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Through Smoke And Mirrors: Constructing Identity Between The Myths Of Black Inferiority And A Post-Racial America, Gwyneira Yvette Dixon Ledford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an inquiry into my life. It is an exploration of my lived experience as an African American female negotiating through traditions in Southern culture and societal pressures to create a positive identity. Using autobiographical narrative (Connelly, He, & Phillion, 2008, Pinar, 2008) as a methodology and Black Feminist Thought (Collins, 2000), double consciousness (DuBois, 1903), and the Nigrescence Theory of black identity development (Cross, 1991) as the theoretical framework, I examine my experiences from childhood to adulthood. Through these narrations, I note paradigm shifts in my thinking that identify the psychological struggles between feeling racially inferior and …

K-12 Principals' Perceptions Of Their Technology Leadership Preparedness, Wendy Burns Metcalf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adopting technology in the K-12 classroom has moved from adapting lessons that highlight a technology to pervasive use of interactive and handheld devices. This instruction-technology connection creates high expectations to engage today's learners and transform education to support 21st century skills. School leaders have the complex task of incorporating technologies to enhance teaching and learning. The 2009 NETS-A standards were used to define the dimensions of leader preparedness for a technology-rich environment. The research design used a quasi-experimental quantitative study to identify leaders' perceptions of technology leadership preparedness and to determine the impact of one program, the Quality-Plus Leader Academy …

The Relationship Between Teacher Empowerment And Student Achievement, Valerie Denise Squire-Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between teacher empowerment and student achievement. Participants in this study were administered the School Participant Empowerment Scale (SPES); this scale measures teacher empowerment on six dimensions: decision making; professional growth; status; self-efficacy; autonomy; and impact (Martin Crossland, & Johnson, 2001). The participants' mean score of the 2010-2011 Criterion Referenced Competency Test scores (CRCT) were used as a measure of student achievement. The SPES were distributed to teachers in five middle schools in one school district in Georgia. The response rate for this study was 85.2 percent. A Pearson Correlation was …

Leveling The Playing Field: Curriculum Studies And Fast Pitch Softball, Melinda M. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women in sport challenge our cultural assumptions about gender and sexuality. Athletics has been viewed as a male domain, with its emphasis on strength, agility, competition, intellect, and aggression. To play sports, women are pressured to maintain and emphasize their femininity without appearing overly aggressive or possessing masculine traits associated with sport, particularly in the team sport of softball. This research examines the expectations a patriarchal society places on young women who play sports competitively and how such expectations with regards to femininity in both behavior and appearance influence a young female athlete's identity formation. Through the lenses of gender …

The Stares To Achievement: African American Youth Resist Risk And Rhetoric To Achieve Academic Success, Ch́E Yvette Wyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For African American students, academic achievement is often discussed in terms of student deficits and cultural deficiencies. Citing high dropout rates and the achievement gap, focus is often centered on understanding African American achievement in terms of school failures. As such, African American students are, at times, recognized negatively in terms of their academic abilities. Moving away from this deficit perspective of understanding African American students and their school achievement, this study examines the standpoint of six African American students who, despite possessing characteristics that complicated their school experiences, achieved success. Interrupting common discourse and recognizing these students as holders …

A Description Of Accommodations, Modifications, And Forms Of Assessments In Middle Schools That Made Adequate Yearly Progress In An Urban County During 2010, Quinton Joel Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities (SWD) have frequently been one of the subgroups not to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) in middle schools. If one subgroup does not meet the required objectives for meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), the entire school does not meet AYP. The purpose of this study was to identify accommodations, modifications, and forms of assessments that inclusion teachers find useful in middle schools that made adequately yearly progress. The researcher conducted a quantitative study. This study was a descriptive study using survey data. A total of 78 inclusion teachers participated in the study. The data indicated that inclusion …

Leadership That Fosters A Culture Of High Achievement Of African American Students, Alexis Q. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the sequential, explanatory, mixed methods study was to examine leadership behaviors in the traditional theme schools and their relationship to the culture of high student achievement of African American students. The sample included teachers and principals working in five elementary traditional theme schools with predominately African American populations in one urban school district in the Southeastern United States. The quantitative component of the study was driven by the teacher survey using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) published by Hallinger. The qualitative portion of the study consisted of interviews with each school principal. The teachers' perceptions …

