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ELearning at the secondary level is an emerging concept educators are exploring throughout Tennessee. Educators at Tennessee High School implemented a system of eLearning that improved their graduation rate, extended the educational day, and gave administrators more tools to use in helping students achieve success. Tennessee High School's model for eLearning developed over a 3-year time span and has substantially impacted the students in Bristol, Tennessee. Tennessee High School's administration, in concert with faculty, developed an innovative method of challenging their students with a relatively new means of delivering education. By implementing a completely web based method of delivering instruction, they created an alternative approach to instructional delivery for students lacking credits for on-time graduation as well as those with discipline problems. Furthermore, they developed teacher professional development programs using this delivery system. This case study focuses on the barriers, benefits, and components of Tennessee High School's eLearning implementation. These barriers that include such items as cost, policy formation, and curriculum development were all new concepts for the educators at Tennessee High School. This case documents how the benefits reaped by eLearning have impacted the students at THS. For example, the ability to offer more courses to students that fit almost any schedule has reduced scheduling conflicts. Administrators have enjoyed having another tool to work with concerning student discipline as well.

Given the negative impact of students' challenging behaviors on the learning process, a need exists to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how teachers' beliefs, practices, and knowledge relate to their abilities to effectively manage classroom behaviors. Three-hundred and forty-two (342) public school (PK-12) teachers in a mid-Atlantic state responded to an on-line survey. Data were examined using correlational statistical analysis to measure the relationship between teachers' sense of efficacy (TSE) and use of evidenced-based practices (EBP) in managing students with challenging behaviors, teachers' use of EBP and how they value types/topics of professional development and years of teaching experience. Significant correlations were found between TSE and use of EBP. Moderate correlations were indicated between use of EBP and type or topic of professional development. Years of experience did not correlate significantly with use of EBP in managing students with challenging behaviors. A significant difference was found between special and general educators' use of EBP, with special educators reporting a higher use of EBP. Results inform educators as to what teachers need in order to increase the use of EBP in an effort to effectively manage students with challenging behaviors. Research indicates TSE is enhanced and student outcomes improve.;Keywords: challenging behaviors, classroom management, evidence-based practices, positive behavior supports, professional development, student discipline, students with disabilities, teacher belief, teacher efficacy, teacher preparation, public schools.

This dissertation examines the role of white, Greek-letter sororities in the creation and enforcement of standards for white women's behavior during the twentieth century. While sororities at white, southern universities first served as supportive networks for the few female students on newly coeducational university campuses, I argue that they transformed into spaces that promoted "heterosocial" activities and enforced members' heteronormativity through "lessons of 'ladyhood" and required attendance at fraternity parties and participation in heterosexual dating. as a means to guarantee their popularity among students on their respective campuses, sorority chapters sought the attention of the campuses' fraternity elite. This national emphasis on chapters to maintain or gain status through relationships with men's fraternities shifted the focus of sororities from supportive systems for women students to that of organizations, which functioned in support of, and ancillary to, the male-centered university's culture of masculinity. Consequently, the groups' realignment of purpose taught women to interpret their social value in terms of their relation to, and acceptance by, men. With a focus on sorority chapters at southern universities, this work brings attention to the understudied subject of southern women's higher education in this period and part played by institutions of higher education in maintaining conventional gender norms for white, southern women. to many deans of women, university administrators, and parents of young women, sororities seemed to provide positive lessons such as social skills and citizenship training. Yet, I argue, white college sororities' "educational" programs fostered elitism, encouraged, discriminatory behavior, and required group conformity, all while the national organizations made claims that they were training women to become good citizens. I examine the functions of these groups at both the regional and national level, to show the common mission of these national organizations in defining, through their membership, the "acceptable" United States citizenry as white, middle to upper class, and, for the most part, Protestant. By placing the story of white, college sororities in an historical contest, this dissertation demonstrates how the organizations' relationship with college campuses, university administrators, and non-Greek-letter (independent) students changed over the course of the twentieth century. Not only a story of Greek-letter groups, this work examines the changing nature of student cultures on university campuses over this period and how those shifts reflected transformations in American society beyond the campus.

The purpose of this study was to trace the development of education in Washington County from its beginnings as a small district system to its present status as a free public school system within a county administrative unit.

The Box Elder Stake Academy was a part of the Church System of Academies under the direction of Karl G. Maeser. The historical setting of Box Elder County is rather unique. It was here that Lorenzo Snow directed one of the most successful forms of the United Order. The nearby city of Corinne was established as one of the few gentile cities in Utah, and from there a new crusade to end Mormon rule in Utah was begun. The Box Elder Stake Academy was one of the first academies created under the direction of the First Presidency of the Church. This study includes the purpose for its establishment and methods of accomplishing its goals as viewed within the political, social, religious and economical conditions of this era. The establishment and decline of this academy was closely tied to the historical events of this period. Special attention was paid to the academic function of the academy and the problems involved in its administration. An attempt was made to portray the feeling of dedication and purpose expressed by the faculty as they attempted to achieve excellence in their responsibilities to the students and academy.

