Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2008

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Washington State University, December 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 125-134).

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of induction program applied to candidate teachers. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by focusing on the perceptions of the stakeholders of the induction program / the managers, the implementers of the program / candidate teachers to whom the program implemented / and the mentor teachers, implementers of the practical training. To this end, the CIPP evaluation model was utilized. Through in-depth interviews, the data were collected from 14 candidate teachers, 4 program managers and 4 mentor teachers from 6 public schools. The challenges and/or problems in implementation of the Teacher Induction Program perceived by the stakeholders of the Teacher Induction Program were revealed as the discrepancy between the needs of the program participants and aims of the program / lack of effective methods, materials and equipment / unnecessary courses in the program / unreliable and invalid exams and inefficient program instructors.

Recent anti-evolution legislation, in the form of Academic Freedom bills, has been introduced in many state legislatures over the last three years. The language in the proposed Academic Freedom bills may allow different interpretations of what can be taught in the science classrooms, and possibly spur parents to take advantage of their perceived parental rights to request their child be opted-out of class when the scientific theory of evolution is taught. Five research questions guided the analysis of participant responses to questions and perception statements focusing on secondary school administrators' actions, perceptions, and awareness as they relate to their decision to allow or not allow a student to opt out of academics, specifically evolution, through the collection of data using a web-based survey. Opt out policies are typically invoked to excuse students from activities to which they or their parents may have religious objections (Scott & Branch, 2008). Florida statutes allow parents to opt out their child from human sexuality and animal dissection. The population consisted of 281 Florida public secondary school administrators, who were divided into two subgroups based on whether they have allowed or would allow a student to opt out of evolution, or have not allowed or would not allow a student to opt out of class when the scientific theory of evolution is taught. Results found that over 70% of the administrators who completed the survey have allowed or would allow parents to opt out their child from learning about the scientific theory of evolution. There was a significant relationship between the decision to allow opt out and the following variables: (a) Free and Reduced Lunch population, (b) grade level served, (c) support for teaching evolution and alternative theories, and (d) the perception that parent rights supersede state statute requiring students to learn evolution. In Florida, any scientific concept that is based on empirical evidence is included in the state-mandated curriculum. If administrators are influenced to believe teachers have the academic freedom to teach alternative ideas that are not scientifically valid, they may be intentionally or unintentionaly allowing subject matter relevant to a student's academic success t to be suppressed or distorted, which is also a violation of state statute. The implications from this study indicated that many participants would allow a student to opt out of class when evolution is taught, including assigning an alternative assignment. Since the scientific theory of evolution is infused into the biological sciences, and therefore, the Florida State Standards for science, evolution concepts are assessed on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) and the Biology End-of-Course exam. Allowing students to opt out of class when evolution is taught may have a negative impact on student success on state mandated assessments, which can directly impact school grades and state and federal funding that is tied to Adequate Yearly Progress.

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This study was aimed at addressing the adolescent learners’ writing needs by assessing teachers’ needs on writing instruction across the disciplines in Grades 9 and 10 in one school in Southwestern Ontario. The research employed a mixed-methods approach using qualitative data from focus group and one-on-one interviews, and quantitative data collected through document analysis. The data revealed that there is a range of beliefs about writing instruction and that participating teachers offer many valuable writing opportunities to their students; however, there is a reluctance to provide more instructional time on writing according to the content area. The findings also pointed to the influence school administrators have in leading the instructional program. These findings concur with existing literature on writing instruction and the role principals play in literacy instruction.

This study is an exploration of current school leadership and classroom assessment practices in Alberta, Canada. Specifically explored are school principals’ beliefs about classroom assessment practices and how the beliefs influence leadership practices. Qualitative research was conducted through interviews with ten principals from ten different Alberta school jurisdictions. Findings include detailed descriptions and analysis of principals’ beliefs about classroom assessment practices, the origin of their beliefs, ways that assessment data are used, the roles of tradition and isolation in the change process, teacher supervision and evaluation practices, and professional development. Assessment for learning, assessment of learning, and, to a lesser degree, assessment as learning are in the educational spotlight. Professional relationships within schools are being altered through shared and distributed leadership practices and capacity-building. Professional learning communities, AISI (Alberta Initiative for School Improvement) projects, Alberta’s Commission on Learning, and the Alberta Assessment Consortium are contributing in powerful ways to the change process and to teaching and learning practices in Alberta schools. At the same time, gaps between theory and practice, resistance to change, and inconsistent learning conditions for students, teachers, and school leaders are potentially reducing sustainability. The study calls for supportive, coherent professional learning—for teachers and school leaders—that fosters deeper understandings of classroom assessment as well as for student learning to be aligned with current research-based understandings of student motivation and assessment. Findings are linked to educational research on both assessment and leadership. The study concludes by identifying potential future research and outlining professional and political suggestions for increased organizational coherence and sustainable change. / x, 133 leaves ; 29 cm.

