Educational Leadership Commons^™

The Relationship Of Teacher Retention To Personality Style At Visionquest National Limited, Beth Ann Rosica

Dissertations

Problem. VisionQuest National Limited is a treatment and education program for court-placed students. Recruiting and retaining quality teachers is a problem faced by VisionQuest administrators. Over the course of a school year, there are usually several teaching-position vacancies, and turnover is high, especially in the first few months of employment.

Method. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter, a derivative of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, was administered to all VisionQuest teachers to determine their personality type. The personality types of the VisionQuest teachers were compared to those of teachers in the general population. Length of employment of VisionQuest teachers was also analyzed in …

An Examination Of Factors Contributing To Exemplary Schools In An Urban Public School District In The Midwest, Gordon D. Griffin

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were characteristics that identify exemplary elementary schools. Selection of schools was based on standardized scores, principal tenure, parental involvement, Directors of Elementary School’s opinion, and accreditation status.

The demographic information suggested that both groups of schools were similar in composition. Developing schools demonstrated a significantly greater population of students receiving free lunch and a greater population of minority students. Each school principal and staff received two survey instruments: the Leadership Practices Inventory (Kouzes & Posner, 1992), and the School Assessment Survey (Wilson, 1985). The results were compared to determine which …

A Study Of Students Involved In A Leadership Development Program, "Excellence In Leadership", At Grand Valley State University, Paul Mckimmy

Dissertations

This study sought to describe the leadership behaviors of students involved in the Excellence in Leadership Program (ELP) at Grand Valley State University. Additionally, it sought to determine how ELP influences the leadership behaviors of its members. The Leadership Practices Inventory - Student Version (LPI) was used to measure the leadership behavior frequencies of five groups of students at the beginning and end of the 1995-1996 academic year. Non-ELP-members, newly registered ELP members, and ELP members at three different achievement levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) were compared. The behaviors measured by this instrument are: Enabling Others to Act, Modeling the …

Maranao Muslim Women Educational Administrators: An Initial Study Of The Emerging Muslim Women Leaders In The Philippines, Carmelita S. Lacar

Dissertations

Long deprived of consequential participation in socioeconomic exchanges outside the home, Filipino Muslim women are now breaking out of their traditional mold. Increasingly, they are acquiring higher education and are assuming vocational and leadership roles which, in years past, were inaccessible to them. Focused on Maranao Muslim women educational administrators, this survey sought to: (a) describe their salient characteristics, career development experiences, goals, and visions that distinguish them from their Muslim women subordinates; (b) describe factors influencing their career; (c) describe their leadership behaviors; and (d) deduce some policy and practical implications of the findings. Primary data on 75 variables …

Elementary Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of Principal Leadership Style And School Social Organization, Thomas Jack Evans

Dissertations

The context of teaching has dramatically changed over the last several decades following two national waves of educational reform. Researchers have focused attention on the social restructuring of schools (Liebermann, 1992) and appropriate leadership strategies, such as transformational leadership (Leithwood, 1993; Sergiovanni, 1990), for achieving comprehensive changes leading toward increased school effectiveness. Leadership that can stimulate "bottom-up" participation from teachers and principals in efforts to restructure schools has been recommended (Rowan, 1990; Sergiovanni, 1994). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between elementary principals’ use of transformational leadership strategies as determined by teacher reports and the …

Leader Attitudes And Leader Stress: Is There A Connection?, Earl B. Kaurala

Dissertations

In an era of technological innovation, information explosion, and state and national calls for educational reform, it seems important to adopt processes that will allow for rapid diffusion of knowledge and implementation of new technologies into classrooms. The leadership provided by the principal is extremely important to this process. Unfortunately, principals can be overwhelmed by the conflicting expectations that have become associated with their role within the educational community.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership attitudes of Michigan secondary school principals and the relationship of these attitudes to the work-related stress the surveyed principals indicated they …

The Status Of Middle Level Schools In Berrien County, Michigan Following Michigan Public Act 25, Judith A. Burns

Dissertations

Michigan Public Act 25 of 1990 mandated public school reform. One of 4 components of Public Act 25 is the development of a 3 to 5 year School Improvement Plan (SIP). The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine middle level school improvement in Berrien County, Michigan, for evidence that developmentally appropriate middle level education is promoted.

