Education Commons^™

Engagement In An Online Course: Thestudents' Viewpoint, Michael B. Miller

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

Distance education is not a new phenomenon, distance education had its beginning with correspondence education through postal services in the 19th century (Daniel, 2000) and progressed into the 21st century with the use of computer-mediated instruction. Еvеn with аll оf itѕ соnvеniеnсе аnd роrtаbility, thе оnlinе сlаѕѕrооm iѕ ѕtill ѕееn by mаny аѕ lасking thе humаn “соnnесtivity” оf fасе tо fасе соurѕеѕ. Rесеnt findingѕ hаvе ѕhоwn thаt оnlinе lеаrnеrѕ’ lеvеlѕ оf ѕаtiѕfасtiоn, реrfоrmаnсе, аnd ѕеnѕе оf соmmunity аrе rеlаtеd tо thе intеrасtiоnѕ thеy hаvе with thеir inѕtruсtоrѕ, inсluding thе tyре аnd frеquеnсy оf fееdbасk thеy rесеivе оn аѕѕignmеntѕ аnd соurѕе …

Criteria For Initial Appointment In Rank And Subsequent Promotion For Faculty In Two-Year Public Colleges, Michael Aaron Orf

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The growth of community colleges over the last five decades has not been met with a commensurate expansion of knowledge about policy development. In order to address this gap in knowledge, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of rank among two-year colleges in the United States; to identify the criteria used to determine rank upon hire for transfer and vocational faculty; to identify the criteria used to determine promotion for transfer and vocational faculty; and to determine if there are differences in criteria between transfer faculty and vocational faculty at initial appointment and subsequent promotion. Additionally, the study sought …

The Managerial Activities And Leadership Roles Of Five Achieving The Dream Leader College Presidents, Teresa Marie Mace

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A significant increase in community colleges' (CC) presidential retirements is resulting in a huge loss of critical knowledge and experience. Recognition of this has led to numerous efforts and initiatives to prepare future community college leaders. These efforts have included numerous attempts to identify the competencies, skills, and leadership traits considered essential to performing the president's job. Unfortunately, most of the topics identified in self-reported assessments and personal interviews were not based on actual observations of what successful presidents do.

Unlike studies about community college presidents over the last 30 years, this study utilized Henry Mintzberg's (1968) structured observation methodology …

An Open Letter To Governor-Elect Mcauliffe, Thomas J. Shields

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

Almost every governor elected in recent memory has recognized how critical education is to the economic and social welfare of our commonwealth. Each has come into office ready to put his personal stamp on Virginia's educational system. However, we believe the time has come for our state's chief executive to realize that our current system is no longer functioning in an equitable manner, particularly for children who are at or below the poverty line.

Enhancing The Academic And Social Learning Of Irish Undergraduates Through Emotional And Social Skills Development., Aiden Carthy, Celesta Mccann, Sinead Mcgilloway, Colm Mcguinness

Articles

This paper considers the potential merits of emotional competency coaching for undergraduate students. We outline the findings from our previous work which showed, for example, that a sample of First Year undergraduate students failed to engage with coaching primarily because it was not a mandatory aspect of the curricula. An analysis of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) - which details the specific learning outcomes that must be achieved by all Irish academic syllabi found that this framework makes scant reference to the development of social and emotional skills. Therefore, a revised working model of the NFQ is proposed, which …

Advising The First-Generation College Student: Effective Retention Tools For Colleges And Universities, Terence Hicks

Terence Hicks, Ph.D., Ed.D.

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Teachers' Perceptions Of The Feedback They Receive And Their Teaching Efficacy In High-Performing Schools, Joshua D. St. John

Open Access Dissertations

As reform efforts are prescribed in every state through mandates and regulations in an effort to better prepare students to compete in a global economy, and as states like Indiana implement new evaluation plans for teachers based on a rigorous rubric and objective measures of student achievement, close attention to the ripple effects must be involved. While efforts such as professional learning communities and instructional coaches are aimed at building teacher capacity, maximum results can only be achieved when school leaders balance how they leverage their evaluative power while promoting these formative experiences. Absent in the drive for heightened accountability, …

Increasing Access To Post-Secondary Education: A Mixed Methods Study Of The Charleston Clemente Program, Mariane A. Doyle

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

There is an economic gap that favors adults who have higher levels of educational attainment (United States Department of Labor, 2010). With more than 9.3 million Americans over the age of 25 facing unemployment as of June 2012 and over 79% or 7.4 million of those unemployed Americans having attained less than a Bachelor’s degree (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012), the current need for college access measures and programs that address the adult population is an imperative one.

