Education Commons^™

Desired Characteristics Of Ethical Leaders In Business, Educational, Political And Religious Organizations From East Tennessee: A Delphi Investigation., Jeff Moorhouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership is the moving of people towards specified goals. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. The leadership dynamic of human interaction is one of the most studied and least understood phenomena. More attention is currently being given to the ethics of leadership in light of recent situations involving misconduct in the White House, illeagal accounting practices amoung top corporations, and misuse of power in religous organizations.

In this study, I sought to identify and prioritize characteristics of ehtical leadership with the assistance of leaders in four distinct groups; the business, religious, political, and educational communities within a six county …

Barriers And Supports Affecting The Inclusion Of Special Education Issues Into The Preservice Training Of School Principals: Faculty Perceptions., Gerard O'Leary Farley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature contains repeated claims that most aspiring principals have limited academic knowledge and exposure to special education related issues. However in this same literature there is substantial discussion that, for prospective administrators to be prepared to deal with the ever-increasing demands of special education, principal preparation programs need to increase the amount of instructional time and structured experiences related to special education issues.

This qualitative study gives voice to faculty directly involved in the preservice training of principals in this ongoing call to reform principal preparation programs and increase the attention paid to issues concerning special education. In addition, …

A Qualitative Study Of Effective School Discipline Practices: Perceptions Of Administrators, Tenured Teachers, And Parents In Twenty Schools., Faye Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many educators and parents are gravely concerned about disorder and danger in school environments. In addition to school discipline issues, American classrooms are frequently plagued by minor infractions of misbehavior that disrupt the flow of classroom activities and interfere with learning.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate common threads of effective school discipline practices as perceived by administrators, tenured teachers, and parents in 20 schools in East Tennessee. I also attempted to determine if the views of administrators, tenured teachers, and parents are consistent with published research on school discipline practices. Data were collected from administrators, tenured …

Factors Affecting Superintendent Longevity In Michigan, Sally Hipp

Dissertations

Theory and research surrounding the issue o f longevity of superintendents seemed contradictory in the literature. On the one hand, the average length of time a superintendent serves in his/her position has not changed noticeably over the last few decades. Yet many researchers were reporting a crises in this field because the applicant pool seemed to be shrinking and longevity of superintendents in large urban districts was reported to be lower than the average longevity rate of 5-6 years. In addition the perception of many of the superintendents in the field was that the turnover rate of superintendents was on …

Organizational Persistence And Change: A Case Study Of A Community College, Paula L. Welmers

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This longitudinal case study examined the origins, growth, and development of one community college in Michigan, North Central Michigan College (NCMC). The purpose of the study was to understand organizational persistence and change through learning how one organization formed and developed over time.

Five eras between 1958 and 1995 were described, and a conceptual frame considered three levels of organizational responsibility: national, state, and local environments; core technology activities; and leadership activities. Core technology activities were further analyzed using eight indicators of centrality and marginality: a) policy, b) number and type of employees, c) dedicated facilities; d) funding source, e) …

Looking Back At Esl70: Five Years In An Intenstive Language Institute, Claire P. Boise

MA TESOL Collection

This paper is an examination of the creation of, and the initial five years of operation of, ESL70, a non-academic, for-profit Intensive English Language Institute at Kingsborough Community College in New York City. Kingsborough Community College is part of the City University of New York (CUNY). This paper will examine the educational philosophy and application of ESL70 within both the historical and present academic context of CUNY, ESL70's endeavor to immerse non-native English speaking students in the study of English language, the business centered nature of ESL70, and the conflicts and issues that have arisen in response to being a …

Comparison Of The Transformational Leadership Practices Of Principals Of Charter Schools And Principals Of Traditional Public Schools In Louisiana, Charles W. Patterson

Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the transformational leadership practices of principals of charter schools and traditional public schools in Louisiana. A causal-comparative research design was utilized. All charter schools were asked to participate in the study, and a matched sample of public schools was selected for the comparison group.

