Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Work Motivation And Leadership Practices Among Graduates Of A Master's Degree Program, Marjorie Dowd

All Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between work motivation and leadership practices among graduates of a master's degree program in education administration and supervision. The study was conducted in an effort to produce information relevant to the human resources practices of secondary school administrators and to identify potential professional development topics for school districts and college training programs. Data were collected through a quantitative research methodology. First, the study sought to determine each participant's work motivation as measured by the Work Motivation Inventory and differences among participant scores on that inventory. Secondly, the study sought to determine each participant's leadership practices …

The Technical College Image In South Carolina, Charles Mclafferty

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT


This dissertation seeks to understand the perceptions of key constituencies (legis¬lators, private and public college and university presidents, and technical college presidents) about technical colleges in South Carolina. It explores the impact of technical colleges in the state and the difficulties that technical colleges face in achieving that impact and adapting to future needs.
Survey instruments were distributed to these key constituencies. Data were reduced via factor analysis, and MANOVA procedures were used to analyze differences among constituencies on the factor scores. Open-ended questions and interviews with select participants illuminated, expanded, and validated the quantitative findings.
There were several …

Financial Aid As A Predictor Of Retention At A Two-Year College, Cheryl Davids

All Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the likelihood that the type of financial assistance a student receives is a predictor of retention at a two-year college. The institution utilized in the study is a mid-size, public, two-year college in South Carolina. The effects of five distinct types of financial assistance on retention were investigated. The types of financial assistance include Federal Pell Grant, Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship, South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) Tuition Assistance, a combination of South Carolina Education Lottery Tuition Assistance and Federal Pell Grant, and a combination of Legislative Incentive for …

Secondary School Principals' Perceptions Of The Value And Impact Of High-Stakes Tests On Content And Mode Of Instruction, Clifford Davis Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations

Critics of government policies that expand the use of high-stakes tests in public schools claim that these tests have a negative impact on student learning. At the building level, these policies have resulted in a great deal of pressure for educators to raise student performance on these tests.

The purpose of this study was to explore secondary school principals' perceptions of the value and impact of state-mandated tests on content and mode of instruction. The entire population of 541 middle and high school principals from public schools in Tennessee was selected to participate in this study.

Secondary school principals reported …

Variations In Dropout Rates Across Virginia, Joshua K. Bowser

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis, this study attempts to capture variation in dropout rates across Virginia counties and cities. With the respective dropout rates as the dependent variable, seven independent variables are used accordingly in order to provide as much explanatory power as possible. At the 10 percent significance level, four of seven variables are statistically significant with an adjusted R2 of .374. Important policy implications can be derived from the model and its statistically significant variables. The model finds that the percentage of blacks in the population, university access, the unemployment rate and single female-headed households to …

Instructional Leadership And Academic Performance In Tennessee High Schools, Denise Minton Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

During this era of high academic accountability, principals are expected to be learning leaders and to orchestrate their schools' academic improvement. Despite these high expectations, few studies have linked principal instructional leadership behavior with student academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences in instructional leadership behavior existed between principals of high-achieving, high-performing, low-achieving, and low-performing schools.

The population of this study was public high school principals in Tennessee. Two hundred seventy-six (276) principals whose schools' State of Tennessee Report Cards contained three years of academic achievement and academic performance data were surveyed using the Principal …

Factors Which Impact The Conduct Of Fifth Grade African-American Males, Derricka Bashetta Thomas

Dissertations

This study examines the factors that impact the conduct of fifth grade African- American male students who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K). The participants in this study are located throughout the United States of America. These students attend private and public schools. The data for this study were provided by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The researcher utilized ECLS-K’s Public Use Data File and Electronic Codebook to create an SPSS syntax file in order to measure the factors that impact the conduct of fifth grade African- American …

An Examination Of Perception Toward Merit Pay In A Southern School District, Carol Lynn White Payne

Dissertations

The use of merit pay systems has been a part of educational history for one hundred years. States across the country have utilized different forms o f merit pay systems to increase student achievement. Career ladder merit pay systems may base teacher salary on the attainment of additional degrees, additional responsibilities and an increase in student achievement. School-based performance awards may reward all staff members of a school based on achievement of goals set by the school board. Individual teacher financial awards may be based on administrative evaluations, student achievement, attainment of additional degrees, and participation in professional development sessions. …