The Charleston Clemente Program provides a tuition-free course in the Humanities to economically-disadvantaged adult students for a total of two-semesters. Along with …

Financial Retrenchment: A Phenomenological Study Of Two Public School Districts In One Community, John Andrew Asplund

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how two school districts within the same community reacted to the closure of an electric generating power plant that provided approximately 45% of each district's property tax revenue.

The districts under study were chosen for two reasons: (1) They were both affected by the closure of the power plant, and (2) They exemplify the peculiar nature of Illinois public schools. Even though both districts exist in the same relatively small town and serve the same families throughout their schooling, they remain separate, yet parallel, entities.

The two districts are parallel in that the power plant was responsible …

Strategic Thinking Is At The Core Of Strategic Planning, Darvesh Karim

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Lowering Educational Standards To Meet The Needs Of The Students: The Exploratory Study Of Brown V. Board Of Education, Valencia Tamir Johnson Dr.

Dr. Valencia T Johnson, PhD, EdD, Hon. D.Div, LLM, MS, BS

As the Bible according to Luke 12:48 “For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much is required”. In recent years, educational institutions started to decrease their educational requirements and standards to meet the needs of the students, instead of meeting the expectations of the students learning ability. In most colleges and universities “D’s” are acceptable grades for students to progress to the next level. What intrigues me about the level of expectations in educational standards is that many parents and educators and government officials condone these types of minimal levels of expectations that the institutions have done …

Light And Enlightenment, Jan-E-Alam Khaki

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Mothers’ Involvement In Children’S Learning, Khush Funer Murtaza

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Profiles And Giving Patterns Of Donors To An Urban Southeastern Community College, John Allen Gyllin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on fundraising in higher education, and specifically community college fundraising. Having transitioned from a traditional four year university setting to a community college, the author found this research helpful, not only for this institution, but for knowledge of community college donors and why they give. By working with data from this institution over the last ten years, and the research on the topic of fundraising for community colleges, donor trends were developed and needed improvements identified to raise significantly more dollars for the college. It is the outcome of this research that will hopefully assist this institution …

The Verdict And Response, Edward Earl Bell

Edward Earl Bell

The murdering of black boys is not foreign. Prior to Zimmerman, black boys were murdered in streets from coast to coast. “We” were somewhat silent calling for a global ending of these deaths. The Zimmerman verdict seems to have produced clamor not only in the black community but also in communities across the globe.

Why Do Students Cheat In Examinations?, Amin Rehmani

Examination Board

No abstract provided.

The Secret Of The World Environment Day, Sultan Alam

Professional Development Centre, Gilgit

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Alternative High Schools: Program Evaluation In Action, Drew Samuel Wayne Hinds

Dissertations and Theses

Alternative high schools serve some of the most vulnerable students and their programs present a significant challenge to evaluate. Determining the impact of an alternative high school that serves mostly at-risk students presented a significant research problem. Few studies exist that dig deeper into the characteristics and strategies of successful alternative schooling. Moreover valid program evaluation methods to identify successful alternative school practices are hit and miss. As a result, public policy and systems of accountability have either disregarded information relating to alternative high schools or unjustifiably included them in comparisons with traditional high schools.

This dissertation studied the issue …

The Nature And Predictive Validity Of A Benchmark Assessment Program In An American Indian School District, Beverly R. Payne

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

This mixed methods study explored the nature of a benchmark assessment program and how well the benchmark assessments predicted End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) test scores in an American Indian school district. Five major themes were identified and used to develop a Dimensions of Benchmark Assessment Program Effectiveness model: Professional Development, Assessment Literacy, Data Literacy, Instructional Practice, and Program Effectiveness. The study found that Professional Development, Data Literacy, and overall Program Effectiveness were strengths of the district’s benchmark assessment program. Assessment Literacy and Instructional Practice were found to be weaker areas of the district’s program. Benchmark assessment scores correlated strongly …

Asghar Ali Engineer, Jan-E-Alam Khaki

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Muslim Vs Islamic, Jan-E-Alam Khaki

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

No abstract provided.

Last Of The Bronx Giants: Mayoral Control, School Reform, And The Fate Of Bronx High Schools, Ben Delikat

African & African American Studies Senior Theses

No abstract provided.