Key findings suggest that charter school and traditional public school principals possess transformational leadership skills. However, there was no difference between the groups in the extent to which they practiced these behaviors. Teachers' perceptions did not differ from principals' self-reported practices. Personal and professional characteristics did not …

An Examination Of The Effects Of The America Reads Tutoring Program And Tutor Training On The Attitude And Academic Achievement Of Urban At-Risk Minority Students, Tami C. Al-Hazza

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The American educational system is struggling to identify methods of preventing early reading failure. Many schools are implementing tutoring intervention programs to supplement classroom instruction and to help meet the needs of struggling at-risk readers. Although there is substantial research on tutoring programs that employ professional teachers, there is a dearth of research on the effectiveness of non-professional volunteer tutoring programs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the America Reads tutoring program and tutor training on the reading achievement and reading attitude of urban, at-risk, K–3 minority students. The population sample was drawn from four …

A Study Of The Effects Of Goal Conflict On Job Satisfaction In Auxiliary Enterprise Units Within Higher Education, Stephen M. Keizer

Dissertations

The role of goal conflict on job satisfaction within auxiliary enterprise units at Western Michigan University was the focus of this study. The continuing decline in state appropriations has caused state-funded colleges and universities to change their operational model in order to become more fiscally responsible. This change in operational focus has led to a shift in the balance between the goal of educating students and the goal of generating revenue. This shift creates goal conflict among many of the employees whose role it is to bolster the sagging operational budget. Conflict within job goals impacts on job satisfaction and …

Non-Certificated Staff Evaluation Instruments That Are Meaningful And Promote Improved Job Performance, Doris J. Isaacs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine development of an evaluation instrument for non-certificated staff. This instrument would clearly recognize the valuable contributions of this important and often overlooked group of employees and provide a tool to promote improved job performance.

Individuals participating in the study were the School Business Administrator, 86 non-certificated staff, three head custodians and three principals. Non-certificated employees were surveyed using a written questionnaire to determine their opinions of evaluations and job performance motivators. The head custodians and principals participated in informal interviews regarding existing practices. Five non-certificated staff participated in personal interviews about employee …

Inclusion, The Forced Game Plan For Levelling The Playing Field: One High School's First Attempt, Rebecca Tribbett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the co-teaching as an inclusionary technique in a high school setting. Co-teaching in this study consisted of a general and special education teacher collaborating in the instruction of a group of general and special needs students.

The participants included 140 students, the general education and special education teacher. The teachers completed an Inclusion Survey that contained a twenty-item, four points, forced-choice Likert Scale. The survey measured the teachers' beliefs in four domains: Teacher training, Academic Content/Teacher Effectiveness, Social Atmosphere (students) and Academic Climate.

Interviews of the teaching staff and …

Has The Adoption Of Whole School Reform Benefitted Eighth Grade Students At Cantrell Middle School?, Derrick L. Carrington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of Whole School Reform on the delivery of instructional services to eighth graders using a community-based action research design. The study will result in a feasibility report to inform parents, teachers, students, administrators, and board members. The use of Whole School Reform for eighth graders is a means of providing them with creative learning processes while learning in an efficient manner.

This particular study was directed towards a small cluster of eighth grade students who attended the Cantrell Middle School as fifth graders. There was also a focus …

The Relationship Between Thematic Teacher Teaming And Its Effects Upon Student Achievement And Cross-Curricula Cohesiveness, Lakecia C. Hyman

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between thematic teacher teaming and its effects upon student achievement and cross-curricula cohesiveness. The data were collected from a teacher questionnaire, student group discussions, school attendance and test scores, student assessments, and field notes. These various methods produced information about the development, understanding, enforcement, and collaboration regarding team teaching and its effects upon student achievement. A review of literature attributed initial positive teacher and student responses and later decreased lack of participation with inconsistent enforcement and support from administration. The findings of this study showed that this school did not develop a …

The Effects Of A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students, Lyn J. Langford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum on students' academic achievement, classroom behavior and SEL skills. An SEL curriculum was administered to 105 randomly selected college preparatory United States History 10th grade students. Students received a pretest and a posttest measuring their perception of SEL skills. This was administered before the 10 lesson unit was facilitated and after the action research was completed. The curriculum combined SEL and American Government. Various forms of assessment were used to measure academic achievement.

