The United States has attempted to improve access to quality education for students. While the United States has seen access to higher quality of education as a solution to improving schools, this has not worked. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the methods created to improve access to quality education and their effectiveness. Methods that will be analyzed are acts passed by the United States and the charter school movement. In this paper I will look at the methods used in Germany and Colombia to help develop a new method of improving the quality of education in the United States through the use of nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit organizations have played a role in improving the education of Germany and Colombia. Nonprofit organizations could be a solution in improving the quality of education students receive through hands on experience, a standardized test, providing resources for students, and improving the quality of teaching in each school. The use of nonprofit organizations can help under-resourced districts improve, help create a test to accurately measure student success, and help districts understand how they can improve.

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives of leaders of five intensive English programs (IEPs) about their departments’ positions at U.S. public universities as well as their perceptions of the directors’ roles in developing visibility on campuses. The data was collected through interviewing and analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method which produced five distinctive themes: planned happenstance; belonging; funding; work with university; director’s role. The cross-case findings presented similar ideas from all of the participants – intensive English program legitimacy and visibility on campuses have still not been achieved. The findings from the study can aid IEP directors, and especially their supervisors, in understanding the need to create belongingness for those programs and to provide better involvement of members into university communities.

As U.S. higher education institutions strive to educate students to meet the needs of an increasingly complex world, there is great importance in studying the interplay between leadership and culture to enhance preparation of global-ready graduates. This inquiry examines the relationship between intercultural competence and leadership styles. The construct of intercultural competence focuses on effectiveness in engaging people across cultural differences, while the construct of leadership style or "connective leadership" focuses on the achieving styles employed to engage diverse followers. The Fulbright International Student Program offers an unparalleled opportunity to examine the dynamic interplay of intercultural and leadership development. More than 100 participants were surveyed using the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale and Achieving Styles Inventory psychometric instruments. Statistically significant correlations emerged between intercultural competence and connective leadership across four critical themes: individual development, the Fulbright Program, international education, and higher education. Overall, multiple leadership styles can be achieved through curiosity and continuous learning about cultural differences. Implications for individual learning and organizational development are discussed.

Although there is significant research surrounding online foreign language education, there are still questions on whether the outcomes are comparable to those obtained in the traditional face-to-face classroom. This study examined four classes, two online and two face-to-face, where students took the second course of a 6-level program of English as a Second Language at El Bosque University in Colombia. The International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP) was administered to students before classes started in order to establish a baseline, and then again after the courses finished. This test evaluates English language proficiency per skill: speaking, listening, reading, writing and also presents an overall proficiency score and level. Variables such as socioeconomic strata, students’ age, instructors, previous experience with online courses, course completion, student satisfaction and attendance and time on course were also examined. Because not all online students completed all content of the course within the timeframe given, special attention was given to this variable. Results indicate that when comparing the scores of only the online students who completed all the content of the course with those of their face-to-face counterparts, there are no statistically significant differences in the outcomes of any of the four skills nor there is a difference in the overall scores; however this brings up the issue of time investment as it seems to vary based upon instructional method. A qualitative component was used to support the findings in this study. This component included instructors’ interviews, an end-of-course qualitative survey and class observations.

