Digital Commons Network^™

An Activities Coordinator's Handbook For Othello High School Othello, Washington, Matthew A. Stevens

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to provide a handbook for use by the activities coordinator at Othello High School as well as to insure consistency with the mission statement of the school: "Othello High School, a partnership of teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, parents, and community, will help students achieve immediate and future success both personally and professionally. Our goal is to promote life-long learning so that students will become responsible citizens in our ever-changing society." The intent of the handbook was to provide the Othello activities coordinator with a base of current literature and research related to the duties, responsibilities, …

Education For Responsible Citizenship: A Challenge For Faculty Developers, Thomas Ehrlich

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Higher education professionals need clearer, stronger frameworks for the integration of both civic and moral learning and the more common cognitive learning that occurs in traditional classrooms. This article addresses when and why this author chose to focus on community service-learning as a way to reengage in direct work with students and other civic responsibilities. His discussion focuses on student acquisition of academic knowledge and skills through service-learning and the study of ethical dilemmas facing professionals in different fields. He proffers in-depth discussion on service-learning programs championed by the Carnegie Foundation and addresses how these programs working with faculty across …

Preparing Today's Faculty For Tomorrow's Students: One College's Faculty Development Solution, Patrick Nellis, Helen Clarke, Jacalyn Dimartino, David K. Hosman

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, has created a faculty development program underwritten for the past five years by a US Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant. Our program rose from a deliberate desire to build active, collaborative faculty teams that would, in turn, build active, collaborative classrooms; our results demonstrate that faculty development programs based on observable and measurable outcomes can positively affect student academic performance and persistence. This essay details this faculty development project.

The Role Of A Teaching Center In Curricular Reform, Constance Ewing Cook

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Instructional consultants can play a crucial role in curricular reform. They gather evaluation and assessment data about the current curriculum so that faculty decisions about improvements are based on empirical evidence. They organize and facilitate meetings and retreats at which faculty make curricular decisions, and they provide pedagogical expertise and resources to help with course design and enhancement. They also provide ongoing data for formative evaluation of the new curriculum. Examples from the University of Michigan’s Center for Research on Learning and Teaching illustrate instructional consultants’ contributions to the curricular reform process.

Publish, Don't Perish: A Program To Help Scholars Flourish, Tara Gray, Jane Birch

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Faculty often believe that if they do not publish, they will perish. Faculty developers can respond to this need by helping faculty increase their scholarly productivity. Research shows that faculty are more productive if they write for 15-30 minutes daily, organize their writing around key sentences, and get extensive feedback on drafts. This article evaluates a program hosted on two campuses that aimed at supporting 115 faculty achieve these goals. Throughout the program, participants kept records of time they spent writing and the number of pages they wrote and at the end of the program, they were surveyed. These data …

Faculty Quality Of Life, Sally S. Atkins, Kathleen T. Brinko, Jeffrey A. Butts, Charles S. Claxton, Glenda T. Hubbard

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

An interdisciplinary research team conducted a formal assessment of campus culture and faculty quality of life at Appalachian State University. Interviews with a stratified random sample of full-time, tenure-track faculty revealed five themes: 1) the importance of human relationships, 2) the deep commitment of faculty to student learning, 3)general satisfaction with academic life, 4) the personal sacrifice of faculty members for their work, and 5) perceptions of incongruence between institutional rhetoric and action. Recommendations are offered for readers to apply to their own universities to help faculty, staff, students, and administrators work together toward becoming an institution that is a …

Unique Characteristics Of A Graduate Program In Applied Communication, Stuart M. Schrader, Kim White Mills, Robert Dick

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This paper addresses one Communication Department's sojourn in designing, developing, and proposing a unique Master of Arts in Applied Communication. Our discipline has long acknowledged the importance of applied communication scholarship and the marketplace has frequently confirmed the importance of providing applied communication knowledge to produce employees who are competent communicators. We are, however, still without terminal graduate programs that are rooted in the foundation of applied communication. Our department's program is reflexively framing its program using applied communication assumptions.

