Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

The Quest For Success: A Phenomenological Study Aimed At Understanding The Experiences Of Successful African American Females In High School, Vanntaccale Price

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

This phenomenological research study was conducted to better understand the experiences of successful African American females in a high school setting and to draw implications for learning related to their perceptions of success in school. The study describes African American female students’ perceptions of factors that influence their achievement in school. Participants included six African American female students attending high school in the Midwest. Data was gathered from student interviews, parent/guardian questionnaires, informal observations, and student visual displays. From the analysis of the aforementioned data several themes emerged which include the importance of the students’ family and teachers to their …

The Role Of The Cyber School Principal: A Mixed Methods Study, Jacob P. Jefferis

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

The educational landscape of the United States is changing. Educational opportunities for students and families are increasing with increased technological capabilities. At every level in the educational process, information is being delivered to students in new and faster ways. Cyber education is one of those new modes of information delivery for students. Just like traditional schools, cyber schools require sound leadership to assist stakeholders in the educational process.

Knowing that the principal is a vital position in a successful educational system, the purpose of this study is to define the role of the cyber school principal. This research is focused …

Principal Leadership In High-Performing, High-Poverty Elementary Schools, Marc J. Cohen

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

The focus of this mixed methods study was on Maryland Title I elementary principals who led schools to achieving adequate yearly progress during the 2011-2012 school year. At the time of the study, slightly more than one third of the Title I elementary schools in Maryland and throughout the U.S., achieved this status (U.S. Department of Education, 2013).

In-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-five principals from Title elementary schools in Maryland. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Leader Form was administered to the participants as well.

This study findings indicated,

1. Principals of high-performing, high-poverty elementary schools were more transformational in …

Diffusion Of A Math Intervention Program Within A Secondary Setting: A Mixed Methods Study, Stuart Lenz

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

The purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to understand the stages of concern and levels of use for teachers as they integrate a new math intervention program. Teachers within three high schools in a large Mid-western school district all implemented the program at the same time, and were used as the sample during the three-year study. The study searched to discover (a) what or who influences the teachers in their use of the program, (b) how the teachers change in their levels of use and stages of concern, and (c) if the success of the program changes as …

Rural Nebraska Elementary Students' Aspirations To Attend Institutions Of Higher Education, Brock T. Rezny

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

Numerous studies exist on college and career readiness in the middle and high school grades, but these studies often exclude the elementary grades. Even less research has been done regarding this topic in rural education. With more research indicating a need for college readiness beginning in elementary school, this study adds to the literature by seeing if rural elementary students in Nebraska have aspirations for continued education and who influences those aspirations. The sample population of this quantitative study were fourth graders in five rural schools in an athletic conference in Nebraska. The survey was created with collaboration from two …

Moisés Sáenz: Vigencia De Su Legado (English Translation), Edmund T. Hamann

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This book mainly offers the biography of Moisés Sáenz (1888-1941), founding architect of Mexico's system of public schooling and former student of John Dewey, describing in particular his roles in creating rural schools, initiating bilingual education (for Mexico's indigenous populations), and experimenting with linkages between schooling and community development. The volume also includes the author's reflection on the relevance of learning about Profr. Sáenz for his own intellectual trajectory (which includes studying the movement of students between Mexico and the US) and reflections by Mexican educators Humberto Leal Martinez and Juan Sánchez García.

The Role Of Nebraska Public Elementary School Principals In The Preparation For State-Wide Testing: A Mixed Methods Study, Carrie L. Kolar

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

Assessment is used to determine whether students are meeting the goals of education. In Nebraska, the goals are measured through statewide testing to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind. As the requirements of No Child Left Behind increase, this study described the strategies used by Nebraska public elementary school principals in an effort to improvement student achievement.

The researcher gathered literature in order to identify the role of the principal in the assessment process and found the focus to be on the preparation of the statewide testing but little on the role of the principal. The literature revealed …

Determining The Difference Between Nebraska Administrators’ And Nebraska Secondary English Teachers’ Perception Of The Teacher Evaluation, Michael Scott Musil

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

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference between Nebraska administrators’ and Nebraska secondary English teachers’ perceptions of the teacher evaluation. The study explored teacher and administrator perceptions of the teacher-evaluation process as it relates to Nebraska secondary English teachers. Teachers and administrators from across the state of Nebraska had equal opportunity to participate in this study.

