Education Commons^™

Voter Apathy: Why Does It Exist And What Can Be Done To Overcome It?, Margaret F. Meehan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain why the stakeholders in the educational process do not participate in the annual school election and to identify and implement techniques that would motivate these stakeholders to go to the polls.

The population of this study consisted of the direct stakeholders in the annual school elections of the Washington Township School District. A disc containing a listing of the individuals who voted in the April 15, 2003, school election was obtained from the Gloucester County Board of Elections. A disc containing a listing of employees who share one of the six zip …

Site-Based Management: A Principal's Strategy For Success, Maria Gioffre

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to determine effective leadership strategies that are the driving force behind the success of site-based management. The intent was to identify key elements that impart some direction to help principals attain strategies that will boost site-based management and its potential to improve the overall quality of educational achievement. It draws on an extensive literature review and includes results from a teacher survey, observations, and informal interviews. The results reported that the respondents generally agreed with the research that presents leadership strategies, which tend to enhance the effectiveness of site-based management. The analysis suggests that …

Measuring The Effects Of An Observational Format On The Professional Growth Of The Faculty At Lake Tract School, Shelli Doran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to design a new teacher observation format used by the building mentors of Lake Tract School in observing the participants. The format revolved around the use of pre and post conferences based on a cognitive coaching approach in order to gain professional development and growth. A total of ten tenured and non-tenured teachers participated in the study. All faculties were surveyed as to their perceptions of the current observational format. The data was analyzed using percentages and the responses of the survey guided the creation of the format. Each participant attended a pre-conference to …

A Case Study: The Development, Influence, And Evaluation Of A Site-Based Management/Advisory Group On The Role Of The Principal At The Delair Elementary School, Curt R. Wrzeszczynski

Theses and Dissertations

This study traced the development and evaluated the effectiveness of a site-based management/advisory council at the Delair Elementary School, and sought to gain insight into the utilization of the advisory group's influence on the role of the principal, the school's daily operations, curricular concerns, and climate. A site-based advisory council composed of faculty members and support staff of the Delair Elementary School, and the community members of the Delair section of Pennsauken, New Jersey was developed, and periodic meetings were held to discuss critical issues. The members of the advisory group were surveyed to gather data on their roles and …

Aerobic Exercise As A Tool To Improve Problematic Student Behavior In The Classroom, Joseph F. Mufferi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research the effect aerobic exercise on the behavior of problematic students. The time period of exercise in this study was between 15 and 18 minutes, two days per week. Two types of aerobic exercise were used, running and progressive resistive exercise, in the form of circuit training. The subjects of study were special education students who had been evaluated to have behavioral problems. These students were then classified as Intensive Learner Centered or ILC and placed in self-contained classrooms. Each student received behavior and academic evaluations in each subject area daily. Evaluations were …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Accelerated Math Program At Monongahela Middle School, John F. Schilling

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the Accelerated Math Program at Monongahela Middle School in the Deptford Township School District. Monongahela Middle School is composed of 7^th and 8^th grade public school students, and is the only middle school in the district. Recently at Monongahela, the implementation of technology into the everyday structure has been recognized. Certain programs have been incorporated in the planning and development of lessons and as teacher aides.

The program was being used as the main tool of instruction in 7^th and 8^th grade Basic Skills classes …

A Study Of Relational Aggression Among Middle School Girls, Susanne R. Wooton

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate the degree of bullying in the middle grades and to design an effective anti-bullying program using the input of the female students. The participants were selected on a volunteer basis from a pool of 7^th and 8^th grade female students. In addition to two surveys, that were designed to evaluate the extent of bullying in the school and the knowledge that the students gained from the study, the students participated in several small group meetings where they discussed the topic of bullying and ways to eliminate it. Students demonstrated an increased knowledge …

Implementing A Study Skills Program In Secondary School: What Needs To Be Done?, Margaret R. Ritson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain if a study-skills program implemented during a study hall in a Southern New Jersey high school might improve the study skills of students who voluntarily participate. At the outset of the study, students were surveyed in order to gauge their perceptions of their own academic study skills. The same survey was administered at the conclusion of the study in order to determine if study-skills growth and improvement had occurred. Information derived from the survey was used to assess the overall effectiveness of the study-skills program. The survey consisted of twenty-five questions …

The Development And Implementation Of A Secondary Peer Mentoring Program, Derryk Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to help establish a peer mentoring program for ninth grade boys at Lindenwold High School. This study used twelfth grade male positive role models to mentor this group of students. Many of these unmotivated students were the cause of many disciplinary problems. School administration sought to find a way to help these young men to overcome some of the obstacles, which cause their negative behavior. The focus of the study was to help identify those young men who can be mentors as well as young men who need to be mentored. This project helped provide another way …

Assessment Of A Newly Implemented Teacher Induction Program, Jo Ann Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly implemented teacher induction program that commenced in August 2003. Twenty-one teachers who began employment in August 2003 were required to participate in this piloted program. Six months following the initial induction meeting, 18 teachers were surveyed. The survey design conformed to a modified Likert scale. The findings revealed that the need existed for a comprehensive new teacher induction program that was designed to help alleviate some of the fears expressed by the participants. A major goal of the program was to provide all newly hired faculty members …

The Impact Of Block Scheduling On Special Education Student Learning In High School Mathematics, William C. Porch Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated block scheduling and its impact on a special education math program at Delsea Regional High School. It was determined that the end of the marking period test scores were slightly higher for those students in a block schedule than for those students in a traditional setting.

