<p>In this age of accountability, responsiveness, and transparency, governments are increasingly pressured to develop ways to demonstrate the value of public involvement in policy decision-making. Yet the extent to which policy decisions actually reflect citizens’ views and input from public involvement processes remains relatively unknown. The main purpose of my dissertation is to examine the internal dynamics of how public involvement is used in the health policy decision-making process. It is guided by two research questions: i) How is public involvement used in the health policy decision-making process; and ii) What factors influence the use of public involvement in the health policy decision-making process? These questions are explored through three independent but complementary studies: i) through a concept analysis, to clarify the concept of public involvement use in health policy decision-making; ii) through a document analysis, to examine the values and assumptions that underpin current and proposed relationships between publics and government, how these have evolved over time, and the meaning of public involvement itself; and iii) through a literature review and key informant interviews, to identify the range of factors influencing the nature of how public involvement is used. The concept of public involvement use, as presented in this thesis, is a complex<strong><em> </em></strong>concept that may be understood, interpreted and operationalized through three interrelated questions: What is the meaning of use in relation to other similar concepts? What is public involvement used for? And, how do we know public involvement was used in health policy decision-making? The results of this dissertation also reveal numerous tensions that characterize the dynamics of how public involvement is used in policy decision-making. Taken together, the three studies provide insights into ways in which public administrators and policy decision-makers could respond to calls for greater accountability and transparency regarding the use of public involvement in policy decision-making.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p>This thesis was successfully defended on December 16th, 2013 at McMaster University.</p> / <p>In response to humanitarian crises within sovereign nation-states, many voices in global politics have begun to frame their arguments in terms of a responsibility to uphold basic human rights. The most prominent example of this theme is found in the idea of the responsibility to protect, an international framework for crisis response developed by an international commission and consolidated at the United Nations. A major challenge to this frame of thinking is the traditional disjuncture between the concept of ethico-political responsibility, on the one hand, and nation-state sovereignty on the other. A critical investigation of the ethical and political impulses articulated within the doctrine of the responsibility to protect demonstrates that much of the emergent consensus surrounding the responsibility to protect framework is premised on ideational and normative ambiguity. Part of the reason for this is the complexity of the idea of ‘responsibility’. This project seeks to explain some of the contestation of the responsibility to protect by first developing, and then applying, a conceptual framework that differentiates between monological impulses of ‘being responsible’ and more socially embedded practices situated within relational regimes of accountability and answerability.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Student athletes (SAs) are faced with multiple hurdles upon stepping onto campus, including balancing their lives as a student with that of being an athlete for 20 or more hours per week. SAs typically maintain weekly physical activity (PA) recommendations as a by-product of participation in one’s sport. Because most SAs have high athletic identity, which remains fairly consistent throughout their lives, many incorrectly assume this will translate into a high exercise identity and greater PA throughout their life spans. Certainly, the challenge is how to assist SAs in transitioning from athlete to exerciser. Based on findings from previous research on barriers to maintaining healthy PA levels faced by student-athletes as they transition out of sport, the purpose of this study is to examine the components of resources that can help individuals navigate this transition. Phase I of the study was quantitative in nature and examined the relationship between athletic identity and exercise identity; the relationship was not significant; however, as expected, an individual’s level of exercise identity was related to one’s levels of moderate and vigorous exercise per week. Additionally, individuals with high athletic identity were more likely to participate in vigorous PA. For the purpose of the study, Phase II involved conducted hack groups (typically labeled as focus groups) to gain a deeper understanding of how practitioners can best serve athletes as they transition out of collegiate sport. According to the participants, attention should be given to the delivery method of resources. The most frequently cited form of delivery was that of a phone app with a social network. An app allows for individuals to access an online community of former SAs to not only process their experience but develop connections with like-minded individuals in the area. These connections were highlighted as a motivator for attending exercise groups and act as a form of accountability that may be missing from one’s life after the loss of one’s coach and/or team environment. Former SAs also reported the need for an increased awareness of one’s change in identity and help reframing exercise. Moreover, strategies to build community through authentic connection and shared values, along with assistance developing new routines and habits were deemed important. PA levels or one’s overall well-being may be positively influenced by these connections, but this remains to be studied in depth. The results of the present research indicate a need for attention on activities individuals enjoy rather than exercising for the sake of exercising. Experiencing positive feelings towards PA may in turn allow for increased present-moment awareness in the activity, leading to more enjoyment and potentially increased motivation to maintain PA following the transition out of collegiate sport. / Kinesiology

