Students do not learn from experience but from reflection upon experiences. Reflection is a significant component of experiential learning including leadership learning. Leadership educators utilize reflection to enhance students' ability to understand and apply leadership theories and concepts. Service-learning, internship, and research are all avenues for students to learn about leadership. This study sought to clarify the role of reflection in leadership education and fill a gap in our understanding of how students move from learning about leadership to applying theories and concepts to their lives. This study utilized a phenomenological approach to understand how reflection contributes to students' leadership learning. Data from this study came from in-depth interviews with 14 undergraduate students participating in an experiential leadership course as part of an interdisciplinary certificate in leadership studies. Findings from this study revealed reflection is a significant component of how students apply leadership learning. Students preferred a wide range of reflection methods - including written, verbal, and creative - to process experiences and apply new information to their personal and academic experiences. Students' reflection was supported by experience, time and space for personalized reflection, having people with whom they could reflect, and receiving feedback on their reflection. As a result of reflective leadership learning, students perceived they developed confidence, increased self-awareness, engaged and empowered others, and were better able to navigate relationships and groups. This study proposes a framework for understanding reflection in leadership learning that is based on grounding ideas, support structures, and potential transformation. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 24, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathy Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Bales, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member.

States are running out of qualified teachers. However, data from numerous studies indicated that the problem is not a shortage of teachers, but a problem of teacher turnover (Darling-Hammond, 2000). The purpose of this study is to examine a school- based mentoring program in a small rural school district in Florida to determine the influence the mentoring program has on beginning teacher retention. A case study will be conducted to gain insight into mentee's reflections on the mentoring experience. The following research questions are examined: 1. What specific activities are most beneficial during the teacher mentorship experience? 2. What role does school leadership play in the teacher mentoringexperience? 3. Does an effective mentoring experience contribute to a new teacher's decision to continue to teach in a district? 4. What are the attributes of an effective mentoring experience for new teacher. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 27, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references. / Judith Irvin, Professor Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth Jakubowski, University Representative; Patrice Iatarola, Committee Member; Stacey Rutledge, Committee Member.

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of skilled women immigrants who were currently or previously had been involved in improving their English proficiency. I interviewed eight skilled women from seven countries in an effort to describe their experiences of the migration phenomenon to understand the relationships between language socialization, identity reconstruction, and their sense of future or possible selves. All of the women had been involved in a language program at a local literacy center currently or previously. During the interviews, the women discussed their lives in their home countries, what they imagined their new lives in the United States would be like, and how language proficiency had factored into their current situations. Specifically, the interview questions and resulting conversations, survey instruments, and personal journals attempted to gain insight into whether skilled women immigrants have a sense of identity loss or change before, during, and after migration; if language learning plays a role in the reconstruction of identity; to what degree women immigrants seek out language programs to rebuild their personal identities; and whether skilled women immigrants perceive language learning as a transformational movement toward their possible selves. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 27, 2014. / Acculturation, Identity, Language socialization, Possible selves, Skilled women immigrants / Includes bibliographical references. / Peter B. Easton, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michael Leeser, University Representative; Jeffrey Ayala Milligan, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

In this study, I analyzed the Florida anti-bullying law and compared it to the adopted anti-bullying policies at the district and school levels to describe if there were significant discrepancies between the state-level anti-bullying law and the anti-bullying policies at the district and school-levels. I paid special attention to the online availability of the Florida anti-bullying law at the state-, district-, and high-school levels. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 26, 2014. / Bullying, Eugenio Jimenez, Florida, Online Availability, Web Based, Web-Based / Includes bibliographical references. / Judith Irvin, Professor Directing Dissertation; Ann Mullis, University Representative; Patrice Iatarola, Committee Member; Stacey Rutledge, Committee Member.

