Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Case Study Of Attitudes And Perceptions Of Leadership Characteristics As Perceived By Middle School Teachers And The Principals, Theodore Benjamin Bowen

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation determined the congruence with the order of importance concerning what middle school teachers and middle school principals value regarding the behavioral characteristics of effective middle school principals and if a relationship exists between those characteristics and the 2006/2008 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Surveys.

The indications and suggestions of this research were based on the data collected from many different middle schools representing different geographical areas within a large school system located within the piedmont-triad central region of North Carolina. Information was obtained from different multi-question surveys from middle school teachers and principals, open-ended questions, and focus group …

The Impact Of Single-Gender Scheduling On Students In A Title I School, Janet L. Moss

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to examine the impact that single-gender scheduling would have on students who attend a struggling Title I middle school. The importance of the middle level cannot be denied. Strong research points to this time in a student's life as the pivotal crux on which success and failure are balanced. Middle level educators are charged with the responsibility of tipping the scales in the favor of student success by arming them with the skills they will need to survive and succeed.

A middle school in the northeastern part of Mecklenburg County had the majority of its students …

Progress To Reconciliation: A Journey With Lewis, Bono, And Spider-Man, David M. Johnstone

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

Reconciliation is a word full of profound inferences. It has implications steeped in the biblical landscape, yet it is also challenging to define. Using Miroslav Volf‘s guidance, twentieth century fiction, and film and pop music icons, this article seeks to glimpse a deeper biblical vision of grace and reconciliation. Volf observes that “[t]o triumph fully, evil needs two victories, not one.” Reconciliation sabotages and steals that victory from evil. Forgiveness and reconciliation do not negate justice; they provide the opportunity to go beyond justice and retribution. Simply put, reconciliation allows a terrible situation to be redeemed.

Teacher Understanding And Perception Of A Response To Intervention Program In A Rural, Western North Carolina School District, Dwight Dean King

Education Dissertations and Projects

Response to Intervention, aka Response to Instruction (RtI), is a multi-tiered instructional process designed to provide research-based interventions to struggling learners. It has recently gained increased popularity with the perceived failure of the discrepancy formula model of placing children in special education services and with the recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Because RtI is just gaining ground in the field of education, limited research regarding teachers' perceptions of the process is available. This research project utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining survey and interview data, to assess teacher understanding and perception of RtI in a rural North …

A Study Of Middle School Principal Behaviors And Their Impact On Teacher Retention, Todd Martin

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to investigate the causes behind teacher turnover and the connection between principal behavior, teacher working conditions, and rates of teacher turnover. In particular, this study examined behaviors that teachers in three North Carolina middle schools felt their principals displayed that helped encourage them to continue teaching in their current schools. Teachers in three middle schools, one from each geographical region of the state, completed an online survey. Also, the researcher visited each middle school and interviewed the three principals and their supervisors to collect additional data concerning positive teacher working conditions and reduced rates of turnover. …

Family Labor Participation And Child Care Decisions: The Role Of Grannies, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

One of the most significant long term trends in the labor market in most OECD countries has been the increase in the proportion of working mothers. However, not all countries show the same pattern. Countries in Southern Europe (Italy, Greece and Spain) show an average participation rate of about 45% whereas the participation rates in Northern countries (Denmark, Sweden) are around 75%. The characteristics of child care systems also differ significantly across OECD countries. This along with the characteristics of the labor market may have led families to get the necessary social services in an alternative way, i.e. through grandmothers. …

No.3, January 2011: The Promise Model: An English-Learner Focused Approach To School Reform, Laurie Olsen Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

Findings from a 3-year (2006-2009) evaluation of the PROMISE Model pilot are presented in this policy brief that seeks to address three questions: 1) What is the PROMISE Model ?; 2) What changes occurred in schools as a results of implementing the PROMISE Model ?; and 3) What are the lessons learned from the PROMISE Model pilot that can contribute to an understanding of school reform for English Learners? A qualitative, ethnographic approach allowed for exploration of the research questions. The researcher identified five foundational elements to the PROMISE Model. Implementation of the PROMISE Model increased use of EL specific …

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 …

Daily Practices Elementary Principals Utilize To Increase Student Readingachievement: A Case Study Of Successful Michigan Elementary Schools, Susan L. Johnson

