Digital Commons Network^™

A School District's Change To Standards-Based Grading: A Conduit To Student Learning, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

Nothing can be more important in a student’s learning process than feedback. This study looks at what is needed to effectively guide an elementary school district from a traditional letter grade system to a standards-based grading system. Survey data were collected from 91 teachers across the district in order to measure their understanding of standards-based grading. A standards-based grading pilot was conducted with six teachers from the elementary and middle school level. Four of these six teachers participated in a group interview to share perceptions of this pilot. Survey data were collected from the 54 students involved in the pilot. …

Transforming A School's Culture Through Collaboration, Relationships, And Shared Values: A Change Leadership Plan, Robert Tomic

Dissertations

The change leadership paper centers around transforming a school culture with the focus being on collaboration, relationships, and shared values among its stakeholders.Building trust among staff and administration while making daily decisions based on the same value system is necessary to enact an effective transformation. Tools used to collect data included the School Culture Triage Survey and the Teacher Belief Survey. The staff completed the School Culture Triage Survey to establish baseline data and then completed the survey a second time with the results confirming growth in the three main categories: professional collaboration, collegial relationships, and self-determination. Correlating and comparing …

Implementing Standards-Based Grading In A Suburban Middle School: A Change Leadership Plan, Cody Huisman

Dissertations

The purpose of the Change Leadership Plan was to describe a current issue facing a school district, creating a vision of change to end that obstacle. In the case of this particular change plan, the problem is the traditional grading system at a suburban middle school. The plan advocates for a change to a standards-based grading system. Several steps describing change are examined: describing the current situation, conducting research to support change, and designing a vision of what success will look like after standards-based grading is established. The research conducted was done through both surveys and group interviews. Research participants …

2016 China Food Law Update, Michael T. Roberts, Ching-Fu Lin

Journal of Food Law & Policy

This update of China food law builds on a unique feature for the Journal of Food Law & Policy that has been provided since the Journal's inception - separate food law updates for both the United States and European Union. "Recognizing the globalness of the modem food system, these updates have served an invaluable role in keeping scholars and practitioners abreast of the world's leading food regulatory systems." China's emergence as a developed, modem food regulatory system with the potential of being a leading food regulatory system makes sense given its position as a world economic powerhouse. China's role in …

Developing An Abac-Based Grant Proposal Workflow Management System, Milson Munakami

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In the advent of the digital transformation, online business processes need to be automated and modeled as workflows. A workflow typically involves a sequence of coordinated tasks and shared data that need to be secured and protected from unauthorized access. In other words, a workflow can be described simply as the movement of documents and activities through a business process among different users. Such connected flow of information among various users with different permission level offers many benefits along with new challenges. Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated as skilled and motivated attackers both insiders and outsiders are equipped with …

The Case For Cultural Proficiency For Teachers Of Students Of Color Who Live In Poverty: A Policy Advocacy Document, Perry A. Finch

Dissertations

This document explores how expanding educators’ cultural proficiency leads to increased learning opportunities for students of color who live in poverty. Through the development of culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, teachers might increase their abilities to meet the needs of previously disenfranchised students. A connection exists between differentiated instruction and culturally responsive instruction, as both require a heightened understanding of students’ schema, interests, and culture. This policy argues that increasing educators’ cultural proficiency should not be done simply to increase teacher effectiveness with instruction but rather because it is a moral obligation of schools.

Understanding The Effects Of Summer School, Technology, And 21st Century Skills On Student Academics, Jennifer Camilleri

Dissertations

District XYZ has hosted traditional summer school for more than 20 years to assist students not quite ready to advance to the next grade. The district has become more diverse, and many students end the school year without solid mastery of that grade’s objectives. Therefore, summer school is a pivotal time for these students who have not mastered the grade-level content to gain a solid foundation before moving on to the next grade. Because of both the changing needs of the district’s student population and the relatively short amount of time in which summer school occurs, technological tools that can …