Both groups of teachers and administrators responded by Likert scale to 42 online statements arranged by theme about their experiences regarding the teacher-evaluation process. Participants aggregated themselves by geography, school size, gender, experience, and socioeconomic status of students. Quantitative data was …

An Analysis Of The District Marginal Costs Of Mandatory State Standardized Tests, J. Eli Crow

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

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the estimate for the district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments, (b) if student enrollment can be used to predict the district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments, and c) the unit (per student) district marginal cost of mandatory state standardized assessments. The study included the use of a simple linear regression analysis with associated plots and trend lines.

The study established that district enrollment was correlated with district marginal cost of standardized testing which allowed the researcher to calculate the total and per student district level marginal cost …

Impacts Of Daylighting On Preschool Students' Social And Cognitive Skills, Safak Yacan

Interior Design Program: Student Creative Activity

The focus of this study is the element of daylight in preschools and its social and cognitive effects on preschoolers. The current study is a correlational study that assesses infants’ social and cognitive developments, and daylight in preschool classrooms. Participants were 69 children (30 boys and 39 girls), aged from four to five, who enrolled in two different early childhood facilities in Van in Turkey. It was hypothesized that preschoolers’ social and cognitive skills would be correlated with daylight in preschool classrooms. Results revealed that there was a crucial correlation between preschool students’ social behavior and cognitive skills and daylight …

Exploring The Multiple Dimensions Of Intelligence Identity In High-Achieving Students, Amy A. Holland

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

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the important elements reported by second-year undergraduates at Midwestern University (MU) as they renegotiated their intelligence identity of being the smart one. The five participants were members of the 2012-2013 first-year cohort of Jumpstart Business Community (JBC). Per inclusion in JBC, the students identified as high-achieving students and/or were classified as accelerated learners in high school. The reconceptualized model of multiple dimensions of identity from Abes, Jones, and McEwen (2007) informed this study in the examination of renegotiation of the intelligence identity.

The main research question of this study was what …

A Portrait Of School Leadership At Senshu University Matsudo Junior And Senior High School, Travis T. Brady

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

As an important symbolic figure and embodiment of the traditions and character of the school, the position of principal in Japan is crucial. Yet societal pressures and an undefined job description are serving to increase pressures of the position. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine school administrative leadership at a private high school, Senshu University Matsudo Junior and Senior High School. The central research question was: What is the leadership role of the secondary administrator at Senshu University Matsudo Junior and Senior High School?

The sub-questions were: (a) What were the post-war changes implemented in Japanese secondary …

Creating 21st Century Classrooms: What District Level Instructional Leaders Know About Leading 21st Century Learning, Jeff Arrington

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

Common Core standards and 21st century instruction are topics at the forefront of current educational literature (Greenstein, 2012; Long, 2012; Sheninger & Larkin, 2012; Wilson, 2006). Though Common Core standards may provide a foundation for the literacy and numeracy that has been identified in preparation for college and career, even Common Core agrees that this preparation and readiness is complex and more than the standards address. “The reality is that students must develop a complex skill set that prepares them for both the rigor of college and the demands of the workplace” (Greenstein, 2012). Twenty-first century skills have been described …

Changes In School Connectedness And Deviant Peer Affiliation Among Sixth-Grade Students From High-Poverty Neighborhoods, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Kate Niehaus, Lisa J. Crockett, Christopher R. Rakes

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This longitudinal study examined associations between changes in School Connectedness and changes in Affiliation With Deviant Peers among students from high-poverty backgrounds during the year immediately following the transition to middle school. Sixth-graders (N = 328) attending two middle schools in a large school district completed measures of School Connectedness and Affiliation With Deviant Peers at three points across the year. Results from parallel process modeling showed that students’ reports of School Support significantly declined across the school year, School Support and Affiliation With Deviant Peers were negatively associated at the beginning of the school year, and students who reported …

Growing As A Leader Through Developing Others: The Effect Of Being A Mentor Principal, Megan Rachel Adams

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

Principals play a significant role in student learning. They are expected to be both instructional and organizational leaders as well as the day-to-day management of a community of individuals. The balancing of multiple roles is a dynamic task that takes education, training, coaching and ongoing developmental support. However, principals often do not have these supports to foster growth and effective practice.