Crossing The Bridge From Eighth To Tenth Grade: Can Ninth Grade Schools Make It Better?, Eddie James Peasant Ii

Dissertations

Ninth grade is a complicated time period in the school years of young adolescents, They face many social, emotional, physical, and academic issues during the transition from eighth grade to the freshman year. In some cases, these problems in ninth grade lead to increased dropout rate. This matter is addressed in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). School districts across the country are establishing programs to deal with this dilemma of students transitioning from the middle grades to high school. One such program is the ninth grade school or academy. The general purpose of this study was to investigate …

An Analysis Of A Developmental Kindergarten And Pre-First Program And Their Effects On Academic And Behavior Outcomes, Amanda R. Reenders

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Factors Contributing To Career Success: Perceptions From African American Male School Administrators, Oliver Wilson

Dissertations

In this qualitative study, interviews were conducted with seven Black male school administrators in the Michigan school district who held the position of assistant principal or principal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Black male school administrators in Michigan school districts. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Using a phenomenological approach the participant responses were codified, grouped, and analyzed for emergent themes. Five themes emerged as a result of the data analysis: (1) Colleague support is a key mechanism in the success of Black male school administrators. (2) Parental involvement is important in the success …

Impact Of Enrollment Management, Marketing And Strategic Planning On Adult Higher Education Enrollment Patterns, Kinfu Adisu

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the impact of enrollment management, marketing and strategic planning practices (or lack thereof) on enrollment trends in two graduate programs across five Grand Rapids, Michigan-based institutions of higher education. Deans, department heads or program directors associated with the Master's of Business and Master's of Education degrees in each institution were interviewed, as were regional administrators and marketing personnel for a total of 15 participants. In addition, the challenges faced by these graduate programs and how such challenges impacted enrollment patterns were analyzed.

Findings indicate that to a large degree the concepts of enrollment management, marketing and …

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Selected Campus Leaders Toward The Role Of Student Trustees At New Jersey State Colleges And Universities, Matthew S. Minnella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of college and university presidents, board chairpersons, student trustees and student government presidents at eight member institutions of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) concerning the role of student trustees. The major areas of interest included voting rights, compensation, roles, training, and conflicts of interest. Seventeen campus leaders from NJASCU institutions participated in the study. The subjects were mailed a survey to complete to document their attitudes toward the roles of student trustees. The study found that the majority of selected campus leaders agreed that student …

Division Iii Athletic Trainers' Attitudes Toward Issues And Concerns Of The Athletic Training Profession, Kristin Sacerdote

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the specific issues and concerns that athletic trainers face in the college and university setting. A secondary purpose was to solicit recommendations in addressing the issues and concerns that are present in the profession. Seventy-two certified athletic trainers in the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association (EATA) completed a survey to evaluate their attitudes on the issues and concerns facing athletic trainers in higher education institutions. Those surveyed were asked to identify what were the top issues and concerns facing athletic trainers and what recommendations that they had for addressing these issues. The findings …

Issues, Challenges, And Leadership Qualities Of Participating Njac Head Soccer Coaches At The Division Iii Level, Thomas E. Eichhorn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the issues, challenges, and leadership qualities of NCAA Division III head soccer coaches in a highly competitive and diverse area of the United States. Fifteen head soccer coaches from the New Jersey Athletic Conference completed the Leadership Assessment Instrument and the Issues and Challenges survey to identify similarities amongst state institutions of higher education in New Jersey and to compare similarities between head coaches of male and female soccer programs. Findings suggest there are no distinct differences amongst these institutions or between head coaches of male and female soccer programs. The leadership …

Ncaa Division Iii Student-Athletes' Attitudes And Knowledge Of Anabolic Steroids, Keith Smicklo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide data on the attitudes, knowledge, and deterrents of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III student-athletes related to illegal steroid abuse. One hundred and two student-athletes from Rowan University completed a survey to evaluate their knowledge of anabolic steroids and the NCAA Division III Drug-testing policy. The student-athletes also responded to statements regarding their current attitudes towards anabolic steroids and some deterrents to the use of steroids. Results indicated that NCAA Division III student-athletes do possess general knowledge of anabolic steroids and feel the use of anabolic steroids during athletic competition is …

Perspectives Of Administrators At Select Art Institutions On Student Involvement And Development Theories And Their Relation To Campus Extracurricular Activities, Mary Ellen Wade

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine extracurricular offerings at art institutions focusing on a few areas, including: (a) the amount of extracurricular offerings, (b) the types of extracurricular offerings, (c) how student affairs administrators viewed overall student participation in the extracurricular offerings, and (d) how demographics of the institution including size of the student population, commuter or residential campus, and the amount of funding received related to the amount of extracurricular activities offered by a particular institution.

