Education Commons^™

Exploring The Relationship Between Critical Resource Variables And School Performance In Secondary Schools Of Mukono Uganda, Christopher Byalusago Mugimu

Theses and Dissertations

While good facilities and resources are assumed to affect the quality of teaching and school performance, findings of the growing body of research about resources and school performance remain obscure and highly contested. A central question in effective schooling research is to what extent do resources translate into school performance particularly in impoverished communities of the developing countries. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between school-level financial, physical, and human resources on school performance as measured by aggregated UCE exam scores in 63 secondary schools. This study is grounded in the strategic theoretical perspective of …

Community College Presidents In The New Millennium: Competencies For Leadership As Identified By Position Announcements And Relationship To Board Type, Shari L. Olson-Nikunen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if position announcements and position descriptions posted in The Chronicle of Higher Education, (2002) align with 1) the competencies established by Desjardins and Huff for the community college president in the new millennium and 2) whether these competencies vary with different board structures, majority board gender composition, or gender of board president.

Seventy-six position announcements where compared to a Community College Leadership Competency model in a mixed model research design, using both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Inter-rater reliability was established by having two educators independently code 20 position announcements and then …

Outdoor Education And Meaningful Learning: Finding The Attributes Of Meaningful Learning Experiences In An Outdoor Education Program, Stacy Tooru Taniguchi

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study sought to identify the common attributes of meaningful learning experiences as found in an outdoor education program. The pragmatic educational philosophy of John Dewey provides the rationale for the essence of meaningful learning in our schools and this research identifies the attributes of educative reflective experiences that are also meaningful learning experiences. Thirteen students enrolled in the Wilderness Writing Program, offered during the fall semester of 2003 at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, made up the focus group of this study. Their participation in four outdoor recreational activities and their reflections about their experiences became the …

Team Step Up Program, Edward V. Regan Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (a) develop a program to assist the At-Risk population of Washington Township High School; and (b) to determine its overall effectiveness on student academic achievement, discipline, and attendance. The study focused on twenty at-risk students who were in the ninth grade at Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey. An academic, discipline, and attendance baseline was established for each student and was monitored on a weekly basis. The results of the study demonstrated an increase in both the academic and school attendance, and a decrease in negative student behavior. Implications of the …

School Service Projects For Students Serving In After-School Detentions, James S. Beyer

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate student attitudes when a voluntary school service project alternative was offered to those serving a school detention. Another purpose was to examine the potential benefits reaped by the school as a result of these students' work. The sample population for study (n=60) was selected voluntarily from high school juniors and seniors. Data was collected through the use of: 1) student surveys for those who participated in a school service project, 2) material culture collected from student discipline records, and 3) surveys completed by custodians, teachers, and administrators in the school building. Data …

A Study Of The Renaissance Program In A High School, Christopher J. Nowak

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and validity of the Renaissance Program in a high school. The study involved the gathering of statistical data and conducting objective interviews. The resulting information provides the administration and the reader with an understanding of the importance of student motivational programs.

The focus of the study was to evaluate the change in performance of specific student indicators: attendance rates, dropout rates, discipline incidences, and motivation connected with grade retention rate, subject failure, and national honor society membership. The study obtained information on these indicators through statistical data from administration pertaining …

Exploring The Effects Of Teaching The Character Trait Of Respect To Students In Grades 4 And The Impact It Has On Behavior During Recess, Adrian C. Cora-Waters

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine if Character Education lessons on respect presented to fourth grade students could reduce the number of discipline referral forms and reduce inappropriate behavior during the lunch recess hour. The elementary school selected for this research project was Larchmont Elementary School. Larchmont School is an ethnically and academically diverse school located in South Jersey. The students, who received lessons through Developmental School Counseling Lessons, were in grade four (N=100). The students who participated in lessons consisted of regular education students, special education students, ESL students, as well as gifted and talented students. The …

The Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of New Writing And Problem-Solving Classes And Their Impact On Fourth Grade New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge Test Scores, Susan M. Hubbard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not two new programs created for Bellmawr Park School would be effective in raising scores in the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) test for fourth grade students. This research provided a pre and posttest for 62 fourth grade students in the 2003-04 academic school year. The tests included a brief open-ended Language Arts writing picture prompt and a Math problem-solving open-ended question. Both tests were scored using rubrics created by the New Jersey Department of Education, and the results were compared based on means, medians and …

Integrating Technology Into The Middle School Social Studies Curriculum, Dawn Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of integrating technology into the social studies curriculum on the delivery of instructional services to middle school students. The use of integrating technology for the middle school means providing teachers and staff with the opportunity to innovatively and creatively interact in the learning process and enhance learning opportunities for students as they strive to attain the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies. Training had been provided by the representative from the textbook publisher on how to use the supplemental curriculum materials as well as the building technology …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Method Used To Teach Critical Thinking Skills, Kristen L. May

