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Theses/Dissertations

2008

Education Doctoral

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Using Strategic Planning To Build Capacity Ill Nonprofit Organizations, Tiamesha M. Walker Nov 2008

Using Strategic Planning To Build Capacity Ill Nonprofit Organizations, Tiamesha M. Walker

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study is to examine a nonprofit organization's involvement in strategic planning as a means to increase organizational capacity. Nonprofit organizations continue to face the challenge of balancing business with benevolence in order to fulfill their mission. It is up to the organization's leadership to spearhead initiatives that increase capacity so they may ultimate meet their goal of fulfilling their mission. This case study involved the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data as well as applying the sequential explanatory strategy for the collection and analysis of data. The participant's in the case study represents convenience sampling …


A Study Of Relationships Between Levels Of Cultural Competence Among School Principals And Levels Of Organizational Cultural Competence Of Their Schools, Diantha Beth Joiner Watts Nov 2008

A Study Of Relationships Between Levels Of Cultural Competence Among School Principals And Levels Of Organizational Cultural Competence Of Their Schools, Diantha Beth Joiner Watts

Education Doctoral

Changing demographics of urban school districts toward student populations that are more culturally and ethnically diverse raises the issue of whether educators are able to effectively interact with students and families from diverse cultural backgrounds. Additionally, school leaders are expected to support teachers and provide a school environment that promotes acceptance of cultural differences and meets the needs of students from various cultural backgrounds. This study examines the relationship between levels of self-reported cultural competence among 39 RCSD principals as measured by Hammer's Intercultural Developmental Inventory (IDI) (Hammer, 1998) and their respective school's levels of organizational cultural competence as determined …


Teacher Leadership In Urban Elementary Schools, Michele Hancock Nov 2008

Teacher Leadership In Urban Elementary Schools, Michele Hancock

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to describe how teacher leaders collaborate to recognize and challenge deficit thinking, as perceived by teachers in two urban elementary schools. The study also explored the influence of teacher leaders' work on their colleagues' thinking. This examination of teacher leadership utilized a symbolic interactionist framework to guide a descriptive multi-site case study. The primary research methods used for gathering data included interviews, survey and document review and analysis to gain insight and interpretation. Findings from the two case studies suggest there are common factors to support teacher leaders' capacity to address deficit thinking. The …


Perceptions, Motivations, And Concerns Of Post-Secondary Faculty Regarding Implementing Service-Learning Pedagogy Into Curriculum, Cynthia P. Smith Nov 2008

Perceptions, Motivations, And Concerns Of Post-Secondary Faculty Regarding Implementing Service-Learning Pedagogy Into Curriculum, Cynthia P. Smith

Education Doctoral

Faculty in post-secondary educational institutions is directly involved in designing, implementi!lg and directing coursework components. The degree of the coursework's impact on student learning can be attributed in part to these instructional gatekeepers. Extensive research indicates that service-learning tenets incorporated into curriculum have enhanced student learning experiences. Nevertheless, faculty inclusion of service-learning curricular components in higher education remains marginal. The purpose of this research was to study post-secondary faculty perceptions, motivations, and concerns from three local institutions of higher education regarding the phenomena that attracts or deters faculty from participating in service-learning pedagogy. This study concludes that more than one …


Do Current Teaching Practices On Multicultural Students With Autism Demonstrate Culturally Responsive Teaching?, Keith Mcgriff Nov 2008

Do Current Teaching Practices On Multicultural Students With Autism Demonstrate Culturally Responsive Teaching?, Keith Mcgriff

Education Doctoral

Autism is a disorder present from birth or very early in childhood that affects social interaction, communication of ideas and feelings, imagination, and relationships with others (National Research Council, 2001 ). Most of the research has categorized students with autism according to disability and failed to look at the importance of culture. Such limitations may reflect a lack of awareness of cultural issues and the ways that these issues affect students with autism and their families. Also, such missing information may compromise the quality of the fields of professionals who work with multicultural students (Obiakor, Wilder, and Dyches, 2004). Professionals …