It was also determined that most teachers surveyed do not feel that block scheduling is beneficial for certain special needs students because extended time on task sometimes leads to more discipline problems, especially for those students suffering from attention deficit disorder.

The Effects Of Nclb On Whitehall Elementary School, Cynthia T. Pritchett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to research factual data regarding NCLB that relates to Whitehall Elementary School. The data were collected through many different resources such as internet web sites, books, newspaper articles, NCLB school district applications, and magazine articles. The purpose of the research was to avoid political opinion and concentrate on factual data. After a preliminary survey indicating various opinions of NCLB and a Corel WordPerfect presentation on NCLB fact finding, a final survey was presented to evaluate differences in opinion of a small school staff subgroup. The final survey was exactly the same as the first …

Funding Influences On Special Education Program Selection And Implementation, Gregory Matthew Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the study was to identify the effects funding had on special education program selection and implementation in a small semi-rural district. The intern sought to identify the special education department's program offerings. The intern sought to reveal the sources of funding available to the special education department, and how the special education department implemented and developed its programs in accordance with funding guidelines. The primary purpose was to examine the degree of influence funding had on the target district's programs. Included in this was the purpose of determining how the special education department manages its program offerings. …

A Case Study: The Effectiveness Of An In-School Suspension Program At Cherokee High School, Scott D. Agnew

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness on an in-school suspension program at Cherokee High School, The intern evaluated three aspects of the program. The intern sought to identify if the population of the school views the program as a deterrent, as well as evaluate the rehabilitation aspect of the program. Additionally, the intern wanted to see how both the classroom and in-school suspension teachers at the high school were applying the program.

Surveys and interviews were used to collect and analyze data from the population of Cherokee High School. The intern administered surveys to a …

Creating, Implementing, And Evaluating A Teacher Mentoring Program For The Mary Bray Elementary And Raymond W. Kershaw Schools In The Mount Ephraim School District, Maureen Vaccaro

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes key aspects of creating, implementing, and evaluating a teacher mentoring program and handbook. Novice and veteran teachers benefit from a district teacher mentoring program which provides an effective staff development approach for beginning teachers. A novice teacher benefits from a strong start in their career by belonging to a learning community, following a structured induction program, and being mentored by an experienced teacher. Veteran teachers benefit from the sharing, dialogue, and learning during the mentoring process. A mentor group provides a strong training framework that contributes to teacher retention in the school system. Districts are responsible for …

An Investigation Of The Correlation Between Learning And Student Achievement Of Minority Students, Melissa Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate why the grades of minority students in the high school were not up to par with majority students using action research resulting in a description of patterns within the school. At this stage of the research, inequities were generally defined as unfair advantages or disadvantages among groups of students. A sample of the minority population of the high school was compared to the majority population. The subjects participated in the Let Me Learn (LML) program that helped the learner recognize how they learned. By analyzing the data using LML combinations and grade …

The Efficacy Of Bridging Middle School To High School Programs For The Improvement Of Ninth Grade Performance, Brian Repici

Theses and Dissertations

Currently, at Timber Creek Regional High School, there is no supportive program for entering students and a lack of communication with the sending school district, Gloucester Township. The purpose of this study was to develop a bridge program that would better the transition for students entering into high school using an action research design resulting in evidence to support the need for teacher and student training in eighth and ninth grades. Through teacher training sessions, the intern provided an atmosphere for sharing teaching methodologies and exchanged expectation levels. Achievement loss associated with the transition to high school from middle school …

A Study To Develop And Implement Differentiated, Hands On Mathematics Instruction Strategies To Improve Student Learning, Edmund F. Cetrullo Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of the study were to research, develop and implement differentiated, hands on mathematics instruction strategies with mathematics teachers in grades six through eight for improvement of student learning. Teachers, through collaborative action research, created and implemented student centered, discovery based, hands on, manipulative centered lessons over two marking periods which provided students with experiential, problem solving, mathematical situations that met their individual and group needs. Analysis of this case study yielded growth through a triangulation of data measured from improved student scores, student observations, and teacher reflection about their pedagogy. Effective classroom strategies for differentiated, hands on instruction …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Using Instructional Aides For Supplemental Instruction, Cheryl A. Fairchild

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using instructional aides to deliver supplemental instruction in reading and math to at-risk first grade students. The students were identified as at-risk academically and the instructional aides received training in explicit phonics instruction and the use of math games for remediation. Supplemental instruction took place three times a week for thirty minute sessions during the students' first grade year. Student progress was assessed using miscue analysis, a phonics test and District developed math assessments. At the end of five months of supplemental instruction using explicit phonics, leveled readers and …

Implementation Of A Cultural Diversity Program In An Urban Catholic Male High School, Diane Casey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to create and implement a cultural diversity team of high school students. These students with a faculty leader will spearhead student activities and events around the topic of diversity. The students will be selectively chosen by the intern to be involved in the leadership and implementation of this project. This program is intended to increase cultural awareness of students; staff, faculty and administration so that they can put into practice the skills to confront prejudice and discriminatory behavior in themselves and others. The high school students will develop and demonstrate critical thinking skills in …

The No More Bullies Club: Will It Reduce Bullying In School?, Diane R. Brennan-Bernstein

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new 8^th grade anti-bullying club, the No More Bullies Club, which served the 5^th and 6^th grades in the West Deptford Middle School. In this club, 8^th grade club members planned and taught anti-bullying lessons to 5^th and 6^th grade students.

