Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Institutional Factors That Pertain To Commuter Student Success, Heather Adams Kenney

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore what institutional factors affect retention and student success at a Florida public, 4-year university for commuter students. This study included institutional factors controlled by the university that affect retention with students who commute to the institution. Commuter students compose over 80% of enrollment at the nation’s college and university campuses. This mixed-method study included both a survey and focus groups. In the first part of the study, quantitative data were collected, using the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). The survey analysis of the data collected using the SSI indicated that the scores …

The Difficulties And Opportunities Chinese Transfer Students Encounter In An American University: A Learning Perspective, Hui Chen

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difficulties and opportunities that Chinese transfer students encounter in learning in one American university. The researcher also explored the strategies that transfer students used to deal with the difficulties and opportunities.

The study employed qualitative survey and interview methods. Ninety-seven students who transferred from Zhejiang University City College and Xi’an Jiaotong University City College to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln were invited to participate. These students came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln through the Partner Degree Program (PDP). Forty-one individuals completed the online survey and two students participated in interviews. The participants …

An Exploration Of The Use Of Student Services And Support Programs In An Athletic Department, Sara Sackett

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

The purpose of the study was to explore the utilization of student services and support programs by athletic personnel. The sample was comprised of eight academic advisors (4 males and 4 females) from eight athletic institutions who agreed to participate in oral interviews. The institutions represented medium and large public universities. The participants expressed their perceptions of student services and support programs to the contributions and educational outcomes for student-athletes. The data analysis portion of the study produced two themes: (1) support services and programs in an athletic department; and (2) collaboration within the institution. The results helped athletic personnel …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Does A Co-Learner Delivery Model In A Mathematics Methods Course Affect Pre-Service Teacher Candidates’ Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics?,, John J. Ribeiro, Denise Demagistris

Teacher Education

This study is related to a previous study (Ribeiro, 2009) that examined teachers’ perceptions of teaching self-efficacy. In the first study the sample consisted of two groups of teachers that took the same professional development course in mathematics. The comparison group took the course in their school district with other teachers and the experimental group took the course with pre-service teachers in a university classroom. After completing the course, both groups were measured in three dimensions of teaching self-efficacy: student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom climate. Findings indicated that although both groups had significant gains in self-efficacy toward teaching mathematics …

Behind Two Doors: The Lived Experience Of Resident Assistants In Transition At A Midwestern University, William R. F. Harmon

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

The purpose of this qualitative, multi-case study was to explore the experiences of resident assistants (RAs) as they transitioned from a traditional, corridor-style residence hall, to suite-style hall environments.  RAs that were in the transition from the traditional, corridor-style hall to a suite-style hall contributed to this study by participating in multiple interviews over the course of the fall semester of the 2010-11 academic year.  In addition, the Residence Hall Director (RD) was also interviewed during the fall semester.  Throughout the study, the RAs were asked to reflect upon their (a) roles and responsibilities as RAs in the suite-style environment, …

The School Superintendent: Roles, Challenges, And Issues, Theodore J. Kowalski, C. Cryss Brunner

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The purposes of this chapter are to detail the development of the office of school superintendent, to examine issues of gender and race, to identify contemporary issues affecting practice, and to identify future research topics. The first two sections provide historical perspectives summarizing how the position has evolved over the past 150 years at three different levels-state, intermediate district, and local district. A discussion of the position's history produces five role conceptualizations; having evolved over the past 150 years, these characterizations provide a mosaic of contemporary expectations. Next, considerable attention is given to the causes and implications of race and …

Public Relations In Schools, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Outfitting students with a wealth of practical, practice-based knowledge that they can take directly into the halls of their school, the new fifth edition of Public Relations in Schools has a fresh, contemporary focus on both how administrators can effectively communicate with the community and how building strong relationships with stakeholders can ultimately lead to overall school improvement. Through a blend of theoretical and tacit knowledge, this text offers students an in-depth guide to 1) how to successfully communicate with both internal and external school entities, 2) how to build and maintain positive and active relationships via social and political …

Enhancing Undergraduate Education: Examining Faculty Experiences During Their First Year In A Residential College And Exploring The Implications For Student Affairs Professionals, Jody E. Jessup-Anger, Matthew R. Wawrzynski, Christina W. Yao

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

THIS QUALITATIVE STUDY EMPLOYED a constructivist, case study approach to explore how faculty made meaning of their experiences in a newly developed residential college at a large, land-grant research university in the Midwest. Findings revealed that faculty focused on determining how to prioritize the numerous opportunities for involvement while also working to define their unconventional roles as teaching-focused faculty at a research-extensive university. In reflecting on their first few months in the residential college, faculty discussed their appreciation of the collegiality of their peers. Finally, they described their role as collaborators with other faculty as they continued to lay the …

Factors Contributing To Student Athlete Selection Of Nebraska Wesleyan University, Benjamin M. Santo

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

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain insight into which factors of recruitment were important to a student-athletes decision regarding their choice of college. It is vital for recruiters to recognize factors that potential student-athletes consider important in the recruiting process, because a successful recruiter is one who can build a strong relationship with the student-athlete. The researcher selected Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) football student-athletes to conduct the study for the research.

