Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Implementing Professional Learning Communities To Improve Student Writing Achievement, Dori Alvich

Theses and Dissertations

Demands are made for schools to improve student learning. In answer to that demand, school leaders are searching for ways to implement new approaches to enhance student learning and teacher professional development. Professional learning communities (PLCs) implemented in a school setting can increase collaboration and improve instruction and learning if focused on three essential characteristics: student learning, teacher collaboration, and results (Dufour, DuFour, & Eaker, 2008). Darling-Hammond (1996) recommends that "schools be structured to become genuine learning organizations for both students and teachers; organizations that respect learning, honor teaching, and teach for understanding"(p. 198). Writing is required for all subject …

Fostering Teacher Leadership: Transforming Learning And Leading To Enhance School Culture, Jennifer Luff

Theses and Dissertations

The complexity associated with educational leadership and the challenges related to school change require schools to cultivate new sources of leadership (Anderson, 2009; Copland, 2003, Danielson, 2007, Goldstein, 2004). Literature demonstrates that teacher leadership is linked to increased professional learning, sustained change, and improved student achievement (Hart, 1995; Spillane, Hallet, & Diamond, 2003; Trachtman, 1993). The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate the Teacher Leadership Coalition, a cadre of teachers developed to empower teachers, increase professional learning, and improve culture in the Ryan School District. While implementing interventions to improve the Coalition, I sought to learn more …

Service Learning And Student Leadership Through Environmentally Immersive Writing, Seth Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of environmentally immersive service learning on a focused cluster of the NJASK, self-perception of leadership, attitude toward the environment, and student ability to define and articulate the benefits of service learning. The study compared the 2008-2009 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge 7 (NJASK 7) and the 2009-2010 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge 8 (NJASK 8) cluster area score of the explanatory task. The difference in the mean score on the explanatory task was analyzed by comparing the state, the Allamuchy Township School District, and the district factor group, representing other communities …

The Professional Learning Community: An Educational Construct To Improve Student Learning Through Effective Teacher Collaboration, Lynn Barberi

Theses and Dissertations

This limited practical action research study was designed to address a problem of practice at one Pre-K - third grade school located in a suburban community on the east coast of the United States, wherein teachers work the majority of the time in isolation from their peers and where collaboration is the exception, not the rule. Teachers have few opportunities to share teaching strategies and build on the strengths of their peers to improve the learning outcomes of their students as they practice the art of teaching in the classroom. The goal of this study was for the school principal …

A Study Of The Integration Of Technology In Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Phyllis Mordente

Theses and Dissertations

The relationships among all subject areas in interdisciplinary instruction and the effectiveness of technology integrated within this process provide a pertinent study for educators, especially in the consideration of and adherence to recent national standards and mandates on cross-curricular instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore effective technology implementation in interdisciplinary activities in a middle school setting. The researcher qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed how to effectively structure media-rich inquiry-based learning and how to effectively integrate technology into a team project-based learning model. A research plan was formulated to recursively collect, organize, and analyze data within a collaborative framework. …

Teachers, Teamwork, And Technology: An Introspective Look At Leadership And Change, Robert Rossi

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher convictions and doubts about the process of integrating technology into instruction have a major influence on the degree to which the teacher applies technology in the classroom. Teacher paradigms, in addition to federal, state, and local policies, can create barriers that inhibit the incorporation of technology-based initiatives. The purpose of this action research study was to create/design a process of technology integration that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders by identifying the pedagogical beliefs of elementary school teachers with regard to the implementation of technology in their classrooms. The research was conducted using a qualitative methodology approach …

The Association Between Grades Pre K-12 Student Achievement And Differentiated Instructional Strategies In The Anytown Township School District Explored Through Units Of Study, Jeff Gorman

Theses and Dissertations

This is a quasi-experimental quantitative study that sought to determine the association between differentiated instructional elements or strategies and student achievement as measured through pretest and posttest results for teacher created units of study in the area of mathematics and language arts literacy. A series of descriptive and parametric inferential statistics was utilized. A one-between one-within analysis of variance (ANOVA) on change scores by time (pretest vs. posttest) and group (primary vs. elementary vs. middle vs. high school) was conducted. The results for the main effect of time were statistically significant as indicated by F (1,194) = 530.30, p = …