This multiple case study examined the experiences of two secondary school urban principals who mentored future administrative leaders. The study also explored other elements of the practice including the necessary supports for a successful partnership, the barriers to a …

Terms And Conditions Of Employment In Collective Bargaining Agreements Negotiated By School Boards And Teachers Associations In Pennsylvania School Districts For 2012–2013, Daniel P. Dismuke

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

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the typical terms and conditions of employment in 2012-2013 negotiated agreements in Pennsylvania school districts, and to determine if there was a relationship between enrollment size and 5 selected terms and conditions of employment: base salary; highest salary; teacher contribution for one full-time teacher’s personal and dependent health benefit; total yearly sick, personal, bereavement, and emergency days offered; and steps in the grievance process available to teachers who are union members. The population of this study was 498 of the 499 school districts found in the Pennsylvania Department of Education …

Temperament In Early Childhood And Peer Interactions In Third Grade: The Role Of Teacher–Child Relationships In Early Elementary Grades, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Kate Niehaus, Eric S. Buhs, Jamie M. White

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Children’s interactions with peers in early childhood have been consistently linked to their academic and social outcomes. Although both child and classroom characteristics have been implicated as contributors to children’s success, there has been scant research linking child temperament, teacher–child relationship quality, and peer interactions in the same study. The purpose of this study is to examine children’s early temperament, rated at preschool age, as a predictor of interactions with peers (i.e., aggression, relational aggression, victimization, and prosociality) in third grade while considering teacher–child relationship quality in kindergarten through second grades as a moderator and mediator of this association. The …

Middle School Teachers And Principals Perspectives On Technology, Mark Majeski

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

In this study, the researcher endeavored to examine Morris County, New Jersey,middle school teacher and principal perspectives on the use of technology in their classrooms and schools. Specifically, this study examined teacher engagement, implementation and limitations related to the use of technology with middle school students.

This study used a mixed method approach to determine educator perspectives on technology use. The questions in the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study were correlated to the research questions as well as to selected national technology standards to substantiate the relationship between the data being collected and the research questions. The research …

The Relationship Of The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports To Improve Academic Achievement, Brenda L. Tracy

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

The foundation for PBiS and its practices is that academic achievement and social behaviors are connected. It becomes difficult for students to learn when the student is spending more time in discipline-related interactions than in those related to learning academic content. School administrators and teachers have become increasingly frustrated with the impact of poor student behavior on academic achievement in their schools. The situation leads to the public perception that student behavior is out of control. Isolated situations of violence (e.g., school shootings) contribute to the perception. Teachers continually struggle to master classroom management strategies that are proactive, preventative in …

Do Credit-Based Transfer Programs Have An Impact On Intellectual Development From Secondary Education To Post-Secondary Education?, James Uhlenkamp

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

This descriptive, retrospective quantitative study identified the influence that credit-based transfer programs have on the intellectual development positions of college matriculates at a private, residential, church-affiliated master’s degree granting university in the Midwest. This determination presents a better success measure for credit-based transfer programs than the measures used in previous studies: academic momentum, persistence rate, college grade point average, and degree attainment. People transitioning through intellectual development positions gain critical thinking skills and adopt more of the habits of mind and of working that characterize a well-educated person.

An evaluation database developed for the target university’s first-year experience program provided …

Exploring Technology Usage By School Counselors: A Mixed Methods Study, Nathan Grosshandler

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

School counseling is progressing from the tradition of responsive services to a proactive system linked to school mission (Dahir, 2009, p 4.). This paradigm shift within the profession has drastically increased the responsibility required of school counselors.

This study explored data drawn from a population of school counselors at Recognized American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Model Programs (RAMP). A multi-phase, sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used for this study. The study focused on nine specific technologies: website, e-mail, Internet, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, student database system, social networking platforms, and EZ Analyze. Mean scores, frequency distribution tables, …

Gaining Insight Into Hispanic Students’ Postsecondary Plans, Neel A. Brown

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

While the growth of the Hispanic population in the United States is outpacing other ethnicities, college enrollment and graduation rates of Hispanic students continue to lag behind other groups. This longitudinal, qualitative case study explored when, how, and why a sample of Hispanic high school seniors at a large high school in North Central Texas made decisions regarding their postsecondary educational and career choices.

The foundation of this research relied on a series of 39 individual interviews with 13 Hispanic high school students over the course of their 2012 senior year. Analysis of the data uncovered themes regarding family influence, …

The Perceptions Of Elementary Principals About Their Role In The Establishment Of Collaborative Workplaces In Their School Buildings, Bradley Sullivan

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

The purpose of this case study was to develop an understanding of the elementary principal’s perceived role in creating and sustaining a collaborative workplace environment within their school. Collaboration among education professionals, when used effectively, is one strategy that has demonstrated improvement of instruction and student learning. As such, in this context the role of the principal becomes more complex and challenging. This study examined the perception of the elementary principal’s role regarding the establishment and perpetuation of a collaborative workplace environment for teachers that is focused on improving student learning within their buildings.

