The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to explore what the cyber directors believed the present state of cyber schools in Pennsylvania to be and what were their views of cyber schools for the future. Through this investigation, the researcher analyzed the impact of the developments that are currently taking place in the cyber schools and across the state of Pennsylvania. The researcher interviewed nine of the eleven cyber charter school C.E.O.'s in regard to their cyber school and what the future holds for all cyber charter schools across the state. Some of the major findings in the study appeared as three distinct themes. The C.E.O.'s use internal and external sources for professional development on a wide variety of topics, which differed from school to school. That there are statewide changes occurring that could affect cyber charter schools and the money that they receive per student. House Bill 446, if passed, would put a limit on the amount of money cyber charter schools receive for regular and special education students. Lastly, the C.E.O.'s foresee changes in traditional brick and mortar schools so that they can compete with cyber charter schools. Some of these changes could be an increase in the amount of technology used in brick and mortar schools or others such as the offering of online courses.

Teenage mothers are at a greater risk to drop out of school than their non-parenting classmates. The many and varied reasons for leaving school early are well documented. To examine why some at-risk students remain in school through graduation, this study will utilize three primary and accepted reasons why students drop out: school, personal and economic. Through qualitative analysis this study will examine why some high-risk teen mothers, faced with the challenges and opportunities of school, personal and economic services, manage to graduate from high school. The study design consists of five interviews with females who were pregnant or parenting as high school students. The narratives provide an insight into the challenges the young women encountered during pregnancy and childrearing at home and in school. The narratives also work as a framework for exploring the school, personal and economic factors that most influenced their ability to remain in school through graduation. Through a detailed qualitative analysis of the data, a quantitative matrix was designed to evaluate and score the impact level of school, personal and economic support. School-related support and personal support were found to be of near or equal importance to teen mothers actively working toward high school graduation. Economic support appeared least important of the three categories. The study also found that greater support from one category (i.e. school), could compensate for deficiencies in a separate category (i.e. personal). Furthermore, the study found across the board that success in terms of a teen mother graduating from high school hinged to some degree on a personal transformation within the teen mother, often spurred by dynamic leaders within the school or outside agencies that have regular contact with the teen mother. Further revealed was the significance of familial acceptance and support. The study makes apparent the need for further research of the dynamics of family in regard to nurturing success for a teen mother.

This study determined the recidivism rates associated with six educational sanctions assigned after undergraduate students were found responsible for a violation of a residence hall alcohol policy at a large urban research institution. The educational sanctions selected for the study included: Personal Education, Assistance, and Referral program or PEAR (a series of four group sessions including components of alcohol education and motivational intervention); PEAR II (a series of follow-up motivational interviews for repeat violators); Community Service; Reflection Paper; MyStudentBody.com (an online alcohol education course); and Counseling Center Referral. The study also assessed student perceptions of their assigned sanction(s) with respect to the degree of new information learned and impact on future behavior related to alcohol. An educational approach to judicial affairs in higher education, set forth by the Association for Student Judicial Affairs, provided the framework for the study. From a research sample of 483 student alcohol policy violators, an analysis of student judicial data was performed to determine the overall recidivism rate and individual sanction rates for the 2006-2007 academic year. Students with policy violations during the spring 2007 semester were invited to participate in the researcher-designed Educational Sanction Survey to measure perceptions of new information learned and predicted impact on future behavior. A response rate of 58% (n=112) was achieved for the survey. Analysis of recidivism data revealed an overall repeat violation rate of 5.5% over the course of the 2006-2007 academic year, with the Counseling Referral sanction displaying the highest repeat violation rate at 16.7% and PEAR II displaying the lowest at 0%. Chi Square analyses showed that students assigned to complete PEAR and the Counseling Referral reported the highest degrees of new information learned, while the Reflection Paper students indicated the greatest perceived impact on their future behavior. The results supported the continued use of PEAR, the Reflection Paper, and Community Service for first-time violators, and suggested that additional research should be conducted to determine the effectiveness of MyStudentBody.com. The results of this study indicate that the majority of sanctions studied at this institution have an educational impact on the students assigned to complete them.

Educational institutions involved in a school reform effort have been required by NCLB to incorporate certain programs into their structure to transform a stagnant culture to one of collaboration and academic achievement. One of the many areas of importance in this process is an increased emphasis on continuing professional development for staff. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher acceptance of a collegial coaching model as a means to influence an educators instructional practices and impact student achievement at a middle school. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through mixed methodology encompassing personal interviews and survey completion. Study design uncovered similarities and differences in perspectives through the responses given by teacher and administrator participants. The goal of the researcher was to compile data to formulate an answer to the major research question: How has professional development delivered by colleagues provided a basis for change and influenced teaching practices of staff members at Steel Town Middle School. Three subsequent questions related to the major research question: 1) What role does professional development play in relation to accountability and school improvement? 2) How has collegial coaching enhanced teaching practices and instructional delivery? 3) How has collegial coaching influenced a move from isolationism to collaboration and the establishment of professional learning communities? Responses speak to the vision of the school, accountability, and the influence a coaching model has had on sharing, communication, and collaboration within the building. The findings indicate that teachers believe a coaching model is a viable means to provide professional development to staff; however, certain criteria have restricted the initiative from having the influence desired for a change in teaching practices and the establishment of professional learning communities. The administrators saw the coaching model as successful, a contrast to many of the teacher responses. Disadvantages and advantages to a coaching model are noted by both groups. The results of this study revealed that instituting a coaching model in an educational setting requires some forethought and planning and it essential that key elements, and personnel, are in place for the initiative to reap the desired benefits.