Identifying Best Practices For Student Success In Developmental Education In Georgia, Rodney B. Carr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two-year colleges have long enrolled students who are academically underprepared. A key component of the mission of the two-year college is open-access. This overarching mission drives more than 60% of enrollment in developmental education. The national successful completion rate of required developmental education coursework is less than 60%. This study identifies institutions within the University System of Georgia with more than 60% of total student enrollment in developmental education and with an overall successful completion rate of more than 60% as well as the practices that guide these developmental education programs. Two highly effective institutions (HEI) were identified and evaluated …

Elementary Teacher Decisions And Effects Of Years Of Experience, Debra Deann Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A wide range of decisions must be made in schools every day. Many of these decisions are made by administrators; however, teachers can and should be involved in decision-making at the school level. Teachers are professionals and should be provided the autonomy to make decisions that they believe are in the best interest of their students, schools, and profession. This research study surveyed certified elementary teachers to determine which types of decisions they desired to participate in making and to determine if years of teaching experience impacted teachers' willingness to participate in certain types of decisions. This study provides elementary …

Stakeholder's Perceptions Of Supplemental Online Learning For Credit Recovery, Theresa Jeanne Pettyjohn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

District decision-makers and school leaders are faced with the challenge of evaluating various options to support at-risk students who are in danger of not graduating with their peers. Supplemental online learning is considered an innovative means of assisting students with credit recovery. Virtual schools and commercial curriculum providers have enumerated the benefits of online learning; however, the majority of the research has been conducted on post-secondary learners. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand stakeholders' perceptions of the benefits and challenges of high school supplemental online learning for credit recovery. This qualitative study employed a single case …

The Effect Of Classroom Structure And Practice On Transition To Middle School, Eric Paul Schexnaildre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passage from elementary school to middle school, along with physical, social, and emotional changes associated with adolescence, often results in personal and social, organizational, and academic declines. The classroom structure of elementary school varies between a team teaching setting and a self-contained setting, and each instructional environment has the potential to impact all areas of development for each student. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fifth grade classroom setting (team teaching vs. self-contained) and sixth grade student behavior. The gender and the socio-economic status of transitioning students also served as variables of the study. …

A Qualitative Study: Understanding The Value Of Formal Leadership Preparation Programs To Novice Principals, Marty Kent Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to understand the value of formal leadership preparation programs as described by novice principals. The study focused on the lived experiences of the eight principals and their reflection of their formal leadership preparation experiences as they transitioned into the role of principal. Through a series of semi-structured interview questions, individual responses revealed leadership preparation experiences were beneficial and highly valued by novice principals. Formal experiences such as internships, mentoring relationships, shadowing experiences and educational leadership coursework were described as building blocks for novice principals. The results of this study state that leaders …

Leadership Orientations Of Female School Superintendents: A Multidimensional Framework Perspective, Patricia Susan Tillman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As school districts struggle to find qualified superintendents to lead their systems to meet recent high-stakes accountability measures, it has been noted throughout history that few females attain this position, both nationally and in the state of Georgia. The organizational leadership behaviors of these administrators have been abundantly scrutinized in research; however, much of this research has been limited to the white male population. The primary purpose of this study was to describe to what extent female superintendents in Georgia exhibit leadership behaviors within Bolman and Deal's (2008) four organizational frames. A secondary purpose of this study was to create …

Class Size And Academic Achievement, Kristy Chandler Vandenberg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this two-phase, sequential mixed methods (QUAN-qual) approach was to analyze the relationship between class size and academic achievement in rural, economically disadvantaged third grade classrooms and how teachers perceive class size as affecting their instructional and classroom management methods. Data collection and analysis for the study involved 3,812 third grade students in 204 classrooms collected from nine rural, economically disadvantaged school districts in the southeastern region of Georgia. Additionally, a researcher-developed questionnaire was used to collect data from third grade teachers teaching in the same nine rural, economically disadvantaged school districts. Initial correlation analyses indicated a positive …

Settling And Laying Down: A Cultural History Of Quakers In Savannah And Statesboro, Georgia, Jonathan Hoyt Harwell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive cultural history follows a hybrid methodology often applied to ethno-histories. This approach combines archival research, oral history, and ethnography, with reflexive aspects. I explore some similarities and differences between two Quaker meetings in Southeast Georgia, the small but growing urban meeting in Savannah and a discontinued rural one in the small college town of Statesboro (that sometimes met in the village of Guyton). These case studies of local and personal histories, combined with my observations as a participant in the life of the community, are designed to illuminate fine details of Quaker culture in the recent Deep South.