This study examined the impacts of the after school programs on the academic, motivational, behavior/social development of the students who attended the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs. The following overarching research questions guided this study: (a) What are the academic impacts of after school programs on participating students, as measured by mathematics grades, reading grades, and grade point averages measured at four points during the academic year; (b) What are the motivational impacts of after school programs on participating students, as measured by number of school absences, number of school tardies, and teacher ratings of student dedication towards completing assigned work measured at four points during the academic year; and (c) What are the behavioral and social impacts of after school programs on participating students, as measured by number of disciplinary referrals, number of suspensions from school, and teacher ratings of student activities to get along with others measured at four points during the academic year? Since this study sought to understand the impact of the after school program on the academic, motivation, and behavioral/social development of students who attended the 21st CCLC programs in Florida, an intervention group (i.e., students attended at least 30 days of programming) and control group (i.e., students attended fewer than the requisite 30 days of programming) were compared. Results in academic gains indicated that there was no significant difference in estimated marginal means of math grades between the control and intervention groups at the initial performance period. However, control group students were significantly lower than intervention group students at the remaining performance periods. Although all students had decreases in mathematics grades across time, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly lower levels of decline than did students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. There was no significant difference in estimated marginal means of reading grades between the control and intervention groups at the initial performance period. However, as with mathematics, control group students were significantly lower than intervention group students at the remaining performance periods. Although all students demonstrated decreases in reading grades over the course of the academic year, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly lower levels of decline than did students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. There was so significant difference in estimated marginal means of grade point averages between the control and intervention groups at the initial performance period. However, as with mathematics and reading grades, control group students were significantly lower than intervention group students at the remaining performance periods. Although all students demonstrated an overall reduction in overall GPA over the course of the academic year, students in the control group initially had increases in GPA during the second performance period, but then demonstrated significant declines in the third and fourth performance periods, during which time students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly higher GPAs than did students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. Results in dedication and motivation indicated that there were significant differences between estimated marginal means of in-school absences between the control and intervention groups at all four performance periods, with students in the intervention group having fewer absences across the year. Students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly lower levels of absences across the year, with the final performance period having the greatest difference between the two groups of students. There was no significant difference in estimated marginal means of number of regular-school tardies between the control and intervention groups at the initial or second performance periods. However, control group students had significantly fewer tardies than did intervention group students during period 3, while intervention group students had significantly fewer tardies during the final performance period of the academic year. Although both control group and intervention group students demonstrated similar trends in the number of tardies, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days eventually had significantly lower level of tardiness than did students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. There were no significant differences in estimated marginal means of teacher ratings of academic work completion between the control and intervention groups at the initial performance period. However, intervention group students received significantly higher ratings than control group students at the remaining performance periods. Although all students demonstrated an overall improvement in teacher ratings of academic work completion, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly greater increases in teacher ratings of work completion than did students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. Results in in-school behavior indicated that there were significant differences in estimated marginal means of periodic school suspensions between the control and intervention groups at all four performance periods. Ultimately, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days had significantly lower rates of disciplinary referrals throughout the four performance periods than those students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. It should be noted that the discrepancy between student groups was greater in the fourth period than in the initial two performance periods. There were significant differences in estimated marginal means of teacher ratings of students' ability to get along with others between the control and intervention groups at all four performance periods. Ultimately, although there were significant differences at each performance period, students who attended the 21st CCLC programs for more than 30 days maintained significantly higher ratings of ability to get along with others throughout the four performance periods than those students who did not attend the programs for at least 30 days. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2007. / May 1, 2007. / After School Program, Academic Impacts, Motivational Impacts, Behavioral Impacts, Social Impacts, 21st CCLC / Includes bibliographical references. / Judith L. Irvin, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Sande Milton, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Robert Gutierrez, Outside Committee Member; Joseph Beckham, Committee Member.