Computer-Assisted Evaluation Of Speaking Competencies In The Basic Speech Course, Chris R. Sawyer, Ralph R. Behnke

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article discusses the computer-assisted evaluation of speaking competencies in the basic speech course. Whenever a college-level course utilizes a number of instructors and sections, administrators responsible for ensuring the quality of that course become increasingly concerned about issues of equivalency or the extent to which students in the various sections of the course are receiving essentially the same educational experience. educators have recommended the use of student portfolios in courses featuring public speaking. In this instructional strategy, a student's work during a course is compiled and reviewed periodically throughout the academic term. This improvements will dramatically enhance record keeping …

School Safety Planning: A Survey Of Bond, Fayette And Effingham County Schools, Teresa A. Wortman

Masters Theses

This study was designed to assess the readiness of Illinois public and parochial schools in Bond, Fayette and Effingham Counties to implement school policies, building security strategies, and violence prevention/intervention programs to improve school safety. The study examined current trends in the school safety planning of the respondents. In addition, the study examined the relationship between the schools' implementation of violence prevention/intervention programs and their use of safety grants, the relationship between the array of safety measures implemented by the responding schools and their involvement of school and community groups in their planning, and the relationship between the array of …

Developing A Model Career Pathway Curriculum For South Kitsap School District, Esther L. Albertus

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a model Career Pathway Curriculum for South Kitsap School District. To achieve this purpose, current research and an examination of literature and evaluation of current models in place were considered and reviewed. Additionally, recommendations and specific policies were adapted and developed to meet the needs of the South Kitsap School District community.

A Model Handbook Of Hiring And Employment Practices And Procedures For Selected Private K-12 Schools, Jan Marie Brown

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of the project was to develop a model handbook of hiring and employment practices and procedures for private K-12 schools. To accomplish this purpose a review of literature and current policies or procedures from public and private schools, agencies and organizations was conducted. Additional related information from selected sources was obtained and analyzed.

The Development And Design Of An Exit Program For High School Career Pathway Graduates, Christine Lynn Gruver

All Graduate Projects

This project is about a new concept; a program that will change the way we assess high school students. The purpose of this project was to design and implement an assessment portfolio process entitled "The Tiger Futures Program" for Ephrata High School in the state of Washington. The program was designed as a three-year pilot program beginning in the 2000-2001 school year and fully implemented by 2002-2003. At that time it will become a graduation requirement. The program involved career pathways, portfolios, and exit interviews. The results showed that the program followed state and district standards and requirements. It also …

The Conceptual Guidelines And Considerations For The Development Of Elementary Charter Schools In The State Of Washington, Janice Louise Mirro

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to design a conceptual set of guidelines and considerations for the development of Elementary Charter Schools in the State of Washington. To accomplish this purpose a review ofliterature related to charter schools and their development was conducted followed by a mail reply survey. A wide variety of sources, including journal articles, books, newspaper reports, interviews, and printed material (organizational by-laws, school pamphlets, etc.) from existing charter schools across the nation were studied and synthesized into the findings. As a result of this study a comprehensive conceptual set of guidelines were developed.

A Model Disciplinary Policy And Procedures For Meridian Elementary School In The Kent School District, Kent, Washington, Sherilyn Marie Ulland

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a model disciplinary policy and procedures for Meridian Elementary School in the Kent school district, Kent, Washington. To accomplish this purpose, a review ofrelated literature was conducted. Additionally, related info1mation and materials from selected sources was obtained and analyzed.

College Choice: An Analysis Of The Factors That Influence A Student's Decision To Enroll In A Two-Year College, Timothy S. Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

As the number of students choosing to begin their postsecondary education in a two-year college increases, a careful analysis of the factors influencing the college choice process is needed. While a significant amount of research has addressed the college choice phenomenon and models describing the process have been developed, no attempt to apply these models to the two-year college choice process has been attempted. This study examines the factors that influence the college choice process of two-year college students and determines the variance these variables have on the two-year/four-year college choice dichotomy. Using the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) …

The Effects Of A Study Abroad/Mission Trip On The Faith Development Of College Students, Stephen T. Beers

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

The Multicultural Competence Of Resident Assistants In Christian Colleges And Universities, Dennis A. Sheridan, Hilma Anderson

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Sabbatical Year In Leviticus 25 And Its Implications For Academic Practice, Thomas G. Endres

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This article examines the concepts of Sabbatical Year and its connections with the concept as practiced in academia. First, the article examines the sabbatical year as portrayed in the Hebrew scriptures. Next, definitions and practices of the sabbatical year in academia is outlined. Finally, connections between the two forms of sabbatical is analyzed, with conclusions drawn about the role the Leviticus sabbatical can play in the understanding and execution of academic leave. While the purpose of the academic sabbatical year is quite different, academicians can learn from the lessons of Leviticus, and approach their leaves of absence with a more …

