Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

Connecting Brain Research With Teaching Practice Among Middle School Teachers, Irene Sanders

Theses and Dissertations

The discipline of mind, brain, and education science is the merger of psychology, neuroscience, and education. Its focus is to address complex problems in education and provide evidence-based solutions. One facet of this mixed methods action research study expanded middle school teachers' knowledge of brain function and brain-based strategies through a five-part workshop series and created a ten session professional learning community. Participants selected strategies such as relaxation, working memory tasks, or taught students about their brains to increase academic achievement, and tracked two groups' progress. Strategy implementation was judged to be too time consuming except for relaxation exercises. Alternate …

A Study To Examine Teacher Perceptions Of Leadership Characteristics That Middle School Principals Should Have To Be An Effective Instructional Leader., Gary Dail Mccann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate teachers' perceptions of the role middle school principals played as instructional leaders in 2 rural schools in southwest Virginia. The 2 middle school participants in the study included only teachers in schools classified Fully Accredited by the accountability standards of the No Child Left Behind for changing the academic status of their schools from Needs Improvement in 2005 to Fully Accredited for 2006 to 2009 inclusive. This study examined teachers' perceptions of the principal's role as an instructional leader for school improvement in changing the status of the schools from Needs Improvement to Fully …

Professionalizing Practice: How Plc Development Enhances Teaching And Learning, Kelly Roselle

Theses and Dissertations

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are groups of professionals who work collaboratively to meet expressly stated goals. The groups analyze data and make decisions based upon that analysis. All parties closely monitor student achievement. A true PLC is focused on a specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound (SMART) goal. In this study, the PLC is designed to increase teacher use of research-based best practices, which is referred to as "professionalizing practice". This study focuses on a group of volunteer high school teachers who met regularly before and after school to discuss students, share ideas, collaboratively implement strategies, and gather and analyze data. …

The Preferred Principal: Leadership Traits, Behaviors, And Gender Characteristics School Teachers Desire In A Building Leader, Troy Dan Costellow

Dissertations

This study of 2,802 teachers and 129 school administrators sought to determine the gender, leadership traits, and leadership behaviors most preferred by teachers in Kentucky. Principals were also surveyed to establish which traits they felt were most important for a school leader to possess, and to determine the frequency at which they practiced various leadership behaviors.

Participants were from 194 public elementary, middle, and high schools in thirty-two Kentucky school districts. Leadership traits were based on Marzano, Waters, and McNulty’s (2005) twenty-one responsibilities of school leaders. Teachers and principals were asked to indicate the level of importance for school administrators …

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 …

Is There A Relationship Between Positive Behavior Supports And Student Achievement?, Todd Edward Boucher

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between a school’s behavior program and student achievement. This study explored the many facets of school behavior plans from across the state of Mississippi and compared the responses of high school principals to the schools’ U.S. history standardized test scores.

School discipline has become an issue that schools find themselves dealing with on a daily basis. While school discipline issues are not new to the educational arena, the way in which some schools are handling them is changing. Some of the changes are as a result of changes …

Leading Change In A Traditional Teaching Environment: Establishing Positive Student Behaviors Through Proactive Classroom Management, Ann Toth

Theses and Dissertations

Disruptive student behaviors in the classroom jeopardize the learning environment in schools across the United States (Conroy, Sutherland, Snyder, & Marsh 2008; Crum, 2004). Presently, most schools apply a reactionary punitive discipline system in hopes of changing these disruptive student behaviors (Glasser, 1998; Havill, 2004; Jenkins, 1994; Kohn, 2006). At the Long Middle School, the present initiative is to change the teachers' approach from controlling their students' behaviors to building relationships, facilitating intrinsic motivation for appropriate student behaviors, and teaching self-management skills through a proactive classroom management approach in conjunction with a learning team model. The purpose of this research …

Leading A Readiness Program For Low-Income Students Within A Preschool Setting, Renee Murtaugh

Theses and Dissertations

The solution to narrowing the achievement gap between low socioeconomic students and high socioeconomic students has included endless approaches and interventions, including full day pre-school programs (NAEP, 1999; Snow, Burns, & Griffith, 1998).This action research project focused specifically on the needs of low-income preschool students and concentrated on closing the achievement gap among the SES subgroups within the By-the-Sea School District preschool Kindergarten classrooms. Using Monahan's (2003) 9-Step Change Model as a framework for change, classroom teachers worked collaboratively with the researcher to make the necessary changes to their classrooms and school to better meet the needs of low-income students. …

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 = …

Factors Accounting For Variability In Superintendent Ratings Of Academic Preparation, Theodore J. Kowalski, Ila Phillip Young, Robert S. Mccord

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

This study utilized findings from the 2010 decennial study of the school superintendent to determine the extent to which four predictor variables (courses, professor credibility, size [enrollment of employing school district], and gender) accounted for variability in superintendent overall ratings of their academic preparation. The standardized regression coefficients indicate that most of the variance accounted for in the linear equation was due to ratings of professor credibility and ratings of the perceived value of courses. Neither the institutional variable, school district size, nor the personal variable, gender, accounted for meaningful variance in the overall ratings. Recommendations are made for extending …