Seniors, juniors, and sophomores were selected to participate in the study. Participants completed a 12 question survey instrument that was designed to assess important recruiting …

The Relationship Of Personality Traits To Satisfaction With The Team: A Study Of Interdisciplinary Teacher Teams In Rhode Island Middle Schools, Michele D. Humbyrd, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Shared practice in schools has emerged; teachers are moving from isolation to team collaboration where personality traits could be related to quality interactions. Team personality traits and team satisfaction were examined. A survey and interview approach was used for N = 244 full-time teachers from N = 49 interdisciplinary teams at N = 7 middle schools. Descriptive, correlational, multiple regression analyses and coded themes about team members’ personalities and interactions were employed. No significant relationships were found between the BFI traits and Satisfaction with the Team. Team-level analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between Satisfaction with theTeam and Extraversion and …

Public-Private Partnerships, Civic Engagement, And School Reform, Theodore J. Kowalski

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The number of partnerships between public schools and private organizations increased dramatically after the National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) issued its report "A Nation at Risk." ... In this essay, I propose an uncommon perspective of public-private partnerships in the United States—one that calls for direct citizen involvement to ensure that collaboration is linked to and compatible with reform efforts carried out at the local (school district) level. The need for a new conceptualization is framed by three convictions: public-private partnerships have been largely ineffective in terms of improving instruction and student learning; democratic deficits in these ventures …

Peer Review Of Teaching Project - Castl: Expanding The Sotl Commons Cluster Final Report, Jennifer Meta Robinson, Paul Savory, Gary Poole, Tom Carey, Dan Bernstein

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Reports

In 2006, the Peer Review of Teaching Project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was selected to join the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) Institutional Leadership Program. Our participation in this national leadership program (“Expanding the Teaching Commons: A social and technical infrastructure to promote and support effective learning & student success, through teacher community collaborations to develop, adapt, share and mobilize pedagogical content knowledge, exemplary practices, and shared resources.”) allowed us to engage a broad audience to help define, develop, refine, and share the models and approaches of our project. The combined group effort for …

Dr. Connie's 6 Keys To Becoming A Successful Learner, Connie I. Reimers-Hild

Kimmel Education and Research Center: Presentations and White Papers

I have learned a great deal about students by teaching and advising learners at the University of Nebraska. The fact that I was working on my Ph.D. on a part-time basis while being employed full-time broadened my knowledge about how to be a successful learner. My professional and personal experiences in the world of higher education have enabled me develop some powerful insights on what it takes to be a successful learner. I would like to share my insights with as many people as possible, so here are Dr. Connie’s 6 Keys to Becoming a Successful Learner:

From Stalled To Successful: The Art Of Negotiating, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

In times of limited resources, the likelihood of difficult negotiations between labor and management may increase even in the best of school districts. The negotiation process can range from traditional to positional to competitive to a more collaborative and cooperative interest-based approach. The most productive approach is a matter of debate and can vary from district to district.

Regardless of the negotiation model used, bargaining can break down because of poor relations between parties, a lack of understanding of each other’s needs, and a variety of other reasons. When breakdowns occur, it is difficult for either side to achieve its …

Benefits Of Continuing Professional Development In The Visual Communications Sector In Ireland, Con Kennedy

Other resources

This research is concerned with identifying the benefits of Continuous Professional Development for the Visual Communications sector in Ireland, with the aim of establishing what benefits exist for both the employee and employer. Research is undertaken to identify CPD programmes that currently exist in other industries in Ireland for the purpose of establishing commonalities and how this may apply to the Visual Communications sector. This is achieved through a combination of literature review, desk research, surveys of employees and employers in the Visual Communications sector and a number of semi-formal interviews with representatives from various industry sectors with established CPD …

Does A Co-Learner Delivery Model In Professional Development Affect Teachers’ Self-Efficacy In Teaching Mathematics, John J. Ribeiro, Denise Demagistris

Teacher Education

A mixed method study is reported examining teacher efficacy regarding professional development in mathematics instruction for two groups of teachers: in building with peers (N=17) and MAT student co-learners in the classroom (N=14). An end-of-course survey, focus group interviews and pre-post data for the Teacher Self Efficacy Scale were used to investigate:1. What is the difference in teachers’ efficacy regarding mathematics instruction based on the professional development delivery system they experienced? 2. What are teachers’ perceptions of their professional development with peers conducted onsite in district compared with professional development with peers and preservice teachers at a university setting? Descriptive …

Expectations For Career And Social Support By Mentors And Mentees Participating In Formal Elementary And Secondary School Mentoring Programs, Monique Jacob, Robert K. Gable

Teacher Education

Teacher shortages are a nationwide concern, attributable primarily to high attrition rates among new teachers (Ingersoll, 2003; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Ingersol & Smith, 2004). Ingersoll and Kralik (2004) claimed that an estimated 50% of new teachers left the profession within their first 5 years. Reasons for leaving include: isolating and non-supportive teaching environments, poor working conditions and overwhelming teaching assignments (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2005). To support beginning teachers, Rhode Island passed legislation requiring districts to develop a mentoring process (Law 16-7.1-2 Accountability for Student Performance). One variable measuring mentoring success is how closely participants’ expectations for the relationship …

Novice Superintendents And The Efficacy Of Professional Preparation, Theodore J. Kowalski, George J. Petersen, Lance D. Fusarelli

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The preparation of superintendents is a critical component and essential element of systemic education reform. However, Cooper, Fusarelli, Jackson, and Poster (2002) remind us that, ―the process is rife with difficulties‖ (p. 242), including synchronization of preparation and actual practice, the theory-practice disconnect, the need for life-long learning, and development of an adequate knowledge base.