This 2-part investigation involved analyzing SIPs submitted for 1992-93 school year using a content analysis format and interviews with each building principal or designee. The content analysis format was developed by Sweeney and Cooper in 1992 to analyze SIPs of Wayne County, …

An Assessment Of The Characteristics Of Catholic School Boards In The State Of Michigan, Frank C. Wippel

Dissertations

This study describes the nature and development of Catholic school boards, reports the characteristics of Michigan Catholic school boards, and investigates relationships between involvement in key board functions (establishing mission, long-range planning, budget monitoring, policy development, and marketing) and selection processes, governance postures, and training. The findings indicate a relationship between key board function involvement, election process, consultative governance posture, and training. Survey methodology and design was used to obtain the data for the study. Board presidents and school administrators from all 358 Catholic schools in the state were invited to participate. A 9 6 % response rate was obtained. …

The Relationship Between Principals' Length Of Administrative Experience And Organizational Leadership Behavior In Elementary Schools In Saudi Arabia, Hamad Adbulaziz Alkherb

Dissertations

The study examined educational leadership behaviors among elementary school principals in Qasim region of Saudi Arabia. Seven independent variables using a survey questionnaire among a randomly selected sample from the identified population. Self-reporting elicited, first, critical background information and, second, data concerning 60 specific leadership behavior items important to work issues, critical areas of educational administration, professional relationship situations, and leadership problems ordinarily confronted. Items were grouped according to five categories of twelve items each.

Ninety-six principals or 80% of the survey sample of 120 responded. Focus of the study derived importantly from an extensive and complex review of literature …

A Comparison Of Youth Living Environment In Small And Large Communities Of Michigan, Huilan Yang

Dissertations

This study compares youth living environment in small and large communities in Michigan. The comparison includes three areas of youth living environment: community environment, financial environment, and educational environment. Community in this study is defined as school district. Data are extracted from an existing database developed by the National Center for Educational Statistics titled School District Data Book (SDDB). Out of 560 Michigan school districts included in SDDB, 370 are used in the data analysis, excluding the Detroit City School District and 189 medium-sized districts. Fifteen variables are selected for comparison, categorized under the three areas of youth environment. The …

A Study Of The Influence Of Organizational Context On The Purpose, Structure, Operation And Impact Of School Leadership Teams In Suburban Elementary Schools, Aurora Marie Morris-Chase

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Selected Aspects Of The Role Of The High School Principal In The Chicagoland Area In Light Of Leadership-Orientation, Antonia C. Bouillette

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Looking At The Illinois Administrators' Academy Six Years Later: A Comparison Assessment Of The Academy Based Upon The Perceived Effectiveness On Professional Development Of Secondary School Principals, Kari Lynn King

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of The Teaching Profession Among Academically Successful Students Of Selected Affluent High Schools In Cook And Dupage Counties Of Illinois, Stephen Heller

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Allison Davis And The Historical Development Of His Sociological Concepts: "Cultural Deprivation" And Compensatory Education", 1925-1983, Andrea Marie Macaluso

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The American Catholic Sociological Review: A Reflection Of The American Catholic Sociological Society, 1938-1968, Carol Tolson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study To Determine The Relationship Between Perceived Communication Practices Of Leaders And Subordinate Response To Change, Catherine L. Chevalier

Dissertations

Organizational change continues to challenge leaders as they are charged with transforming their followers from a present state to a future state. This research examined the relationship between perceived communication practices of leaders and employee response to change in a natural setting. Randomly selected employees from the research and development division of a mid-size Fortune 500 company located in the Midwest comprised the sample (N. = 110). The study was executed upon completion of a large-scale change in policy which was formally communicated according to a protocol established by senior management. The participants completed three survey instruments: (1) Communication Environment …

A Study Of Active Participation Instructional Strategies Increasing Student's Higher Order Thinking Skills, Scottie J. Griffin

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Saudi Arabian Employee Performance In Selected Public Sector Service Organizations, Yousif Mohamad Saad Al-Hendy

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And School Climate, Christine L. Jensen

Dissertations

The study investigated the relationship between transformational leadership and school climate in elementary schools in w est Michigan with enrollments of 200-800 students. Eighteen school districts with 294 participating teachers completed two questionnaires.

The independent variable of transformational leadership was investigated by using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to measure teachers' perceptions of leadership factors. The dependent variable of school climate was investigated by using the Organizational Climate Descriptor Questionnaire-Revised Elementary. The questionnaire was used to determine teachers' perceptions of principal openness, teacher openness, and overall school climate.

As a result of the data analysis, the investigation supported that there was …

A Grounded Theory In The Development Of The Tantric Proposition In Leadership Education, Marsha Wislocki Goin

Dissertations

The advancement of a new theory in the field of leadership education directed the focus of this study. A new paradigm directed toward an inclusive leadership model was advanced and the findings integrated, resulting in the development of a model reflecting four dimensions of leadership theory: (1) transformational, (2) transactional, (3) charismatic, and (4) intuitional.