Investigating The Relationship Between The Use Of Inspirational Motivational Practices And Shared Decision Making, Cheryl Mcgruder Holloway Nov 2008

Investigating The Relationship Between The Use Of Inspirational Motivational Practices And Shared Decision Making, Cheryl Mcgruder Holloway

Education Doctoral

Studies have shown that effective leadership practices, such as transformational leadership, are crucial to establishing working relationships that support successful team work. One aspect of transformational leadership, inspirational motivation, supports the establishment of relationships leading to commitment and success that exceed participants' expectations. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship of inspirationally motivating practices employed by three school principals and the process of shared decision making as is required by the New York State Department of Education. The study was conducted employing the quantitative and qualitative collection and analysis of data. The two questions that …


Coteaching By Example: An Investigation Of College Faculty Leading A Course On Collaboration For Inclusion, Wendy Gladstone-Brown Nov 2008

Coteaching By Example: An Investigation Of College Faculty Leading A Course On Collaboration For Inclusion, Wendy Gladstone-Brown

Education Doctoral

The following qualitative autoethnographic methods stud y examined the experience of two co-teaching faculty: one in childhood education and one in special education, as they planned and implemented a co-teaching model to prepare teacher candidate's for inclusion. As a result of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1990), schools have implemented a greater number of inclusion settings and co-teaching models. This rise has increased the probability of new teacher candidates being placed in collaborative settings for their fieldwork experiences, student teaching placements, and eventually paid teaching positions. Research describes some of the struggles that teachers face when working with other …


Building-Level School Administrators' Perceptions Of Cyber Bullying , Among Students Under Their Supervision: Implications For Prevention And Intervention, James P. Colt Nov 2008

Building-Level School Administrators' Perceptions Of Cyber Bullying , Among Students Under Their Supervision: Implications For Prevention And Intervention, James P. Colt

Education Doctoral

Research has indicated that both technology use and cyber bullying behavior by teenagers are increasing. Despite the importance of the role of building-level school administrators in establishing climate and addressing violence, the research on cyber bullying to date has not included the perceptions of building-level school administrators. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of building-level school administrators about cyber bullying, the factors that influenced their response to cyber bullying, and the measures they and their schools are taking in regard to prevention and intervention of cyber bullying. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixedmethods strategy, which …


Recreating Identity: A Grounded Theory Study Of Changing Mental Models And Response To Intervention, Theresa L. Pulos Nov 2008

Recreating Identity: A Grounded Theory Study Of Changing Mental Models And Response To Intervention, Theresa L. Pulos

Education Doctoral

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of2004 permits school districts to use an alternative process to establish eligibility for special education services. Response to Intervention (RTI) procedures represent a significant change in thinking and practice. The purpose of this study was to understand the cognitive changes that accompany the implementation ofRTI. Specifically, the relationship between school psychologists' mental models regarding the assessment ofleaming disabilities and their roles as experts in traditional psychoeducational assessment was studied. The study employed a qualitative methodology. Participants included experienced school psychologists. Interview data was transcribed, coded, and analyzed in accordance with the constant comparative …


The Impact Of Hiring Practices On The Employment Of Urban Teachers In Secondary Shortage Areas, Narlene Ragans Nov 2008

The Impact Of Hiring Practices On The Employment Of Urban Teachers In Secondary Shortage Areas, Narlene Ragans

Education Doctoral

This study examined the teacher hiring process as one possible cause of urban districts' difficulty to recruit and hire highly qualified teachers. The study examines how new teachers experience the hiring process, reviews the information they receive from the hiring process, and captures teachers' perspectives of how the hiring process assisted them to adjust to their new positions. The following research question guided the study: What are the perceptions ofthe hiring procedures in one Western New York school district among newly hired teachers in secondary subject areas experiencing teacher shortages? The study is a quantitative research project based on findings …


A Study Of The Impact Of Data-Informed Instruction On The Reading Comprehension Of Tenth-Grade Students, Norma Vetter Nov 2008

