Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-93). Also available in print.

Thesis, PlanA (Ed. Spec.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-63).

Orientador: Cristiano Amaral Garboggini Di Giorgi / Banca: Sérgio César da Fonseca / Banca: Paulo César de Almeida Raboni / Resumo: O presente estudo foi construído no âmbito da Linha de Pesquisa "Políticas Públicas, Organização Escolar e Formação de Professores" e teve por objetivo investigar a existência de modelos de resolução de conflitos, principalmente envolvendo o Professor Mediador Escolar e Comunitário numa escola da rede pública do interior de São Paulo. As mais diversas tentativas de enfrentamento das questões referentes à violência e indisciplina dentro das escolas e a possibilidade de existir ou não, práticas e ações restaurativas, políticas públicas e legislação sobre o assunto envolvem a preocupação deste pesquisador. O espaço escolar divide com a família a obrigação da formação e da educação, sendo atualmente a principal responsável pelo desenvolvimento ou não das pessoas, ou pelo menos assim é vista. A indisciplina e a violência na escola precisam ser estudadas, entendidas e divulgadas de forma simples, de fácil compreensão para que o seu enfrentamento, aliando educadores, pais e Estado, possa acontecer de forma efetiva e diversificada, se adequando a cada espaço escolar e assim, desenvolvendo políticas públicas que atendam as necessidades existentes. A análise e as experiências da utilização de meios alternativos e do projeto referente ao professor mediador escolar e comunitário como possíveis soluções de conflitos nas escolas poderá expandir a criação e explicitação de novas e viáveis alternativas dessa solução dos problemas existentes nas escolas. O atual panorama existente dentro da escola, bem como a possibilidade de atuação e comprometimento do meio escolar com o projeto do professor mediador pode revelar uma ação nova que tende a ser algo diferente na resolução dos conflitos existentes, bem como na... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study was constructed as part of the Research Line "Public Policy, School Organization and Teacher Training" and aimed to investigate the existence of models of conflict resolution, mainly involving School and Community Mediator Teacher in a public school in the interior of Sao Paulo. The most diverse attempts to cope with issues of violence and indiscipline in schools and the possibility of existing there, or not, restorative practices and actions, public policies and legislation on the subject involve the concerns of the researcher. The school shares space with the family the obligation of bringing-up, training and education, currently being the main responsible for the development of the people, or not, or at least so it is seen. The indiscipline and violence in school need to be studied, understood and disseminated in a simple, easy to understand way, so that the way to face them, uniting educators, parents and the state, can happen in an effective and diversified way, fitting each school space and thus developing public policies that meet existing needs. The analysis and experiments on the use of alternative and project of the School and Community Mediator Teacher as possible solutions to conflicts in schools can expand the creation and explanation of this new and viable alternative solution to existing problems in schools. The current picture within the existing school, as well as the possibility of performance and commitment of the school, designed by the School and Community Mediator Teacher may reveal a new action that tends to be somewhat different in the solution of the existing conflicts, as well as the modern alternative to in among the pedagogical problems... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This study focuses on the role of discipline in the establishment and maintenance of a safe school environment for learners and educators. In a mainly qualitative investigation, empirical data from four primary schools and five high schools in the East London Region of the Eastern Cape Province were collected by means of individual interviews and questionnaires. Historico-legal research also formed part of the literature review, thus law reports and articles from South Africa and other countries were included as part of the research process. This was done to shed light on the legal consequences of school violence and discipline, affecting the safe learning environment of learners. Perceptions of educators and learners in the selected schools regarding discipline and violence at their schools were collected by means of a survey. Three hundred and thirty questionnaires were completed by learners from the selected schools, and nine interviews were conducted with either the principal or a member of the senior management team of each school. The researcher also conducted further in-depth interviews with twenty learners from four schools (two primary and two high schools). These data were analysed in accordance with accepted procedures for qualitative data processing. The data revealed that a culture of violence exists in these schools, and that corporal punishment is still practised. Learners’ perceptions on safety and discipline at their schools revealed that bullying persists, especially when there is no teacher supervision. Participating educators’ experiences suggested the need for promoting positive discipline, and creating a safe learning environment for all, by involving parents in the education process and involving them in drawing up a code of conduct for the school.

