Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

A Commentary About The Black And Latino Doctoral Experience In The United States, Pamela Felder, Milagros Castillo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The Central Educational Center is a product of multiple visions, desires, and hopes. The ideal vision is outlined in a book entitled “The Eden Conspiracy” (Harless, 1997). Other perspectives include a requirement from local business that basic skills of high school graduates need to be rapidly improved, the desire of a growing local school system to provide costly industry-standard career-technical education to all high school students, the vision of a regional technical college to “dual enroll” high school students and make technical college a viable post-secondary option, and the hopes of a Governor looking for a viable model to support …

As A New Ceo, President, Vice President, Director Or General Manager For A Business Organization, What Should Be Your First 30 To 60 Days Priorities And Efforts?, Michael Marshall

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

I am often asked this question by many business executives, business professors, business teachers and trainers, business consultants and advisors, and in my personal teaching and training. The answers to this question are the same for any business executive who is tasked with ‘Turn-Around Management’ to help grow the business. The first 30 to 60 days are critical

Determining Factors Of Transfer: Their Implications For Teaching To Foster Generalisation And Conceptual Restructuring, Stephen Ntim

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Transfer can be defined as ‘the degree to which behaviour will be repeated in a new situation’ (Detterman and Sternberg, 1993, p. 4). Thus transfer of learning occurs when learning in one context or with one set of materials impacts on performance in another context or with related material. Pennington and Rehder (1995) borrowing from Larkin (1989) also define transfer as the use of knowledge or skill acquired in one situation in the performance of a new, novel task, a task sufficiently novel that it involves additional learning as well as the use of old knowledge. Research evidence as to …

Assessment Practices In English Language At The Nigerian Secondary School Level: A Psycholinguistic Issue, Oluwole Akinbode, Anthony Dairo

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The major purposes to which the results of assessment could be put were diagnosis, evaluation, guidance, grading prediction, and selection. In Nigeria, it is unfortunate that the results of many examinations have been used almost exclusively for grading and promotion exercises and inevitably there has been a neglect of diagnosis, guidance and evaluation although considerable informal use of assessment for these purposes are made by teachers in the classroom.

Developing A Personal Leadership Theory: Exploring Feminist Pedagogical Theory And Social Justice Issues, Betsy Surplus

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Thirty years of my life had been devoted to teaching and administration in a suburban public school district. I retired and made plans to move on to a related career in higher education and complete my doctoral studies in educational leadership. When I began my career as a community college developmental reading instructor, I was prepared to experience change in my leadership actions and understandings as I followed the spiraling path of learning that typifies reflective practice, which was key to this study. However, I did not anticipate encountering so many forks in the road. My learning path was guided …

Breaching The “Cultural Contract:” Committing To Cultural Sensitivity And Cultural Inclusion For Native American College Students, Kristen Emery

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A culturally responsive, respectful, and inclusive academic environment is a must for Native American students. Educational institutions must work to accommodate and allow Native American cultural traditions to become an integral part of the classroom, of teaching and learning procedures and processes, and of the student experience in general (Burk, 2007). At the colleges and universities of today, Native American students often face challenges beyond that of students from the dominant, typically White, non-Hispanic culture; these challenges are reflected in low retention and college dropout rates of Native American and Alaskan Native students nationwide (Campbell, 2007). Research has indicated that …

Attitudes Of Teachers Toward Teaching Creative Strategies, Kirsten Limpert, Stuart Ervay

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Given the recent national emphasis on standards and the use of high stakes tests, American teachers may not have positive attitudes toward teaching creative strategies. It is possible for them to conclude that they will be held accountable primarily for how well students perform on summative tests that are based either on state standards or the new national Core Standards being adopted by many states. With so much emphasis on standards, they may not be acquainted with the New Bloom’s Taxonomy that places creating at the top of learning hierarchy, nor are they likely to be aware of why that …

Driving Policy Of Higher Education In Nigeria Towards Relevance, Kayode Ijaduola

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The educational system of a country remains the main source of human resources that when combined in the right quantity and quality would bring about the development of a nation (Nelson, 2002; Saint, 2002; Tettey, 2002; Nunn, 2005; Mouton, Boshoff, Kulati & Teng-Zeng, 2007). The implication of this is that the level of national development depends upon the quantity and quality of its human resources which in turn depend on the type of the educational system in operation.

