Silos within higher education administration support services are readily acknowledged anecdotally; however, robust research to describe this phenomenon and actionable resources to address it are lacking. This multi-paper dissertation explores the theoretical implications and practical applications for using collaborative, intentional approaches to address what is argued to be at its core is a matter of equity. The …

Student Loan Debt And First-Generation Community College Students, Sandra A. Fuentes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The rising costs of college attendance and changes in financial aid packages leave students with little option other than to incur a debt of some amount. Unfortunately, colleges often fail to provide adequate financial literacy and student loan information so prospective students planning to attend college can make informed decisions. Student loans may seem attractive in the short term because, unlike other loans, repayment does not begin immediately. However, the accrual of student loan debt leads to long-term financial consequences, including the opportunity to build economic wealth after graduation. Utilizing a basic qualitative research design, I explored first-generation community college …

The Impact Of Principal Preparation On Student Outcomes, Tanya Shelton

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of principal preparation on first-year principals' ability to positively impact student outcomes. The study sought to understand key learning experiences that contributed to first-year principals' success upon completion of their preparation program. Using the case study method for this qualitative research study, I interviewed first-year principals to gather data on their perceptions of the learning experiences that led to their success. The research question that guided my qualitative research study was: How does one district-led principal preparation program in a large urban city increase first-year principals' capacity to effectively lead …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring Parental Involvement At Alternative Schools In Eastern North Carolina, Irv Glenn Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the perceptions of caregivers and teachers regarding parental involvement at alternative schools in Eastern North Carolina. The lack of parental involvement at some schools is a systemic issue that involves continued efforts by school staff to include caregivers in promoting student success. The difficulties of engaging parents of alternative students result in little interaction between caregivers and educators. It is essential to understand how caregivers and educators perceive parental involvement and assess the quality of parental participation in an alternative educational setting. A qualitative research method was chosen to comprehensively examine …

The Unsung Heroes And Silent Partners Of The Educational World, Gillian Schneider

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify and describe what paraeducators perceive as factors that lead to effective and sustainable engagement in special education special day classes, and identify what strategies are effective for encouraging discretionary effort as perceived by paraeducators.

Methodology: The participants in the study were 69 paraeducators employed by a Southern California County Office of Education. Participants partook in two research instruments: (a) a 37-question survey and (b) a semi-structured interview.

Findings: Data based on the mixed method analysis revealed that paraeducators are highly committed employees who want to know that they are …

The Missouri Student Transfer Program, Howard E. Fields Iii

Dissertations

In 1993, the state of Missouri passed the Outstanding Schools Act. This law was created as a means to ensure that “all children will have quality educational opportunities, regardless of where in Missouri they live.” Section 167.131 of this law states that an unaccredited district must pay the tuition and transportation cost for students who attend an accredited school in the same or adjoining district. This portion of the law became known as the Student Transfer Program.

The Riverview Gardens School District (RGSD) was one of three unaccredited school districts in the state of Missouri in 2013. With close to …

Catch The Bus: Investigating The Correlations Between Teacher Collaborative Action-Taking And Self-Efficacy, Tara B. Brandt

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the correlations between particular teacher collaborative actions and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy. Additionally, descriptive analyses provided a snapshot of current collaborative action-taking across US schools, and elucidated teachers’ present sense of self-efficacy. This study utilized existing data from the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey (sponsored by the OECD), which was completed by 1,926 lower secondary teachers from just over 120 different American schools. Multivariate correlational analysis confirmed that frequency of US teachers’ participation in collaborative actions significantly correlated to higher levels of teacher self-efficacy. Actions with the highest correlations included: taking …

Perceptions Of Millennial Teachers' Commitment To Teaching As A Career, Deana Lyn Layton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Just like the childhood game of Hide and Seek, “Ready or not, here they come,” numbering 92 million strong, the Millennial Generation is the largest generational cohort in history. By 2025, it is predicted they will comprise 75% of the workforce. Millennials are highly educated, willing to learn, technologically advanced, and Socially conscious—all traits important for the making of a great teacher. The purpose of my study is to understand the mindset of six beginning Millennial teachers regarding teaching as their career of choice and how this mindset impacts their decision to remain committed to teaching. This study attempts to …

Asl, Total Communication And Oralism: Identifying Shared Characteristics Of School-Based Writing Intervention Programs For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students, K-6, Carolyn Mascia Reed

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Impact Of Parent Satisfaction On Charter School Improvement, Patricia G. Booth

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Perception Of Police Executives In New Jersey Regarding The Relationship Of Basic Police Academy Training To Expectations Of Proficiency Or Skills Required For Duty In Their Respective Communities, Michael J. Renahan

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Principals' Perceptions Regarding The Integration Of The Internet Into Public Schools In A Rural County Of New Jersey, Tracey Servens

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The All Encompassing Role And Function Of The Computing Coordinator In Western Australian Government Senior High Schools, Diana C. Brown

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to determine the role and support afforded Computing Coordinators at Western Australian government senior high schools by undertaking a census survey. Previous studies performed by Weber and Kershaw (1990) and Kershaw and Weber {1991), portrayed the role of Computing Coordinators at Australian high schools as demanding a diversity of knowledge and skills in computer technology together with excellent management qualities. The literature also suggested that time management skills were a major factor in how effectively coordinators carried out the myriad of tasks expected of them. This study found that most Computing Coordinators considered their …

