The purpose of this study was to assess Building Communities' goals as these goals relate to Virginia community colleges. Fifty-nine deans and 98 division chair persons were asked whether a goal had been implemented--existing status--and whether a goal should be implemented--preferred status. Fifty-three deans and 84 chair people returned usable questionnaires. Chi Square Tests of Independence (p<.05) were used to compare deans' and chair persons' responses on existing and preferred goal status. Chi Square Goodness of Fit Tests (p<.05) were used to examine the relationship of existing goal status to preferred goal status. Deans and chair people agreed on the existing status of 32 of the 38 goal statements. Deans and chair people share the same beliefs on the existing status of a vast majority of goal statements. However, significant differences were identified between deans and chair people regarding the existing status of (1) outreaching to disadvantaged students, (2)outreaching to different adult populations, (3) renewing faculty, (4) insuring that full-time faculty teach the majority of credit-bearing courses, (5) using computer technology to integrate educational and administrative applications, and (6) placing ill-prepared students in developmental education programs. Deans were more likely than chair people to view the six goals that lacked agreement as having been implemented. Deans and chair people agreed on the preferred status of 36 of the 38 goal statements. Deans and chair people share the same vision as to the preferred status for a majority of goal statements. However, significant differences were identified between deans and chair people regarding the preferred status of (1) setting aside two percent of the instructional budget for professional development and (2) limiting the unrestrained expansion of part-time faculty. Chair people were more likely than deans to support the use of the two goals that lacked agreement. Statistically significant differences were identified between the existing status and preferred status of (1) the student goal area as viewed by deans, (2) the faculty goal area as viewed by chair persons, (3) the instruction goal area as viewed by both deans and chairpersons, and (4) the curriculum goal area as viewed by both deans and chair people. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to collect information to measure the perceptions of superintendents and principals about the extent to which they: (1) were aware, (2) were supportive, and (3) have implemented the National Education Goals and Maryland's Schools for Success Goals. In addition, the study examined (1) level of implementation and (2) adequacy of funding for the National and Maryland Goals. Superintendents and principals from Maryland's 23 counties and the Baltimore City school district comprised the population in this study. A questionnaire was designed and administered by the researcher to gather data on education awareness, attitudes and involvement of the National and State Goals. It also gathered data about administrators t experience, size of school, school district, race and gender. A process was described in which the researcher designed and pilot tested a survey questionnaire. The revised questionnaire was used in a survey of 635 Maryland public school principals and 24 superintendents. Of the 635 surveys sent to principals, 443 or 70% were returned and processed. For superintendents, the return rate was 67% (16 of 24). Superintendents and principals responded to five questions for each of the six national goals and ten Maryland goals. The five questions assessed awareness of the goals on the part of the respondents, the extent to which they supported the goal, the extent to which the goal was currently being implemented, the extent of their personal commitment to implementing the goal and whether adequate funding support for the goal was being supplied. For each of the 16 goals, respondents rated their agreement-disagreement on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical measures included ANOVA, F-test and t-test. The results indicated that there were a number of important statistically significant differences between the groups studied. Superintendents and principals differed significantly on level of awareness of the National and Maryland Goals. Superintendents were more informed. Elementary and secondary principals differed significantly on commitment to implementing the goals, secondary principals being more committed. There were statistically significant differences between urban, rural and suburban principals in implementation of Maryland Goals, with suburban principals being more advanced in commitment. Suburban schools were also more in agreement than were rural or urban schools in the area of financial support of Maryland Goals. School size reflected statistically significant differences concerning financial support. Smaller schools were more satisfied than larger ones. Similar differences were found on the basis of race of principal; African-American principals were more content with the level of support of National and Maryland Goals than were Caucasian principals. The results indicated that questions of awareness, support, degree of implementation, and personal commitment for the National goals correlated significantly with the corresponding Maryland goals. The process and instrument proved to be effective in gathering data related to the research questions. / Ed. D.

The major focus of this study was to obtain information and to make comparisons of the importance of technology education program goals as determined by three professional groups in the State of Virginia: professional leaders/teacher educators, local supervisors, and technology education teachers. Two dimensions were investigated: actual program goals and ideal program goals. Furthermore, goal emphases at two school levels, middle school and senior high, were investigated separately. Two primary factors were investigated: (1) were there differences among the three professional groups relative to the assessed importance of program goals; (2) were there differences among the geographic locations (urban, suburban, and rural) relative to the assessed importance of program goals? Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire. Results of the study were based on responses received from 77.1 percent of professional leaders/teacher educators, 82.5 percent of local supervisors, and 73.9 percent of technology education teachers. The MANOVA, and ANOVA, and Hotelling paired T² tests were used to determine significant differences among the mean scores. Major conclusions reached as a result of the study were: 1. Professional leaders/teacher educators held different beliefs than did local supervisors and technology education teachers about the importance of program goals for technology education. 2. Local supervisors and teachers in the three geographic locations held similar beliefs about the importance of technology education program goals. 3. All three groups of respondents put greater importance in the ideal goals as compared to actual goals for most the 14 goal statements for technology education. / Ph. D.

