published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes among elementary principals and regular education teachers in Tucson, Arizona schools regarding perceptions of (1) what principals and teachers perceive as requirements for successful classroom integration of special education students; and (2) principals' and teachers' perception about the potential for student success in integrated, partially integrated, and non-integrated classroom settings. The study elicited responses from 117 principals and teachers during the 1992 school year. A survey instrument was used to obtain information from principals and teachers regarding their opinions on 18 items that have implications for integrating special education students into the regular classroom. Principals and teachers were also asked to indicate their level of support for integrating special education students into the regular classroom. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences among principals and teachers regarding their support of integrating special education students into the regular classroom setting; integration would not be in the best interest of all students; integration requires a change in the attitudes of principals and regular education personnel; and that educational programs should be delivered to handicapped students primarily by special educators outside the regular classroom. Most principals indicated that the majority of regular classroom teachers in their school are able to provide an appropriate education for any student without the assistance of a special educator. While principals and teachers support the inclusion of most students with handicapping conditions in general education classes, some respondents questioned the appropriateness of extending the regular class placement option to students with severe disabilities. Significant differences were found with regard to additional background and training associated with how principals and teachers view their success in educating special education students in the regular classroom. Results of this study hold implications for policy makers, researchers, regular and special education teachers, and administrators.

This qualitative case study explored elementary teachers' perceptions of the role of the school librarian and the implementation of flexible scheduling and collaborative planning. Data collected consisted of field notes, audiotaping of formal interviews and planning sessions, weekly plan books, monthly calendars, questionnaires and the collection of student work. During formal data analysis, new questions began to emerge. These three questions then guided the process of data analysis. These questions were: (1) What are teachers' perceptions of the role of the school librarian as indicated through responses and actions? (2) What changes occurred in teachers' perceptions during the school year? and (3) What are teachers' issues and concerns about the implementation of flexible scheduling and collaborative planning? Four roles of the school librarian emerged from data analysis. These were: the resource role of the school librarian; the cooperative role of the school librarian; the transition from a cooperative to a collaborative role; and the collaborative role of the school librarian. In addition, seven categories were developed through the analysis of interviews and questionnaires. One category developed as several teachers expressed their concern in not having a regularly scheduled library time for students to check-out books. A few teachers also indicated the need for students to learn library skills. Within each of the seven categories, several issues also emerged. The findings of the study indicate there were numerous changes during the school year in teachers' perceptions related to the role of the school librarian. There were also ten implications which resulted from the study. One of these implications focused on professional development within schools and school districts. Professional development assists in the role of ownership and as Fullan (1991) states, ownership of something new is tantamount to real change. Through professional development, teachers and librarians can learn about the process of cooperative and collaborative planning together.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Jordanian schools appears to be in a state of confusion. Numerous obstacles exist that hinder teachers from providing sufficient services for children with learning difficulties. This study investigates the current service provision for students with learning difficulties in Jordanian schools. Semi-structured interviews (N=31) with SEN teachers were conducted in two phases (23 and 8 respectively). Goffman (1963) was utilised as a theoretical framework, to interpret and understand the data, especially concerning that of social stigma. The analysis revealed that SEN teachers in Jordan faced various difficulties responding to the needs of their students with learning difficulties (LDs), which inevitably had a negative effect upon their performance. The results indicated that the difficulties arose from: parents who denied the disability of their children, classroom teachers who refused to cooperate with resource room teachers (responsible for teaching children with LDs), pre-service teachers who had little training in SEN, non-disabled peers who bullied their disabled peers, school administrators who had little understanding of the needs of children with LDs, and finally the Ministry of Education’s supervisors who were better equipped to support the educational needs of typically developing children. These negative attitudes are rooted strongly in local culture and seem to overlap with expressed religious values. Negative attitudes also varied among parents according to their socio-economic class and the type of school (public and private) their child attended. It appeared that the services provided in private schools were more in tune with the needs of children with LDs than those in public schools. Ultimately, I conclude that there is an urgent need for the reconstruction of services in Jordan to support children with LDs. Teacher training should be aimed specifically at equipping resource room teachers to cater effectively for students with LDs, and legislation should facilitate a shift of responsibility to the Jordanian Ministry of Education and away from the Ministry of Social Development. Most importantly, there is a need to facilitate a dialogue that seeks to amend attitudes towards disability in general and LDs in particular.

