Education Commons^™

A Study Of The Perceptions Of New And Veteran Elementary School Teachers Regarding Stress Factors That Impact Their Careers., Kristi Lynn Christopher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to identify some of the key stressors novice and veteran teachers face and to determine if there are any particular steps that administrators of the school systems can take to ensure the success of all teachers. The qualitative research method was used in this study. An interview guide was developed and used during the interview process. Eighteen teachers, nine new teachers and nine veteran teachers all with general education classroom experience participated in the research. The interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim, and then analyzed to develop themes.

Themes emerged regarding issues that teachers …

Equity And Adequacy: A Funding Crisis In The Tennessee Education System., Scott F. Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tennessee is experiencing a budget crisis related to the dollar amount per-pupil expended on kindergarten- through 12th-grade education when compared to other states. Public schools across America are operating in a time of increased expectations. Recent legislative initiatives at both the state and federal level have created new systems of testing and performance standards that will hold schools and teachers accountable for students' achievement. Given the rapid changes that are being made, many state policymakers have noted the importance of designing better financial schemes for public schools with sufficient resources to meet the demand for better education; however, funding and …

Use Of The Sreb Leadership Development Framework In Preservice Principal Preparation Programs: A Qualitative Investigation., Robert C. Vick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although nearly everyone agrees that principals need formal training to prepare for their positions, few agree on what the nature of this training should be. Advanced university education may teach examples of leadership behaviors, but is it likely to transmit the practical knowledge and behaviors that are the hallmarks of successful principals?

This study focused on the 13 critical success factors for school leaders as created by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB, 2002). The purpose of the study was to identify the extent to which these 13 standards have been addressed in formal and informal development training experiences of …

Higher Education Accountability In Tennessee: A Corporate Perspective, Donna Ann Tipton-Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations

This in-depth, semi-structured interview study was undertaken to describe Tennessee corporate leaders’ perception of accountability in Tennessee higher education and of current accountability policies and/or programs. Answers to four research questions were sought:

1. What are Tennessee corporate leaders’ perceptions of the meaning of accountability in higher education?

2. What are Tennessee corporate leaders’ perceptions of current higher education accountability policies and/or programs?

3. What expectations do Tennessee corporate leaders have for accountability initiatives in higher education and what do they express as evidence of those initiatives?

4. To whom is higher education accountable as perceived by Tennessee corporate leaders? …

A Superintendent's Guide To A Successful Bond Proposal, Scott D. Mollenberndt

Masters Theses

For most school districts it has become increasingly difficult to gain voter support for bond referendums. In addition, there is little information available for the superintendent and board of education to reference when considering a bond campaign in their community.

In response to these concerns, "A Superintendent's Guide to a Successful Bond Proposal" was developed to provide campaign strategies, timelines and a sequential list of events for the superintendent to consider. Examples of campaign strategies employed by the Edwardsburg Public Schools, Edwardsburg, Michigan during their successful bond referendum are included as appendices throughout the guidebook.

Through this research, seven essential …

Missouri A+ Students: How Are They Doing?, Jeffrey Jochems

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if students receiving assistance through the A+ Program exhibited higher academic performance (measured by college cumulative GPA, number of remedial courses taken, and graduation rates) at OTC than two comparison groups of non-A+ students with similar background characteristics. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if students receiving assistance through the A+ Program (categorized by gender, size of high school, and degree sought) exhibited higher academic performance at OTC than two other comparison groups o f non-A+ students with similar background characteristics.

The A+ Program was established in 1993 …

Where Do They Fit In?: The Perceptions Of High School Students, Parents, And Teachers Regarding Appropriate Educational Placements For Children With High Incidence Disabilities., Annette Marie Tudor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) calls for the education of children with special needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Interpretation of what constitutes the Least Restrictive Environment has led to debate about how best to include children with disabilities into regular education environments. The process of inclusion has created an environment in which educators have conflicting feelings about the various types of special education placements. At one extreme are those who advocate all students belong in the general classroom all the time. At the other end of the continuum are those that contend …

Middle And High School Principals' Knowledge Of Discipline Provisions Of The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act In The Upper East Tennessee Region., Ginger R. Woods

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine school principals’ knowledge of discipline provisions of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 and to determine what additional training opportunities may be needed to ensure that school systems in the upper East Tennessee region are in compliance under IDEA. As instructional leaders, it is imperative that principals understand their responsibilities and the importance of adhering to the legal obligations under IDEA. Principals who do not comply with the act not only deny students the education to which they are entitled but also expose the school system to costly litigation. …

Improving Instructional Practice: The Value Of Classroom Goal Teams As Measured By Elementary Teachers' Perceptions, Debra J. Easton Rodenburg

Student Work

Student achievement is in the forefront of education as never before. Educators, parents, business leaders, community members, and politicians are all actively watching reports of student achievement. Wong (2003) found in more than 200 studies, the only way to improve student achievement is with a knowledgeable and skillful teacher. The expertise of a teacher is a critical variable in effecting student achievement (Marzano, 2003). In this study, Classroom Goals Team Project (CGTP) was utilized as a professional development program to bring about improvements in teaching and learning in an effort to positively impact student achievement. The CGTP, implemented in a …

Perceived Barriers To The Implementation Of Web Enhancement Of Courses By Full-Time Tennessee Board Of Regents Faculty., Thomas Barron Wallace Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine faculty reluctance to providing students with access to course resources via the Internet. The study explored known barriers to the use of technology and the Internet within educational settings and provided opportunity for new barriers to be presented. Personal and professional demographic factors were collected to determine if certain characteristics were identifiable as predictors to web enhancement.