Mobile Appointment Reminders In Patient-Centered Care: Design And Evaluation, Ying Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Reminder systems have great potential to enhance healthcare outcome if it can facilitate collaborative appointment management with accessible mobile communication technology in patient-centered care. Yet, Current appointment reminder systems are effective but not optimal (McLean, et al. 2016). Following the design science process delineated by Peffers et al. (2007) and other requirements, this study proposes a design of reciprocal reminder system that automates the process of appointment rescheduling for healthcare providers and patients in addition to confirmation and cancellation. Based on the premises of media synchronicity theory, media naturalness theory and stakeholder theory as kernel theories, this study develops a …

Leadership Practices Of Supervisory Employees: An Exploration Of Current Practices At A Southeastern Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Melissa M. Zimmerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the nation’s healthcare system moves through the 21^st century, unprecedented changes are occurring on both a local and global stage. Healthcare organizations are faced with creating and implementing leadership strategies to enhance the overall patient experience. When coupled with the need to ensure increased nurse job satisfaction, improved cost-effectiveness and healthy organizational cultures with fiscally sound budgets, improvement work has led efforts to ensure effective leadership techniques are used across an agency.

This task may be viewed as commonplace for some organizations, while others may perceive this process as a complete paradigm shift from historical practices related to …

Thriving In Intercultural Interactions As An Antecedent Of Organizational Creativity And Innovation, Małgorzata Rozkwitalska

European Management Studies

The aim of the paper is to depict the role of thriving in intercultural interactions as an antecedent of organizational creativity and innovation in multinational corporations (MNCs). The theoretical framework for the discourse is based on social learning and social cognitive theories, cognitive dissonance and information-processing theory. The paper is a conceptual type and its relevance to the topic of corporate entrepreneurship is emphasized. It both portrays the theoretical background as well as summarizes the results of the studies on thriving, creativity and innovation in intercultural interactions, proposing a conceptual framework concerning the above links. Finally, it provides conclusions and …

Through The Looking Glass: Foundation Evaluation And Learning And The Quest For Strategic Learning, Suzanne Kennedy Leahy, Sandra Wegmann, Lexi Nolen

The Foundation Review

Strategic learning, a critical if relatively new lens for philanthropy, is neither simple nor efficient to institutionalize or practice yet — foundations are still figuring out how to do it well. In 2015, the Episcopal Health Foundation launched a project to distill lessons about how leading foundations configure evaluation and learning, and how they allocate related responsibilities in support of strategic learning.

This article addresses different models that foundations use to establish and staff evaluation and learning functions, what other organizational considerations they should take into account in order to prioritize strategic-learning work, and what tools and approaches can be …

K-12 Christian School Sustainability: Leadership Practices, Neal Capone

Education Doctoral

K-12 Christian schools in the United States are experiencing decreases in enrollment and an increasing number of closures. This qualitative phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of the leadership practices of K-12 Christian school leaders in the United States. Six K-12 Christian schools located in the United States were identified as sustainable and their school leaders were interviewed. The leadership practices involved in managing their respective schools were studied and analyzed using three phases: in vivo coding, pattern coding, and code weaving. Findings showed that the school leaders worked within a supportive board governance structure in which …

Leveling The Playing Field: Teacher Perception Of Integrated Stem, Engineering, And Engineering Practices, Bridgette Fincher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and approaches of 14 third-through-fifth grade Arkansan elementary teachers towards integrative engineering and engineering practices during 80 hours of integrated STEM professional development training in the summer and fall of 2014. This training was known as Project Flight. The purpose of the professional development was to learn integrated STEM content related to aviation and to write grade level curriculum units using Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design curriculum framework. The current study builds upon on the original research.