In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 …

Effective Science Teachers’ Professional Development: A Multiple-Case Study Of District-Level Science Supervisors’ Perspectives, Chris J. Schaben

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

At its heart, science teachers’ professional development is about continual growth and improvement (Yager, 2005). Conducting research to understand what constitutes effective professional development is inherently complex (Hewson, 2007). The imperative to link research on professional development to student achievement (Fishman, Marx, Best, & Tal, 2003) increases complexity of research on the topic. These complexities require multiple research approaches and indicate that all stakeholders could provide insights to identify what constitutes effective professional development. District-level science supervisors’ voices are missing from the data on effective science teachers’ professional development and this provides a potential gap in the literature (Banilower, Heck, …

Factors Affecting School Administrators Decision To Join And Maintain Membership In A Professional Association, Kelly K. Coash-Johnson

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

This paper explored factors that influence school administrator’s decision to join and maintain membership in a professional association. In addition, factors that influence school administrator’s decision not to join a professional association was also explored. The research showed the relationship between, age, gender, dues payment, attitude and importance of benefits. Results from this study will be significant to recruitment and retention for professional educational associations such as the Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA). In addition, information gathered from open-ended questions as well as other survey questions from both members and non-members helped the researcher determine other challenges that have …

The Status Of Students With Special Needs In The Instrumental Musical Ensemble And The Effect Of Selected Educator And Institutional Variables On Rates Of Inclusion, Edward C. Hoffman Iii

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of students with special needs in the instrumental musical ensemble and to examine the effect of selected educator and institutional variables on rates of inclusion. An online survey was designed by the researcher and distributed electronically to 600 practicing K-12 instrumental music educators in the states of Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. While 13.6% of the total school-aged population nationwide received special education services, demographic data provided by respondents revealed that students with special needs accounted for 6.8% of all students participating in bands, orchestras, …

Satisfied Superintendents: A Case Study, Zachary G. Kassebaum

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

The role of the superintendent is viewed as high-stress.  Research reports a high turnover rate in the superintendency.   Superintendents face pressure and criticism from several fronts.  Despite these circumstances, many superintendents find satisfaction within the position.  Through the stories of superintendents, we discover new findings about satisfaction derived from the superintendency.

The purpose of this study was to examine the common characteristics of satisfied superintendents and the components of the superintendency that provide satisfaction.  The major contribution of this study is a greater understanding of how superintendents can increase the likelihood of experiencing satisfaction and longevity in their position.

Through …

School And Community, Community And School: A Case Study Of A Rural Missouri Setting, Melia K. Franklin

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

How do a school and a community interact? This question guided this dissertation examining one rural school and community. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the relationship between the rural Marceline R-V School District (a K-12 school system) and its community, Marceline, Missouri.

The framework for this study included the time-honored theories of Ferdinand Tonnies, with the contemporary work of Joyce Epstein and Mavis Sanders. With structure provided by Bolman and Deal, this document examined both the school and community.

This study included artifacts and documents of both the community and school. Documents and artifacts included yearbooks, …

Exploring Student Perceptions To Explain The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Academic Achievement In Adolescents: A Mixed Methods Study, Megan J. Hylok

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A nationwide survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control in 2007 reported 65% of high school students did not meet the recommendation that youth participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week (CDC, 2008). While research has focused its attention primarily on bodily health, growing evidence supports the benefits of physical activity on brain health (Ratey & Hagerman, 2008). Physical activity is important and many adolescents are not meeting the recommendation, therefore, it is important to explore the adolescent perceptions to understand which factors influence physical activity participation. The significance of this study …

A Mixed Methods Study Of How The Transition Process Impacts The Autonomy Of Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers, Linda Kasal Fusco

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

This mixed methods study sought to identify the impact that transition into the practice of teaching had on the autonomy of pre-service secondary teachers of Mathematics.  It was based on the belief that a Mathematics teacher’s autonomy depended on: beliefs about Mathematics and how it was learned, reflections on the teaching practice, and social constraints of a secondary school culture. Data was collected between January 2009 and March 2010.  In Phase I (Quantitative) the participants (N = 30), selected from ten State University of New York teacher preparation colleges and universities, completed five instruments to quantify the three factors of …