Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of San Diego, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-132). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. / Bibliography: leaves 54-58.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--UCLA, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-157).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [321]-332).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-136).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Covenant Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-136).

Innovative physical training practices and concepts such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi, cardio kickboxing, cardio spinning, and step aerobics have emerged to provide college students with alternative fitness exercises. However, due to unavailable research, community college administrative and curriculum leaders may perceive nontraditional physical activity courses as unrelated to the values of physical education. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the perceptions of chairpersons/deans and faculty in physical education regarding nontraditional physical activity courses as compared to sport-related courses offered in community college physical education programs. Educational change theories of beliefs, values, and decision-making structures provided the conceptual framework for this study. Research questions focused on participants' perceptions toward health benefits, values, and contributions to students' learning experience of nontraditional physical activity courses. An 18-item survey was distributed via e-mail to 209 chairpersons/deans and 263 full-time faculty in community college physical education programs in the western region of the United States. An independent samples t test analysis revealed participants' perceptions differed regarding cardio kickboxing, cardio spinning, and step aerobics courses providing similar health benefits as compared to sport-related courses. Participants' perceptions also differed concerning yoga courses contributing to students' learning experience. Chi-square analysis showed participants' perceptions toward yoga, Pilates, cardio spinning, and step aerobics were dependent on their campus position in physical education. The findings in this study illustrate a positive social change community colleges can offer by teaching lifetime fitness activities that contribute to an active lifestyle and sustained wellness.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-18T14:01:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Alessandro França Quadrado_.pdf: 3200856 bytes, checksum: 88645e579b082603455328b23eb9e09f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-18T14:01:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alessandro França Quadrado_.pdf: 3200856 bytes, checksum: 88645e579b082603455328b23eb9e09f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-29 / Nenhuma / Esta pesquisa investigou fatores potencializadores da Gestão do Clima Escolar no ano final do Ensino Fundamental II (EFII) do Colégio Nossa Senhora Medianeira (CNSM), Curitiba/PR - Brasil. Identificaram-se condições para formação de/em uma comunidade de liderança que envolvesse diferentes sujeitos da instituição buscando viabilizar uma presença investigativa cíclica, sistêmica e cooperativa capaz de realizar, de modo autoconstitutivo, autoavaliativo e continuamente problematizador, a Gestão do Clima na referida Escola, mitigando sua inerente degenerescência (MORIN, 2011a). Empregou-se desenho metodológico de abordagem qualitativa, com objetivo exploratório-descritivo, adotando estrategicamente a pesquisa-ação, fundamentada em Thiollent (2011) e Coughlan e Coghlan (2002). Os dados foram tratados via análise textual discursiva (MORAES; GALIAZZI, 2006). Participantes do processo compuseram três subgrupos derivados de um grande grupo de sujeitos influentes no Clima Escolar do 9º ano do CNSM: 1) estudantes do 9º ano e do grêmio estudantil; 2) educadores; 3) equipe de coordenação. Para todos os subgrupos utilizou-se como critério a heterogeneidade dos envolvidos, provocando ambiente de cooperação, no qual a interdependência dos sujeitos gerasse comprometimento com o êxito coletivo e pessoal (JOHNSON; JOHNSON, HOLUBEC, 2007). Para os dois primeiros subgrupos, o processo de pesquisa-ação ocorreu por meio de Grupos de Reflexão, enquanto que para o terceiro adotou-se a função de monitoramento transversal e simultâneo à ação dos demais subgrupos. Os Grupos de Reflexão possuíam processo cíclico estruturado, proporcionando problematização do Clima Escolar no campo de pesquisa, elaboração de planejamento de ações, implementação do planejamento, (auto)avaliação do processo e proposição de um novo ciclo. A pesquisa corroborou a visão paradigmática da Gestão Educacional (LÜCK, 2015) em confluência com o pensamento complexo (MORIN, 2011a; 2011b; 2015), com a concepção de escola cooperativa (JOHNSON; JOHNSON, 1994; 1995; 1999; JOHNSON; JOHNSON, HOLUBEC, 2007), além do teorizado acerca da formação de liderança (KOMIVES et al., 2005; CABRAL; SEMINOTTI, 2009). A análise integrada de resultados, oriundos dos distintos movimentos da pesquisa-ação, apontou ausência de cultura de problematização sistemática do Clima Escolar no CNSM com tendência à sua secundarização. Também constatou necessidade de se considerar uma releitura de tempos e espaços de reflexão e de proposição de ação coletiva, como forma de proporcionar, institucionalmente, maior fluidez de ideias e adesão dos sujeitos à transformações que realmente desafiassem o status quo. Limitações da pesquisa incluíram dificuldades em se ampliar a discussão acerca do Clima e a capilaridade de participação para a totalidade da comunidade, em vista da multiplicidade de pautas institucionais para gestores e docentes, além de uma dinâmica curricular que exigiu do pesquisador busca por espaços intersticiais de modo a assegurar a execução da pesquisa-ação. Possibilidades de aprofundamento da pesquisa envolvem: a) investigação acerca da fidelização de estudantes e educadores da instituição via desenvolvimento de competências de liderança desses sujeitos; b) proposta de formação de/na liderança discente, proporcionadora de construção cooperativa de diretrizes de ações nos diferentes níveis escolares em espiralidade, com vistas à resultados de excelência humana e acadêmica no CNSM. / This research investigated potential factors of School Climate Management in the final year of Elementary School (EFII) of Colégio Nossa Senhora Medianeira (CNSM), Curitiba/PR - Brazil. Conditions were identified for the formation of/in a leadership community that involved different subjects of the institution seeking to make feasible a cyclical, systemic and cooperative investigative presence able to perform the School Climate Management in CNSM, in a self-constitutive, self-assessing and continuously problematizing way, mitigating its inherent degeneracy (MORIN, 2011a). A Methodological design was used involving a qualitative approach, with an exploratory-descriptive objective, adopting strategically the action research, based on Michel Thiollent (2011) and Coughlan and Coghlan (2002). The qualitative data generated were treated via discursive textual analysis (MORAES; GALIAZZI, 2006). Participants in the process composed three subgroups derived from a large group of influential subjects in the School Climate of the 9th grade of CNSM: 1) 9th grade students and the members of the student body of the institution; 2) educators; 3) coordination team. For all the subgroups, the heterogeneity of the participants was used as criterion, provoking an environment of cooperation, in which the subjects' interdependence generated a commitment to collective and personal success (JOHNSON, JOHNSON, HOLUBEC, 2007). For the first two subgroups, the action-research process occurred through Reflection Groups, and for the third, the monitoring function was transversal and simultaneous to the action of the other subgroups. The Reflection Groups had a cyclical structured process, which involved problematizing the School Climate in the field of research, planning of actions, implementation of planning, (self)evaluation of the process and proposition of a new cycle. The research corroborated a new paradigmatic vision of Educational Management (LÜCK, 2015) in conjunction with the complex thinking (MORIN, 2011a, 2011b; 2015), with the conception of cooperative school (JOHNSON, JOHNSON, 1994; 1995; 1999; 2007), besides theorizing about leadership formation (KOMIVES et al, 2005; CABRAL; SEMINOTTI, 2009). The integrated analysis of the results, derived from the different movements of the action research, pointed out the absence of a culture of systematic problematization of School Climate in CNSM with a tendency to secondary it. It also found a need to consider a re-reading of times and spaces for reflection and collective action, as a way to provide, institutionally, greater fluidity of ideas and adherence of subjects to transformations that really challenge the status quo. Limitations of the research included difficulties in broadening for the whole community the discussion about Climate and the capillarity of participation, due to the multiplicity of institutional guidelines for managers and teachers, as well as a curricular dynamics that demanded the researcher search for interstitial spaces to ensure the implementation of action research design. Possibilities for deepening the research involve: a) research on the loyalty of students and educators of the institution through the development of leadership skills of these subjects; b) proposal of formation of/in student leadership, making it possible a cooperative construction of directives of actions in the different school levels in a spiral manner, with a view to the results of human and academic excellence in CNSM.

