The Arizona Child Acoustic Database consists of longitudinal audio recordings from a group of children over a critical period of growth and development (ages 2-7 years). The goal of this database is to 1) document acoustic changes in speech production that may be related to physical growth 2) inform development of a model of speech production for child talkers. This work was funded by NSF BSC-1145011 awarded to Kate Bunton, Ph.D. and Brad Story, Ph.D, Principal Investigators. This database contains longitudinal audio recordings of 55 American English speaking children between the ages of 2-7 at 3-month intervals. Since children began the study at different ages, some children have fewer recording sessions than others. The database can also be used to provide cross-sectional data for children of a specific age. Please refer to the subject data table for information on specific sessions available. All children were recorded using the same protocol; therefore, task numbers are consistent across children and sessions. A calibration tone is included as Record 1 for all sessions. The speech protocol focused on production of English monopthong and diphthong vowels in isolation, sVd, hVd, and monosyllabic real words. In addition, the protocol includes several nonsense vowel-to-vowel transitions. Speakers were prompted either verbally by investigators or by graphical prompts. Details of the protocol with reference to task numbers can be found in the protocol spreadsheet. Details on data recording: All samples were recorded digitally using an AKG SE 300B microphone with a mouth to mic distance of approximately 10 inches. Signals were recorded digitally using a Marantz PMD671, 16 bit PCM (uncompressed) at 44.1KHz. Recordings are made available in .wav format. Individual zip files contain all recordings from a single session.

The public school superintendent is the least progressive position in education at integrating women and balancing the scales of equitable representation. Statistical data indicates there are far fewer females than males serving as superintendents. Current statistics show women make up: 1) over 70 percent of all public school educators; 2) nearly half of all principals; and 3) almost 60 percent of all central office administrators. Yet today, female superintendents in our nation total only 20 percent. Despite the perceived oppression of the marginalized, gender study research on women in the superintendent/ Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position is limited and built on a narrowly focused foundation. Most of the work on this topic has been done to study the barriers women encounter when attempting to become a public school administrator, rather than to explore their role as a modern day superintendent/ CFO. The purpose of this qualitative study will be to build on prior research, which has only begun to expose the qualitative and narrative aspects of research, and delve into the daily professional lives of three female superintendents. The study further explored their experiences as a female superintendent/ CFO in a male dominated profession. The findings of the study support that it is time to remove the institutional and personal stillness and allow women to share their stories concerning the barriers they encountered in attaining the superintendency, as well as how they continue to overcome barriers in the active role of superintendent/ CFO. The benefit of this study will be to serve as a vessel for these pioneering females to show that their perceptions and lives as a female superintendent are stories worth sharing.

Thesis--Belgrad. / Bibliography: p. 189-192.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2005. / Thesis advisor: Jennifer Hedlund. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Criminal Justice." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47). Also available via the World Wide Web.

The focus of this research was to discover some commonalities in the experiences, perceptions, and characteristics of female administrators in an urban school system in Saskatchewan. Within the categories of experiences, perceptions, and characteristics, the study included gender socialization, barriers to promotion, mentors and networking, perceptions of power, personality qualities, leadership styles and masculine versus feminine qualities. These provided the structure for the surveys and the focus group sessions. As only one system was being studied, the population sample was too small for random sampling. Instead, all female administrators with more than one year of experience in the system were invited to participate. Surveys were sent out and volunteers were asked to participate in a focus group session which aided to clarify the results of the surveys. The data from the surveys were presented together with the findings of the focus group sessions. This study found that female administrators in elementary and secondary schools do share some common characteristics, perceptions, and experiences in their roles. Many women had been teaching for over 10 years before being promoted into administration. They had actively searched out other leadership opportunities before applying for administration. The women were divided evenly between those who had mentors (usually male) and those who did not. These mentor relationships were informal as the school system did not have a formal mentorship program in place. Many female administrators either already had and were working on their Masters degree. The elementary and high school principals as well as the high school assistant principals were primarily located at schools with smaller student populations, while the elementary vice principals were more evenly divided amongst schools of varying populations. Most of the women had been encouraged to apply for administration by their colleagues and administrators. Their families supported their decisions for the most part, but did not actively encourage them to seek promotion. These women decided to become administrators because they wanted to bring about change, wanted a challenge, or saw it as a natural progression in their career. Some women encountered barriers to promotion, mostly in being able to network as well as being the primary childcare giver at home. However, an overwhelming majority of women were hired as administrators after their first application. Most female administrators found it difficult to maintain a balance between their careers and their personal life, mostly due to family and career pressures. Yet, the married women acknowledged that their partners play a vital role in supporting them and helping make their career choices possible. The women felt marginalized from the staff, students and parents. They believed that peoples misperceptions of administrators in general were what led to this isolation. Many women challenged the traditions and policies of the school system, believing that change would bring positive outcomes. Most female administrators saw themselves as collaborative leaders and team players. They felt that open and trusting relationship with the staff were necessary for building community. They used consensus as the main method of decision-making. The women saw themselves as organized, enjoying people, having a sense of humour, being good listeners and communicators, being committed to education and being collaborative. This study has several implications. School systems should consider using formal mentorship programs. School boards need to be more sensitive to female administrators (or potential administrators) who become pregnant, rather than being more concerned with what is more convenient for the school board. School systems need to be more consistent and equitable with their job requirements and hiring practices. Selection committees need to be more aware of gender issues when conducting interviews for administration. Overall, school systems need to consider how their actions are affecting women in their system. Is the system fair for everyone? Most women are finding success as administrators but, as always, there is room for improvement in the system.

