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Full-Text Articles in Education

The Relationship Between Elementary Principals' Conceptualizations Of Instructional Leadership And Their Perceived Use Of Time, Mardel S. Higginson Dec 2011

The Relationship Between Elementary Principals' Conceptualizations Of Instructional Leadership And Their Perceived Use Of Time, Mardel S. Higginson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to learn about how elementary principals conceptualized instructional leadership and whether the way they thought about leadership influenced their allotted use of time for instructional leadership. In order to answer this question, two sub-questions needed to be answered about how elementary principals conceptualized instructional leadership and how elementary principals perceived they used their time. This mixed-method study interviewed 30 principals in an urban-suburban school district in Utah to produce data. Each principal participated in a newly constructed survey of 84 questions. The survey consisted of four parts including demographics, open-ended questions about instructional leadership, …


Impact Of Indigenous Language On Achievement And Emotional Conditions: A Case Study Of East European Students In Utah, Natalya Georgiyeva Dec 2011

Impact Of Indigenous Language On Achievement And Emotional Conditions: A Case Study Of East European Students In Utah, Natalya Georgiyeva

Theses and Dissertations

The importance of using an indigenous language as a medium of school instruction has been discussed in world education for a long time. This study focuses on the influence of the presence of a native language in the learning process of the students and the impact on their academic achievement, emotional conditions, and post-school lives. A qualitative method of research was used in the study, comprising 12 interviews among Ukrainian/Russian adopted and nonadopted students who attended Utah schools. Information obtained through interviews presented language levels of students (both native and English), academic achievement, and emotional conditions of students during the …


Teachers' Perception Of Computer Use And Technical Support In A Rural Virginia School Division: A Case Study, Rodney Berry Dec 2011

Teachers' Perception Of Computer Use And Technical Support In A Rural Virginia School Division: A Case Study, Rodney Berry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher perceptions of computer-based technology and technology support provided by a rural school division; the extent of teachers’ self reported computer skills, comfort levels, perception of obstacles; and the amount of support, time, and training available to them to accomplish the integration during the course of instruction. This research was conducted during the 2010-2011 school term as a case study of a small rural K-12 school division in southern Virginia, consisting of teachers from each core curriculum from each of the three schools, selected deliberately. The study was divided into three phases: …


An Assessment Of Principals' Technology Leadership: A Statewide Survey, Jeffrey Duncan Dec 2011

An Assessment Of Principals' Technology Leadership: A Statewide Survey, Jeffrey Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to collect data about engagement and involvement around technology issues by principals in Virginia. Virginia public school administrators were surveyed using the Principals Technology Leadership Assessment (PTLA) instrument and results compared to the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) (ISTE, 2002). This study, though limited in scope, provided meaningful data for research. The study reflects that despite 10 years of having NETS-A in place, Virginia public school administrators are barely meeting minimum standards in five out of the six dimensions. The study correctly looked at the old NETS-A standards but resulted in a …


Grading Practices: Teachers' Considerations Of Academic And Non-Academic Factors, Diana Yesbeck Nov 2011

Grading Practices: Teachers' Considerations Of Academic And Non-Academic Factors, Diana Yesbeck

Theses and Dissertations

In the current era of student accountability, coupled with high-stakes testing, schools have focused on the alignment of standardized curriculums and assessments. However, developing standardized grading practices are still under examination. Grading serves as an important responsibility, yet many teachers still find the process a challenge of determining which academic and non-academic factors correctly represent student achievement. This qualitative study was designed to examine the grading factors teachers consider when determining student final grades. Middle school language arts teachers from one mid-sized suburban school district in Virginia participated in qualitative interviews. The interviews addressed the following topics: (1) the purposes …


Mentoring Relationships Of Alternative Route First-Year Urban Teachers And Their Mentors, Gwendolyn Perkins Nov 2011

Mentoring Relationships Of Alternative Route First-Year Urban Teachers And Their Mentors, Gwendolyn Perkins

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined, described and analyzed mentoring experiences and perceptions of five first-year alternate route teachers and their five mentors within an urban southeastern school division. The researcher employed a constructivist theoretical model to analyze interview data and frame the adult learning and mentoring experiences to answer the research questions. This investigation explored the benefits, challenges and implications concerning first-year alternate route teachers and their roles in the mentoring relationships.