Good To Great: A Framework For Improving Instruction In A Ninth Grade Academy, Donna Marable

Theses and Dissertations

This participatory action research project explores the leadership of a female African American high school principal in an urban district who applies the principles in Jim Collins' Good to Great (2001, 2005) to improve academic performance in a ninth grade academy. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is defined as planning, acting, observing, reflecting, and repeating each cycle in a spiral of self-reflective cycles. The data was captured through qualitative and quantitative data collection strategies. The study is written as an autoethnographic self-narrative and is a self-reflective study of my leadership. The findings of this study suggest that applying the principles in …

An Exploratory Assessment Of A Graduate Early Childhood Special Education Dual Certification Program, Claudia Mejia

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this action research study was to assess an urban university's graduate Early Childhood Special Education dual certification program and find ways to improve the program in order to facilitate growth and success for all of the students. The research design included both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, which were in the forms of a questionnaire and interviews. Other colleges' and universities' graduate programs in Early Childhood Special Education dual certification were also analyzed to determine if they were similar to the urban university and met the students' needs and standards. Data collected from the questionnaire …

Professional Development Reform: A Shift From Traditional Practices To A New Paradigm, Janine Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study investigated a shift in professional development program delivery that incorporated adult learning theory and PLCs. The study included opportunities for collaboration, self-reflection, and empowerment of teachers, intended to improve attitudes and increase classroom quality. The research questions tested these outcomes along with the impact of the researcher's leadership. The participants were a sample of preschool teachers in a large urban school district. The data were collected through quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The data resulted in favorable attitudes towards the program model and increased classroom quality was reported. Finally, the participants indicated the leadership style contributed …

Building Instructional Leadership Capacity Of School Leaders Through Technology Integration, Joy Carey

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggested that the acquisition of technology instructional leadership skills develops principals' abilities to become agents of change. "A firm foundation in technology knowledge, skills relative to the instructional process, and leadership and managerial skills in technology are required" (Geer, 2002, p. 57). It was critical for principals to enhance their technological communication skills, managerial applications, knowledge on information processing, and promote technology instruction methods in order to increase student learning (Daresh, 2006). The purpose of this action research project was to provide six school district principals with technology professional development, which enabled them to become effective instructional leaders for …

Formative Assessment: The Implementation Of Learnia And The Impact On Students' Proficiency Of The New Jersey Mathematics Standards, Nicole Santora

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to afford teachers with data regarding their eighth grade students' current levels of proficiency on the New Jersey's mathematics standard. Through professional development, teachers were provided with the opportunity to use these data to create an instructional plan in which they could focus their instruction on the specific standards in which their students were not demonstrating proficiency. The data were collected through a comparison of student performance on the pre-assessment and post-assessment of the standards, interviews, questionnaires, and a leadership attribute survey. The first conclusion was that a formative assessment program had …

Changing Times: Engaging Faculty In Online Education, Steven Farney

Theses and Dissertations

The Internet has become a popular vehicle for the delivery of programs and courses among institutions of higher education. Nevertheless, it appears that many faculty members are still resistant to engage in online delivery based on biases and preconceptions rather than facts. The purpose of this action research project was to learn positive and negative views of faculty at Rowan University regarding online delivery of courses in an attempt to increase their participation in this mode of delivery. Additionally the researcher sought to explore if faculty concerns about online education could be addressed, clarified, or dispelled. The research was conducted …

The Impact Of An After School Mathematics Program On The Educational Outcomes Of Title I Middle School Students, Kenneth Londregan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate if participation in an after school mathematics enrichment program has an impact on student outcomes, including the students' perception that the after school program helped prepare them for their regular school day's mathematics class, score better on benchmark assessments, and succeed on their New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) state test. One hundred and twenty five students who received free or reduced lunch were asked to participate in a free extended school program. Thirty students who did not receive free or reduced lunches were also invited to …

Cogent Leadership: Transitioning To Professional Learning Communities, Donna Markiewicz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between traditional professional development and the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in one suburban middle school in New Jersey. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather data. Quantitative and qualitative results were gathered from surveys from teachers (N=59) that attended the in-house professional development workshops. Twenty interviews were also used to gather data on the teacher perspective. Most of the teachers appreciated the paradigm shift from traditional professional development to a more collaborative model. They appreciated the time to work in their professional learning communities to develop common goals …

