Education Commons^™

Self-Concepts Of Career Level Ii And Iii Teachers And Career Ladder Eligible Teachers In The Public Schools Of Tennessee, Lois C. Myers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a significant difference in the self concept of Career Level II and III teachers and teachers who are eligible to apply but have not elected to participate in the Career Ladder Program in the public schools of Tennessee. The technique of causal-comparative research was used in this study. The Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS), developed by William Fitts, was selected as the appropriate instrument for use in this study. The TSCS is a versatile instrument that measures ten dimensions related to self concept: total level of self esteem, self …

Functions And Responsibilities Of Superintendents And School Boards In Tennessee As Perceived By Superintendents And School Board Chairpersons, Steven L. Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between the superintendents and the school board chairpersons of Tennessee in regard to the perceived functions and responsibilities of each group. The study also attempted to determine if factors such as age, size of the school district, educational level of the superintendent and the board member, years of service as superintendent or as a board member, the existence of clearly written board policies defining the functions and responsibilities of the superintendent and the school board, and elected versus school board appointed superintendent status had any effect on the perceived …

The Effects Of Retention In Elementary School On Subsequent Academic Performance And Instructional Practices, Janie H. Snyder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of retention on the academic performance of students retained in the third and fifth grade during the 1985-86 school year. A follow up study was used to analyze changes in academic test results. Another purpose was to interview teachers who had retained students and teachers who had taught the children the next school year to determine what changes occurred in instructional practices. Forty retained students of Northeast Tennessee were matched according to sex and similar scaled scores on the Stanford Achievement Test. Scores were compared by grade and by year …

The Impact Of Site-Based Management On Perceived Roles Of Superintendents, Board Chairpersons, Principals And Selected Central Office Personnel In Tennessee School Systems, Narvia D. Haywood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of site-based management has had an impact on the operation of school systems in Tennessee; however no one seems to know for certain what that impact was. Findings from this study revealed that there is a basic understanding of the impact of site-based management as perceived by superintendents, board chairpersons, principals, personnel, budget, curriculum, and staff development administrators. Findings also revealed that central office staff and principals, for the most part, perceive that the superintendents and board chairpersons were supportive of site-based management programs. One hundred and eighty-one educators, including board chairpersons, responded to a fifty-four item questionnaire. …

The Impact Of Site-Based Management On Perceived Roles Of Superintendents, Board Chairpersons, Principals And Selected Central Office Personnel In Tennessee School Systems, Narvia D. Haywood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of site-based management has had an impact on the operation of school systems in Tennessee; however no one seems to know for certain what that impact was. Findings from this study revealed that there is a basic understanding of the impact of site-based management as perceived by superintendents, board chairpersons, principals, personnel, budget, curriculum, and staff development administrators. Findings also revealed that central office staff and principals, for the most part, perceive that the superintendents and board chairpersons were supportive of site-based management programs. One hundred and eighty-one educators, including board chairpersons, responded to a fifty-four item questionnaire. …

The Degree Of Usage Of Strategic Planning In Tennessee School Systems, Billy B. Snodgrass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which strategic planning was used in Tennessee school districts and its relationship with school system size, geographic regions, student achievement, fiscal capacity, per pupil property assessment, and percentage of revenue from local sources. The study also sought to determine the perceived constraints and technical assistance needs of school systems regarding strategic planning. The 139 school superintendents in Tennessee were surveyed to determine the degree of use of strategic planning in Tennessee. Surveys were mailed in early September, 1992. Surveys were received over a period of several weeks. A return …

A Study Of The W. Edwards Deming Total Quality Management Concept As It Applies To Education In Tennessee, Ronald Wilcox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine Tennessee superintendents' perceptions of the educational application of the W. Edwards Deming Total Quality Management Model. The Total Quality Management Model was divided into four parts for the purpose of this study based on review of the literature. The parts are eight selected underlying principles, Deming's 14 points, Deming's deadly diseases, and process improvement tools. A survey instrument developed by the investigator was sent to all 139 Tennessee superintendents. A total of 112 of the superintendents responded representing 81% of the population. Fifty-one percent of the respondents are using some of the …

