Education Commons^™

An Examination Of Factors Contributing To Exemplary Schools In An Urban Public School District In The Midwest, Gordon D. Griffin

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were characteristics that identify exemplary elementary schools. Selection of schools was based on standardized scores, principal tenure, parental involvement, Directors of Elementary School’s opinion, and accreditation status.

The demographic information suggested that both groups of schools were similar in composition. Developing schools demonstrated a significantly greater population of students receiving free lunch and a greater population of minority students. Each school principal and staff received two survey instruments: the Leadership Practices Inventory (Kouzes & Posner, 1992), and the School Assessment Survey (Wilson, 1985). The results were compared to determine which …

Fluency Training On Quantitative Skills Tested By The Graduate Record Examination, Pamela L. Vunovich

Dissertations

This research consisted of an evaluation of a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) preparation course and two ancillary studies. Eighteen students enrolled in one of three courses (spring, summer, or fall) during which they spent approximately 140 hours preparing for the GRE using self-instructional texts and supplementary materials. Two sets of fluency practice drills with both accuracy and speed criteria were developed to improve students' performance on the quantitative portion of the GRE. The first set of four drills used in the spring and summer courses covered basic skills (basic math, fractions, decimals, and percentages). The second set of 42 drills, …

Maranao Muslim Women Educational Administrators: An Initial Study Of The Emerging Muslim Women Leaders In The Philippines, Carmelita S. Lacar

Dissertations

Long deprived of consequential participation in socioeconomic exchanges outside the home, Filipino Muslim women are now breaking out of their traditional mold. Increasingly, they are acquiring higher education and are assuming vocational and leadership roles which, in years past, were inaccessible to them. Focused on Maranao Muslim women educational administrators, this survey sought to: (a) describe their salient characteristics, career development experiences, goals, and visions that distinguish them from their Muslim women subordinates; (b) describe factors influencing their career; (c) describe their leadership behaviors; and (d) deduce some policy and practical implications of the findings. Primary data on 75 variables …

A Study Of Students Involved In A Leadership Development Program, "Excellence In Leadership", At Grand Valley State University, Paul Mckimmy

Dissertations

This study sought to describe the leadership behaviors of students involved in the Excellence in Leadership Program (ELP) at Grand Valley State University. Additionally, it sought to determine how ELP influences the leadership behaviors of its members. The Leadership Practices Inventory - Student Version (LPI) was used to measure the leadership behavior frequencies of five groups of students at the beginning and end of the 1995-1996 academic year. Non-ELP-members, newly registered ELP members, and ELP members at three different achievement levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) were compared. The behaviors measured by this instrument are: Enabling Others to Act, Modeling the …

A Case Study Of Academic Achievement Of African American Males, Loistean Mason

Dissertations

Several areas are often identified as barriers to the academic achievement of African American males. They include racial inequality, segregation between schools, segregation within schools, cultural insensitivity to learning styles, the theory of cultural deprivation, teacher/student interaction, and the discipline of African American students. The study was conducted in a Midwestern school with a predominantly African American student body and faculty at the end of the final grading period before graduation. This study of 12th-grade males sought to determine if the climate of an African American high school with African American administrators and faculty would enhance the achievement of African …

Elementary Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of Principal Leadership Style And School Social Organization, Thomas Jack Evans

Dissertations

The context of teaching has dramatically changed over the last several decades following two national waves of educational reform. Researchers have focused attention on the social restructuring of schools (Liebermann, 1992) and appropriate leadership strategies, such as transformational leadership (Leithwood, 1993; Sergiovanni, 1990), for achieving comprehensive changes leading toward increased school effectiveness. Leadership that can stimulate "bottom-up" participation from teachers and principals in efforts to restructure schools has been recommended (Rowan, 1990; Sergiovanni, 1994). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between elementary principals’ use of transformational leadership strategies as determined by teacher reports and the …