Educational Leadership In Nursing: Supporting Cultural Change To Develop Research Capacity In Novice Nurse Academics, Jane Mills, Melanie Birks, Karen Francis

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The question of leadership in nursing education is one that has been examined extensively in the literature. In this paper, the authors will initially provide a vignette written in the first person aimed at illustrating the ethos of the university in which they work. This vignette will then be followed by an analysis of actions and strategies used in a capacity building project aimed at developing novice nurse academics’ research skills. Theories of transformational leadership, and contingency theory of leadership are discussed in relation to the processes used, thus illustrating the application of theory to the practice of nursing leadership …

Examining Preschool And Kindergarten Teachers’ Beliefs About Play In Ghana, Mavis Dako-Gyeke

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Children all over the world engage in play. However, there are variations in their play activities. Play is present in all cultures (Singer & Singer, 1990), involves a wide array of behaviors from decisive to indecisive, and continues to be a key area of study from diversified viewpoints, ranging from ecological to cognitive (Sutton-Smith, 1993; Wolfberg & Schuler, 1993). Though categorical, criteria, and continuum approaches have assisted in organizing and classifying play activities, no definition or approach has accurately captured the range of behaviors that could be construed as play (Howard, Jenvey & Hill, 2006; Moyles, 2001). Even though play …

Focusing On Performance: The Intangibles Of Winning In Schools, David Carlson, Michelle Rojas

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

New York Daily News reporter Anthony McCarron, and other members of the aggressive New York sports media, got a surprising response from Derek Jeter, the shortstop for the New York Yankees, when they peppered him with a series of questions about his sluggish numbers at the beginning of the 2002 season. Jeter’s numbers were below his normal averages and, in response to questions about them, Jeter gave the following response, I don’t care about those numbers as long as I win. There are ways to win that you don’t get numbers for. If you hit a ground ball to move …

K-12 Educational Funding, One Of America’S Adaptive Challenges, Matthew Sanchez

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The United States Constitution leaves the responsibility of providing K-12 education to the states. All of the states, within their state constitutions, include some type of provision related to education and define, in some manner, the state’s role in providing that education (McCarthy and Deignan, 1982). Although each state may address K-12 funding differently, the expectation is the same. Parents, administrators, teachers, and legislators want students to meet a rigorous set of educational standards. In order to meet these standards, appropriate funds are needed to support the learning environments that students operate in.

Parents’ Education, Occupation And Real Mother’S Age As Predictors Of Students’ Achievement In Mathematics In Some Selected Secondary Schools In Ogun State, Nigeria., K.O. Muraina, Kassim Ajayi

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Educational leaders are responsible for the academic success of all students. As greater numbers of students exhibit disruptive behaviors, educational leaders are challenged with the task of maintaining high academic standards while simultaneously managing problem behaviors that interrupt the learning environment. Many schools have implemented character development programs aimed to decrease student disruptive behavior by increasing student prosocial skills. Character can be defined as “the emotional, intellectual and moral qualities of a person or group as well as the demonstration of these qualities in prosocial behavior” (United States Department of Education, 2008, p.1). Character education is “an inclusive term encompassing …

Restructuring Teacher Education: The Mis-Education Of Demography In The Public School System, Michelle Richards, Ingrad Smith

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The crisis of confidence in corporations has stimulated much debate among scholars and practitioners regarding leadership morality (Bartunek, 2002; Lefkowitz, Ilgen, Lee, Locke, Lowman & Schneider, 2003). Similarly, leadership scholars have acknowledged that leadership ethics rests upon the moral character of leaders and their choices of values (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999). They argued that, compared to others, some leaders possess values and characteristics that make them more resilient to social pressures to engage in unethical behaviors (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999; O’Connor, Mumford, Clifton, & Connelly, 1995)

Power Motives And Core Self Evaluation As Correlates Of Managerial Morality, Aline Masuda

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

More than ever before, educators are seeking innovative ways to improve students’ achievement, promote quality teaching, reduce cost and motivate students. Educational leaders, from heads to directors, are all working harder than ever to become more effective at managing change and innovation in the “Digital Age”. Today, the large collection of media-rich teaching and everything from educational broadcasting is a good recipe for quality education.

