Large bodies of empirical evidence show that policies and practices that support failure in schools does little to improve student outcomes, yet course failure remains widespread in secondary schools. Further, there is a growing body of evidence indicating these policies and practices are costly in fiscal terms. This study builds on this body of evidence to ask the question: how much money does course failure in secondary schools cost the Ontario public education system annually? Borrowing from Levin & McEwan’s resource cost modelling approach, the study calculates the volume of course failure across all secondary schools in the province and establishes estimates of the annual cost of secondary course failure taking into account some factors known to be systematically related. This work aims to better understand the costs of providing public secondary school education in order to make more effective use of resources. In the 2008–09 school year 7.9% of course registrations in Ontario secondary schools resulted in failure. Fail rates are greater for students who receive special services and vary considerably by subject area. The annual cost is estimated to be $472 million.

This study examines the views of administrators (i.e. principals and vice-principals) in Ontario, Canada with regards to the province’s Teacher Performance Appraisal process. A total of 178 responses were collected to a web-based survey that examined five areas: 1) Preparation and training; 2) Classroom observations; 3) Preparing the formal evaluation; 4) The impact on teaching practice; and 5) Improving the process. Results indicate that administrators did not receive extensive training and of the training they did receive, most did not find it very useful. Most administrators did not feel strongly that the classroom observations adequately assessed teacher practice and most did not feel that there had been substantial improvement in teacher practice in their schools as a result of the process. The most common suggestions for improvement were to have more classroom observations, some of which are unannounced; evaluate teachers more frequently; and have more than two rating categories.

Large bodies of empirical evidence show that policies and practices that support failure in schools does little to improve student outcomes, yet course failure remains widespread in secondary schools. Further, there is a growing body of evidence indicating these policies and practices are costly in fiscal terms. This study builds on this body of evidence to ask the question: how much money does course failure in secondary schools cost the Ontario public education system annually? Borrowing from Levin & McEwan’s resource cost modelling approach, the study calculates the volume of course failure across all secondary schools in the province and establishes estimates of the annual cost of secondary course failure taking into account some factors known to be systematically related. This work aims to better understand the costs of providing public secondary school education in order to make more effective use of resources. In the 2008–09 school year 7.9% of course registrations in Ontario secondary schools resulted in failure. Fail rates are greater for students who receive special services and vary considerably by subject area. The annual cost is estimated to be $472 million.

This study examines the views of administrators (i.e. principals and vice-principals) in Ontario, Canada with regards to the province’s Teacher Performance Appraisal process. A total of 178 responses were collected to a web-based survey that examined five areas: 1) Preparation and training; 2) Classroom observations; 3) Preparing the formal evaluation; 4) The impact on teaching practice; and 5) Improving the process. Results indicate that administrators did not receive extensive training and of the training they did receive, most did not find it very useful. Most administrators did not feel strongly that the classroom observations adequately assessed teacher practice and most did not feel that there had been substantial improvement in teacher practice in their schools as a result of the process. The most common suggestions for improvement were to have more classroom observations, some of which are unannounced; evaluate teachers more frequently; and have more than two rating categories.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Robert J. Shoop / Women leaders today have many sources to draw on for inspiration, motivation, and sustenance in their civic participation. Their participation is possible, in large part, because of generations of women who opened doors and broke down barriers. Women also face persistent barriers and challenges to leadership. What factors have influenced women, allowing them to move beyond historical limitations of participation to the exercise of leadership in the field of public service? This study employed qualitative research methods to explore women's pathways to civic leadership, focusing on women’s narratives using a collective case study design. The pathways explored in this study involve experiences and relationships that have led the subjects to, through, and away from service in the public sector. Cultural capital and social reproduction theory, with its focus on the individual’s dispositions and interactions with social institutions, was the framework used to explore the kinds of support, inputs or advantages women acknowledge as having an impact in their civic leadership. Female Truman Scholars, selected during their college years for their potential leadership in public service, formed the research population of the study. Respondents in this study, female Truman Scholars selected from 1977-1998, had at least ten years of education, career, and life experience from the time of selection. Themes that emerged from analysis of the data describe the impact of personal and family relationships, the role of mentoring, financial challenges and commitment to public service as critical experiences and relationships that both drive and impede respondents’ pathways. Respondents described personal and family relationships as inspirations and barriers; the presence of mentors as both a help and a hindrance, and the absence of mentors also as both benefit and deficit; meeting or succumbing to the financial challenges of public service careers; and finding their commitment to public service slip into disillusionment, or reinforced as a source that sustains. Findings related to the additive nature of gender roles to other challenges faced in public service leadership, the shadow-side of mentoring, and perseverance and disaffection related to one’s commitment to public service were informed by theory yet also highlight the complexity of women’s pathways.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Teresa N. Miller / The purpose of this study was to identify current student preferences in order to improve distance education curriculum delivery of the distance education program of the United States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC). In this age of rapidly changing contemporary operating environments facing the United States Army, soldiers need up-to-date curriculum in a timely and flexible package with access from remote locations worldwide. This study offered analysis and results from the students’ viewpoints of distance education at the USACGSC. The main research question was: What are student preferences for the delivery of the USACGSC distance education curriculum? To answer this research question, sub-questions needed to be answered. These sub-questions were: (1) What are student preferences for course material delivery? (2) What are student preferences for instructional methods? (3) What are student preferences for collaboration with other students? And (4) What are student preferences for research? The survey data were used to answer the research question and the sub-questions. The data were analyzed using the USACGSC Quality Assurance Office (QAO) standard approved by the USACGSC Deputy Commandant. Based on this study, the researcher recommended making a portion of the USACGSC advanced distributed learning courses face-to-face; making all course material downloadable or issuing course material in print and CD; making coursework self-paced; and making faculty available to all online students.

Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Trudy A. Salsberry / The titles of professional books on the topic of coaching are numerous, coaching professional development offerings are widespread and schools across the country are hiring teachers to serve in coaching roles. There is great interest around the topic of coaching and much is being written about the support that is needed for coaches as well. According to professional literature the few case studies that have been done address various types of coaching in different contexts—making it impossible to draw conclusions across them. While there is an abundant amount of literature around the topics of the various coaching roles and support needed for coaching, a study of the implementation of a coaching approach and the role of leadership has not been conducted. We do not know about the range of coaching experiences, how those arrangements were enacted and the formal leadership features in these partnerships. This study provides information that addresses this gap in the literature. This qualitative study used the path-goal theory of leadership and the 21 leadership responsibilities identified by the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning as a means to examine one school district’s approach to implementing a content coaching program. Thirty-two participants including Central Office personnel, principals, and content coaches were interviewed. The themes of this study suggest that it is important to establish goals and guidelines for a coaching program as foundational pieces. From these goals and guidelines, coaching roles and responsibilities can be clearly established and outcomes measured. In addition, the study suggests key pieces of good coaching partnerships to include support in many varieties and opportunities from strong professional development specific to coaching to networking with coaches. Further, the study identifies leadership responsibilities that impact second-order change that can contribute to these coaching partnerships. Recommendations to implementing successful content coaching programs in this study are discussed.

Higher education institutions everywhere are subject to global trends, such as the growing commodification and commercialization of knowledge, which are pulling universities closer to the market (Altbach, 2001). Rationales for the internationalization of higher education, consistent with neo-liberalism, increasingly emphasize the importance of developing human capital and income generation through study and life abroad. Exploring this entrepreneurial turn, my research revealed that international education shows signs of developing a professionalized workforce. Through the use of various theoretical frameworks, including institutional ethnography, a Foucauldian focus on discourse and anti-colonial theoretical perspectives, I disclose how the managerial-driven discourse of professionalism of international educators facilitates control “at a distance” (Fournier, 1999) and prioritizes organizational interests over their everyday/night experiences. At the same time, by conceptualizing professionalization as a site of struggle (Tobias, 2003), I describe ways in which these “ruling relations” may be subverted and how an alternative professionalization strategy may be pursued by international educators in their efforts to advocate for social justice in international education.

This thesis is a study into the lived educational experiences of selected individuals; administrators, teachers, Deaf students and community members, who are a large part of the Deaf education program in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. Currently, little is known about the experiences of Deaf refugees in a refugee camp. The objective of this thesis is to understand of the role(s) Deaf Units play in terms of opportunities and obstacles for those involved in the Deaf education community in the Dadaab refguee camp. This study focuses on qualitative data, collected through videotaped interviews with 65 participants to bring forth their experiences and perspectives. This study also links the school improvement change theoretical framework to help us better understand the opportunities and obstacles encountered by the involved stakeholders. Key factors affecting the opportunities and obstacles of the Deaf education program in a refugee camp are presented.

This thesis is a study into the lived educational experiences of selected individuals; administrators, teachers, Deaf students and community members, who are a large part of the Deaf education program in Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. Currently, little is known about the experiences of Deaf refugees in a refugee camp. The objective of this thesis is to understand of the role(s) Deaf Units play in terms of opportunities and obstacles for those involved in the Deaf education community in the Dadaab refguee camp. This study focuses on qualitative data, collected through videotaped interviews with 65 participants to bring forth their experiences and perspectives. This study also links the school improvement change theoretical framework to help us better understand the opportunities and obstacles encountered by the involved stakeholders. Key factors affecting the opportunities and obstacles of the Deaf education program in a refugee camp are presented.