<p> <b>Problem.</b> The demands of the principalship have become overwhelming for school principals and have contributed to job dissatisfaction. The expectations and pressure for schools to demonstrate positive learning outcomes require principals to be highly skilled and motivated. Since principal performance is directly affected by their job satisfaction, district offices would benefit from understanding how district directors&rsquo; leadership practices influence the job satisfaction of principals and which supports are the most impactful. </p><p> <b>Purpose.</b> The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how district directors&rsquo; leadership behaviors, as aligned to Kouzes and Posner&rsquo;s (2012) 5 practices of exemplary leadership, influence principals&rsquo; job satisfaction from the perspective of principals from small to midsized San Diego County school districts in kindergarten through 8th-grade Southern California schools. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> This qualitative single case study focused on a semistructured interview and a public district document review to explore from the principal&rsquo;s perspective district office directors&rsquo; leadership behaviors and practices that influence principal job satisfaction and identify impactful supports. </p><p> <b>Findings.</b> The analysis of the findings resulted in 6 themes and 14 subthemes that described, from principals&rsquo; perspectives, leadership behaviors and practices of district office directors that align with Kouzes and Posner&rsquo;s 5 practices of exemplary and what support provided positively influenced principal job satisfaction. </p><p> <b>Conclusions.</b> When district office directors lead in a manner that is responsive, supportive, and encouraging, it fosters positive relationships and higher levels of job satisfaction among site principals. By improving working conditions of site principals, district leaders are minimizing principal turnover and increasing principals&rsquo; effectiveness. </p><p> <b>Recommendations.</b> District directors should be available and responsive to principal needs engaging in collaboration and problem solving. They should create an environment that allows for frequent communication and input, and provide personalized coaching for principals on topics of their choice. Districts should create systems that formalize these supports. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to compare the traditional grading and feedback systems used in most classrooms to a competency-based grading and feedback system. The traditional system used the familiar grading system of A, B, C, D and F applied to assignments. The competency model was based on providing students formative and summative feedback regarding their achievement toward proficiency of specific skills and concepts. </p><p> This quasi-experimental action research study had a control group and an intervention group comprised of general education and special education sixth grade students in language arts classes. Quantitative data in the form of student achievement scores and student survey responses was analyzed. Qualitative data in the form of teacher interview responses was analyzed. </p><p> Overall there was no statistically significant change in the MAP reading scores between the control and intervention group. However, when the variables of time, group and gender from an ANOVA were analyzed, the males in the intervention group showed a statically significant increase in achievement. This achievement was regardless if the male was an IEP or non-IEP student. Overall, the results do not show that either the control or intervention group sees the feedback as effective. However, the results of the girls&rsquo; responses in the control group were statistically significant. The girls in the control group did see the provided feedback as effective. The teachers&rsquo; interview responses provided three main themes, which included students applied feedback more in the competency-based classroom than in the traditional classroom. Both teachers used the feedback to adjust curriculum and instruction. Additionally, the intervention teacher pointed out that more time is needed to help students apply the competency-based system. </p><p> Based on this study, the first recommendation is to implement competency-based grading and feedback processes. The second recommendation is that formative and summative feedback processes based on proficiencies be implemented to assists students in identifying their understanding of and performance on skills and concepts. Recommendations for future studies include having a larger sample size and continuing the study for a longer period of time.</p><p>

M.Tech. / In order to be competitive in the global village, most countries in the world have embarked upon the implementation of sound educational systems and South Africa is no exception. The economic empowerment of a nation depends on the success of its educational system, interalia on the strength of the teaching, learning and assessment strategies on which the system operates. Over the years there has been many studies undertaken for the sake of developing successful models in assessment methods. An attempt has been made through this study to investigate assessments strategies that could be used to enable students to take ownership of their learning, thus empowering them and helping them. The approach is based on the use of a variety of tools that will complement the aim of the study. In this regard rubrics and task lists were used in a series of assignments in the Communication Skills course offered to Engineering and Radiography students at the Technikon Witwatersrand. An analysis of the results exhibited a positive shift towards students' ability to become responsible for their own learning. This provides a springboard to examine the impact of this venture on the exit level performances of students in other subjects in the long run.

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine the presence (or absence) of barriers that hindered the ability of veteran student populations in completing degrees in the applied sciences field. Furthermore, in this study, the researcher sought to identify and to understand any detected barriers. The researcher examined the academic performances of veterans and non-veterans in the environmental science program at a Missouri community college. This study focused on collecting supplemental sources and gathering additional research on veterans pursuing applied science degrees. The researcher analyzed quantitative metrics and qualitative data, as well as compared personal responses from students to determine the leading perceived barriers and, conversely, the strategies most commonly employed to assist veterans in completion of the degree program. Additionally, the researcher compared academic performances of veteran and non-veteran students across multiple categories. The data indicated veteran students performed as well as non-veteran students, overall. However, some factors, such as educational background and military occupational specialties, had a favorable effect on veteran student retention and achievement rates. Based on the data presented, the researcher recommended a future longitudinal study investigating veteran resource center services and the academic performances of the veteran students who utilized them. Findings from such a study would provide valuable information regarding the effectiveness of the veteran resource centers and their ability to help veteran students transition to higher education. </p><p>