Dissertations

This case study examined three K-5 schools, one 3-5 school, and two K-2 Analysis of the data provided six dominant themes related to the research questions: Behavior/Positive Behavior Support, Visibility, Professional Development, Team/Distributed Leadership, Data, and Deliberate/Focused. The dominant themes were cross tabbed with the theoretical frameworks from Marzano et al. (2005) and Fullan (2008a). Connections were made to both Marzano et al.'s Seven Responsibilities of the School Leader for Second-order Change and 21 Responsibilities of the School Leader as well as to four of Fullan's Six Secrets of Change. This study supports previous research and adds to the literature …

Souls In Transition: The Religious And Spiritual Lives Of Emerging Adults, Philip D. Byers

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

No abstract provided.

Academic Advising Models In Faith-Based Colleges And Universities, Roger D. Wessel, Jenni L. Smith

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

This study examined how academic advising is conducted among private, faith-based colleges and universities. In addition to developing a profile of academic advising at these campuses, academic advising organizational models used by these institutions were examined. Academic advising responsibilities at these institutions incorporated prescriptive and developmental advising methods. Seventy percent of the institutions utilized the “Faculty-Only” advising model. Benefits of using faculty members as advisors include the emphasis that private colleges place on faculty-student contact, enabling students to have a deeper relationship with their professors. Negative implications when utilizing faculty advisors include that they have other job responsibilities and priorities …

Governance And The Public Good, Andre Broquard

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

No abstract provided.

Growth No. 10 (2011) - Full Issue

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

The full issue of the tenth edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.

It’S All About Jesus: Faith As An Oppositional Collegiate Subculture, Carol A. Lundberg

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

No abstract provided.

Transformations At That Edge Of The World: Forming Global Christians Through The Study Abroad Experience, Genesis J. Delong

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

No abstract provided.

As The Spirit Moves Us: Embracing Spirituality In The Postsecondary Experience, Polly A. Graham, Matthew J. Graham

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

No abstract provided.

The Irony, Tragedy, And Possibility Of Christianity In The Late Modern World, Mimi Barnard

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

No abstract provided.

Realizing Our Intentions: A Guide For Churches And Colleges With Distinctive Missions, Chris Abrams

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

No abstract provided.

After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters, Tim C. Mccarthy

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

No abstract provided.

Sexuality Among Evangelical College Women, Rachel Keener Killam, Heather Davediuk Gingrich

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

While some studies have examined the attitudes and perceptions of women with regard to their sexuality, none have investigated evangelical, female college students. This study explored attitudes and perceptions among eight evangelical Christian college women attending an evangelical university in the Western United States. Qualitative interviews were conducted and transcripts analyzed to determine underlying themes. Themes that emerged were (a) shame, (b) (c) fear, (d) ambivalence, (e) ignorance, (f ) lack of sexual subjectivity and agency, (g) presence of sexual subjectivity and agency, (h) same-sex attraction, (i) female sexuality as God-given and natural, and (j) the importance of open dialogue …

Christianity And Moral Identity In Higher Education, Melvin P. Shuster

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

No abstract provided.

Leadership In Christian Higher Education, David M. Johnstone

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

No abstract provided.

Volunteer Work And Socializing Activities: Impact On Campus Internationalization, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The social and cultural adjustment challenges facing international students have always attracted the attention of university and college administrators (Pinheiro, 2001; Reedstrom, 2005; Zhao, Kuh &, Carini, 2005). As colleges try to make up for the loss in international recruitment in the post 9/11 phase, various volunteer efforts are encouraged to welcome, orient, and integrate international students into the American life and society (Wit, 2002). While serving their original purpose of asserting the friendliness and the welcoming gestures of host institutions to international students, these volunteer efforts aim indirectly to increase international enrollment and campus internationalization. Recognizing the possible potentials …

Behind The Veil: Cultural Challenges And Opportunities For A New International Student Group, Nasser Razek, Sandra C. Coyner

