Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Acdc Program Review Self Study 2013, Uno Academic & Career Development Center

Student Learning

The Academic & Career Development Center (ACDC) would like to thank the members of the Program Review Committee for examining and evaluating the services provided by ACDC. Your time and thoughtful consideration is appreciated. Your insights, suggestions and recommendations will be used to improve the career services offered to University of Nebraska at Omaha students and alumni. Also, a special thank you to Dr. Daniel Shipp for his guidance and support in writing this report. The recommendations listed below are listed in priority order.

A Qualitative Study Of Curriculum In A Developmental Reading At At Community College, Celina Uranga Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This interpretive study examined the curriculum implemented in a developmental reading course at a community college. Approaching curriculum as a three layered construct, (Cohen, 1990; Hartell, 2012; Mendez, 2010; Page, 1991; Page, 1999), I described classroom lessons to understand how the formal curriculum was translated by students and teachers. This study offered a nuanced account of developmental education with a focus on classroom practice to garner a better understanding of how a developmental reading curriculum was enacted in daily classroom life.

This study focused on questions of culture, meaning and context (Erickson, 1986); therefore, I employed a qualitative approach to …

The Relationship Between The Nature Of Perceived Communication, Student Achievement And District Size, Rick Molitor

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study examines the role communication plays in relationship to student achievement levels and the student enrollment of school districts. The following primary research question was examined: What is the relationship between high schools' staff's perception of positive communication between the district office and schools and levels of students meeting state reading/language arts and math assessment standards? The foundation of this study is based on the hypotheses that an increase in a staff's positive perception of two-way communication between their school and the central office will be associated with an increase in student achievement. Existing survey data (N = 3132) …

Shaping The Journey Of Emerging Adults: Life-Giving Rhythms For Spiritual Transformation, Jeff Strietzel

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Alternative Break Program Participation On College Students' Development Of, Danny N. Glassman, Merrily S. Dunn, Michelle M. Espino

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Although an ample amount of research on college students' moral reasoning exists, little has been written about the degree to which participation in community service and alternative break programs results in growth of moral reasoning. This study investigated the extent to which participation in alternative break programs resulted in the development of college students' moral reasoning. Results of pre- and post-Defining Issues Tests showed statistically significant differences between males and females and between White and non-White students. Implications regarding the influence of gender and ethnicity on alternative break programs outcomes and further research are discussed.

The Evolving Role Of Department Chair: Leading Faculty Through Times Of Change, Domenick Pinto

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

How does one manage conflict and change in a very volatile economic climate where academia is experiencing greater accountability, increased emphasis on outcome assessment, declining enrollment and great uncertainty for the future? The role of department chair has, in many cases, become one entrenched in conflict between the role of faculty and administrator and has experienced a tremendous evolution over the last 25 years.

The role of department chair has changed as economic, social and student climates have changed. This paper will summarize collected data from chairs of departments of various sizes and types in order to discuss and understand …

Faculty Senate Librarian's Report-2013, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Librarian's Reports

No abstract provided.

Developing A National Perspective Of Interrelated Preparation: Educational Administration Leading Teacher Leadership Programs, Caryn M. Wells, Marc Shelton, Ralph L. Marshall

Faculty Publications - College of Education

This NCPEA Position Paper articulates a national perspective for the development of teacher leadership programs with leadership from educational administration professors. The National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA), as the professional organization that provides direction and leadership for its members, presents a vision for dialogue and action to collaboratively develop teacher leadership programs among professors of educational administration and teacher education faculty. We believe that leadership matters and thus we submit there is a sense of urgency for professors to collaboratively develop teacher leadership programs embedded within educational administration programs. It is crucial that these programs articulate knowledge …

Sri Report Executive Summary Revised, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Index

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Student Retention Strategies: An Empirical Study, Elke Meyo Leeds, Stacy M. Campbell, Hope Baker, Radwan Ali, Dorothy Brawley, John Crisp

Faculty Articles

A major concern for institutions and instructors is the high dropout rate of students in online courses. This study investigated the impact of student retention strategies on retention rates in an online information systems course. A treatment group exposed to retention strategies related to student engagement, learning communities, student services and learner centred environments was compared with a control group. Results suggested that retention strategies may not impact retention rates. This is important as faculty are routinely encouraged to implement similar strategies in online course design and delivery.

Analyzing The University Of Kentucky’S Top 20 Business Plan, Kenny Blair

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to begin laying a foundation for assessing the degree of progress the University of Kentucky (UK) has made toward the goals defined in the Top 20 Business Plan. The plan was created to guide the university’s efforts in becoming a top twenty public research institution by 2020 per a mandate by the Kentucky General Assembly.