This study examined the relationship between social affiliation and school violence among male public high school students in Kuwait. Specifically, this study investigated the violent behavior characteristics of tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait and the relationship between family structure, family type, and student age of those students and school violence. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to test the first null hypothesis: there are no significant differences in mean subscale scores between the four characteristics of violent behavior and the social affiliation of male public high school students in Kuwait. Multiple linear regression was used to develop a predictive linear model for the relationship between violence and household size, family structure, and student age among tribal and non-tribal male public high school students in Kuwait. Six hundred male public high school students were given the Aggression Questionnaire which consisted of four subscales: physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. Tribal participants reported more violent behavior characteristics than non-tribal participants. These results supported previous research regarding a relationship between culture and school violence. The results supported those studies that had previously found a significant relationship between student age and the prediction of school violence as indicated by the Aggression Questionnaire (Al Dokhy's;2003). However, the findings indicated that family structure and family size were not significant predictors of violent behavior for the study sample. A linear regression model for predicting scores for violent behaviors of male public high school students in Kuwait was proposed. / Ph. D.

This study examines the predictors of school violence cross-nationally, testing the applicability of criminological theories of adult violence to violence in the school setting. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), a method of multi-level linear analysis, of the 2007 Trends in International Math and Science Studies (TIMSS) data augmented with data from UN Human Development Reports, UN Demographic Yearbook, CIA World Factbook and the World Health Organization Mortality Database, I determine the predictors of school violence at the school and national levels to determine what variables account for cross-national variation in the level of school violence. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) takes into account the structure of nested data, and this study examines schools nested within nations. The relationships between school and national level inequalities, social disorganization, institutional anomie, social support, resource deprivation theories and school violence are tested. Violence is operationally defined as a continuum of aggression ranging from non-physical to physical (see Yu 2003), incorporating low-level as well as more serious forms of interpersonal violence. I find that measures of social disorganization, institutional anomie and resource deprivation at both the school and national levels predict higher levels of violence within schools. Surprisingly, homogeneity rather than heterogeneity is a significant predictor of physical bullying. In addition, math achievement and achievement score variation significantly predict the level of school violence cross-nationally. At the national level, placing too much emphasis on students' achievement on standardized tests may inadvertently create a culture conducive to school violence. Emphasizing a diverse range of ways to measure students' achievement other than standardized testing may reduce the likelihood that students experience strain and engage in violent behavior at school. This research is the first to use multi-level linear analysis to discern the school and national level predictors of school violence. / Ph. D.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to gather information and statistics for determining and explaining the perceptions of teachers, administrators, and other professional staff with reference to the benefits and the need for promoting school safety and prevention of student violence. The collection and analyses of survey data served to provide relevant information about nine essential components of effective school safety programs (Dusenbury et al., 1997). This study determined and explained differences in perceptions reported by the participants regarding current conditions of school safety and participation and value of safe schools staff development training. In addition, this study sought to determine and explain perception differences as reported by the respondents from schools of different sizes, grade levels and environments related to perceived degree of criminal activity in the areas in which students lived when the current safety conditions, staff development participation and value of the staff development training were considered. A descriptive, non-experimental research design was selected and data was gathered using a 30-item survey. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data. Conclusions, derived through data investigation, indicated safe schools staff development was occurring in central Florida school districts and that educators felt a need for this training. However, all the nine essential components of effective school safety programs Other professional staff, followed by administrators and then teachers, was shown to be most cognizant of the need for school safety training. While administrators felt their schools were safe, they recognized the need for safe schools training, and in fact, participated in more hours of staff development in a 12-month period than did teachers or other professional staff. All three categories of educators participated in safety training that involved two particularly important areas that stressed developing connections to home, school, and community, and creating violence-prevention programs early in students' lives. These two areas of common staff development emphasis and participation appeared to support building stronger linkages between the home and school. Educators from very large schools, schools whose students live in high areas of crime, and middle and high schools, more than others, reported believing in safety training for their faculty and staff. Educators from middle and high schools grades combined, more than others, were shown to recognize the value of safe schools staff development training. These conclusions led to several implications and recommendations for future staff development in the areas of school safety and student violence prevention.

Bullying can be defined as repeatedly harming others verbally, emotionally, or physically. There has been past research on the relationship between bullying and aggression; this prior research has concluded that bullies have high levels of aggression and are more likely to be aggressive adults. It has also been reported that victims have lower aggression levels than bullies in young adulthood (Olweus, 1993). It is because of events such as the Columbine high school shooting that this study is being conducted. The purpose of this research is to reevaluate aggression levels in both bullies and their victims. It seems that the attitudes of today's bullies and their victims have changed, specifically the victim's aggression patterns. This study will reevaluate bully and victim aggression levels and compare them to past data as well as show the comparison of the results between the groups within the study. The results of this research may redirect the attention of bullying intervention and prevention to a new group of individuals, the victims.