An online survey was designed to collect data to address research questions in the study. The survey consisted of 48 questions, including areas for comments and remarks from faculty members. One thousand two (1002) faculty, …

Perceptions Of Stakeholders In The Pi Beta Phi Elementary School Parks As Classrooms Program., Johnny Michael Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the fall of 1991, Pi Beta Phi Elementary School in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in partnership with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, began development and implementation of a Parks As Classrooms curriculum that encompassed all nine-grade levels of the K-8 school. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the Parks As Classrooms program and how it impacts the students and the community.

Multiple means of data collection were necessary in order for valid assessment to take place. First, interviews were conducted with principle stakeholders. Observations of field trips were done. These data were imported into NUD^*IST …

Tuition Policy Setting: The University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1960 - 2000, Mary Hodge Taylor

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe tuition policy setting at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1960-2000. A case study method was employed that involved interviews with current and former chancellors, campus business officers, presidents, system business officers, THEC officials, and a member of the board of trustees. A variety of documentary evidence was also reviewed to assist in triangulation of the data. Four significant themes emerged during the study. These four themes include: (1) there is no formal tuition policy at the University of Tennessee, (2) there is significant input in the decision making process, (3) there is …

A Study Investigating The Feasibility Of A Co-Curricular Leadership Program At Rowan University, Christopher A. Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was to investigate the feasibility of implementing a co-curricular student leadership program at Rowan University. The project included both a content analysis of transcripts from focus group sessions held with faculty members, administrators and student leaders, as well as analyses of existing co-curricular student leadership programs on several college campuses. Results from the focus group sessions included a strong interest for a co-curricular student leadership program at Rowan University, as well as recommendations for the proper implementation of such a program. Analyses of existing programs from several college campuses provided a methodology for program …

Voter Apathy: Why Does It Exist And What Can Be Done To Overcome It?, Margaret F. Meehan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain why the stakeholders in the educational process do not participate in the annual school election and to identify and implement techniques that would motivate these stakeholders to go to the polls.

The population of this study consisted of the direct stakeholders in the annual school elections of the Washington Township School District. A disc containing a listing of the individuals who voted in the April 15, 2003, school election was obtained from the Gloucester County Board of Elections. A disc containing a listing of employees who share one of the six zip …

The Relationship Between Administrators' Learning Patterns And Leadership Competencies, Mark Hendricks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between selected administrators' learning patterns and attendant leadership competencies. Thirty-nine upper-level administrators at Rowan University completed the Leadership Assessment Instrument and Learning Combination Inventory to evaluate this relationship. Results showed a statistically significant relationship between a confluent learning pattern and conceptual thinking leadership components. Administrators demonstrated a wide variability in leadership competencies and learning patterns on descriptive tests. Findings suggest administrators at Rowan University use a wide degree of flexibility between learning patterns and leadership skills.

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Early Intervention And The C.H.A.M.P./Gear-Up Program At Rowan University, Thomas A. Cruz-Soto Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of early intervention / pre-college programs. The study sought to determine if there was any significant information regarding the impacts of early intervention / pre-college programs on target populations. The study involved 92 conveniently selected students from Cooper's Poynt Family School and Woodrow Wilson High School, located in Camden, New Jersey. The primary focus of the study was the C.H.A.M.P./GEAR-UP Program and its effectiveness on selected youth. The data collection instruments included a 15-question survey and scores from a Pineland ecology pre & post-test. This self designed survey was based …

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 …

Measuring The Effects Of An Observational Format On The Professional Growth Of The Faculty At Lake Tract School, Shelli Doran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to design a new teacher observation format used by the building mentors of Lake Tract School in observing the participants. The format revolved around the use of pre and post conferences based on a cognitive coaching approach in order to gain professional development and growth. A total of ten tenured and non-tenured teachers participated in the study. All faculties were surveyed as to their perceptions of the current observational format. The data was analyzed using percentages and the responses of the survey guided the creation of the format. Each participant attended a pre-conference to …

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 …

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Accelerated Math Program At Monongahela Middle School, John F. Schilling

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the Accelerated Math Program at Monongahela Middle School in the Deptford Township School District. Monongahela Middle School is composed of 7^th and 8^th grade public school students, and is the only middle school in the district. Recently at Monongahela, the implementation of technology into the everyday structure has been recognized. Certain programs have been incorporated in the planning and development of lessons and as teacher aides.

