Young children’s experiences, which include their transition to school, can influence not only their academic outcomes but also their life chances. This understanding has led to governments in England investing in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector over the past 20 years. Over time a “discourse of readiness” has become increasingly apparent in ECEC policies. The revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (DfE, 2012a) framework states that the purpose of the framework is to ensure children are ready for school. Increased political involvement in the sector has led to parents/families, ECEC practitioners and teachers sharing the task of preparing children for school. The aim of this research is to explore parents’, ECEC practitioners’ and teachers’ beliefs about the nature of children’s school readiness and the relationships between them as they prepare and support children during their transition to school. A case study approach was adopted. There are two cases, each comprising a school and an ECEC setting (sharing the same site) and their respective groups of parents. Interviews and focus groups were used to gain insights into parents’, ECEC practitioners’ and teachers’ beliefs and relationships. In this thesis the conceptual framework ‘The Relational Transition to School’ has been developed. The framework identifies both readiness and adjustment as two aspects of a transition. Also represented are the relationships between those who prepare and support children. Four types of relationships were identified: a distant relationship, a dominant relationship, a familiar relationship and a utopian relationship, with each relationship having different qualities. Certain relationships and the associated interactions were prone to change during the transition. Findings highlight practices that foster the qualities of relationships which are more likely to support children’s adjustment to school. Using these findings ECEC practitioners, teachers and local and national political administrators of education can aim to create transition policies and practices that foster these relationships between the adults. Through maintaining the focus on these relationships, children are likely to have a successful transition and positive attitude to school.

The purpose of this study was to provide a historical overview of the development of the General Studies (GS) program at LSU Shreveport from its inception in 1967 until 2007. Sources of data were primary, secondary, and archival documents, student information accessed through the university mainframe, alumni information obtained from a university-sponsored directory, and an interview with the former vice-chancellor of academic affairs. All data were analyzed and placed in a chronological framework. The resulting framework consisted of dividing the 40 years of program existence into four ten-year periods. The study was limited in scope to the GS program at LSU Shreveport and did not seek to compare this program with other programs offered at the university or other GS programs in the state. The study results identified several key social, economic, and political factors that influenced the program’s development. Political factors included the change from a two-year to a four-year institution, the Statewide Review Committee recommendations of 1983, the dissolving of the College of General Studies in 1984, and the accountability movement of the 1990s. Key social factors discovered were the Civil Rights and Women’s Movements of the 1960s,and progressive, life adjustment, and humanistic educational philosophies. Economic factors revealed were the economic recessions of the 1970s and 2007, the technology burst of the 90s,and the current War on Terror. The study also revealed that the GS program has fulfilled the directives of the 1983 Statewide Review Committee Recommendations. Recommendations for future development of the program include adding an online option and implementing an exit survey.

This research considers how competencies are developed that allow for a firm to explore. Limited empirical studies exist on how these competencies are developed and how they evolve. Utilising a single case study research methodology approach, this research looks at a single case event at South Africa’s third biggest bank, First National Bank (FNB). In 2012, FNB was awarded the title of Most Innovative Bank in the World at the 2012 BAI –Finacle Global Banking Innovation Awards, recognising their contributions to radical banking solutions. Considering only one such innovation, the Smart Device offering, this research places into context how FNB have evolved the competencies to radically innovate in a world of scarce resources. The fundamental outcome of this research is that competencies take considerable time and resources to develop and as such, firms must make intelligent choices about their strategic competitive path. The research also highlights that the competency to explore requires a coalesce of many factors that when aligned with that strategic path, ready the firm to execute on opportunities that are outside of their relevant knowledge distant domain. FNB’s “customer eco-system” model has ensured congruence with existing competencies and upstream processes while engaging their employees in natural collaboration across business units. This research considers these and other factors that have led FNB to position themselves for exploration. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Thesis advisor: Lillie R. Albert / The nation’s rapidly increasing bilingual student population has heightened the urgency behind longstanding policies and initiatives established to address systemically marginalizing education practices across academic fields, often through the use of standardized assessments. This qualitative case study explores the role of language in six fifth-grade BLs’ experiences interacting with large-scale, standardized, science, technology, and engineering (STE) open response items from a state assessment administered in English. Using student and teacher interviews, this study examines the opportunities available for BLs to display their science, technology, and engineering content knowledge when limited and specific modes of communication are validated as acceptable responses. This study draws on sociocultural theoretical research to understand the language-centered context of a state STE assessment and uses this perspective to examine the assessment as a language-based, “communicative tool” (Albert, 2000, p.2) or “communicative event” (Shaw, Geaney, & Bunch, 2010, p.914). The findings show that the assessment’s linguistic structures complicate bilingual learners’ interpretations of the open response text and ultimately reveal why these standardized measures fail to measure what bilingual learners actually know. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

This is a single case study of the socialization of a woman in the public school superintendency at the end of the 20th century. It is a description of the forces that come to bear on her behavior as the chief executive of a school system. Socialization is a continuous process of adaptation to and personalization of one's environment. Further, it is believed to be a process that occurs throughout one's professional career and life and not a fixed, end state; therefore, one's career is embedded within one's socialization for life. A model is proposed which represents female socialization as dynamic role creation through the responses of accommodation and role personalization as they are affected by the interaction of organizational, community, and personal forces. These forces are communicated through the transmittal processes of formal policies, networking, and mentoring. The unique experiences of this superintendent are explored to see if these forces of influence appear in this situation. Data collected through interviews and document reviews were coded and then analyzed with a matrix. Seven categories of subjects were interviewed, so this study not only provides the perspectives of the superintendent but also those of her spouse, secretary, current and former colleagues in the central office, a building-level administrator, current and former members of the school board, and community residents. Documents from the news media, records of school board meetings, and division publications provided information about the total experiences of this superintendent. / Ed. D.