Up to two strategies and/or policy suggestions were chosen for analysis for each of the four major domains outlined in the plan (undergraduate education, graduate education, faculty recognition, and research). Academic quality indicators were then developed for these strategies …

Analyzing The Presence Of Marketing In Campus Recreation Departments, Amy Gibson

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The University of Kentucky’s Campus Recreation department is currently operating without professional marketing personnel to promote the programs and services the facility offers. With the university expanding campus housing for incoming students, the question of how activity spaces will accommodate and reach out to these students is certainly one to consider.

I conducted this research with the aim of analyzing the importance of marketing in Campus Recreation facilities and to see if marketing efforts have an effect on facility usage by participants. The department began conducting surveys in 2010 to assess its programs and services in order to determine student …

Completing A Phd By Publication: A Review Of Australian Policy And Implications For Practice, Denise Jackson

Research outputs 2013

There is increasing impetus for higher degree by research students to publish during candidature. Research performance, including higher degree completions and publication output, commonly determines university funding and doctorates with publishing experience are better positioned for a career in softening academic labour markets. The PhD by Publication provides a pathway for candidates to foster and demonstrate their publishing capabilities. It also provides existing academics a means of achieving doctoral status while managing the ‘publish or perish’ milieu endemic to their work. This paper clarifies the precise nature and significance of the PhD by Publication pathway in the Australian context and …

Identifying Students Requiring English Language Support: What Role Can A Pela Play?, Anne J. Harris

Research outputs 2013

The number of higher education providers implementing a post-entry English Language Assessment (PELA) has increased exponentially in the past six years. This uptake has been driven largely by the “Good Practice Principles”, the TEQSA Act 2011, and TEQSA’s Quality Assessment on English Language Proficiency. Evidence suggests that at least 50% of Australian universities now offer some form of PELA, but few compel students to complete it. This paper discusses four years of learning that took place in one university, beginning with trialling a range of PELAs through to the endorsement of a short written task in all undergraduate courses. It …

Task Force On Distributed Learning Charge, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Index

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Teachers And Administrators Regarding The Teacher Evaluation Process, Joy Davis Sheppard

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Teacher evaluations can be a tool for increasing teacher effectiveness and accountability if it is determined how evaluations can be best used. According to current literature, this is not the case. It is more pertinent than ever that administrators use evaluations to strengthen marginal teachers and further develop skills of teachers who are already proficient. However, few studies exist pertaining to teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher evaluation effectiveness and even fewer focus Georgia teacher evaluations. The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate perceptions of the teacher evaluation process held by teachers and administrators in southeast Georgia so …

"A Song For You" As Tribute To The Daughters Of The South: Illuminating The Work Of Black Women Principals, Beverly Cox

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Curriculum can be understood as a place of both struggle and possibility, where curriculum workers engage in complicated conversations about self, society, and the purposes of education (Pinar, 2004). Although curriculum theorists have contributed much to discussions of how to improve the current state of education, little attention in the field is given to the role that leadership can play in educational transformation (Ylimaki, 2011). This study contributes to the field of curriculum studies by exploring the ethics of care of Black women public school principals in the South.

By exploring the life experiences of Black female principals from the …

Perceptions Of Mentoring: Examining The Experiences Of Women Superintendents In Georgia, Scarlett Copeland

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The number of women superintendents working in Georgia public schools exceeds the national average, but unfortunately, when compared to the number of men in the same position, women are not as well represented. This gap between female and male superintendents, and the reasons why this disparity exist, has been the subject of many research studies. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is a lack of mentoring for women superintendents.

This descriptive mixed methods study gathered both quantitative and qualitative data on the mentoring experiences of women superintendents in Georgia. The quantitative participants in this study included 39 women superintendent in …

Bullying, The Law, And Safe Schools, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Few issues have generated more interest from educators in the last decade than bullying. And with good cause: various sources report that approximately 160,000 students avoid school every day for fear of being physically or emotionally abused by their peers.

Prevention strategies are difficult to develop without first understanding why bullies act as they do. Research suggests that bullies may be influenced by such factors as the personal characteristics and physical appearances of their victims, including their race, clothing, size, gender, sexual orientations (actual or perceived), general “look,” and family socioeconomic status. Some bullies, who typically lack social skills and …

Beyond Physical Space: Implementing A Virtual Learning Commons At An Urban Community College, Heba Elsayed, Carlos Guevara, Rebecca Hoda-Kearse, Isabel Li, Kate Lyons, George Rosa, Varun Sehgal

Publications and Research

The administration, faculty, and staff at Hostos Community College strive to improve students’ computer and information literacy skills while meeting the distinct needs of Millennials. In 2007, Hostos initiated a project to reconfigure physical spaces throughout the campus (areas in the Library, Academic Learning Center, Educational Technology Office, and Academic Computing Center) and establish a unified virtual space, creating a cross-divisional entity: the Information Learning Commons (ILC).

