Thesis (M.Ed.)--Kutztown State College, 1963. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2770. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [30]-33)

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which, and the ways in which, extended schools can become more community oriented in their extended provision. Within this a focus was placed on co-production and asset-based working and how they take these approaches and implement them into the delivery of the school. Whilst there are many arguments in favour of co-production and asset-based working within communities there appears to be a gap in literature relating to schools adopting these approaches. This thesis seeks to add to the limited range of these literatures by focusing on a case study school and the extent to which a group of stakeholders involved in the school are able to recognise and build upon assets within the community and the extent to which co-production plays a role in the provision made by the school. This study was qualitative and longitudinal in nature. It took the form of a case study of a school attempting to develop a community oriented approach. The main method of data collection was semi-structured interviews with a group of eight stakeholders taken from a purposive sample as they were connected to the school. The stakeholders were interviewed and additional data was collected through two further feedback and observation sessions with six of the original stakeholders over a period of twelve months. The thesis begins by introducing the topic, moving on to explore a range of literatures around extended schools, asset and deficit-based working, community organizing and co-production. Each of these approaches are explored in the way they relate to work between schools and their local communities. Methodologies are then introduced, findings presented and then discussed and conclusions offered in the following chapters. The findings highlight the difficulties faced by schools in becoming more community oriented in their extended provision. The thesis explores some of the potentials, possibilities and constraints of the extended schools agenda by examining the implications of these findings. The study concludes by arguing that schools are often professionally dominated institutions and that the balance in partnerships between schools and the local community will always be tempered and restricted by the expectations and demands placed upon schools by local and national policy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 594-632). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role a school council played in encouraging community involvement in a K to 12 school located within a bedroom community. This qualitative case study included data collected from 35 semi-structured individual interviews conducted with Sunshines School Community Council (SCC) members, teachers, and community members. Augmented data collection incorporated my attendance at three SCC meetings, 11 community and school visits, and the maintenance of a personal journal during the interview process. Data results were analyzed through Putnams concept of social capital theory.<p> During the time of this study, the impact that Sunshines SCC had on community involvement in school was evolving. The SCC was new to the school community; Sunshines SCC members displayed nascent levels of trust between themselves and with community members. The SCC predominantly focused its attention on fulfilling the provincially-mandated requirement of contributing to the schools Learning Improvement Plan. Since supporting the schools centralized goals consumed much of the SCCs time and attention, the association was less able to promote traditional forms of community involvement in school.<p> Most participants perceived traditional forms of community involvement in school to positively impact the social cohesion of the school community. Parents believed there were multiple benefits associated with traditional forms of community involvement in school, including improved parent-to-parent relationships, improved school-home relationships, additional support for school curricula, and improved student performance in school. Based on social capital theory, socialization during community events generates social capital between community members, which encourages further community involvement in school. The forging of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, through a variety of traditional means, was a fundamental component needed to create, complement, and sustain community involvement in the school.<p> The majority of SCC participants perceived that the formal components of SCC policy were misaligned with their desire to promote traditional forms of community involvement. Most participants believed that bureaucratic aspects of the SCC policy (and similar organizations) negatively affect productivity. Social capital theory supported the idea that bureaucracy deters the establishment and utilization of trust and social capital.<p> Sunshine was a bedroom community and the socialization tendencies of the community appeared to negatively influence community involvement. Convenient access to urban amenities, the influx of new community members, and a generational shift of values and lifestyles appeared to deter the creation and utilization of personal and professional stocks of social capital within the community. In contrast, the impact of child-focused events and sporting activities appeared to unite community members and positively influence the creation and utilization of social capital within the community.<p> Implications arising from this study pinpoint the importance of fostering trusting relationships not only between SCCs members but between SCCs and their communities. In order to generate higher levels of trust, and thereby strengthen the potency of social capital, Sunshines SCC members need decentralized authority to self-create local goals. The procedure of annual SCC elections also needs reviewing as an annual influx of new members to the SCC negates the sustainability of high levels of trust. On a practical level, Sunshines SCC, the school administration, and the school division need to promote SCC communication with the school community.