L'objectif de cette recherche est d'identifier et d'analyser des dispositions et des logiques d'actions des enseignants lorsqu'ils se trouvent face à une situation liée à la question religieuse dans deux pays qui se définissent comme laïque, à savoir, le Brésil et la France. Il s'agit d'une étude d'inspiration ethnographique dans une perspective d'étude comparée. La recherche se situe dans le cadre de la Sociologie de l'éducation et utilise la sociologie de la socialisation et la sociologie pragmatique comme principaux cadres théoriques. A partir de cela, nous analysons les les dispositions et les principes de justice dans la pratique des enseignements brésiliens et français aux collèges publics. Ainsi les questions qui ont motivées la recherche sont : comment les enseignants traitent-ils une situation impliquant la question religieuse ? Pourquoi agissent-ils de cette façon ? Quelle(s) logique(s) d'action sont mobilisées dans les pratiques enseignantes? Quelles dispositions contribuent au "choix" de la logique d'action ? Comment les configurations sociales influencent-elles la question religieuse ? Existe-t-il des différences entre la pratique enseignante liée aux situations impliquant la question religieuse et la pratique enseignante tout court ? Pour répondre à ces questions une trentaine d'entretiens ont été effectués avec des enseignants brésiliens et français et trois établissement public ont été le cadre d'un travail d'observation (deux établissement au Brésil et Un en France), Les deux méthodes donnant accès à la description de situations professionnelles concernant les religions. La façon ont les enseignants gèrent la question religieuse privilégie la logique libérale au Brésil et la logique civique en France. En ce qui concerne les dispositions des enseignants, nous avons identifié des dispositions hybrides dans les actions brésiliennes et des dispositions professionnelles dans l'activité enseignante française. Enfin, nous avons mis au jour une logique d'action propre à la profession enseignante dans les deux pays, ce que nous appelons la logique professorale. / The purpose of this research is to identify and analyze the teachers' dispositions and logic of actions when faced with a sotuation related to the religious question in two countries that define themselves as secular,such a Brazil and France. this is an ethnographic-inspired study wich mobilizes a comparative education perspective. The research is situated within the field of the Sociology of Education and uses the sociology of socialization and pragmatic sociology as the main theoretical frameworks. Therefore, we analyze the provisions and pinciples of justice in the pratice of Brazilian and French teachers at public colleges. Thus, the queestions that motived the research are : how do the teachers deal with a situation involving the religious question ? Why do they act this way ? What logic(s) of action are mobilized in teaching pratices ? Wich dispositions contribute to the "choice" of the logic action ? How social configurations influence teaching practice with regard to the religious question ? Are there differences between the teaching pratice itself ? To answer these questions,approximately thirty interviews were conducted with Brazilian and french teachers and three public institutions were part of a field observation (two institutions in Brazil and one in France), the two methods giving access to the description of professional situations concerning religions. The liberal logic identified in the pratices of Brazilian teachers and the civic logic favored in France in situations involving the religious questions are different wayss to guarantee secularism. Regarding teachers' dispositions, we have identified hybrid dispositions in Brazilian actions and professional dispositions in the French teaching practice. Finally, we have brought to light a logic of action peculiar to the teaching profession in both countries, what we call the teaching logic.

This paper explores the empowerment of adolescent girls through sport using two case studies. Both case studies take place in predominantly Muslim countries: Egypt and Bangladesh. The sports programs also are both implemented through schools, public in Egypt and private in Bangladesh. I also evaluate the feasibility of establishing sports programs across the world. Because of Afghanistan’s especially harsh circumstances for women, the final chapter strategizes methods to implement similar programs there. I conclude by assessing the future of girls' sports programs in the Middle East and whether or not governments and international organizations should continue investing in these programs.

This research explores the availability and potential educational uses of different forms of poetry that can be read using a postcolonial approach. The focus is on contemporary France and Spain, two contexts where people with different cultural heritages coexist and need to negotiate cultural imbalances inherited from colonial and neo-colonial domination. This research highlights poetry’s overlooked suitability to engage young people in the expression of cultural difference in a progressively globalized world where cultivating cross-cultural understanding and tolerance needs to be at the top of our agendas. For this reason, the dissertation includes an analysis of poems (currently available for young people) aiming to foreground the possibilities of a postcolonial reading. I also studied similarities and divergences between the French and Spanish scenarios based on evidence gathered during a survey of the Spanish and French fields of poetry for young people and from interviews with informed agents. The survey of the field consists of the exploration of textbooks and anthologies but also the examination of poetry circulating through on-line channels. The interviews were undertaken with selected French and Spanish representatives of people currently involved in the production and dissemination of poetry for young people. I observed that the number of poems showing connections to a postcolonial legacy was scant in the French school material and even more in the Spanish books that I examined. I also confirmed that little attention was given to oral ways to deliver poetry especially showing little regard for the oral literary practices and traditions of non-European French and Spanish speaking communities. The Spanish lack of attention to these traditions is more salient. This contrasts with observations about non-school contexts. Spanish and French young people can nowadays easily engage with varied cultural traditions in poetry which circulate in poetry events and social media. Interviewees confirmed these observations but also raised issues about Spanish and French poetry education that need to be dealt with so as to improve school attention to mixed cultural heritages in poetry. The main contribution to knowledge of this thesis consists in identifying the underused and unexplored educational potential of French and Spanish poetry currently available for young people that can be fruitfully approached using postcolonial lenses. The evaluation of the information gathered in this research reveals that dominant French and Spanish approaches to poetry and limited poetry repertoires hinder the visibility of some contemporary forms of poetry and restrain the effectiveness of some poetry already present in mainstream poetry corpora. However, the comparison of scenarios shows that France offers more accessible and relevant ‘places of enunciation ’ than Spain does for poets to address young people. For instance, comparing contexts, French young people have easier access and more support than Spanish youth to engage with poets’ expressions of being culturally displaced.

