abstract: In a contemporary socioeconomic context that pushes universities toward a more neoliberal agenda, some are answering a call to reinvest in the public purpose of higher education. Their strategies increasingly integrate teaching, research, and service through university-community partnerships. Within this movement, several initiatives aim to support a qualitative transformational shift toward a more egalitarian paradigm of collaboration. However, the literature and knowledge-building around these aims is largely insular to higher education and may be insufficient for the task. Thus, this study situates these aspirations in the community development literature and theories of power to better conceptualize and operationalize what is meant by reciprocal, mutually-beneficial approaches to university-community partnerships. First, a theoretically grounded analytical framework was developed using both higher education and community development literatures to build two ideal-typical approaches to community practice characterized by power-over versus power-with. Within power-over, the institution exclusively holds authority, control, and legitimacy. Power-with is built through partnerships that share these elements with communities. Second, the resulting theoretical framework was developed further through a multi-stage deductive-inductive content analysis of written data readily available from university websites about their community partnerships. This process operationalized the framework by identifying and clarifying specific indicators within the power-over and power-with ideal-types. The analytical framework was then compared to the aspirational community empowerment goals found in materials about the Carnegie elective classification for Community Engagement and materials from both the Anchor Initiatives Task Force and Anchor Initiatives Dashboard Learning Cohort. This comparative analysis found that while these initiatives aspire to transform power dynamics between universities and communities, they are vague on the meaning of these practices and their antitheses. This gap in clarity hinders these initiatives from distinguishing transformative work from the status quo, potentially inadvertently allowing the perpetuation of power-over dynamics in university-community partnerships. The more robust analytical framework developed herein will enable these initiatives to better assess the quality of university-community partnerships against the aspirations of equity, social justice, democratic practice, mutual respect, shared authority, and co-creation. Such assessment will enable more effective knowledge-building toward transformational practice. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Community Resources and Development 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine specific parenting practices in four East Tennessee counties to determine their relationships, if any, to student achievement among various demographic groups. The investigation included status variables, such as parents' educational level, annual income level, and family structure. Students' Normal Curve Equivalent scores on the Terra Nova Standardized Test were used to measure student achievement. The Epstein (1987) typologies were used to classify parent involvement modalities. The analysis consisted of four research questions and were tested at the .05 level of significance. Pearson's product-moment, Spearman's rho, and Kendall's Tau B correlation coefficients were used to analyze the degree of relationship between Epstein's six typologies and student achievement. A t-test was used to describe the relationship between student achievement and the number of parents in the home. One-way Analyses of Variance were used to describe the relationships between student achievement and parents' educational and income levels. Kruskal Wallis tests were used to analyze differences in parental involvement by the number of parents in the home, parental income, and education levels. A Hierarchical Regression Analysis was also used to determine the extent to which parents' income, educational levels, and family structure assist in predicting student achievement. The sample consisted of 413 students in grade 4 in four counties in East Tennessee. Two schools were selected from each county as a representative sample of the population. The results of this study indicate significant relationships between student achievement and the parental involvement typologies of volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community. The relationships between student achievement and parental involvement in conjunction with parents' educational and income levels were also significant. Both parental involvement typologies and family demographics emphasize goals which are achieved most effectively when families and schools work together.

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In recent years, the number of linguistically diverse students (LDS) in the U.S. public school system has significantly increased (Araujo, 2009). Public school enrollment is projected to grow to 54 million in the year 2018 (Planty et al., 2009). Currently, one in every four students in the public school system is a LDS (NCELA, 2007). Evidence points to a wide gap between native English speakers and LDS on achievement tests (Albus, Thurlow, & Liu, 2002). Research on school counselor involvement in school, family, and community (SFC) partnerships is insufficient; few studies have examined school counselor involvement in SFC partnerships with linguistically diverse families (LDF). Using unexamined variables, this study extends the findings of Bryan and Griffin (2010) and Aydin, Bryan, and Duys (2011) by examining how school and school counselor-related variables impact involvement in SFC partnerships with LDF. Variables include bilingual status, caseload, percentage of LDS, free and reduced price lunch (FRPL) status, and specific instruction received in SFC partnerships working with LDF. This national study surveyed 916 school counselors using quantitative research designs as measured by The School Counselor Involvement in Partnerships Survey (SCIPS) instrument. Using linear regression models, t-tests, ANOVAs, correlations, and a multiple regression model, this study examines the complex interplay of school and school counselor-related factors that influence involvement. Whenever school counselors used translators, they were more involved in SFC partnerships with LDF. While general partnership-related training affected involvement, specialized training in SFC partnerships with LDF predicts stronger involvement, accentuating the importance of integrating specialized curricular training. School and school counselor-related factors were associated with involvement in SFC partnerships with LDF; the relationship varied by the type of involvement (i.e., school-family partnerships, school-community collaboration, and inter-professional collaboration). Contrary to Bryan and Griffin's (2010) study, inter-professional collaboration was related to a number of school counselor-related factors. School counselors reported inadequate training, when working with LDF, yet they understood the importance of involvement on an inter-professional level to meet the wide-ranging needs of LDF. Race and ethnicity was related to involvement in SFC partnerships. School counselors who were non-White had statistically significant higher involvement scores. Knowing that race and ethnicity, and bilingual status were negatively correlated, White school counselors may experience limitations to building SFC partnerships. There was a significant correlation between percentage of LDS served and FRPL status, caseload, bilingual status, and race and ethnicity. Whenever school counselors had higher percentages of LDS, they inclined to have a higher number of students as part of their caseload, speak another language, come from diverse backgrounds and have higher number of students on FRPL status. These issues illuminate the complex interplay of challenges facing LDS, such as limited resources, limited number of bilingual school staff and a need for bilingual education. This study highlights the multitude of factors that determine the degree of school counselor involvement by examining caseloads, specific training on LDS and LDF, the use of translators, and bilingual ability.