A Second Chance To Graduate On Time: High School Students’ Perceptions On Participating In An Online Credit Recovery Program, Eric Jones Oct 2011

A Second Chance To Graduate On Time: High School Students’ Perceptions On Participating In An Online Credit Recovery Program, Eric Jones

Theses and Dissertations

High schools in the United States are facing increased scrutiny to increase the number of students graduating with a diploma in four years. This pressure comes from many sources. First, the No Child Left Behind Act instituted graduation as a measure of a high school’s success at the federal level. States soon followed by increasing accountability in this area. Differences in how graduation rates were measured and advancements in data tracking technology led to many states measuring cohort groups of students who enter high school in the ninth grade and tracking them to see how many graduate in four years. …


Measuring Mathematics Instruction In Elementary Classrooms: Comprehensive Mathematics Instruction (Cmi) Observation Protocol Development And Validation, Sue Ann Womack Aug 2011

Measuring Mathematics Instruction In Elementary Classrooms: Comprehensive Mathematics Instruction (Cmi) Observation Protocol Development And Validation, Sue Ann Womack

Theses and Dissertations

Measuring Mathematics Instruction in Elementary Classrooms:Comprehensive Mathematics Instruction (CMI) Observation Protocol Development and Validation Sue A. Womack Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations Doctor of Philosophy despite the availability of reform standards in mathematics since 1989 (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), teachers have not yet aligned instruction with reform ideals on a widespread basis. (Cohen & Hill, 2000; Hiebert, et al., 2005; Spillane & Zeuli, 1999; J. W. Stigler & Hiebert, 1999). Consequently, mathematics education in elementary schools has not produced students with strong mathematical understanding (Hiebert & Grouws, 2007).


The Sustainability Of A Coaching Model For Beginning Principals, Virginia Loving May 2011

The Sustainability Of A Coaching Model For Beginning Principals, Virginia Loving

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract THE SUSTAINABILIY OF A COACHING MODEL FOR BEGINNING PRINCIPALS By Virginia F. Loving A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Director: R. Martin Reardon, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Education This phenomenological study sought to determine what coaching-induced practices are acquired during novice principals first year as principal, and the sustainability of coaching-induced practices once the coach has been removed. This study identified skills learned while novice principals participated in a coaching program, and the extent to which these practices continued into …


Gifted Students' Perceptions Of High School Transition, Beverley R. Smith May 2011

Gifted Students' Perceptions Of High School Transition, Beverley R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions of gifted middle school students who attended one of two middle school gifted service options as they transitioned into high school. Gifted middle school students from either a center-based gifted service option or a school-based gifted service option from middle schools in a suburban district in Central Virginia participated in the study. Participants who had completed three consecutive years within the gifted service option were purposively selected for the study. Students completed a pre-transition survey at the end of their eighth grade year and a post-transition survey early in their ninth grade year. The survey …


What Are The Educational Aspirations Of African American Males Raised In Mother-Only Households?, Patsy Chavis May 2011

What Are The Educational Aspirations Of African American Males Raised In Mother-Only Households?, Patsy Chavis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of Black males being raised in a mother-only household and their career aspirations. The absence of the father in a home stands at the forefront as the cause of family dysfunction, which subsequently leads to the destruction of many hopes and dreams of the Black male.Is a mother-only household a preconceived environment for failure for the Black male?


