This study had three purposes: first, explore any common phenomenon of secondary mathematics teachers’ experience in secondary mathematics professional development (MPD); second, determine if there were positive changes in teacher attitudes after completing secondary MPD; and finally, if a positive change in teacher attitude was identified, describe the shared experiences in secondary MPD to in a way that cannot be revealed through ordinary observations. It was the intent of this study to identify positive changes in teacher attitudes not to measure their magnitude. This study implemented a mixed methods design using descriptive statistics and categorical analysis on data from pre- and post-surveys to search for any positive change in teacher attitudes and data analysis from in-depth interviews of participants of a MPD experience. The study had two research questions. The first research question was, “Can teachers with initially poor attitudes about MPD gain positive attitudes in one or more of the four areas of MPD through mandated participation in MPD?” The second was, “If a change in teacher attitude is identified, can phenomena associated with that change be categorized within one or more of the four areas of MPD?” Three instruments were used: electronic versions of the Local Systematic Change Through Teacher Enhancement Mathematics 6-12 Survey referred to as Survey 1 and a self-report survey referred to as Survey 2, as well as multiple in-depth interviews of select participants of a common MPD. Analysis of data from Survey 1 identified eight participants as possible candidates to participate in the interview process of which six were supported by data from Survey 2. Four of the six candidates accepted an invitation to participate in two in-depth interviews each. There was evidence that teachers with initially poor attitudes about MPD can gain positive attitudes in one or more of the four domains of MPD after participating in mandated MPD. However, the answer to the second research question remained unanswered because results from data analysis were inconclusive. Three recurring themes surfaced from the interviews: (a) the need for explicit learning targets, (b) need for professional treatment of participants, and (c) obstacles to the four domains of MPD.

The general concert towards environmental sustainability has grown over the last few years. Pressure on firms from lawmakers request conformity with new regulations to ensure environmentally sustainable business operations. This study researches the implementation process of environmental sustainability regulations and the influencing factors in the automotive industry with two exploratory case studies on firms in Germany and Croatia. This research reveals the influencing power firms’ have on the policymakers in their regulations design leading to information inequality among competitors. Also, firms’ different management involvement and structure of the implementation process does not indicate the firms’ sustainability strategy. Environmental sustainability strategy can lead to long term benefits, however requires short-term investments, whereas the industry and competition pressurizes the firms on costs, leading to firms facing a choice between short term competitiveness and environmental sustainability. In order to conform with regulations, firms implement change through modifications and adaptation of products through new technologies.

Time-based reform proposals are founded on the assumption that more time in school will produce great learning outcomes. Research shows that when schools adopt time-based reform initiatives, there are certain considerations that they should make and methods they should follow to ensure the change produces the outcomes intended. This was not the case in a local Archdiocese where a calendar extension was adopted by several elementary schools. This qualitative case study focused on the adoption of a calendar extension at one Catholic elementary school. The researcher gathered data from the pastor, principal, teachers, parents, and students to determine how these stakeholders envisioned the outcomes of this change, how they perceived the time was being used for curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular purposes, and the challenges and opportunities that they felt existed after three years of implementation. Data collected over a four-month period included classroom observations, stakeholder interviews, focus group meetings, and document analysis. An inductive analysis of the data collected was used to determine emergent themes and domains within the school. The seven themes that emerged include: decision making, planning and implementation, advantages, financial motivations, the culture of teaching, leadership, challenges and complications of the extended calendar. Recommendations include the need for school leaders to familiarize themselves with change management techniques including setting a shared vision, establishing a collaborative implementation plan, and developing a system of assessment prior to embarking on school reform.

