Magistro darbe yra suformuluota Lietuvos švietimo sistemos politikos problema – nors švietimo kokybė yra nurodoma kaip vienas iš svarbiausių švietimo politikos prioritetų, nėra vieningo sutarimo, kas yra švietimo kokybė, kokiais kriterijais remiantis matuoti kokybę švietimo sistemoje. Atlikta Lietuvos Respublikos norminių aktų, kuriais vadovaujantis nustatomi švietimo sistemos prioritetai, analizė. Išanalizuoti įvairių Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių teoriniai ir praktiniai darbai, kuriais siekta patikslinti bendrojo lavinimo vidurinės mokyklos švietimo kokybės sampratą. Patvirtinama autorės suformuluota mokslinio darbo hipotezė, kad švietimo kokybei matuoti sukurta Valstybės švietimo stebėsenos rodiklių sistema nepakankamai apima bendrojo lavinimo mokyklos mokomuosius dalykus, be to, mokyklose vykdomas vidaus ir išorės auditas analizuoja mokyklą kaip atskirą švietimo sistemos vienetą, o abiejų tipų audito rezultatai neatsispindi Valstybės švietimo stebėsenos rodiklių sistemoje. Atsakydama į iškeltus tikslus, autorė formuluoja mokslinio darbo išvadas. Švietimo kokybė – tai visuma požymių, apibūdinančių švietimo įstaigą kaip sudėtinį švietimo sistemos vienetą, kurio kokybišką egzistavimą lemia mokomoji aplinka, mokymo priemonės, kvalifikuoti pedagogai, pamokinė ir popamokinė veikla, moksleivių pasiekimai, mokyklos bendruomenės (tėvų, mokinių, pedagogų ir visuomenės) tarpusavio santykiai, kuriems vertinti pasitelkiamas vidinis vertinimas (savianalizė) ir išorinis (ekspertinis)... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The following problem of Lithuanian education system policy is enunciated in the master thesis: although the quality of education is referred as one of the most important priorities in the education policy, there is no unanimous agreement about the quality of education itself and the criteria to measure it. The acts of Lithuanian Republic defining the priorities of education system were analyzed. On purpose to specify the conception of quality at secondary school education, the analysis of works by Lithuanian and foreign authors was performed. The hypothesis stated by the author in the study is confirmed. According to the author, the system of education monitoring indicators developed by the state to measure the quality of education is insufficient as far as the subjects at secondary school are concerned. Moreover, the school is analyzed as a separate unit of the education system while the internal and external audit is being accomplished there. Besides, the results of both the internal and external audit are not reflected in the state’s system of education monitoring indicators. According to objects the author proposed to herself, the inferences of the study are drawn. The quality of education is the whole of features, characterizing educational institution as the multiple unit of the education system which existence of quality is referred to teaching and learning environment, instructional aids, qualified educators, school and extra-curricular activities, the achievements... [to full text]

Using a quasi-experimental design, the author examined the effects of the Professional Development School Partnerships Deliver Success educational model on student academic achievement in science and mathematics in 12 high-needs, urban elementary, middle, and high schools in the southeastern United States. Student achievement was measured for first to eighth grade students by the State Criterion-Referenced Competency Test and for 11th-grade students by the State High School Graduation Test. 6 ANOVAs were used to compare baseline and year 1 performance data. Student ethnicity was used to disaggregate the data to investigate the extent, if any, to which achievement gaps narrowed. For the different ethnic groups, the small changes in proportion passing across the first year of implementation were not correlated with mean scale score changes as measured by Hedges’s g effect sizes. This result has national implications for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 policy in terms of reporting results. Three of the 6 ANOVAs showed significant change in achievement means for the PDS schools when using PDS school data only. However, when data from both PDS and matched comparison schools were analyzed, the overall results indicated no statistically significant gains in mathematics and science means for the professional development schools in relation to the comparison schools for the first year of professional development school implementation.

