Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

A Case Study Of The Effects Of The Strategic Planning Process On The Trust Level Of Administrative Staff In A K - 12 School District, Michael F. Paskewicz

Dissertations

Strategic planning is a process that has been used in the business world since the 1960s as a tool to build employee trust through the development of a shared vision and goals. Public education and other government agencies began to use the strategic planning process in the mid 1970s (Herman, 1994).

The study used data collected by a K-12 school district, two years into the strategic planning process. This study sought to determine if the trust level of administrators would be impacted by the level of participation in the strategic planning process. Trust level was defined by self rating by …

An Assessment Of The Perceived Administrative Effectiveness Of Boarding School Principals In The North American Division Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Malcolm E. Hutchinson Jr.

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the views held by those whose duties include the management and day-to-day operations of the secondary boarding schools within the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This refers specifically to superintendents, principals, and staff members

Method. The survey method was used to gather the data. Respondents were asked to complete an 84-item questionnaire. The population sample was made up of 320 staff members, 32 principals, and 31 superintendents. The data were analyzed using mean scores, percentile rankings, and ANOVA at an alpha of p < .05.

Findings. The major findings in …

Institutional Activities In International Higher Education : An Assessment Of Advancement Strategies Used At Selected Small Church-Related Colleges And Universities, Janeric Arne Gustavsson

Dissertations

Problem. Small church-related colleges and universities are experiencing financial difficulties. This study assesses the institutional advancement programs at selected Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities. The purpose of this examination was to analyze "what is" to determine the present-day process of the advancement function, and what "ought to be." These data will also suggest potential areas for growth and development.

Method . The study uses a non-experimental, descriptive design. To accomplish the purpose of the study, the literature on institutional advancement was reviewed to find a useable framework. The instrument used for this study was the one used in Willmer's …

A Study Of K-12 Teachers In Small School Districts : Their Levels Of Stress, The Source Of Stress, And The Effect Of Initiating Coping Strategies, Roberta J. Farwell

Dissertations

Problem. This study explored the relationship between K-12 regular education teachers in school districts with fewer than 2,500 students and their levels of stress as it related to the sources of stress, demographic variables, and initiation of coping strategies.

Method. The subjects of this study were 329 K-12 teachers. They completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Education form, a demographic/coping mechanism form, and Stressor Source Check List.

Results. (1) Classroom, building, and community issues affected teachers' attitudes toward their profession:Stress levels, as measured by the MBI, were reflected in their identification of sources of stress in the work …

Key Administrative Decisions In The History Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Education In Bermuda, Leslie C. Holder

Dissertations

Problem. In 1993, during the celebration of fifty years of continuous Christian education in Bermuda, it became strikingly evident that the Seventh-day Adventist Church had no single literary, historical compilation of SDA education in the country. This research can help to fill this information void.

Method. Seven key administrative decisions have been identified as being of paramount importance in influencing the manner in which SDA education has developed in Bermuda: (1) the initial decision to found an SDA school, (2) the relocation of the school to the Sandringham property, (3) the expansion from eight grades to twelve, (4) the choices …

Educational Administrators And Computer Usage: Leadership Styles And Computer Attitudes In Small Secondary Schools In North America, Daniel Hong Lim

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the computer attitudes of educational administrators and teachers, the leadership styles of educational administrators, and computer usage in secondary schools.

Method. The design of this study used the questionnaire survey to collect data investigating relationships between educational administrators' attitudes toward computers, their leadership styles, and computer use in schools. The sample of the study was derived from educational administrators and teachers from 58 Seventh-day Adventist senior academies (i.e., high schools) found in the United States and Canada. Two instruments were selected for this study. The Computer Attitude Scale …

Power In Religious Organizations: A Study Of Principals' Perspectives As Seen In Three Religious High Schools In Michigan, Patrick L. Allen

Dissertations

Problem. Power is a phenomenon that is known to almost everyone, and is evident in any relationship that involves at least two individuals. Despite its inescapability, not many individuals are aware of its nature and characteristics and how it displays itself, especially in the organizational setting. This study focused on how power displays itself in religious organizations, and described particular activities that occur in the context of three religious schools in Michigan.

Method. To accomplish the purpose of the study the literature on power was reviewed to identify the existing theories. This documentary approach was combined with case studies to …

Evaluation Of A Home-School-Community Liaison Scheme In Irish Elementary Schools, Sandra Ryan

Dissertations

This dissertation describes an evaluation of a Home-School-Community Liaison scheme in Irish elementary schools. The scheme represented an effort to combat educational failure in areas suffering from social and economic disadvantage associated with poor quality housing, high levels of unemployment, dependence on state aid, and crime. The central aim of the scheme was to increase parents' involvement in their children's education. The evaluation study examined how programs in the scheme were constructed and implemented over a three-year period and monitored specified outcomes of program activity. Methodology included questionnaires, interviews, site visits and observations, and standardized achievement testing.

