Thesis (M.A.)--California State University Channel Islands, 2009. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Education.. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed November 19, 2009).

The problem in this research lies in the lack of appropriate guidelines for managing the Quality Management System (QMS) in schools. The research endeavours to reveal the most effective and efficient guidelines for managing the QMS. The main purpose of the study was to investigate and reveal the most appropriate and effective ways of managing the QMS as a strategy and as an ongoing process of evaluating and managing both the performance and outcomes in schools. This research adopted a qualitative research approach. Phenomenological and ethnographic research methods were employed. The purpose of adopting the qualitative research for this study was to gather non-numerical data to help explain and develop a theory about managing the QMS. The researcher collected data using multiple means of data collection, namely, interviews, survey and observation. Interpretations of data led to the research recommendations and the conclusion. The sample comprised of three District officials, the school Principal from each sample school, two Departmental Heads, two teachers and their classes, two School Governing Body (SGB) members, one member of the Staff Development Team (SDT) and four former members of the Quality Management (QM) team. The findings of the study described the informants’ perceptions and experiences of the QMS as a process for school improvement. The perceptions and the experiences of the teachers and the principals suggest that the participants had a limited understanding, knowledge and skills in managing the QMS. Thus guidelines managing the QMS were provided. In addition, guidelines for the educational psychologist that would facilitate the successful management of the QMS were developed. / Prof. J.R. Debeila

This research project focuses on skillful conversation as a strategic tool for school success in the Zeerust Central Region. The project is located within the theories of school improvement. The research project set out to investigate the improvement of teaching and learning practices in secondary schools through skillful conversation. The research project is divided into five chapters. Chapter One focuses on the problems arising in schools when there is no skillful conversation. These problems demonstrate that when there is no skillful conversation in a school, it would be difficult for educators to improve their teaching strategies. Skillful conversation was then used in this research as a strategic tool to improve secondary schools. Chapter Two focuses on a literature review about skillful conversation in secondary schools. The main discussion is based on skillful conversation as a strategic tool in managing secondary schools. Reflection and inquiry, competitive advantage and skill conversation as ongoing processes are discussed. The literature review also considers the learning loop for educators and innovation for learner success. Other factors of importance in this research project are parental involvement and external and internal environments. Chapter Three concentrates largely on empirical design. A quantitative research method was used to study the opinions of the population studied. This research was conducted from schools randomly selected out of the 39 secondary schools in the Zeerust Central Region. Chapter Four deals with the analysis and interpretation of data collected from secondary schools. The main focus was on the reliability and validity of the research instrument, which was the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 40 closed-ended items. The questions were designed to obtain the perceptions of educators and principals on skillful conversation as a strategic tool in secondary schools of the Zeerust Central Region. The questionnaire was divided into three sections namely: section A biographical details, section B, whereby each question started with the header ‘how important it is for educators to discuss’ and section C whereby each question started with the header ‘how often do the educators at your school discuss?Of the 40 closed-ended questions only two factors were realised namely, factor one, conversation with everybody and factor two, conversations with the principal. Chapter Five deals with the findings, recommendations and conclusion of the whole research project. / Prof. K.C Moloi

"The purpose of this report is to show as completely as possible how the principles of evaluation were applied in the development, organization, execution, outcomes, and plans for future improvement at one particular secondary school, the Valdosta High School located in Valdosta, Georgia"--Introduction. / "February, 1954." / Typescript. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science." / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-83).

No description available.

No description available.

All states and the District of Columbia have embraced academic standards as a primary means for improving public education (Manzo, 2001). Virginia implemented the Standards of Learning assessments in 1998. These assessments are based on a set of standards set forth by the Virginia Board of Education, and as of 2004, these assessments played a role in determining whether students received a high school diploma and whether a school received accreditation. The purpose of this study was to review the efforts of one Virginia school system to develop and sustain its capacity to improve student achievement in response to increased accountability. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological system framework provided a lens through which to study building capacity and improving a school system, a school, and individual classrooms. This multi-level perspective provided a means to study various aspects of school improvement in response to federal, state, and local policies. This researcher utilized qualitative research methods to investigate a school division that has been successful in building and sustaining capacity to improve its schools. The findings are presented in six major themes that describe how this system built and sustained the capacity to achieve state accreditation. These themes are (a) aligning curriculum to the state standards, (b) providing professional development, (c) fostering relationships, (d) promoting the use of technology, (e) building on strengths, and (f) sharing leadership. The six themes were evident across every subsystem n this school division, from classroom, to schoolhouse, to central office in response to state and federal policies of accountability. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of local school board members, division superintendents, local elected officials, state department of education personnel, and state legislators towards the approach taken to improve the public schools in Virginia by the enactment of state mandated standards of quality. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to all division superintendents in Virginia, all the members of the General Assembly, those state department of education personnel responsible for the standards of quality, and random samples of school board members and local elected officials. The questionnaire was designed to determine the respondents' attitudes on the improvement effected by the implementation of the standards of quality, the loss of local control involved, and the attendant increases in local expenditures. Respondents who perceived an improvement were asked if they believed the improvements were worth the costs involved. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2007. / Title from title page screen (viewed on June 10, 2008). Thesis advisor: Vincent A. Anfara. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 150-160).