Digital Commons Network^™

The Institutional Change Agency: The Expanding Role Of Academic Support Centers, Robert M. Diamond

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Higher education is going through significant changes stimulated by the rapid growth of the internet, tht increasing globalization of hightr education, and the ever-pressing question of institutional quality. New modts of educational dtlivery through virtual networks art breaking the traditional mold of instructional provision. New players, new pedagogies, and new paradigms are redefining higher education. The rules art changing, and there is increased pressure on institutions of higher education to evolve, adapt, or desist.

Leading Change: Creating A Culture Of Assessment, Patricia M. Dwyer

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In Leading Change, John Kotter (1996) outlines an eight-step process to effect major organizational change. At Shepherd College, the assessment process that evolved into a culture of assessment mirrors the sttps that Kotter describes. In 1998, Shepherd College found itself in a predicament that many colleges and universities can relate to: slated for an accreditation visit in 2002 with campus assessment efforts stalled at every turn. A new director organized an assessment task force, established a template for assessment plans and reports, and began grassroots education about assessment. Over the four years, a vision that aligned assessment with improving student …

Evidence Of The Transformational Dimensions Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning: Faculty Development Through The Eyes Of Sotl Scholars, Connie M. Schroeder

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This analysis began ftom two unlikely starting points: a favorite Marcel Proust quote below that has nothing to do with faculty development, but could, and Pat Hutchings (2000) descriptive quote, “The scholarship of teaching and learning [SoTL]is characterized by a transformational agenda” (p. 8). Do SoTL faculty development programs faster transformation? Is there evidence of a transformational process and transformative learning? The project summaries of eight SoTL scholars were analyzed for evidence of transformation. The evidence for transformation of landscapes of learning, teaching, scholarship, and self are explored ftom SoTL scholars’ perspectives in a faculty development program, providing insight into …

Teaching Partners: Improving Teaching And Learning By Cultivating A Community Of Practice, Richard A. Holmgren

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

The Teaching Partners Program and its follow-up activities demonstrate that a carefully designed faculty tkvelopment program can shift a campus culture to derive significant, measurable benefits for faculty and students. The program seeks to transform the imtitutional culture from one in which teaching is sequestered behind closed doors to one that supports substantive conversations about both the learning-teaching process and the methods by which that process might best be facilitated. Following Shulman’s (1993) lead, the program opens the doors of the classroom, reenvisions teaching as community property, and nurtures informed and sustaining discussion of teaching.

Fostering Diversity In A Faculty Development Organization, Mathew L. Ouellett, Christine A. Stanley

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

Since 1994, the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education (POD) has articulated a goal of becoming a more multicultural organization. In support of this goal, POD sponsors two key initiatives: travel and internship grants. This chapter offers an historical overview of the first nine years of these programs, selected perspectives from participants on the individual and organizational benefits of these initiatives, and a context within which to explore how POD is evolving as a multicultural organization and how it may benefit from increased attention to diversity related issues in the future.

Foucault And The Practice Of Educational Development: Power And Surveillance In Individual Consultations, Peter Felten, Diandra Little, Allison Pingree

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

A common goal of educational development is to create a neutral, “safe” place for clients in individual consultations. Such an approach, while well intentioned, obscures the multifaceted web of power threading through and around our work. Using Michel Foucault’s theories of sovereign and disciplinary power, we trace the forms that power can take in specific types of consultations (small group instructional diagnosis, course evaluations, and videotape). While power is always “dangerous,” it is less likely to be damaging if we are conscious of its presence and impact—and of our own participation in its complexity.

Journal Of Women In Educational Leadership, Vol. 2, No. 1-January 2004

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

No abstract provided.

Black Women Administrators In Historically Black Institutions: Social Justice Project Rooted In Community, Gaetan Jean-Marie

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Black women are subjected to both racism and sexism; those who achieve privileged status are also the targets of classism. Frazier (1957), in addressing issues of the Black bourgeoisie, said "the frustration of the majority of the women ... is probably due to the idle or ineffectual lives which they lead" (p. 222). These negative judgments are based on the gaze, in other words, who these women "look like" from the outside. We hear a different story when listening to the voices of Black women educators working for social change.