Autokinetics: A Group Intervention To Mitigate At-Risk Behaviors In Adolescents, Christine Abrahams

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores whether introducing autokinetics (self-movement) to at-risk sophomore and junior high school students would increase their self-concept, school connectedness, perception of their academic performance, and GPA. In this study, at-risk' students are defined as students who have possible drug and alcohol problems, come from single parent households, have social issues at school, and/or come from difficult family situations. The research was conducted in small groups of eight to ten students over a six-month period. The two experimental and two control groups were randomly selected. All four groups attended a forty-minute weekly group session while autokinesis was used only …

An Evaluation Of Graduate Students' Perceptions Of Mattering At Rowan University, Christopher D'Angelo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether graduate students at Rowan University felt as though they mattered to the university. The subjects in this study consisted of 320 full-time and part-time matriculated graduate students at Rowan University during the spring 2010 semester. Data were collected using a revised version of the Mattering Scales for Adult Students in Higher Education, which consists of 45 Likert scale statements meant to gain insight into how students felt about their graduate school experience, and how they felt their needs were being met by the university community. Data analysis found that participants generally …

Representing Multi-Parent Organizational Structures For Use In High Performance Computing Resource Scheduling Algorithms, Lloyd T. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, organizational structures of many universities and corporations have followed a strictly tree-based, hierarchical model. These organizations are defined with no more than one parent organization, and typically resource requirements for the organization could be derived from the parent organization. In recent years, however, many institutions have created interdisciplinary research groups which incorporate multiple fields of research across multiple campus organizations. For example, at Brigham Young University, there exists a biophysics research group, a child organization of both the Department of Biology and the Department of Physics, making it unclear how to define its resource requirements in the context of …

Expenditures, Efficiency, And Effectiveness In U.S. Undergraduate Higher Education: A National Benchmark Model, Brett A. Powell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between expenditures and efficiency and effectiveness in U.S. higher education institutions and whether that relationship can begin to answer the accountability questions facing these institutions. Institutions are facing questions from federal legislators, state legislators, parents, students, and other stakeholders about the cost of U.S. higher education and whether these costs lead to success in educating students. Using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (2003-04) and the National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (2004), canonical correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to define and determine the relationship among four constructs: …

Impact Of A Selected Remedial Mathematics Course On Accuplacer Re-Test Results, Denise Chalow Case

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a selected remedial mathematics course offered at a selected community college. Initial placement test scores were compared with scores resulting from a placement retest after completion of the remedial course. While the majority of students placed higher on the retest, the most significant increases were achieved by students who earned an A for the remedial course. This study also analyzed the level of education and degree major of the instructors of the remedial courses. The results indicate that instructors holding master's degrees may be slightly more effective than those …

An Investigation Of The Lasting Impact The C.H.A.M.P/Gear-Up Program At Rowan University Has On Selected Alumni, Jamar Morton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to determine the lasting impact of the C.H.A.M.P./GEAR-Up program alumni before the fall of 2004. The study involved 78 subjects, divided into two groups. Group one consisted of 70 subjects who participated in a survey. Group two consisted of eight subjects who participated in an interview.

The data collection instruments included a 30-item survey using the Likert scale format. The questions were arranged in a five factor grouping consisting of postsecondary exposure, identity development, social development, academic enrichment, motivational aspect, and program impact. The interview consisted of 12 questions ranging from general demographics, …

The Learning Curve: The Thinking And Learning Styles Of Selected Student Athletes At Rowan University And The Impact On Academic Achievement, Robert Bullard

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to determine if thinking and learning styles of selected student-athletes at Rowan University impact academic achievement. Ninety-six undergraduate student-athletes from Rowan University participated in the study completing both the Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (InQ) and the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) to measure thinking and learning styles. The InQ consists of 18 statements which are followed by five possible endings in which respondents indicate the degree to which each statement is most like you (5) or least like you (1). The LCI is a 28 Likert item self-reporting instrument that allows the respondent to learn of their learning …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc. Afterschool And Summer Enrichment Programs, Karen E. Nicholas

Theses and Dissertations

By all accounts there is a crisis in the American educational system. From government officials at all levels to educators, both practitioners and researchers, the question of how to reconnect with America's youth is debated on a daily basis. Solutions to the problems are suggested, debated, and sometimes tested. One of the topics that is often deliberated is the impact of supplemental educational programs. In an effort to address issues of academic skill deficiencies and college preparedness, the Educational Advancement Alliance (EAA) was founded in 1990.

