Educational Leadership Commons^™

Developmental Studies Courses And The Success Of Non-Traditional Students At A Major Public University In The Southeast, Charlotte Tagert Matthews

Dissertations

The main purpose of the study was to determine the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on the academic performance in subsequent collegelevel classes for non-traditional students. A secondary purpose was to determine if academic preparation in basic skills classes had a long-term effect on academic performance as measured by graduation GPA. A third purpose was to obtain the perspectives of non-traditional students about the effect of academic preparation in basic skills classes on academic performance in subsequent college-level classes.

Methodology included statistical comparisons of grade distributions and GPA using archival data from the Banner student record system, …

Students With Learning Disabilities In Postsecondary Education: Differences Among Students With Varying Levels Of Self-Advocacy Skills And Academic Achievement, Diana Villanueva

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This quantitative study described factors that promote or discourage self- advocacy among students with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level. Data were gathered from students with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level and faculty members at the University of Texas-Pan American to address issues on accommodations as well as students' self perceptions regarding their learning disabilities. Five questionnaires were utilized to describe student and faculty member perceptions regarding learning disabilities and the accommodation process at the postsecondary level. Data from the study helped increase an understanding of the factors that may increase or decrease student academic success at the postsecondary …

The Development Of The Elementary Principal As A Technology Leader, Alejandro Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This qualitative study examined the reported origin and influence of technology skills, dispositions, academic preparation, experiences and technology-related professional development activities on a principal's ability to function as a technology leader. An online questionnaire and face-to-face audio taped interviews were utilized to determine technology skill and disposition categories, which align with the National Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A). Graduate school catalogs and syllabi were used as artifacts in this qualitative study. The results assisted in creating an understanding of the dynamics of the formal and informal preparation of elementary principals that contribute to their development as technology leaders.

A Comparison Of Students In Single-Sex Classes And Coeducational Classes In High Poverty Elementary Schools In Mathematics And Reading Achievement, Ashley Elizabeth Aldridge

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any statistically significant differences in mathematics and reading academic achievement and academic gains of male and female students taught in single-sex classes existed when compared to male and female students taught in coeducational classes. This study reported findings from mathematics and reading achievement scores and academic gain scores from 850 fourth and fifth grade participants enrolled in seven high poverty public elementary schools during the 2007-2008 school term. The experimental group consisted of 347 students taught in single-sex classes. The control group contained 503 students who were taught in coeducational classrooms …

Practicum Experience In Educational Leadership Program: Perspectives Of Supervisors, Mentors And Candidates, Binbin Jiang, Judith H. Patterson, Mary M. Chandler, Tak C. Chan

Faculty Articles

An important component of an educational leadership preparation program is the requirement of practicum experiences. The rationale for the practicum requirement is to expose educational leadership program candidates to real-world school leadership experiences. A successful implementation of the practicum experience involves the collaboration among three stakeholders: university professors as supervisors, school administrators as mentors and the program candidates. The stakeholders’ perceptions of the quality of the practicum experience are most valuable to continuous improvement of the educational leadership program. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stakeholders’ perceived effectiveness of the practicum experience in an educational leadership program …

Classroom Management: Teacher Training, Attitudes And Beliefs, And Intervention Practices, Margaret Catherine Davis Ladner

Dissertations

This study examined the factors that are associated with teacher classroom management with regard to training, attitudes and beliefs, and intervention practices of general and special education teachers in dealing with classroom control. These factors were examined in general and special education classrooms. The participants for this study were teachers of kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade and 3r grade students in three public school districts in a southeastern state. Participants were recruited through a convenience or voluntary sample selection.

