Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Board Effectiveness In Selected Institutions Of Higher Education In Zimbabwe, Bonginkosi Zvandasara

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of board effectiveness in selected private and public universities in Zimbabwe as perceived by board members. Also, the study sought to determine the influence of such demographic variables as age, education level, and years of service on the seven factors of university functioning: institutional mission, institutional planning, physical plant, financial management, board membership, board organization and performance, and board/vice chancellor relations.

Method

The survey method was used to collect data. Respondents were asked to complete a 47-item questionnaire and indicate their level of agreement on each of the questions …

Administrator Perceptions Of Internet-Based Distance Education In Adventist Colleges And Universities : A Mixed-Method Study, Pamela K. Cress

Dissertations

Problem . The quality of Internet-based distance education (IBDE) will increasingly become the standard by which students choose a program as higher educational options multiply due to the dramatic growth in distance education. A system-wide examination of perceptions of IBDE in Adventist highereducation is important to administrators for future institutional strategic planning purposes, systemic adoption of policies and practices that promote excellence, and identifying collaborative efforts.

Method . This was a sequential exploratory mixed-method study of the perceptions of administrators on IBDE. It was conducted collaboratively with Susan Smith who examined teacher perceptions. Data were collected for both studies from …

Attitudes Of Junior High Teachers Towards Teaching Students With Learning Disabilities In Inclusive Classes In Public Schools In New Providence, Bahamas, Virginia Alicia Romer

Dissertations

Problem. The implementation of inclusive programs has met disapproval and concerns from many general educators regarding the presence of students with learning disabilities in their classes. The purpose therefore of this study was to survey junior high teachers in New Providence, Bahamas, to determine their attitudes toward teaching students with learning disabilities in general education classes; to investigate the type of instructional methodology used in general classes and to determine if instructional delivery is modified to assist students with learning disabilities; examine whether general educators collaborate with special educators when planning their instruction; and to identify if there are differences …

Teacher Perceptions Of Internet-Based Distance Education In Adventist Colleges And Universities : A Mixed-Methods Study, Susan B. Smith

Dissertations

Problem. An examination of Internet-based distance education (IBDE) is important in order to maintain the delivery of quality higher education and to encourage the systemic adoption of policies and practices that promote excellence in IBDE. The quality of online distance education will increasingly become the standard by which students choose a program as their educational options have multiplied with the dramatic growth in distance education.

Method. This was a sequential exploratory mixed-methods study o f the perceptions of teachers on IBDE. It was conducted collaboratively with Pamela Cress who examined administrator perceptions. Data were collected for both studies from teachers …

Instructional Implications Of The Michigan Educational Assessment Program As An Accountability Instrument, Daniel J. Applegate

Dissertations

Problem. In Michigan, early elementary school teachers are held accountable for instructional decisions they made based on the number of children who pass the state standardized reading test, the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP). Although state officials claim the MEAP can inform instruction, no data are regularly collected to describe reading instructional practices or the relationship between current practices and the percentage of students who pass the MEAP.

Method. Using a survey instrument, this study measured the amount of instructional time Kindergarten through Grade 4 teachers reported that they devoted to the development of 19 different components or activities within …

The Improv Church : A Qualitative, Theoretical, And Interdisciplinary Explanation Of Its Appeal To Collegians, Karl Haffner

Dissertations

The college years often represent the time when young people drop out of church. The reasons vary. One of the factors in a decision to abandon church is that college students feel many traditional churches are irrelevant. Conventional methods of pedagogy and communication are typically used. The result is a learning environment that feels stale to many young people.

Some educators are experimenting with new methods of instruction based on advances in learning theories, instructional strategies, and in whole-person learning. The purpose of this study was to consider the Improv Church as a learning environment where these advances in education …

Faculty Perceptions Of Institutional Commitment To The Scholarship Of Engagement, Mackenzi Anne Huyser

Dissertations

Problem. Institutions of higher education are in an important position in relation to fulfillment of their institutional mission. Boyer (1996) introduced to the higher education community an alternative approach to scholarship to address this shift from original mission. While Boyer (1990) examined institutions of higher education as a whole, the distinctive worldview, mission, and philosophy of reformed Christian institutions have not been examined to determine to what extent they are fulfilling their calling to transform creation and redeem culture. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine social perceptions that full-time faculty, serving in reformed institutions, hold about their …

How Instructional Leadership Is Addressed In Educational Administration/Leadership Programs, Lolethia Jones Kibble

Dissertations

Problem

Instructional leadership is a major factor in school effectiveness and student achievement, yet it is not widely practiced by school principals. One of the contributing factors, identified in the literature, is a lack of skills and knowledge. Although there is a great deal of information about principal preparation programs, there is very little information on the preparation of school leaders in the practice of instructional leadership behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine how instructional leadership is addressed in both traditional and restructured educational administration/leadership programs and to what extent this is related to institutional and demographic …

Psychological Sense Of Community In On-Line Learning Environments, Thomas Chris Laughner

Dissertations

Problem. Current literature discusses differences among populations as they relate to face-to-face learning communities. However, no literature exists to determine if these same differences exist in an on-line learning environment. Since community has been closely linked to social and academic integration and success, additional research on whether populations with certain demographics feel the same absence of a sense of community in an on-line environment must be addressed. This study examines differences in psychological sense of community among students based on ethnicity, age, and sex.

Method. A revised Sense of Community Index was administered to students enrolled in at least one …

Self-Reported Personal Problems Of Adventist Academy Students, Ellen Marsh Crosby

Dissertations

Problem. Adolescence is a time fraught with many challenges. There are no current studies prior to this one for Adventist academy students concerning the whole range of their personal problems.

Method. A survey of students in 14 Adventist academies was conducted in the regular classroom setting using the Personal Problems Checklist for Adolescents (PPC-A). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data were tested with one-way, two-way, and, three-way ANOVA and correlation coefficients to determine differences between males and females, age groups 13/14 to 18/19, and in three different settings of day, boarding, and self-supporting Adventist …

Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment Among Teachers In Norway : A Comparative Study Of Selected Schools From Public And Private Educational Systems, Styrkår A. Dramstad

Dissertations

Problem. Recruiting teachers and motivating them to stay in their jobs represents a major educational challenge in Norway. Growing demands and greater expectations on teachers are factors that have resulted in higher turnover and problems of filling vacancies.

Based on this background, the primary purpose of this study was to determine if job satisfaction is associated with organizational commitment among public and Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) teachers in Norway. The secondary purpose was to compare job satisfaction and organizational commitment between public and SDA teachers in Norway, and to establish linear combination based on the factors of job satisfaction that …

First-Year Teacher Perceptions Of Classroom Experiences And Teacher Induction In A Midwestern School District, Cheryl Torok Fleming

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to discover first-year teacher perceptions of their experiences with classroom teaching and teacher induction in a midwestern school district.

Method. This qualitative study sought to discover how new teachers build knowledge of the context and culture of teaching. Purposeful sampling techniques were used. Participants were delimited to practicing K-6 educators in an Indiana urban school district, completing their first year of experience as classroom teachers. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews. The questions focused upon the development process of beginning teachers, and how an induction program contributed to their development. The …