Education Commons^™

When West Meets East: Communicative Language Teaching In China, Rong Li

Theses and Dissertations

With radical social change and educational reform taking place in China since 1976, the English teaching system there has been changing accordingly. The Chinese Traditional Method (CTM) is giving way to the Western Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach. This research is a study of both Chinese and expatriate English teachers who are involved in classrooms and affected by reforms. The goal of this research study is to identify the extent to which Chinese and expatriate English teachers use CLT in China, to discover the possible factors that prevent them from using CLT and to explore an English teaching method that …

The Perceived Healthy Practices Of School Board Governance: Strategic Planning And Decision Making To Impact Student Achievement, Steven Todd Jordahl

Theses and Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of legislation of 2001 has impacted legal responsibilities school boards have in addressing best practices of governance as it relates to the impact on student achievement. NCLB suggests that school boards develop a governance structure, a decision-making model, and strategic planning exercises to support the achievement of all students. However, many school boards across the country still engage in practices that do not focus attention on achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine if student achievement of selected Minnesota School Districts is impacted by the practices of school board governance. The …

Elementary School Administrator Technology Skills And Their Impact On Teacher Technology Integration Competencies, Jason Douglas Hornbacher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the technology competencies of elementary school administrators and the technology integration competencies of teachers under their leadership. This study examined data from Phases V and VI, which were the last year and the year following the end of the North Dakota Teaching with Technology Initiative (ND TWTi).

The data collection tool was the Professional Competency Continuum (PCC) profile assessment. The data from this survey were preexisting and spanned from 1999 to 2006. ND TWTi provided technology training and support to North Dakota teachers and administrators. The PCC measured the …

Trust Me, I'M The Principal! A New Conceptual Model Of Trust For Educational Leaders, Bryan W. Blair

Theses and Dissertations

The ultimate aim of this work is to contribute to the knowledge of how trust influences and relates to those practices that best support student development and growth as educated and productive citizens, prepared to share in our democratic society-which is the ultimate purpose of our schools (Dewey & Dewey, 1915). Specifically, this thesis investigates the role of trust in relationships between school principals and teachers. A comparative analysis of available literature was conducted using grounded theory methodologies to inform the development of a proposed conceptual model describing the role of trust in organizational processes within the school, specifically between …

The Impact Of Ethnic Identity On Student Achievement In China: A Meta Analysis, Xinyi Wu

Theses and Dissertations

There have been concerns about low educational achievement of ethnic minority students in China. Previous studies have explored this area, especially in regard to the relationship between economic backwardness and achievement. However, a new field of study examines ethnic identity being considered as a cause of low achievement. This study is to use meta-analysis to determine the aggregate results of current research on the effects of self-identity on ethnic minority students and their achievement in China. The literature has been collected through searching library holdings, and online electronic resource search. Different levels of identity construction are discussed. This thesis concludes …

Evaluating Transformative Spirituality In An Organizational Leadership Program At A Christian University, Elizabeth D. Rios

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of Christian higher education, some educators are more concerned with marketing their programs to nontraditional students, the fastest growing segment of new enrollments. Although many view that as a blessing, the issues of mission and specifically spirituality are of concern to educators and administrators who want to avoid the secularization already impacting many fine schools in the country. At satellite locations, some educators perceive that the lack of structured practices and intentional procedures and the marketing of convenience-based structural models have watered down the offerings of Christian higher education. This applied dissertation evaluated whether spiritual development and …