<p> An extensive literature review identified emotional intelligence and metacognition had not been examined in medical education as integrated concepts in the reflective practice of medical residents. Continued research into the independent application of these concepts in medical education maintains a perspective that has permeated medical literature for 20 years. Research into emotional intelligence and metacognitive functioning and its&rsquo; influence on reflective practice in medical education acknowledges the need for more taxonomies of knowledge and skills. A quantitative correlational study was conducted utilizing Family Practice residents. Three valid and reliable assessment tools identified as the MSCEIT, MAI and Groningen were used in this study to determine emotional intelligence, metacognitive ability and reflective ability in Family Practice residents. Findings did not refute the null hypothesis identified as no statistical relationship exists between emotional intelligence and metacognition. Scores between males and females in emotional intelligence appeared descriptively different but not statistically significant. Emotional intelligence and metacognition did not predict strength in reflective ability based on residency year. Descriptive findings indicated female residents scored higher in perceiving emotions while male residents scored higher in thinking about their feelings. Female Family Practice residents scored higher than male Family Practice residents in metacognition each residency year. Females also scored higher than males in reflective practice in each of the three residency years. The small sample size in this study was an acknowledged limitation. Additional qualitative and quantitative research needs to be conducted to learn more about the integration of these three concepts in medical education. iv</p><p>

<p> The Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support, or PBIS, represented the new trend in dealing with problem behavior in educational settings. The concepts of Gender and Age intertwined with many social, ethnic, and cultural attributes, which affected students&rsquo; behaviors in group settings such as school. The resolve of this study resided in the investigation of the effects of gender and age (grade level) on the effectiveness of a PBIS program. In addition, the study reviewed the relative quality of validity among the components used in the PBIS program. The data used in this study originated from a PBIS program implemented at a Suburban Middle School located in the Midwest of the United States. The components of the PBIS program implemented included Safety, Openness to Diversity, Academic Achievement, and Respect (to Self and to Others). The study examined each component based on its activities. Each component involved specific activities, which promoted, encouraged, and sustained the success of its related component. The findings of the study included three categories. Among these categories gender effect on the components, age effect on the components, and differences in quality of validity among the components represented the targets of the investigation. </p><p> The findings of this study revealed no gender effect on Safety, openness to diversity, and respect (to self and to others). However, the study showed a gender effect on academic achievement for the seventh graders while revealing no gender effect academically for sixth and eighth graders. In addition, the study demonstrated no age effect on safety and respect (to self and to others). While the study revealed no age effect on openness to diversity among seventh and eighth graders, it showed an age effect on openness to diversity for the sixth graders. Furthermore, the study findings suggested an age effect on academic achievement among all grade levels. The investigation revealed that the safety and respect (to self and to others) represented poorly designed, developed, and implemented components of PBIS. In addition, it demonstrated that openness to diversity required community involvement and monitoring. Furthermore, the study suggested that administrators and teaching staff modeled and applied the principles and concept of Positive Behavior Support, in order to increase student academic achievement.</p><p>

Assessing student achievement in more authentic ways is a major element of school improvement efforts all across the nation. Massachusetts is implementing a comprehensive student assessment program that will provide information about individual and district progress in mastering new curricula and academic standards. On the local level, school systems are instituting broader assessments to gauge progress. With the rich new data that these efforts will provide comes an opportunity to deepen our understanding of what contributes to educational success. We know that student achievement is dependent upon many elements both inside and outside of the classroom including background community factors. This project is designed to explore the relationship between community demographics and outcomes on an education achievement test, the 1996 Massachusetts statewide assessments. By using census data and statistical techniques including cluster analysis, multiple regression, and factor analysis, it is possible to develop a model of education achievement communities that groups municipalities by their affinity for educational achievement. The resultant regression formula and the listing of communities provide researchers with a mechanism to account for the impact of background community characteristics on aggregate achievement results. This analytical study utilized 1990 census data and the results of the 1996 Massachusetts Education Assessment Program to explore the relationship between community characteristics and educational achievement. The project produced two products: a comprehensive community data base; and a kind of community model based on a Community Achievement Factor (CAF), developed in the study, that is the basis for organizing the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns into 14 education affinity groupings.