Despite Russia's foreign agent law and a plethora of literature on the deterioration of Russia's civil society, there is a scarcity of research about the breakthroughs and transformation of Russian-and-American (RA) nongovernmental organization (NGO) partnerships. Accordingly, the research goal of this qualitative case study was to explore the tenets of servant leadership theory exhibited by foreign aid organizations for the restoration of RA NGO partnerships. The research questions addressed the influence and dominance of servant leadership tenets within United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its collaborating agencies. A content analysis was conducted using online publicly available data such as annual reports from foreign aid organizations, newspaper articles, fact sheets, recorded interviews, and blogs. Data were deductively coded around the servant leadership attributes: (a) listening, (b) healing, (c) awareness, (d) empathy, (e) foresight, (f) conceptualization, (g) stewardship, (h) persuasion, (i) commitment to the growth of people, and (j) building community. Content analysis findings revealed that some servant leadership tenets (e.g., building community, commitment to the growth of people) were more dominant than others among USAID and its collaborating agencies; however, there was insufficient evidence to conclude that servant leadership had a dominant effect on the restoration of RA NGO partnerships. The implications for positive social change include recommendations involving governmental agencies, NGOs, and nonpartisan groups with understanding and adopting the principles of servant leadership for the restoration of RA NGO partnerships to assist Russian civil society with embedding principles of democratic governance.

<p>The national curriculum and the School Act emphasize the importance of establishing partnerships between schools and local businesses. The formation of partnerships was expected to be facilitated by the decentralization reforms that took place in the beginning of the 1990’s. These reforms gave schools and municipalities greater scope for adjusting education to meet local circumstances. However, central government has not made financial resources available for stimulating the establishment of school-business partnerships, nor does it penalize municipalities that do not set up such partnerships.</p><p>The questions in focus in this study are: why do partnerships arise, how are they organised and what factors are important in achieving a partnership which can function in practice? Urban regime theory is applied to explain why collaborations occur and policy network theory is used to analyse how they are organised. A further aim of the study is to examine whether the partnerships can be defined as urban regimes.</p><p>The study was based on case studies of four upper secondary schools in Sweden, each in a different municipality. These municipalities are all industrialized, but the structure of their industrial base varies. Two are dominated by one or a few major companies whereas the others are characterized by the predominance of many small businesses. The study focuses on how three vocational study programmes – industry, electricity and building - collaborate with local businesses.</p><p>The study shows that the main explanation of why a partnership arises is that both partners believe that they can gain something by collaborating. For schools, the main reason for establishing a partnership with business is a belief that this will make the vocational education programmes more attractive for pupils. Through partnerships, schools can get access not only to practical experience for their pupils, but also help from business with developing the content of courses and some financial contributions. However, the economic benefits are of limited importance compared with the perceived gains in terms of the development of the educational content of the courses. This goes against results from studies in other countries.</p><p>For business, it is particularly important to be able to influence decisions about the content of local education. By doing so, they hope to ensure that the pupils, after having completed their education, will enter the local labour market with more relevant qualifications.</p><p>My research shows that several requirements have to be present for a successful partnership to be established. First, there must be a commitment and firm intentions from both partners. Second, size of the businesses involved in the partnerships is important for how they are organized. Larger businesses tend to see the partnership from a more long term perspective. However, it is also possible to organize collaborations with smaller businesses if they can be united under a common organisation. Third, specific actors make a difference in the partnerships. Devoted and interested key actors who are closely associated with the partnership are very important for the continuity of the partnership</p><p>The study suggests that urban regime theory and policy network theory are useful for understanding why and how partnerships between schools and businesses are established and retained. However, it can not be concluded that these collaborations in themselves are urban regimes at a more local level. This would require that their focus was much more long-term.</p>

