There has been a significant number of disputes being declared after every selection process each year since 1998 when School Governing Bodies were given the responsibility of selecting management staff at schools (Thurlow 2003). Also, anecdotal evidence is that there is suspicion amongst educators that unfairness and favoritism in the selection of management staff is rife. Hence, the researcher sought to develop better understanding of how the selection policy is perceived to be problematic in its implementation. With this in mind the researcher examined the perception of stakeholders, namely educators and School Governing Bodies, on the selection of management staff at public schools in a suburb in the Pinetown District. The research involved all eight schools in the Suburb which comprised two secondary schools and six primary schools. All the teachers and management staff and chairpersons of the Selection Committees of the School Governing Bodies in these schools were targeted for the study. The research instruments used for this study were questionnaires that were administered on educators and interviews conducted with the chairpersons of the Selection Committees of the Schools' Governing Bodies. The findings revealed that both the educators and School Governing Bodies were disillusioned with the current selection process. While the chairpersons of the Selection Committees expressed their dissatisfaction at the training proffered by the Department of Education, the educators indicated frustration at not being promoted and perceived the selection to be unfair and based on favoritism and nepotism. Educators also felt very ABSTRACT There has been a significant number of disputes being declared after every selection process each year since 1998 when School Governing Bodies were given the responsibility of selecting management staff at schools (Thurlow 2003). Also, anecdotal evidence is that there is suspicion amongst educators that unfairness and favoritism in the selection of management staff is rife. Hence, the researcher sought to develop better understanding of how the selection policy is perceived to be problematic in its implementation. With this in mind the researcher examined the perception of stakeholders, namely educators and School Governing Bodies, on the selection of management staff at public schools in a suburb in the Pinetown District. The research involved all eight schools in the Suburb which comprised two secondary schools and six primary schools. All the teachers and management staff and chairpersons of the Selection Committees of the School Governing Bodies in these schools were targeted for the study. The research instruments used for this study were questiormaires that were administered on educators and interviews conducted with the chairpersons of the Selection Committees of the Schools' Governing Bodies. The findings revealed that both the educators and School Governing Bodies were disillusioned with the current selection process. While the chairpersons of the Selection Committees expressed their dissatisfaction at the training proffered by the Department of Education, the educators indicated frustration at not being promoted and perceived the selection to be unfair and based on favoritism and nepotism. Educators also felt very strongly that the Selection Committees were not following procedures as legislated. The findings also revealed that both sets of stakeholders felt that the Department of Education _ should take sole responsibility for selecting management staff for schools if the perceived shortcomings are to be overcome. Recommendations emanating from the above include shifting the responsibility for the selection ofmanagement staff from that of School Governing Bodies to the Department ofEducation, co-opting department officials into the Selection Committees for their knowledge and expertise, enhancing training and capacity building programs for Selection Committees and the provisioning of counseling for unsuccessful applicants. 11 strongly that the Selection Committees were not following procedures as legislated. The findings also revealed that both sets of stakeholders felt that the Department of Education .. should take sole responsibility for selecting management staff for schools if the perceived shortcomings are to be overcome. Recommendations emanating from the above include shifting the responsibility for the selection of management staff from that of School Governing Bodies to the Department of Education, co-opting department officials into the Selection Committees for their knowledge and expertise, enhancing training and capacity building programs for Selection Committees and the provisioning of counseling for unsuccessful applicants. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

The purpose of the study was to develop an effective method of facilitating intercultural communication and understanding for school personnel (administrators, counselors, teachers) and to design a training tool which would assist in this task.Based on the body of literature in theory, research, and training of intercultural communication, the study synthesized the findings to determine the most effective methodology to accomplish this purpose.The following research questions were studied:1. What are the barriers to effective intercultural communication?2. What is the most effective intercultural training model (in terms of learner achievement of competencies)?3. How does one become an independent, effective intercultural communicator (what are the competencies, attributes, specific knowledge, and behaviors)?4.How does one evaluate one's competency and effectiveness in intercultural communication?1. Barriers to effective intercultural communicationwere identified as: language and