This study explored attitudes of occupational therapy faculty toward tenure and selected alternatives to tenure. A survey method was employed, and the Tenure Attitude Survey Instrument, (TASI), was created for use in the study. Additionally, a questionnaire sought information regarding respondents' rank, tenure and administrative status, institutional type, and years in academia. Participants were accredited occupational therapy professional program faculty who identified their primary work setting as "Academic" on the 2000-2001 American Occupational Therapy Association membership survey. Factor analysis of 577 surveys examined the structure of scores on the TASI, and the instrument consisted of 4 scales, and 18 items, as follows: Scale One: Attitude toward academic freedom and job security protection, 7 items; Scale Two: Attitude toward tenure in general, 6 items; Scale Three: Attitude toward stop-the-tenure clock provisions, 2 items; and Scale Four: Attitude toward post-tenure review, 3 items. Cronbach's alpha was conducted, as follows: TASI overall alpha = .7915; Scale 1 alpha = .7884; Scale 2 alpha = .8420; Scale 3 alpha = .7020; Scale 4 alpha = .4229. Proportional analysis showed that most respondents were full time faculty (88.1%); taught full time at public institutions (52.8%); were tenured or tenure-track (55.5%); had no administrative duties (70.5%); with a rank of instructor or lecturer (17.5%), or assistant professor (45.7%). Time in academia ranged from 1-40 years, with a mean of 11.27 years, median of 9.25 years, and mode of 4 years. Attitudes toward, and support for, the continuation of tenure and for selected proposed alternatives to tenure were analyzed according to the following: faculty rank, administrative status, and tenure status. Respondents held generally favorable attitudes toward tenure as measured by Scales 1 and 2 of the TASI, and the best predictors of faculty attitude toward tenure were tenure status and rank. Due to low reliability scores on Scales 3 and 4, no conclusions can be drawn regarding respondents' attitudes toward alternatives to tenure.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Education (Management), Durban Institute of Technology, 2003. / Education has undergone many changes, over the past ten years. Prior to 1994, public schools in South Africa were-predominantly bureaucratic organisations where the principals of schools implemented an autocratic style of management. Now education-has moved away from such a system to-a-democratic system- in-which staff participation is encouraged. After 1998, the-Department of Education and Culture of KwaZulu-Natal made it compulsory for the principal to inform staff on all procedures to be implemented in the rationalisation and redeployment process. The Department also encouraged staff participation in deciding on matters relating to the schoot The researcher undertook a research study in three secondary schools in the Phoenix- Verulam District to assess the extent to-which staff were involved in management decisions and whether this had been successful. It was discovered that problems were encountered when management and administrative responsibilities were shared with staff members. The researcher made recommendations to solve these problems and improve staff participation in the management of a school. / M

The purpose of this research study is to describe and analyze the self-reported experiences of exemplary high school mathematics teachers who underwent personal and professional transformations in order to develop and use a standards-based, constructivist (SBC) teaching paradigm in their classrooms. These teachers were all past recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), an award that required them to demonstrate that their mathematics instruction was rigorous in the manner described by the NCTM standards. The following research questions are addressed: (a) What are the paths SBC secondary mathematics teachers who received the PAEMST pursued to become highly effective?, (b) What obstacles and challenges did they encounter and how were these obstacles overcome?, and (c) What sustained them on their journeys? The research methodology used to be a narrative inquiry. Following a wide survey of PAEMST recipients, five volunteer participants were chosen for the study. Data were collected from each participant using a one-to-one interview and the written section of each participant's PAEMST application. A narrative was written for each participant describing the path they had followed to become a highly effective high school mathematics teacher. The narrative was sent to each participant, and a follow-up interview was conducted via telephone amending the narrative to reflect the participant's additions and deletions. From the five amended narratives, eight themes were identified: (a) influences; (b) education; (c) professional development; (d) NCTM standards; (e) teaching style: beginning, current, or end of a career; (f) obstacles; (g) personality traits and personal beliefs; and (h) student influence. Several of the themes were supported by previous research. However, this research study discovered two new findings. First, the five participants had common characteristics and beliefs: (a) belief in their students, (b) persistence, (c) belief that professional development is vital for teacher growth, and (d) passion about mathematics and about conveying that passion to their students. The second research finding pertained to the influence that their own students had on all of the five participants. All the participants purposely sought out their students' thoughts about the classroom curriculum and about the instruction they received. The teachers considered their students part of the classroom learning community, and they honored and acted on their input. Finally, in addition to describing the trajectory of five PAEMST winning teachers, this study offers recommendations for students studying to become high school mathematics teachers, teacher educators, and educational researchers. For these students, their teaching preparation courses need to be taught adhering to the four principles of learning: activity, reflection, collaboration and community. According to this research, the model of teacher preparation courses that emphasize the teaching of the above four principles using a traditional teacher-directed method does not prepare future mathematics teachers for the use of SBC teaching in their classrooms. Suggestions about further research are addressed.

The basic purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship of secondary school student teachers' manifest psychological needs and the accuracy of interpersonal perception and the self-concepts of students. In seeking a solution to the problem, the following subproblems were investigated: 1. The relationship of student teacher manifest psychological needs and the accuracy with which the student teacher perceived the attitudes of his students. 2. The relationship of the accuracy with which the student teacher perceived the attitudes of his students and the favorability of the students' attitudes toward the student teacher.

The purposes of this study were threefold: (1) to test the assumption that a curriculum study produces change in a school faculty in conservatism-radicalism, in anxiety, in leadership behavior, and in attitude toward the curriculum study; (2) to investigate the relationships between effects of a curriculum study on conservatism-radicalism, anxiety, leadership behavior, attitude toward the curriculum study and age, sex, and years of teaching experience of the teachers; and (3) to create a model from which replications can be made by Texas Education Service Centers.

The problem of the present study was to determine the relationship between role-preferences of experienced elementary school teachers and their attitudes toward certain behavior problems of children.