Education Commons^™

The Value Of The Integrated Business Core Experience: Perceptions Of Recent Graduates From Brigham Young University-Idaho, Craig D. Bell

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The effectiveness of business education has come under intense scrutiny—with many questioning its overall value. Main criticisms center on the lack of integration across the curriculum, too much emphasis on quantitative analysis, and the absence of relevant application. Most critics call for business education to become more hands-on and to create opportunities for students to practice the discipline of management. The purpose of this mixed method explanatory study was to explore the perceived influence of the Integrated Business Core (IBC) experience at Brigham Young University – Idaho on career success. The study sought to capture the perceptions of recent graduates …

Small Rural School Districts In Nebraska: A Case Study Of Challenges And Solutions, Michael R. Montgomery

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to determine the problems faced by small, rural Nebraska school districts. For this study, 15 possible challenges were identified (a) student enrollment, (b) instructional programs, (c) instructional support services, (d) extra curricular activities, (e) hiring and retaining administrative staff, (f) hiring and retaining teaching staff, (g) hiring and retaining non-certified staff, (h) building and grounds, (i) transportation services, (j) food services, (k) school finances, (l) student assessment, (m) accountability school performance, (n) family support, and (o) community support. There were no data on this topic for the state of Nebraska. The case for this …

Getting Families Involved In Students’ Education Through Home Visits At Midwestern Charter Schools, Hakan Solak

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Home visits are a model of communication after school time when school staff members actually go into students homes to foster a relationship among students, families, and teachers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how home visits take place in a single charter school and how families are involved in the educational process of students at Midwestern Charter Schools.

Thirteen participants from Chicago Math and Science Academia (CMSA) were interviewed via an open-ended questionnaire. Additionally, two home visit observations were made by the primary investigator in the natural setting of the homes of two students. Through this …

Unopa Notes, Volume 49, Issue 4, December 2010

UNOPA Newsletters

FLOYD S. OLDT AWARDS 2

GIVING TREE UPDATE 3

THANK YOU! 3

NOMINATIONS NEEDED 3

7 STEPS TO HEALTHY YOU 4

SAVE THE DATES 4

TECHNOLOGY TIPS & SECURITY 5

UAAD WORKSHOP 5

Faculty Creativity In Distance Learning: A Phenomenological Study To Understand How The Online Learning Environment Impacts Faculty Creativity, Annaleah Demetra Morrow

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

What is the experience of expressing creativity for creative faculty teaching in the online environment? The literature regarding online learning covers topics relating to faculty and student satisfaction with distance learning, and faculty frustrations with the increased time required of online classes versus on-ground classes. Although the impact to creativity could be inferred in some cases, there is a void in studies focused specifically on understanding the experience of creative faculty expressing their creativity in the online environment. This study is intended to gain a deeper understanding of how teaching in the online environment affects the expression of faculty creativity …

Factors Contributing To Student Athlete Selection Of Nebraska Wesleyan University, Benjamin M. Santo

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain insight into which factors of recruitment were important to a student-athletes decision regarding their choice of college. It is vital for recruiters to recognize factors that potential student-athletes consider important in the recruiting process, because a successful recruiter is one who can build a strong relationship with the student-athlete. The researcher selected Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) football student-athletes to conduct the study for the research.

Seniors, juniors, and sophomores were selected to participate in the study. Participants completed a 12 question survey instrument that was designed to assess important recruiting …

Factors Affecting Undergraduate Female Transfer Student Degree Completion Rates, Kristi A. Robey

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to explore what factors affect the degree completion rates of undergraduate female transfer students, ages 19 and older, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Five sub-research questions explored the areas of (a) common factors among the issues faced by the participants; (b) monetary issues’ affect on degree completion; (c) the affect of family responsibilities on persistence; (d) age as a possible factor in degree completion rates; and (e) the number of hours worked and the affect it has on degree completion rates. The study explored the reasons undergraduate female transfer students had for transferring …

The Impact Of Whole-Faculty Study Groups On Student Achievement And Teacher Practicies In Grades K-3 Of A Nebraska School District: A Mixed Method Case Study, Cynthia Wendell

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Whole Faculty Study Groups on student achievement and teacher practices in grades K-3 of a Nebraska school district. Whole-Faculty Study Groups (WFSG) are a type of professional learning community (PLC).