The school districts chosen for this sample provide a good cross-section of schools; they were representative of buildings with different percentages …

The Impact Of Focused Tutoring And Science Lab Instruction Strategies For An Elementary School In South Texas, Annabelle Paloma

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that focused tutoring and science lab methodologies have on 5th-grade student performance in science. The study examined how focused tutoring and science lab methodologies affect performance of 5th-grade students in science as measured by Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAKS). The problem is that far too many young Americans emerge from the nations elementary and secondary schools with an inadequate grounding in science. In correlation with this problem, if adequate instructional interventions are implemented, then students may be better prepared when tested with the science Texas Assessment of Knowledge and …

Memorization Techniques: Using Mnemonics To Learn Fifth Grade Science Terms, Juan O. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study was to determine whether mnemonic instruction could assist students in learning fifth-grade science terminology more effectively than traditional-study methods of recall currently in practice The task was to examine if fifth-grade students were able to learn a mnemonic and then use it to understand science vocabulary; subsequently, to determine if students were able to remember the science terms after a period of time. The problem is that in general, elementary school students are not being successful in science achievement at the fifth grade level. In view of this problem, if science performance is increased at …

The Validation And Utilization Of The C.A.R.E. Self-Assessment Tool And A Comparison Of Perceived Levels Of Cultural Responsiveness In Benwood I And Benwood Ii Schools, Jennifer R. Spates

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine teachers' perceptions of culturally responsive policies and practices in sixteen elementary schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Participants completed a survey called the C.A.R.E. (Culturally Aware and Responsive Education) tool, which was developed by the researcher. The survey was administered in two sets of schools with contrasting populations and a comparative analysis between the two sets of schools was conducted. The purpose of this study was to measure teachers' perceptions regarding the level of cultural responsiveness of their school's policies and practices. An additional purpose was to validate the C.A.R.E. The sample of subjects consisted of …

Teacher Effectiveness In Urban High Schools, Richard Buddin, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

This research examines whether teacher licensure test scores and other teacher qualifications affect high school student achievement. The results are based on longitudinal student-level data from Los Angeles. The achievement analysis uses a value-added approach that adjusts for both student and teacher fixed effects. The results show little relationship between traditional measures of teacher quality (e.g., experience and education level) and student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) or math. Similarly, teacher aptitude and subject-matter knowledge, as measured on state licensure tests, have no significant effects on student achievement. Achievement outcomes differ substantially from teacher to teacher, however, and the …

An Evaluation Of Teachers' Perceptions Of A State Developed Educational Portal, Beth Katz Caraccio

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions use of a state developed educational portal. The research evaluated the differences in the quality, usefulness, and relevance of learning objects found on the website based on teachers’ gender and grade level they taught. Grade level taught referred to those grades that are the focus of a participant’s position: primary (K-2), elementary (3-5), middle school (6-8) and high school (9-12). The learning objects included: frameworks, tasks, standards, and videos. The researcher also reviewed the relationship between teachers’ use of the learning objects and the teachers’ level of technology integration according …

Relationships Among Elementary Teachers' Self-Perceptions Of Musical Intelligence, Perceived Value Of Instruction Through Music, And Classroom Instructional Practices, Peggy Jo Hubbard Mccullough

Dissertations

This study was designed to examine educators' perceptions and practices of instruction through music. Using primarily quantitative methods for collection and analysis of data, correlations were sought among the primary variables: elementary teachers' perceptions of the value of instruction through music, their self-reported frequency of instruction through music, and their self-evaluated level of musical intelligence. The hypothesis for this study was that a positive correlation existed between any two of the three variables.

Participants included elementary teachers representing instructional grades one through five from four elementary schools in the southeastern part of the United States. To collect data, a survey …

Matching Time Of Day And Preference For Adolescent Achievement, Leisha Moree Parker

Dissertations

Research shows that adolescents enter a circadian-phase delay as they approach and enter high school. On or about age 14, teens become less of a morning learner due to biological factors. Researchers have determined consequences to the adolescent's circadian shift as related to learning; therefore, morning time may have a negative influence on the cognitive functioning of teens resulting in lower test scores. This study was an attempt to determine if time of day, gender, and learning preference using the Morningness/Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) as proposed by Carskadon, Vieira, and Acebo (1993) would result in a statistical difference in …

Middle School Cultures And Student Achievement, Nichel Holland Swindler

Dissertations

School principals have the daunting task of improving their schools and ensuring that student performance increases. Many principals are using their understanding of leadership and culture to transform their schools in order to provide high-performing educational services. The primary purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of those middle school cultures that do in fact, facilitate student performance and achievement.