The Diver's Distance, Aristide Zezouma Sanou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The visual assessment of clustering tendency (VAT) method, which was developed by J. C. Bezdek, R. J. Hathaway and J. M. Huband uses a reordering of the rows and columns of a dissimilarity matrix; it then displays the ordered dissimilarity matrix (ODM) as a 2D gray-level image called an ordered dissimilarity image (ODI). Al- though successful in determining potential clustering structure of various data sets, the technique offers room for improvement. In this thesis, we propose a new proximity measure called the diver's distance which is defined based on concepts in graph theory. We then theoretically study the diver's distance …

The Second Roman Revolution: A Study In Religious Policy From 250-325 C.E., Daniel Francis Diamond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The late third century and the early fourth century in the Roman Empire was a period of profound change. The Romans struggled with several internal crises as well as constant harassment from foreign enemies. Because of this downturn, several emperors attempted to consolidate more control over several areas, including economics, the military, bureaucracy, and religion. While these episodes in political and social change are regarded among scholars a watershed moment in history, most historians refuse to acknowledge this era as a revolutionary period. This paper focuses on one aspect of change that occurred during this period, religion. Using a carefully …

Intentional Internationalization Of Higher Education: A Strategic Institutional Response To Globalization, Adrian Raul Cornelius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Campus internationalization is increasingly becoming a profitable strategy used by colleges and universities to counteract the transformative effects of globalization on higher education. As institutions begin to rely more heavily on this dimension of their organizational programming, it becomes essential that they engage in the best possible planning practices to ensure a systematic and sustainable initiative. Failure to plan effectively might derail expectations and compromise institutional viability. The literature investigation of this study suggests that organizational intentionality might be a useful strategy for systemic internationalization planning. The purpose of this mixed-methods study, therefore, was to determine how organizational intentionality has …

Impact Of Alcohol Skills Training Program On College Fraternity Members' Drinking Behaviors, Katherine Joy Hamm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the Alcohol Skills Training Program on college fraternity members' drinking behaviors and to attempt to ascertain what elements of the program may lead to change in behavior. A secondary purpose was to try to understand the role that chapter culture might play in the success of the program in changing college fraternity members' drinking behaviors. A mixed methods approach, with the results of quantitative data analysis informing the qualitative portion of the study, was utilized by the researcher. -- The researcher in this study did not find evidence to …

Rti Implementation: Identifying The Barriers And Best Practices, Kathleen Ann Leaver

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although the Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEIA) was re-authorized in 2004 and permitted the use of RTI as part of the eligibility process, few states and districts have begun to implement it appropriately, let alone assess and ameliorate RTI processes effectively. RTI is basically a problem-solving process. As students move higher up the tiers, instruction and behavioral management techniques are tailored to suit their needs. The effective educator seeks appropriate instruction for all students. Effective RTI practices could remediate at-risk students' difficulties, increase student scores on accountability tests, and improve identification of student with disabilities (SWD) Educators are responsible …

Factors That Impact The Achievement Gap Between African American Male And Female Siblings, Evelyn B. Gamble-Hilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined factors that impact the achievement gap between American male and African American female siblings. The researcher gathered data through interviews and academic artifacts consisting of Georgia's writing test for grades 8th and 11th, the 8th grade Criteria Reference Competency Test results, and Georgia High School Graduation test requirements. Through this qualitative research, participants including : African American male and African American female siblings, African American parents, teachers, and administrators were able to explain personal experiences that impacted the academic success of African American males and African American female siblings. The African American male and African American female …

Moments When The Weak Gained Ground: Viral Video As A Curriculum Of People, Michael J. Ryan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: The public school curriculum has devolved into merely being a political football for the forces of the dominant culture, no longer even attempting to serve the People of the community or the students that the school ostensibly should serve. In the absence of a curriculum that is meaningful to People, another curriculum has spontaneously appeared outside of school via shared online media between social networks. This new curriculum, identified by a relatively wide viewership and its challenge to social injustice, oppressive conventions or hegemonic forces, is a curriculum of viral videos shared because of their meaning and cogence …

