Digital Commons Network^™

Special Education Teachers' Perspectives On The Implementation Of Functional Behavior Assessment In Schools, Joy Engstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of challenging and violent behaviors that pose risks to the overall safety and the educational learning experience in the public education setting have been on the rise in recent years. Traditional reactive, coercive, and punitive measures to address these behaviors have been futile. Congress responded to the national increase in violent behaviors by implementing several acts, including zero tolerance policies, in an effort to diminish the rise in violent behaviors. Of significance to this study was the inclusion of Functional Behavior Assessment in the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1997. Unfortunately, FBA has the …

The Necessity Of Developing Responsible Use Policies: Advocacy For Use Of Web 2.0 Tools In A Comprehensive School Computing Program, David L. Russo

Policy Advocacy

Technology is omnipresent in our modern age: anyone with an Internet connection can use a computer, tablet, or phone to access an unfathomable amount of information. Today, teenagers use e-mail, texting, and social media to stay in nearly constant communication with friends and family anywhere in the world. With so much time spent exchanging ideas in cyberspace, there is an increased likelihood of teachers and students regularly crossing paths electronically for both legitimate academic purposes and social contexts. Without sufficient school district policies to guide these interactions, students and teachers could realistically place themselves in awkward situations and face district …

Discipleship As A Catalyst For Personal Transformation In The Christian Faith, Vanessa Marie Seifert

Theses & Dissertations

Some Christian churches approach the majority of their faith expression with a 'go to the community' dynamic, while other churches focus primarily on attracting the community to 'come to them.' The problem is that there is a growing population of religiously unaffiliated people in the United States for whom traditional forms of faith expression are not meaningful. A new way of thinking about communal faith expression is needed if the church seeks to reach people who are spiritually curious but not interested in the attractional church model. The journey towards organizational change, even for churches, often begins with a commitment …

Academic Acceleration: A Policy Advocacy Document, Kelly Neylon

Policy Advocacy

The purpose of this advocacy document, written in 2013, is to illustrate the need for a change in policy for gifted students in a suburban school district. The recommended policy change would allow academic acceleration in the form of whole-grade acceleration and/or subject-area acceleration for gifted students. This advocacy document includes a review of the literature related to acceleration and gifted students and an analysis of the educational, economic, social, political, moral, and ethical need for the policy change. Also included is a review of current practices in this district as well as the positive and negative aspects of acceleration. …

The Development Of A Comprehensive Adhd Program For Elementary School Educators, Angie Lee Echoles

Doctoral Projects

On average, teachers will teach at least one student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in any given school year without receiving any instructions at all on ADHD. ADHD affects 3% to 7% of school-age students and one in every twenty children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010). It is classified as one of the most common mental health disorders affecting school-age students. The American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013) defines ADHD as a hereditary, non-curable, common childhood disorder. A triad of symptoms is associated with this disorder: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which all have a major impact on …

The Impact Of Institutional Culture On Student Activism: A Multi-Case Study In Christian Higher Education, Brian E. Cole

Dissertations

This study contributes to the description and meaning of student activism within the context of Christian college environments and cultures, and is interpreted through the sociological concept of symbolic interactionism. The purpose of this study is to help fill the void in the literature on student activism at Christian colleges and universities, positioning it within literature of broader Christian culture and activism, Christian higher education, generational history of college student activism, and student development theories and leadership models. The goal of the study is to help create an understanding of how students at Christian institutions understand and engage in activism …

Teaching Experience And Perceived Challenges For School Administrators Regarding Job Stress, Respect, Student Achievement, Assessment & Evaluation, And Professional Development, Erika H. Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether an administrators’ professional teaching background and years of administrative experience influence their perceptions of the opportunities and challenges they face guiding the improvement of teaching and learning. Specifically this research analyzed administrators’ perceptions of level of stress, respect among colleagues and school community, professional development, student achievement, and assessment and evaluation. Participants in this study consisted of Tennessee and North Carolina principals, assistant principals, and associate principals within a 60 mile radius of the East Tennessee State University campus. Data were collected through an online survey system, Survey Monkey. The …