The focus of this research was to discover some commonalities in the experiences, perceptions, and characteristics of female administrators in an urban school system in Saskatchewan. Within the categories of experiences, perceptions, and characteristics, the study included gender socialization, barriers to promotion, mentors and networking, perceptions of power, personality qualities, leadership styles and masculine versus feminine qualities. These provided the structure for the surveys and the focus group sessions. As only one system was being studied, the population sample was too small for random sampling. Instead, all female administrators with more than one year of experience in the system were invited to participate. Surveys were sent out and volunteers were asked to participate in a focus group session which aided to clarify the results of the surveys. The data from the surveys were presented together with the findings of the focus group sessions. This study found that female administrators in elementary and secondary schools do share some common characteristics, perceptions, and experiences in their roles. Many women had been teaching for over 10 years before being promoted into administration. They had actively searched out other leadership opportunities before applying for administration. The women were divided evenly between those who had mentors (usually male) and those who did not. These mentor relationships were informal as the school system did not have a formal mentorship program in place. Many female administrators either already had and were working on their Masters degree. The elementary and high school principals as well as the high school assistant principals were primarily located at schools with smaller student populations, while the elementary vice principals were more evenly divided amongst schools of varying populations. Most of the women had been encouraged to apply for administration by their colleagues and administrators. Their families supported their decisions for the most part, but did not actively encourage them to seek promotion. These women decided to become administrators because they wanted to bring about change, wanted a challenge, or saw it as a natural progression in their career. Some women encountered barriers to promotion, mostly in being able to network as well as being the primary childcare giver at home. However, an overwhelming majority of women were hired as administrators after their first application. Most female administrators found it difficult to maintain a balance between their careers and their personal life, mostly due to family and career pressures. Yet, the married women acknowledged that their partners play a vital role in supporting them and helping make their career choices possible. The women felt marginalized from the staff, students and parents. They believed that peoples misperceptions of administrators in general were what led to this isolation. Many women challenged the traditions and policies of the school system, believing that change would bring positive outcomes. Most female administrators saw themselves as collaborative leaders and team players. They felt that open and trusting relationship with the staff were necessary for building community. They used consensus as the main method of decision-making. The women saw themselves as organized, enjoying people, having a sense of humour, being good listeners and communicators, being committed to education and being collaborative. This study has several implications. School systems should consider using formal mentorship programs. School boards need to be more sensitive to female administrators (or potential administrators) who become pregnant, rather than being more concerned with what is more convenient for the school board. School systems need to be more consistent and equitable with their job requirements and hiring practices. Selection committees need to be more aware of gender issues when conducting interviews for administration. Overall, school systems need to consider how their actions are affecting women in their system. Is the system fair for everyone? Most women are finding success as administrators but, as always, there is room for improvement in the system.

Feminist engagement with criminology began several decades ago when feminist academics, scholars and activists brought attention towards the failure of criminology to focus on women. As a result there have been several efforts by feminist criminologists to make sense of women and girls who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Literature and research conducted within this area — beginning nearly forty years ago — provides the framework and analysis for this current thesis. This particular research analyzes the experiences of female inmates and the conditions within prisons for women. In particular, this research will examine whether the promises set out within Creating Choices (1990) and the Arbour Report (1996) have been fulfilled and whether there is evidence that the Correctional Service of Canada has reformed its practices and policies in the recommended ways. Through examining specific case studies — deaths, suicides, major and minor disturbances — that have occurred within federal female prisons since the release of Creating Choices, it will be possible to determine whether the Correctional Service of Canada has followed the key recommendations advanced by both reports. / Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2011-04-06 13:16:06.523

Thesis (M.S.)--Youngstown State University, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-86).

Thesis (M.A.)--Central Connecticut State University, 2004. / Thesis advisor: Jennifer Hedlund. " ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Criminal Justice." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-54). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 292-308). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.