No description available.

A methodology is developed that describes the spatial-temporal trends of economic welfare levels in a region. The focus of the region is assumed to be a key city; that is, a growth pole. The methodology depicts the degree of economic polarization on the pole as time and distance change. Two case studies, Halifax-Dartmouth and its hinterland the Province of Nova Scotia and Quebec City with a hinterland 160 miles in diameter were used to test the methodology. For the 30 year period 1941-1971, the nature of economic growth in the pole cities and their hinterlands and the pole-hinterland growth relationship were determined. Some conclusions regarding the requirements for improved regional welfare levels are offered. The methodology proves itself to be sufficient for the description of spatial-temporal trends in regional welfare levels. These descriptions are suitable for use in preliminary policy formulations and subsequent preliminary plan evaluation. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perceived and demonstrated technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of practicing elementary teachers in an urban charter school setting. Contextual factors that influence teachers' abilities to apply technology integration knowledge were also identified. A qualitative research design with multiple case study strategy was used to study practicing teachers in a charter school setting in two phases. The first phase of the study included nine participants and used the Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology Survey to garner insight on teachers' perceived technological pedagogical content knowledge. Descriptive statistical procedures were used to calculate a mean score for each subscale of the TPACK components. Of the nine teachers, two teachers volunteered to participate in the second phase of the study in addition to two administrators. Data collection methods included document collection, observations, and interviews. Within-analysis procedures were used to specify each participant as an individual case. Interviews with school administrators provided insight into contextual factors at the school. Lastly, cross-case analysis procedures were used to construct the final narrative. The findings from Phase I indicated teacher scores related to statements concerning technology-related components: technology knowledge (Mean = 3.67, SD =.62), technological content knowledge (Mean = 3.67, SD=.45), technological pedagogical knowledge (Mean = 3.74, SD=.68), and technological pedagogical content knowledge (Mean = 3.6, SD=.94) were neutral. Findings from the within-analysis and cross-case analysis revealed that both teachers used all of the components in practice with limited to no use of technological content knowledge. The findings from the within-analysis and cross-case analysis revealed that teachers: (a) had a solid foundation of technology knowledge, (b) had limited knowledge of technological content knowledge, (c) supported pedagogical goals, and (d) addressed student learning needs. In addition, the findings revealed that contextual factors related to the teachers' use of technology integration knowledge were resource-related. The discussion and implications highlighted the need for professional development and up-to-date resources for teachers in urban charter schools.

Do conventions still have relevance in the modern political world? Some call them glorified television infomercials for presidential candidates while others refer to them as admired pillars of American political history. Whichever viewpoints one identifies with, presidential conventions are interesting to study historically, and can be studied analytically. The following case studies examine the institution of the nominating convention: what they do, how they form, what they have accomplished and how they affect the voters. This study finds that conventions are still meaningful in American politics, particularly for affecting party unity, candidate image and, to a lesser degree, party platform.

Technology has become pervasive in society and classrooms today. However, studies show that most teachers are not yet comfortable integrating technology into their repertoire of instructional strategies (Education Week, 2005). National reports and standards documents have recognized that technology proficiency is essential for all students (International Society for Technology in Education, 2000; No Child Left Behind, 2002; U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Teacher instruction is a critical factor in maximizing the potential that educational technology has to impact student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine how an exemplary elementary teacher uses technology to improve student learning and why she has chosen to integrate technology into her classroom instruction in the ways she has. A single-case design was used in this qualitative study. The researcher was the instrument used in the collection of data. Purposeful sampling was used in the selection of the study's participant, an exemplary elementary teacher who utilizes technology in her classroom. The participant in this research study was a certified elementary teacher. Her elementary principal and a school district administrator were also interviewed to provide additional perspectives to the case study. Personal interviews, observations, and document analysis were used to collect data. The findings of this study included examples of how the participating teacher used technology in her classroom. These findings included ways that she integrated technology into daily activities across of wide variety of curriculum content areas, and ways the classroom environment was designed to encourage interaction, communication, and cooperation as students worked on instructional activities that incorporated technology. The barriers of professional development, access, support, and time did not hamper the participating teacher's ability to integrate technology. Technology was used daily in the participating teacher's classroom for enhancing student work, easing the teacher's management and planning tasks, and communicating with parents and other faculty members. Additionally, I found that the participating teacher was motivated to use technology by several factors. Administrative support, the teacher's personal use of technology, and student engagement and motivation served as factors as to why the participating teacher integrated technology into her daily classroom instruction. Recommendations included: (a) incorporating educational technology into a variety of undergraduate teacher education courses, (b) including a variety of instructional strategies for integrating technology in methods courses of preservice teacher education programs, (c) studying further how to effectively reduce the most-noted barriers to technology integration - lack of professional development, access, support, and time, (d) requiring candidates in educational administration graduate programs to take an educational technology course, and (e) conducted further study to determine the link between the use of technology in a teacher's personal life and any increased classroom technology integration.