Survey results were analyzed and comparison percentages tabulated to …

Discipline Problems: Ways Of Improvement, Teresa Mcganey-Guy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover new ways of assisting students that have behavioral problems and the teachers of those students.

The subjects in this study were four teachers and their first and second grade students. The teachers were three females and one male. Two of the female teachers teach first grade and the others teach second grade.

The research tool used in this study was a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed to gain knowledge about the effectiveness of the discipline strategies. The questions were used to collect general information about the respondent and the discipline strategies.

The …

Restructuring The District's High School Guidance Department, Margaret L. Corcoran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and obtain the resources to create a comprehensive guidance department that would meet the needs of our school population in preparing them for the 21st century. Survey questionnaires provided quantitative data for needs analysis. The questionnaire utilized a Likert Scale. All high school students were given the student survey, approximately one-third responded. The purpose was to have an in-depth understanding of which students' needs were being met and which were not. The students were asked to only identify their grade. A stratification by grade of the high school population allowed for a …

Research A Formative Method And Instrument For Staff Evaluations, Mary Benatti

Theses and Dissertations

Through the creation of a formative method and instrument of staff evaluations an ongoing cycle of evaluation and professional development will be encouraged for all middle school teachers. All data collection was conducted through individual interviews at Salem Middle School in Salem City School District. Team leaders from grades 4 through 8 and the team leader from the special education department participated in the interview process. The data was analyzed by the intern at the conclusion of all interviews. Analysis was conducted through coding which led to categories, themes and patterns.

Recognizing their own areas of improvement and assessing input …

Kindergarten To Fourth Grade Student Code Of Conduct, Carrieann L. Molnar

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to develop a kindergarten through fourth grade code of conduct for the Charles L. Spragg School. The parents and faculty completed a Likert style survey about the present discipline code. The study also reviewed the number of discipline referrals before and after the implementation of the new code of conduct.

The student population was comprised of approximately 353 pre-k through fourth grade students and 44 staff members. The surveys completed by the parents and staff were compiled and used to develop the new code of conduct. The number of discipline referrals for October, November, December and …

A Descriptive History Of The Discipline Of Athletic Training Education, Scott M. Lisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to trace the history of athletic training education as an athletic discipline. Through careful study and research, the author presents how formal education has evolved for professionals in the field of athletic training. The roots of athletic training education can be traced to the mid-1950's. From that period, athletic training education has changed immensely and is still changing today. This research explores the relationship between the development of higher education and the way athletic training evolved as a discipline within higher education. Much of the focus is on change, not only including changes made …

The Perceptions Of Tenure And Alternatives To Tenure Among Faculty At A Mid-Sized Regional University In A Large Northeastern State, Patricia Mcgrath

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.

The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to …

A Study Of The Extent To Which Institutional Strategic Planning Serves As A Guide For Technology Planning In Tennessee Board Of Regents Institutions., Evelyn Leonhardt Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Literature indicates that strategic planning is an effective method for serving as a basis for technology planning. Strategic planning calls for the description of resources needed to support the goals and objectives of the plan. From these descriptions, technology planners may develop a technology plan.

This study sought to determine, in Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions, the extent to which strategic planning served as a guide for technology planning. In a quantitative survey administered online to 150 invited participants, 92 or 61% responded. Results indicated that TBR schools valued the strategic plan as a method of communicating technology needs. …

An Investigation Of The Relationships Between Accelerated Reader® And Other Factors And Value-Added Achievement In Tennessee Public Schools, Carl William Chaney

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the relationships between value-added achievement in Tennessee public schools that include grades one through five and selected independent variables. The schools’ use of the reading practice and monitoring software known as Accelerated Reader® (AR) was of particular interest, as considerable research has suggested its effectiveness in raising achievement in reading and other subjects.