The program was being used as the main tool of instruction in 7^th and 8^th grade Basic Skills classes …

Aerobic Exercise As A Tool To Improve Problematic Student Behavior In The Classroom, Joseph F. Mufferi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research the effect aerobic exercise on the behavior of problematic students. The time period of exercise in this study was between 15 and 18 minutes, two days per week. Two types of aerobic exercise were used, running and progressive resistive exercise, in the form of circuit training. The subjects of study were special education students who had been evaluated to have behavioral problems. These students were then classified as Intensive Learner Centered or ILC and placed in self-contained classrooms. Each student received behavior and academic evaluations in each subject area daily. Evaluations were …

A Case Study: The Development, Influence, And Evaluation Of A Site-Based Management/Advisory Group On The Role Of The Principal At The Delair Elementary School, Curt R. Wrzeszczynski

Theses and Dissertations

This study traced the development and evaluated the effectiveness of a site-based management/advisory council at the Delair Elementary School, and sought to gain insight into the utilization of the advisory group's influence on the role of the principal, the school's daily operations, curricular concerns, and climate. A site-based advisory council composed of faculty members and support staff of the Delair Elementary School, and the community members of the Delair section of Pennsauken, New Jersey was developed, and periodic meetings were held to discuss critical issues. The members of the advisory group were surveyed to gather data on their roles and …

A Study Of Relational Aggression Among Middle School Girls, Susanne R. Wooton

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to evaluate the degree of bullying in the middle grades and to design an effective anti-bullying program using the input of the female students. The participants were selected on a volunteer basis from a pool of 7^th and 8^th grade female students. In addition to two surveys, that were designed to evaluate the extent of bullying in the school and the knowledge that the students gained from the study, the students participated in several small group meetings where they discussed the topic of bullying and ways to eliminate it. Students demonstrated an increased knowledge …

A Study Of The Issues And Challenges In Athletic Administration From The Perspective Of Division Iii Athletic Directors, Jason Robert Crews

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the issues and challenges facing selected Division III athletic directors. The study sought to determine if there were any differences in the available literature and the opinions of selected Division III athletic directors. The study involved 80 Division III schools throughout the Tri-State area of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. The primary focus of the study included the colleges and universities within the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The research instrument used in the study was a 12-question survey. This self-designed survey was based upon the current issues and challenges in Division …

Implementing A Study Skills Program In Secondary School: What Needs To Be Done?, Margaret R. Ritson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to ascertain if a study-skills program implemented during a study hall in a Southern New Jersey high school might improve the study skills of students who voluntarily participate. At the outset of the study, students were surveyed in order to gauge their perceptions of their own academic study skills. The same survey was administered at the conclusion of the study in order to determine if study-skills growth and improvement had occurred. Information derived from the survey was used to assess the overall effectiveness of the study-skills program. The survey consisted of twenty-five questions …

Epiphanies Of The Principalship: A Study Of Passages In Educational Administration., Donna J. Raines

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This scrapbook of biographical sketches serves as an exhibition of portraits in the elementary school principalship through experiencing a gallery of leadership interviews. Perspectives have been framed in compositions that represent the practical realist, the idealist, and at times even a surrealistic perspective of the elementary principal. Critical incidents were shared from individual participants representing catalysts for momentous change; themes of personal realizations, barriers to effectiveness, and challenges in the career of an administrator also contributed as dominant elements of the final work.

A qualitative research method employing interviews explored the variation of colorful experiences that 23 elementary administrators encountered …

Leading Before, During, And After A Major Organizational Transition., Charles Davis Mccowan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This was a qualitative, multiple-site case study that examined the leadership styles before, during, and after a major organizational transition. The purpose of the study was to determine if a major organizational transition affected the leadership styles of organizational leaders. It also sought to determine how the major organizational transitions affected the climate and the culture of the three organizations studied.

The participants for this multiple-site case study were a hospital, a manufacturing plant, and a public library in Central Ohio. The organizational leaders were chosen because they had gone through a major organizational transition in the previous two years. …

Assessment Of A Newly Implemented Teacher Induction Program, Jo Ann Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly implemented teacher induction program that commenced in August 2003. Twenty-one teachers who began employment in August 2003 were required to participate in this piloted program. Six months following the initial induction meeting, 18 teachers were surveyed. The survey design conformed to a modified Likert scale. The findings revealed that the need existed for a comprehensive new teacher induction program that was designed to help alleviate some of the fears expressed by the participants. A major goal of the program was to provide all newly hired faculty members …

The Development And Implementation Of A Secondary Peer Mentoring Program, Derryk Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to help establish a peer mentoring program for ninth grade boys at Lindenwold High School. This study used twelfth grade male positive role models to mentor this group of students. Many of these unmotivated students were the cause of many disciplinary problems. School administration sought to find a way to help these young men to overcome some of the obstacles, which cause their negative behavior. The focus of the study was to help identify those young men who can be mentors as well as young men who need to be mentored. This project helped provide another way …

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.