Leader Attitudes And Leader Stress: Is There A Connection?, Earl B. Kaurala

Dissertations

In an era of technological innovation, information explosion, and state and national calls for educational reform, it seems important to adopt processes that will allow for rapid diffusion of knowledge and implementation of new technologies into classrooms. The leadership provided by the principal is extremely important to this process. Unfortunately, principals can be overwhelmed by the conflicting expectations that have become associated with their role within the educational community.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership attitudes of Michigan secondary school principals and the relationship of these attitudes to the work-related stress the surveyed principals indicated they …

A Comparison Of The Spontaneous Utterances Of Students With Autism Across Two Educational Settings, Mary E. Peterson

Dissertations

Students with autism are being mainstreamed into general education classes in increasing numbers. This practice is based on the largely theoretical assumptions that normal peers will provide models of appropriate communication skills as well as increased opportunities for social interaction. However, there are few empirical studies available to corroborate these beliefs.

The purpose of this study was to compare the functional communication of the same group of students with autism across two settings, their general education classrooms and their self-contained, special education classrooms. Each of the students spent time in both settings during each school day. Their spontaneous language was …

A Qualitative Study Of Friendships And Student-Faculty Relationships: Experiences And Perspectives Of Korean International Students Studying In The United States, Jinsook Kim

Dissertations

Experiences and perceptions among a group of Korean international students studying in the United States were examined in terms of friendships and student faculty relationships. The study used a qualitative approach and was guided by cross-cultural and cultural learning perspectives. Semi-structured interviews conducted in the Korean language were used for data collection. From a research population of 72 Korean international students enrolled at a large Midwestern university, 24 were selected using purposeful sampling, 6 from each of the four identified subgroups. These subgroups were male and female undergraduates and male and female graduates.

Participant experiences and perceptions concerning closest friendships …

The Status Of Middle Level Schools In Berrien County, Michigan Following Michigan Public Act 25, Judith A. Burns

Dissertations

Michigan Public Act 25 of 1990 mandated public school reform. One of 4 components of Public Act 25 is the development of a 3 to 5 year School Improvement Plan (SIP). The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine middle level school improvement in Berrien County, Michigan, for evidence that developmentally appropriate middle level education is promoted.

This 2-part investigation involved analyzing SIPs submitted for 1992-93 school year using a content analysis format and interviews with each building principal or designee. The content analysis format was developed by Sweeney and Cooper in 1992 to analyze SIPs of Wayne County, …

An Assessment Of The Characteristics Of Catholic School Boards In The State Of Michigan, Frank C. Wippel

Dissertations

This study describes the nature and development of Catholic school boards, reports the characteristics of Michigan Catholic school boards, and investigates relationships between involvement in key board functions (establishing mission, long-range planning, budget monitoring, policy development, and marketing) and selection processes, governance postures, and training. The findings indicate a relationship between key board function involvement, election process, consultative governance posture, and training. Survey methodology and design was used to obtain the data for the study. Board presidents and school administrators from all 358 Catholic schools in the state were invited to participate. A 9 6 % response rate was obtained. …

Teaching/ Learning Experiences: Meanings Constructed By Participants Ini A Degree Completion Program For Adult Students, Natalie K. Manbeck

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning that teachers and their adult students construct of their classroom experiences and to see how those meanings impact the teaching/ learning process. Because of the multiple factors affecting an educational experience, this study took the view that this should be explored in a holistic way. Most educational research focuses on the teacher's perspective, with students and their learning considered as the result of the educational process. In order to more fully understand what is occurring in classrooms and what students are actually learning, it is important to ascertain student perceptions …

Adolescent Students At Risk: The Roles Of Stress, Distress, And Coping, Jennifer Massicotte

Dissertations

Male and female adolescents who reported recent suspension/ threats of suspension or academic failure were compared to male and female adolescents who did not report these two variables of dropping out on three measures--the discrete negative uncontrollable events experienced (LEQ-A, Garmezy, Masten, & Tellegen [1985]), the level of distress (GHQ-30, Goldberg [1972]), and the types of coping skills used (A-COPE, Patterson & McCubbin [1983]). Native and non-Native at risk for suspension and academic failure rates were also compared using archival data from a community mental health survey of 714 adolescents (36 Native) attending high school in Northern Ontario.