Since the early 1980's, there have been significant institutional efforts to support student success in the first year of college, most notably in the form of the contemporary first-year seminar (Greenfield, Keup & Gardner, 2013). Colleges and universities have also devoted significant resources and engaged in other innovative efforts to improve the first year of college such as establishment of learning communities (Levine-Laufgraben, 2005) and creation of themed clusters of courses (Tinto & Goodsell, 1993). While there is a significant body of research on the first-year experience, single program studies dominate the literature on student success in the first year of college (e.g., Lenning & Ebbers, 1999; Stassen, 2003, Padgett & Keup, 2011; Porter & Swing, 2006) and the vast majority of studies focus mainly on empirical measures of student success as outcome variables, such as retention rates, grade point averages (GPAs), and graduation rates (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2005; Purdie, 2007; Sadler, Cohen, & Kockesen, 1997; Sidle & McReynolds, 1999; Somers, 1995; Tinto & Goodsell, 1993). Consequently, the purpose of this study is to compare the impact of participation in a first-year experience (FYE) course, a living-learning community (LLC) or a freshman interest group (FIG) on both the levels of student engagement and the academic success of first-year students at Florida State University. This study followed the traditional model of causal-comparative research and used both multiple regression and logistic regression analysis. Student engagement was measured based on the NSSE Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practices that include: 1) academic challenge, 2) active and collaborative learning, 3) student-faculty interactions, 4) enriching educational experiences, and 5) supportive campus environment. The study found that participation in FYE did not have a statistically significant impact on any of the five measures of student engagement that define the benchmarks of effective educational practices. However, after controlling for all other variables, participation in a LLC had a statistically significant positive impact on three of the five measures including active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interactions, and enriching educational experiences. Participation in a FIG, after controlling for all other variables, had a significant positive impact on one of the five benchmarks of effective educational practice, participation in enriching educational experiences. Research question two focused on academic success metrics such as first-year grade point average, credits earned in the first year of college and retention of students to a second year of study. Multiple regression analysis indicated that participation in FYE, LLC or FIG, had no statistically significant contribution to first-year grade point average. Multiple regression analysis indicated that while participation in an LLC or FIG did had no statistically significant contribution to credits earned in the first year of college, participation in a first-year experience seminar had a statistically significant negative contribution. Lastly, while the logistic regression model for retention had statistically significant predictive capacity, the analysis demonstrated no change in odds of being retained if students participated in FYE, LLC or FIG. The results of these findings supported the literature that demonstrates the positive influence of participation in living-learning communities but called into question the effectiveness of the first-year seminar at the study site. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / Spring Semester, 2014. / December 5, 2013. / First-Year Experience, High Impact Practices, Living-Learning Communities, Retention, Student Engagement / Includes bibliographical references. / Shouping Hu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Diana Rice, University Representative; Jon C. Dalton, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

This study examines how student learning conditions are impacted by the allocation of school resources, especially time and staff. It also explores the consequences of such allocation on student achievement. More specifically, it investigates the impacts of restructuring class schedule on class size as well as on student achievement. In their efforts to improve student achievement, policymakers and school administrators have leveraged two important resource-allocation decisions—the number of students in a classroom and the duration and frequency of classes taught. Although each practice has been independently studied in the literature, researchers have devoted little attention to the relationship between class schedule and class size. In this dissertation, I explore how class schedule plays a role in determining class size as well as what the impacts of changing class schedule are on student achievement. Essentially, this study evaluates whether school districts, when reducing class size, may consider it a viable option to adopt a traditional seven-period class schedule. The study draws on nine-year class-level data from 2006-07 to 2014-15 and student-level two- or three-year data from 2011-12 to 2013-14. These data are obtained from a large school district, Broward County Public Schools, in Florida. Through several quasi-experimental approaches, such as a comparative interrupted time-series, difference-in-differences, and fixed-effects model, I empirically examine the relationships between class schedule and class size and between class schedule and student achievement. The results show that changing class schedule has positive impacts on reducing class size when block schedules are replaced by the 7-period class schedule, especially in Math and Social Studies. However, when the 6-period class schedule is changed to the 7-period schedule, no policy impact is found for the 6-period schools compared to the 7-period schools. Rather, the 6-period schedule schools reduced class size less than the 7-period schedule schools did in certain subjects. When explaining the results of the period-type class schedule schools, the role of teaching load is discussed in reducing class size. In addition, the student math achievement, which is measured by the End-of-Course Algebra I and Geometry, is reported to be negatively affected by changing to the traditional 7-period class schedule, especially for low-achieving students in the 4x4 block schools. Based on these results, several implications for policy and future research are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the. / Spring Semester 2017. / March 29, 2017. / Class Schedule, Class Size, Class Size Reduction / Includes bibliographical references. / Patrice Iatarola, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anastasia Semykina, University Representative; Carolyn Herrington, Committee Member; Toby Park, Committee Member.