To investigate how federal discourse constructs adolescence, the author analyzed discussions of abstinence-only sexuality education from the U.S. Congressional Record from 2001 to 2007. He used grounded theory methodology to identify theoretical codes and construct a model from the data. The grounded theory developed focused on Congress’s maintenance of its role in mediating concern over the sexual behavior of adolescents as opposed to finding a solution to the problem it had identified. The author relates this theory to Foucault’s (1974/1991) concept of governmentality. He discusses Congress’s discourse about adolescence using Lesko’s (2001) confident characteristics of adolescence as a framework.

In the field of education, decisions are influenced by the results of various high stakes measures. Investigating the presence of differential item functioning (DIF) in a set of items ensures that results from these measures are valid. For example, if an item measuring math self-efficacy is identified as having DIF then this indicates that some other characteristic (e.g. gender) other than the latent trait of interest may be affecting an examinee’s score on that particular item. The use of hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) enables the modeling of items nested within examinees, with person-level predictors added at level-2 for DIF detection. Unlike traditional DIF detection methods that require a reference and focal group, HGLM allows the modeling of a continuous person-level predictor. This means that instead of dichotomizing a continuous variable associated with DIF into a focal and reference group, the continuous variable can be added at level-2. Further benefits of HGLM are discussed in this study. This study is an extension of work done by Williams and Beretvas (2006) where the use of HGLM with polytomous items (PHGLM) for detection of DIF was illustrated. In the Williams and Beretvas study, the PHGLM was compared with the generalized Mantel-Haenszel (GMH), for DIF detection and it was found that the two performed similarly. A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted to evaluate HGLM’s power to detect DIF and its associated Type 1 error rates using the constrained form of Muraki’s Rating Scale Model (Muraki, 1990) as the generating model. The two methods were compared when DIF was associated with a continuous variable which was dichotomized for the GMH and used as a continuous person-level predictor with PHGLM. Of additional interest in this study was the comparison of HGLM’s performance with that of the GMH under a variety of DIF and sample size conditions. Results showed that sample size, sample size ratio and DIF magnitude substantially influenced the power performance for both GMH and HGLM. Furthermore, the power performance associated with the GMH was comparable to HGLM for conditions with large sample sizes. The mean performance for both DIF detection methods showed good Type I error control.

ABSTRACT A MONTE CARLO STUDY INVESTIGATING MISSING DATA, DIFFERENTIAL ITEM FUNCTIONING, AND EFFECT SIZE by Phyllis Garrett The use of polytomous items in assessments has increased over the years, and as a result, the validity of these assessments has been a concern. Differential item functioning (DIF) and missing data are two factors that may adversely affect assessment validity. Both factors have been studied separately, but DIF and missing data are likely to occur simultaneously in real assessment situations. This study investigated the Type I error and power of several DIF detection methods and methods of handling missing data for polytomous items generated under the partial credit model. The Type I error and power of the Mantel and ordinal logistic regression were compared using within-person mean substitution and multiple imputation when data were missing completely at random. In addition to assessing the Type I error and power of DIF detection methods and methods of handling missing data, this study also assessed the impact of missing data on the effect size measure associated with the Mantel, the standardized mean difference effect size measure, and ordinal logistic regression, the R-squared effect size measure. Results indicated that the performance of the Mantel and ordinal logistic regression depended on the percent of missing data in the data set, the magnitude of DIF, and the sample size ratio. The Type I error for both DIF detection methods varied based on the missing data method used to impute the missing data. Power to detect DIF increased as DIF magnitude increased, but there was a relative decrease in power as the percent of missing data increased. Additional findings indicated that the percent of missing data, DIF magnitude, and sample size ratio also influenced the effect size measures associated with the Mantel and ordinal logistic regression. The effect size values for both DIF detection methods generally increased as DIF magnitude increased, but as the percent of missing data increased, the effect size values decreased.