This study is a history of the schools and educational programs organized and maintained by the LDS Church while the saints resided in Ohio and Missouri between the years of 1831 and 1839. The instructors, curriculum, organizational structure, and the purpose of each school is given when information in these areas was available. In Kirtland, the Church organized the School of the Prophets, School of the Elders, Kirtland High School, Hebrew School, a singing school, a writing school, and a few grammar schools. The Church leaders in Missouri organized the Colesville school, a school in Independence, Far West School, and a few others in Caldwell County. However, mob activities probably limited the educational pursuits by the members of the Church in Missouri. Church members took available of many opportunities to enhance their formal education, and some of the schools established by Latter-day Saints were well organized in comparison to many other schools of the early Republic.

As a result of high media attention surrounding school shootings in recent years, it may appear that American public schools are becoming dangerous places (Schildkraut & Elsass, 2016; Elsass, Schildkraut, & Stafford, 2016; Toppo, 2013). Though schools remain to be one of the safest locations for children, various safety measures are discussed and implemented in schools to combat this perceived problem and ensure the safety of school campuses. Discussions of best safety practices spikes directly following a school shooting event from relevant parties, such as school administration, law enforcement agencies, parents, and students, (Crawford & Burns, 2015; Chrusciel, Wolfe, Hansen, Rojek, & Kaminski, 2014) but little existing literature focuses on teachers, more specifically how safe teachers perceive schools to be with regard to gun violence and school shootings. This study seeks to build upon the small body of literature that currently exists on teachers' perceptions of safety and hopes to introduce new opportunities for research in the future. This study is comprised of 212 teachers throughout Central Florida. The results of this research show that while teachers overall feel very safe teaching at their schools, there are areas they believe can be improved upon. Of the safety measures used to prevent and reduce gun violence at schools, program-based safety measures and School Resource Officers make these teachers feel the safest. These perceptions of safety do not vary from one Central Florida county to the next, as most teachers are largely in agreement as to what measures make them feel safe. It was also revealed that most teachers in the sample are also unsupportive of legislation that would allow classroom teachers to carry firearms on school campuses.

The purpose of this study was to describe the organizational culture of Pacific Union College (PUC), a part of the Seventh-day Adventist system of higher education in North America. The design of this research project was a case study, and the methodological paradigm on which this study was based is that of naturalistic inquiry. Three means of inquiry were utilized: an organizational culture survey, interviews, and content analysis. The survey was administered to all salaried personnel of the college. Each respondent also submitted a demographic profile. Interviews further contributed to the triangulation of this study. They were conducted on the campus with 16 faculty selected by the researcher because of their familiarity with the college and their potential to be articulate and informative regarding it. A content analysis of the last institutional self-study done by Pacific Union College (Pacific Union College, 1990) furthered triangulation. Formative studies such as this are conducted for the purpose of improvement rather than to answer a hypothetical question or prescribe for practice. The study addressed five research questions. The results of this study indicated a predominant perception that the collegial culture is dominant. The findings further revealed that the collegial culture is perceived to be dominant without the application of demographics. This contrasts with analysis of the Self-Study (Pacific Union College, 1990) which indicated that the managerial culture was dominant. The findings indicated that there was not cultural congruence between the faculty and administration, but that there was closer congruence between the administration and the department chairs. The findings of the survey showed that the collegial culture was dominant among the faculty while the managerial culture was dominant with the department chairs and administration.

This study has addressed the need for greater understanding of the part education for social change plays in the process of creating a more just, equitable, and humane society. The purpose of this study has been to develop a better understanding of education for social change through examining the case of Highlander Center, a leader and pioneer in American education in the Appalachian region, and its efforts to create greater economic democracy and a more just and democratic society. Initially the author presents the case of Highlander Center and a review of the literature of education for social change to establish a conceptual foundation for this phenomenon and to provide examples of this alternative educational approach. The study then focuses on the qualitative case study methodology that was used in collecting data through open-ended, in-depth interviews with Highlander Center staff and program participants, participant observation at Highlander Center education for social change workshops and trainings, site observations of program participants' efforts in four communities in three Appalachian states, and document analysis. Five themes are used to present the findings of the study: (1) The Economic Problem in Appalachia, (2) Forces That Aid Social Change Toward Greater Economic Democracy, (3) Forces That Constrain Change Toward Greater Economic Democracy, (4) Highlander Center Education for Social Change, and (5) The Part Education for Social Change Plays in the Process of Creating a Society That Is More Democratic and Just. Finally, a summary and interpretation of the research findings are presented, implications for education for social change including a Social and Human Reality Framework of Education for Social Change are discussed, and suggestions are made for further research.