non-verbal communication problems, preconceived ideas and stereotypes, ethnocentrism, differences in learning and approach to problem solving, differences in values and beliefs, lack of knowledge about oneself and others, perceptual distortions, role prescriptions, differences in individuals, past experiences, and technology.2. Several intercultural training models were analyzed: intellectual, area training, self-awareness, cultural awareness, multidimensional, developmental experiential, intercultural sensitizer, culture-general assimilator, and independent effectiveness. The author developed the SSSSS (SixStep Sequential Self-Structured) Model which integrated intellectual and experiential learning.A training tool was also developed, a videotape, which presented incidents of intercultural interaction. The video, entitled Creating Empathy Through Film, is to be used in conjunction with the SSSSS Model as a means of training school personnel in effective intercultural communication.3.Competencies of independent, effective interculturalcommunicators were identified as: understanding one's own cultural background and the backgrounds of those who areculturally different, openness, tolerance of differences, empathy, flexibility, global awareness, ability to cope in stressful situations, and the capability to function effectively in multicultural environments.4. The self-evaluation method developed for trainees uses three concentric circles within which gummed tabs are placed. This evaluative method will enable trainees to measure their own effectiveness in intercultural communication in terms of attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

The purpose of this study was to obtain in-depth opinions of the Negro administrators in the public schools of Indiana concerning school integration, school decentralization, curriculum as it relates to the civil rights movement, and Black Power. The data obtained provided a basis for the development of recommendations for implementation in the public schools of Indiana as well as for future research.Lee l identified only eleven school corporations in Indiana which employed Negro administrators. The 156 Negro administrators employed by the eleven school corporations in 1969-1970 were asked to participate in the study.The research was planned to investigate seven questions. The major source of data was the "Administrator's Survey Instrument" developed by the writer in questionnaire form. The survey instrument was subjected to examination for content validity and mailed to 156 Negro administrators. One hundred fourteen returned the instrument, a return of seventy-three per cent. A second source of data was personal interviews with twenty Negro administrators randomly selected.Responses to the survey instrument were presented in number and percentages and placed in tables. Data gathered from interviews were reported in summary form as they related to items in the survey instrument. Selected verbatim remarks were also presented. A chi square test of significance was used to determine if there was a significant difference of opinion among the administrative categories of (1) Central Office Administrator; (2) Secondary School Administrator; and (3) Elementary School Administrator.The following were the major conclusions:1. Negro administrators in Indiana were employed predominantly in school corporations with student enrollments of at least 30,000.2. Negro administrators in Indiana were predominantly elementary school principals or assistant principals, or were assigned to central office positions.3. Negro building principals and assistant principals in Indiana were assigned to schools which had predominantly Negro enrollments.4. Most Negro administrators in Indiana had been appointed to present positions since the beginning of the Civil Rights movement.5. The opportunity for Negro administrators in Indiana to affect changes in school policy had increased greatly in the last five years.6. Negro administrators in Indiana supported the adoption and enforcement of open housing laws.7. Negro administrators in Indiana expressed confidence in the possibility of integrating the public schools in the near future even though a majority of the administrators perceived white teachers and population as not favoring integration in the public schools.8. Negro administrators in Indiana supported the development of schools with quality facilities, equipment, and teachers along with efforts to integrate the schools and community.9. Negro administrators in Indiana were of the opinion the contribution made by Negroes to this nation was not adequately presented in the classroom and they supported the study of Negro history and culture by all students in the public schools.10. Some Negro administrators in Indiana were of the opinion mandates for integration of teaching staffs had resulted in many outstanding Negro teachers being transferred to predominantly white schools but not many outstanding white teachers being transferred to predominantly Negro schools.11. Negro administrators in Indiana were of the opinion human relations programs should be developed for students and teachers. Some felt there is a need for communitywide human relations programs to alleviate some of the barriers to integrating the schools and community.12. Opinions of Negro administrators in Indiana concerning school integration, school decentralization, curriculum as it relates to the civil rights movement, and Black Power as it relates to education, generally did not differ significantly among central office, secondary school, and elementary school administrators.'Guy M. Lee, Jr., "A Profile of Negro Administrators in Public School Corporations in Indiana" (unpublished Ed.D. dissertation, Ball State University, 1969).