This study examined two art institutions. Findings suggested student affairs administrators mostly have knowledge of and apply student development theories …

An Impact Evaluation Of The Dr. Harley E. Flack Male Mentoring Program At Rowan University, Eliezer Marcellus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to conduct an impact evaluation of the Dr. Harley E. Flack Male Mentoring Program on selected students at Rowan University. The study involved 94 subjects, divided into two groups. Group one consisted of 90 students enrolled in the Dr. Harley E. Flack Male Mentoring Program. Group two consisted of four past and current directors/coordinators of the program.

The data collection instruments included a 23-item survey and an interview schedule. The survey obtained background information, the attitudes of the subjects toward the academic support services provided by the program, and the impact on academic achievement …

The Roles And Responsibilities Of Academic Chairs In Strategic Planning At Rowan University, William F. O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand the attitudes of department chairs in strategic planning at Rowan University. The researcher surveyed the department chairs within the six academic colleges. A total of 22 department chairs participated in the survey while 20 of these subjects were also interviewed. Participants were administered a Likert-scale survey that measured the attitudinal factors of role, knowledge-experience, and involvement in strategic planning. The survey also measured the attitudes towards the current strategic planning process at Rowan and their recommendations for improvement. Surveys were statistically analyzed to determine means, standard deviations on the attitudinal factors, …

A Study Of The Changing Complexion Of Academic Governance In New Jersey Community Colleges, George J. Hakun

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the forces of change that will affect community colleges in New Jersey and to capture the attitudes of stakeholders towards the impact of these forces as they relate to the future of the structure of academic governance. The target population of this study was community college administrators and faculty in five community colleges in southern New Jersey (n=90). The study included a random sample of administrators and faculty members, with an overall response rate of 43.5%. In addition to the survey, 12 stakeholders were randomly chosen to participate in interviews, representing a …

From "Sit And Listen" Of "Shake It Out Yourself" : Helping Urban Middle School Students To Bridge Personal Knowledge To Scientific Knowledge Through A Collaborative Environmental Justice Curriculum, Shamu Fenyvesi Sadeh

Dissertations and Theses

Science education and environmental education are not meeting the needs of marginalized communities such as urban, minority, and poor communities (Seller, 2001; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 1996). There exists an equity gap characterized by the racial and socioeconomic disparities in: levels of participation in scientific and environmental careers and environmental organizations (Lewis & James, 1995; Sheppard, 1995), access to appropriate environmental education programs (U.S. EPA, 1996), exposure to environmental toxins (Bullard, 1993), access to environmental amenities and legal protections (Bullard, 1993), and in grades and standardized test scores in K-12 science (Jencks & Phillips, 1998; Johnston & Viadero, 2000). …

Piloting The Implementation And Assessment Of A New First Year Experience At Rowan University, Stephen A. Bonora

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of freshmen residents of Evergreen Hall at Rowan University during the 2005/2006 school year. The purpose of the FYI program in Evergreen Hall was to increase student retention. Half of the residents in Evergreen Hall were full participants (FP) in the program, meaning that they had a connected experience where their orientation leader for the summer before the freshmen year was also the RA the student had in the fall semester. The other half involved were non-full participants (NFP) the students had a different orientation leader and RA. This study …

Administrators' Perceptions Of Corporal Punishment In Hamilton County Elementary Schools, Kathryn Hunt Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations

Corporal punishment is probably one of the single most controversial and enduring issues in American education. Though more and more states continue to outlaw the practice, it still continues in certain regions of the country, primarily in the South is used most frequently in the elementary grades and used on black males more than on any other students.

Some teachers believe corporal punishment is the only deterrent in an overcrowded, chaotic classroom. Studies show, however, that the use of corporal punishment in the school has steadily declined.