The Tennessee School Board Chairperson's Perception Of School Accountability, Dennis L. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain and analyze information about the perceptions of local school board chairpersons in Tennessee toward school accountability. A questionnaire was designed to gather information from all school board chairpersons in the state of Tennessee. The questionnaire contained 32 attitudinal statements related to school accountability and 11 demographic questions about the chairpersons and the system they represent. The mean score, frequency, and percentage of the responses were computed and analyzed. The Kruskal-Wallis one-was ANOVA was computed to determine if significant differences existed in the mean score of the 32 attitudinal statements based on the …

Teacher Recruitment Practices And Teacher Supply And Demand Conditions In Selected School Districts In Six Southeastern States, Brenda J. G'Fellers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to determine the adequacy of teacher supply and to identify teacher recruitment practices used in large and small school districts in six southeastern states and to elicit from respondents ratings of the importance and effectiveness of the various teacher recruitment practices. A population of 362 small and large school districts in 6 states, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, was surveyed in the late summer and fall of 1991. The return rate was 50.27%. The survey instrument had been developed by Roger L. Nall and was revised by the researcher. A …

An Evaluation Of The Principal's Academies Of Tennessee, David E. Wetzel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem related to this study was to determine which components of the Tennessee Principal's Administrator Academy are effective and which ineffective in influencing the principal's performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Principal's Academy that influences the principal's day-to-day job performance at the local school site. The study also attempted to determine if factors such as age, size of school, per pupil expenditure, number of teachers on the respondent's staff, educational level, school setting, years in present position, years attending the academy had any effect on the administrator's perceptions of the academy. Tennessee …

A Case Study Of The New Elementary School In Kingsport, Tennessee, Debra R. Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The statement of the problem was taxpayers and the general populace have expressed dissatisfaction with the current schooling/education results. Influential educators, similarly, have stated their belief(s) that educational practice no longer meets the requirements for production of a competitive citizenry. The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of developing a new elementary school in Kingsport, Tennessee. This study explores the process used by the Kingsport City School System to determine the sequence of analyzing, planning and implementing a new elementary school designed for the twenty-first century. In this qualitative study, four research questions were formulated. A reputational …

An Evaluation Of The Performance Of Retired Military Personnel Who Begin Teaching As A Second Career, Wendell Edgar Parker

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

With the increasing shortage of quality teachers, alternative certification programs have become a major source of attracting professionals from other fields and training them for the teaching profession. As a possible source of quality teachers, military retirees represent a large pool of prospective candidates. Despite their experience, and because of their alternative teacher training, the quality of their classroom performance is often questioned by both teacher unions and teacher training institutions.

This study focuses on military retirees who have been trained via an alternative certification and begun second careers as public school teachers. Specifically, this study determines the level of …

The Preferences Of Tennessee School Superintendents And School Board Chairpersons Regarding School-Based Management, Ronald D. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the preferences of Tennessee public school superintendents and school board chairpersons regarding school-based management and to determine the differences between both groups' preferences regarding the following aspects of school-based management: each identified approach or model, school-based budgeting decisions, personnel decisions, curriculum decisions, function(s) of school-based management councils, and district level planning prior to implementing school-based management. Demographics were reported regarding superintendents' and school board chairpersons' preferences regarding school-based management. When a significant difference was determined between the two groups' preferences regarding any of the identified facets, the demographics were analyzed. The method …

An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Power Style, And Locus-Of-Control For Selected Academic Deans, Carla E. Warner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The concept of locus of control, as an aspect of the human personality, has remained of interest to researchers since its identification by Julian Rotter in the 1960s. Beginning with the work of French and Raven in the 1950s, the concept of power and its interrelationship with leadership ability has also continued to be of interest to social scientists and educators. This study was completed in response to the lack of previous research on the relationship of locus of control to power style usage and preference. Four hundred and eighty academic deans from one hundred and nine Comprehensive II institutions …

Teacher Morale As Related To School Leadership Behavior, Diane F. Carroll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify the leadership behaviors of principals that affect teacher morale positively and negatively. Elementary schools containing a combination of kindergarten through eighth grade were included in this study. The study was conducted during the spring semester of the 1991-92 school year. The Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire--Form XII was the instrument used to assess principals' perception of their own leader behavior. The Purdue Teacher Opinionaire was the instrument used to measure teacher morale. After the population was clustered by system, a random sample of 24 schools was used. A total of 433 teachers (83%) …