In light of these complexities, two facts are especially noteworthy: The vast majority of research on the efficacy of administrator preparation programs has focused on the principalship (Kowalski, 2006b), and most doctoral programs in educational administration have de facto become preparation programs for superintendents, even …

Community-Engaged Scholarship In Higher Education: An Expanding Experience, Judith A. Ramaley

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Higher education in this country has always been expected to serve the public good. Sometimes, the emphasis is on preparing educated citizens or practitioners in especially critical fields and how public service can deepen and enrich learning and prepare students to lead purposeful, responsible, and creative lives. Sometimes the focus is upon institutions themselves as major intellectual and cultural resources for a community. In this paper, based on the keynote presentation at the Community -- Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative's invitational symposium, the author explores four levels of engagement: the individual, the academic community and its concepts of scholarship, the …

Coming Together: The Pros And Cons Of School Consolidation, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

The viability and acceptability of consolidation— combining two or more school buildings or districts into a single entity—have ebbed and flowed over the years. In the early 1900s, the main targets of school consolidation were the rural schools. The education leaders and policy makers of the time believed that a centralized model in which all schools looked alike would prove to be the best approach for educating youth to be productive citizens (Kay, Hargood, and Russell 1982).

In addition to providing an expanded curriculum, they believed, consolidated schools could be operated more efficiently and economically—an idea that has continued to …

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

K-12 Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement ( R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge ( R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools ( R2 = 5%).

Relationship Among Essential Leadership Preparation Practices And Leader, School, And Student Outcomes In K-8 Schools, Donna Braun, Robert K. Gable, Stacey L. Kite

Teacher Education

A questionnaire was administered to school principals (N=88). The questionnaire data, along with student data, were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression to investigate the relationships among leadership preparation practices, self rated leader behavior, the school learning environment, and student achievement. After controlling for demographic variables, the amount of variance explained was incremented a statistically significant degree between: preparation practices and leader behaviors (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and student achievement (R2 = 5%); preparation practices and leaders’ instructional knowledge (R2 = 6%); and leaders’ instructional knowledge and instructional practices in schools (R2 = 5%).

Restoration Vs. New Construction: How To Make The Right Decision, Timothy J. Ilg, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Restoration or new construction? That is a dilemma that educational leaders, particularly superintendents and school business officials, have had to wrestle with for years. In the past, state regulations often dictated whether school buildings should be renovated or torn down to make way for new construction. State reimbursement guidelines favored new construction over restoration for public school development by either withholding funds or denying the full state support for restoration projects. In fact, some states established complex formulas that mandated new construction if the cost of restoration exceeded approximately two-thirds of the new construction costs.

Reversing the mindset among many …

Playing It Safe In Secondary School Athletic Programs, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

School business officials play a critical role in ensuring that district assets are protected and that students and staff have a safe environment in which to learn and work. In their role as risk managers, school business officials work closely with the board of education and fellow administrators to identify and track potential risks, develop plans to mitigate those risks, and perform regular risk assessments to determine how risks have changed.

Some risks are inherent in all school systems. For example, students on the playground, buses on the roads, chemicals in the science labs, even food in the cafeteria pose …

Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention: A Comparative Analysis Of Teacher Perceptions Of Bullying Prevention Programs, Diana Howell

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

School bullying has often been tacitly minimalized as a rite of passage—an unfortunate but common experience among children. In the past few years there has been an increasing awareness of school bullying as a catalyst of school violence. Parents, school boards, and administrators are understanding and taking more seriously the negative impact that bullying has on victimized students and are actively looking for ways to reduce incidents of such violence. This research provides a discussion of bullying behavior and an examination of teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of bullying prevention programs in their schools. If teachers do not feel that …

Real Change Is Real Hard: The Challenge Of Transforming School Systems, David Alan Dolph

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Since 1983 when the National Commission on Excellence in Education published A Nation at Risk, school systems have been the target of calls for change. Proposed reforms have ranged from large- scale efforts focused on accountability and high-stakes testing to more targeted issues such as inclusion, vouchers, technology, and differentiated instruction.

Whether the changes that have been implemented can be judged as truly transformational or as large-scale tinkering remains to be seen. Nevertheless, since school systems have been and will continue to be the object of change efforts, this article offers food for thought for school business officials and other …

From The Co-Editors

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

No abstract provided.