Women In The Superintendency: Opting In Or Opting Out?, Mimi Wolverton, R. Timothy Macdonald

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

The purpose of this article was to report the most common career path to the superintendency in the Northwest. We compared career paths across four subgroups of study participants-male and female superintendents and male and female certificate holders who were not superintendents. First, we sought commonalities in the routes chosen by current male and female superintendents in the study. Second, we examined the career choices of potential superintendency applicants to determine whether they were actually gaining the types of administrative experience required by school boards and search consultants. We concluded with implications for practice based on study findings.

A Preferred Vision For Leading Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Mark R. Sade

Graduate Research Papers

I have chosen education as my lifetime career because I believe education is, perhaps, the most important occupation within our culture. I believe teachers, individually and collectively, not only change the world, but also improve it. In the service to children, I find personal and professional renewal. I am proud to be part of this noble profession and want to be counted among those in whom future teachers can say they found inspiration.

University Reporter - Vol. 08, No. 05 - January 2004, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

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 …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Peer Mediation Program In An Elementary School Setting, Theresa M. Davidson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer mediation program on students with behavioral problems and conflicts using an action research design. Further, it informed teachers, administrators, parents, and the guidance department as to the progress of the program.

All students at Mennies Elementary School in Vineland had, if needed, the opportunity to be involved in the conflict resolution program. The participants in the program were in traditional, bilingual, and special education classes. All stakeholders served as the primary data-gathering instruments in the research. To determine if peer mediation improved the climate in …

Evaluation In-Service Program For Professional Development, Aida Colon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if an in-service would help the staff gain knowledge and experience in dealing and interacting with different languages and cultures that are represented in the school.

The staff was given an in-service, part of which placed them in different situations and required them to think and react to how they felt in that situation. There was a group of twenty students from different languages and cultures. The students spoke on how they felt being in a country where they did not understand the new culture and language. There was also a question …

Evaluating The Effectiveness And Use Of The Peer Mediation Program In The Galloway Township Middle School, Susan Kerrigan

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and use of the peer mediation program in the Galloway Township Middle School in order to improve the program and increase its use.

Data was gathered using four separate research instruments. These instruments included a survey, monitoring the Peer Mediation Reports and interviews with the building administrators and the schools peer mediators. These methods were used to obtain the students' and staff members' perceptions of the process regarding its use and ways to improve the program.

It was concluded that peer mediation is used and supported by the teachers and administrators, however, …

University Reporter - Vol. 07, No. 09 - May 2003, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Building A Professional Learning Community, Joanne T. Acerba

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of staff morale and student achievement levels through the formation of a professional learning community at the Ann A. Mullen Middle School in Sicklerville, New Jersey.

The project involved an analysis of the current school culture through small group and individual interviews, a survey, and an examination of the most recent standardized test scores. The researcher involved the entire staff in the creation of a shared mission statement as well as a shared vision statement to form the building blocks of a professional learning community. Teacher study groups were formed, …

The Integration Of Personnel And Budgetary Software Databases At Upper Deerfield Township Schools, Bruce D. Harbinson

Theses and Dissertations

To better serve district needs, the business office developed integrated personnel and budget relational database applications that have the capability to store, compile, forecast, report, and seamlessly transfer in real time. The Microsoft Access server-based programs produce most mandated state and district reports and have the flexibility to incorporate new informational data fields to meet the demands of the ever-changing roles and accountabilities in today's educational field.

The research project is utilizing expert non-probability sampling because the stakeholders have demonstrable experience and expertise in this particular area or field and the population is the same size as the sample. The …

Analysis Of Instructional Technology In The Runnemede School District, David Gentile

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of technology as a tool of instructional delivery. The results informed teachers, administrators, and board members of their current technology status and served in the development of future goals. The goal of the study was to survey the professional teaching staff to gather input and create a focus group to analyze the results.

The Intern surveyed the professional teaching staff at the Volz Middle School to assess how technology was being used to deliver instruction in the Runnemede Public School District. The Intern interviewed a focus group to …

An Integration Approach To Character Education In The High School, Janet T. Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

Character education provides many opportunities for students to learn how to be responsible citizens in their schools and communities by developing moral and virtuous traits. However, this path to maturity seems to create many challenges for today's students. Recent events in public schools and today's society have demonstrated that society has failed to adequately help students to meet these challenges. Although blame can be placed on the family or schools, schools must address the dilemma and try to correct it. The implementation of a character education program at the high school level and the incorporation of this program into the …

Parental Involvement As A Tool To Lower Repeat Suspension Offenses, Steven W. Price

Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement in education has been sought after for decades. The purpose of this study was to involve parents in the discipline process and thereby reduce repeat discipline offense. The intern offered the opportunity for involvement to the parents of tenth grade students who received their first out-of-school suspension. The study took place during the first semester of the 2002- 2003 school year. Parents were asked to participate in this study by answering a short survey and by discussing the incident with their child at home.