ABSTRACT THE EASY WAY VERSUS THE HARD WAY: MIDDLE- CLASS BLACK MALE STUDENTS‟ PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATION AS IT RELATES TO SUCCESS AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS by Rita D. Williams “Education is the key to success” is a common mantra on which schools base their goals and daily operations as well as the reason why most teachers enjoy job security. The majority of school personnel project two beliefs: (a) College is the appropriate next step after graduating from high school, and (b) white-collar occupations, such as professional, management, and supervisory positions, are desired career choices. However, after interacting with and observing the behavior of students in my classroom, I wonder how many young people agree with educators‟ thoughts on college and careers. Many Black males, in particular, do not enroll in college upon graduating from high school and often work in jobs that require less education (Joint Center Data Bank, 2003; Mincy, Lewis, & Han, 2006). Herr (1996) believed people operate within an ecological context that included “the combination of physical, social, political, and economic environments that persons occupy and combine to create the circumstances in which each person negotiates his or her identity, belief systems, and life course” (p. 6 – 7). Within this context, individuals developed values that are personal and important. These values may or may not be aligned to values that are prevalent in society. As such, it was worth conducting a qualitative study of how middle-class Black males perceived the role of education in success as well as their career plans. Any misalignment of thoughts between some middle-class Black males and school personnel could inform our understanding of why middle-class Black males, as a subgroup, academically perform lower than other similar subgroups. Research questions included (1) How do middle-class Black males in a predominantly Black high school perceive the role of education in success as well the career aspirations of Black males? (2) What self-identified factors influenced their perceptions of education, success, and careers? Through interviews and focus groups, I gained insight on the academic and career perspectives of 13 middle-class Black males. Constant comparison methods (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) and organizational displays (Miles & Huberman, 1994) guided data analysis. The findings reveal that, although all participants plan to attend college, most respondents believe additional routes, besides a higher education, lead to career and life achievement.

ABSTRACT RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINE AS AN ALTERNATE TO RETRIBUTIVE DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM: AN ANALYSIS OF THE METRO COUNTY JUVENILE COURT COMMUNITY RESTORATIVE BOARD by Ajamu A. Banjoko Giroux (2003) indicated that the prison industry has become a major economic industry with many states spending more money on prison reforms than on educational reforms. Juvenile delinquent behavior should be punished but fair treatment and equal rights for all human beings under the rule of law is paramount to punishment. Casella (2001) indicated that the prison population has sky-rocketed, and by 1995 forty-eight states passed laws to facilitate the prosecution of juveniles as adults and therefore children are placed in adult prisons where they are at a higher risk of not only attack and rape, but of suicide. The research established a rationale for restorative justice discipline as an alternate to punitive retributive discipline in order to potentially decrease the number of youth offenders facing incarceration. Crime control is the responsibility of all citizens not just the government and this responsibility reflects the foundational tenets of restorative justice. Bazemore and Umbreit (1995) suggested that restorative justice is not an alternative to punishment it is an alternate punishment to bad or unwanted behavior. A qualitative case study was used to analyze and explore the disciplinary functions and procedures of the Metro County Juvenile Court Community Restorative Boards. The perceptions of two board members and three juvenile court officials was analyzed in an effort to better understand how and why Community Restorative Boards implement restorative justice discipline toward youth offenders. Data were gathered through narrative interviews and participatory observations in order to better understand the emerging phenomenon of restorative discipline within the juvenile justice system as an alternate to punitive retributive discipline. The study analyzed the dynamics of the school to prison pipeline through zero tolerance school policies, examined the juvenile justice system and the sentencing of youth offenders in criminal court. The study also examined the usage of traditional retributive discipline and restorative discipline within the juvenile court system. The study provided empirical data that support the infusion of a complimentary or supplementary restorative justice disciplinary approach toward adjudicating youth offenders within the juvenile court system. Bazemore and Umbreit (1995) suggested that utilizing a restorative justice disciplinary model increases the opportunity for young people to be held accountable for their misbehavior by actively participating in the process of establishing consequences to help repair the harm that they have caused to an individual, the community, and themselves.