The scheme generated …

Guidelines For Developing A Campus Master Plan Document For Small Colleges And Universities, Bradley Allen Jamison

Dissertations

Problem. From a review of dissertations in the field of campus master planning, no study was found that attempted to identify the essential elements, principles, configuration and format of campus master plans for guiding small colleges and universities in developing a master plan document. The lack of this type of study left a void in the campus planning process in regards to developing a campus master plan, its purpose, and how it contributed to the overall strength of a small college or university with little campus planning experience.

Results. A campus master plan document was developed from the summation of …

Instructional Practices And Attitudes Of Teachers In One- And Two-Room Schools In The Seventh-Day Adventist School System In North America, Judith Leist Anderson

Dissertations

Problem. This study examines the instructional practices, perceptions, and attitudes of multi-grade teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system.

Method. The researcher developed a survey and mailed it to a randomly selected stratified sample of 500 teachers in one- and two-room schools in the Seventh-day Adventist educational system in the United States and Canada. Two hundred eighty surveys were returned; 276 were used in the data analysis. Descriptive statistics give a demographic picture of these teachers--the practices used, their perceived levels of expertise, methods of grouping students for instruction, and their assessment of multi-grade students' …

Special Service Needs Of Adult Students Attending Weekend College At Western Michigan University, Patricia A. Dolly

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the needs of the adult learner and how or if these needs are being met in the Campus Ill/Weekend College program at Western Michigan University. Specifically, factors that explain the rise of adult learners on college campuses and demographic information on this rising student population are presented. In addition, the reasons for returning to school and differences between traditional and nontraditional students are examined. Institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers confronting adult students are discussed; a model is put forth along with strategies to overcome barriers offered.

Current services for adult learners attending Weekend College at Western Michigan …

Women And The Public School Superintendency: An Integrative Review Of The Dissertation Research, Carol A. Swingle

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to prepare a comprehensive summary, evaluation, and synthesis of the dissertation research conducted from 1970 to 1994 regarding women public school superintendents.

The units of study for this research synthesis were the 79 criterion-selected doctoral dissertations completed at colleges and universities in the United States between 1 970 and 1994 that utilized women public school superintendents as their sole, or primary, data set.

Data were collected relative to both the content and the quality of the selected dissertations. Data analysis was completed using the integrative research review techniques of listing factors, taking a vote, …

The Role Of Transformational Leadership In The Collaborative Development Of A Full Inclusion Program: An Action Research Study, Paul R. Hain

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation is a critical action research study on full inclusion for students with learning disabilities. The study describes how full inclusion for 16 students with learning disabilities in three regular classes was implemented in an Illinois elementary school over a one year period. The purpose of this study is to describe how transformational leadership, collaborative decision-making and action research helped in the development of full inclusion.

Action research was the method used to 1) observe and collect data about the project, 2) to analyze what was happening, and 3) help guide the inclusion teaching team in taking actions …

Beliefs And Perceptions Of Michigan Superintendents Toward Females Advancing In The Ranks: Perspectives To Increase The Minority Pool, Dennis J. Stanek

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine potential factors which affect the advancement of females in the role of superintendent. With the research pointing to a variety of causes for the low percentage of female superintendents, the reason for this study was to make various groups in leadership positions aware of such factors.

Three research questions were studied:

1. Do practicing K-12 male superintendents in Michigan possess significantly different beliefs and perceptions toward female superintendents than do practicing female superintendents?

2. What experiences did the respondent have in working with a female superintendent?

3. What perceptions do K-12 superintendents …

An Analysis Of Local Response To State Initiated School Reform Legislation: Michigan Public Act 25, A. Bruce Watson

Dissertations

Educational reform has been a topic of interest to educators, politicians and tax payers for over a century. Michigan’s educational reform legislation, Public Act 25. enacted in 1990, is a shared-responsibility model where the state and local school district share responsibility for implementing four major educational reform components. These components are, core curriculum, annual educational report, school improvement planning and accreditation.

The study was designed to answer the following two research questions. Initially, do elementary principals in Michigan public elementary schools perceive educational reform indicators and conditions to be in enough strength to allow educational reform to continue under Public …

The Perceived Adequacy Of Vocational And Technical Education In Nigeria And The Administrative Problems In Staffing The Programs, James Dele Owolabi

Dissertations

Problem

This study was to examine the perceived adequacy of technical education in Nigeria and the problems that administrators face in staffing the programs. The aims and objectives of technical education were examined as written in the Fourth National Development Plan and National Policy for Education.