The purpose of this study was to explore the connections between Sport for Development and Peace (SDP), service-learning, and community-university partnerships through the implementation of the Service-Learning: Sport and Community Development (SCD) class. It was my hope that this research would produce a usable model, a framework for other scholars and practitioners interested in developing community-university partnerships. I wanted this project to not only answer the “why” questions for SDP and service-learning, but also the “how” questions – specifically, how to create a reflexive and collaborative partnership that balances the needs of the community and university. I wanted to create something riveting and real, something inspiring and authentic, and something more inclusive than a first-person programmer or instructor account of the experience (Darnell, 2007; Eyler & Giles, 1999; Millington, 2010; Stoecker & Tryon, 2009). Much like the goals of the class, this research was designed to stimulate and encourage others to move toward a more critical and engaged community agenda. To do that, I needed to create a research text that readers could “keep in their minds and feel in their bodies the complexities of concrete moments of lived experience” (Ellis, 2004, p. 30). For that reason, I chose narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) as the primary method of representation, coupled with performance narratives (Denzin, 2003) and poetics (Glesne, 2006; Ely, 2007). Based on the data collected from 49 qualitative interviews, 500 pages worth of reflective journals, and 200 pages of electronically recorded field notes, I created a visual community-university partnership model that illustrates the connections between SDP and service-learning as implemented in the SCD class. In addition to the visual model, I constructed narratives to detail the progression of the SCD experience over time, beginning with the common language of sport and ending in complete investment and reciprocity. As a result of this research, it has become clear that if implemented with intentionality, careful consideration, community collaboration, and reflexivity, that sport-based service-learning initiatives can enhance student learning, improve community welfare, and strengthen ties between the community and the university.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the Applied Learning Academy (ALA) and allow the lessons learned from this public school to emerge from the narrative stories of past students, parents, teachers, administrators, and local business associates who have been directly involved and influenced by the applied learning teaching method. Accountability is critical for all public and charter schools. Districts have been trying to raise the standards with new programs and strategies in an effort to make learning experiences relevant to students? daily lives. Revisiting John Dewey?s philosophy from the progressive movement, project-based, service learning, community partnerships, and portfolio assessment helped to create the applied learning method. In the present study, a qualitative case study approach was utilized to identify successful factors, benefits, and drawbacks of applied learning in order to describe the transition of portfolio assessment, project-based learning, and community-based partnerships within the classroom and to understand the impact and misconceptions of applied learning as experienced through the Recognized Campus, ALA, a 6-8th public middle school within a large urban school district. Participant interviews, field observations, and historical records were collected which indicated that student centered project-based curriculum, small school size creating family relationships, community involvement with partnerships, service learning projects, and metacognitive development from portfolio assessments were the major factors that supported academic rigor and relevance because of the real educational applications in this applied learning middle school. Briefly defined, applied learning is when a problem is seen within the surrounding community, and the solution is generated by the students. This progressive 15-year impact of applied learning ultimately leads to the development of four applied learning schools despite the misconception that applied learning was a remedial or gifted program. Redefining applied learning for a better understanding developed a reconceptualized diagram borrowed from the quantum mechanics model. Reconceptualization expands the interpretation by increasing the intellectual flexibility. As the student becomes energized from the acquired knowledge of learning applicable skills through service learning, project-based curriculum, and portfolio assessment, the student?s academic growth should increase to a higher, educational ?energy level? supported by the critical, situated-learning, and feminist theories.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AS A POLICY INSTRUMENT: THE CASE OF &Ccedil / ALBiR This dissertation assesses the nature and features of public-private partnerships in the case of &Ccedil / ALB&amp / #272 / R. In this study, the public policy literature (especially policy transfer, policy formation and implementation, and network approach) has been used to explain the policy process for the adoption of such a policy instrument. The findings of this study can be summarized as: Firstly, this study indicates that the selection of policy instrument- public private partnership- in the case of &Ccedil / ALB&amp / #272 / R was not neutral as the proponents of managerialism assert but it was ideological. Secondly, there occurred a democratic legitimacy problem for the establishment of public-private partnerships in &Ccedil / ALB&amp / #272 / R case when citizens in the elections elected a mayor who was against privatization. Thirdly, after the establishment of public-private partnership the steering performed by &Ccedil / ALBiR is not traditional command and control mechanism but instead it is managerial collaboration and persuasion mechanism. In addition, local government&rsquo / s working in accordance with managerial principles has brought about the elimination of public values. Lastly, this study shows that public-private partnership is not efficient enough due to compensation fee paid in early years, high operating expenses, and blurring of boundaries between public and private sector. Therefore, the main argument of this dissertation is that public-private partnerships as policy tools should be assessed case by case since so called characteristics of public-private partnerships such as efficiency, and equity may not exist as in case of &Ccedil / ALBiR.

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 90 pages. / Thesis (M.M.)--University of South Florida, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to review a significant body of literature that related to music and arts education in the context of community engagement. An examination of the literature identified several issues affecting the engagement of communities in arts education pertaining to arts education policies, the role of arts organizations and the relationship between schools and communities. The summation of this research included an overview of models of successful collaborations between the public school and community institutions at national, state, and local levels in the United States with implications of future reform to the arts education policy. / ABSTRACT: With such a vast array of program offerings initiated through the collaborative partnering of schools with communities and local arts agencies, valuable insights can be gained from concerted research efforts in the field of music education as to the unique opportunities afforded through purposeful community engagement. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.