This dissertation assumed the style of the narrative to document how principals lead school transformation within the realm of a fledgling democracy after decades of apartheid rule. It zooms in to the school site to portray how principals construct themselves to orchestrate change that is consistent with the national policies of redress and equity. Located in the quantitative paradigm, the study depicts a general sense of school transformation. Thereafter, it is relocated in the qualitative paradigm to document the topical life histories of three principals from diverse backgrounds to illustrate how their experiences - lived and living - give definition to their constructions of leadership. Working within the interpretative paradigm, with the theory of transformational leadership underpinning the theoretical orientation of the study, has led to the understanding that the role of the principal is a conflicted one. The principal is conflicted by the incremental demands and the evolutionary nature of the role, the principal's interpretation of transformation and his/her expectation to manage and lead transformation. As a result, principals construct themselves mainly as managers of change, but perceive themselves to be leaders of change. While leadership gurus are adamant about attributing distinguishing features to the process of managing as opposed to the process of leading, they also recognize that organizations need both managers and leaders. It is undisputable that schools are organizations that also need managers and leaders. Therefore, it is incumbent on principals to manage and lead schools in transformation. In analyzing the data collated from principals and teachers in the study, it is evident that the processes of management and leadership are interdependent. Principals are expected to act as managers or leaders, depending on the situation, and at other times they are expected to draw on both skills of managing and leading. In the final analysis, it has been detected that while principals are leading transformation at different tempos because of their varied lived experiences, the important thing is that they are beginning to break the bonds with apartheid education. A colossal task indeed, when one considers that the findings of the investigation illustrate that principals are charged with the following conflict situations. The past oppressive system with the present democratic system, decentralization of education while maintaining core elements of centralization, stakeholders that support transformation as opposed to those who resist the process and the roles of management versus roles of leadership. While implementing change the principal is responsible for ensuring the stability of the institution. All the time dealing with the fact that she/he hails from a background that is vastly different from the one she/he currently works and lives in. / Thesis (Ph.D) - University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2006.

This study was aimed at addressing the adolescent learners’ writing needs by assessing teachers’ needs on writing instruction across the disciplines in Grades 9 and 10 in one school in Southwestern Ontario. The research employed a mixed-methods approach using qualitative data from focus group and one-on-one interviews, and quantitative data collected through document analysis. The data revealed that there is a range of beliefs about writing instruction and that participating teachers offer many valuable writing opportunities to their students; however, there is a reluctance to provide more instructional time on writing according to the content area. The findings also pointed to the influence school administrators have in leading the instructional program. These findings concur with existing literature on writing instruction and the role principals play in literacy instruction.

The purposes of this study were to survey Indiana high school principals, teachers, and counselors (a) to determine their levels of level of knowledge in testing, interpretation of test scores, research on the impact of graduation examinations, and performance assessment; (b) to determine their levels of experience with minimal competency testing, graduation examination programs and performance assessment; and (c) to profile each group's and the entire group's views of the purposes, content, standards of achievement, and administrative procedures for a graduation examination. Additionally, the study sought to identify what these educators predicted would be the impacts of such examinations.The populations studied were randomly selected samples from three groups of educators: (a) principals (350); (b) teachers (753); and (c) guidance counselors (524) in Indiana public high schools. A survey concentrating on the issues central to the purpose, content, standards of achievement, administrative procedures, and impact of graduation examinations was developed and validated by the researcher.It was found that principals and counselors perceived themselves to be more knowledgeable about and experienced with testing than did teachers. Indiana educators preferred (a) a high school graduation examination with a combination of open-ended constructed responses, performance tasks, and multiple-choice questions whose content was determined by a state-level committee of educators and consisted of a broad spectrum of skills and content areas; (b) full inclusion of students with disabilities, if there were reasonable and appropriate accommodations and if these students' scores were not used to evaluate teachers or schools; and (c) awarding two high school diplomas. Indiana educators predicted that if high school graduation examinations were enacted, the following would increase: (a) legal challenges and lawsuits; (b) the public's evaluation of education based on test scores; (c) the public's perception of test scores as the major goal of schooling; (d) stress on teachers and administrators; (e) pressure on teachers to change; (f) time demands on educators; (g) measures to protect students and schools from harm caused by high-stakes tests; (h) drop out rates; (i) emphasis on tested content and skills; and (k) state control. / Department of Educational Leadership