Educational Leadership Program Emergent Design As Experienced By The Greene-King Cohort At East Tennessee State University, Brian S. Cinnamon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine perceptions of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) cohort members on the experience of redesigning the leadership preparation program requirements. Particularly, cohort participants in the Greene-King cohort were chosen by an admission process to participate in a grant program as governed by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) in partnership with ETSU and local school agencies in Greeneville and Kingsport. The ETSU Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) in the Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education collaborated with Kingsport City and Greeneville City school districts to redesign educational leadership …

Increasing Student Engagement In The Middle School Classroom, Elisa V. Biancalana

Dissertations

There is a need to improve student engagement in the middle school classroom. This change plan seeks to determine the level of student engagement in the classroom using the Instructional Practices Inventory tool. Classroom walkthroughs will be conducted to determine the level of engagement in the classroom. The data collected during the walkthroughs will drive the professional development needed for teachers in order to be able to implement teaching strategies that increase the level of student engagement in the classroom. The effective implementation of this change plan will ensure that teachers will work collaboratively in order to design engaging instruction …

Facilitating Executive Learning: Development And Application Of A Conceptual Model, Anthony J. Mento, Raymond M. Jones

Journal of Executive Education

We developed our required ten-week Executive MBA Leading Organizational Change course to specifically maximize meaningful learning according to the stipulations of Ausubel’s (1968) cognitive assimilation theory. The centerpiece of our work is the implementation of an eight-step explicit conceptually transparent learning model whose components are internally consistent and require the assimilation of new concepts and propositions into existing conceptual frameworks held by the learner. Concept maps (Novak, 1998), which are presented, help explicate our model, and generalizations to other learning milieus are addressed. While we address specific strengths and weaknesses with our approach, we conclude that we have met Ausubel’s …

Toward A Competency Model For Directors Of Management And Executive Development, Jan Varner, Barry Bales, William Lindsey

Journal of Executive Education

In addition to academic programs, many universities across the country offer continuing professional development courses and programs through centers focused on management and executive development. Although these centers fall under the broad umbrella of continuing education, the location of these centers in schools of business or public affairs and their program emphasis on management development cause these centers to differ from traditional divisions of continuing education. The general dividing line between management/executive development and continuing education lies in audience focus and reporting hierarchy within the institution.

Strategic Planning For University-Based Executive Education Programs: Success Factors And Design Alternatives, Newton Margulies, Jack R. Gregg

Journal of Executive Education

There appears to be a growing interest among B-schools in providing continuing management education. The trend toward meeting demands of changing business and learning environments – and responding to the obsolescence of various management disciplines -- has encouraged growth in non-degree, professional development programs. Some of these programs are generic in nature, while others are more specialized, depending on the perceived strengths and interests of the schools and the areas faculty choose to emphasize.

Integrated Team Development Methodologies For Managers In An E.M.B.A. Program: A Case Study, Anthony J. Mento, Raymond M. Jones, Harsha B. Desai

Journal of Executive Education

Established in 1973, Loyola College’s Executive MBA (EMBA) program is one of the first ten such programs in the United States. A primary focus of our program is the development of effectively functioning executive teams. The main contribution of our paper is the integration of several creative team development methodologies that are applied over the course of the EMBA program. Specific practices are described which are transferable to a broad range of organizational contexts. The paper concludes with a set of lessons learned regarding team functioning based on our collective forty-four years experience in executive development and education.

Epiphany: A Story Of Improving Teaching Effectiveness In An Executive Mba Economics Course, Anthony J. Mento, John Larson

Journal of Executive Education

This paper discusses the reengineering of an executive MBA economics principles course. Traditional lecture-test structure was changed to a seminar style. Events leading to this change are described. Many years of evaluation results are presented to quantitatively and qualitatively depict the dramatic impacts of the changes. Learning theories that help explain the effects are then discussed, especially as they may help others redesign their teaching methodologies. Non-theoretic learning strategies for students and seven research-based principles for more effective teaching are also presented to help explain the results achieved.

