This study identified the attitudes of paraeducators toward students with disabilities and the implications for staff development. The purpose of this study was to survey attitudes of paraeducators toward students with disabilities. The attitude and demographic information obtained through the survey were analyzed for its implications for staff development with paraeducators.

Magister Educationis (Adult Learning and Global Change) - MEd(AL) / The main objective of this research is to understand workplaces as learning environments. More specifically, the research explored how a TVET college affords opportunities for lecturers for learning through participation in work activities with guidance and support for learning on the job from peers and more experienced colleagues. The research also explored factors which enable or constrain their learning and how they elected to engage with workplace affordances for learning. Drawing on data gathered through analysis of national and institutional policies and semi structured interviews this paper argues that The TVET College does offer opportunities for learning on the job for lecturers. The TVET College affords opportunities for participation in authentic work activities through which lecturers can develop knowledge and understanding of the practices which are relevant and applicable to their particular work context. It is also evident that guidance and support from peers and more senior colleagues are available to lecturers, both less and more experienced. Practices which could become elements of a strategy for co-participation and learning through work do exist at The TVET College. However, there are also limitations and it cannot be argued that intentional strategies for learning exist at The TVET College which can be seen as aspects of workplace pedagogy and workplace curriculum. Finally it is clear that TVET colleges are seen primarily as sites of learning for students; there is little focus on TVET colleges as sites for workplace learning for lecturers. This is an under-researched area in the policy and academic literature on TVET colleges and it is hoped that this study has made a contribution, even if a small one, to filling this gap.

The role of teacher educators is vital to education, but when the population of public-school students shifts, or progress and advances in knowledge of the field or knowledge for teaching emerge, teacher education faces challenges. One such challenge involves a continuing increase in the proportion of second language learners entering primary and secondary schools, English learners (ELs) in this case. In such situations, teacher educators often do not have deep knowledge of second language acquisition or how to integrate attention to ELs within their regular courses. One response to this challenge is to provide professional development (PD) for teacher education faculty. This qualitative study explored how faculty responded to a PD focused on developing understandings of second language acquisition with opportunity to consider how it might be taken up in their own teaching of teachers. We interviewed eight teacher education faculty members about their learning and their response to participating in this PD effort. Using data analysis methods specified by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014), we gained a better understanding of how faculty responded to the PD in general and how it contributed to their positioning as participants within the PD. The importance of this study is that it can help professional development coordinators and facilitators understand the importance of positioning or orientation of participants as they begin a learning experience. Future research could examine ways in which learning opportunities can be designed to take into account the variability in these orientations.

The diploma thesis focuses on the employee education and development in selected Prague libraries. The aim of this diploma thesis is to identify the current state of further education of employees of selected libraries in Prague. Analyse approach of education and development of these workers in library facilities and their offers. Analyse how the offer of educational activities differs from the usual state and in times of crisis. Compare differences in the way employees are educated in selected libraries in Prague. Based on the findings of the survey, analyse the differences in the way employees are educated in selected libraries and suggest possible improvements and recommendations. The work is divided into theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part of the thesis describes the starting points of the topic such as education and training organizations, development and management of employees, employee training, strategic concept of employee education, strategic documents, human resources management, human resource management models, etc. The diploma thesis contains methodology for research. The practical part of the work analyses the objects of the survey, identifies areas of education and development of staff in selected libraries in Prague. It compares the differences in the way of...

This study serves as an insight into teachersÆ perceptions of their staff development experiences. With the constraints under the No Child Behind Act, teachers, schools, and school systems are faced with the challenge of meeting extremely high standards with students. Although standards such as these expectations have never been met, it remains that teachers are faced with attempting this task. Teachers shared their perceptions of the staff development experiences they have received. Student achievement and its relationship to staff development was explored. Teachers discussed perceived factors that influenced staff development training. Also, included in the study was teachers' perceptions of the need for staff development with proven applications. A qualitative research method utilized interviews from 25 veteran and apprentice elementary teachers ranging in experience from two years to thirty plus years of service in the educational profession. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and transferred to the NUDIST program. This allowed all transcripts to be coded and analyzed. This process allowed themes to emerge from the data. This study could be of interest to school systems into the insights and needs of apprentice and veteran teachers. The results of these data could assist school districts with information to evaluate their current staff development programs and determine if changes should be made.

This is an ethnographic case study of a high poverty, ethnically diverse elementary school and the transformation that occurred there. The research describes what happened at the school within the context of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) during a nine-year period. The researcher documents the challenges faced, practices employed, and resources used at the school which has demographic and socioeconomic characteristics that are highly correlated with failing schools as defined by NCLB. The study used a qualitative research design in order to investigate the complexities and processes within a specific context and setting from multiple participants' frames of reference and from the researcher's perspective as a participant observer. The researcher analyzed the data, identified patterns, and categorized them into a set of assertions about this school. The discussion of the assertions and implications for future research is organized around the three research questions: 1) What were the challenges faced on the path to improved student academic achievement? 2) What practices were implemented during the process of improving student academic achievement? and 3) What resources were used during the process? / Ed. D.