In the rapidly changing school environment effective principals are needed to make necessary changes while also developing a culture of shared responsibility and community (Hallinger & Heck, 1998; Leithwood & Jantzi, 1999). The correlation between transformational leadership and emotional intelligence was investigated in this quantitative study of school principals. Also included in the research was the investigation of the relationship between each construct and effectiveness as perceived by their teachers. The research sample was composed of 30 elementary, middle, and high school principals and five to seven teachers who worked with each principal from schools within the United States. An emotional intelligence score for the principals was obtained by administering the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Teachers who worked with each principal completed the rater form of the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X). This yielded a mean transformational score, a leader effectiveness score, and scores for other non-transformational leadership styles. Correlations were analyzed to conclude that there is a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational leadership, Pearson’s r(30) = .37, p < .05. A positive correlational relationship between effectiveness and both emotional intelligence, Pearson’s r(30) = .38, p < .05, and transformational leadership, Pearson’s r(30) = .90, p < .01, was also evident. Analyzing the relationship between emotional intelligence and different non-transformational leadership styles yielded mixed results. Findings indicate a relationship exists between emotional intelligence and contingent reward leadership, Pearson’s r(30) = .38 , p < .05, while no significant relationship was evident between emotional intelligence and other leadership styles. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that principals and future principals could better develop effective leadership skills by becoming more aware of their strengths and weakness in the area of emotional intelligence, along with improving their transformational leadership behaviors.

ABSTRACT TEACHERS’ AND TEACHER LEADERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE FORMAL ROLE OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP by Jerry Kelley The accountability and responsibilities of schools have intensified greatly over the past two decades and school improvement has become a strong focus of many schools, thus requiring a greater understanding and use of formal teacher leadership if schools are to meet high standards. This research studied teachers’ and teacher leaders’ beliefs concerning the formal role of teacher leadership in three elementary schools. A qualitative study was conducted, utilizing surveys and interviews to collect data concerning teachers’ and teacher leaders’ perceptions of the formal role of teacher leadership. All teachers at three elementary schools were invited to complete an electronic survey and nominate teachers they believed were formal teacher leaders. Nominated teachers meeting the study’s criteria as a formal teacher leader were invited to complete a self-administered teacher leader self-assessment survey. Based on the results from the surveys, nine teachers, three from each school, were invited to participate in an interview process with the researcher. Analysis of all data collected throughout the study suggests that even though formal teacher leadership is valued by most teachers, there exists a disconnect between teachers’ and teacher leaders’ beliefs of what formal teacher leadership should look like ideally in their schools versus their perceived reality of formal teacher leadership. Areas such as collaboration, recognition, and understanding of the formal role of teacher leadership, as well as policies that affects these areas were all found to hold discrepancies in these schools.

The assumptions underlying the relationships between microfinance and women’s empowerment are typically rooted in a financial paradigm, wherein the prevailing belief is that increases in economic resources necessarily lead to increases in women’s empowerment. This results in a conceptual erasure of the multi-dimensionality of empowerment and disregards the influences that microfinance has on women that extend beyond the economic sphere. This study explored how 6 women in Mali perceive and experience empowerment in relation to their participation in a microfinance program using photovoice. Photovoice is a qualitative methodology wherein participants document, reflect on, and represent their community and experiences using a specific photographic technique. The photographic collection that the women generated, along with their narratives and oral testimonies, suggest that empowerment is a complex construct that includes, yet extends beyond the financial paradigm. The findings of this indicate that microfinance has positively and negatively impacted various dimensions of the women’s perceived empowerment. At the conclusion of the project, the women participated in a forum and initiated policy changes at the microfinance institution with which they are affiliated.