The problem is to study the aims of the University Interscholastic League of Texas and evaluate them in the light of the aims of education as set up by authorities in the fields of education and to study the present method of conducting the League activities in Johnson County and evaluate the activities in the light of the aims of education and the data obtained from superintendents in the Conference B schools of Johnson County.

The purpose of this study is to make an analysis of the objectives of industrial arts and general education to determine whether or not these objectives are meeting the needs of the youth.

Whilst the academic discipline analysing violence against civilians from a strategic perspective has seen significant growth over the last decades, a key issue has been neglected: the goals of the perpetrating actors. This thesis aims to narrow this research gap through answering the question: How do the conflict aims of rebel groups impact levels of violence against civilians? To do so, a theoretical framework is built, based on a categorisation of rebel conflict aims through combining a multitude of academic fields, which is then analysed through a large-N quantitative method. This study analyses an extensive 30-year world-wide dataset on the aims of rebel groups and rebel violence against civilians, and finds that different aims have significant effects on both civilian casualties and mass violence. Whilst some results support the hypothesised theories, others are indicative of contradictory relationships, further indicating the necessity of continued and expanded research into the conflict aims of rebel groups.

The study surveyed two groups of elementary school principals who participated in the 1983 and 1984 NAESP National Fellows Program by means of a questionnaire; one hundred seventy-three principals from the 1983 program and one hundred twenty-six from the 1984 group. The questionnaire sought to gather information in an effort to determine whether the subjects made changes in their schools in five selected categories during the 1983-1984 school year, and if so, the sources the subjects cited as motivating them to undertake such a change. The information indicated that the highest number of respondents (N=238) reported making changes or undertaking new initiatives in their instructional programs with a seventy-nine (79%) response in this category. There were differences between the two groups in two categories: creating business/school partnerships and management style. There was relatively little difference between the two groups in the final two categories: use of technology to provide information to students and marketing the good things about school. The investigator concluded that (1) the principal does influence change in the school and the instructional program of the school receives the greatest level of involvement from the principal; and, (2) that the information provided by the principals indicated that conventions, books, and contact with other colleagues provided the most frequently cited sources for motivation to undertake change or new initiatives; and, (3) that participation in the NAESP National Fellows Program could be considered a strong motivating force for impacting change in the schools led by the participants. / Ed. D. / incomplete_metadata

The purpose of this study was to report on policy changes implemented by school boards in the past two school years (1982-1984) in the areas of graduation requirements, financial incentives for teachers, instructional time, and homework. The survey also obtained information on program curtailment and or elimination. A stratified random sample (4,134) of 17 percent was drawn from the population of subscribers to the American School Board Journal who are local school board members. A return rate of 24.8 percent (1,027) was realized. The survey used in this study was designed to accomplish two purposes. One was to collect demographic and personal data to be treated in the study. The data employed concerned state, region, and school district population; school district classification; family income; marital status; occupation; race; age; educational attainment; and years served as a board member. The second purpose of the survey was to gather data involving changes implemented by school boards in the last two years in the selected areas. Respondents reported significant increases in graduation requirements in mathematics, language arts, computer technology, and science. In the area of course curtailment, music, driver education, art, industrial arts, and health/physical education were most frequently cited as being reduced. Secondary driver education was most frequently cited by the respondents as being eliminated. In the category of instructional time, the respondents' first choice for policy changes was increasing class time. Second most often cited was lengthening the school day. Increasing the school year was the area least cited by the respondents. Suggestions for further research include (1) the further exploration of the long range fiscal impact of the changes and (2) the investigation of a more comprehensive sample of demographic and personal variables that might be related to policy changes implemented by school boards. / Ed. D.

This is a comparative study of the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades in the Gainesville Junior High School, Gainesville, Texas, to determine the relative progress in meeting the purposes of education in an American democracy, as outlined by the Policies Commission of the National Education Association. This study is made for the purpose of ascertaining the progress made to date in the Gainesville Junior High School and for use as a guide in improving its educational standards in line with the recommendations of the National Educational Policies Commission.

The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 reaffirmed the school as the centre of change and as critical for promoting sustainable education. The purpose of this research was to assess, firstly, how the Eco-Schools Programme can achieve whole school development by implementing sustainability education, and secondly, the feasibility of its incorporation into the formal school system. It examined what impact the South African Eco-Schools Programme, since 2003, has had on the implementation of sustainable education through whole school development. The qualitative evaluation research design was used and data was collected through interviews, questionnaires and narratives that included all role players. It noted the strengths of the programmes already in place and identified the challenges that still need to be addressed. The outcome of the study proves that the Eco-Schools Programme does achieve whole school development by implementing sustainability education and should be incorporated into the formal education system. / Further Teacher Education / M.A. (Education)