Method

Two instruments were utilized for data collection: (1) a survey questionnaire for the opinions of Nigerian technical educators, and (2) a set of structured questions to interview selected executives in industry. The researcher travelled to Nigeria's technical institutions for distribution of questionnaires and for on-the-scene assessment of technical programs. Collected data and government …

Women In Public School Administration: Factors That Facilitate Attainment, Betty Newlin Lapointe

Dissertations

The educational system in the United States, although staffed by an equal proportion of men and women in teaching roles, is administered predominantly by men. Women are represented in fewer than 5% of our nation’s schools in the role of superintendent, and only 10% of the high schools are administered by women principals.

The purpose of this study was to expand the research on the factors that facilitate the attainment of key leadership positions for women within the public school, and to determine differences in access between the positions of secondary principal and superintendent.

A total of 78 female administrators, …

The Role Of Administrators And Teachers In The Selection And Implementation Of Computer Technology In The "Classroom Of Tomorrow" Program, Ahmad Al-Obiedat

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of administrators and teachers in the selection and implementation of computer technology in Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS). Recently, KPS participated in Michigan's "Classroom of Tomorrow" program. They received 170 computers of various types (i.e., Apple, IBM, etc.). Elementary teachers received 126, middle school teachers received 16, high school teachers received 26, and 2 computers were awarded to personnel at the community education center. To date, there are no reports or research studies on the success or lack of success of the processes used to select and implement the computers in …

A Study Of The Attitudes Of Seventh-Day Adventist Parents Toward The Support Of Seventh-Day Adventist Church Schools In British Columbia, Johan Haakmat

Dissertations

Problem. Despite the numerical growth of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) membership and the number of private and parochial schools, there has not been a corresponding increase in student enrollment in Adventist church schools in British Columbia, Canada. This study investigated possible reasons for this trend through a study of the attitudes of church members toward the support of Adventist education in the province.

Method. The data for this study were gathered using the Adventist Education Opinion Survey (Naden, 1987). The sample was SDA church members in British Columbia who provided 498 usable responses that were analyzed by the use of item …

Relationships Among Selected Internal/External Variables Affecting Decision Making In The Roles/Functions Of Research University Provosts, Haldane F. Davies

Dissertations

Problem

In the business and corporate world, there exists a unique collection of proven decision-making tools, techniques, and management ideas. There is, however, no clear definition and empirical analysis relative to the nature of the relationships among internal/external variables as they influence decision-making in the research university provosts' roles and functions. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of selected variables on provost decision-making within their many functions.

Method

The survey research method was used to study the relationships among selected variables affecting decision-making in the functions of research university provosts. An instrument was designed and …

The Role Of The Academy Principal In The Austral Union Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Educational System As Perceived By Principals And Teachers, Eduardo Gonzalez

Dissertations

Problem. Considering the rapid expansion of educational institutions in the Austral Union of Seventh-day Adventists and the lack of a job description for principals, there is a need for more research in the area of the principal's role.

Method. This was a descriptive survey research. A 71-item questionnaire created by Robert Kalangi in 1975 and modified by the researcher was used in this study. The population was all of the principals and teachers of the12 day- and boarding-academies in the Austral Union. The data were analyzed using percentages, means, and standard deviations. Comparisons were made using t tests and $\chi\sp2$ …

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Barriers To Implementing Shared Decision-Making In Wisconsin Schools, Donald John Viegut

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was (a) to investigate if differences exist in stakeholder perceptions of barriers to implementing shared decision-making (SDM), and (b) to investigate if differences exist in stakeholder perceptions across the following constructs of shared decision- making: empowerment, leadership, motivation, organizational culture, accountability, and learning organizations. Randomly selected members from the stakeholder categories of: parents, board of education members, superintendents, principals, and teachers, were the sample (N = 100). Stakeholder perception was compared on a composite score of the survey instrument. Perceptions were also compared across the six constructs of SDM for each of the stakeholder categories. …

Dyadic Similarity Of The Superintendent-Principal Interpersonal Relationship, Principal’S Job Satisfaction, And Subordinate’S Performance Evaluation, Richard William Drury

Dissertations

Due to mounting school improvement demands, the role of the principal has increasingly received pressure throughout the past decade. Although frequently referred to as the catalyst for effective school change, few empirical studies exist addressing organizational variables influencing this key administrative position. It has strongly been suggested that the interpersonal relationship principals share with their superintendent may affect the principal's job satisfaction and performance evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the situational effect of dyadic similarity on the superintendent-principal interpersonal relationship. Specifically, the study explored the relationship of managerial, dyadic similarity and subordinate outcomes. According to similarity …

Rating Intervention Strategies For Overcoming Impediments To Planned Change By Michigan Public School Administrators, Dale Kimball

Dissertations

In this study, Michigan public school principals reported their perceptions regarding differences in the degree to which nine intervention strategies helped to overcome 10 impediments to change that are often encountered by principals. The intervention strategies and impediments to change used in this study were chosen as a result of a content analysis of literature on change.

