The increase of students with an emotional and/or behavioral disorder (EBD) and the increased time they are in the regular education classroom presents multiple challenges for untrained regular classroom teachers. At the local site it was noted that leadership needed a deeper understanding of the practices used by the teachers with EBD students. The purpose of this study was to identify educator's descriptions of effective instructional strategies when working with EBD students. Using Vygotsky's theories of defectology and zone of proximal development as the framework, the guiding questions for this study focused on training, instructional strategies, and behavior management tools that teachers deemed successful in the inclusion classroom. Data were collected using a case study exploring the design with purposeful sampling strategies for participant recruitment. Two focus groups with 14 regular Kindergarten through fifth grade classroom teachers were conducted along with personal interviews with 5 behavior specialists. Data were analyzed using open and axial coding with iterative re-categorization strategies. The findings highlighted effective teaching strategies that focused on improving the overall educational experience in the inclusive classroom by targeting improvement of academic performance, social skills, communication techniques, and behavior management strategies. This study focused on a positive social change by positioning teachers to create a successful educational environment for all students. The study's project provided a culminating professional development project that presented the various strategies discovered during the data collection and analysis process.

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The primary purpose of this Delphi study was to determine which of the research-identified differentiated instructional elements are the most effective for improving student performance as perceived by secondary principals in 2A to 5A 2009 ―Exemplary‖ public high schools in Texas. A secondary purpose for this study was to determine what additional differentiated instructional elements are perceived by this study‘s targeted principals as being critical for student success. The researcher obtained feedback during three Delphi survey rounds from the twenty-four member expert panel regarding which of the research-identified differentiated instructional elements they perceived to be the most effective for improving student performance. The differentiated instructional elements presented in the survey were based upon a sound theoretical framework resulting from a review of existing research on differentiated instruction. After Round Three, consensus was reached, and the data collection period ended. Each of the surveys for the study, as well as the statistical analysis, can be found in the appendices of this dissertation. The findings of this study determined that using a variety of resources, as well as a variety of strategies, were the top-ranked research-identified differentiated instructional elements that the expert panel perceived to be the most effective for improving student performance. In addition, panelists agreed that the differentiated instructional elements already identified in existing research, as presented in this study, are comprehensive and sufficient for improving student performance. Without a doubt, the conclusions and recommendations of this study could extend the current knowledge base by promoting the use of the most effective research-identified differentiated instructional elements to improve student performance. Furthermore, the implications of the study will be invaluable for ongoing professional development, principal and teacher preparation programs, and for those in the field seeking to improve their daily educational practices for student impact.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Recent changes in the Department of Sport and Recreation have placed new external pressures and challenges on Sport officials to change their ways of managing School Sport Mass Participation Programme in their sphere of operation. The above challenge prompted the researcher to investigate the Management and Implementation of School Sport Mass Participation Programme (SMPP) in selected secondary schools at Malamulele East Education Cluster in the Limpopo Province. The study is concerned with the development of effective strategies that will enhance the capacity of sport officials and change their perception; and that of other stakeholders on the management and implementation of the School Sport Mass Participation Programme. This study used the context of Malamulele East cluster as its spring board in engaging in the daunting subject of the School Sport Mass Participation Programme. Surely, with all the changes that are involved in the implementation of the above programme, there is a need to review the way the School Sport Mass Participation Programme should be implemented, hence this study. The literature review established the relationship between Sport Management and the implementation of School Sport Mass Participation Programme. In this regard, the study showed that managers who apply the principles of management, motivation, participation in decision making, management by objectives and delegation can enhance the management and implementation of School Sport Mass Participation Programme in the area of the study. In this study, a mixed research design approach was employed to investigate the factors that promote and hinder the management and implementation of the School Sport Mass Participation Programme in Malamulele East cluster. Both questionnaires and structured interviews were employed to collect data from the respondents. The main findings of the study confirmed that there are challenges associated with the management and implementation of the School Sport Mass Participation Programme in Malamulele East cluster. Challenges such as lack of managerial skills, clear delegation of powers, lack of clarity on policy guidelines, inadequate resources, lack of cooperation vi and shortage of financial resources hampered the successful implementation of the School Sport Mass Participation Programme in Malamulele. In conclusion, the study also led to suggestions of strategies and recommendations that can improve the management and implementation of School Sport Mass Participation Programme in Malamulele East Education Cluster in the Limpopo Province.

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Educators at a public high school in Southeastern United States depend on mentor teachers to minimize the attrition rate among beginning teachers, yet the strategies implemented by mentors lack definition and clarity. The purpose of this study was to explore mentor teachers' perceptions of effective mentoring strategies and their needs when mentoring new teachers. Maslow's humanistic learning theory guided this bounded basic qualitative study. The research questions focused on the mentoring strategies mentor teachers perceived as effective and the needs of the mentors. Ten high school mentor teachers, who currently mentor new teachers, were purposefully selected to participate in individual and focus group interviews. Precoding, open and axial coding were used to inductively analyze the data. The results showed mentors promote school culture, are a source of information, build relationships, use data to drive discussion, provide opportunity for reflection, conduct observations, connect theory with practice, and model professional behavior as effective strategies. Mentor teachers indicated that effective communication is crucial when mentoring new teachers. Additionally, they need specific skills to help beginning teachers better understand the reality of teaching and address their unrealistic expectations of the profession. Based on the findings a 3-day professional development for mentor teachers was developed to address mentors' needs. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change when district administration provides mentor teachers with professional development to enrich their mentoring strategies which in turn may address the challenges new teachers experience and reduce the attrition rate.

More than half of information technology (IT) outsourced projects fail, primarily due to a lack of effective management practices surrounding the outsourcing end-to-end process. Ineffective management of the IT outsourcing (ITO) process affects organizations in the form of higher than expected project costs, including greater vendor switching or reintegration costs, poor quality, and loss of profits. These effects indicate that some business leaders lack the strategies to effectively manage the ITO process. The purpose of this single-case study was to apply the transaction cost economics (TCE) theory to explore strategies 5 business professionals use to manage an ITO project in a financial services organization located in the Midwestern region of the United States. Participant selection was purposeful and was based on the integral role the participants play on the ITO project. Data collection occurred via face-to-face semistructured interviews with the participants and the review of company documents. Data were analyzed using inductive coding of phrases, word frequency searches, and theme interpretation. Three themes emerged: vendor governance and oversight, collaborative strategic partnership, and risk management strategies enabled effective management of ITO. Identifying and executing appropriate outsourcing strategies may contribute to social change by improving outsourcing infrastructure, which might support job creation; increasing standards of living, especially within emerging markets; and heightening awareness of different cultures, norms, and languages among people living in different regions around the world to establish commonalities and gain alignment with business practices.