The sample population included all of the tenth grade students. A limited sample included …

School Reform: The Impact On Teaching Practices, Carol J. Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of school reform on teaching practices at the Middle School of Pleasantville. The district, a special needs (Abbott district), receives 85% of its funding from the state, therefore must provide all children with a "Thorough and Efficient" education.

The overall approach of this study was to use a survey to investigate the effects of school reform on teaching practices. Thirty teachers of grades 5-8, representing a variety of subject areas, completed a survey. The survey was used to determine if professional development provided teachers with effective support throughout the change …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Crisis Management For The Staff Of The Uptown School Complex, Michele Tourigian-Mcgettigan

Theses and Dissertations

The Uptown School Complex has a crisis management plan that needs to be reviewed, updated, and practiced by staff members. In the past year, our country has gone through radical changes with security and crisis management that also need to be addressed in our schools. The focus of this study is to ensure that all staff members are aware of the current crisis management plan and to revise and update the plan.

The purpose of this study is to provide a highly effective organizational unit for dealing with a variety of crises by evaluating the effectiveness of the current crisis …

An Analysis Of The Relationships Between The Perceived Organizational Climate And Professional Burnout In Libraries And Computing Centers In West Virginia Public Higher Education Institutions, Arnold R. Miller

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between the perceived organizational climate and professional burnout in libraries and computing services units in West Virginia higher education. Research questions were defined to investigate the differences between libraries and computing services units in the perceived organizational climate, professional burnout, organizational climate vs. burnout, demographics vs. organizational climate, demographics vs. burnout, and the combined effects of demographics and organizational climate upon burnout. The Work Environment Scale (WES) Form R, third edition, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) HSS, third edition, and a demographic questionnaire measured the organizational climate, burnout, and demographics. …

Predictors Of Employer Satisfaction With Workplace-Based Contract Training Programs At Community And Technical Colleges In West Virginia, Mark Edward Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Workplace-based contract training for employers is a growing area of the mission of community and technical colleges across the nation, and determining what factors predict satisfaction for sponsoring organizations may help ensure the success of such programs. This is especially important in West Virginia, where higher education legislation in 1995 and 2000 mandated such programming as essential. State institutions that fail in this area may lose their status as independent colleges. Community and technical colleges, therefore, that use data from this study may be able to design and deliver workplace-based contract education and training programs, using limited existing resources, efficiently …

University Reporter - Vol. 07, No. 05 - January 2003, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Development And Implementation Of The University Of Northern Iowa's “Students First” Capital Campaign: A Case Study, Cornelius Anthony Castain

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A case study was conducted of The University of Northern Iowa's Students First 100 million-dollar comprehensive capital campaign. This study examined the predominant forces, activities, and participants associated with employing the capital campaign strategy at a public comprehensive university. When, how, and in what sequence did these major forces, activities, and participants converge to develop and implement the capital campaign? The study also describes major challenges incurred during the campaign cycle. The initial interview questionnaire was adapted from a study by Leonard Moisan (1986) of the University of Virginia's capital campaign. Seventeen people were interviewed including the President, development staff, …

University Reporter - Vol. 07, No. 03.2 (Special Edition) - December 2002, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Seizing The Moment: Creating A Changed Society And University Through Outreach, Judith A. Ramaley

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This conference is built on two very interesting premises; first, that university outreach can change society and second, that outreach can also change the university. What is the mechanism by which this mutual influence can occur? What does the university offer the community, and what does the community offer the university? The short answer is--the opportunity to learn in the company of others in a situation where learning has consequences.

Organizational Persistence And Change: A Case Study Of A Community College, Paula L. Welmers

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This longitudinal case study examined the origins, growth, and development of one community college in Michigan, North Central Michigan College (NCMC). The purpose of the study was to understand organizational persistence and change through learning how one organization formed and developed over time.

Five eras between 1958 and 1995 were described, and a conceptual frame considered three levels of organizational responsibility: national, state, and local environments; core technology activities; and leadership activities. Core technology activities were further analyzed using eight indicators of centrality and marginality: a) policy, b) number and type of employees, c) dedicated facilities; d) funding source, e) …