This case discusses the formation of the ILC Committee, the group that envisions and manages physical ILC spaces’ renovation and also develops virtual spaces; the planning and implementation of physical learning commons spaces; …

Acreditación De La Universidad Privada ¿Es Un Sinónimo De Calidad?, Gus Gregorutti, María Bon Pereira

Faculty Publications

This is a qualitative study done in a private university in the city of Monterrey, Northern Mexico. With a sample of 50 professors, department directors, students, and employees, within communication and journalism programs, this paper sought to unveil perceptions regarding the impact self-assessments and accreditations had on these two programs. Particularly, it was researched whether they believed these processes impacted their quality. Although accreditation was regarded as important, faculty members and employers believed that certified assessments did not produce significant changes over the way teaching and classes are conducted. Students showed high levels of misinformation about benefits and purposes of …

Mejorando La Relación Entre La Universidad Y La Comunidad: El Caso De La Universidad De Montemorelos, Gus Gregorutti, Zeno Charles-Marcel

Faculty Publications

The idea of the university in Latin America has been strongly influenced by Europeanmodels that were perpetuated since the arrival of the colonizers. As a result, theuniversity activity was conceived in special places where students learned aboutcertain topics and then return to the real world. In recent years, there has been agrowing concern in various groups of scholars and public leaders for the relevanceof the impact that universities are having on their communities. This study focuseson Montemorelos University and its impact on the surrounding communities. Thisstudy also reveals examples of how community involvement can be a key factor inhigher education.

"All Areas Of Suspected Disability", Mark Weber

College of Law Faculty

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to assess children “in all areas of suspected disability.” It further provides that each child’s individualized education program (IEP) must contain measurable annual goals designed to “meet each of the child’s . . . educational needs that result from the child’s disability,” and a statement of special education and related services that will be provided for the child “to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals.” Courts have strictly enforced these requirements in the last several years, remedying violations of IDEA when school districts fail to assess in all areas of …

"All Areas Of Suspected Disability", Mark Weber

College of Law Faculty

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to assess children “in all areas of suspected disability.” It further provides that each child’s individualized education program (IEP) must contain measurable annual goals designed to “meet each of the child’s . . . educational needs that result from the child’s disability,” and a statement of special education and related services that will be provided for the child “to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals.” Courts have strictly enforced these requirements in the last several years, remedying violations of IDEA when school districts fail to assess in all areas of …

A Tale Of Two Systems: How Schools And Juvenile Courts Are Failing Students, Samantha Buckingham

University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class

No abstract provided.

Winning On The Field And Winning In The Classroom. High School Football In Rurual Kentucky: Does A School's Winning Percentage In Football Affect Average Act Scores?, Jon Samokar

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky faces many challenges in educating its children at all levels. This study focuses on elements of academic achievement of high school students. Previous studies have examined the effects of teacher training, the effects of peer influence, sorting of students and teachers across school districts, various learning interventions that have targeted specific student populations and subject areas, each in an attempt to explain or improve upon school achievement and student academic success.

Previous national studies have focused their attention on the effects of variables found within the classroom; most of these studies recognize that there are influences outside the classroom …

Student-Athletes And Drug Abuse Policies: A Study Of Drug Abuse Policies Of Athletics Departments In A Major Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, Jennifer Hale

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

Truancy Intervention And Prevention Programs For The Marshall Middle School, Gayle Chandler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

After completing a field practicum at the Marshall Middle School in Marshall, MN it was realized that like many other schools in the nation; the truancy problem is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

• The Marshall Middle School is comprised of grades 5-8.
• Under the age of 12 would be considered educational neglect.
• 12 years of age and older is considered truancy per Minnesota State Statute.

This project aims to research intervention and prevention programs for both truancy and educational neglect that have been tested, compare them to the needs of the Marshall Middle School, and make a recommendation as …

Using Academic Advising To Increase Motivation And Engagement In First-Year College Students, Lisa Remsing

Wayne State University Dissertations

According to ACT Educational Services (2010), more than one-third of college freshmen will not progress to their sophomore year. Several states, including Michigan, have proposed higher education performance funding models, which directly correlate state funds to student retention and graduation rates (Jesse, 2012). As higher education suffers from diminishing resources, there is a heightened focus to increase retention and graduation rates (Tinto, 2007).

The transition from high school to college can be a traumatic time for adolescents. This age group has unique motivational needs as they adjust to an unfamiliar academic environment (Perry et al., 2005). The first year of …

Broadening The Learning Community Experience: An Outdoor Orientation Program's Impact On Engagement, Persistence, And Retention, Christy David Nolan

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Keystone Learning Community was implemented by the Department of Campus Recreation to address retention at the institution. This learning community for incoming freshmen consists of two phases. Phase I is as an outdoor orientation program that includes a three day, two night canoeing and camping experiencer lead by upperclassmen leaders. Faculty and staff from the institution complete every aspect of Phase I with the freshmen. Phase II is class time that concentrates on development of critical thinking and writing skills.

Through surveys and interviews, participants in the Keystone Learning Community reported strong peer, faculty, and upperclassmen engagement initiated by …