Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Implementing An Assessment Program: A Faculty Member’S Perspective, Robert Becker

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In 1999, after several exploratory meetings, the college administration established an ad-hoc interdisciplinary assessment committee to begin a conversation about what students were taught and how faculty knew what was learned and what was not. At the first meeting of this committee, composed of representatives of the college’s seventeen teaching departments, the library, student affairs, institutional planning, research, and assessment, and academic affairs, several impediments to a formalized college-wide assessment initiative immediately became apparent. While a culture of informal assessment already existed as instructors daily grappled with effectively teaching their students, the notion of a widespread institutionalized plan was alien. …

Leadership And Organisational Culture: Can The Ceo And Senior Executive Teams In Bureaucratic Organisations Influence Organisational Culture?, Glenys Drew

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The pressure on higher education to embrace a change agenda to cope with an increasingly complex operating environment has been growing over recent years (Hanna, 2003; Pick, 2003). Hanna (2003) writes that “higher education institutions must change – and, indeed, are changing – to meet future needs,” (p. 26) and that they will need to address a number of strategic challenges as they “transform themselves to meet the demands of an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.” (p. 26) These changes may require embracing different ways of operating, forging new and different partnerships to attract funds and undertake research, and streamlining …

Lowering Teacher Attrition Rates Through Collegiality, Jameelah Abdallah

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Since large numbers of teachers leave the teaching profession to go to work in other fields each year, it is vital to ask ourselves several pertinent questions as to why this is happening. Why are so many qualified teachers leaving the teaching profession? What are the affects of high teacher attrition rates on the public school system? What must be done to lower teacher attrition rates and retain new teachers? Schools must find ways to reduce teacher attrition in order to maintain high quality education for students.

University Preparation And The Research/Practice Divide, Gregory Freeman, Frederick Gies

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

A major disconnect between education research and practice is widely acknowledged by both school practitioners and university-based researchers. Evidence and commentary relative to the disconnect are articulated in four articles in the April 2007 issue of Phi Delta Kappan under the theme The Research/Practice Divide. The authors explained, decried, explored, and sought to close the divide; none expressed doubt concerning the existence of the divide in teacher education or education leadership. Davis asserted (2007, p. 569), “It appears that comparatively little of what is written and thought about by scholars and policy makers actually has any appreciable impact on classrooms …

Peer Mentor Leadership Training: Theory And Implementation, James Rubin

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

College is a time of major transition for young adults. It presents a unique opportunity as decisions regarding a wide variety of options unfold for the first time without being under the guidance and eye of a guardian. Chosen paths offer a glimpse into the inner motivations behind one’s character and the interest that many students have shown for peer mentoring exemplifies traits of benevolence and leadership. In addition to providing peers with a positive role model, there are opportunities for mentors to expand on many interpersonal qualities that are important for success in a multitude of contexts. Integral to …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Good And Bad Leaders In Seven Cultures, Raymond Zepp, Daniel Eckstein, Mona Khalid, Chi-Sing Li

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

Educational practices are becoming increasingly globalized, and as a result, countries around the world are implementing reforms along the lines of American and European practices, although the cultural implications of these changes are not always being fully realized. Only recently have educational thinkers begun to address cultural issues in educational leadership.

Rethinking Education From First Principles, Carolyn Osborne

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

The resulting project was “What Difference Does Instruction Make?” I asked students to collect data on their students, record the nature of instruction given, and then collect data following the instruction. They were to analyze the differences between the pre- and post-instruction data. The project was made flexible to accommodate the variety of field placements they could experience, so they could do their project on a single student, on a small group, or on the whole class. The instruction in the project could be on any topic and did not have to be taught by the student him or herself; …

Signs When Positional Authority Is Out Of Control, Anne Jefferson

Academic Leadership: The Online Journal (2003-2012)

In this article, various scenarios are shared to illustrate the abusive use of positional authority. The scenarios are real with the professional lives of individuals seriously affected as a result of abuse.

Campus Crisis Management: A Comprehensive Guide To Planning, Prevention, Response, And Recovery, S. Nicole Hoefle

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

No abstract provided.

The Schooled Heart: Moral Formation In American Higher Education, D. Andrew Parker, Kimberly S. Parker

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

No abstract provided.

Contributing Factors To Persistence Among African-American And Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study At A Diverse Small Institution On The East Coast, W. Bernt King

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

The purpose for this phenomenological study is to understand the persistence of academically successful African-American and Hispanic students in an ethnically diverse higher education context where services and support targeting minority students do not formally exist. The research for this study has been conducted on campuses where the student body demographics are largely mono-ethnic. It would seem that as institutions of higher education become increasingly diverse, contributing factors to success for students of color may change. Themes that emerged include having a spiritual perspective, having a sense of purpose or the big picture, having support from family, having support from …

Residential Learning Communities: Facilitating Seamless Learning, Polly Graham

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

Research has shown that residential learning communities positively affect student outcomes. This study looked at the literature, finding a basis for this trend and uncovering the current impact residential learning communities are having on higher education. This study sought to challenge Christian higher education administrators and faculty to consider whether residential learning communities fit within their institution’s mission and vision.

Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back, A Response To Barry Loy, David M. Johnstone

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

On the tenth anniversary of David Guthrie’s Student Affairs: Reconsidered (SAR), Barry Loy wrote an article entitled: “Student Affairs Reconsidered: A Look Back.” He observed, after identifying a number of seminal works, that many in Christian Student Development have not really engaged or grappled with what it means to be an educator outside of the classroom. In letter format, I have chosen to interact with Barry in his observations with the hope that this is a conversation which is not ignored or forgotten by our colleagues. My purpose is not to disagree but continue the conversation which was started a …

The Church: A Salient Support System For African-American College Students, Odelet Nance

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

This article builds on a previous qualitative study examining the role of religion in the lives of five African-American college students at a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Through a constructivist lens, the stories of first-year students revealed how their church informed their college experiences. This article describes how churches provided support for students through the theoretical frameworks illustrated by Alexander Astin, Jacqueline Mattis, and Robert Jagers. Churches and Predominately White Institutions are encouraged to form partnerships to strengthen and enhance support systems for African-American college students.

Research has shown that having an effective support system affects social and academic integration …

Assessment Of Living Learning Communities: Models For Campus Collaboration, Anita Henck, Jeffrey Jones

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

No abstract provided.

The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School, Donald D. Optiz

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

No abstract provided.

Fostering Student Success In The Campus Community, Mary Ann Searle

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

No abstract provided.

Education's End: Why Our Colleges And Universities Have Given Up On The Meaning Of Life, Leslie C. Poe

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

No abstract provided.

The State Of The University: Academic Knowledges And The Knowledge Of God, David S. Guthrie

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

No abstract provided.

The Passionate Intellect: Incarnational Humanism And The Future Of University Education, David M. Johnstone

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

No abstract provided.

Deeper Learning In Leadership: Helping College Students Find The Potential Within, Kathryn A. Tuttle

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

No abstract provided.

The Small College Dean: New Directions For Student Services, No. 116, Mark J. Troyer

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

No abstract provided.

The Moral Idea Of A University: A Case Study, Todd C. Ream, Perry L. Glanzer

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

A common moral idea is necessary for not only providing shape to a particular college or university community but also for the cultivation of the virtues amongst students. However, what are the characteristics of an institution that models this type of approach? In order to answer this question, this article describes what we believe is the best exemplar from our study of 156 different Christian colleges and universities. Such a determination was made based upon an analysis of documents (academic catalogs, admissions view books, and student handbooks) gathered from all 156 institutions and then site visits made to nine institutions …

Growth No. 8 (2009) - Full Issue

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

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

The First Year: A Journey Of Meaning, Formation, And Substance, Brad A. Lau

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

No abstract provided.

Excellence Without A Soul: How A Great University Forgot Education, Rebecca A. Owen

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

No abstract provided.

See Me, Hear Me, Coach Me, Marcia L. Rock, Madeleine Gregg, Pamela W. Howard, Donna M. Ploessl, Sharron Maughn, Robert A. Gable, Naomi P. Zigmond

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The writers describe the implementation of virtual coaching for teachers in Alabama and Pennsylvania. They describe use of bug-in-ear devices, revolutionized by Internet and mobile technology advances, to provide on-the-spot feedback as teachers deliver instruction. They outline lessons learned from virtual coaching initiatives and present research results showing the positive impact of this approach on both teachers and students. They also provide advice for those using this approach on making contact and providing feedback.

The Principal's Role In Teacher Retention, Sametra Danyal Chisolm

Dissertations

As efforts are made to identify factors contributing to teachers leaving or staying in the teaching profession, teacher retention continues to pose a challenge for school administrators. Factors such as principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs seem to positively impact teachers' decisions to remain in the profession.

The purpose of this study was to gather data to determine whether principal behaviors, principal leadership, school climate/teacher morale, professional development opportunities, and teacher mentoring programs affect teacher retention. A questionnaire, adapted from the Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (formally Charlotte Advocates for Education) research …

The Relationship Between The Teacher's Perception Of The Principal's Leadership Style And Personal Motivation, Aletta Marie Price

Dissertations

Educators world wide are shaping the future by the quality of education that they provide to the youth of today. Today's future relies on the impact teachers make on their students. Society, social security, and economic development are all dependent on future generations. Teachers are molding those future generations. It is no secret that if a teacher is motivated to do his/her best at enhancing education, that students have a better chance at being successful. Furthermore, if principals are exhibiting behaviors that improve teacher motivation, the result is not only an increase in student achievement, but a more successful school …

The Perceptions Of Superintendents Regarding The Need For Graduate Business Classes In Educational Leadership, Howard Leland Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the comprehensiveness of educational leadership programs regarding the extent of appropriate business knowledge attained by public school administrators. Portions of the study included a discussion of current licensing practices, academic governance, basic business requirements for leadership and management, and basic financial literacy. A further purpose was to measure the perception of how the inclusion of specific business-oriented graduate education in the certification process might increase the initial success of administrators.

The literature review supported the concept that superintendents understand change management and fiscal responsibility. Survey respondents supported these concepts by indicating the …