Principals And The Professional Victim Syndrome, James G. Pulos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Principals today are constantly in the public eye. Every decision made subjects him/her to the scrutiny of staff and faculty, students, central office personnel, parents, community members, and board members. Contemporary principals are asked by their superintendents to lead reform efforts effectively or face the possibility of dismissal. Principals often face the dilemma of balancing politics in an effort to appease board members and the superintendent while simultaneously implementing critical change efforts in their schools. Hess and Kelly (2005) suggested that as principals attempt to lead reform efforts, they often go blindly into these positions unprepared and enter the principalship …

Institutional Factors Contributing To The Under-Representation Of African American Women In Higher Education: Perceptions Of Women In Leadership Positions, Kimberly Ann Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

he purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of African American women who have obtained senior leadership positions in Predominantly White Higher Education Institutions. Data were collected through open-ended, phenomenological-oriented interviews with 12 African American women holding senior level positions in both academic and student affairs in the north and southeast parts of the United States. This study focused on the perceived institutional barriers that have contributed to the under-representation of African American women in higher education senior administration and strategies that were used to overcome perceived barriers. Critical Race Theory was used as a …

How Georgia Elementary School Principals Manage Difficult Teachers, Tim M. Tilley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this study is to ascertain how elementary school principals deal with difficult teachers. Two sub-questions were addressed in the study: what the different types of difficult teachers that elementary school principals encounter were and what types of strategies elementary principals found to be effective when dealing with difficult teachers. This study provides information for principals on how to deal with difficult teachers. The researcher found there to be minimal research in this area. A qualitative method in the phenomenological tradition was utilized to explore how elementary school principals deal with difficult teachers. Ten principals from a …

High School Administrators' Perception Of The Effectiveness Of Professional Development, Rodney J. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The importance of professional development has been emphasized in recent legislation and accountability acts. As Georgia competes for Race to the Top Funds, high school administrators are being required to attend various professional development activities. These may address the new teacher evaluation system, common core, and techniques on how to close the gap between high-achieving students and students with a learning disability. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to understand high school administrators’ perceptions of the effectiveness of professional development. This qualitative study used a case study design with purposive sampling. Participants included twelve high school administrators currently …

Factors Associated With Adult Literacy Student Outcomes In Campus-Based Versus Community-Based Programs, Charles Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Georgia, the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) formally trains over 100,000 adult literacy students each year free of charge at a variety of campus-based and community-based programs located at community centers, churches, libraries, or businesses. A common, yet unproven, assumption among senior administrators and adult literacy faculty members at TCSG colleges is that adults who attend literacy classes embedded in the traditional college campus environment have better academic outcomes than those who attend only community-based programs. However, a gap currently exists in the literature with respect to a clear understanding of which student outcome variables are impacted when …

Parent Perceptions Of The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, Charity C. Roberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author's abstract: The purpose of this study was to understand both contributors and barriers to use of the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB10). Although SB10 was designed to offer parental choice of schools for students with disabilities, it has diminished the capacity of parents to access due process granted through IDEA. Perspectives in this study were provided by parents who chose to rescind their child's participation in the voucher program and parents who continued to access the voucher. Analysis of the lived experiences of parents of students with disabilities in Georgia revealed both similar and diverse experiences, perceptions and concerns …

Principals Roles And Responsibilities In Technology Integration In Rural Georgia, Christie Dunham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the elementary school principal’s roles and responsibilities in the use of technology for instructional purposes in Title I rural schools. Three principals, three technology coordinators and 8 teachers in the Southeastern area of Georgia participated in the study. Interview questions for the participants were created after a careful review of the literature on the subject and with input from leadership professors at Georgia Southern University. An analysis was conducted on data provided by the participants from the interview questionnaire and analyzed as separate entities to authenticate results.

Data from principals’ interviews …

Presidential Strategy: Analyzing The National Security Stategies Of The United States, Aaron Dilday

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Second World War forced American politicians to reevaluate the nation's security preparedness. This resulted in the National Security Act of 1947, which, among many things, created the National Security Council and an ad hoc system for American strategy-making. The Cold War revealed many of the deficiencies in this strategy-making system. The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 sought to reform the nation's defense establishment to meet the evolving needs of the Cold War; part of this included revision of strategic development. Section 603 of Goldwater-Nichols required the president to annually submit to Congress a national security strategy …