A two-part pilot study was conducted. In part one, principals were asked for comments regarding the effectiveness of the letter of introduction, clarity of instructions and questionnaire items, and ease and time of completion. In part two, information was gathered to determine whether …

A Comparison Of Strategic Decision Task Variable Analysis Between School And Business Executives, Peter A. Behnke

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between school and business executives when making strategic decisions through a comparison of task variable analysis skills. The hypothesis for the study was: After reading a case study describing a strategic decision- making situation, business executives will have more correct responses than school executives on an author written evaluation instrument. The evaluation instrument was designed to measure the subjects' analysis skills of 10 different decision-making task variables.

Thirty Wisconsin school district superintendents and 30 business executives were randomly selected to participate in the study. The results indicated that the difference …

The Organizational Communication Climate And Utilization Of Lines Of Communication Within Purdue University Calumet, Judith Lynn Hack

Dissertations

Problem. The study explored the health of organizational communication at an urban regional commuter campus of a midwestern university through use of Communication Climate, System-Semantic, and Episodic Communication Channels in Organizations (ECCO) methodologies. This combination of methodologies formed an internal audit of communication processes at the University (Spring 1992). The effectiveness of communication within the University after a 20-year period of significant internal change was studied.

Method. Climate methodology measured Trust, Participative Decision-Making, Supportiveness, Openness, Listening, and Performance Goals aspects and a Composite Climate through written surveys with Faculty, Clerical and Service staff, and Administrative/Professional groups. System-Semantics methodology utilized (1) …

The Development And Administration Of A Modified Community College-Type Program For Caribbean Union College, T. Leslie Ferdinand

Dissertations

Problem. Throughout the Caribbean Union College (CUC) constituency thousands of youth are unemployed and unemployable. They do not possess marketable skills. At present no church-operated educational institutions exist in the constituency to provide relevant education for 50%-60% of its young people.

Methods. The survey method of research was used to compare the self-perceived educational needs of non-college-bound youth with the perceptions of board members/administrators, faculty/staff, alumni, students, parents/guardians, and other-adult SDAs of those needs in the CUC constituency. The population and sample were 93,140 and 1,903 respectively. A 56-item questionnaire was used. Chi-square was applied. The confidence level was set …

Information Essential For Accountability And Planning As Identified By Board Chairs And Principals Of Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Schools, James R. Nash

Dissertations

Problem

Particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools have been facing problems with enrollments and finances. The purpose of this research was to identify those elements of information and data that the board chairs and principals of United States Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools determined would provide, if gathered and organized, the foundation for school personnel accountability and planning.

Method

The population consisted of the board chairs and principals of SDA secondary schools located in the continental United States. A questionnaire was developed, piloted by a panel of judges, and sent to each of the 78 principals and …

Developing A Model For The Organization, Administration, And Programs For Community Colleges In Malaysia, Boni Thadius Gaban

Dissertations

Problem

The large number of Malaysian students studying overseas indicates that there is a paucity of extant institutions of higher learning in Malaysia to cater to the increasing number of secondary school graduates. It was therefore the purpose of this study to develop a model for the organization, administration, and programs for community colleges in Malaysia.

Method

Documentary and survey methodology was used. This study covered the philosophy, purposes, organizational structures, personnel, programs, and roles for community colleges in Malaysia. From the review of related literature, interviews with administrators of community colleges in the United States, and the survey to …

A Comparison Of Male And Female Elementary School Principals' Perceived Instructional Leadership Behavior, Carol Lynn Babcock

Dissertations

This study investigated and compared the perceptions of male and female elementary school principal's instructional leadership behavior. Perceptions were solicited from elementary school principals who held membership in the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association. The objective of the study was to compare male and female elementary school principal's perceptions of their instructional leadership behavior. The dimensions of instructional leadership compared were: Defining the Mission, Managing the Instructional Program, and Promoting School Climate.

The Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (Hallinger & Murphy, 1985) sought perceptions on the major dimensions of instructional leadership behavior. The survey was mailed to the …