Teacher evaluation has a history of challenges, from disagreement over its fundamental purpose to questions of its significance to teachers. Studies (Barnett & McCormick, 2004; Frase & Streshly, 1994; Machell, 1995; Milanowski, 2005; Milanowski & Heneman, 2001; Ovando & Harris, 1993; Stiggins & Duke, 1988) have consistently identified poor feedback, a lack of credibility, and an absence of trust as key issues that impact the effectiveness of an evaluator in the process. The purpose of teacher evaluation may be seen on a continuum from accountability, summarizing the progress of a teacher for the year, to improvement, motivating a teacher on to growth throughout the year and beyond. With the continually-expanding knowledge base on learning principles, a commitment to improvement and growth is essential to optimally meeting the needs of learners. There is a need to better understand the connection between principal practices in the evaluation process and teacher openness to professional growth. In this qualitative study, data from interviews and assorted artifacts were examined to ascertain what an elementary principal can do in the teacher evaluation process to promote the professional development of teachers. Elementary principals and teachers from a school division in Virginia were interviewed. The sources of data for this study were interview records, field observation notes, and archival data in the form of written observation summaries and professional growth goals, year-end evaluations, and the evaluation handbook and policies of the school division. The data in this study supported the conclusion that elementary principals do not use the evaluation process to promote professional growth. It was apparent in the interview data, however, that the belief that evaluation should foster growth was very strong in this school division. From the study emerged principles of practice that could indeed encourage a climate of growth in the elementary setting. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to examine if certified special education teachers who instruct emotionally disabled students experience the same barriers to retention when compared to other special educators. Also, this study answered the hypothesis whether significant relationships exists between the variables of staff development, stress and burnout, compensation, student discipline, role conflict, workload, and administrative support and teacher retention. One hundred forty two certified special education teachers from school districts in regions six and seven of southwestern Virginia completed a seventy-nine Likert style questionnaire for this study. Demographic profiles were outlined based on responses from special education teachers. Gender of participants was twenty-two males and seventy-eight females. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to validate predictor variables and aided in the development of the special education teacher survey. Principal component analysis interpreted the loadings of survey items on identified constructs. Results of the analysis revealed a strong correlation between the factors of Administrative Support, Compensation, Staff Development and the retention of special education teachers who work with emotionally disabled students. Fourteen percent of respondents chose to leave their positions compared to eighty-six percent who planned to stay. Findings indicated that administrative support, compensation, and staff development were the three most significant factors that influenced certified special educators' decisions to stay or leave their assigned positions. In addition, results of this study revealed that additional factors of student discipline, role conflict, stress and burnout, and workload were less significant, but were considered to have relevancy with minor roles towards a teacher's retention. It can be perceived that the three major constructs serve as a foundation that supports the four remaining individual constructs (stress and burnout, student discipline, role conflict and workload). These constructs were considered to be secondary underlying issues of teacher retention that surface and negatively impact teacher performance and job satisfaction, if not supported by the three major constructs over an extended period of time. Further, results confirmed that Administrative Support exhibited the strongest correlation among survey items and was found to have the most influence on the retention of special education teachers. / Ed. D.

The inability of school leaders to staff the classrooms with qualified teachers and to retain them in the classrooms is a major educational concern. The failure to retain teachers hinders learning, disrupts program continuity, and affects of expenditures for recruiting and hiring (Shen, 1997). Few research studies investigate why new teachers decide to remain in the teaching profession and fewer studies examine why experienced teachers have continued in the field. Little is known about what experienced teachers think about their profession and what internal or external factors persuaded them to remain in teaching. Insight gained can provide better understanding of what motivates them to stay, and it may prove effective in guiding policies for retention. Grounded theoretical investigation, examined why experienced teachers choose to remain in an exurban school district. Interview data were collected from 25 experienced teachers with 10 years of teaching experience in the school district. The results of the study revealed that experienced teachers are motivated primarily internally but need external approval; they perceive their self-image as a teacher from the success of their students, the collegiality of fellow teachers, and from the pride of their families; they believe that school leadership can positively affect teacher retention; they believe that in the school atmosphere, interactions with students and colleagues positively affect teacher retention; and they believe that professional staff development has a positive and negative effect on teacher retention. These findings lead to significant implications and recommendations for schools and school districts. At the school level, school leadership plays a major role in teacher retention. Teachers appreciate administrators who provide them with opportunities for self-fulfillment, growth, and development; time for teacher-student interactions; and collaboration with their colleagues. It is imperative that school districts provide teachers with continuous staff development, competitive salaries, and salary increases to meet the demands of the economy. It is also vital for schools and school districts to value the voices of experienced teachers as an avenue to recruitment and retention. The information gathered from this research may be instrumental in improving working conditions that may encourage teacher retention. / Ph. D.

This study is an assessment of the New Extension Agent Training (NEAT) program in Virginia. Although new Extension agents have exceptional subject matter training, they often lack skills needed to be effective Extension professionals (Bennett, 1979). The NEAT program provides a way for new agents to receive hands-on experiences that will facilitate a smooth transition into their respective roles. There is currently no specific data that has the NEAT program. Therefore, an evaluation of the program by its participants to determine its importance and effectiveness may be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of the NEAT program. The survey utilized to collect data in the study was developed by the researcher. The instrument was put on a website where participants could access it during a given time frame. The population consisted of new Extension agents, training agents, and administrators who participated in the NEAT program and are currently employed by Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE). Participants were asked to rate the importance and effectiveness of the NEAT program in facilitating new Extension agents' growth in a series of goals needed for a new agent to be proficient. These goals were then divided into eight competencies as outlined by National Policy Statement on Staff Training and Development (1968). Participants were asked to provide demographic information and suggestions that would be useful in designing future programs. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The data showed that communication was rated the most important competency while human development was considered the least important. The data related to the ratings of effectiveness of the NEAT program in relation to the eight competencies also demonstrated that respondents rated communication as the most effectively taught competency covered in the NEAT program, and human development as the least effectively taught competency. Significant differences among ratings by position in the NEAT program were measured at the 0.05 alpha level. Significant differences were observed both between new Extension agents and Extension administrators and between Extension training agents and Extension administrators were in the importance of a selected competency and the effectiveness of the NEAT program in teaching the some of the competencies. / Ph. D.