Digital Commons Network^™

Women School Superintendents: Perceptions Of Best Practices For Leadership, Susan Katz

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

In U.S. public schools, a limited number of women have attained the position of superintendent. Consequently, there has been limited research focusing on understanding the position from a woman's perspective. The purpose of this study was to add to the body of literature focusing on women's ideas and beliefs about leading schools.

Distance Education Strategy: Mental Models And Strategic Choices, John C. Adams, Alan T. Seagren

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

What issues do distance education (DE) leaders believe will influence the future of DE? What are their colleges’ DE strategies? This qualitative study compares DE strategic thinking and strategic choices at three community colleges. Two propositions are investigated: (1) each college’s DE leaders use common strategic mental models (ways of thinking about key environmental issues and relationships), and (2) DE leaders from the three colleges employ common industry-level strategic mental models. The major findings are: (1) strategic beliefs are more varied than expected; (2) strategic choices address common DE issues but are tailored to local contexts; and (3) leaders’ beliefs …

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 028, Number 39, June 7, 2004, Grand Valley State University

2003-2004, Volume 28

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

Sustaining Innovation In Career And Technical Education, Brenda S. Clark

Dissertations

There has been little research done in education to determine what makes programs sustainable once the person who started the program has left or funding has decreased or disappeared. Innovative and successful programs are frequently started only to close or to reach a dead end. This study will seek to determine what components are necessary to sustain and grow a Career and Technical Education program. The primary audiences for the research study will be community college and university teacher preparation departments and career and technical education departments.

A survey was sent to Occupational Education Studies (OES) students and to OES …

Institutionalization Of Women's Studies Programs: The Relationship Of Program Structure To Long-Term Viability, Ann Froines

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the institutional viability of three interdisciplinary women's studies programs in public universities to determine whether interdisciplinary programs are marginal or fragile. The research question has three related parts: (a) What factors influence assessments of institutional viability? (b) do assessments of institutional viability vary significantly according to differences in program structure? and (c) what strategies have emerged to maintain program viability over the next ten or 20 years?

A conceptual framework of three domains was utilized in this qualitative case study: (a) program history, (b) organizational effectiveness of program, and (c) alliances built by program leaders. Organizational effectiveness …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Nurturing The Development Of Teacher Change Agents Within A Teacher Education Program, Barbara Ruben

Dissertations and Theses

The American education system has two daunting challenges. First, citizens need to be able to function in an interdependent world. Second, public schools' demographics have changed dramatically. Schools are failing to reach many students, particularly children of color and poverty. Schools must change to meet the needs of 21^st century students. Without teachers' openness to change, effective educational reform win fail. Schools of education must prepare the next generation of teachers to be change agents who will implement school reform to meet the significantly different requirements of 21^st century students.

This study examined how one graduate teacher education …

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 …

Changing School Culture: A Primary Literacy Initiative, All Hands On Deck, Veronica Boone-Gbesi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to implement the balanced literacy approach to reading instruction for two-hundred sixteen kindergarten through third graders, as a means of increasing student achievement, focusing instruction school wide, and creating a collaborative instructional culture. Data to evaluate the study took the forms of teacher surveys and reflective essays, screening and progress monitoring assessments and standardized test results. Teacher surveys and reflections were collected and analyzed for consistent patterns, professional development needs, and/or areas of growth. The teacher responses were used to direct professional development workshops, and as a diagnostic tool to ascertain the need for …

Protecting Our Most Valuable Resources, Douglas S. Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of school supervision, policies, and procedures relating to the safety of the students at Collingswood Middle School using interview and action research. The study will result in a report to inform administrators and board members of changes needed in the present policies to create the safest possible learning environment for the students.

The study includes a variety of data gathering techniques. Seven members of the Collingswood Middle School staff, both past and present, were interviewed on their opinions of the facilities and present school policies. The material culture of the …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Volume 33 Number 1, Eiu College Of Education

Eastern Education Journal

No abstract provided.

Increasing Organization Capacity: A Systems Approach Utilizing Transformational And Distributed Leadership Practices, Patricia L. Reeves

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test a transformational, systemic change framework designed by the researcher to assist school leaders who are attempting to incorporate the major elements of transformational leadership theory, systems theory, and organizational development theory into their school or school district operations. The study involved both the distillation and organization of the major theoretical elements from the literature into an operational framework for planning, conducting, and monitoring the systemic change process in K-12 school systems. This framework was, then, tested by the researcher for its descriptive power in a case study analysis of an actual school …

Use Of Evaluation Findings In Michigan’S 21St Century Community Learning Center Programs, Wendy L. Tackett

Dissertations

There is a lack of empirical evidence demonstrating the use of evaluation findings within grant programs such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs (CCLCs). This study was designed using Michigan's federally-funded CCLCs to meet the following purposes: to explore the use of evaluation findings; to determine the relationship of the use of evaluation findings by local school administrators to the employment of an internal or external evaluator; to identify evaluator qualifications connected to evaluation use; and to determine whether there are relationships between the Program Evaluation Standards (Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, 1994) utility domains and …

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 …