Regular Education Teachers’ Attitudes And Knowledge Concerning The Mainstreaming Of Handicapped Students, Kenneth R. Brown

Dissertations (Pre-2016)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether regular education teachers, when given an intensive training program in all aspects of special education, will be more at ease when teaching handicapped students and in turn have im proved attitudes when working with these students. The data for the study were collected in 1984 and 1985 using a researcher-designed instrument entitled Special Education Attitude Survey (SEAS). A total of 93 teachers in the Spring Branch Independent School District (Houston, Texas) was in cluded in the study. A treatment group was administered training in a two-day workshop setting. The control group …

The Influence Of Federal Administrative Trends On The Budgetary Processes Of Nigeria’S Federal Universities., Iliya Wambi Samaila

Dissertations (Pre-2016)

The proliferation of university educational demand in Nigeria occurred as a result of the oil boom and the subsequent creation of nineteen states. In 1974, Ibadan and Lagos Universities were the only federal universities; in 1976 seven more universities were created. The sudden increase, from two in 1974 to thirteen federal universities in 1976, necessitated the adoption of the formula funding model, which was perceived as being capable of allocating resources to all similar academic programs in the institutions. The thirteen federal universities were used in the study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability outcome of …

An Attempt To Identify Selected Legal Responsibilities In Off-Campus Student Teaching, Joyce Wolverton Swan

All Master's Theses

Due largely to the increasing involvement of the public schools in the education of prospective teachers, there is general agreement by authorities in the field of education on the need for identifying the legal responsibilities of the public schools and teacher training institutions during the student teaching experience. There is a need for developing guidelines and regulations. There appears to be general consensus that professional organizations, teacher training institutions, and the public schools should cooperatively formulate these standards. However, because ultimate legal authority for the public schools rests with the state legislature, the state legislature or its delegated agent must …

Achievement Study Of Negro Elementary Transfer Students, Peter Andrew Nielsen

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to find out to what extent the transfer program has benefited participating students. The hypothesis was that Negro elementary students participating in the transfer program would make more academic progress by 1968 than would Negro elementary students from the same home schools who did not transfer. All students had to be in grade four in 1966. Students must have taken a standardized achievement test in 1966 and 1968.

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Public School Teachers In Chelan And Douglas Counties Regarding Teacher Evaluation For Merit Pay Purposes, Gerald Stewart Robertson

All Master's Theses

The purposes of this research were: (1) to determine the attitude of public school teachers toward teacher evaluation for the purposes of merit pay; and (2) to determine the feasibility of a merit pay program based on these attitudes.

A Study Of A Proposed Plan For School District Reorganization In Sultan, Gold Bar And Index, George Thomas Sofie

All Master's Theses

The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a need for reorganization in Sultan, Gold Bar and Index school districts. If reorganization was needed, this paper will propose a plan by which this reorganization can be carried out.

Survey And Development Of Salary Program For Upper Snoqualmie Valley School District 410, Snoqualmie , Washington, James R. Satterlee

All Master's Theses

It was the purpose of this study to (1) supply a starting point for succeeding salary committees in their efforts to construct future salary schedules; (2) show the difference between other districts’ salary schedules and the haphazard methods used in this district to determine teachers’ and administrators’ salaries; (3) bring the Upper Snoqualmie Valley School District’s certified employees’ salaries in line with other districts’ schedules, the Washington Education Association’s proposed schedule, the King county Co-ordinating Council’s proposed schedule, and the national trend towards better and higher salaries for teachers....

Guide For Governing Boards In Developing School District Policies, Phillip Alan Whaley

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It was the purpose of this study to develop a manual of policies and procedures as a guide for governing boards of Stanislaus County school districts to use in developing their own written policies.

In the development of the manual, an attempt was made to answer such questions as the following:

1. What are the areas that should be included in a guide?
2. What format will best serve the needs of governing boards in developing a policy manual?
3. Is it possible to develop a policy manual completely free from administrative rules and regulations?
4. Will one policy manual meed the needs of …

A Job Analysis Of High School Principalships In Yakima County, Robert Schmelzlee

All Master's Theses

The object of this study is to make an investigation of the status of the high school principal in Yakima County. This paper will attempt to answer a few of the more important questions that are frequently asked concerning the principal and his work.

The Responsibility Of Schools For Meeting The Leisure Time Needs Of The Community, Gerald M. Hanft

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this paper was to determine the extent to which authorities in the fields of recreation and education consider the leisure time needs of the community as a responsibility of schools. The author has also attempted to show what changes must take place in educational patterns if schools are to meet these leisure time needs.

A Study Of First Grade Entrance Practices In The State Of Washington, James L. Martin

All Master's Theses

The purpose here is to determine the actual practice. What is the requirement for entrance into the first grade in the various districts in the state of Washington? Is chronological age the only determining factor? Is any consideration given to mental age? To what extent are the emotional and social factors considered? Is attendance in a kindergarten a factor?