D.Ed. / The aim of this thesis was to establish what constitutes productivity in South African schools, and to make recommendations to assist schools on their journey to higher levels of productivity. The historical background, problems and changes in South Africa, coupled with the lack of current research in the field made it imperative for further research to be done in the field to identify current tendencies linked to productivity within the South African school context. A literature study was undertaken to gather background and to explore various aspects linked to productivity within a school. The literature study revealed that productivity improvement does not just happen, but that management leadership and the effectiveness of the individual educator is vital to continually increase productivity in South African schools. The information gathered from the literature study was also used to develop guidelines for productivity, which can be implemented in school's to achieve higher levels of productivity. An empirical study was undertaken. A standard questionnaire was used to elicit opinions of respondents in the teaching profession on aspects which lead to/make a school productive. Their responses to the questionnaire were discussed and analysed by means of multivariate and univariate statistical analyses.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Robert Hampel, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on February 13, 2008) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Treatise (Ed. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-102).

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of selected input variables on the accountability rating of Texas high schools with student populations greater than or equal to 900. Specifically, this study analyzed the effect of student, staff and fiscal input variables in determining the odds of a high school in this study receiving a Low Performing, an Academically Acceptable, or a Recognized rating in the Texas public education accountability system - a system which is based in student performance on state standardized testing. Identifying a set of variables that helps predict campus accountability ratings provides campus administrators and teachers with information to improve student performance on standardized testing. Using statistical methods to determine the odds of campus ratings based on selected input variables, this study revealed that successful student remediation in mathematics is the most consistent, positive indicator of campus accountability rating out of 60 student, staff and fiscal inputs analyzed. However, the most telling aspect of this study is that inputs such as, teacher experience, teacher campus tenure, teacher degree level, student SAT performance, Advanced Placement testing performance and the percentage of low socioeconomic students were not statistically significant. The wider implications of these findings warrant further research into why these variables seem to have no affect on campus accountability rating.

This study used time series analysis of 21 years (1970- 1990) of school productivity data from Virginia to demonstrate the usefulness of time series models in describing variations in school input (primarily expenditures) and output (primarily student attainment and achievement) variables. In the study, a series of trend-removed, ARIMA(1,0,0) autoregressive time series models for school input variables were developed to describe long-term trends in school expenditures, instructional salaries and pupil/teacher ratios and to account for year to year variation in levels of school inputs. Residuals from these models for school inputs were correlated with student attainment scores and achievement score residuals with student ability removed to identify those school productivity inputs having the strongest association with school outputs. The scores of input variables having strong associations with school outputs were then plotted over the 1970-90 time period and descriptively related to historical records of legislative and administrative policy decisions thought to have had statewide effects on school productivity in Virginia. The association of school productivity relationship changes with actual policy events was then described. All school input variables could be described with time series accounting for 90+% of the year to year variance in inputs. Time series residuals from expenditures, instructional salaries and pupil/teacher ratio inputs were moderately to strongly associated with two output measures: 1) the percent of Virginia school graduates attending college; and 2) the percent of dropouts, in most Virginia (30 < N < 100) school districts. These inputs shared 20 to 40% of their variance in common with school attainment outputs. School input residuals for local expenditures and pupil/teacher ratio were also strongly associated with reading, math, and language arts achievement residuals in a small number (N=2- 31) of Virginia school districts. Stronger relationships between inputs and achievement scores in greater numbers of Virginia school districts may be revealed when more years of data are available for future analysis. Plots of significant school input variables concurrently with school outputs and historical policy change events suggested that at least three policy change events may have had positive long term effects on school productivity in Virginia from 1970-90. Legislative commitment to a reduction in pupil/teacher ratio in the early 1980's seems to be associated with a long term decrease in dropout rates and increases in college attendance among students in most Virginia school districts. Commitment to higher teacher salaries in the same time period also seems to be associated with positive changes in college attendance and reductions in dropout rates. Finally, the long term expansion of total educational expenditures in Virginia, primarily through adoption of special education, health education, and dropout prevention curriculum initiatives, seems to be associated with rising levels of student promotion rates, percent of ninth grade students graduating and percent of students attending college from 1970-90. / Ph. D.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

D.Ed. / Die doel met die navorsing was om te bepaal wat konstitueer produktiwiteit in Suid -Afrikaanse skole en in watter mate distriks - amptenare produktiwiteit in skole kan verbeter. Die historiese agtergrond en veranderinge in Suid-Afrika gekoppel aan die tekort van resente navorsing in die veld, het verdere navorsing genoodsaak, ten einde huidige tendense gekoppel aan produktiwiteit binne die Suid-Afrikaanse skool konteks sowel as die distrik te kon identifiseer. `n Literatuurstudie was onderneem ten einde agtergrond te verkry rakende produktiwiteit in skole en distrik se rol daarin. Die ontrafeling van verskeie aspekte rakende produktiwiteit in skoolverband en hoe distriksamptenare produktiwiteitsvlakke in skole kan verhoog was ook nagevors. Die literatuurstudie het die belangrikheid van die skoolbestuurder in sy/haar rol beklemtoon asook die rol van opvoeders in die verbetering van produktiwiteits vlakke in skole. Die literatuurstudie het ook verder die belangrikheid van distriks amptenare en hul ondersteunning in skole beklemtoon, wat aanleiding kan gee tot produktiwiteits verbetering in skole.

While gender differences in mathematics achievement and attitudes overall have been declining during the past two decades, there still exists a disparity in advanced mathematics achievement and upper-level mathematics course-taking patterns that contributes to fewer females than males choosing professions in math, science, and technology fields. This study used a secondary analysis of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 database (NELS:88) and Walberg's Educational Productivity Model to determine whether gender differences in mathematics achievement testing outcomes, coursework, and attitude could be explained by the model and whether the Productivity Factors in the model operated differently for males and females, Productivity Factors from the eighth grade NELS:88 database were used to model the twelfth grade outcomes related to achievement testing, coursework, and attitude toward mathematics. Multiple and logistic regression analyses were run to examine the effect of the Productivity Model in accounting for gender differences in achievement (testing and coursework) and attitude. In order to accommodate the complex survey design of the NELS:88 database, the data analysis was done using Sudaan. Findings indicate that there are significant gender differences, favoring males, in overall math achievement, top quartile math achievement, and attitude toward mathematics, but no significant differences in math coursework. When the Productivity Factors are entered into the model, the differences in top quartile achievement and attitude disappear. Further analysis also indicates that a number of the Productivity Factors are significantly related to the achievement and attitude outcomes for males and females. Suggestions for further research and implications for parents and educators focus on the significant Productivity Factors which can possibly be modified through intervention or training, i.e., what Walberg calls the “alterable curriculum.” These include the motivational factors of expectancy for success, locus of control, and perceived usefulness of mathematics, as well as parental aspirations, classroom environment, peer influences, and television viewing patterns.