Hispanic students are enrolling in community colleges at an increasing rate, and they do not succeed in community college online courses at a rate comparable to Caucasian students. Increasing Hispanic success in online education could potentially enhance their socioeconomic status. Drawing from the theoretical frameworks of andragogy and constructivism, the purpose of this case study was to examine differences between Hispanic and Caucasian students in online learning and identify factors that might contribute to the reported differences in success across Hispanic and Caucasian online students. Research questions contrasted the impact of course design, Internet access, learning preferences, and motivation on successful online learning across Hispanic and Caucasian students. A proportional stratified sample of 324 community college students completed a researcher-developed survey, and 20 participated in semistructured interviews. Data analyses sequentially addressed each research question by integrating tabular and frequency analyses of survey data with themes that emerged from interviews. Regarding course design, Hispanic students, more than Caucasians, preferred group work and visual design elements; whereas, both groups felt that a logical course design was a key factor in accessing information and that regular instructor contact was important. Internet-use comfort levels were similar and positively affected performance for both groups. Reported motivation to enroll in online courses was also similar across groups and included scheduling, convenience, and pace of learning. This study can contribute to social change by clarifying an understanding of specific online learning factors that are critical for academic success among Hispanic students, which can in turn provide a foundation for improved socioeconomic success and equity.

This descriptive case study explored the perceptions of former community college first year learning community participants on aspects of their learning community experience that affected their persistence in college using Astin's student involvement theory and Tinto's student persistence model as a conceptual framework. Learning communities have been shown to increase student persistence, but little is known about how they do so. A better understanding of how learning communities contribute to increased student persistence would improve learning community practice and gain administrative support for learning communities. This study used a mixed methods research design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected from interviews with former participants and analyzed by identifying emergent themes within the responses. Quantitative data were collected by querying the studied institution's data warehouse and analyzed to determine if they matched the predicted pattern of increased persistence and confirmed the interview data themes. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data: connecting with others, acquiring and applying knowledge and skills, and making the transition to college. The quantitative data revealed higher rates of persistence for learning community students than for a comparison group. These findings confirmed the predicted pattern of student involvement leading to persistence. Further research is needed to explore other factors that may explain how learning communities impact persistence, especially in community colleges. The study contributes to positive social change by providing support for learning communities to help students persist in achieving a college education, attain their goals, and become more productive members of society.