Financial Literacy After Sarbanes-Oxley: Building It; Sustaining It, Edwin I. Malet

Journal of Executive Education

The core theme of the article is that financial literacy is a challenging goal, but an achievable one. Contrary to popular belief, finance is a diverse subject and the meaning of “financial literacy” varies on a business-by-business, job-by-job basis. Practically speaking, “financial literacy” is interwoven with “business literacy”, i.e., understanding the transactions, processes, markets, stakeholders, etc., that together comprise a business. This makes it hard to deploy generic educational solutions. Some managers need more than others. Some need different than others. My recommendation is not to look for a universal definition of literacy, but rather to treat your company as …

Teacher Perceptions Of Effective School Leadership Using Twenty-First Century Skills And Knowledge, Bobbie Anita Augspurger

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to examine the primary components of school leadership for 21st-century skills and knowledge integration. With the passing of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students, teachers, and administrators, the need for administrative leadership within the realm of technology is continually evolving and growing. The NETS based survey required teachers from three varying sized school districts, who have implemented a 1:1 student device initiative, to answer statements, using a Likert scale, about themselves and their principal. Survey statement data results were revealed using a Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient formula, scatter plots, and regression studies …

Using Appreciative Inquiry To Frame The Appraisal Of An Australian Initial Teacher Education Program, Jeanne M. Allen, Maureen Innes

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This paper reports on a study that investigated the process and outcomes of using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) in an Australian initial teacher education (ITE) program review. The aim of the study, which drew on a sample of teaching staff involved in this Master of Teaching program, was to gain an understanding of the extent to which the application of the AI framework can be used effectively in the review of ITE programs. AI promotes collegial reflective practice and the generation of positive resolutions and thus aligned with the purposes of the review that were to foster collaboration, strengthen staff morale …

The Making Of Nova Southeastern University: A Tradition Of Innovation, 1964-2014, Julian M. Pleasants

NSU Books and Book Chapters

Nova Southeastern University is a flourishing university with a fascinating past. Arising from the shared dream of local community businessmen in Broward County, Florida, the university was chartered in 1964. At the time, it had no buildings to its name--just an empty plot of land and a dedicated group of visionary advocates.

On the fiftieth anniversary of NSU’s founding, this book tells the amazing story of what is now one of the largest not-for-profit universities in the United States. Today, Nova Southeastern University serves more than 27,000 students and has produced more than 150,000 alumni. Its main campus in Fort …

Developing The Physician Executive: From The Surgical Suite To The Executive Suite, William Marty Martin, Susan M. Quinn

Journal of Executive Education

The perspective of physician executives is “crucial to shaping the future health care system” (Leatt, 2004, p.171). With the increasing need for physician leadership comes a need to increase executive education for physicians and to better define roles and responsibilities. This article will suggest eight models for educating physician executives, as well as recommendations for those seeking to start or improve programs to educate physician executives. This article will focus on physician executive education in the United States although there may be some lessons for physician executives in other nations with different health systems.

Leading In A Gen Y World - A Corporate Essay, Deborah S. Levine

Journal of Executive Education

The purpose of this paper is to describe the leadership challenges in a Gen Y world and propose changes needed to capitalize on the new realities of this important element of the workforce. The summary information and propositions described in this paper are based on over 140 interviews collected as part of a research project led by Deborah S. Levine at AGL Resources, a Fortune 1000 energy-based company located in Atlanta, Georgia. The interview data includes Gen Y individuals currently employed by AGL Resources, as well as students in Louisiana, Georgia and Ohio at post-secondary schools.

The Forgotten Topic: Teaching Plant Closing To Executives And Graduate Students, Kelly C. Woodford, Treena Gillespie Finney, Alan F. Chow, Nancy J. Lambe

Journal of Executive Education

Executive education programs and graduate-level business programs generally devote substantial time and resources to training professionals to open businesses, generate business growth, and manage on-going operations. Few programs, however, devote any time to a topic that many executives will one day be forced to confront: plant closings. Because relatively few managers have actually gone through the plant closing process, there are rarely “experts” available to guide a company through the practical day-to-day aspects of shutting down a facility. This paper addresses the key topics needed for an advanced level program dealing with the operational aspects of closing a facility. Such …

Cultural Strategies In M&As: Investigating Ten Case Studies, Steven H. Appelbaum, Jessie Roberts, Barabara T. Shapiro

Journal of Executive Education

This article discusses and contrasts the cultural fit, cultural potential, communication, direction, and leadership in the success and failures of mergers and acquisitions. The focus of the article is to determine independent variables that influence the success or failure of a merger or acquisition using existing empirical literature, while comparing and contrasting the information found in ten selected case studies of successful and failed M&As. According to one study cited, eighty-three percent of mergers and acquisitions fail to create their intended value. The ten case studies reveal that communication is a necessity, drastically improving the success of a merger, and …