Native adolescents …

A Comparison Of Youth Living Environment In Small And Large Communities Of Michigan, Huilan Yang

Dissertations

This study compares youth living environment in small and large communities in Michigan. The comparison includes three areas of youth living environment: community environment, financial environment, and educational environment. Community in this study is defined as school district. Data are extracted from an existing database developed by the National Center for Educational Statistics titled School District Data Book (SDDB). Out of 560 Michigan school districts included in SDDB, 370 are used in the data analysis, excluding the Detroit City School District and 189 medium-sized districts. Fifteen variables are selected for comparison, categorized under the three areas of youth environment. The …

The Relationship Between Principals' Length Of Administrative Experience And Organizational Leadership Behavior In Elementary Schools In Saudi Arabia, Hamad Adbulaziz Alkherb

Dissertations

The study examined educational leadership behaviors among elementary school principals in Qasim region of Saudi Arabia. Seven independent variables using a survey questionnaire among a randomly selected sample from the identified population. Self-reporting elicited, first, critical background information and, second, data concerning 60 specific leadership behavior items important to work issues, critical areas of educational administration, professional relationship situations, and leadership problems ordinarily confronted. Items were grouped according to five categories of twelve items each.

Ninety-six principals or 80% of the survey sample of 120 responded. Focus of the study derived importantly from an extensive and complex review of literature …

Evaluation Of A Home-School-Community Liaison Scheme In Irish Elementary Schools, Sandra Ryan

Dissertations

This dissertation describes an evaluation of a Home-School-Community Liaison scheme in Irish elementary schools. The scheme represented an effort to combat educational failure in areas suffering from social and economic disadvantage associated with poor quality housing, high levels of unemployment, dependence on state aid, and crime. The central aim of the scheme was to increase parents' involvement in their children's education. The evaluation study examined how programs in the scheme were constructed and implemented over a three-year period and monitored specified outcomes of program activity. Methodology included questionnaires, interviews, site visits and observations, and standardized achievement testing.

The scheme generated …

The Computer-Based Patient Record And Health Information Management Professionals, Rosemary Ann Van Vranken

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Nursing Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Clinical Post-Conference Learning Environments, Marijo Letizia

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Structural Analysis Of A Social-Cognitive Model Of Career Interests, Paul Anthony Gore

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of The Prior Academic Experiences, Family Characteristics, Undergraduate Experiences And Postgraduate Plans Of Gifted Black College Students, Joyce Maria Scott

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Critical Attributes Of Teachers Who Have Become Practitioners Of Authentic Assessment, Bernadette Meisenheimer

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No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Leadership Of Five Corporate Executive Officers And Five Secondary School Superintendents, Suzanne Beane Casey

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Investigation Of The Relationship Between Social Loss And Nurses' Response To Terminally Ill Hospital-Based Clients, Sandra Marie Webb

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Disability Status And Introduction Of An Attitudinal Prompt On Therapists' Projections Of Client Self-Esteem, Dennis R. Bowling

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Friendship And Adjustment During Preadolescence And Adolescence: Developmental And Gender Differences, Hefter Tracey Hollander

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Age And Time Of Day On Delirium In Elderly Postoperative Hip Surgery Patients, Marianne L. Jagmin

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

San Antonio V. Rodriguez & The Next Twenty Years Of State Court Cases, Mary J. Long

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Moral Views Of Freshmen In Selected Christian Colleges, Dennis Fledderjohann

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Allison Davis And The Historical Development Of His Sociological Concepts: "Cultural Deprivation" And Compensatory Education", 1925-1983, Andrea Marie Macaluso

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Return Of Christianity: The Christian Education Of Korean- American Children In The Chicago Area By Parents, 1965-1995, Mark Yoon

Dissertations

No abstract provided.