This study was conducted using information from middle schools in three southeastern states, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Teachers completed a 35-question school culture questionnaire designed by Dr. Jerry Valentine. Three research questions were proposed and answered …

Wsu Board Of Trustees Meeting Minutes, July 28, 2009

Board of Trustees Minutes

Minutes from the Wright State University Board of Trustees Meeting held on July 28, 2009.

High-Stakes Testing Under The No Child Left Behind Act: How Has It Impacted School Culture?, Rashel Anderson Tingey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of high-stakes testing under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act on school culture. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with first grade through sixth grade teachers and principals from two of Nebo School District's schools located in Utah. Their responses were categorized into twelve themes. Most of the teachers and principals reported that high-stakes testing negatively impacted student and teacher motivation, teaching and learning, and curriculum. They also discussed negative effects of the application questioned the accuracy of high-stakes testing. Fewer teachers and principals communicated positive effects of …

Interview With Paul Gray: 2008 Arkansas Teacher Of The Year, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Gary W. Ritter

Policy Briefs

The 2008 Arkansas Teacher of the Year was Paul Gray of Russellville. Mr. Gray is a social studies teacher and department chairman at Russellville High School.

Why South Korean Universities Have Low International Rankings – Part Ii: The Student Side Of The Equation, Paul Jambor

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In the first part of this essay, the reasons ‘Why South Korean Universities Have Low International Rankings’ (Paul Z. Jambor in Academic Leadership: The Online Journal, 2009: Volume 7; first issue) are clearly laid out from numerous points of views pertaining to two prominent international rankings; the Times and the Shanghai rankings (QS, World & Shanghai, 2008).

Community College: The Chameleon Of Higher Education, Louis Fletcher

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A perceived dichotomy in higher education frames the relationship between four-year universities and community colleges. The four-year university thrives on publishing research as much as it does on administering curriculum leading to a degree. The community college is focused on instruction which could lead to a degree, certificate, or other outcome that serves the needs of the community. The four-year university serves the traditional student who typically attends the institution full-time and is a recent product of secondary education. The community college serves the non-traditional student who typically attends the institution part-time and often has already entered the world of …

Western Guide To Curriculum Review, Margaret Mcnay

Purple Guides

The Curriculum Review guide offers ideas about how to get started on the review process—questions to ask at the beginning of and during the process, suggestions about information to be gathered and how, issues to think about as you decide what to include in the curriculum, and ideas about how to teach the curriculum involving new and alternative pedagogies.

Table Of Contents - Summer 2009, Fort Hays State University College Of Education

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Academic Leadership Journal Summer 2009 table of contents

A Pilot Study: The Relationship Of Hope And Anxiety In Graduate-Level Counseling Students Anticipating Taking A Tests And Measurements Course., Sandeep Kaur

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The ability of comprehend test-based assessments implies careful training and the question arises of the dynamics of the tests and measurements course which are required for masters level counseling students. Research has focused thoroughly on education and training in psychological assessments addressing issues such as how students ought to be trained in the area (Childs & Eyde, 1990), however little investigation has been done on how students perceive the tests and measurements course. While studies have shed light on the fact that often students themselves tend to question the adequacy of their training (Dempster, 1990; Hilsenroth & Handler, 1995), there …

Assessment Of Adults` Opinion On The Ideal Family Size And Family Well-Being In Ogun State, Nigeria, O.O. Kalesanwo, A. Emmanuel

