This dissertation examined the possible influence a complete renovation of a school facility had on student achievement as measured by performance on the Standards of Learning (SOL) in the areas of End-of-Course (EOC) Algebra I and EOC Reading in high schools within the Commonwealth of Virginia. This study replicated a prior study that researched the possible influence the complete renovation process had on student achievement as measured by performance on the SOL in the areas of mathematics and reading at the eighth grade level in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For this study, a quantitative descriptive research methodology was used to determine the possible influences the renovation process would have on student achievement. To conduct such research, SOL scores in the areas of EOC Algebra I and EOC Reading, from high schools in Virginia were used one year prior to the renovation, during the renovation, and one year after the renovation. The Virginia Department of Education recorded 514 school construction projects during the period beginning with the 2004-2005 school year through the 2010-2011 school year. From these 514 projects, only 20 projects met the criteria of being high school construction projects having conducted a complete renovation. In order to determine stability of the student population and the quality of teachers across the renovation period, an analysis of demographic variables was conducted. These variables included the percentage of minority students, socioeconomic status, and percentage of highly qualified teachers. No statistical significance between the variables over the course of the renovation was found establishing sameness of these variables. ANOVAs and t-tests were conducted to analyze student achievement across the renovation periods. The findings of the 20 high schools identified as having conducted a complete renovation were not statistically significant when comparing the EOC Algebra I and EOC Reading student performance to each stage of the renovation process. However, a positive trend was indicated when findings revealed an increase in the mean scaled score of mathematics when comparing the pre-renovation stage to the post-renovation stage. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the planning, installation, and maintenance necessary for school buildings to support technology initiatives in two rural school divisions in Virginia. The research questions guiding this study were: (1) What short-term and/or long-term plans are put in place for building and maintaining facilities infrastructure to support technology initiatives? (2) What physical components, equipment, and personnel are necessary for adequate facilities infrastructure to support technology initiatives? (3) What are the perceived infrastructure barriers to effective integration of technology in a school building? This qualitative study used purposeful sampling. The interview participants selected for this study were division-level technology leaders and their technology staff. The participants taking part in this study were at various stages of their profession, and at differing years of service, within their respective school divisions. The findings of this study may help division superintendents and division-wide technology leaders make more informed decisions regarding school building needs to support technology initiatives. The findings from this study indicate there is no agreement for how to build and maintain school buildings to support technology initiatives. However, there are several barriers to successful implementation of technology initiatives. Findings also uncovered common themes for best practice in how to plan and implement for school buildings to support technology initiatives. / Ed. D. / The purpose of this study was to determine the planning, installation, and maintenance necessary for school buildings to support technology initiatives in two rural school divisions in Virginia. The research questions guiding this study were: (1) What short-term and/or long-term plans are put in place for building and maintaining facilities infrastructure to support technology initiatives? (2) What physical components, equipment, and personnel are necessary for adequate facilities infrastructure to support technology initiatives? (3) What are the perceived infrastructure barriers to effective integration of technology in a school building? This qualitative study used purposeful sampling. The interview participants selected for this study were division-level technology leaders and their technology staff. The participants taking part in this study were at various stages of their profession, and at differing years of service, within their respective school divisions. The findings of this study may help division superintendents and division-wide technology leaders make more informed decisions regarding school building needs to support technology initiatives. The findings from this study indicate there is no agreement for how to build and maintain school buildings to support technology initiatives. However, there are several barriers to successful implementation of technology initiatives. Findings also uncovered common themes for best practice in how to plan and implement for school buildings to support technology initiatives.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not a variance in the quality of the public high school facilities existed among the Commonwealth of Virginia school divisions, since the 1982 Peccia study, An Analysis Of The Financing Of Public High School Capital Facilities In Virginia. Reasons for the variance in the quality of the public high school facilities, if any, were determined from an examination of a capital facilities survey instrument and various economic and financial characteristics. Methods and procedures used in the study included the capital facilities survey instrument, Crossman CAFIS. The Crossman CAFIS accurately reflected not just the number of facilities that existed in the school divisions but the quality of each facility. The researcher sent an electronic survey instrument to each high school principal within the sampled school divisions to rate their facilities using 75 indicators. The researcher visited all the high schools within the study in order to ensure the variance in how one perceives the differences in facilities would be limited. Any variance in the quality of the public high school facilities among the sampled school divisions were examined for economic factors that include; local composite index, fiscal effort and fiscal capacity. A significant finding of the study was that a large variance existed between the quality of high school facilities within the sampled school divisions, as measured by Crossman CAFIS. Reasons for that variance can be partially attributed to the fiscal effort of the sampled school divisions. School divisions that made a large fiscal effort and had a large fiscal capacity scored high on the Crossman CAFIS. School divisions that made a low fiscal effort and had low fiscal capacity, also scored low on the Crossman CAFIS. The lowest quality of high school facilities were found to be in the Western region of Virginia, despite isolated instances of high fiscal effort by some school divisions. Implications and recommendations were made in accordance with the findings of the study. A large variance existed in the Virginia school divisions between the quality of high school facilities as measured by CAFIS. The reason for the variance in high school facilities were due in part to the level of fiscal effort exerted by the school divisions. / EDD / The purpose of the study was to find out if all the high schools in Virginia had the same student space and program offerings as everywhere else in the state. High School principals completed a high school facilities survey to measure the characteristics of their high school. All survey results were compared with each other. To measure if all high schools were equitable, the high school surveys were measured with three economic measurements. The variables used to measure this study were, school survey, ADM, fiscal effort, and fiscal capacity. The conclusion of the study was that all high schools in Virginia were not equitable. Data suggested that the greater the resources a school division had available the higher quality of high school facility that school division has been able to provide. The need to modernize high school facilities is evident. School division and government leaders need to reassess the current high schools in order to plan for future needs. Local and state legislators should be concerned about providing all students an equal opportunity to have access to education comparable to students in all parts of the state.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes special report study entitled: Human reponse to colour. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes special report study entitled: Planning and design of pedestrian walkway environment. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes special report study entitled: Daylighting. Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes special report study entitled : Daylighting. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes special report study entitled : Planning and design of pedestrian walkway environment. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.