Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

The purpose of this study was to identify team development activities which occurred in public elementary schools during the implementation year of the Teacher Assistance Team (TAT) and determine if there were any significant differences between highly effective and less effective teams. The sample under study consisted of 42 elementary schools which were implementing the Teacher Assistance Team model during the 1983-84 school year. A questionnaire survey instrument was used to obtain information from the schools regarding team development activities. School staff were asked to respond to eight general areas thought to impact upon the adoption of the Teacher Assistance Team model in the school. These areas were level of service delivered, effectiveness of service delivered, personnel training, team membership, scheduling of meetings, principals' support strategies, technical assistance needs, and teacher reactions to the team process. Statistical analysis revealed the high and low service teams did not differ significantly in school enrollment, personnel trained, scheduling of team meetings, or 26 of the 27 support strategies employed by building principals. However, the analysis indicated significant differences between the high and low service levels. The high service teams operated for a larger proportion of the months possible; served a larger proportion of the student enrollment; and considered more cases per month and per team than did the low service teams. Additionally, the high service teams attempted to resolve a larger proportion of team development problems and actually resolved more problems than the low service teams. Building principals among the high service teams demonstrated more of a commitment to the team process by personally selecting team members and requiring that teachers experiencing learning or behavior problems in the classroom refer to the team for assistance. The results of this study hold implications for teachers and school administrators. Recommendations were developed enabling state and local educational agency personnel and building principals to increase the effectiveness of Teacher Assistance teams during the first year of the team's operation in the school. Future research is directed to address three outcomes of the team process. These are: referral and cost effectiveness; classroom intervention; and teacher satisfaction.

The purpose of this study was to compare middle level teachers' perception of their working environment under two different organizational structures: departmental (DEP) and Interdisciplinary Teaming Organization (ITO). In addition within the ITO schools, this study compared the working environment perception of teachers between different schools and between team members and non-team members. ITO is characterized by organizing teams of teachers around a core of subjects and providing them with a block of time, a common planning period, and shared students. Studies suggested that ITO provided circumstances for increased cooperation among teachers and enhanced decision making participation comparing to DEP schools. As a consequence teachers reported more job satisfaction and higher level of efficacy. However, very few studies were found to study these differences at the school level. The sample of this investigation consisted of 78 middle level teachers--Forty-seven teachers from two middle schools with ITO and thirty-one teachers from two DEP junior high schools. Subjects were administered a slightly modified questionnaire, previously used with elementary teachers, consisting of 16 different scales depicting the various aspects of the teachers' working environment. In addition, in order to enhance the analysis of the results other data was collected through open-ended interviews, as well as 2-way Analysis of Variance of teacher background components was conducted. The findings revealed: (1) ITO teachers felt more positive than DEP teachers with regard to the factors: faculty cohesiveness; socialization and recruitment of new teachers; goal-setting; teacher evaluation; instructional coordination; homogeneity and shared values; and instructional rewards. No significant differences were obtained with regard to job satisfaction, efficacy and decision making participation. (2) No significant differences in attitudes were obtained between ITO members and non-members within each ITO school. (3) Teachers in ITO 2 school felt more positive than ITO 1 teachers on only three scales: decision making participation, managing student behavior, and instructional rewards. Results suggest that ITO has a positive impact on the teachers' working environment, however, decision making participation, job satisfaction and efficacy level may be affected more by other factors. Future research should focus on improving the effectiveness of ITO.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: School of Education. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 118-123.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-89). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-89). Also available on the Internet.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the Effectiveness of Managing Through Formal Teams in a Secondary School. The study attempted to identify the role functions and composition of the formal teams at the school, based on the literature that there are complexities of managing through teams in secondary schools. If formal teams are to play a significant role in the management of secondary schools and to operate effectively, then opportunities for team performance and effectiveness are particularly significant. The key focus of the study was to identify the level of operation of the Formal Teams in accordance with the characteristics of effective teamwork and the manner in which the team's goals are accomplished. The overall aim was to focus on the perceptions of team leaders in respect of their team's effectiveness and the perception of team members regarding their team's effectiveness. The study was conducted at a Secondary School in the Pinetown District. Three formal teams were in operation at the school and for each team, the leader and team members were included in the research. Thus, no sampling was required. Quantitative and Qualitative research methodology guided the evaluative nature of the study. The data collection methods included a questionnaire, which was completed by members of the formal teams; semi-structured interviews conducted with the team leaders and observation of the three formal team meetings. Many issues emerged from the data to exemplify the significant absence of team effectiveness at the secondary school. One of the main findings of managing through teams is that all three formal teams seem to be functioning below their potential due to many other factors, resulting in the impediment of team performance. It is clear that monitoring team performance and evaluating team achievements by the leaders are not sufficient enough for team effectiveness. There is also some variance as to how well the leaders feel about their leadership roles in respect of their team's effectiveness. There are instances where team members spend too little time solving problems and too much time debating issues over which there is no control. The study concludes, that there is scope for consideration of more varied approaches towards achieving effectiveness of formal team operation, followed by some recommendations, which suggest ways to improve team effectiveness. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 2003.

This study aims to explore the experiences of teaching foundation phase multi-grade classes in rural settings. I am interested in understanding how teachers teach multi-grade classes so that I am able to make sense of the challenges and opportunities that they encounter. This is a qualitative case study and is guided by the interpretive paradigm. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants. I collected data by using qualitative research methods including interviews and observations. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and interpreted through an open coding process. Data was synthesised and resulted in the formulation of five themes. The findings show that teachers were faced with challenges which include lack of proper training, insufficient support from stakeholders, no workshops organised for multi-grade teachers, lack of resources at school which makes teaching and learning difficult, conditions of the school and the community that are not conducive to effective teaching and learning. Recommendations include that multi-grade teachers need to receive ongoing support from stakeholders. They also need to be given pre- and in-service training so that they are aware of strategies they can use to overcome challenges that they encounter when teaching. The Department of Education needs to provide relevant support for the benefit of the learners and the community. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

Thesis (MEd) -- University of South Australia, 1994