The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) requires that each school district throughout the state employ a licensed administrator serving as the federal programs coordinator, director, or administrator in a full or part-time capacity (Mississippi Department of Education, 2013). The federal program director is responsible for the management and implementation of federal funds in public schools. Federal funds are defined by law and used to improve student achievement, enhance teacher quality, increase equity and access to educational resources, and provide innovative strategies for recruiting teachers and improving graduation rates (No Child Left Behind, 2001). The work of federal program directors involves a number of activities such as promoting student achievement through strategic planning, administering professional development, providing research-based curriculum and instructional materials, and organizing extended school day and school year tutorial or enrichment learning opportunities for students. Federal program directors in Mississippi are required to be properly licensed and endorsed by the Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Teacher Certification and Licensure (Mississippi Department of Education, 2015). In addition to certification, several other factors are associated with the role of the federal programs director. These areas include working knowledge of federal program requirements, legal issues, personnel evaluation, and effective school reform initiatives. In terms of educational leadership, the federal programs director’s role includes establishing the vision and direction of a school district’s federally funded programs, resolving complex issues and problems, and continually staying abreast of new state and federal regulations (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2004). Role definition varies from school district to school district. For example, some federal programs directors may also function as assistant superintendents and are integral members of the district leadership team. Conversely, other federal programs directors may be given leadership roles such as technology coordinator, special education coordinator, or curriculum director.

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The purposes of this study were to determine the predominant career paths of superintendents within the State of Texas and to determine the most important professional positions and areas of professional development as perceived by superintendents and educational experts. The study also compares actual experience and professional development of superintendents with those perceived as most important.

Master of Science / Department of Hospitality Management and Dietetics / Kevin Sauer / Registered Dietitians (RDs) attribute the success of their careers to a variety of factors, including formal education, influential mentors, specific skill sets, flexibility, and even having a supportive spouse. RDs with strong management skills are increasingly in demand in order to coordinate nutrition care and services in a cost effective manner. Clinical Nutrition Managers (CNMs) specifically coordinate medical nutrition therapy across the continuum of patient care. To aid in the career development of CNMs, research is necessary to determine the factors that have positive and negative effects on their career paths. This study examined intrinsic and extrinsic factors that impact the career paths of CNMs in addition to perceived career satisfaction. A five-part online survey was disseminated to members of the Clinical Nutrition Management Dietetic Practice Group (CNM DPG). CNMs were also defined as RDs who coordinate medical nutrition therapy and who manage personnel, finances, or both. Results (n=146) of both quantitative and qualitative analyses identified key intrinsic factors that demonstrated a positive effect on CNMs’ career paths including self-motivation, communication skills, teamwork, and leadership skills. The study also examined CNMs’ perceptions about the extrinsic factors on their career paths. Support from upper-level management and administration was identified as a crucial factor in career advancement. Having support from family was shown to be a positive influence, while many CNMs also reported that family needs and expectations, unforeseen life circumstances, and the economic climate had limited their career paths. Social service motivation had a slightly positive influence on career paths. Perceptions about career satisfaction indicated that CNMs were moderately satisfied with overall career success but less satisfied with income and career ladders. This study serves as an important precursor to future research which could explore CNMs’ perceptions regarding pay equity as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are more critical at various junctures in their career paths. Results from the study also help to fill an existing gap in the dietetics and career path literature and will also assist the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and others in developing strategies to foster the career development of CNMs.

This study is an examination of whether a project-based mathematics curriculum would influence students' intended career paths related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) endeavors; perceived usefulness of mathematics; and perceived competence in doing mathematics. A review of the literature revealed that there are many shortages of professionals in STEM fields. United States women and men are not pursuing STEM endeavors in great numbers and the U.S. relies heavily on international students to fill this gap. The literature revealed that the girls who do not pursue STEM endeavors in great numbers do not perceive mathematics as a useful endeavor and do not think they are competent in doing mathematics. Boys who do not pursue STEM endeavors in great numbers also do not perceive mathematics as a useful endeavor. The study involved 7th and 8th grade school students enrolled in algebra classes in a private college-preparatory school. The students in the experimental group participated in a problem-based curriculum that integrated lecture-based methods with four major projects designed to have students apply mathematics out of the context through hands-on real-life problems. This particular quasi-experimental design was a nonequivalent pre-test/post-test control group design. Statistical analyses were done using a general linear model repeated measures. The results of the statistical analyses indicated that the students in the project-based group showed a statistically significant positive change in their perceived usefulness of mathematics when compared to the control group. A t-test revealed no statistically significant differences in academic achievement. Qualitative data analysis uncovered three emergent themes. Students indicated that they saw the usefulness of mathematics more clearly; students' independence from the teacher while doing the projects was unsettling; and students enjoyed the change of pace in class. The results of the study indicated that a project-based mathematics curriculum can help students see the usefulness of mathematics and can help students enjoy the pursuit of mathematics by this particular change of routine.