This qualitative study examines the broad acculturation experience of Sudanese refugees and how they perceive that formal, non-formal, and informal education experiences provide pathways for the social, political, and economic influences of their adjustment experience in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It contributes to the literature beyond findings of many refugee studies in the specific examination of Sudanese refugees in a non-gateway metropolitan area, with a focus other than economic or occupational adjustment. The resettlement agency's principal focus has been assisting the refugees at their point of landing through an initial period toward the objective of self-sufficiency in the economic environment of the United States in compliance with the United States Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) stated Resettlement Program guidelines. The success of that resettlement policy is dependent on so many factors beyond the control of the resettlement agencies charged with compliance with the program objectives. Part of the challenge with this study is that there is limited involvement with the refugees after they have met the initial requirements for the fast track to employment, which satisfies the United States Resettlement Program. As is evidenced in this study the refugees' forced migration experiences and pre-migration education experiences are significant factors in their adjustment experience. Another factor highlighted by this study for policy consideration is whether the refugee has some English speaking skills and ability as is supported by past research. The study participants in all cases are literate in the language of their homeland and in almost all cases have some English speaking language skills. Notwithstanding the remarkable resilience of the refugees and the persistence of the resettlement agency staff members and their resettlement program affiliates to reach federal government objectives, this study's findings offer considerations and recommendations for enhanced program effectiveness, notably offering more comprehensive services and providing better linkages to community agencies, especially those providing education.

FORMING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: EDUCATION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN INTERPROFESSIONAL SETTINGS Susan Elaine Sterrett, BSN, MSN, MBA University of Pittsburgh, 2008 This qualitative study will describe and analyze the perspectives of health professions students, teachers and administrators involved in interprofessional learning experiences. The primary purpose of this study is to understand the phenomenon of participation in interprofessional learning experiences and the extent to which the elements of communities of practice are evident in these learning experiences. Interprofessionality indicates the development of a cohesive practice between professionals from different disciplines. The theoretical framework providing a context for this study is social learning theory, particularly Lave and Wengers theory of communities of practice. A grounded theory study will utilize data obtained from semi-structured interviews and researcher memos to identify themes and concepts. The participants are graduate students, faculty and administrators from an interprofessional fellowship in developmental disabilities. The research will have implications for educators and administrators of educational programs who want to design, initiate, and sustain effective programs that promote interdisciplinarity. This study will contribute conceptually to the theory of effective interprofessional communities of practice, and to praxis through the development of a model of an effective, interprofessional community of practice.

Strategic Methods Utilized by Small Business Development Centers in the United States and Its Territories to Deliver Educational Programs by: Michael Robert Wholihan Abstract: The intent of this surveyed research study was to analyze how Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) deliver educational programs within the United States and its territories. The survey was sent to sixty-three SBDC State Directors, all of whom responded. The data identifies patterns and variations in educational programs that are implemented at the centers. Business educators are constantly thinking of new topics to address small business owners. An SBDC that provides educational services to small company owners must take into consideration what program topics they will offer each year. SBDCs teach an array of business related topics and complex issues for small business owners to learn through the various centers. The design of the research questions were to collect and analyze the educational program information to understand how and why SBDCs provide their services in each state. If there are several business centers offering the same educational courses there is little diversification. For business educators it is vitally important to teach new methods and resolve existing concerns which company owners and start-up ventures address with their business decisions. The accuracy of the survey answers provided in each question led to a higher response rate. The survey questions identified key aspects and approaches State Directors utilize to effectively deliver business education programs. The 100% response rate that completed the survey reflected the importance of the developed survey topics and the results which correlated to the initial researched questions. The basis of this study began from researched literature of SBDCs that teach, develop and deliver educational programs. A review of the literature for this study suggested a need to comprehend the education of entrepreneurship, economic development, and education program management. The universities, Chambers of Commerce and community colleges that host SBDCs play significant roles as centers for economic and educational generators with the assistance of SBDC researchers and practitioners.