Linking Transformational Leadership To Student Teachers’ Efficacy: Contributions Of Mentor Teachers’ Leadership Behaviors, Tao Gong, Ron Siers

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A literature review of student interns’ (often referred to as student teachers or pre-service teachers) efficacy beliefs revealed that most studies have focused on the effects of teacher efficacy on teacher effectiveness and student achievement. However, the role that mentor teachers (often referred to as cooperating teachers or collaborating teachers) play in the growth of efficacy beliefs of student interns has received little attention, and the empirical evidence is insufficient. A teacher’s sense of efficacy has been defined as “the teacher’s belief in his or her capability to organize and execute courses of action required to successfully accomplish a specific …

The Impact Of National Cultures On Corporate Cultures In Organisations, Kwasi Dartey-Baah

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The school’s main core business is teaching and learning. A quality curriculum and effective instruction are key elements to ensure successful teaching and learning in schools (Grigsby et. al. 2010). Thus, various activities and resources established in the schools should be optimized to ensure that teaching and learning are implemented effectively. From the human resource perspective, the main drivers of successful teaching and learning are teachers. Hence, quality teachers who can perform their responsibilities with commitment are prerequisites for successful and excellent education.

The Relationship Between Vocabulary Knowledge, Linguistic Intelligence And Morphological Awareness Among Efl Learners, Keivan Zahedi, Nasser Fallah

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

This article will share numerous interesting insights that are important for business development, marketing and sales growth.

The Similarities Between Business Organizations And Psychology, Michael Marshall

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In the 1980s, the system of relatively uniform centralised budget resource allocation to schools was judged by many to have impaired the achievement of equality, efficiency, liberty and choice. Thus, school-based management was suggested, with lump sum budgets allocated to schools, together with a high degree of community involvement in school decision making and the fostering of diversity within schools to ensure choice (Caldwell and Spinks, 1988). School-based management (SBM) was intended to encourage positive participation from teacher, principal and parent representatives on the school board committee (Yadollah, 2006; Cheung and Kan, 2009). This attracted groups of people with different …

Spirituality And 21st Century School Leadership, Kathleen Fite, Robert Reardon, Mike Boone

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The current status of educational reform issues related to general education and special education provides the opportunity for the creation of a system that encompasses the goals of both groups in a cohesive manner. Previously, these issues have been addressed separately; however, recent research identifies a progression of change in the focus of ideas in both general education and special education. The first two phases of school reform focused initially on raising standards and then on teacher empowerment and site-based management. The current phase of school reform focuses on the instructional needs of the individual student and rejects the premise …

United States Organization Working To Strengthen School Leadership Preparation, Jenny Tripses, John Hunt, Sandra Watkins

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

We have come into a time where there is of scarcity of resources, where colleges and universities are being pulled in different directions by many of its constituents, and state politicians are jockeying for which policies that they want to implement with limited or no resources to support them, which makes the support for higher education even more scant. If there was not a more urgent time to have a different mindset to transform a college or university this decade, then there likely will not be one. Knowing the obstacles in which higher education institutions need to overcome, the leadership …

The Role Of Staff Development In School-Based Management, Hon Yau, Alison Cheng

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Today’s frontier is knowledge. Brain has taken precedence over brawn; our physical struggle for existence has been replaced by intellectual struggle, and knowledge of words has become the most valuable tool for this struggle. Words are the very cornerstone of any language. With a good vocabulary, which indicates scope of knowledge, we can grasp the thoughts of others and be able to communicate our own thoughts to them. As Stahl (1999) argued, discussion of words is discussion of knowledge of the world, and knowledge of the world is knowledge of who we are and where we stand in the world. …

Leadership Differences Between African-American And White Superintendents In South Carolina, Edward Cox, Carlotta Redish

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Superintendents are responsible for implementing the policies established by their boards of education. They are charged with managing and leading their organizations to secure and promote the sustained advancement of student achievement. Nationwide, whites are employed in a majority of superintendent positions (Glass, 2006). According to Bjork (2000), blacks represent 5% of the superintendents in America. The remaining 95% are white. Previous studies of the superintendency have researched career paths, school board/superintendent relationships, minority superintendents, gender, leadership styles, and professional preparation (Glass, 2006; Clisbee, 2004; Revere, 2003 Lunenburg, 2003; Tallerico, 2000; Shakeshaft, 1999; Moody, 1970). None, however, have compared possible …

Teachers And Their Struggle With Personal Satisfaction As Young Mothers, Katherine Homer

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore how the day-to-day experiences of teachers who are working mothers of young children shape their level of comfort and satisfaction with the dual role they live. This investigation also explored the dynamics of teacher retention by understanding the dilemmas female teachers with young families encounter. There is limited literature on working mothers who are high school teachers. There are many different issues this study examined to gain a better understanding of the complexities of the lives of women who are high school teachers while raising young children.

This study consisted of six …

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.