These four dimensions, supported within a quadrilateral design and incorporating an Eastern philosophical motif represented as a mandala, were then interfaced with the four dimensions of tantric philosophy: (1) spiritual, (2) emotional, (3) intellectual, and (4) sensing, resulting in a tantric mandala of leadership design. …

Women And The Public School Superintendency: An Integrative Review Of The Dissertation Research, Carol A. Swingle

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to prepare a comprehensive summary, evaluation, and synthesis of the dissertation research conducted from 1970 to 1994 regarding women public school superintendents.

The units of study for this research synthesis were the 79 criterion-selected doctoral dissertations completed at colleges and universities in the United States between 1 970 and 1994 that utilized women public school superintendents as their sole, or primary, data set.

Data were collected relative to both the content and the quality of the selected dissertations. Data analysis was completed using the integrative research review techniques of listing factors, taking a vote, …

The Level Of Management Support Behaviors And The Effect On Participation Rates In Corporate Fitness Programs, Diane Braatz

Dissertations

Survey methods were used to evaluate the relationship between the nature and degree of management support provided to corporate fitness programs and employees' participation rates in those programs. A questionnaire requesting information about demographics, participation rates, and supportive management practices in the areas of coaching, modeling, and reinforcing, was sent to representatives of 400 companies. Completed questionnaires representing 157 organizations were returned. Across all respondents, the mean reported level of employee participation in fitness programs was 20.7%; the range was 2 to 67%. The level of employee participation was positively related to the total level of management support (i.e., combined …

Participative Management And Productivity: Partners Or Adversaries?, Michael Heenan Swearingen

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what style of management was used by different office furniture manufacturers and whether or not a participative style of management affected organizational productivity. Organizational productivity was defined by factoring together the yearly sales and the financial stability for the organization, as defined by Dun & Bradstreet.

The five hypotheses studied were:

1. The higher the educational level of the organization's management is, the more likely they are to use a participative style of management.

2. The older an organization is, the less likely they are to use a participative style of management. …

A Study Of Support For Transfer And The Alignment Of The Training With The Strategic Direction Of The Organization, Max U. Montesino T.

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the presence of practices to support transfer of training and the perception of trainees and managers of the alignment of training with the strategic direction of the organization in a targeted training program of a Fortune 200 company, in Michigan. A secondary purpose was to investigate the relationship between awareness of and commitment to the strategic direction of the organization among trainees and their managers. The subjects of the study were 147 sale representatives (96% of the targeted sample size) and 36 field managers. The study consisted of a …

Beliefs And Perceptions Of Michigan Superintendents Toward Females Advancing In The Ranks: Perspectives To Increase The Minority Pool, Dennis J. Stanek

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine potential factors which affect the advancement of females in the role of superintendent. With the research pointing to a variety of causes for the low percentage of female superintendents, the reason for this study was to make various groups in leadership positions aware of such factors.

Three research questions were studied:

1. Do practicing K-12 male superintendents in Michigan possess significantly different beliefs and perceptions toward female superintendents than do practicing female superintendents?

2. What experiences did the respondent have in working with a female superintendent?

3. What perceptions do K-12 superintendents …

An Analysis Of Local Response To State Initiated School Reform Legislation: Michigan Public Act 25, A. Bruce Watson

Dissertations

Educational reform has been a topic of interest to educators, politicians and tax payers for over a century. Michigan’s educational reform legislation, Public Act 25. enacted in 1990, is a shared-responsibility model where the state and local school district share responsibility for implementing four major educational reform components. These components are, core curriculum, annual educational report, school improvement planning and accreditation.

The study was designed to answer the following two research questions. Initially, do elementary principals in Michigan public elementary schools perceive educational reform indicators and conditions to be in enough strength to allow educational reform to continue under Public …

Learning Expectations And Learning From Problem Situations In Occupational Education, Michael Alexander Krischer

Dissertations

Employers have shown a growing interest in problem solving skill in addition to specific occupational skills (Carnevale, Gainer, and Meltzer, 1990). Learning expectations are defined as attitudes involving the self-conception of one's ability to respond to difficult situations, and learning from problem situations is defined as the ability to organize specialized knowledge so that it can be applied to a new situation. The purpose of the study was to examine relationships among these two variables and performance in a situation requiring the application of occupational knowledge under a novel set of conditions. The study was carried out at the Industrial …

The Radical Scot: The Educational Ideas And Philanthropies Of William Maclure (1763-1840), Eleanor Nicholson

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

School-Community Networks: Three Partnership Case Studies., Doris M. Williams

Dissertations

No abstract provided.