Using a mixed method exploratory, embedded QUAL[quan] case study design and a …

Organizational Health, Organizational Commitment, Tarek Tume Atua, Amenah Abdul Kareem Mahdi

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Due to increased interest on organizations and the human element, organizational and environmental aspects of the organization Has been analyzed, and behavioral aspects of the members and what is the impact of each on the other, To give the recipe interaction between the organization and its environment, in order to bring about change in behavior appeared the concept of organizational health as a concept in a modern organizations, Either the organization to be stimulating good, healthy, and then called healthy organization Or that the situation be frustrating it is not good and unhealthy, so the cause of tension and anxiety, …

Impact Of Isp, Bpr, And Customization On Erp Performance In Manufacturing Smes Of Korea, Soon-Goo Hong, Keng Siau, Jong-Weon Kim

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Purpose: This paper aims to assess how enterprise resource planning (ERP) performance of Korean small and medium enterprises in manufacturing differs according to different levels of business process reengineering (BPR), information strategic planning (ISP) and ERP customization. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was carried out in this research. Responses from 96 small and medium manufacturing companies that have adopted ERP systems were analyzed. Findings: The results of this study suggest that ISP and BPR implementation are positively correlated to ERP performance. Originality/value: While consulting and customization costs have positive impacts on ERP performance, the level of customization does not influence performance. …

Enhancing Identity Development At Senior Service Colleges, Thomas P. Galvin Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

Identity development is touted as an important leader development need, but it often gets short shrift in professional military education (PME) environments, including the Senior Service Colleges (SSC). The inculcation of professional values, resiliency, and critical and reflective thought are essential to properly operationalizing the skills and knowledge learned in an SSC, but they are highly subjective, difficult to measure, and therefore difficult to develop educational activities around. New policies for officer and civilian professional education include provisions for developing leaders, such as the recent inclusion of six Desired Leader Attributes (DLAs) in the Joint officer PME continuum, but it …

Improvements To Micro-Contact Performance And Reliability, Tod V. Laurvick

Theses and Dissertations

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) based devices, and specifically microswitches, continue to offer many advantages over competing technologies. To realize the benefits of micro-switches, improvements must be made to address performance and reliability shortfalls which have long been an issue with this application. To improve the performance of these devices, the micro-contacts used in this technology must be understood to allow for design improvements, and offer a means for testing to validate this technology and determine when such improvements are ready for operational environments. To build devices which are more robust and capable of continued operation after billions of cycles requires that …

“In Principle We Have Agreement, But In Practice It Is A Bit More Difficult": Obtaining Organizational Buy-In To Patient-Centered Medical Home Transformation, Janelle Applequist, Michelle Miller-Day, Peter F. Cronholm, Robert Gabbay, Deborah S. Bowen

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of care that emphasizes the coordination of patient treatment among health care providers. Practice transformation to this model, however, presents a number of challenges. One of these challenges is getting the buy-in of all personnel to commit to making organizational changes in the journey to becoming a nationally recognized medical home. This study investigated internal messages of buy-in as communicated by practices transitioning to this type of care. Grounding itself in stakeholder theory, this study analyzed interviews with staff, administration, and practitioners from 20 medical practices in a mid-Atlantic state. The analysis …

Stem Education Discrepancy In The United States And Singapore, Elizabeth K. Worsham, Aaron Clevenger, Kelly A. Whealan-George

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

One of the hottest topics over the past several years has been science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The United States is lagging behind in the STEM education rankings as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, ranked second overall in math and science based on the Program of International Student Assessment. Even as such a small country, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world, one of the busiest ports, and is a leader in the science and technology market. One factor of this is the family life and the culture that …

Journal Of Research, Assessment, And Practice In Higher Education (Volume 1, Issue 1)

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

Full Issue (34 pages, 0.74 MB)

Utilization Of Change Theory To Implement An Appreciative Advising Model, Matthew A. Cooney, Joseph Pernick, Kelsey Rice, Emily A. Monago

Journal of Research, Assessment, and Practice in Higher Education

It is important that student affairs professionals lead organizational changes to provide the best service to students in light of outside factors. Utilizing a theoretical model for participating in organizational change can enhance the ability for a change to meet its intended outcomes.

This article details how the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Bowling Green State University utilized John Kotter's eight step change model to implement an appreciative advising model. Information on appreciative advising, the eight-step change model, and the implementation is provided.