The purpose of this study was to explore the role a school council played in encouraging community involvement in a K to 12 school located within a bedroom community. This qualitative case study included data collected from 35 semi-structured individual interviews conducted with Sunshines School Community Council (SCC) members, teachers, and community members. Augmented data collection incorporated my attendance at three SCC meetings, 11 community and school visits, and the maintenance of a personal journal during the interview process. Data results were analyzed through Putnams concept of social capital theory.<p> During the time of this study, the impact that Sunshines SCC had on community involvement in school was evolving. The SCC was new to the school community; Sunshines SCC members displayed nascent levels of trust between themselves and with community members. The SCC predominantly focused its attention on fulfilling the provincially-mandated requirement of contributing to the schools Learning Improvement Plan. Since supporting the schools centralized goals consumed much of the SCCs time and attention, the association was less able to promote traditional forms of community involvement in school.<p> Most participants perceived traditional forms of community involvement in school to positively impact the social cohesion of the school community. Parents believed there were multiple benefits associated with traditional forms of community involvement in school, including improved parent-to-parent relationships, improved school-home relationships, additional support for school curricula, and improved student performance in school. Based on social capital theory, socialization during community events generates social capital between community members, which encourages further community involvement in school. The forging of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, through a variety of traditional means, was a fundamental component needed to create, complement, and sustain community involvement in the school.<p> The majority of SCC participants perceived that the formal components of SCC policy were misaligned with their desire to promote traditional forms of community involvement. Most participants believed that bureaucratic aspects of the SCC policy (and similar organizations) negatively affect productivity. Social capital theory supported the idea that bureaucracy deters the establishment and utilization of trust and social capital.<p> Sunshine was a bedroom community and the socialization tendencies of the community appeared to negatively influence community involvement. Convenient access to urban amenities, the influx of new community members, and a generational shift of values and lifestyles appeared to deter the creation and utilization of personal and professional stocks of social capital within the community. In contrast, the impact of child-focused events and sporting activities appeared to unite community members and positively influence the creation and utilization of social capital within the community.<p> Implications arising from this study pinpoint the importance of fostering trusting relationships not only between SCCs members but between SCCs and their communities. In order to generate higher levels of trust, and thereby strengthen the potency of social capital, Sunshines SCC members need decentralized authority to self-create local goals. The procedure of annual SCC elections also needs reviewing as an annual influx of new members to the SCC negates the sustainability of high levels of trust. On a practical level, Sunshines SCC, the school administration, and the school division need to promote SCC communication with the school community.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1971. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this study was to examine the key factors associated with sustaining an effective educational program. The primary research question was: How did the Bright Beginnings: Fantastic Follow Through program sustain itself for more than 25 years? The secondary research questions asked in this study were: (a) what role did the school context play in sustaining the program; (b) what role did leadership play in sustaining the program; (c) how did the school culture affect sustaining the program; (d) how did the implementation, continuation, and evaluation phases of the change effort affect sustaining the program; and (e) what effect, if any, did external factors have on sustaining the program? This study was a descriptive case study of one exemplary program in an urban elementary school in a mid-Atlantic state. A naturalistic, responsive inquiry approach was employed through in-depth interviews, combined with document reviews as data sources. The key participants included local school administrators, teachers, parents, and the central administrative liaison to the program. The participants were interviewed in-person for approximately 30-60 minutes in length. Materials gathered during the in-depth interviews were transcribed and analyzed after the interviews were completed. First the researcher read the transcribed interviews and hand-coded the consistencies and emerging themes onto a large chart. Second, a matrix was made of the hand-coded data using a word processor. Third, the researcher identified themes, common patterns and important stories shared by the participants regarding the elements essential to the institutionalization of an educational program. Discussion of the summary, conclusions, implications for practice, and recommendations for further research are provided in Chapter Five. / Ed. D.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 80-90.

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic mandated closures of thousands of schools across the United States. Students dependent upon the support, guidance, and community of their schools became disconnected from these resources while encountering the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study represents a time capsule of the school community of one Los Angeles County public middle school from March 16 to May 28, 2020. Semi-structured interviews of school staff and parents grounded the study’s analysis. Public documents and participant researcher protocol responses collaborated the participants’ narratives. Results provide a snapshot of the school community before emergency mandated COVID-19 closure, participants’ recollections of the school community during the closure, and their reflections and reactions to the closures. Data analysis utilized a conceptual framework developed to capture e-school community access and engagement. Outcomes from this study illustrate the need for additional supports for student mental health, investment in universal access to reliable internet service, and the importance of physical school outreach during times of crisis.