This case study examines secondary school leaders' perceptions of their ability to build positive relationships with the adolescents in their care as a means for improving students' academic performance. A sample of administrator participants was chosen from four suburban high schools with similar demographics located in the South Central Pennsylvania region. Participants were surveyed, interviewed, and observed in an effort to identify whether or not their self-perceptions of how they build positive relationships with students and their actual behaviors align. A comparison between leadership styles and the gender of the participants was also made to determine whether or not gender influences the behaviors of school leaders as it explores the use of justice-oriented and care-oriented approaches to school leadership. This study is grounded in a theoretical framework based on the works of Shapiro and Stefkovich (2011), Noddings (2005), Kohlberg (1975), Gilligan (1982), and Tannen (2001) as it investigates how secondary school administrators use transformational, ethical, and authoritative behaviors in their daily interactions with students. Using four case studies and the results of an electronic survey, this study examines whether or not school leaders' perceptions of their success in building relationships with students are accurate. The findings of this case study illustrate that transformational and care-oriented styles of school leadership are the most effective in building positive relationships with secondary students. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the survey or interview responses of male and female participants, demonstrating that in this particular study, the gender of the participant did not increase the likelihood of transformational or care-oriented behaviors being used. This study asserts that all school leaders can be more effective in meeting the demands of accountability while still caring for the well-being of students' social, emotional, and cognitive growth by prioritizing the building of relationships over accountability itself, and by developing their own overall capacity to balance both transactional and transformational responsibilities. This research contributes to existing literature on ethical educational leadership, gender-related styles of communication and leadership, and secondary school leadership. / Educational Administration

The goal of this study was to better understand the perspective of administrators on accountability and high stakes testing - what effect it has, if any, on his/her ability to serve as building administrator. Through a series of in-depth interviews and analysis of the perception of principals that lead schools that are on various levels of No Child Left Behind sanctions, this study will help the reader to understand how high stakes testing and accountability have impacted the leadership of the school principal. As presented by Allen (2008) are we focusing curriculum on preparation for high-stakes testing versus the philosophy of letting the high stakes testing evaluate the effectiveness of what is being taught as a method for supporting learning? From budgeting and organizational structure, to local curriculum and classroom instruction, efforts from external sources to ensure "accountability" in public schools have impacted virtually every aspect of school operations in America. No Child Left Behind is the initiative most often associated with the current accountability movement. While this study did not aim to measure the effectiveness of initiatives like No Child Left Behind, it did aim to analyze how these measures have impacted the role of the building principal. This study used a semi-structured interviews with eleven elementary school principals who lead schools on a sampling of the No Child Left Behind sanction continuum. In addition to interviews, pertinent documents and artifacts will be analyzed. The constant comparative method (Glaser & Stauss, 1967) will be used to analyze the data in terms of the study's two theoretical frameworks: Turbulence Theory (Gross, 1998) and Multiple Ethical Paradigm. / Educational Administration

This research will examine how open data may be used and accessed as well as what role it plays in promoting transparency. Through this thesis, I aim to investigate how open data may be utilized to foster accountability and transparency, which would improve productivity and bring about social change. Transparency needs to be integrated not just into the systems of the ‘supply side’ or the party that is providing the information, but also into those of the users or ‘the demand side’ in order to be effective. Initiatives for transparency and accountability have emerged in the development context over the past ten years as a means of addressing democratic and developmental shortcomings.  The analysis is drawn from the existing literature around transparency and accountability initiatives and what is needed for it to be impactful. The author of this study has further examined this concept through interviews with professionals in the area of this data value chain in Zambia which has allowed for further analysis of this concept. The right data must first be disclosed for open data and transparency initiatives to result in accountability, this necessitates an awareness of the politics of data publication. Next it is important to have this data published with a ‘user centric’ frame. Further it is crucial for intermediaries to gather, analyze and make use of the data in order to create a system for accountability where by the institutions are enabled to provide better services and citizens are able to demand those services to enable value creation.

This paper attempts to explore issues related to right to information (RTI) and RTI laws, in the context of local governance. The paper focuses on four case studies¿namely, India, Indonesia, Uganda, and Nicaragua¿to highlight some of the complexities in campaigning for RTI laws and in implementing them. Based on these, a framework is developed as a tool to map alternative approaches to making local governance more effective and accountable. At present, there are two schools of thought: one focusing on supply-led or state-led mechanisms such as public expenditure tracking surveys, and the other focusing on a human rights-based approach with RTI law at its centre. The framework developed here suggests that these alternative approaches need not be considered mutually exclusive approaches but can be seen in terms of Dreze and Sen¿s argument of democratic institutions and democratic practice. Thus, activists can choose approaches that best suit a context at a given point in time as intermediate steps in the journey towards developing just and inclusive institutions.