Using a mixed method approach, both K-3 student scores on Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and responses from surveys and interviews of K-3 teachers, principals, and district administrators were analyzed. Using the McNemar test of dependent proportions, DIBELS scores from kindergarten and first grade were compared with established benchmarks from the fall (or winter) to spring …

Improving Student Achievement Through Professional Learning Communities, Mindy L. Roberts

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study determined how general education teachers in a Midwestern school district perceived their personal skill level in working collaboratively and focusing on academic results while working in a Professional Learning Community (PLC). The overarching question for the research was: Do educator perceptions of their personal skill level in working collaboratively and focusing on academic results while implementing a Professional Learning Community have an effect on student achievement? The study looked at teacher perceptions within the three themes of PLCs: (a) assuring students learn at high levels, (b) creating a culture of collaboration, and (c) focusing on academic results. Student …

Unopa Notes, Volume 49, Issue 3, November 2010

UNOPA Newsletters

BRADLEY MUNN FUND 2

FALL WORKSHOP RECAP 2

HIRIING WOMEN IN 1942 3

UNOPA PARKING 3

PSP WORKSHOP 4

GIVING TREE PROJECT 4

HONORING A VETERAN 4

TECH TIPS & TRICKS 5

NAEOP 2011 5

Office Of Research And Economic Development Annual Report 2009-2010

Office of Research and Economic Development: Publications

Planting Seeds for the Future 1
New Institute Focuses on Water for Food 2
Probing the Evapotranspiration Equation 3
Yield Potential Key to Food Security 4
Water-smart Sensors Going Underground 6
Lakes Showing Signs of Warming Climate 7
Informed Choices–Assessing Green Features 9
Powering Roadways with Solar and Wind 10
Improving Sustainable Energy Technologies 11
Biosensor Work Aims for Simple HIV Test 12
Developing Stronger Nanomagnets 14
Peering into Ultra-fast Molecular World 15
Getting the Skinny on Dietary Fat 17
Novel Approach Targets Tuberculosis 18
Pathways to Homelessness for Women 19
Bison Books–50 Years of Great Reading 21
Historian Weaving …

7th-12th Grade English/Language Arts Teachers And Their Classroom Grading Practices: Investigating The Use Of Standards-Based Grading In Nebraska’S Rural Classrooms, Summer E. Stephens

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A problem exists in grading practices accurately measuring student achievement. Both students’ academic achievements and nonacademic factors, such as effort, homework completion, and behaviors continue to factor into grades. This combination can lead to inaccurate representation of true academic ability, rendering a grade useless. While assessment and grading practices continue to be a conversation in most education circles, the implementation of standards-based grading practices in high school English/Language Arts classrooms varies widely. Past studies have shown that grades have provided feedback and been used to motivate and rank students. Future research was needed to address the following research question: How …

Nebraska School Psychologists' Perceptions Regarding The Sufficiency Of Response To Intervention (Rti), Jami Jo L. Thompson

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) provided schools the option of utilizing Response to Intervention (RtI) as part of a comprehensive Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) Evaluation for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). However, there is disparity among educational professionals regarding the components that should be included in the RtI MDT evaluation. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Nebraska school psychologists regarding the sufficiency of RtI as a comprehensive Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) evaluation for Specific Learning Disability (SLD) determination and identify the additional components that school psychologists believe are necessary to …

Understanding Social Capital Development And Academic Attainment Of Mobile Students, Julie A. Gaddie

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The United Sates has a long history of searching for utopian possibilities of public school, amidst a steady stream of population mobility. Horace Mann proclaimed that schools would be able to assimilate the millions of immigrants arriving during the late 1700’s. He promised that schools could end poverty, crime and social injustice. Today, public schools continue to serve a revolving door of students and most agree there may be little that can be done to prevent student mobility amidst the complexities of a growing global economy, immigration and the increase in children living in poverty. The challenge for the public …