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

The number of Saudi students studying in the United States quintupled from 3,035 students in 2005 to 15,810 students in 2010 due to a fully funded Saudi government scholarship (Open Doors, 2010). As students originating in a cultural background differing from the prevailing principles of their higher education institutions, Saudi students face several challenges. The cultural challenges are one of the most frequently apparent among these challenges (Constantine, Okazaki, & Utsey, 2004; Miller, 2002). Building upon the relationship between the cultural beliefs and student academic achievement, this study aimed at examining the cultural aspects of the increased presence of Saudi …

Missions And Practices Of Student Learning Assessment: An International Comparative Study, Nasser Razek, Ghada M. Awad

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Classroom assessment of student learning is part and parcel of the educational processes that both faculty and administrators use to guide their practices, ensure program effectiveness, and use as checkpoints for student achievement (Palomba & Panta, 1999). Mission statements and articulated policies often mention varied and continuous assessment techniques of student learning. However, how much they are reflected on the educational practices varies due to different factors like government mandates, requirements of accreditation, social factors, market forces, and accountability to stake holders which can all be credited for the degree of adherence to assessment best practices (Burke, 2005). This qualitative …

Gender Differences In Student Engagement Among Emerging Adults Attending A Small Faith-Based University, Melvin P. Shuster

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

The single best predictor of the success of university sponsored student development activities is the degree to which the students are engaged in these activities (Kuh, 2007). Sax (2008) observes though that much of our understanding of the impact of the college experience is based on the study of students in the aggregate, with relatively little work done on how the college environment differentially influences men and women. The present work investigated gender differences among Emerging Adults (ages 18- 29) (Arnett, 2000) in their engagement of university sponsored activities at a small faith based university located in Northern California. The …

Student Achievement As An Investment In Human Capital: Using Longitudinal Patterns Of Per Pupil Instructional And Capital Expenditures, Socioeconomic Status, And Past Performance In Predicting Student Achievement, Charles Anthony Roberts

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Existing research illustrating a significant relationship between school spending and student achievement is expanding. However, research specifically investigating the relationships between capital expenditures (maintenance, renovations, and construction) and instructional expenditures (teacher quality, teacher salaries, textbooks, class size) with student achievement both individually, and as a function of overall school spending, is lacking. Recent studies have linked school spending to student achievement in an attempt to increase school funding as a response to No Child Left Behind Act (2001) mandates. This study attempts to augment this area of inquiry by providing feedback across the Commonwealth of Virginia on longitudinal patterns of …

A Descriptive Case Study Of The Perceptions And Use Of Adventist Edge : An Initiative Developed In Response To The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists' Document, "Journey To Excellence", Pamela C. Forbes

Dissertations

Problem. The Southern Union started the Adventist EDGE initiative as an action plan in response to the North American Division's document, Journey to Excellence . The Adventist EDGE became a comprehensive educational reform initiative. However, there were different ideas on how the innovation should look when inaction in the schools, and these differences became obvious during the initial EDGE school validation visit, resulting in hurt feelings and confusion. Thus, the need for my study to clarify EDGE became critical for the survival of the initiative.

Purpose. The purpose of my study was to develop two operational definitions or …

Investigating Peer Review As An Intentional Learning Strategy To Foster Collaborative Knowledge-Building In Students Of Instructional Design, Jennifer M. Brill, Charles B. Hodges

Leadership, Technology & Human Development: Faculty Publications

Peer review has been advocated for as an intentional strategy to support the knowledge and skill attainment of adult learners preparing for professional practice, including those students preparing for instructional design and technology practice. The purposes of this article are to discuss the practical application of peer review as an instructional strategy by articulating its use in both face-to-face and online Instructional Design courses and to formulate directions for future research on the use of peer review in instructional practice. Findings from a literature review of student-to-student peer review and the authors' experiences with the use of peer review in …

Leadership Characteristics And Practices Of Selected High-Performing Nonprofit Organizations In Northeast Florida, Janie Karen Smalley

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The nonprofit sector plays a vital role in the quality of life in any community. Challenges such as economic fluctuations, the organization’s image in the community, and adverse legislative policies threaten the vitality of organizations. It is incumbent upon nonprofit leaders to help their organizations overcome these challenges. It is therefore important to understand leadership characteristics and practices of organizations that achieve a high-level of performance and have the ability to overcome threats to their success. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the nonprofit sector in northeast Florida, identify a selected sample of high-performing organizations, and understand …