A Profile Of The Characteristics And Professional Development Needs Of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Ii Athletic Directors, Dustin Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to identify the personal, professional, and educational backgrounds of NCAA Division II athletic directors. The study was designed to detail the professional development opportunities that existed among the population, and determine how frequently the NCAA Division II athletic directors took advantage of the opportunities that were available to them. The significance of the study rested on the ability to identify the NCAA Division II athletic director population and describe the qualities and characteristics that comprised the target population. Since little data existed detailing this population, the study provided an opportunity to describe a …

Liberal Arts Colleges During The Great Recession: Examining Organizational Adaptation And Institutional Change, Ashlie Junot Hilbun

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Liberal arts colleges strived to adapt to environmental shifts at the turn of the twenty-first century and remain relevant in American society while the Great Recession of 2007 compounded their challenges and created new fiscal and enrollment burdens, which forced these institutions to confront paradigm-changing circumstances. In an effort to advance the historical perspective of liberal arts colleges and expand the organizational adaptation research base, the current study aimed to understand how private liberal arts colleges adapted during the Great Recession of 2007 by examining institutional changes at three private liberal arts colleges and their effects on the institutions' operations. …

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Development Required By The Wisconsin Quality Educator Initiative, Pi 34, Deborah Marie Sixel

Theses and Dissertations

Existing research has shown an association between teachers' professional growth and student success. However, there is a lack of information on the mandated professional development linked to Wisconsin teacher licensure requirements. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of self-directed professional development and its impact on classroom instruction and student learning. Professional

development plans are required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as a licensing requirement for all Wisconsin teachers to remain in the profession. This study investigated the perspectives of initial educators on the required professional development plan incorporated as part of The Wisconsin Quality …

Citizen Support For Northern Ohio Community College Funding Initiatives During An Economic Recession Recovery, Patricia Flores

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current research, Citizen Support for Northern Ohio Community College Funding Initiatives during an Economic Recession Recovery, asks the question: Do the citizens of Northern Ohio support community college funding during difficult economic times? Based on the theory of Stakeholder Analysis, the purpose of this concurrent, mixed-methods study was to investigate stakeholder support of community college funding initiatives, particularly for levy-funded community colleges that rely on the voting public to voluntarily contribute property taxes to support their institutions.

A comparison of Ohio community college statements and survey responses regarding stakeholder needs and beliefs indicated a significantly higher instance of …

Principal And Teacher Beliefs About Leadership Implications For Student Performance, Jerri Cherita Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to examine whether the leadership style of principals affects teacher and student performance. The study includes an elementary, middle, and high school principal along with two teachers from each school who worked at schools that were in good standing from 2007-2011. Each school made adequate yearly progress (AYP) each year according to the No Child Left Behind Status History Report. This study examined one over arching research question: What do principals and teachers say about school and schooling? Data for this study was gathered through principal interviews, teacher interviews, and the results of an …

Teacher Attitudes Of Inclusion And Academic Performance Of Students With Disabilities, Jonathan Earl Sutton

Dissertations

Since the integration of the inclusion model, supported by the IDEA (1997), within public schools, teacher resistance and frustration has risen (Hardy, 1999). The climate of general education teachers’ classrooms furthermore, has not been the same (Liu & Meyer, 2005). Key elements ensuring success of inclusion and the implementation of inclusive education are the views, perspectives, and attitudes of the personnel who have the responsibility for implementing it; the teachers (Shade & Stewart, 2001). Avramidis and Norwich (2002) argued that successful implementation of any inclusive policy or programming is extremely dependent upon the educators being receptive and positive. Hines (2011) …

Perceptions Of High School Students Of The Impact Of A School Uniform Policy, Stacy L. Gregory

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High schools are tirelessly pondering ideas of enhancing the learning environment by increasing academic engagement and safety. This phenomenology study was designed to report and analyze the perceptions of selected students about their academic engagement and safety while attending one high school. Data for this study were obtained through interviews that were conducted on two levels: focus group and individual interviews. The results indicate that uniforms by themselves have little to do with a student's academic engagement. Students believe that their teachers play a big part in the way that they participate in educational tasks. They also believe that engaging …

The Impact Of State Characteristics On College Graduation Rates At Land-Grant Institutions, Melissa Bridges

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As our nation's economy has become increasingly knowledge-based, an educated citizenry is paramount to maintaining a competitive edge in a global marketplace. Thus, college participation and completion have emerged as the gateway to survival and growth for individuals, states, and the nation, making college completion rates a top priority. Stakeholders have begun to equate graduation rates with institutional quality and performance and often use such data to make judgments, create policies, and allocate funding. However, graduation rates are not fully understood and numerous scholars urge caution when interpreting and utilizing single outcome measures. The purpose of this cross-sectional ecological study …