Journal Of Women In Educational Leadership, October 2010, Volume 8, Number 4 -- Editorial Matter

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Masthead

Table of Contents

EDITORIAL POLICY

CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

First Things First: Writing Strategies, Marilyn Grady

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Writing and editing are symbiotic processes. My earliest editing experiences were invested in my own manuscripts. Writing, rewriting, and refining have been constant aspects of my academic career. My editing skills "ramped up" during the phase of my professional career that required the editing of nine pathophysiology course books each year for three years. The background that enabled me to edit my own work and the pathophysiology texts was a strong foundation in grammar and spelling. Reading has been a steady influence on my editing skills as well. Reading is a vocabulary builder as well as a constant "styles of …

Voices Of Women In The Field--Obtaining A Higher Education Faculty Position: The Critical Role Mentoring Plays For Females, Vicki Van Tuyle, Sandra Watkins

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Mentoring female doctoral candidates to obtain access to positions in higher education has not been widely researched. Women often aspire to the professorship only to find limited access to these positions. Even though a doctoral degree is a vehicle for acquiring a career in higher education, the transfom1ation from doctoral candidate to assistant professor is usually a long and winding road. While devoting hours to extensive course work, conducting research studies, and writing and rewriting dissertation drafts, it is not uncommon for graduate students to begin to imagine themselves as professors like the professors they have worked with in higher …

The Builders Of The Journal Of Women In Educational Leadership, Marilyn Grady

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

For eight years, a group of dedicated reviewers have served the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership (lWEL). Their knowledge of educational leadership, research design and methods, and women as leaders was essential to the review process. These individuals provided service to the journal as a professional courtesy. Their service, generosity, and professional contributions are acknowledged and appreciated as a backbone of lWEL. For eight years, individuals have contributed their research and scholarly manuscripts to the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Without these contributions there would be no journal. The trust these individuals placed in the journal made the …

In Their Own Words: Latina Success In Higher Education, Brent D. Cejda

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

Greater numbers of Latinas are participating in postsecondary education, however these gains have not resulted in increased graduation rates. This study examines the lived experiences of 36 Latina baccalaureate graduates to gain a deeper understanding of how they achieved this important educational goal.

During the 1990s, analyses of data stressed that Latinos had the lowest postsecondary participation rate of any racial or ethnic group (Cardoza, 1991 ; Martinez-Thome, 1995). A decade later, there is evidence that although participation rates have increased, there are continued disparities in baccalaureate outcomes between Latino and Caucasian college students (President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence …

The Barrier Within: Relational Aggression Among Women, Barbara L. Brock

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

"There has been a lot of rhetoric on women mentoring other women. However, the so-called solidarity of women does not exist. Some women are engaged in competition and sabotage."—A high school principal

Relational aggression among women is alive and well among women in educational leadership. Women who assume leadership positions are sometimes targeted for acts of sabotage perpetrated by female peers and subordinates (Brock, 2008). A review of the literature supports the notion that relational aggression among women is commonplace in other career fields as well (Barash, S. 2006; Briles, 2003; Chesler, 2001; Funke, 2000; Heim & Murphy, 2001; Mooney, …

Teacher Collaboration As Professional Development In A Large, Suburban High School, Marlie L. Williams

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This qualitative study explored the impact of teacher collaboration in a professional learning communities (PLC) school on teacher self-efficacy. Through the collection and analysis of personal interview data from 20 teachers in a large, suburban Midwestern high school, the impact of structured teacher collaboration was evaluated for its impact on changes in teachers’ instructional practices, their feelings of responsibility for student learning, positive adult interdependence, and changes in teacher self-efficacy. Experts in educational professional development identify the importance of sustained, collegial learning. This study explored the structure of one high school’s professional collaboration model, the measures in place for goal-setting, …

Nefdc Exchange, Volume 21, Number 1, Fall 2010, New England Faculty Development Consortium

NEFDC Exchange

Contents

Message from the President - Tom Thibodeau, New England Institute of Technology

From the editors - Jeanne Albert, Donna Qualters, Naomi Migliacci, Gouri Banerjee, and Deborah Hirsch

Fall 2010 Conference; Friday, November 19, 2010, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States; theme: Better Teaching – Better Learning: Reflective Practices for Faculty and Students; keynote speaker: Dan Willingham, University of Virginia

An excerpt from, Why Don’t Students Like School? - Dan Willingham, University of Virginia

NEFDC Fall 2010 Conference Agenda

Connecting with others

The Benefits of Formal and Informal Reflective Practices - Art McGovern, Nichols College

Seven Ways …

Pod Network News, Fall 2010

POD Network News

No abstract provided.