How do international aid agencies disburse their aid resources? Do their aid activities work for developing countries? In this dissertation, I attempt to address these questions by focusing on the Education for All-Fast Track Initiative (FTI). The FTI was launched in 2002 under the leadership of the World Bank as well as other foreign aid agencies with a view to achieving universal primary school education (UPE) in developing countries. The purpose of the study is to disentangle the complexity of foreign aid and clarify a causal pathway of its effectiveness by focusing on the FTI, a multi-donor initiative in the education sector. The FTI provides a mechanism for both donors and recipients to effectively use foreign aid resources. Developing countries are required to show the donor community a credible poverty reduction strategy and education sector plan in order to receive support from the FTI, and donors are expected to disburse their aid resources to align with the FTI in order to improve its effectiveness. However, in the efforts to use the FTI to promote UPE, donor agencies have faced a number of challenges. In order to analyze the causal pathway of the effectiveness of the FTI, I conducted document analyses and interviewed foreign aid policy makers; I then analyzed the findings from the perspective of the donor agencies concerns, contracting problems, and capacity. Since the situation of foreign aid differs depending on the context of recipient countries, I conducted case studies by focusing on three developing countries in Asia: Mongolia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. I present the study in 10 chapters. In chapters 1, 2, and 3, I offer the framework of this research. In chapters 4 and 5, I demonstrate a part of the findings from the research by analytically describing the mechanism of the FTI and by analyzing observed patterns from the perspective of the donors concerns, contracting problems, and capacity, respectively. I narrate the findings from the case studies in chapters 6, 7, and 8, and I evaluate the performance of the FTI donor agencies in chapter 9. With chapter 10, I conclude this thesis.

This study examined the professional development needs and experiences of secondary principals in southwestern Pennsylvania. Professional development for principals has become critical as school leaders have been challenged by the need to create a school culture that helps prepare students for a global society and concurrently meets the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) (2001). School leaders need to experience relevant, sustained, job-embedded, instructionally focused professional development in order to successfully lead their schools and students into the 21st century. The purpose of this study was to determine the professional development needs of secondary principals, what their preferred delivery method was for this professional development, what types of professional development initiatives they have participated in throughout the region, and if these all align and support one another. A questionnaire based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards, the Balanced Leadership Study responsibilities (Waters, et al., 2003), and the Pennsylvania administrative standards was designed and used to investigate the secondary principals' perspectives in relation to these needs and preferences for learning. Based on the findings of this study, the top five professional development needs of secondary principals in the southwestern Pennsylvania region include analyzing data, communicating effectively, using research and "best practices", building team commitment, developing information and data collection strategies. Coaching was the overall preferred delivery method for professional development for the secondary principals surveyed, followed by the method of mentoring. Many of the initiatives across the region were viewed as providing effective professional development in areas of need identified in the survey. Additionally, many principals recognized the importance of having professional development experiences that allow for professional reflection and collaboration with other administrators, as well as those that were focused on best instructional practices to improve student achievement. The findings of this study can be used to help providers of professional development design learning experiences for principals that address their stated needs through their preferred delivery method. It also offers Pennsylvania's Department of Education a secondary principal's perspective on some of the initiatives across the region. In light of current legislation that addresses principal professional development, the findings may offer some insight into how these initiatives can help support the current Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) legislation.

The American higher education system is in crisis and in need of reform in order to remain competitive in the 21st century (Commission on the Future of Higher Education, 2006). Given the calls for accountability and transparency by diverse stakeholders seeking improved fiscal, academic, and more importantly, student learning and engagement outcomes, a grounded understanding of organizational improvement is in order. This dissertation is a qualitative research study in higher education management and on student affairs divisions in particular. The purpose is to develop a conceptual framework for pursuing organizational improvement in student affairs divisions toward the distal goal of improving student learning and engagement outcomes. In doing so, the researcher re-appropriates the concept of a Learning Organization, and uses it as the foundation upon which to develop the conceptual framework. The researches questions guiding the study instantiate elements of grounded theory methodology and also align with a social constructivist research paradigm. An extensive literature analysis and semi-structured interviews using a modified Delphi process were the primary data collection methods for developing, validating, and revising the conceptual framework. NUD*IST (N6) was used for systematic data analysis. Study results indicated that student affairs divisions face at least four major challenges: developing a professional identity, aligning diverging interests, understanding the changing student culture, and developing a global perspective for practice. Effectively addressing these challenges, while supporting a culture of risk-taking and learning, was reported as an indicators of a high quality student affairs organization. Findings also indicated that the revised framework should be practical when tested in student affairs divisions. Results of the study demonstrated that the framework will be practical to scholars seeking to frame critical dialogue and debate about the future direction of the student affairs profession and also found the framework to be a practical tool for encouraging dialogue in higher education and student affairs discourse. Practitioners seeking to improve student learning and engagement outcomes from an organizational perspective, found the revised framework practical for encouraging and pursuing a learning-orientated organizational culture. This research extends and deepens ones conceptual understanding of organizational improvement and culture in student affairs organizations, as well as frame practical opportunities for pursuing organizational improvement in the broader higher education community. This study contributes to the theoretical and practical discourses on organizational improvement in student affairs, and offers plausible directions for future empirical study.