The sample for this study consisted of approximately 300 students in grades five and six in this suburban middle school. The procedure for data collection was a feedback session conducted by the classroom teacher after each lesson taught by the club …

The Responsive Classroom, Colleen Schroeder

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to have a better understanding of the concept Responsive Classroom, and to develop a discipline code and strategy that would meet the needs of the Rush School students emotionally, socially, as well as cognitively. The intern used a case study approach by working with the third grade teachers who actively implemented the concepts of the Responsive Classroom. The study resulted in a cultural picture of the climate of the third grade and the impact the Responsive Classroom had on school discipline referrals, bullying, classroom climate, and achievement.

The intern clustered the participants …

The Efficiency Of A Long Range Facilities Plan In An Abbott School District, Nancy B. Knarr-Pascoe

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the efficiency of the Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP) for the Millville School District and sought to determine, through the creation of inventories, the completed and in progress facilities projects, in addition to those that will not be completed by the close of the district's current LRFP. On-going personal communication with the district's facilities coordinator provided continual updates on the status of all facilities projects within the district. In addition, this study examined both the New Jersey Administrative Code (NJAC) (6A:26-8.1) and documentation made available on the New Jersey Department of Education's (NJDOE) School Facilities Web site …

A Study Of The Creation Of A Pupil Assistance Committee Improvement Plan That Facilitates An Effective Committee By Utilizing A Collaborative Leadership Approach, Donald M. Robertson Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The Pupil Assistance Committee (PAC) was created by New Jersey's Department of Education to assist educators in identifying and implementing instructional strategies that would best address the needs of struggling students. PAC committees throughout the State face increased referral rates and limited program options, making for a frustrating situation. The Pupil Assistance Committee of the Dr. Joyanne D. Miller Elementary School is faced with these same problems. To reduce the feelings of frustration among the committee members and increase committee effectiveness a review of PAC procedures must take place and a renewed focus of PAC goals must be facilitated.

A …

Developing, Implementing And Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Code Of Conduct, Letitia Branin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of one approach to discipline, a code of conduct. The population used for the study by the intern was the population of B.C.I.T. The participants were selected through the convenience sampling method using both the quantitative and qualitative research approach. The quantitative research design includes summary reports of monthly discipline infractions beginning in September 2003 and ending in January 2004. The qualitative research design consists of two surveys administered to teachers, secretaries, guidance counselors, child study team members and administrators. The initial survey focused on the discipline …

Mentoring, Training, And True Induction Of New Teachers, Lea Fitzpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an induction program for first year and new teachers that included mentoring, orientation, and training. The subjects in this study were a convenience sample of fourteen new teachers at Oakcrest High School during the 2003-2004 school year. The school was located in Mays Landing, NJ and was one of two schools in the Greater Egg Harbor School District. Surveys were administered to participants both mid-year and at the conclusion of the program. Also at the end, mentor teachers were surveyed regarding their involvement. The quantitative data was analyzed using a …

The Benefits Of An In-School Suspension Program, Dianne M. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an effective in-school suspension program for the Ocean City Intermediate School students using a community based action research design. Development of an ISS program provided a positive learning environment where discipline and learning take place within the school setting. The research looked at patterns occurring in a survey given to a 10% random sampling of the 283 Intermediate School parents and 72 teachers. The study reviewed scholarly literature, existing studies, and data on the effectiveness of in-school suspension programs. Analysis of several successful in-school suspension programs resulted in a collection of effective …

Retaining Students: Is It For Gaining Or Restraining?, Terence Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate students in Grades 6-8 who were retained in Elementary School and tracked their academic progress since the retention. This study was conducted to determine whether retaining students benefits or hinders their chances of academic success. Once the retained students in Grades 6-8 were identified, the reasons for their retentions (located in the student's personal files) were investigated and recorded. Questionnaires for selected educational professionals in the district revealed whether their opinions on student retentions were unbiased or not. Student questionnaires revealed the retained student's personal perspective on being retained. Student pre and …

Revising The Teacher Evaluation System For Estell Manor School, Dianna C. Abraham

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research and develop a new evaluation instrument for classroom observations using a survey of instruments used by other districts as well as research of various styles of evaluation. The result of the study was a new instrument to be used by administration during classroom observations of teachers in the district. This was shown to be satisfactory for the teachers and the administration. Suggestions for new annual review procedures and peer review techniques were presented and evaluated, with volunteers accepted for a trial period in the upcoming year.