Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-107). Print copy also available.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 28, 2009). Advisor: Craig Cashwell; submitted to the School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-178).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.

<p> Relational aggression acted out through social media or cyber bullying is an ever-growing limitedly researched issue that is impacting students and parents alike. A mixed-method study was conducted using existing older and aspiring younger social workers and counselors to investigate attitudes (focus groups and text box comments) and relationships (surveys) between variables. The research questions asked how attitudes toward cyber bullying based on gender, type of social media, parent versus nonparent status, and involved parent versus not involved parent status. Hypotheses tested correlations between the same elements.</p><p> Participants were 75 existing social workers and counselors working at a Midwestern school district, and 137 aspiring social workers and counselors enrolled in a Midwestern university undergraduate social worker program and a graduate counselor program. The participant age varied&mdash;the youngest group was the undergraduate social worker students and graduate counseling students the oldest group was the existing social workers and counselors. Gender varied, but the majority of participants were female.</p><p> All participants were surveyed with an instrument designed to measure attitude that included three scenarios of relational aggression. Among those surveyed, some also participated in a video recorded focus group to measure attitude. Survey results were analyzed using <i>t</i> tests and <i> F</i> tests that found minimal significance between participant responses. Focus group results were first analyzed using axial coding for three key elements: parent involvement, relational aggression, and social media, and found that by far, the majority of responses aligned with the element, parent involvement. Next, open coding of just the parent involvement responses resulted in the following emerging themes: general parent involvement, parent monitoring, parent involvement as a resolution, parent involvement as a prevention, and parental advisement.</p><p> There was more female representation that took the survey than males. Lack of familiarity with social media websites made it difficult for honest responses and if they were used to cyber bully. Most respondents felt parent involvement is important in preventing cyber bullying despite parental status. Involved parental monitoring of their child&rsquo;s social media are aware of their online behavior. Cyber bullying is a prevalent topic that provided strong reactions from all data sets.</p>

Project (M.Ed.) - Simon Fraser University, 2005. / Project (Faculty of Education) / Simon Fraser University.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1971. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-115).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

The current program evaluation of school-wide positive behavior support (PBS) in an alternative education setting was conducted in three phases (Phase 1: initial evaluation; Phase 2: intervention; Phase 3: follow up evaluation). The purpose of the evaluation was to identify strengths and weaknesses of the PBS program and to implement changes to improve program effectiveness and positive outcomes for students. An exploratory case study design was used to achieve an in-depth understanding of the program through the use of quantitative and qualitative data collection. The evaluation was completed within one school year, between November 2007 and May 2008. The participants in this evaluation were the students and staff of the alternative school. Quantitative data included behavioral data on the students, inter-observer agreement data, and survey data; qualitative data included survey data and data from student and staff focus groups. Overall, the evaluation was successful in that the evaluators were able to identify strengths and weaknesses, and areas of concern to be addressed through interventions. The evaluators were able to implement a variety of interventions, and received feedback that the interventions were successful. Although student behaviors were not effectively changed as a result of this evaluation, the evaluators did develop a plan for ongoing evaluation, future trainings and program modifications, to be implemented over the course of the 2008-2009 school year.

Many restructured public middle schools assign their classroom teachers to interdisciplinary teams (math, English, etc.) with common planning time scheduled weekly. Students are then assigned to one team of teachers, and this team and their students stay together throughout the school year. As a result, teachers and students learn more about each other, and teachers can increase their emphasis on the social, emotional and physical needs of their students. One goal of this increased emphasis is a reduction in disruptive behaviors in the classrooms. However, many teachers from these teams have reported little or no reduction in these disruptive behaviors. This study framed middle-school restructuring as a beginning systemic intervention and hypothesized the following: If teachers learned about systemic ideas that underlie restructuring and applied systemic interventions in the classroom, the disruptive behaviors would decrease. A team of four public middle school teachers were introduced to systemic thinking and interventions during weekly meetings for ten consecutive weeks. They viewed classroom behavior from a systemic perspective and practiced systemic interventions in the classroom. They kept track of their efforts each week and reported any changes that occurred. Some of the students from the team talked about their classroom behavior as well as other events in their lives which they believed influenced their behavior in the classroom. The results show that one member of the team reported a significant decrease in disruptive behaviors and one reported some decrease. Two members who rarely experienced disruptive behaviors in their classrooms reported an increase in their confidence as a result of learning a theoretical basis for their past and present successes. The team as a whole reported feeling more cohesive and productive, and, as a result, more successful in accomplishing their goals. Almost all the student participants reported wanting their classroom teacher to know about the events in their lives outside of school. The students also reported that much of their disruptive classroom behaviors increased in amount and intensity if they could get no help or understanding with their out-of-school problems.

Students dropping out of school at an early stage represent a problem in developed and poor countries. It becomes even more critical when the disappointment and frustration cause parents and their children to question the goal of education, which for them is to find meaningful employment. Unemployment among young people in Côte d'Ivoire is reaching staggering proportions, and poverty among rural dwellers is at its worst. Meanwhile, rural areas are drained of any young substance. Clearly, the battle for development is being lost. This study explores the attitudes of students, parents, teachers and school officials toward rural development and explores school-based cooperatives as a way to help primary school dropouts make a successful transition from school to real life. A qualitative method was used in combination with quantitative method to give a voice to ordinary Ivorians through 300 surveys, 12 in-depth interviews, one focus group with teachers, school officials, students and parents. Subjects took a close look at the education available, reevaluated their attitudes and speculated on how they can take advantage of the education that is available to them prepare for a meaningful life in the rural areas. The findings and implications are: (1) The attitude toward rural development is negative. (2) The occupational aspirations of youth are predominantly prestigious white-collar jobs. (3) To be successful, teachers need better training and better salaries. (4) The introduction of national languages will facilitate parents' interaction with schools. (5) Rural areas are not attractive enough for young people to want to make a living. (6) Education by itself cannot solve all the problems of underdevelopment. (7) A school to work transition program is necessary. (8) Private organizations need to finance new programs in education. (9) Development of the rural areas needs to occur alongside the development of urban areas. (10) Land reform is needed to facilitate land ownership. (11) A change in mentality and attitude needs to occur.