Approach Towards Bpm Adoption Under Hierarchy-Market Culture: A Case Study, Brina Buh, Mojca Indihar Štemberger

Economic and Business Review

Organizational culture affects the success of business process management (BPM) adoption. Since organizational culture is very difficult to change, organizations should adapt their approach towards BPM adoption to suit the existing organizational culture. The aim of this paper is to find out what approach towards BPM adoption might be appropriate in an organization with Hierarchy-Market culture. For this, we conducted a case study of a large insurance company in South-East Europe. Our findings show that elements, such as formal and well organized approach, and emphasis on benefits of BPM contributed to BPM adoption success in the studied organization with Hierarchy-Market …

Expanding The Model Of Organizational Learning: Scope, Contingencies, And Dynamics, Barbara Grah, Vlado Dimovski, Charles C. Snow, Judita Peterlin

Economic and Business Review

Our paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of organizational learning by (a) integrating existing models of organizational learning into a single model and (b) expanding the model to include inter-organizational learning, adding key contingencies suggested by the growing literature on neuroleadership, and incorporating a process dimension to reflect the fact that organizational learning is continuous and dynamic. The resulting expanded model of organizational learning encompasses four levels on which learning can occur: individual, team, organizational, and inter-organizational. The overall validity of the model is illustrated by applying it to two knowledge-intensive Slovenian firms. Implications for theory and practice are …

The Effect Of Teaching Strategies And Learning Environment On Certification Exam Pass Rates In Dietetic Education, Debra Head

Theses and Dissertations

The obligation for preparing competent graduates begins with an educational experience in an environment that promotes optimal learning. An important outcome of successful health professions education is the passage of the certification exam. The objective of this study was to evaluate learning outcomes and teaching strategies and the effect on certification exam pass rate in dietetic education programs. A non-experimental associational cross-sectional mixed methods design was chosen for the study in order to gather objective data through the use of the previously validated Constructivist Learning Environment Survey. A 30 item electronic survey was administered to faculty in dietetic education programs …

Psychiatric Clinicians’ Perspectives On Continuing Education (Ce) Programming In Rural Maine, Charles Michael Wakeling

All Theses And Dissertations

There are a variety of barriers that psychiatric clinicians face when attempting to attend continuing education programming. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore continuing education practices within the health care industry, specifically mental health care, with a focus on psychiatric clinicians’ perspectives on continuing education programming in rural Maine. For the purposes of this research study, mental health care was inclusive of behavioral health care and substance abuse treatment. This study defined the term “psychiatric clinician” to be inclusive of social workers, counselors, and therapists. The participant pool was comprised of 37 psychiatric clinicians employed …

University Update - November 2016, Academic Affairs

University Updates & Communications from the University President

Included in this Update:

• Where We Stand Update
• Recent Media Highlights

Developing Leadership Capacity In New Rural School District Leaders: The Kansas Educational Leadership Institute, Donna Augustine-Shaw

The Rural Educator

Understanding the context of rural school settings is critical to beginning school district leaders. Rural communities present multifaceted challenges that leaders must embrace as diverse community expectations unfold. The majority of Kansas school districts are in rural settings. Mentoring and induction shapes the experiences encountered during the first year of practice. The Kansas Educational Leadership Institute provides high quality mentoring and induction for new superintendents and principals in Kansas. Mentoring and induction provided by veteran superintendents familiar with leadership complexities in rural communities is offered through on-site visits. In addition, new superintendents participate in activities focused on building capacity through …

Climate Adaptation Finance Mechanisms: New Frontiers For Familiar Tools, Jack D. Kartez Ph.D., Samuel B. Merrill Ph.D.

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Demands for mechanisms to pay for adaptation to climate risks have multiplied rapidly as concern has shifted from greenhouse gas mitigation alone to also coping with the now-inevitable impacts. A number of viable approaches to how to pay for those adjustments to roads, drainage systems, lifeline utilities and other basic infrastructure are emerging, though untested at the scale required across the nation, which already has a trillion-dollar deferred maintenance and replacement problem. There are growing efforts to find new ways to harness private financial resources via new market arrangements to meet needs that clearly outstrip public resources alone, as well …

November Agenda, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Meeting agenda.

Meeting Minutes, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Meeting minutes.