Taking The Pulse Of Communication Across The Curriculum: A View From The Trenches, Deanna P. Dannels

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

The article describes the status of the communication across the curriculum (CXC) movement from the perspectives of CXC directors across the U.S. as of May 2001. The participants in this study provide a breadth of information about the daily life of communication across the curriculum programs nationwide. Results of this study indicate the pulse of the movement is strong, yet there are still areas for growth. Increasingly, higher education scholars, faculty in other disciplines, and members of the public are calling for communication instruction and presenting new challenges for directors and scholars to address. If CXC programs are to be …

Answering The Call: The Story Of Community Service And Volunteerism At Sacred Heart University, Ralph L. Corrigan

Sacred Heart University Press Books

This volume chronicles the history of service and volunteer efforts through personal recollections, newspaper accounts, personal letters, documents and 26 pages of photos that capture Sacred Heart University's commitment to community service. Answering the Call includes chapters on the early years, the El Salvador connection, the 30,000 Hours project, the start of service-learning programs, and current service initiatives in Bridgeport. The book illustrates the University's preferential treatment for the poor and captures its passionate commitment to community service

Services Report Fy 2001, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Services Reports

This Service Report features: Information about The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research; Awards by College/Unit FY 1999 - 2001; Submissions by College/Unit, FY 1999 - 2001; and UNOmaha FY2001 External Grant Awards.

Attitudes, Perceptions, Behaviors And Responses Of Elementary Teachers With Varying Computer Proficiencies Toward A Technology Learning Model, Matthew S. Shoemaker

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to assess the attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, and responses of teachers with varying computer skills after exposure to the Technology Learning Model (TLM), as well as to assess the overall impact of the staff development experiences. The TLM was comprised of a researcher-designed, 10-session, 15- hour training implementation over 8 weeks. The two research questions of the study were: How will participants with varying computer skill levels respond to the TLM? How does the TLM affect participants' attitudes toward integration of computer technology into professional responsibilities?

The purposeful sample was drawn from teachers at …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Brian J. Truax

Graduate Research Papers

In this research paper, I will be reflecting on three major components: (a) my personal values, beliefs, and philosophies; (b) the necessary elements to be a better educator and administrator; and ( c) my personal vision for administrative practice. Some of these components will intermingle and others will stand on their own principles. These components will be affected by my previous experiences and the experiences that occur during the courses in the Masters of Arts in Education Program, in Educational Leadership.

University Reporter - Vol. 05, No. 05 - January 2001, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Elizabeth A. Wagner

Graduate Research Papers

The principalship is a collection of contradictory roles and responsibilities that requires knowledge and skills in many diverse areas. Paul Houston's (2001) description of society's expectations for a superintendent applies to the expectations for a principal as well: "The job is impossible because the expectations are unrealistic. We want one individual to be all and know all in a complex system" (p. 432). Today's principal is expected to effectively assume the roles of leader, educator, and manager (Speck, 1999), while creating "conditions that elicit the best from most students, teachers, and parents most of the time" (Barth, 1990, p. 64).

Post Doi Moi Urban Higher Education In The Socialist Republic Of Vietnam: The Case Of Hong Duc University, Jeanne Beth Natali

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is experiencing unprecedented peace and prosperity. Although Vietnam's war-damaged economy continued to decline for ten years after hostilities ended in 1975, everything changed in 1986 when doi moi, a moderate economic reform program, was introduced. Doi moi put enormous stress on higher education, whose function in the past had been to train workers for the state sector. Suddenly, higher education had to respond to the changing needs of Vietnamese society.

A 1992 educational sector study found that higher education was irrelevant to the needs of the transitional Vietnamese society. Universities were too small and …

Student Drug-Testing Effects In Selected Arkansas Secondary Schools, David D. Bangs

Theses and Dissertations

This study was to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in the mean number of student drug and alcohol discipline infractions among ten Arkansas high schools before and after an intervention of a mandatory random drug-testing intervention program for extracurricular activities. The assessment data used in this study were the totals of drug and alcohol discipline incidents or infractions at ten Arkansas secondary schools. The data collection was compiled from each school's administration using the state APSCN services. A survey instrument was completed with the appropriate annual data needed for the study. The annual data consisted of the …

Faculty Senate Librarian's Report-2001, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Librarian's Reports

No abstract provided.

2001-2002 Senate, Senate Committee, And University Committee Membershiip, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Membership Lists

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Minutes-2001

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.