Differences in beliefs about, reactions to, and perceived control over testing between learning disabled and non learning disabled students at the postsecondary level were investigated. Additionally, the effect of the use of support services by students with LD on their beliefs about and reactions to testing was also investigated. Students with and without LD were given published measures of test anxiety and academic locus of control, as well as survey questionnaires/scales created for the study. Additional information on students' with LD diagnoses and use of support services was gathered from archival data. Results indicated that students with LD reported significantly higher levels of test anxiety, particularly test irrelevant thinking, than their non-LD peers. Students with and without LD also differed significantly in their anxiety ratings of particular evaluation conditions, academic subject areas, and modifications to the testing environment. An external academic locus of control was found to be related significantly to higher test anxiety for all students. For students with LD, use of support services was not related to test anxiety. High levels of test anxiety were found to be related to reported avoidance of testing intensive courses and subject areas for all students. Females consistently scored significantly higher than males on all generalized measures of anxiety. Findings suggest that test anxiety is a phenomenon that varies both quantitatively and qualitatively as a function of individual differences in academic history, areas of academic strength and need, and as a function of specific aspects of the test situation (e.g., subject area testing is being conducted in, presence of distractions); in addition to its well documented negative effects on test performance, test anxiety may also have long term effects on academic and career choices. Support services appear to be perceived as useful by anxious students, however, utilization of such services does not appear to mitigate generalized text anxiety, though use of such services is related to higher GPA. Based on study findings, a variety of possible modifications to the testing environment and to classroom grading procedures at the postsecondary level are suggested.

This project questions a core value that writing center workers have long held about tutoring writing: that we change writers. Applying sociocognitive and Bakhtinian lenses, I was able to complicate theory-practice connections. Tutor-tutee negotiations during tutorials, tutees’ perceived learning outcomes, and their revisions were compared with their reasons for revising so that I could investigate what tutees potentially learn from their tutors, how, and why. Data indicated if tutors’ information/advice became, in Bakhtin’s terms, internally persuasive to tutees. When the authoritative discourses tutors represent or endorse converge with students’ internally persuasive discourses, they converge in students’ revision choices as tutor-tutee interdiscursivity. I proposed that such a convergence can lead to “changed” writers, writers who alter their understanding of themselves as writers and/or modify their thinking about a given paper, concept, or process. Even though students granted their tutors considerable authority, most tutees examined their tutors’ comments to see if they made sense and were worthy of internalizing as generalized concepts to help them meet current writing goals. In short, tutors do indeed change writers, as I have defined change in the context of this study. Work with specific papers can impact students in terms of their larger process and development as writers; tutors’ strategies/concepts can become writers’ strategies/concepts to be applied again in new contexts. However, even when tutees were internally persuaded and appeared to have changed as writers, analyses into their tutorials, revisions, perceived learning outcomes, and reasons for revising showed that some students took up their tutors’ information/advice in ways beyond their tutor’s control. What some students internalize can be situation-specific and may not necessarily translate to other writing projects, can be significant yet limited understandings of rhetorical concepts, and may not appear in their revised drafts. Students can also be resistant to rhetorical concepts and revision strategies, especially those they perceive as antithetical to their ideological views about process, content, or structure. Given the variety of reasons students revise, the multiple contexts and influences affecting tutorials, and the ensuing challenges inherent in assessing tutorials, I recommend that tutors do not measure their success based on the Northian idea of a writing center. Though we do change writers, I recommend writing center workers think about successful tutorials in more complex ways than our Northian goal might imply. Tutors’ successes are not dependent on changes to writers but on their ability to collaboratively negotiate with writers. Instead of trying to prove the efficacy of writing center tutorials as direct cause and effect relationship, I recommend that writing center administrators try to demonstrate how tutorials foster several habits of mind that college students need to cultivate to become successful writers.

What is interesting is virtual learning seems to go against the very nature of teachers and teaching. For example, many teachers are in the profession to change the lives of students, to have an impact, for interaction, to motivate and aspire students. Some teachers find that these are all diminished and even sometimes eliminated in the virtual environment. Given the expansion of K-12 virtual education across the United States, there is scarce evidence on virtual teachers’ and their acclimation to this setting. Therefore, the purposes of this study were twofold: i) identify and modify a scale for use in the virtual setting; and ii), analyze the data collected from virtual teachers to describe and explore their sense of self-efficacy. This exploratory study found that a group of virtual teachers had a moderately high sense of self-efficacy. T-tests revealed significant differences between teachers’ sense of self-efficacy scores and grade-level taught, content delivery, and prior participation in a virtual course. Multiple regression was used to show that virtual teaching experience (years), course content, and grade-level taught explained some of the variations in teachers’ sense of self-efficacy composite scores. Furthermore, teachers’ that incorporate synchronous and asynchronous lessons have a higher sense of self-efficacy than those that do not. In addition to providing evidence that supports the scale design and use, an unexpected finding emerged from this cross-sectional study: Teachers’ age had strong positive correlation with overall teaching experience but there was no correlation between age and years of virtual teaching experience. On average, research suggests that teaching experience, gained over a career, is positively associated with student achievement. Therefore, it seems plausible that the quality of virtual courses could vary widely due to variations in virtual teachers’ experience. With a better understanding of scale utilization, a profile of virtual teachers’ perceptions and points for future research, researchers and practitioners can enhance instructional practices. / 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 2019. / April 12, 2019. / Teacher Engagement, Teacher self-efficacy, Virtual education / Includes bibliographical references. / Toby Park, Professor Directing Dissertation; Vanessa Dennen, University Representative; Marytza Gawlik, Committee Member; Carolyn Herrington, Committee Member.