A Descriptive Study Of The Implementation Of An Integrated Whole Language Approach At The Fifth Grade Level, Ardyth Shapiro

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the implementation of a major curriculum change at the fifth grade level in two different school district settings; an urban district and a suburban district. The major curriculum change was a shift from traditional reading and language arts instructional approaches to an Integrated Whole Language instructional approach. The implementation of this change was examined on the basis of self-reports by administrators, teachers, and students and was analyzed in the context of organizational factors in schools that have typically influenced change. These included school district demographics, the decision making process, administrative support, inservice …

A Diagnostic Analysis Of Elementary Principal' Practices Which Serve Youth At-Risk Of School Failure, Rikki Kenneth Patrick

Dissertations and Theses

This study provides a description of the practices elementary school principals employ to reduce the likelihood that at-risk youth will actually experience school failure. The problem investigated in this study is reflected in this broad question: What is the relationship of principals' practices to the provision of service for at-risk youth?

Differences in the importance and frequency of use of practices by principals were compared. Variables such as school size, percentage of students who are eligible for free lunch, percentage of students who are at-risk, student mobility, and principal's rating of how successfully their school is serving at-risk youth were …

The Use Of Computers To Enhance The Administrative Function In Tennessee Schools, Jerry W. Cole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the levels of computer use by school principals in administering their schools. Comparisons were made of the different techniques being employed by school principals as they manage the vast amounts of data that are present in today's educational process. A comprehensive collection of computer applications was identified and school principals were surveyed regarding their use of these applications. A random sample was selected from a population of 1,800 school principals in the state of Tennessee. School principals from 430 public schools and 70 private/parochial schools in Tennessee were surveyed for responses relative …

A Regression Model Of The Interactions Between Higher Education And High-Tech Industries In East Tennessee And Southwest Virginia, William H. Blanton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the interactions--(1) research grants and contracts, (2) faculty consultation, (3) employee training, (4) student internships and co-ops, (5) universities sharing firm facilities, and (6) firms sharing university facilities--between higher education and high-tech industries in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia using multiple regression modeling. The purpose of the study was the development of a vision of what the future could be and the strategies to successfully overcome the threats and enrich the opportunities that exist between higher education and high-tech industries. Data were collected from the engineering and engineering technology faculty at Tennessee Technological University, East Tennessee State …

Revitalization Of School Facilities, Andrea B. Coffey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze current practices in the revitalization of school buildings and assimilate data that can be used by school administrators to make informed decisions about the revitalization of school facilities. Through a review of literature, elements for planning the revitalization of school facilities were identified and analyzed. These elements were included in an interview guide used during on-site visits to selected revitalized schools. Nine schools renovated since 1985 in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina were chosen to participate in the study. The treatment of data was reported around the use of identified elements of …

Continuing Professional Education: Priority Resources For Leadership Development, Joan Trentham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine those resources that selected leadership development experts rated as most effective in discovering and fostering the continuing professional development of leaders. In this descriptive study, three research questions were formulated. A modified version of Hunter's reputational technique was used to collect data through a snowball sampling of the selected population. In phase 1 of the study, a survey was developed, validated, and mailed to 56 LEADership directors in all 50 states, yielding 34 (64%) returns, which were used in creation of the final questionnaire. In phase 2 of the study, the final …

Guidelines For Planning Future Public School Facilities: A Trends-Oriented Approach, Harold E. Coffey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to establish guidelines for planning future public school facilities based upon identified global, societal, and educational trends that would most likely highly impact upon the types of public school facilities that will be built in the future. Based upon an extensive literature review, interviews with educational practitioners and facility specialists, and on-site visits to 15 schools in four states, 66 guideline elements were developed. These elements were submitted in a questionnaire/rating sheet format to a researcher-selected jury of 13 national educational facility planning specialists (100% Response Rate) for their evaluations. The five …