The Perspectives Of Practicing African American Female Superintendents In The Commonwealth Of Virginia Regarding The Impact Of Spirituality On Their Leadership Practices, Shannon Smith Apr 2011

The Perspectives Of Practicing African American Female Superintendents In The Commonwealth Of Virginia Regarding The Impact Of Spirituality On Their Leadership Practices, Shannon Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to discover how African American female superintendents in Virginia integrated spirituality into their leadership practices. The struggles and experiences of these women as a population have been uniquely marginalized by both race and gender. These distinct influences have resulted in the development of generations of women who freely proclaim to be grounded in the spiritual. To investigate this topic, data were collected in face-to-face interviews conducted on site in the school division where each superintendent was employed. The data were analyzed using a modified version of Moustakas as proposed by Creswell (2007). Once …


How Virginia Public School Superintendents Spend Their Time, Eric Armbruster Apr 2011

How Virginia Public School Superintendents Spend Their Time, Eric Armbruster

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine how Virginia public school superintendents spend their time. The primary goal of this study is to determine the differences in how superintendents allocate their time in regards to their involvement with specific tasks. This descriptive study is designed to determine the level of involvement of superintendents throughout the state of Virginia in the areas of fiscal management, facility management, personnel, student personnel and special services, support services, instruction and curriculum, and community relations. This study investigates how much time is spent by superintendents in specific performance areas as defined by the Guidelines …


Learning Communities Or Support Groups: The Use Of Student Cohorts In Doctoral Educational Leadership Programs, Christy J. Brown Apr 2011

Learning Communities Or Support Groups: The Use Of Student Cohorts In Doctoral Educational Leadership Programs, Christy J. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-method study explored how students in a doctoral educational leadership cohort at one university used the cohort structure as a learning community or as a method of social support. Survey data were collected from 45 past and present cohort students and qualitative data were collected from three focus groups of 15 participants total. The survey measured four factors: General Cohort Experience, Trust Within the Cohort, Network, and Community of Learners. Quantitatively, one cohort was found to be significantly different from the others in terms of Trust Within the Cohort; and the 60 hour cohorts were found to be more …


Aligning Instructional Practices With Content Standards In Junior Secondary Schools In Indonesia, Rumtini Suwarno Mar 2011

Aligning Instructional Practices With Content Standards In Junior Secondary Schools In Indonesia, Rumtini Suwarno

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the degree of alignment between instructional practices and national curriculum standards, which may vary as a function of teacher characteristics. Using self-reports from teachers about their experiences teaching the national curriculum standards, the study explored three aspects of the alignments: (1) topic coverage, (2) level of difficulty for teachers to teach, and (3) level of difficulty for students to learn. While topic coverage is determined by the percentage of the national curriculum standards topics taught during the year of 2008-2009, the level of teacher difficulty to teach and the level of student difficulty to learn are assessed …


Latino Educators Of Tomorrow: Culture-Specific Mentoring For The College Transition, Anna Trevino Mar 2011

Latino Educators Of Tomorrow: Culture-Specific Mentoring For The College Transition, Anna Trevino

Theses and Dissertations

The population of Latino students is growing faster than any other ethnic group in U.S. public schools today; however, the number of Latino teachers throughout the nation has remained low. The Latino Educators of Tomorrow is a new and ambitious Latino educational career program designed to increase the number of Latino students entering teaching as a profession. This research addressed the following questions: 1) What do participants identify as influential in their trajectory towards becoming an educator, and why?; 2) How do LET instructors, acting in the role of mentors, influence participants' desires and plans to become educators, and why?; …


A Descriptive Study Of Funded Homeless Education Programs: Barriers And Supports In New York State, Kerri A. Canzone Jan 2011

A Descriptive Study Of Funded Homeless Education Programs: Barriers And Supports In New York State, Kerri A. Canzone

Theses and Dissertations

With the issue of homelessness ever-present in our educational system, it is important to examine current barriers and supports in the education of students experiencing homelessness. It is also critical to examine the academic achievement of this special population of at-risk students. Descriptive information was sought about types of barriers to education access and success, as well as supports and academic achievement in New York State-funded Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and to ascertain what educational leaders are doing to meet the educational needs of their homeless student population. Regional differences among barriers and supports were examined, as well as English …