Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-201).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 172 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-138).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-93).

Thesis (MTech (Education Management))--Peninsula Technikon, 2002. / Word processed copy. Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-90). Also available online.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-101).

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Liberty University School of Education, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

School engagement is associated with higher achievement and lower school drop- out rates. Teacher, peer, and parent relationships are critical in the development of school engagement. However, most researchers have looked at the effects of these relationships on school engagement in isolation. Also, few studies have looked at how the impact of these relationships on school engagement may vary as the result of school attended, age, gender, and race. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the growing body of research exploring the mechanisms that underlie the socio-emotional antecedents of school engagement. A theoretical framework for the examination of school engagement as an assessment of how well family, teacher, and peer relationships are meeting students' needs drew from Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological model and Catalano and Hawkins (1996) social development model. Latent variable structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze an archival data set that included 2,217 students in grades 6 through 8 attending three public middle schools in Texas. Results indicated that reported levels of school engagement were explained primarily by peer and teacher relationships. Family context played an indirect role on school engagement, via its influence on peer and teacher relationships. Grade, gender, and race also impacted how relational factors influenced school engagement. Results highlight the importance of positive relationships with family, peers, and teachers, in increasing the development of school engagement. Results also highlight taking into account the unique needs of the student based on his or her age, gender, and ethnic background when designing interventions for school engagement. / text

Since the "Nation at Risk" report, there has been a social microscope on the growing achievement gap and factors that contribute to the increasing lack of academic improvement from African American students. In the State of Texas, there are no publicized examples of at-risk schools that have traditionally been successful with African American students in mathematics. Therefore, there was a need to investigate researched-based strategies that promoted African American student achievement in mathematics. This study utilized surveys, interviews, focus groups, and data to determine why specific middle schools in the State of Texas were successful with African American student achievement in mathematics. Data was collected from selected schools with academically successful African American students. Pertinent information was gathered through the investigation of factors that fostered the success of African American students in mathematics. Organizational factors such as quality of leadership, positive school community structures, and instructional student leadership were examined to determine methods successful in motivating African American students to succeed in mathematics. Instructional factors such as teacher quality and teacher educational belief systems were also analyzed for components leading to successful performance of African American students in mathematics. The findings were that a progression of success factors must be present to ensure "exemplary" performance. Schools' ability to facilitate positive organizational factors, instructional factors, group processes, and faculty sponsorship was more likely to help African American students perform better than their marginal peers. Additional research at the high school level was recommended to investigate strategies proved to be effective in raising mathematical achievement of African American students at middle schools / text

This study identified perceived structural and instructional critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming at the middle school. Through interviews with principals and teachers, data was collected on critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming in areas such as the formation of teams and the implementation of interdisciplinary teaming as a process with specific functions, both structural and instructional in nature. The critical attributes identified in this study were associated with the results from two earlier studies on interdisciplinary teaming conducted by Hackmann et al. (2002) and Valentine et al. (1993). Additionally, this study gathered data from participants on the perceived benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary teaming. Using purposeful sampling, principals and teacher participants were selected from a school district located in a metropolitan city in Texas. There were a total of 13 middle schools in the school district and five schools were selected for participation in the study. From the five middle schools, ten participants were surveyed and interviewed for this study; five principals and five teachers. The researcher conducted interviews over the telephone with each of the participants. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming, identified earlier by Hackmann et al. (2002) and Valentine et al. (1993), were generally associated with results from the current research. The critical attributes were developed from the following categories: Team characteristics, team membership, team planning time, and curriculum design practices. The second part of the study described perceived benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary teaming. In general, participants identified more benefits than challenges. Specifically, participants found interdisciplinary teaming to be beneficial in the areas of relationships, instruction, and parent communication. Challenges in the implementation of interdisciplinary teaming were described by both groups of participants. Implications for school officials who are trying to maintain interdisciplinary teaming in the face of budgetary constraints will necessitate a balanced look at effectiveness and efficiency. Further inquiry into an important relationship between interdisciplinary teaming and student achievement is also necessary. This study identified perceived structural and instructional critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming at the middle school. Through interviews with principals and teachers, data was collected on critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming in areas such as the formation of teams and the implementation of interdisciplinary teaming as a process with specific functions, both structural and instructional in nature. The critical attributes identified in this study were associated with the results from two earlier studies on interdisciplinary teaming conducted by Hackmann et al. (2002) and Valentine et al. (1993). Additionally, this study gathered data from participants on the perceived benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary teaming. Using purposeful sampling, principals and teacher participants were selected from a school district located in a metropolitan city in Texas. There were a total of 13 middle schools in the school district and five schools were selected for participation in the study. From the five middle schools, ten participants were surveyed and interviewed for this study; five principals and five teachers. The researcher conducted interviews over the telephone with each of the participants. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that critical attributes of interdisciplinary teaming, identified earlier by Hackmann et al. (2002) and Valentine et al. (1993), were generally associated with results from the current research. The critical attributes were developed from the following categories: Team characteristics, team membership, team planning time, and curriculum design practices. The second part of the study described perceived benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary teaming. In general, participants identified more benefits than challenges. Specifically, participants found interdisciplinary teaming to be beneficial in the areas of relationships, instruction, and parent communication. Challenges in the implementation of interdisciplinary teaming were described by both groups of participants. Implications for school officials who are trying to maintain interdisciplinary teaming in the face of budgetary constraints will necessitate a balanced look at effectiveness and efficiency. Further inquiry into an important relationship between interdisciplinary teaming and student achievement is also necessary. / text