A Study Of The Impact Of Data-Informed Instruction On The Reading Comprehension Of Tenth-Grade Students, Norma Vetter

Education Doctoral

Abstract Current literature on data-driven decision-making is centered on the use of summative data from state and district tests for informing decisions regarding teaching and learning. Although annual data have provided schools valid evidence for making decisions for school improvement plans and curriculum changes, they have proven to be less effective in making a direct impact on .the daily instructional decisions that teachers make for improving student achievement (Stiggins, 2000; Reeves, 2006). This study was an investigation on the effects that data-informed instrutction may have on the reading comprehension of tenth-grade students. The methodology was a quantitative design in which …


School-Based Health Centers And Seat Time; What Is The Intersection?, Maureen Van Cura Nov 2008

School-Based Health Centers And Seat Time; What Is The Intersection?, Maureen Van Cura

Education Doctoral

The purpose of this research was to understand the relationship between SchoolBased Health Centers (SBHC) and academic outcomes such as attendance. A quasiexperimental research design was used to compare rates of early dismissal and "loss of seat time" for students who received SBHC and traditional school nursing services with students who received only traditional school nursing services. This study was a secondary data analysis of764 "walk in" visits during a three week period of time in two urban schools in western New York State. Both schools provided school nursing services, however; only one school offered the option to enroll in …


A Study Of The Relationship Between The Elements In Assessment Systems And Improvements In Candidate, Program, And Unit Performance At Ncate Accredited Higher Education Institutions In New York State, Anne Wahl Nov 2008

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Elements In Assessment Systems And Improvements In Candidate, Program, And Unit Performance At Ncate Accredited Higher Education Institutions In New York State, Anne Wahl

Education Doctoral

The problem that this study examined is whether assessment system elements required for National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCA TE) accreditation impact candidate, program, and unit performance in New York State higher education institutions. To receive NCA TE accreditation, institutions are required to develop and implement an assessment system that collects and uses data to measure and improve candidate, program, and unit performance. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between the perceived importance of these assessment system elements and actual improvements in performance. A self-developed, quantitative survey instrument was used to …


Bullying In Schools Examination Of Related Factors And Implementation Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program In A Catholic, Urban/Suburban Middle School, Nancy Meierdierks Bowllan Nov 2008

Bullying In Schools Examination Of Related Factors And Implementation Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program In A Catholic, Urban/Suburban Middle School, Nancy Meierdierks Bowllan

Education Doctoral

The primary objective of this intervention study was to examine the prevalence of bullying within a small Catholic, middle-school and to evaluate the impact of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) on prevalence rates of bullying and students' perceived sense of safety. Multi-informant information was obtained from students, teachers and parents. A quasi-experimental design was utilized that consisted of a time-lagged contrast between age-equivalent groups. Students and teachers who received the OBPP intervention tor one year were compared to students and teachers who did not receive the OBPP intervention. A total of 273 student , 18 teachers and 88 parents …


Can You Hear Me Now? An Exploration Of Targeted Professional Development Delivered To School Counselors, Lesli Clara Myers Nov 2008

Can You Hear Me Now? An Exploration Of Targeted Professional Development Delivered To School Counselors, Lesli Clara Myers

Education Doctoral

While many scholars have spent time examining trends and changes within the field of school counseling, little or no attention has been given to the types of professional development that may assist school counselors in making the corresponding adjustments to these trends and changes (Akos & Galassi, 2004). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the impact of targeted professional development upon school counselor practice. The question guiding this study was, "How does targeted professional development impact the practice of school counselors?" Three professional development sessions (based on the Transforming School Counseling initiative and American School Counselor …


"I Just Decided To Do My Work:" An Investigation Into Factors Leading To Academic Improvement Among Multiple-Time Retained Seventh Grade Students, Deasure A. Matthew Nov 2008

"I Just Decided To Do My Work:" An Investigation Into Factors Leading To Academic Improvement Among Multiple-Time Retained Seventh Grade Students, Deasure A. Matthew