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of teaching critical thinking skills through the infusion method as used by the Cinnaminson School District's Science Department. With the changing demands of society there comes a need for change in the preparation of students for the future that will be theirs. The sample population for this study was the one hundred and seven of the two hundred and forty freshman enrolled in Cinnaminson High School in the 2003-2004 school year who were taking college prep level earth science. Students were evaluated based on their performance on six activities designed …

Evaluating The Implementation Of The Avid Program At Pemberton Township High School, Danielle T. Strother

Theses and Dissertations

Pemberton Township High School started AVID for the 2003-2004 school year. The AVID program is designed to prepare students for a college bound curriculum. The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the implementation of the AVID program at Pemberton Township High School. The population of the study consisted of the entire ninth grade class of 21 AVID students from Pemberton Township High School. The data was collected through the use of a six question, Likert-type survey and algebra first and second marking period grades. The survey was used to rate the AVID students' satisfaction of the five …

An Investigation Into Truancy Reduction Without Increasing The Drop Out Rate, Phillip C. Neff Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this internship was to acquire and enhance through a supervisory experience, the leadership skills necessary for a school administrator. The intern's research project focused on decreasing truancy without increasing drop out rate.

The intern analyzed data collected through the use of a survey. The survey was given to a general population of students which consisted of two different sampling strategies. One sample was a convenience sample of students from the intern's classes, the other sample was judgmental coming from the newly developed Alternative Education Program at Paulsboro High School.

The intern found several interesting correlations associated with …

K-8 Reconfiguration Of A Middle School And Its Impact On The Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment, Samuel C. Hull

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to determine the effectiveness of the reconfiguration of a middle school to a K-8 building and its impact on the eighth grade students and their performance on the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment (GEPA) test using a method of inquiry design. This study addresses (a) the change agents and how to handle them and (b) identifies the components and ramifications of change. Interviews, observations, and the review of material culture were used to conduct the study. The data gathered was compiled in the narrative with information being shown as tables, charts and graphs. The …

An Investigation On Implementing And Maintaining An Effective And Efficient School-Based Student Intervention Program, Derek Macchia

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to (a) demonstrate how to properly develop an effective student intervention program (known at West Avenue as the Alternative Support Team - AST) and (b) how to maintain its effectiveness throughout the school year. The entire staff at West Avenue School was surveyed inquiring about what attributes are necessary for an effective student intervention program. They were also asked about past experiences with a student intervention program and what they believe makes an effective student intervention program work. Feedback forms were distributed to staff members and parents concerning their experience with the newly …

The Impact Of The Closed Circuit Television Program On The Communication Process At The Chelsea Heights School, Stephen Lee Sabatini

Theses and Dissertations

This case study was conducted at the Chelsea Heights School in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The study required implementing a closed circuit television program for the Chelsea Heights School. The purpose of this study was to understand and measure the effectiveness of a closed circuit television program on the communication process and camaraderie at the Chelsea Heights School. The case study was designed to improve communication and camaraderie at the Chelsea Heights School. The program included the Flag Salute, Song of the Month, morning announcements, and special events.

For this case study the researcher used a small convenience sample. The …

Good Citizens: How Student Council Impacts Socialization Norms At Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School Complex, Darren W. Palmer

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to learn how peer group behavior patterns among middle school students change for the better with the emergence of a student council. The setting was the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School Complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The school had undergone several reconfigurations to the student body in prior years. Since then it has been difficult to maintain a student body culture that was both stable and suitable for substantial academic achievement. This study was organized along the continuum of the academic calendar and interwoven within the customs and routines of the school. It took advantage …

Identifying At-Risk Students And Providing Them With Leadership Opportunities To Create A Bullying Prevention Program, Jennifer R. Baldwin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a bullying prevention program within Oakcrest High School. The bullying prevention program was established in accordance with the New Jersey State laws on bullying in schools. It was also created to be in accordance with regulations that determine whether or not schools qualify as a safe school.

The program identified at-risk 10^th grade girls who have had a history of discipline issues and bullying type activity during their freshman year. The program provided these students with the opportunity to be leaders within their school community and in our sending districts. In …

The Implementation Of A School-Wide Anti-Bullying Program, Toni Anne Conoshenti-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A safe and civil environment in school is necessary in order for students to learn and achieve high academic standards. Conversely, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying, disrupts both a student's ability to learn and a school's ability to educate its students in a safe environment. Students learn by example, therefore, school administrators, faculty, staff and volunteers are encouraged and commended for demonstrating appropriate behavior, treating others with civility and respect, and for refusing to tolerate harassment, intimidation or bullying. Through on-site research and review of current literature, I was interested in finding out students' perceptions about bullying. The thesis was designed …