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Family can be taken to mean a unit consisting of husband and wife, and their children, (Moses and Adewale 2002). Moses, Patric and Olarenwaju (2001) quoting Otite and Ogion (1981) reported that family as a bio-social group, meaning that family has both biological and social aspects. Moses and Adewale (2002) quoting Murdrock (1965) defines family as a social group characterized by common residence, economic, cooperation, and reproduction. They reported that family is a group of persons united by ties of marriage, blood, or adoption constituting a single house hold; interacting and communicating with each other in their respective social role …

Child Work, Child Schooling And Educational Achievement: An Empirical Evidence For Nigeria, Afolabi Popoola, Joseph Ayodele, Isaac Ajayi

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

As a result of the growing international concern about child labour, child work and the effects on the welfare and future of these children, the practices are now being questioned in Nigeria. The recent perception of child labour and child work as a problem stems from the belief, and finding on investigations that involvement of children in economic activities outside the home is injurious to the children’s intellectual and physical growth. According to Oloko (1996) working is believed to expose children to physical danger, sexual abuse and other forms of harassment. It is also believed that work prevents children from …

Gray Hair And A Doctorate: A Prerequisite To Being A Good Education Administrator?, Elizabeth Gould

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Traditionally, from a very young age, children are taught to respect their elders. This tradition tends to carry over to their adult lives when they enter the work arena. Age means experience and knowledge, and these young pups who come in wagging their tails and jumping around, so full of excitement and new ideas, must be taught to calm down and control themselves. Let’s face it; we don’t need any messes on the carpet. Nowhere is this contrast between young energy and older experience more evident than in the world of academia.

Organizational Health At The Managerial And Institutional Levels Of Leadership: Links To Student Achievement In Middle Grades, Howard Coleman, Kathleen Roney

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In this paper we look at the relationship between the middle school’s organizational health and student achievement as measured by math scores over a two-year period. Our research hypothesis anticipated that increases in organizational health would be related to increases in student scores on standardized tests.

The Effective Use Of Staff Governance In Academic Leadership, Michael Miller, Daniel Nadler

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Colleges and universities provide both the human capital development and often the research backbone for the economy to function at a high level. Simultaneously, institutions provide a tremendous social benefit for graduates and other stakeholders who make use of their emphasis on the arts, entertainment, and cultural development. This multi-dimensional role, one in which Clark Kerr referred to as the “multiversity” (Johnson, Kavanagh, & Mattson, 2003, p. 11), often results in a conflicting notion of purpose and management, with competition for business-like accountability with public sector intangible service. Burgess (2009) noted that the result is the perspective of the public …

Examining The Landscape Of Leadership Of Charter School Executives In Low-Performing Or Priority Schools In North Carolina, Clarence Davis, Laurell Malone

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Charter Schools in North Carolina have been serving students since 1997 in grades K-12. From their inception, charter schools in North Carolina have operated as their own Local Education Agency (LEA) and were created to serve the fundamental purpose of providing opportunities for teachers, parents, students, and community members to establish and maintain schools that operate independently of existing schools.

The Level Of Emotional Intelligence In Principals Of Recognized And Acceptable Schools, Todd Stephens, Douglas Hermond

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The future of our democratic society depends on a strong and vibrant educational system. The 90s brought us accountability and high stakes testing and our new millennium promises to demand even more sacrifices from teachers, students, and principals as expectations rise and pressures increase for educational improvements. Quality leadership from school principals will be crucial in creating schools capable of producing students who can excel and compete in today’s challenging global economy.

Reflections On Special Education, Sandra Peters

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Special Education teachers are very special people. Even though I have taught 7-12th grade English, high school speech, drama, forensics, debate, and directed a Montessori Middle School teaching all subjects, Special Education was a whole new world to me. I had been present at IEPs but never presented IEPs. I have had special education students in my class with and without paras, but never had I taught special education in a self-contained classroom. This past semester, I have been able to add teaching Special Education English grades 10-12 to my resume. I have presented IEPs, participated in FBAs and created …