Education Doctoral

The problem that this study examined was the academic improvement of two- and three-time retained seventh grade students in low-performing middle school after modifying the school's leadership team and academic program. This study examined the effects of grade retention, school climate, motivation, and teacher-student relationship on academic performance. Review of research findings suggest retention yields no benefit (Jimerson (2001), Holmes & Matthews (1984), and Jackson (1975). Despite research suggesting little benefit from retention, it remains a common practice among educators (Holmes & Matthews, 1984; Jackson, 1975; Jimerson, 2001). A qualitative case study design using document analysis and structured interviews was …


Perceptions Of School Superintendents And A Community Task Force Regarding The Health, Pedagogical, Social, And Economic Policy And Planning Decisions For Longterm School Closure Due To Pandemic Influenza-A Multi-Method Approach, David G. Duford Nov 2008

Perceptions Of School Superintendents And A Community Task Force Regarding The Health, Pedagogical, Social, And Economic Policy And Planning Decisions For Longterm School Closure Due To Pandemic Influenza-A Multi-Method Approach, David G. Duford

Education Doctoral

The research focused on the impact pandemic influenza could have on K-12 school systems. The research looked at responses of school leaders regarding the pedagogical, community health, social, and economic impacts of a pandemic. During an influenza pandemic school districts may be asked to close for as long as 12 weeks to reduce contact among children and stop the spread of disease. School superintendents' perceptions and attitudes were sought regarding school policy implications associated with long-term closure of K-12 school districts. The research methods used for this study included: (a) electronic survey, (b) face-to-face interviews, and (c) focus group. Information …


"If You Hear My Voice, Do The Hula:" The Nature Of Teacher Talk During Classroom Routine In Intermediate Classrooms In An Exemplary Urban School, Karen M. Sangmeister Nov 2008

"If You Hear My Voice, Do The Hula:" The Nature Of Teacher Talk During Classroom Routine In Intermediate Classrooms In An Exemplary Urban School, Karen M. Sangmeister

Education Doctoral

In this study, a gap is identified in the literature about teacher talk in elementary classrooms. In particular, there is not rich description of teacher talk during the routine times of the elementary classroom, the times when the class is being organized and directed so that instruction can commence or resume. The study used an ethnographic strategy of studying four teachers in an exemplary urban school, as an immersed observer, in order to determine the nature of their talk to children during the routine of the school day. The findings included many examples of teacher talk, foregrounded as more important …


Teacher Absenteeism: Its Relationship To Student Performance On State Assessments In English/Language Arts In Grades Three, Five, And Seven, C. Michael Robinson Nov 2008

Teacher Absenteeism: Its Relationship To Student Performance On State Assessments In English/Language Arts In Grades Three, Five, And Seven, C. Michael Robinson

Education Doctoral

The topic for the study is teacher absenteeism. The literature review included a discussion of the importance of the study, the research base on teacher attendance and student performance, patterns and trends in teacher absenteeism, cost implications for teacher absenteeism, impact of teachers' absenteeism on student performance and school operations, impact on urban schools, and intervention strategies to reduce absenteeism or mitigate the negative impact when teacher absences do occur. The hypothesis of the study is that there is a significant negative relationship between the extent, the reason for, or the pattern of teachers being absent from the classroom and …


An Impact And Effectiveness Program Evaluation Of Nclb Supplemental Education Services In The Rochester City School District, Terrence J. Hofer Nov 2008

An Impact And Effectiveness Program Evaluation Of Nclb Supplemental Education Services In The Rochester City School District, Terrence J. Hofer

Education Doctoral

Supplemental education services (SES) were created within the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 as a strategy to support student achievement by providing tutoring or other instructional support activities from State-approved vendors outside the regular school day. This program evaluation of the Rochester City School District’s SES program in 2005-06 and 2006-07 was framed using the impact evaluation and effectiveness evaluation components of Stufflebeam’s CIPP model. The purpose of the study was to determine who participated in SES and to what extent, and to determine the effectiveness of the participation based on the change in New York State …