Research studies and commentaries have analyzed the formal mechanisms associated with special education conflict such as the use of mediation and impartial hearings to resolve disputes. However, specific information regarding the management of special education conflict at the school level is in shorter supply. This study addresses special education conflicts between school personnel and parents of children with disabilities to understand better how these conflicts might be managed more successfully. The purpose of this study was to develop recommendations and implications for managing special education conflicts at the school building level. Multi-vocal synthesis methods were used to collect and to analyze data in an iterative process incorporating results from a content analysis of previous research with analysis of interviews with stakeholders having a vested interest in managing special education conflict at the school level (Gersten & Baker, 2000; Ogawa & Malen, 1992). Findings suggest that providing parents with evidence that their child’s needs are being met would pave the way for successful school-based special education conflict management. In conclusion, the participants indicated that conflicts could be avoided or managed successfully if school personnel could provide parents with clear evidence (a) that their child’s IEP was being followed in the classroom; (b) that accommodations were provided; (c) that staff were knowledgeable about providing services in an inclusive environment; (d) that administrators were knowledgeable about special education compliance issues; and (e) that staff would be held accountable for providing an appropriate education and for demonstrating trustworthy behavior. / Ed. D.

In 2015, Congress reauthorized the latest version of the Elementary Secondary Education Act through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). In addition to the requirements for all students, this document includes provisions for English Language Learners (ELLs) and immigrant students. ESSA (2015) not only required annual assessments to ensure high level learning but also requires annual assessments for assessing ELL language acquisition. School divisions are required to monitor and report on how many ELLs made language acquisition growth and how many successfully met English language proficiency. The benefit of both ESSA (2015) and the resulting state policies is to ensure ELLs are afforded the appropriate supports to learn and achieve at the same high levels as their native English speaking peers. The purpose of this study was to identify a possible relationship between elementary school enrollment size and the academic success for ELLs in high ELL and low ELL population schools. This quantitative study examined existing data from a large suburban school district on Standards of Learning assessment achievement for ELLs over three academic years (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019). Findings suggest total enrollment size and ELL population size impact academic achievement for ELLs. The researcher used two way ANOVA to determine if a difference exists in academic success for ELLs based on elementary school enrollment size and ELL population size. This study adds to research on conditions for high achievement for all students. / Doctor of Education / In 2015, Congress reauthorized the latest version of the Elementary Secondary Education Act through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). In addition to the requirements for all students, this document includes provisions for English Language Learners (ELLs) and immigrant students. ESSA (2015) not only required annual assessments to ensure high level learning but also requires annual assessments for assessing ELL language acquisition. The benefit of both ESSA (2015) and the resulting state policies is to ensure ELLs are afforded the appropriate supports to learn and achieve at the same high levels as their native English speaking peers. The purpose of this study is to identify a possible relationship between elementary school enrollment size and the academic success for ELLs in high ELL and low ELL population schools. This study examined existing data from a large suburban school district on Standards of Learning assessment achievement for ELLs over three academic years (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019). These data showed academic achievement for different enrollment sizes and for different ELL population sizes. This study adds to research on conditions for high achievement for all students.

The purpose of this study was to determine staff attitudes and preferences toward outcomes assessment in Maryland's public, undergraduate institutions. The data were collected in Fall, 1989. Over 400 chief academic officers, division chairs, and faculty from 26 two- and four-year institutions were surveyed. An analysis of the data indicated the following: (1) That four-year faculty and administrators were less positive than two-year staff about the value and feasibility of outcomes assessment. (2) That, although there is not active opposition among either institutions' faculty and staff to the value of assessment, there was considerable lack of knowledge and suspicion of the program. Means of the responses to questions dealing with value were on the positive side of 3.0 on a five-point scale. (3) However, faculty and staff in both types of institutions were even less sanguine about the feasibility of assessment; the means were near or below 3.09 for most groups. (4) There was general agreement about those indicators which should be assessed; in general faculty and administrators agreed that the most important measures were employer satisfaction and transfer success. (5) Staff in both types of institutions did not like "rising-junior examinations" or "graduate earnings." (6) There was overwhelming agreement that results of assessment should be used to improve curricula and instruction. (7) However, only 57 percent though that assessment would improve instruction--supposedly the major reason for its imposition. These results and others suggest that faculty and staff are relatively neutral about the idea of outcomes assessment. One gets the sense when viewing the statistical information derived from 76 questions and from volunteered comments that the major concerns rest with the methods of implementation and use of the data. Much of what faculty and staff would like to have assessed are already measured by many colleges. The data also suggest that faculty need to become actively involved in what is likely to be an expensive program in terms of dollars and time. The study includes a set of recommendations for state and institutional activities to increase faculty involvement and for case study research. / Ed. D.