This research project studies the management of change by school managers. South African school managers are operating in one of the most difficult environments in the world, one where many variables have an enormous influence on their main task, namely to achieve their organisation's goals and objectives. The new political dispensation in South Africa is characterized by a host of variables that can be classified under what is known as "transformation".The organization exists in a dynamic environment in which changing ways of life, as well as political trends are continually changing the environment and ultimately affecting it. Insight into trends and events in the environment, especially the ability to forecast the implications of these for managerial decision-making, are now a top priority for management, since past experience in the rapidly changing environments often of little help when the management has to deal with new problems.All organizations, including school organizations, are created and kept together by a group of people striving towards a common purpose or goal. All organizations have plans on how they will achieve the goals. These people are called managers, and they influence the success of their organizations. The success with which an organization achieves its objectives and satisfies the ever-increasing needs of society, depends on the competence of its managers.All organizations, including school organizations, are created and kept together by a group of people striving towards a common purpose or goal. All organizations have plans on how they will achieve the goals. These people are called managers, and they influence the success of their organizations. The success with which an organization achieves its objectives and satisfies the ever-increasing needs of society, depends on the competence of its managers.In developing goals, or planning the future of the organization, managers are confronted with decisions. In a decentralized organization members of the organization participate in decision making. Empowerment, which means the sharing of power with subordinates, has become a very important management issue.Change triggers emotional reaction because of the uncertainty involved, and most organisational change efforts run into some form of employee resistance. Resistance to change can be overcome by education and communication, participation and involvement, facilitation and support, negotiation and rewards, and coercion and manipulation.From the empirical research undertaken through the use of questionnaires, interviews and observation, it is apparent that managers are working hard to implement change and that all stakeholders need to be trained on issues related to change. This implies that managers have to be exemplary and motivate teachers, learners and the parent body to do their respective duties. Parents are no longer spectators in the education arena, they are part of the governance structures in schools. Their co-operation, support and participation is highly crucial in the implementation of change in schools.Several recommendations are made in respect of the Department of Education, managers, educators learners and parents in education. These recommendations will hopefully benefit all stakeholders in education and contribute in stimulating further research. / Thesis (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Abstract A STUDY OF A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE TO INCREASE CULTURAL COMPETENCY By Jennifer Crowe Coleman, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014 Major Director: Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Educational Leadership School of Education While there are broad, societal forces that contribute to achievement gaps, the professional development of teachers is one way educational leaders have sought to improve schools, improve teacher performance, and increase teacher knowledge and skills. Given the achievement and cultural gaps that exist between teachers and students, professional development that targets the development of teacher cultural competence in an effort to reach all students is necessary. The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of a cultural competency professional development program across 62 schools in a large, suburban school district in central Virginia, comparing and contrasting implementation activities and outcomes over the 2-year period of its implementation with the initial expectations for the professional development initiative. This quantitative, nonexperimental study was carried out in two phases. The purpose of Phase 1 was a content analysis of the professional development plans of each of the district’s schools. Phase 2 consisted of a multiple choice, electronic survey of those who were trainers of the cultural competency professional development initiative in order to examine the implementation of the cultural competency professional development program and the relationship between the intended goal and the actual outcomes of the initiative. The survey was also used to collect demographic data, such as race and years of experience in education, in order to determine what, if any, impact these factors may have had on the implementation of the professional development initiative. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to generalize the results to the population the sample represents. As this initiative was not designed to provide the training necessary to expect changes in classroom practice, this survey and its analysis focused on the trainers’ perspectives on the implementation of the professional development initiative. The results of this research were offered to frame a discussion around the fidelity of implementation; the factors that affected implementation; the relationship between the intended goals of the initiative and the actual outcomes of the initiative; and suggested next steps for the district as it moved toward a goal of a more culturally proficient workforce.

Student Number : 0317854T - MEd research report - School of Education - Faculty of Humanities / School effectiveness and school improvement research is a worldwide phenomenon that has inspired a great deal of literature. This report examines teachers’ perceptions of a teacher-led curriculum development initiative currently effective in independent schools in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, and it describes strategies for implementation for interested schools. It is a programme that focuses school improvement back into the classroom, with teachers leading the changes at their site of practice. The Gauteng Independent Schools Curriculum Development Initiative (GISCDI) is a teacher-led initiative. Qualitative research generates an understanding of how the mechanisms of this initiative impact on the lives of teachers and students. It provides detailed explanations of teachers’ perceptions of change in actual classroom practices, pedagogy and curriculum implementation by entering into conversations with selected participants. It considers the changes in light of reflective practice, after involvement in the GISCDI. The report accesses the different methodologies the teachers implemented in their classrooms, after the teacher-led interventions were presented to them. It also considers the concepts of teacher leadership, trust, distributed leadership and collegiality as being the core elements to initiating, implementing and sustaining change in practice, to benefit student learning and improving schools.