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, …

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 …

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 …

Exploring Students’ Learning Difficulties In Secondary Mathematics Classroom In Gilgit-Baltistan And Teachers’ Effort To Help Students Overcome These Difficulties, Takbir Ali

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

This article sets out to describe and explain how four high school teachers, identified as improvement-oriented teachers (IOTs), in their day-to-day teaching, try to use pedagogical remedies to help their students overcome the difficulties that hinder in-depth learning in secondary mathematics classrooms. Providing reflective accounts from the IOTs’ experiences and presenting illustrative examples from their classrooms, the study provides a broad picture of the context in which students learn mathematics. The study recognizes the factors that constrain students from gaining in-depth understanding into subject matter knowledge; it highlights the possibilities of fostering in-depth learning by establishing the primacy of the …

The Predictive Validity Of High School Grades To College Remedial Mathematics Performance, John Dozier

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The concerns for remedial education are not new – as remedial education has a long history. Yet, the issues are gaining prominence in our discourse about improving the outcomes associated with post-secondary education. Any discussion of improvement is often accompanied by a discussion regarding the challenge posed to post-secondary institutions in meeting the growing remedial needs of the students that they receive. The purpose of this research is to evaluate community college placement of students into remedial coursework through an examination of whether a student’s high school mathematics preparation and mathematics grade average are a significant determinant of their completion …

The Effects Of An Advisory Program On Middle-Level Student Learning, Jeffrey Stawick

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore if a middle school advisory program significantly effected student learning. Educators who advocate for the middle school concept for middle-level education claim that purposefully designed advisory programs can have specific beneficial effects. However, a limited body of knowledge and little empirical evidence supports this assumption. This study uses an ex-post facto quasi-experimental design comparing three consecutive eighth grade classes in a middle school where such an advisory program was developed. The program was designed to improve student learning through improved relationships, interventions, and additional instruction time. The first eighth grade class had …

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 …

How Much Do U.S. University Students Know, And Want To Know, About Sustainability And Green Building? The Findings Of A Survey, And Possible Implications For General Elective Curricula., Jeremy R. Farner

Purdue Polytechnic Masters Theses

Using the survey approach, this investigation examined the attitudes and interest of college students at two universities in different geographic locations within the United States.  Approximately 24,000 students from all disciplines and majors at Weber State University (WSU) in Utah, and 4,000 at Purdue University in Indiana, were invited to participate in a study to determine current knowledge, familiarity, and interest in topics within the sustainability and Green Building educational arena. The goal of this study was to determine what students already know, would like to know, and how much interest there would be in developing …

Teachers Perception Of Elementary School Principals Leadership Characteristics In Elementary Schools In Rural Southwest Virginia., Lynn B. Metcalfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The characteristics of servant leaders as perceived by teachers who evaluated the leadership excellence of principals were the focus of this study. The essential ingredient of a leader was examined in all participating schools; the role of the principal was crucial to a school's effectiveness and was widely acknowledged.

Ten characteristics were discussed in the literature review. This dissertation was a quantitative study of teachers' perceptions, as well as principals' self-perceptions, of principals in rural Title I Schools located in southwest Virginia.

The exploratory question that originated from this study was: Was there a significant difference between the mean score …

Perceptions Of Teachers: Effects Of Principals Uses Of Humor On Teacher Job Satisfaction., Jonathon P. Fields

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' job satisfaction was greater when working for principals with higher perceived use of humor. The study also examined the effects of principals' use of humor on perceived leadership effectiveness and level of personal relationship.

The researcher used a 36-question survey instrument to collect data. A population of 796 educators in a public school system in Northeast Tennessee was given an opportunity to participate in this research. There were 450 completed surveys (56%) returned.

There were 4 major findings from this study. Teachers reported that it was appropriate for principals to …

Relationships Between Teacher Attendance And Student Scores On The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Test In East Tennessee., Melissa Miniard Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined relationships between third, fourth, and fifth grade teacher attendance as well as teacher and administrator perceptions of teacher attendance during the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 school years. Third, fourth, and fifth grade student test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Achievement test given in the spring of 2006, 2007, and 2008 were also examined. TCAP score data for this study were gathered electronically, with published data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Teacher attendance records were collected using Siesta, a teacher attendance tracking program. Teacher and administrator perceptions were gathered through surveys, interviews, …

Perceptions And Actions Regarding Parent Involvement In A Small Northeast Tennessee School District., Randy Adam Watts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the perception scores and action scores of teachers in a northeast Tennessee school system in terms of parent involvement. Also, this study examined the relationship between perception scores and action scores of administrators and teachers across the district. Lastly, this study determined if significant differences existed in the perception scores and action scores between elementary, middle, and high school teachers.

Data were collected by questionnaires containing sections for demographic information, perceptions of parent involvement, and actions involving parent involvement. The population consisted of 437 certified teachers and 24 building level administrators. From …