The purpose of the study was to develop a pilot simulation package for use by secondary school administrators. Included in the package were video tapes of critical incidents about beginning secondary teachers, background information about the setting for the incidents, problem solving forms, and the reaction of a panel of experts to the critical incidents. The procedures used in the study included the following: conducting a survey in search of critical incidents, selecting nine critical incidents to be video taped, writing scripts, video taping the nine critical incidents, selecting a panel of experts to provide model responses to. each of the critical incidents, testing the simulation package of materials in a secondary school administration class at Ball State Unim versity, evaluating the use of the simulation package, presenting and analyzing the data collected, presenting the findings and conclusions, and presenting the supplementary simulation materials used in the study. The data collected in the study were analyzed in the following categories: the reality of the role of the principal, the perception of the problem of new teacher orientation, the effect of the simulation on the participants' preparation to help new teachers, the transfer of learning to the real environment, the motivational value of the complete simulation experience, the general impression regarding this simulation experience, the degree of help provided by various experiences during simulation, the motivational value of the video tapes, the priority of new teacher orientation, the interest and value of the video taped incidents, the value of simulation as a teaching technique, time for consideration of the incidents, the degree of adequacy of the background information, the degree of adequacy of the introductory information, suggestions for improvement, and additional suggestions for the use of the simulation package. The conclusions of the study were as follows: 1. Participant perception of the overall problem of new teacher orientation was enhanced through participation in the simulation experience. 2. The group interaction experiences were considered the most valuable experiences during simulation. 3. Concern for new teacher orientation and supervision may be increased through the use of simulation. 4. New teacher orientation was considered a high priority item in the preparation of educational administrators. 5. The video taped incidents that ranked the highest in interest to the participants presented relatively difficult problems to solve, and the incidents that ranked the lowest in interest to the participants presented problems that were elementary. 6. The educational administrators supported the use of simulation as an instructional method, and they requested more information about the role of the principal and the teachers involved. 7. Video tapes, which were inexpensively developed and tested, were considered a worthwhile part of the simulation by the participants. The recommendations for further study were as follows: 1. This simulation package should be used with other administrators in workshops or in other learning situations in order to validate or reject the findings of this study. 2. This study should be followed up to determine whether or not there has been any transfer in learning to actual administrative performance on-the-job. 3. The possibility of adapting the simulation materials or approach of this study for use with college students prior to and during their student teaching experience should be considered.

The Major Problem of the StudyThe major problem of the study was to determine the effects of the cooperative curriculum assessment project of the Northwest Indiana Public School Study Council as perceived by school administrators who actively participated in this project.Methods and Procedures of the StudyMethods and procedures used to determine the effects of the cooperative curriculum assessment project included the selection of school corporations and the population to be sampled, the preparation and refinement of the survey instrument as a data-collecting device, and the preparation and refinement of the structured interview guide as a data collecting device.ConclusionsConclusions were based on the findings of the study, on the literature and research reviewed as part of the study, and on the writer's experiences in conducting the study.1. A cooperative curriculum assessment has potential for the improvement of communications among the staff members, faculty members, administrative personnel, and students.2. Curriculum evaluation has potential value as a means of in-service training of school personnel for curriculum change and improvement.3. The process of curriculum assessment has potential for involvement of students and parents in curriculum development and change.4. The use of school personnel as participants in curriculum evaluation provides potential value as a means to create positive attitudes toward self-evaluation.5. The positive attitudes of participants in curriculum evaluation indicate the sincere interest of professional educators for the improvement of education for young people.6. Group training of school personnel to act as data collectors has potential as an effective method to initiate a curriculum evaluation project.7. With a limited amount of preparation, public school personnel can become effective in assessing curriculum. More thorough preparation may increase their efficiency in curriculum evaluation.8. University personnel working in cooperation with public school personnel have potential as an effective team in cooperative curriculum assessment.9. The use of teachers as data collectors allows them to acquire new ideas for their own use and also provides them with the opportunity to view objectively the problems in other educational situations.Recommendations for Further StudyRecommendations for further study were based on the findings of the study, on the literature and research reviewed as part of the study, and on the writer's experiences in conducting the study.1. All participants, rather than just the administrators, should be surveyed in regard to the impact of the project in order to obtain the perceptions of all personnel involved in the project.2. Follow-up studies should be conducted involving teachers, students, administrators, and the public concerning the results reported in the final report.3. Studies should be initiated to explore possible means of involving teachers, supervisors, and administrators with university faculty members and other resource persons for planning future curriculum assessments.4. In future curriculum assessments, efforts should be made to encourage all superintendents to include principals, supervisors, and other administrators in the project from the beginning. 5. In future curriculum assessments, efforts should be made to provide a continuous feedback system so that the project staff can study the communications of the liaison persons.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Washington State University, December 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Apr. 13, 2009). "Department of Education." Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-123).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Suzanne Martin. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-116).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / 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 June 19, 2009) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Additional advisors: Martha Barber, Margaret Rice, William Boyd Rogan, Foster Watkins. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 8, 2008; title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 136-143).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: George Z.F. Bereday. Dissertation Committee: Sloan R. Wayland. Bibliography: leaves 157-162.