Bibliography: pages 282-300. / The objectives of the research undertaken was to assess the role of education in stimulating 'accelerated development' in the poor countries, with particular reference being made to Malawi. The effectiveness of various educational planning models, when applied to manpower planning problems in Malawi were reviewed and evaluated. An assessment was made of early approaches to educational provision and manpower growth as evidenced in Conferences such as the Addis Ababa Conference (1961), the Ashby Report on Nigeria (1960), in addition to a reappraisal of educational planning measures which occurred in the 1970s. The structure and provision of educational facilities in Malawi was reviewed in the light of the existing severe shortages of skilled and trained manpower being experienced by the nation. Such shortages of manpower have been found to pose considerable hindrances to the development process. An assessment and review of the available educational planning frameworks was undertaken, with particular attention being given to the Manpower Planning Framework, this being the approach employed in Malawi to assess projected shortfalls and increasing demand for skilled manpower. The Thesis points to a number of limitations in the Manpower Planning approach as implemented in Malawi, and in view of such limitations, recommends the application of a Benefit Cost Analysis to educational planning, stressing the flexibility it permits in the planning process. The Benefit Cost approach was applied, in illustration, to the problem of determining how to overcome the projected shortfalls in manpower requirements experienced in one occupational sector of the economy, notably the shortages which exist in the engineering sector. The statistics utilised in this illustration were derived primarily from the Malawi National Statistical Office, in addition to the findings of a series of A.I.D. Reports on the matter. In conclusion, the Thesis pointed to the importance of co-ordinated long-term planning, and the adoption of educational planning frameworks. It was deduced that the differing educational planning approaches, in particular the Manpower Planning Approach and the Benefit Cost Analysis Approach, are rightly complementary in their application, not competitive as is commonly assumed. Hence, it is proposed that increased flexibility be built into the educational planning process.

In Florida, persistently low-performing schools generally service high concentrations of minority and free and reduced-price lunch students. As minority demographics grow throughout Florida (Florida Office of Economic & Demographic Research, 2017), so does the potential for increases in the number of persistently low-performing schools. In 2017, Florida lawmakers passed House Bill 7069, which includes the Schools of Hope policy. This policy incentivizes charter schools to compete for the rights to educate students in areas of persistently low-performing schools. This critical race theory policy analysis examined Florida’s Schools of Hope policy at the intersection of race, poverty, education, and policy to explore its potential to address performance outcomes of economically disadvantaged Black students attending persistently low-performing schools. The use of critical race theory to conduct this critical policy analysis provided a framework to evaluate the Schools of Hope policy and its potential to remove or reinforce the status quo for large populations of economically disadvantaged Black students attending persistently low-performing schools. Additionally, the use of the critical race theory tenet narrative/storytelling and counter-narrative/counter-storytelling to conduct semi-structured interviews allowed key stakeholders to provide insights about the policy in their local context and be a part of the policy discourse. This policy analysis presented what was learned about the Schools of Hope policy when the four critical race theory tenets—critique of liberalism, interest convergence, permanence of racism, and narratives/storytelling—were used to analyze it. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / 2019 / October 17, 2019. / Charter School, Economically Disadvantaged, Hope Operator, Persistently Low-performing Schools, Schools of Hope / Includes bibliographical references. / Stephanie Simmons Zuilkowski, Professor Directing Dissertation; Steve McDowell, University Representative; Motoko Akiba, Committee Member; Robert Schwartz, Committee Member.

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