The intent of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the impact of the Educational …

A Longitudinal Study Of The Enrollment Patterns Of Fulltime, First-Time Degree-Seeking Recent High School Graduates At A Community College, Ramsaran Ramoutar

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the enrollment patterns of first-time, full time recent high school graduates enrolled a community college. This longitudinal study focused on students who were enrolled at Cumberland County College in the fall of 2002 through the fall of 2008. Enrollment and transfer patterns and graduation rates were explored for the sample population of 209 students who came from all ethnic background. The databases of the Cumberland County College and the New Jersey Higher Education Clearing House were examined in order to retrieve the relevant information. The study revealed that although financial concerns impacted the educational outcomes, there was …

The Effectiveness Of Incident Command Systems Training For Residential Learning Personnel At Rowan University, Lori Ann Troise

Theses and Dissertations

Emergency Response is a topic addressed by colleges and universities across the country. Adequate training for response personnel is encouraged by the institutions and, in some cases, enforced by state and federal governments. On college campuses, emergencies occur at all areas and can occur at any given time, which includes residential areas. At Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, these residential areas are staffed by undergraduate and graduate students.

This study analyzed the effectiveness of Incident Command Systems training for personnel hired to work within the residential areas at Rowan University. Incident Command Systems is a national emergency management structure adopted …

The Impact Of Injuries On Division Iii Student-Athletes, Danielle Lodics

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine emotions and processes of 21 Rowan University student athletes that experienced a minor or major injury during the fall and spring semester of the 2008/2009 academic year. A minor injury is defined as an injury that keeps the student athlete out of competition for 7 to 10 days. A major injury is defined in this study as an injury that is season-ending or surgical. Of the 21 student athletes 13, experienced a minor injury and eight student athletes experienced a major injury. The major injuries in this study were: a torn …

Building School Connections Through Integrating Extracurricular Programs, Grete E. Gerber

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated extracurricular program and evaluate its effectiveness on improving middle school students' emotional connectedness to the school. The integrated extracurricular program provided an opportunity for a diverse group of students to work cooperatively as a team toward a common goal.

The program's first extracurricular activity was a Haunted House event which was utilized for this study. Participants in the study included 232 students and 21 staff members. Two separate surveys were administered to the student and staff participants. Each survey resulted in general opinions about the effectiveness of the integrated extracurricular …

Assessing Undergraduate Student Involvement: A Closer Look At The African American Pattern, Adam M. Jordan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement patterns of selected African American undergraduate students and explore the reasoning as to why they choose to participate in certain groups and abstain from others. Data were collected through a three part survey with 60 Likert-type items used, and through a series of interviews. The population used was a convenience sample of 178 students at Rowan University's main campus in Glassboro, NJ. Eight students of that sample were purposely selected to participate in interviews. Data analysis of the surveys showed positive relationships between students who worked with classmates outside of …

Motivations For Participation In Adult Education Of Predominately African Americans In A Religious Organization, Shirley S. Farrar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research (a) the participation patterns of selected predominately African American adults in a religious-based educational program (n=225), (b) determine relative motivational patterns, (c) to compare the 'most' and 'least' of importance of motivations, and to identify if the samples' demographics are related to these motivations. This study was administered in a selected church in Deptford, New Jersey in March 2009. The African American adult population with an average age of 42 demonstrated similarities of participation to a previous study. To measure motivations to participate and patterns of participation in African American adults, data …

Impact Of New Financial Aid Trend: Attitudes And Opinions, Rihab Ezzat Saadeddine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of administrators towards the new financial aid trend that was initiated by some well-endowed private universities, and its impact on colleges and universities. The study also explored personal attitudes towards need and merit based aid, and recommendations to improve students' accessibility and affordability in higher education.

Data analysis suggests that the majority of administrators have a positive attitude towards the general principle behind the new financial aid trend. However, they stated that this new trend is not broad and that it does not address the financial aid need of most …