Advisement Effectiveness And Self-Directed Learning: A Comparison Between Traditional And Non-Traditional Students In Selected Regional Universities In Tennessee, James L. Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because most academic advisement programs were established to accomodate traditional student populations, it was the purpose of this study to compare the effectiveness of these systems as perceived by traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students at three of Tennessee's regional universities. Traditional and non-traditional students were also compared on the extent to which they exhibit self-directed learning. A comparison of mean scores was made for responses made to items contained in the American College Testing (ACT) Survey of Academic Advising, including the total mean score for the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory (OCLI) between traditional/non-traditional students, full-time/part-time students, students at the three …

School-Based Decision-Making: What Is Necessary For A Successful Implementation In The Public Schools Of Tennessee, Helen F. Owen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Tennessee State Board of Education was moving to establish school-based decision making, with little or no apparent attention to what may be needed by educators. This study has been conceived based on the lack of an advertised plan of skill instruction, the lack of a supplied knowledge base from which educators can pull resources, and the lack of an obvious high level of understanding on the part of educators in general. A developmental inquiry and a survey were conducted to determine what principals and supervisors know about school-based decision making and what will be needed to increase the chances …

Leadership Perspectives Of Tennessee School Leaders, Jessie S. Strickland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem was to determine factors Tennessee school leaders consider important to effective leadership. Organizational frames by Bolman and Deal were used. The four organizational frames used in the study were structural, human resource, political, and symbolic approaches to leadership. The frames were examined with regard to their relationship to Tennessee superintendent's leadership and management styles with the perception of his/her style by their superordinates and subordinates. Leadership Orientations, a validated instrument designed by Bolman and Deal, was used to gain insight about school leader perceptions from superintendents and from individuals who work in school administration with the superintendents. Individual …

Developmental Changes In Predictors Of Job Satisfaction For Female Elementary School Teachers, Donna Owens Collier

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Management

The purpose of this study is to examine predictors of job satisfaction for female elementary school teachers. Specifically, how do personal variables and career variables affect job satisfaction at various age levels?

The subjects in this study were 386 females who teach kindergarten through sixth grade in an urban public school system. A survey was used to collect information about age, personal variables, career variables, and current level of job satisfaction. Personal variables included marital status, number of children and educational level. Career variables included number of years in the teaching profession, number of positions held during the teaching career …

One School's Emergence Toward Participatory Decision Making, Terry W. Bloomquist

All Graduate Projects

A look at the development of participatory decision making, in one high school, was described in this study from a historical perspective. Kent-Meridian High School, in the Kent School District, was the studied school. Between the years 1979 and 1992 KentMeridian had three principals with very different and distinct styles. During this time span the emergence of a shared decision model, called "Empowerment", developed as a result of faculty expectation and pressure. Conclusions, implications, and recommendations are discussed.

A Model Administrative Handbook For Secondary School Instrumental Music, Steven L. Boyle

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to design and develop a model handbook of administrative and management procedures to guide secondary school instrumental music teachers and directors in the Prosser, Washington, School District. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature on secondary instrumental music, and the administration and management of music programs was reviewed. Additionally, selected materials were obtained from secondary music programs of similar size in eastern Washington.

Communicating With Spanish-Speaking Parents: A Resource Handbook, Joni Lynn Britt

All Graduate Projects

This project presents the development of a teacher handbook to facilitate teacher/school communication with Spanish-speaking parents. The handbook contains letters to parents in Spanish. Research of school-parent communications, and parent involvement, as well as a survey of elementary teachers was conducted. It was found that although communication with Spanish-speaking parents is often difficult, effective communication efforts promoted parent involvement and increased student achievement. The findings supported the need and benefit of a handbook of this nature. Recommendations for the implementation of the handbook are discussed.

A Student Assistance Programs Model, David Edward Eby

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a manual detailing the components of Student Assistance Programs in the Olympia School District. The manual would be useful to a school district or a high school intent on establishing Student Assistance Programs. The development of the manual was beneficial to the Olympia School District due to fact that Student Assistance Programs were established at the two high schools, Capital High School and Olympia High School in 1991. A vice-principal and a key staff member from Capital High School attended workshops and conducted research on what type of program would address the …