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of exemplary female elementary principals. The qualitative phenomenological study investigated the career paths, job responsibilities, barriers/challenges, and affirmations of exemplary female principals practicing in elementary schools in the United States. The participants were required to have at least 5 years of experience in education and at least 3 years as an elementary school principal. Interviews were conducted by the researcher to acquire explanations about the participants’ perceptions, perspectives, and feelings based on their experiences as exemplary elementary principals. The investigation focused on the females’ career paths, job responsibilities, barriers/challenges, and affirmations as exemplary leaders. Further, the females provided advice and guidance for aspiring female leaders in education. In general, the exemplary female principals started their careers as teachers, married, had children, and obtained advanced degrees and training in educational leadership as they moved to positions as elementary principals. The job responsibilities of the female principals included supervising instruction to improve instructional practices as the instructional leader, monitoring data, implementing policies and procedures, hiring as well as placing personnel, preparing budgets, maintaining a safe environment for students and staff, managing facilities, and purchasing equipment/resources for the organization. The major barriers/challenges faced by the female principals were lacking resources, managing time, prioritizing tasks, and managing tasks for work and home. Advice and guidance for aspiring female administrators centered around the personal, professional, and public service responsibilities that contributed to their success and recognition as exemplary principal.

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The main objective of the thesis is to explain and advocate the topic of career paths and construct career paths for technical professionals of the selected company. The thesis then has several secondary objectives.This thesis is divided into two parts. The first part provides a theoretical framework for career paths in terms of getting into the topic of career paths and explaining the purpose, and furthermore, provides a guide for career path framework construction. The second, practical part focuses on the selected technological company that wishes to remain anonymous. Based on the theory and partially extracted from the interviews with the company experts, the career paths framework for technical professionals is constructed. To ensure that the framework is valuable for the company, feedback for the proposed framework is gathered and implemented in the thesis.

Partant du constat de l’essor du nombre d’étudiants en situation de handicap dans l’enseignement supérieur, ce travail développe deux axes principaux. Dans un premier temps, il examine l’ampleur, la nature et les caractéristiques de cette « démocratisation » de l’enseignement supérieur. Dans un second temps, il s’attache à saisir les différentes formes de l’expérience étudiante et de leurs perspectives d’insertion professionnelle. S’appuyant sur l’exploitation secondaire des enquêtes de l’OVE et du Céreq (génération 2004 et génération 2010) et d’une enquête ad hoc, nous avons systématiquement cherché à comparer les situations et trajectoires des étudiants handicapés à celle de leurs homologues « valides », mais aussi en fonction du handicap.Ce faisant, nous sommes parvenu à plusieurs conclusions. En premier lieu, la démocratisation observée est, prioritairement, une démocratisation de nature ségrégative ; elle diffracte les situations en fonction des études et filières choisies et s’accompagne, de surcroît, d’un fort « décrochage ». En second lieu, quel que soit le registre considéré (le rapport aux études, l’intégration académique, la réussite, la sociabilité, etc.), les différences d’expérience entre étudiants en situation de handicap et étudiants « valides » se manifestent davantage en termes de degré qu’en termes de nature. Enfin, l’expérience étudiante s’accompagne de perceptions positives de l’avenir et d’une nette progression de l’insertion professionnelle ; en d’autres termes, le diplôme « paie ». Toutefois, les avantages comparatifs qu’il procure restent moindres que ceux dont bénéficient les non-handicapés. Ce double mouvement, d’amélioration des situations mais de persistance des inégalités, s’accompagne, classiquement, du développement d’un sentiment de frustration. / From the finding of the increase of disabled students in the higher education, this thesis develops two main axes. Firstly, it examines the extent, nature and characteristics of this higher education’s democratization. In a second time, it strives to grasp the several forms of student experience and carrer prospects found out from the exploitation of different surveys. Systematically, the situations and trajectories of the disabled students have been compared to those of their valid counterparts, but also according to the kind of disability.Finally, several conclusions have been drawn. First, the kind of democratization observed is mainly a segregated one : it diffracts situations according to studies and courses followed. Moreover, it causes an important drop out. Secondly, whatever the subject is (connexion to the studies, academic integration, success, sociability), the differences of experiences recorded between disabled and valid students are more in terms of degree than nature. Finally, the student experience is often linked to positive perceptions of the future and to a clear improving of the occupational integration ; in other words, the graduation « pays ». However, the comparative advantages obtained stay lesser than those benefiting to valid students. This double movement (improvement of the situations but persistence of inequalities) often leads to a sense of frustration.

Researchers have investigated music education majors’ process of socialization to a teacher identity and found evidence of bias against the music education career path regarding perceptions of performance ability. Researchers have also identified that those on musical career paths share influential experiences and influences during adolescence in common, mostly related to performance. The purpose of this study was to examine, thorough the lens of social identity theory (SIT), whether these biases were formed during adolescence. The participants for this study were 821 high school musicians of varying experience and backgrounds. Participants reported significantly stronger levels of self- categorization (V = 0.256, F [5, 816] = 56.11, p = < .0001, η2 = .256) and differentiation (V = 0.459, F [5, 816] = 138.35, p = < .0001, η2 = .459) in favor of the music performance career path. In contrast, participants allocated resources significantly (V = 0.021, F [1, 821] = 17.39, p = < .0001, η2 = .021) in favor of the music education career path. Multiple regression of self-categorization, differentiation, and resource allocation scores found significant predictors among each of the demographic characteristics. Scores of 12th grade participants were significantly more in alignment with the music performance career path when compared to 9th grade participants, as was an increase in median family income percentile. Those who identified as soloists self-categorized and differentiated significantly in favor of the music performance career path compared with those who identified a choir as their main performance ensemble. The intention to major in music was also found to be a significant predictor of self-categorization and resource allocation in favor of the music performance career path when compared to those who were unsure or did not intend to major in music. Findings from this study demonstrate that the biases found among undergraduate musicians are present among adolescent musicians, along with other aspects of social identity development. Strategies to combat these biases are discussed, as well as the implications of these results as a possible outcome of the centrality of performance in music education.