The exploratory study presented in this thesis is a case study, interpretive in nature and located in the qualitative paradigm. The conceptual focus is on differentiation, recognizing that learners vary from one another and so will need educators to consider a wide range of factors to enable learners to learn. The objectives of the study are: • To identify what Whole School Evaluation (WSE) supervisors understand by the term differentiation (conceptual) • To identify how WSE supervisors expect differentiation to be achieved by educators (conceptual). [n order to contextualise this research, a further objective was considered necessary: • To identify the roles of WSE supervisors (contextual) This was set in the context of mathematics, science and technology education. The study was carried out with a group of ten WSE supervisors who were involved in evaluating Mathematics, Science and or Technology education in the GET (General Education and Training) Band. Analysis of questionnaires and documents led to the identification of supervisory roles, while analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed a range of dimensions related to differentiation understandings and expectations. These dimensions have been developed into a typology which is then drawn upon in the development of a new conceptual model of differentiation, particularly relevant to the South African context. Findings presented in the study represent an attempt to understand and make recommendations related to policy, practice, research, curriculum and learning support material (LSM) development, training and evaluation. Textual layering in the form of reflective footnotes and issue boxes. plus specific reflective sections in the main text e.g. limitations and assumptions, help the text to achieve this goal. While the study was focused on the context of mathematics, science and technology education, it became apparent that the findings could be applied across all the learning areas.

The study investigated how a pedagogic change process is managed by the divergent Haredi and Modern Orthodox streams of Orthodox Jewish schooling. Its literature study looked at the classical forms of historic Jewish pedagogy and how they have adapted to internal and external dynamics. It also examined how contemporary Orthodox schooling, specifically, is an amalgam of a variety of responses, reactions and adaptations to the radically changed landscape of modernity. The influence of the modern student profile was examined along with the affects of the inclusion of secular studies into the modern Jewish syllabus. The appropriateness of new interactive methods and technologies and the specialized teacher training they require were also explored. A qualitative study of the expert opinions of six contemporary experts was conducted and thematically analyzed along with an analysis of material from two file-sharing websites. Recommendations for educational practice and further research were proposed. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Change is critical in most organizations. International schools attempting to redefine 21st century education for their students are innovating pedagogies and schools’ structures. However, the leader of an organization or school may be the most influential advocate for or barrier to change. International schools’ leaders continue to play a role in the diffusion of distance education. This study identified the knowledge and experience of international school leaders and identified themes that are related to the likelihood distance education would or would not be adopted by the schools they lead. This applied dissertation describes international school leaders’ knowledge and use of innovation diffusion theory in adopting distance education into kindergarten-Grade 12 East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS). International schools are a unique niche in the global educational environment. Triangulating data from EARCOS school leaders collected through individual innovativeness surveys and coding open-ended interview transcripts provided insight to school leaders’ knowledge and use of innovation diffusion theory when applied to adopting or rejecting the use of distance education within their schools. Data collected in this study indicated that EARCOS school leaders’ use of formalized planning when diffusing innovations, including distance education, within their schools varied depending on the scale of the innovation and the stakeholders involved. EARCOS school leaders rated themselves higher on average in individual innovativeness when compared to other innovativeness survey normative groups. Several other key themes emerged from the data including the following: Opinion leadership and change agents play a vital role in diffusing innovations in EARCOS schools. School leaders need to be adaptable and recognize opinion leadership within their schools to diffuse innovations efficiently. EARCOS school leaders rated themselves as highly innovative but were reluctant to explore innovative ways of delivering instruction, including distance education. Distance education was not seen as relevant in EARCOS schools, even though school leaders recognized their students would be exposed to online learning upon matriculation. Barriers to the diffusion of distance education exist in EARCOS schools including cost to develop distance education programs and courses, existing school structures, and the perceived absence of need.