Data were (1) the dependent variables, cumulative three-year average (1999, 2000, and 2001) Tennessee Value-Added Assessment scores in reading, language, math, science, and social studies; (2) independent variables school enrollment, per pupil annual expenditure for the system, percentage of students in the school eligible …

Promoting Equality And Access In Higher Education: A Comparative Study Of State Sponsored Preferential Policies In Great Britain, India And South Africa, Lanaia C. Dubose

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Recent U.S. court decisions striking down affirmative action policies in college admissions have caused universities to seek diversity programs that can hold up to public and Jesa1 scrutiny while maintaining diversity on campus. The purpose of this thesis is to study the preference programs of other countries and determine if successful elements could be duplicated here in the United States. Specifically, the study looks at whether countries who use equality of opportunity programs (which focus on training initiatives) are more successful in increasing enrollment and hiring numbers of minorities than equality of outcome measures (which focus on quotas). The study …

The Development Of A Higher Education Consortium: A Case Study Of The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center., Susan Carey Fulmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the creation and development of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) in Abingdon, Virginia as an example of a higher education consortium. Case study methodology was used to determine why and how the SVHEC was established, who was involved, and how well it served adult students and the community.

Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis. The methodology included identifying key players, designing an interview protocol, and conducting interviews with academic and political figures who had played key roles in the SVHEC’s development. Abingdon community representatives were …

Comprehensive School Reform Influence On Teacher Practice: Listening In The Classroom, An Examination Of Powerful Learning Labs Within The Accelerated Schools Project, Amy Daggett Petti

Dissertations and Theses

Focusing on teacher learning, this study follows fifteen teachers in the crux of comprehensive school reform. These "regular" classroom teachers are the ubiquitous players of this theatre of school reform. "Regular" teacher is defined as a typical classroom teacher who is not actively involved in the district's school reform project or one who hasn't taken an active leadership role. The teachers in this study work in the challenging environment of a poor, diverse urban school district that was in its third year of a comprehensive school reform program, the Accelerated Schools Project. Fifteen teachers volunteered to take part in a …

Community Service Plan, Joseph Depalma

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to see if a school-wide discipline program with positive rewards and consequences is a need for the Happy Dale Elementary School. The study will consist of a case study design that would include all staff members, certified and non-certified to take part. The group will meet as a study team to develop a Community Service Plan in which students who do not follow school rules will have to give back to the school community by participating in school community service.

Students in grades three through five will participate in the program. The student body …

New Egypt High School's Single Lunch: "It's Common Sense", Joseph Dipietro

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine if hosting an open campus single lunch at New Egypt High School would positively affect the cultural climate of the entire school. The single lunch project involved the entire school community. As the administrative intern I served as the project coordinator, as well as a lunch monitor.

To determine the project's effectiveness, students and staff members were randomly selected to provide feedback on separate questionnaires. The intern also held informal interviews with cafeteria workers and the school custodian to better understand their perceptions of the project.

Staff members perceived the single lunch policies and …

The Behavioral Effects Of Placing Emotionally Disturbed Students In An Alternative School Day Setting, Allen Randall Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the effects on student behaviors, of taking emotionally disturbed students out of the regular high school and placing them in an alternative afternoon (1PM - 5PM) program. The researcher attempted to determine whether removing the students from the regular population and placing them in a self-contained setting would improve their behaviors. The subjects of the study were all high school aged students attending a regional high school in southern New Jersey. Each of the students was classified as either emotionally disturbed or multiply handicapped. Prior to being placed in this program, the students had …

The Effects Of Authentic Assessment In Elementary School Science, Timothy L. Trow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of authentic assessments on Bells Elementary School students' understanding of science concepts. In this study the Washington Township Public Schools' Elementary School Science Committee created open-ended authentic assessments to enhance the district's science curriculum. The subjects of the study were of various ethnic and economic backgrounds. They were heterogeneously grouped members of self-contained fourth grade classrooms. Surveys of the classroom teachers at Bells Elementary School found that the teachers believed their instruction had changed as a result of the new assessments. They also felt that students were better able to …

Implementing A Bully Prevention Program At The Sixth Grade Level, Janis E. Gansert

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine bully-victim behaviors and intervention strategies using case study research design in order to develop and implement a bully prevention program. Participants in this study were limited to students, parents, and teachers on one of three sixth grade teams. A program was presented including a survey for students to determine the level of bullying, questionnaires for students and teachers to evaluate program effectiveness, and interviews with teachers, the guidance counselor, and the assistant principal. Survey data was analyzed by tabulating responses and determining percentages of students experiencing bullying. Student questionnaire data was analyzed …