Unopa Notes, Volume 49, Issue 2, October 2010

UNOPA Newsletters

FALL WORKSHOP RECAP 2

NEOPA FALL WORKSHOP 2

SAFETY & WELLNESS FAIR 3

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 3

UNOPA PARKING 3

NU TOASTERS 4

RED OUT AROUND THE WORLD 4

CENTRAL AREA NEWS 5

MY UNOPA EXPERIENCE 5

Leadership And The Professional Learning Community, Sandra L. Gaspar

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to describe the transformation of one small, rural school district’s professional development program. The study focused on the actions that school leaders took to replace a traditional, workshop-based program that was deemed ineffective with a new professional development model. The new model was designed to create professional learning communities by taking advantage of and further developing teacher leadership.

Within this mixed-methods case study, both survey data and interview data were collected. The study describes (a) internal and external factors that influenced the change, (b) selection and implementation of the model, (c) the cycle of …

A Quality Scorecard For The Administration Of Online Education Programs: A Delphi Study, Kaye Shelton

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As the demands for public accountability increase for the higher education industry, institutions are seeking methods for continuous improvement in order to demonstrate quality within programs and processes, including those provided through online education. Because of the rapid growth of online education programs, institutions are further called upon to demonstrate that quality education is being delivered to students at a distance. This study sought to create such a method to provide institutions offering online education an instrument for assessing quality within their programs: a quality scorecard for the administration of online education programs. A six round Delphi study was undertaken …

Unopa Notes, Volume 49, Issue 1, September 2010

UNOPA Newsletters

FALL WORKSHOP 2

NAEOP CONFERENCE 2

FLOYD S. OLDT AWARDS 3

UNOPA PARKING 3

MEMBERSHIP 4

PROGRAMS 4

NEOPA FALL WORKSHOP 4

OFFICE EXERCISE 5

MAKING STRIDES 5

A Warning About Mathtype By Design Science, Inc., Paul Royster

Thesis and Dissertation Deposit Information Resources

MathType (current version 6.6) is a third-party software package for typesetting and editing complex mathematical equations and expressions. It is sold and distributed by Design Science, Inc. headquartered in Long Beach, California. It sells for about $100 ($60 academic), and is offered free as a 30-day trial. It is a macro-driven package that serves as an “add-on” to Microsoft Word or other editing programs. MathType has significant compatibility issues, however, with Adobe Acrobat; and generating PDF files from documents containing MathType elements is far from straightforward. We recently encountered a dissertation that had used MathType to set 100+ mathematical expressions …

Talent Management In Higher Education: Developing Emerging Leaders Within The Administration At Private Colleges And Universities, Steven Riccio

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This research focused on identifying a series of successful practices relating to administrative talent management within the higher education setting. The field study included a thorough examination of seven small to mid-size private colleges and universities that have incorporated employee development strategies. These strategies were aimed at growing future leaders from within the organization in order to achieve continuity and support institutional priorities. Specifically, several focus areas were investigated including presidential vision, leadership commitment, talent management’s place among institutional priorities, program characteristics, and program evaluation.

Among the commonalities that were gathered included support at the senior officer level who serve …

Global Competence: Determination Of Its Importance For Engineers Working In A Global Environment, Gregg M. Warnick

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We live and work in a world that is even more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. Engineers must now not only develop technical engineering competence, but must also develop additional skills and competencies including global competence to obtain success within a global engineering environment.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether multinational companies considered global competence an important skill in mechanical engineering graduates when making hiring decisions. The study was an exploratory study that utilized an extensive literature review to identify eight global competencies for engineering success within a global environment and also included a survey instrument …