Opponents of corporal punishment have linked the term to child abuse. Such means …

A Case Study Of Successful Small School Reform: The Construction Academy As A Fundamentally Different Enterprise, Alison E. Buehler

Doctoral Dissertations

In order to move successful school restructuring from the margins of educational dialogue to the center of the debate requires a detailed investigation into how these school reforms are created and sustained within the larger, current and historical educational context. This qualitative case study sought to understand how the small schools movement of school reform, as it was realized at the East Ridge Construction Academy, was able to overcome historical school reform barriers by engaging in systems thinking and forming and maintaining true learning organizations. This study was also designed to examine how remaining inside an existing system, rather than …

How Teacher Attitudes And Administrator Behaviors Affect Levels Of Technology Integration In The Classroom, Sheri Leigh Bradshaw

Dissertations

Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well teachers’ attitudes predict levels of technology integration into the classroom. This study also investigated whether perceived support from the administrator as the instructional leader was related to teachers’ levels of technology integration into the classroom. The population for this study included identified school districts in rural North Georgia. Utilizing the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the 2002-2003 school year, the researcher identified 5 peer districts: Franklin County, Gilmer County, Stephens County, Union County, and White County. All middle and high school teachers within a district were invited to …

Superintendents ’ Perceptions Of Clinical Supervision Practices In A District-Wide Implementation Program, Myrna Rae Ladner Bourgeois

Dissertations

In 1990 a new idea swept through the educational industry. Forty-nine school districts in Pennsylvania instituted a new form of organizational management called clinical supervision. In effect, this was a change in the relationship between administration and teachers concerning instructional behaviors. Formerly, when teachers were supervised and evaluated by administrators, they felt intimidated. They also felt their privacy was being invaded. Clinical supervision is an attempt to organize the methodology of teacher supervision while improving instruction. The purpose of this study was to provide data to the participating school districts for use in developing supervision, evaluation, and involvement training modification …

Afterschool Intervention Programs’ Impact Upon Select Variables Among 10th Grade Students In The Education Longitudinal Stu D Y (Els) 2002 Dataset, Diane Jackson-Chapman

Dissertations

This researcher analyzed data from the database of the National Center for Educational Statistics: Education Longitudinal Studies (ELS) 2002. The study included responses from 743 principals in 752 schools and from 15,362 10th grade students from public, Catholic, and other private schools. The dissertation investigated if the percentage of school participation in afterschool/summer outreach programs could predict students’ perceptions of teachers, drug availability on campus, student misbehaviors and punishments, and attitudes toward school and grades. The independent variable was the percentage of students in afterschool/summer outreach programs as reported by principals. The dependent variables related to students’ responses to attitudes …

School Web Sites And Teacher Employment Interest, David Theodore Freeman

Dissertations

The Internet has changed the way many organizations, including public and private schools, recruit and select employees. It has also changed the way many people research and pursue employment opportunities, including those seeking positions in education. The school Web site is often the medium of first contact between a school or school district and a potential employee. That first contact can influence the potential employee’s decision to actively pursue employment with a school or a school district.

This research measured the reactions o f preservice teachers who visited three grade-level appropriate school Web sites of “poor,” “average,” and “best” distinction. …

A Handbook Of Strategic Parental Involvement Practices For Dual Language Teachers And Administrators, Leslie Nadine Hartley Holmes

All Graduate Projects

A handbook of strategic parental involvement practices has been developed to aid dual language teachers and administrators in developing a plan to incorporate parents into the school setting. The handbook is based on Lindholm-Leary's Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education (2005), and consists of three main strategies in the areas of establishing and maintaining positive relations with families and the community, parent education and support services for parents, and involving parents and the community as strategic partners. Among the three main strategies there are subsequent strategic practices in the areas of communication, parent education and relationships with the community. Each …

A Parent Information Guide For Assisting Their Child With The Transition To High School, Wendi Frank

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a guide for parents of Eisenhower High School and the various feeder middle schools in the Yakima School District to help the eighth graders transitioning from middle school to high school. The intent of the program was to increase the ninth grade student's academic and social success by having parents involved in the transition along with various transition activities. To accomplish this purpose, a review of current literature, research and selected programs related to transitioning middle school students and parent involvement in the transition, were examined. The culminating guide was designed and …