An Assessment Of The Needs Of Georgian Secondary Agricultural Educators, Jason Peake, Dennis W. Duncan, Brian Parr, John Ricketts, Jennifer Williams

Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development

This purpose of this study was to determine the perception of secondary educators involved in Future Farmers of Georgia (FFG) schools throughout the country of Georgia concerning their needs for furthering the existing framework of agricultural education. The researchers used a modified focus group method to meet the aformentioned purpose of this study. The population for this study consisted of the high school agricultural education teachers and their administrators who were participating in the FFG Program (n=14). Qualitative data collected from the probe (first round) was used to generate a series of 46 statements. In the second round participants were …

Tiers 2 & 3 Intervention: Restorative Practices, Emily Moss, Ann O'Connor, Reece L. Peterson

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Restorative practices include a variety of different specific practices. A substantial number of studies that have been conducted on these practices, and the research has shown positive results. This framework and these practices have been used in a variety of settings including schools. These programs are concerned with repairing the harm to the victim and helping the victim and the offender to heal so that relationships can be restored. To implement, schools must assess what their needs are, implement the philosophy , and then choose the specific practices that best fits those needs.

Note: See related Strategy Briefs on …

Course Offerings, Fall 2013 [Difficult Dialogues], Clark University

Difficult Dialogues (2006-2013)

Difficult Dialogues course offerings for the Fall 2013 semester. While each semester's Difficult Dialogues programming centered around a theme, the initiative's course offerings covered a broader range of topic approaching the process of dialogues in a variety of ways and across a number of disciplines.

Clark University's Difficult Dialogues initiative was launched in 2006 and ran through 2013. The initiative aimed to raise awareness and develop skills of dialogue as a distinct approach to discourse, as well as encourage its practice among faculty, staff, and students.

Tiers 1, 2 & 3 Intervention: Middle To High School Transition, Janeen Erickson, Reece L. Peterson, Paige T. Lembeck

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Conclusion

Providing all students, but particularly students at risk of dropping out, with a variety of supports for the transition from middle to high school is an intervention with both strong research support as well as practical logic.

Note: Several examples of secondary school programs which focus on transition from middle to high school can be found in the Examples of Middle to High School Transition Programs, Program Description document which is also available from the Student Engagement Project.

2013-September-25-Executive Briefing Featuring Joseph Grenny, University Marketing And Communications, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

No abstract provided.

A Framework For Linking Organizational Climate And The Adaptation Of Elearning Methodologies At Colleges And Universities, Christopher Washington

Scholarship Forum 2013

Recent educational transformation efforts employ advances in information technology to augment face-to-face teaching methods and pedagogies. Nearly 70% of U.S. higher educational institutions reported online learning as critical to their longterm strategy, and the proportion of students in the U.S. taking at least one online course is at an all-time high. These eLearning initiatives stem from a variety of motivations including increasing access to education, accelerating learning in difficult subjects, and reducing instructional cost to individuals and society. Most chief academic officers at universities rate the learning outcomes for online education “as good as or better” than those for face-to-face …

Creating Interdisciplinary Collaborations To Support And Understand Mathematics Teaching And Learning, Ruth Heaton, Wendy M. Smith, Traci Kutaka

Discipline-Based Education Research Group Speaker Series

Teaching mathematics is a complex endeavor and requires a deep understanding of content and pedagogy. Helping teachers learn what they need to know requires the expertise of disciplinary area faculty as well as those with pedagogical expertise. Similarly, understanding the learning of teachers or their students requires complex analyses of messy data by teams of researchers representing differing but complementary perspectives. Cases describing the nature and process of interdisciplinary teaching and research collaborations in mathematics education will be presented and analyzed for lessons learned.

A Case Study Of Gender Neutral Policies In University Housing, Josh Chave

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Gender neutral housing is an innovative new policy being developed in colleges around the country. One reason to create these policies is an attempt to meet the unique needs and challenges of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. As the number of gender neutral housing policies in the United States continues to rise, research has been slow to meet the growing demand for empirical data on gender neutral housing.

The dissertation presented a case study of one institution. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with administrators, gender neutral housing committee members, residence life staff, and students. This dissertation examined the …